08 Vegetable Hearth Plate
Your fitness is fuelled by more than just animal protein. Top up on vital vitamins and minerals with this nutrientdense power plate
Chef director at the Tramshed Project and London Fields Courtyard, open-fire specialist Andrew Clarke received the Innovation Award from the Craft Guild of Chefs.
INGREDIENTS
Trombetta courgettes Mauve aubergine Fennel Tropea onions Corno peppers Butternut squash Coco de paimpol beans
METHOD
Grill as much as you need to keep your guests fed, plus extra for your working lunch. Clarke likes to highlight the different flavour profiles of each vegetable by varying his cooking technique. “These ingredients are more than just ‘aubergines’ or ‘onions’ – they’re specific varieties with bigger flavours and more nutrients than supermarket equivalents,” says Clarke. Branch out from Tesco and look for micro-seasonal, organic and heirloom veg.
For the courgettes, place an all-metal heavy frying pan over the coals and braise in a garlic-herb stock with plenty of olive oil (watch out for the hot handle). Rinse the pan and fry the aubergine, sliced into wedges, in a dash of oil.
Purple veg are rich in recovery-boosting anthocyanins.
The fennel and onions need very little cooking. Simply rub with oil and chargrill, so they maintain their crunch. Blacken the peppers directly on the coals, then remove the charred skin to reveal the soft flesh. Roast the vitamin A-rich squash in the coals, too, then blend into a smoky purée when soft.
Finally, cook the coco beans in a cast-iron pot, tucked into the coals and laced with olive oil, roast garlic and hot sauce. A variety of haricot, each 100kcal serving provides 6g of protein. “We serve all this with a simple salsa verde, to bring uplifting herbal notes to the party,” says Clarke.