Weekend Foodie: A frugal Lenten bowl packed with goodness and flavour
Dianne Curtin’s Frugal Lenten Bowl is packed with flavour .
As we are at the start of Lent, a time when many Irish people decide to cut down or leave out certain foods to observe this period before Easter, I am ing a funny story I found whilst researching Lenten abstinence a few years ago.
During the 17th century, the Catholic church decreed that beaver in Canada and the Capybara, a similar type of animal in Venezuela could be classified as fish, for the purposes of eating them during Lent. Natives of both countries were particularly fond of the meat from these creatures, which spend most of their time in the water and live on fish. The church decided this was enough for them both to be called fish, which meant locals could continue eating them. Capybara still remains a traditional Lenten choice in Venezuela.
I don’t think we have ever gone that far in Ireland! But there are still items we traditionally leave out of the diet - and from a health point of view, we can all benefit from a period of cutting down on meat and including more fish and vegetables in daily eating. This weekend, I’m digging out what I call my Frugal Lenten Bowlful. A mix of goodness from chickpeas, baby potatoes, vegetables and eggs, which actually isn’t frugal at all when it comes to filling you up. Lovely and colourful too.
If you are observing Lent in the dietary regime, you’re probably not going to want a big sugar laden dessert. But you can have something nice afterwards that may also help to boost the vitamin intake. This tropical fruit bowl ticks all the boxes for taste and that hint of sweetness while still delivering a vitamin hit. It also brings sunshine to the table - which we now badly need!
- 1kg baby potatoes
- 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 400g can chickpeas, drained
- 8 fresh free range eggs
- Fresh basil leaves, torn, to finish
- For the dressing:
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- ½ tsp mild curry paste
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of red chilli flakes
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water till tender.
- Drain and transfer to a roasting tray.
- Lightly squash the spuds with the prongs of a fork, so they burst open.
- Drizzle with oil and season. Toss to coat and roast at Gas 5 375F 190C for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Add the tomatoes halfway through cooking time, then scatter over the chickpeas five minutes before the end of cooking time.
- While the potatoes are cooking, boil the eggs for 6-7 minutes depending on size. Run under cold water and peel. Reserve.
- Make the dressing by shaking ingredients together in a screw top jar.
- When the spuds are ready, spoon them into a bowl and pour over the dressing. Add the basil, toss and serve immediately.
- 150mls pineapple juice
- Juice and zest of a lime
- 1 fat finger fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- Half a ripe pineapple
- 2 fresh ripe mangos
- Few fresh mint leaves (optional)
- Heat juice with lime zest and juice and root ginger in a pan until just under simmering point.
- Remove from heat.
- Leave to cool and infuse.
- Cut the pineapple into wedges and peel. Remove the tough inner core at the corner of each wedge.
- Slice flesh into slivers and place in a serving bowl.
- Place one mango on a board and hold flat with the palm of one hand.
- Holding the knife blade horizontally, cut across the mango lengthways, keeping the blade flat to the hard stone in the centre.
- Carefully remove the upper half of flesh.
- Turn over and repeat to remove lower half of flesh. Then carefully remove any remaining flesh on stone.
- Repeat with remaining mango.
- Carefully cut mango flesh from skins and cut into slivers. Add to pineapple. Pour over infused juice over fruit to serve. Add mint if using.
Alcohol may be off the cards for some, but if it’s not, I have a great choice for drinking with this veggie mix this weekend. A lovely white wine from New Zealand which is a perfect match for this dish and brings a whole heap of Kiwi sunshine to the glass. Freeman’s Bay New Zealand Pinot Gris 2022 from the Gisborne region may sound like a wine you don’t know. But actually it's the good old Pinot Grigio we all love! The difference with Pinot Gris is not in the grape, but in the style of making, with Pinot Gris wines usually having more body and depth than the lighter Pinot Grigios we know from Italy. This one echoes the tropical fruit theme, with heaps of pineapple and mango flavours which will balance the mild curry flavors of the main course. Also a great wine for drinking when you fancy a glass over the weekend. And at just €7.49, down from €9.49, it’s a bargain in Aldi this week!
Baby potatoes 1kg: €1.49
Chickpeas 400g: .44c
Cherry Tomatoes: €1.09
Eggs 12 pack: €3.79
Basil pack:€1.19
Total: €8.00
Pineapple: €1.19
Mangos x 2: €1.98
Fresh rootginger 100g: 79c
Limes Net of 3: .89c
Pineapple Juice 1ltr:€2.19
Total: €7.04
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