Phil's three courses packed with frozen veg
Phil Vickery is here to prove you can still pack your meal this evening with veg, even if your supermarket shelves might be looking a little sparse right now. He’s here with a starter, main, plus, a little dessert for afters.
Easy pepper soup
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients
150g dried spaghetti
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 x 500g sachet passata
500ml water, roughly
2 x 10g vegetable stock cube
2 x 500g bags frozen sliced pepper
Salt
Ground pepper
Vinegar
Sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Frozen baguette, baked and sliced
Method
1. Place the spaghetti into a clean tea towel and then break up into small pieces using a rolling pin or by just breaking up by placing in a tea towel and running own the side of a table top.
2. Place the tomatoes, passata, water, stock cube and two bags of frozen peppers into a large saucepan.
3. Bring to the simmer then add the spaghetti, mix well and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the spaghetti is cooked. You may need to add a little more water.
4. Once cooked, season well with salt, pepper, vinegar and sugar to balance all the flavours.
5. Serve in deep bowls with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil and baguette.
One pot prawn massaman curry
Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutesCook time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients
2kg small frozen cauliflower florets, defrosted and drained well
4 tbsp any oil
Salt and ground pepper
1-2 tbsp green massaman curry paste (or use a ready bought pack of all ingredients)
1 x 400g can coconut milk
2 x 10g vegetable stock cubes
200g frozen mash pellets
150-200ml water, approx
300g raw Aldi wild shelled prawns
200g frozen peas, defrosted
2-3 tbsp dry roasted peanuts
50g frozen fresh coriander
2 microwaveable coconut rice packets
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.
2. Gently press the defrosted cauliflower to remove more moisture - this will cut down the oven cooking time. Place the cauliflower into a baking tray, drizzle with oil, and season with a little salt and ground pepper to taste.
3. Pop into the oven and roast really well until you get a nice golden colour, then remove.
4. Place into a deep saucepan and add the curry paste (to your taste), coconut milk, chopped prawns, crumbled stock cubes, and frozen mash pellets. Mix well.
5. Add enough water to come ¾ of the way up the cauliflower.
6. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potato pellets dissolve and thicken the stock, approx. 5-10 minutes.
7. Taste and season with a little salt but be careful a lot of made pastes are highly seasoned.
8. Pop your prawns into the dish, then add the peas, beans, peanuts, and coriander. Warm through.
9. Serve with micro rice wedges of lime, if you have any.
Frozen red berry tart
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 30 minutesCook time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
300ml single cream
350g fruits of the forest (or any red frozen fruit), defrosted
1 x 312g jar lemon curd
75g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
½ tsp cornflour
1 x 24cm x 4cm deep sweet pastry (frozen 500g block defrosted)
250g frozen blueberries, defrosted
1 large lemon, zest finely grated
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3.
2. Heat cream until just boiling then remove from the stove.
3. Place the defrosted blueberries, half jar lemon curd and caster sugar into a liquidiser and blitz ‘til smooth then pour into a bowl.
4. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, cornflour into a bowl and just bring together.
5. Finally the warm cream and just bring together.
6. Carefully pour into the cooked pastry shell and bake in the pre - heated oven for 25 - 35 minutes or until just set..
7. Remove and chill well - best chilled overnight.
8. When ready to serve, mix the defrosted blueberries with the rest of the jar of lemon curd and lemon zest. Spoon over the tart, cut, and serve.