Vegetable Recipes - Winter Vegetable Casserole with Cheese Topping Recipe

Ingredients

Serve 4-6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 large onions, quartered

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 400 g/13 oz can tomatoes

• 150 ml/1/4 pint dry white wine

• 1 small or 1/2 large celeriac, peeled and diced

• 4 celery sticks, trimmed and cut into 5 cm/2 inch lengths

• 6 carrots, quartered

• 1 green pepper, cored, deseeded and sliced

• 2 leeks, cut into 5 cm/2 inch lengths

• a few cauliflower florets

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

• 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs

• salt and pepper

Cheese topping:

• 175 g/6 oz plain flour

• pinch of salt

• 75 g/3 oz butter

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 125 g/4 oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

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Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic, and fry gently for 5 minutes without browning, taking care not to break up the onions.

2. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, and the wine, then add the celeriac, celery, carrots and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the green pepper, leeks, cauliflower, tomato puree and herbs, and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish.

4. To make the cheese topping, sift the flour and salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine  breadcrumbs.

5. Stir in the cheeses and parsley, then sprinkle over the vegetable mixture.

6. Bake the casserole in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot.