Today's Vegetarian Christmas Recipes 30 November 2006

Broccoli cream cheese soup

Ingredients:

A head of broccoli; 1 large onion; 1 cup white section of leek (chopped); 50 gm butter; 2 cups vegetable stock; 100 gm low fat soft cheese; 2 tbsp fine oatmeal; 2 ripe pears, 50 gm flaked almonds (toasted); 2 cups milk; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Snap the broccoli florets and chop the stalk into small pieces. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped leeks, onion and broccoli stalk. Stir well and leave for ten minutes till limp and wilted. Then add chopped pears, oatmeal, almonds and milk, a little at a time, and stir well after each addition. Simmer for a while then add milk, stock and seasoning. Simmer gently for ten more minutes. In another pot, steam the broccoli florets for about 5 minutes. Cool the soup and blend the soft cheese and the soup in a food processor, until smooth. Put the soup back on the fire, add the boiled broccoli florets. Re heat gently and adjust the seasoning.

Brown rice risotto

Ingredients:

200g brown rice (washed); 400ml water(hot); 1 medium onion; ½ red pepper; 200g sunflower seeds; Mixed herbs; 100g sweet-corn/frozen peas; soy sauce and salt to taste

Method:

Wash rice and drain. Cook the chopped onion in the oil to soften, add the rice and cook for several seconds, stirring with a fork. Add hot water, soy sauce and mixed herbs. Bring to the boil and simmer gently. After 15 minutes add sweet-corn/peas and simmer for a further 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is almost cooked. Add the chopped and seeded red pepper and cook till done. Season to taste, top with toasted sunflower seeds and serve.

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