3 Recipes for side dishes and accompaniments

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side dishes and accompaniments to a main meal

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, or med veg as we call them, are extremely adaptable as a vegetable dish. They can be eaten in many different ways and really add a splash of colour to your plate. As this recipe incorporates courgettes it’s a great one to have to hand when you have a glut. It is the sort of dish we throw together and cook when the oven is on for something else. They can be eaten hot or cold and as they reheat well we normally keep a batch in the refrigerator. They keep for up to a week, although ours rarely last that long

Link to measurement conversion chart

This recipe makes enough for a side dish for 6 servings

Ingredients

1 Aubergine, top removed and cut into 2cm cubes
1 large, 2 medium or 4 small courgettes cut into rings
2 bell peppers, red, yellow or orange, deseeded and chopped into bite sized chunks
1 – 2 red onions peeled and trimmed, so the root end holds the segments together, and cut into 8
½ a bulb of garlic, the cloves need to have the skins removed but remain whole
1 bunch of fresh basil
A splash of olive oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and pepper

You will also need

1 large roasting pan
A colander
A bowl

Method

In advance salt the aubergine and courgettes, place them in a colander over a bowl and leave for 30 mins to remove the bitter juices and excess water.
Wash the salt off and pat dry.
Preheat the oven to 180c
Place all the prepared vegetables in the roasting tray
Drizzle over a little oil and the lemon juice, mix the veg thoroughly to evenly coat them then spread the veg over the roasting pan in a single layer. If your veg piles up they wont caramelize properly so if necessary use 2 roasting pans.
Season with a little salt and pepper, then top with the basil leaves.
Cook for 40 – 45 mins until the vegetables start to brown stirring half way through the cooking time
Eat and enjoy!

Serving suggestions and variations

Always make enough to have some leftover for another day.
Great served as a side dish with a roast dinner, grilled or fried fish or as a side salad at a BBQ or buffet meal.
Add to a batch of our tomato sauce and you have a great pasta sauce
Make up in a sandwich with humus and a little mozzarella with a bit of extra fresh basil
Keep a batch in a pot in the fridge and add to a salad
Use as a base for a pizza
For a one pot meal roast some chops or chicken portions on top of the vegetables, make sure you add the meat part way through the cooking period so they are all finished at the same time.
Add some quartered tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and pitted olives for the last 10 minutes of cooking time
These veg make a great alternative to the meat content of a Lasagne.

medveg

Acknowledgements

We first came across a version of med veg when we were served them with chicken breasts stuffed with Couscous, by our friends Claire and Paul. It was a fantastic meal that really did bring a little of the Mediterranean into the room. Served with a glass or two of cold white wine, what more can you ask for. Thanks Claire and Paul for introducing us to something that has become a staple.

If you enjoyed this recipe you might like to try some other recipes from our collection;

Thinking of a warming starter or light lunch then have a go at Lentil and Frankfurter Soup
A fully loaded potato salad makes a great addition to Med Veg with a salad
Round your meal off with a tasty Oaty Apple crumble and remember, lashings of custard!

We hope you have enjoyed this recipe.

Happy eating!

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2017 10 3110 Roasted Courgettes and Onions are a great side dish when you have a glut of courgettes. They start to caramelise in the oven and take on a lovely flavour. Whilst you have the oven one cook up some chops, chicken, sausages to go with and save some power in the process. They can be eaten hot or cold and as they reheat well we normally keep a batch in the refrigerator. They keep for up to a week, although ours rarely last that long.

Link to measurement conversion chart

This recipe makes enough for a side dish for 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

2 large, 3 medium or 6 small courgettes cut into rings
2 onions peeled, trimmed and sliced
A good splash of olive oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and pepper

You will also need

1 large roasting pan

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c
Place all the prepared vegetables in the roasting tray
Drizzle over a little oil and the lemon juice, mix the veg thoroughly to evenly coat them then spread the veg over the roasting pan in a single layer. If your veg piles up they wont caramelize properly.
Season with a little salt and pepper.
Cook for 40 – 45 mins until the vegetables start to brown stirring half way through the cooking time
Eat and enjoy!

2017 10 3103 2017 10 3107 2017 10 3001 2017 10 3108

Serving suggestions and variations

Always make enough to have some leftover for another day.
Great served as a side dish with a roast dinner, grilled or fried fish or as a side salad at a BBQ or buffet meal.
Add to a batch of our tomato sauce and you have a great pasta sauce
Make up in a sandwich with humus and a little mozzarella with a bit of extra fresh basil
Keep a batch in a pot in the fridge and add to a salad
For a one pot meal roast some chops or chicken portions on top of the vegetables, make sure you add the meat part way through the cooking period so they are all finished at the same time.
Sprinkle with a little grated cheddar 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time - delicious!

2017 10 3104

Acknowledgements

I first came across roasted courgettes years ago when I went for dinner with a friend, Micheal, and was served them sprinkled with cheese. I loved the dish so much it became a dish I served for my family at my first attempt at a Christmas dinner. Diets kicked in and the cheese disappeared but the dish still remains a favourite for me.

If you enjoyed this recipe you might like to try some other recipes from our collection;

Thinking of a warming starter or light lunch then have a go at Easy Peasy Soup
A Jacket wedges make a great low fat addition to roasted Courgettes and Onions if you want to cook everything in the oven
Round your meal off with a tasty Baked Raspberry Cheesecake, Yummy!

We hope you have enjoyed this recipe.

Happy eating!

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oniongravy We look forward to the new potato season each year and this recipe has brought Simon into the new potato fan club too. Normally Simon is averse to eating potato skins, be they old or new. I would have to scrape the potatoes before cooking them for him, otherwise his plate would remain a spud free zone in late spring. The introduction of rosemary, butter and the masher made Simon a convert over night, he has even been known to add them to a wrap - totally weird! Ours is a more rustic version of the original, which we suspect had been created with the help of a mould and a spell in the oven. Their potatoes were less mashed than ours and I am convinced there was more butter, but back home and the diet fairies are watching over me. Feel free to add more butter if you want - Simon does!

Link to measurement conversion chart

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g New potatoes washed
50g butter cut into cubes
3 - 4 large sprigs of fresh Rosemary leaves chopped
Salt and pepper

You will also need

A medium saucepan or steamer
A potato masher

Method

Steam or boil the potatoes until tender
Transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving dish
add the butter and sir until evenly coating the potatoes
Sprinkle over the Rosemary
Lightly crush the potatoes with a masher to just break the skins and stir to soak up the remaining melted butter.
Season to taste

Serving suggestions and variations

Great served with grilled fish
Rosemary makes this dish work particularly well with roast lamb but dont overdo the Rosemary sprigs on the lamb..
Parsley or mint are more traditional additions to new potatoes, give it a go
If there are any leftovers they reheat nicely in the microwave.

Acknowledgements

We were offered a version on this dish at a lovely seafood restaurant, called "The Seafood Cafe", in St Ives when we were visiting for a short break. This is a lovely little restaurant with a new approach to helping you select from the menu and one we recommend you give a go if you are in the region. They are always busy so it pays to book ahead unless you visit mid week, in the middle of March and it is raining. They were our saviours!

You might also like to try one of these recipes from our collection;

If you have the time to make a special tasty snack give our Onion Rarebit a go
looking for something else to go with your potatoes Runner beans in tomato sauce works well
for a delicious pud you can't go wrong with Sticky toffee pudding

If you have any photo's to share of these recipes or have a variation we would love to hear from you, or you can share them on our Facebook Page

Happy Eating!

This page is an index of all the side dishes and savoury accompaniments for a main meal listed on Eco-Marketplace. It has been broken down into the following categories;