03 REINVENTING THE MEAL

Whether you’ve joined the vegan, veggie or flexitarian hordes or not, it’s clear that a vegetable’s role in your healthy eating plan now extends well beyond that of plucky side plate. The chefs at London vegetarian restaurant Ceremony show how to elevate this unsung ingredient from seasonal also-ran to year-round main event.

A PURPLE SPROUT SALAD WITH APPLE AND WALNUT

SERVES 2 Purple sprouts, 200g, shaved Dry-roasted walnuts, handful An apple, thinly sliced Blue cheese, to taste, crumbled Olive oil, glug Maldon sea salt, pinch Black pepper, pinch METHOD Purple sprouts lose their colour when cooked, so this recipe preserves their healthy antioxidants by keeping them raw. Shave the sprouts into a large salad bowl using a mandoline slicer, then add a handful of dry-roasted walnuts and your thinly sliced apple. Make a dressing using the crumbled blue cheese (as much as you can handle), olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss it through the salad to finish.

C ROASTED KALETTES WITH TAHINI & ZA’ATAR

SERVES 4 Kalettes, 200g Olive oil, glug Za’atar, 2tbsp Quinoa, 150g Tahini, 1tbsp Toasted sesame seeds, 1tbsp A lemon Maldon sea salt, to taste METHOD A Brussels sprout and kale hybrid, this hearty vegetable is almost a meal in itself. Trim the kalettes and toss them in olive oil and za’atar until fully coated. While boiling the quinoa, roast the kalettes at 180ºc for around 15 minutes until they are tender but still crisp. Dress with tahini, another splash of olive oil, toasted sesame seeds and a big squeeze of lemon. Finish with a sprinkle of salt.

B ORECCHIETTE WITH CHILLI GARLIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

SERVES 2 Brussels sprouts, 100g A clove of garlic A red chilli Orecchiette, 300g Olive oil, glug Pecorino, to serve A lemon Maldon sea salt, pinch Black pepper, pinch METHOD Trim and quarter the sprouts, then sauté on a medium-high heat with the olive oil, garlic and chilli until charred. Bring a pot of water to the boil, adding a pinch of salt. Cook the orecchiette until al dente and drain, saving a splash of the water. Combine the sprouts and pasta, top with pecorino shavings and a liberal squeeze of lemon, then stir in the saved water to make a sauce. Use salt and pepper to season, then serve.

D EGG-FRIED RICE WITH SPROUT TOPS

SERVES 2 Sprout tops, 100g A clove of garlic Spring onions, handful, chopped A knob of fresh ginger, grated Leftover brown rice, 300g Eggs, 2 Sesame oil, glug Soy sauce, glug METHOD Fried rice always tastes better when it’s a day old, so use leftovers when making this dish. Fry the garlic, spring onions and ginger in a splash of oil in a large wok, then add the sprout tops. Cook until tender and then add the rice, stirring frequently. Beat the eggs, combining with the soy sauce and sesame oil before stirring into the rice and veg. Once the eggs are cooked, remove from the heat and plate up.