Robin Ellis

The fridge is in need of replenishment–post festivals.

This was only partially solved by a visit to Lautrec market this morning.

No fishmonger–obviously still in recovery from the New Year festivities.

They take New Year as seriously as the Scots here; so--seriously.

(We had a delivery of fire wood yesterday and Monsieur Reynaud [woodman] admitted he and his wife had returned home at 3am the previous morning.)

I came back from the market with a couple of leeks, two fennel bulbs and some eggs.

Eggs for lunch, but what to do for dinner?

A gratin? No–a curry.

It’s been a while and it would hit the spot!

Feeling lazy, I’ll peek on the web, I thought, looking for a good recipe….

First suggestion from Mr. Google:  Chickpea, leek and fennel curry from robin-ellis.net!!

This recipe appears in my new cookbook, Healthy Eating for Life, out 8th January–NEXT WEDNESDAY (my birthday!).

The recipe is inspired by Rose Elliot’s vegetarian cookbooks–on my shelf for ages and much thumbed!

First published in the 1970s, her recipes have withstood the test of time–and the ingredients often fit with my way of eating.

for 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 small onion–chopped

1 clove of garlic–peeled & chopped

1/2  teaspoon of powdered cumin

1/2 teaspoon of powdered coriander

1/2 teaspoon each of garam masala ( an earlier post), turmeric, ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne/chili powder

1 teaspoon fresh root ginger–peeled & chopped (optional)

1 large jar of cooked chickpeas–drained (the precise quantity is not critical!)

2 fennel bulbs–outer leaves removed, quartered and chopped

1 large leek–damaged outer parts removed, cut down to the base, washed and sliced

2 tablespoons of parsley or coriander–chopped

1 pint of vegetable stock (I use organic cubes diluted with boiling water.)

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Gently fry the cumin seeds until they start to pop.
• Add the onion and garlic and soften–about 3 minutes.

• Add the spices and mix them in.

• Add the chickpeas.
• Add the leeks and fennel and mix.

• Add the stock–start with half a pint and adjust as needed.
• Bring the mixture up to boil, then cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

• Fold in a tablespoon of parsley or coriander.
• Sprinkle the second tablespoon of parsley or coriander over the dish when you serve it hot with…
• Brown basmati rice and yogurt sauce.