Mellow yellow

Does anyone get their five-a-day without a struggle? It sounds easy enough when the health Nazis are telling you just to swap a Kit-Kat for a banana and include three veggies with your tea but the reality is most of us are probably kidding ourselves.

Apparently for salad to count, you have to have a cereal bowl-size portion – so counting the leaves in your Pret crayfish and rocket sandwich isn’t going to cut it. And the generous amount of lime in a G&T is only going a very small way to achieving the high five.

The best way I’ve found to have the best stab at it is to get two out of the way at breakfast. In our house we achieve this and more by making a home-made smoothie (see Hip, Hip Puree blog). However, as the berries become sparser, it’s a worry as to how we’re going to keep it up. I optimistically bought a mango today but, frankly, that’s a lot of work first thing in the morning, even using the hedgehog technique. I can sense Mr Scrumptious is dreading the day I start juicing a turnip.

A banana and a glass of orange is also a good start. A daily apple and two portions of veg (or one and a piece of fruit after) at dinner and there you have it. However, apparently even a veg-rich tomato pasta sauce only counts as one and you need to eat two tangerines for it to count as a full portion. So it’s easy to see how we all fall off the five-a-day track even without realising.

This week’s recipe does, however, give you two at the very least of vegetables in one main dish. I find it’s still to early to be dusting off the Le Creuset and making hearty wintry casseroles but my tastebuds also know I no longer want to eat salads and light, summery chicken and salmon dishes. The leaves outside are only just turning and there is still plenty of green to be seen in the garden. So, this is a mellow, autumnal dish – warming but not heavy and healthy but not a bore. The golden top, flecked with green even reflects the colours you see outside – when the leaves are a full burnished gold then it’s time for the goulash and game stews.

I’m not generally a member of the whole mustard/horseradish/wasabi fan club but like it here because it is cooked out to a smooth rounded flavour and adds a nice kick of colour. Any mustard will do as long it is not to vinegary. It will serve four as a main course, perhaps with a few boiled potatoes or six as a side dish with something like a piece of grilled cod. Leaving out the bacon, it can be a delicious vegetarian dish.

Leek, bacon and vegetable bake

One cauliflower, cut into florets

One pack tenderstem broccoli

Tbsp olive oil and tsp butter

One leek, finely chopped

One pack bacon or pancetta pieces (or two-to-three rashers chopped)

Tbsp plain flour

Pint of milk

6oz grated strong cheddar

Tbsp mustard

Couple of handfuls of spinach

Cook the cauli in plenty of boiling salted water for about four minutes before adding the broccoli. Cook for a further three minutes then rinse into a colander and run cold water over. Cover and set aside.

In a large pan (saute pan is ideal) sweat the leeks in the oil and butter for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them catching. Add a little salt. The leeks should soften down but not be too tinged. Add the bacon and cook for another few minutes. Have the milk and cheese to hand. Add the flour to the leeks and bacon and stir in well. Add the milk gradually, stirring continuously and bring to the boil. You should have a thick sauce. Take off the heat and stir in the mustard and cheese and keep stirring until the cheese has melted.

Warm a large ovenproof dish and place the spinach on the bottom. Tumble in the vegetables and pour over the leek and bacon sauce, coating everything well. Add pepper and a little grated cheese to the top and brown under a hot grill.

 

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