Recipes: Veg Chilli and Courgette and Mushroom Fettucini

[alyse]

Someone on vegetariancooks asked for Mexican type food recipes so I typed up my favourite. Not being Mexican, or even being in the US and thereby having access to good Mexican food, I have no idea how authentic it is, but I like it.

Vegetarian Chilli

This is a very popular veggie alternative with meat eaters, freezes really well and is the reason I bought her Supreme Vegetarian Cookbook.

1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper (bell pepper if you're in the US), de-seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1x400g/14oz can tomatoes (chopped)
225g/8oz red kidney beans, soaked, cooked and drained (or 2x425g/15oz cans red kidney beans)
100g/4oz green (continental) lentils, simmered in water until tender (40-45 mins)
1 teaspoon mild paprika pepper
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chilli powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of sugar

1. Fry the onion, pepper for 10 mins then add garlic and tomatoes
2. Drain kidney beans and lentils. Add to tomato mix, together with paprika and chilli powder
3. Simmer for 15-20 mins, then season with salt, pepper and sugar and serve.

Goes well either with rice or in pitta bread, or even wrapped in a tortilla. I make twice the quantity because it freezes really well, and use 2 cans of normal kidney beans and two cans of kidney beans in chilli sauce, which gives it a bit more body.

I also make veggie fajitas with something like quorn, marinated tofu or soya like chicken pieces in it and throw in any veg I've got - staples are mushrooms, courgettes (zucchini), auburgine (eggplant), red and yellow peppers (bell peppers), red onions and chick peas, but you can throw in anything really that looks good. Fry it on a medium high heat for about 10-15 mins, adding the meat substitute last, add some fajita seasoning (I use El Paso or Schwartz, but there's nothing to stop you from making your own) and serve with fajitas, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. In fact, for extra hot, adding salsa instead of seasoning works :)

Also a hit with meat eaters :)

I promised Leah this next recipe ages ago and I don't think I ever sent it to her.

Courgette and Mushroom Fettucine

Courgettes, for the Yanks among us, are what you call 'zucchini'.

350g/12oz courgettes
1 onion, sliced
2 gloves garlic, crushed
350g/12oz closed cap mushrooms, sliced
225g/8oz peeled, chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried mint
1 tsp turmeric (I leave this one out as I don't like tumeric)
5 tbsp sherry
150ml (1/4 pint) double cream
225g/8 oz fettucini

1. Fry the courgettes, onion, garlic and mushroom in a little olive oil in a covered saucepan over a low heat for a few minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, herbs, turmeric and sherry.
3. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes
4. Add the cream and seasoning and simmer gently for 20 mins

5. Meanwhile, cook the fettucini in accordance with the instructions on the packet.

Serve, with the mushroom on top of the fettucini. Serves 4.

Anyone interested in a recipe for scrummy mushroom pate?

Comments

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Courgette and Mushroom Fettucine

I was skimming my flist and saw this and thought "Cigarette and Mushroom Fettucine"????? Ewww! ;-D

[alyse]

O.o

Ewwww indeed ::g::

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

mmmm....
sounds yummy!
I think I'll try these. thanks.
and, yes please on the mushroom pate...

[taste-is-sweet.livejournal.com]

Hey, thank you! That recipe looks good, so does the one for the chilli. :)

[moxie-brown.livejournal.com]

*checks ethnicity tag* Yup, still 100% Mexican.

The chili's not authentic at all! But it still sounds yummy, and perfect to make for my vegetarian friends. (Aside: I don't think any chili is Mexican, I think it's strictly a tex-mex phenomenon, and tex-mex should really be it's on cuisine style, and stop trying to impersonate Mexican food.)