It’s a little known fact that the main reason I joined the Lib Dems was because of the party’s excellent Food Policy. I love food and I love cooking. But I’m also passionate about the politics of food. That means I buy local and seasonal fruit and vegetables from Abel & Cole, an organic box scheme. I don’t buy any fresh food that has been flown in from abroad because of the damage planes do to the environment. I don’t eat a lot of meat because of the energy wasted in the livestock industry and the fat in most meat. And I don’t eat much fish (sadly) because stocks are running out and because fish farms are an environmental disaster. The key elements in my diet are seeds, nuts, fruit, vegetables, wholemeal bread and pasta. We forget that until the post-war period, when cheap, chemical, mass production food became the norm, most humans had lived on seeds, nuts, fruit and vegetables for the vast majority of human existence on earth. Indeed I would contend that many of the problems we have today with obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and allergies stem from over eating of meat, dairy, chemicals and processed foods. But that’s enough of the politics – here’s my Rôti de Noix Gratiné à la Provençale or Nut Bake. The really great thing about this recipe is that you can use pretty much whatever you have to hand, and you can prepare it in about 15 minutes flat.
Ingredients:
Several good slugs of olive oil. 2 or 3 garlic cloves – roughly chopped - or a chilli or both for those that like it hot! 1 shallot onion or ordinary onion or half a leek – roughly chopped. 2 handfuls of mixed nuts (if you use brazil nuts, these need to be broken into pieces) Half a tin of tomatoes and half a tin of mixed beans or a full tin of either. You can also use dried beans but make sure you soak and cook them first! A glass of white wine or two shots of vodka or the juice of a lemon or both or neither. 2 or 3 stalks of celery (separate the leaves if there are any and keep them to one side) or a courgette or both – chopped. A large handful of spinach or some other green leaf vegetable like kale etc 4 or 5 medium-sized potatoes – washed and sliced but not peeled. Or last night’s leftover mash. 400 g of grated or sliced cheddar or gruyere or emmental or goats cheese. 3 handfuls of mixed fresh herbs preferably from your own garden or, in my case, balcony.
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Cooking time: 45 minutes.
Serves six people.
Combine the olive oil, garlic, nuts and onion or leek in an ovenproof heavy dish (with a lid). Cook for a few minutes over a medium flame then add the alcohol. In this version I used the remains of a Polish honey liqueur! Let alcohol boil off for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and celery. Leave it to simmer whilst you wash the potatoes and cut them into reasonably thin slices. Turn the oven on to 175 degrees centigrade if you have a fan-assisted oven or 200 if not. Mix the sliced courgette and beans and lemon juice in with the rest, then turn off the heat. Now add a layer of uncooked spinach or kale and the celery leaves, then add several layers of sliced potato. Pop the lid on and stick it in the oven for 30 minutes. After half an hour, take the dish out, remove the lid, add the grated or sliced cheese, then put it back in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown. Serve on a bed of mixed herbs. In this case I’ve used rocket, oregano, lemon balm, basil and nasturtium – all of which grown perfectly well on a London balcony or window ledge from March to November.
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