Winter Vegetable Casserole

Tuesday 1 January 2013

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I am a real vegetable lover. I could eat nothing but vegetables and be perfectly happy for the rest of my life . . . seriously! Ok . . . I might miss a good steak once in a while, but  vegetables do make me very happy.


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I actually crave them.   It's totally true.   If I don't have at least one or two a day . . . something vital is missing from my life, and I'm not talking potatoes here!  (Although for sure Potatoes are a real favourite of both of ours!)

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 This delicious casserole is a fabulous way of getting in several of your five a day, and is very easy to make.  You could use thawed frozen vegetables, or a thawed frozen vegetable mix, but I get a special kick out of doing my own vegetables.   I'm kind of odd that way I suppose. . .

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 You end up with a tasty mixture of crispy tender carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes and leeks . . . underneath a tasty gratin sauce and a blanket of crispy crumb and melted Blue Stilton . . . because . . . we like it that way.  (Plus it is a good way to use up some of that leftover Christmas Stilton!)

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And it tastes good.  The perfect side dish for your New Year Supper, or any supper.  Or, if you are like me . . . just the whole supper.  With a few slices of crusty whole meal bread and some butter . . . tis very, very satisfying.  (If you are serving it as a main, it will only feed 3 or 4 depending on appetites.  As a main I would serve some barley or brown rice with it.)

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 *Winter Vegetable Casserole*
Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish
Printable Recipe

A delicious way to get in a few of your "Five a Day!"  Easy and economical and doesn't use cream soup.

1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and broken into florets
1 medium head of broccoli, trimmed and broken in florets
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch coins
1 medium courgette, washed, trimmed, cut into half moons, 1/2 inch thick
1 medium leek, trimmed, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

For the sauce:
4 TBS butter
25g of plain flour (1/4 cup)
1 chicken stock pot (or the equivalent of chicken boullion powder)
500ml of milk (2 cups)
1 TBS Dijon mustard
salt and black pepper taste
a handful of crushed round buttery crackers
a handful of crumbled Blue Stilton Cheese

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Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.  Drop in the cauliflower.  Cook until crispy tender, then scoop out and drain.  Set aside.  Repeat with the remaining vegetables, cooking them one at a time, just until crispy tender and allowing to drain well.  Discard water.

Using the same pot, melt the butter.  Once it begins to foam.  Add the flour.  Cook and stir for one minute.  Whisk in the Dijon mustard and then the milk.  Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Whisk in the stock pot.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a 9 inch square deep casserole dish.   Toss the well drained vegetables together and spread them in the prepared baking dish.  Pour the sauce evenly over top of all.  Sprinkle with the crushed crackers and the crumbled Stilton cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and nicely golden on top.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.





23 comments

  1. Happy New Year. Innocent smoothies are delicious and free ones would be all the more tasty!

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  2. Found your blog today (decided on a frugal new year) and have joined for recipes and fun. I, too, love vegetables - and your recipe will be lunch today - thank you. I am a (poor) cook and experimenter of cooking and all crafts and realize tooo extravagant so must change. PS. Love smoothies - not tried kiwi but will do so now. xx

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  3. Oh Love smoothies. Your vegetable casserole looks gorgeous.
    Will definately be giving that a try. I love vegetable crumble and that looks similar. Drooling already.
    You can't beat a lovely vegetable dish in my opinion.
    Happy New Year ! Love Lisa x

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  4. Ooh, sounds great! Both the casserole and the giveaway ;)

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  5. Delurking to say Happy New Year and yes to the smoothies :~)

    Pat

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  6. Happy New Year, Marie. I have it all amd will make the casserole today to go with the ham and black-eyed peas I made yesterday for New Year's Day. In the South the peas are a must for good luck in the coming year. xo Jenny

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  7. Happy New Year, I love Innocent smoothies, they make a great quick and easy breakfast when I'm running late or a tasty snack.

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  8. Happy New Year Marie!
    Thanks for a great veggie recipe and an awesome giveaway!

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  9. The vegetable casserole sounds amazing, might have to substitute stilton with something else though, there's never any spare in this house lol. Great giveaway :)

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  10. I can't enter the giveaway as I'm not a UK resident, but the veggie casserole looks wonderful, and I couldn't agree with you more on the love of vegetables! I can't live without them! Happy holidays!

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  11. Not often that I post on yur cookery blog Marie ! but I wanted to use up the vegs etc and there was your casserole so popped in to see what you did..I will mak eit tomorrow but will have to substitute chedder cheese as I don't like any blue cheese!!
    Do enjoy the odd innocent smoothie though..so here's fingers crossed I getto try out some more of the fasinating flavours..

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  12. Please enter me - just what I need right now!

    ohsogawjess at gmail dot com

    http://ohsogawjess.blogspot.co.uk/

    xXx

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  13. Happy new year! :D
    I've been meaning to comment for ages as your blog has made me, the perpetual non-kitchen dweller actually want to start making tasty things. XD

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  14. I LOVE innocent smoothies. Will be a perfect start to the new year and my birthday soon!
    karen s
    twannywun at hotmail dot com

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  15. the smoothies sound wonderful. What a perfect way to start the New Year with that delicious veggie casserole! Happy New Year to you and Todd!
    Mary x

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  16. I made the casserole today and it is yummy. Getting ready to eat it for dinner with brown rice, ham and blackeyed peas. Thank you!

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  17. I love casseroles in the winter and this recipe sounds delicious. Thanks for the contest opportunity too!

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  18. Jenny, hope you enjoyed! Thanks everyone!

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  19. I need to get healthy...this would be a great way to do so

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  20. I am trying to loose weight after having my son 1 year ago!
    We love innocent in this house and are huge fans.

    Popping over from: http://introducingmummytothemax.blogspot.co.uk/

    Thank you xxx

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  21. I've just discovered you ... I am making this recipe tonight - thanks Marie. And I could be persuaded to get into innocent with this offer - a great start to 2013. thanks again!

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  22. I made this casserole today for dinner, serving it over brown rice and accompanied by a green salad. It was a delicious meal and the recipe is very versatile - I can see me using whatever vegetables I have on hand, depending on the season. This time I used the veggies in the recipe and it was a perfect combination. We enjoyed it very much and I'll be making it again for sure.

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    1. I am so pleased you enjoyed this Marie! I agree! It is a very versatile casserole! Can’t wait to see what you do with this next! Xoxo

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