Favourite ways to cook veggies

THERE is never a shortage of fresh vegetables at the weekly farmers markets, but there may be a shortage of modes of cooking. There are staples each week, carailli, melongene, spinach, ochro, pumpkin and body, to name a few. Sometimes we may take them home and feel a bit bored to cook them in the same style each week. One thing I can say, market-fresh is best and the taste of these veggies never disappoint. Here are some of my favorite ways to cook some of our local vegetables. Remember local is always best.

Stuffed carailli

4 large caraillis

1 lb shrimp, minced

4 tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp ground roasted cumin (geera)

1 cup coconut milk

3 tbs curry powder

4 cloves garlic

2 onions

2 tbs chopped chadon beni

1 hot pepper seeded salt to taste

2 stalks lemon grass, chopped

Slit carailli lengthways, remove seeds, do not cut in half or let knife go right through.

Place garlic, onion, pepper and chadon beni in a blender or food processor and process to a fine consistency.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in caraillis and cook for five minutes, remove and drain.

Heat one tbs oil in a sauté pan, add one tbs ground garlic and onion mixture, add cumin, cook until fragrant, add shrimp and cook for five minutes. Remove and season to taste with salt.

Stuff the carailli with the shrimp mixture, tie together with kitchen twine and secure well, set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a sauté pan, add the lemongrass, and balance of the garlic, onion mixture, add garam masala and curry powder, pour on coconut milk and simmer for five minutes, then add caraillis and cover and simmer for ten minutes.

Slice and serve as a side dish with other curried dishes.

Serves 6 to 8

French Caribbean melongene cake

with spicy tomato sauce

2 lbs eggplant/melongene

1 tbs salt

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup milk

3 eggs

1 tsp pepper sauce

1/3 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 325F

Wash, peel and cut eggplant into strips, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 15 minutes, wash and pat dry.

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add garlic and cook without burning, add eggplant and cook until tender, about 20 minutes, puree and set aside.

Combine milk with eggs, add eggplant and stir, add pepper, add parsley.

Turn into a greased baking dish, place dish into a larger dish with about one inch of water.

Bake for 40 minutes until firm.

Remove from oven, turn into serving platter and pour on tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce

2 tbs olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, pureed

1 tsp tomato paste

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup chicken broth

½ tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil, add garlic and onions, sauté for three-five minutes, add tomatoes, paste, salt, pepper, and basil. Add broth.

Add sugar, stir and simmer for 40 minutes until thick.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with eggplant cake.

Creole ochro

1 tbs vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped peppers

½ cup chopped celery

1½ cup chopped
okra

1 14 oz can corn niblets, drained

1 ↓8 oz tin whole tomatoes, crushed, with juice

1 tbs fresh thyme

1 tsp paprika

1 ↓tsp cayenne pepper or 1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

salt to taste

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add onions, celery, peppers, cook for about four minutes until fragrant and tender.

Add ochro, corn and tomatoes, stir to combine, add thyme, paprika and cayenne, season with salt and pepper, cook for about 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Serves 4 to 6

Sauteed spinach with nutmeg

2 tbs olive oil

1 ↓large bunch spinach, picked over and washed

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ hot pepper, seeded

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

salt, pepper to taste

Chop spinach, heat oil in sauté pan, add onion, garlic and pepper, sauté until fragrant.

Add spinach and cook until wilted, add nutmeg, salt and pepper, cover and steam cook adding as little water as possible. Cook for about 15 minutes.

Adjust seasonings.

Serves 4