Broccoli bake

This makes a good side dish to something more substantial, or as a starter.

Serves 3–4

300g broccoli

250ml passata

Bechamel sauce:

 200ml unsweetened soya milk

100ml water

1 small onion

2 cloves

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp nutmeg, grated

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

2tsp vegetable oil

2tsp cornflour

Put the oven on at 160C. Slice the onion finely, then add it and the soya milk, water, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then take off the heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes before straining off all the herbs and spices. Measure the remaining sauce in measuring jug and, if it’s less than 200ml, add water.

In another saucepan, put the oil and the cornflour. Stir together, then slowly add the flavoured soya milk, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil (keep stirring!) and you will see it gently thicken.

Cut the broccoli up into bits and steam or boil. Drain, and then place all the pieces in the bottom of a smallish heatproof dish. Pour the passata over, followed by the Bechamel sauce. Place in the oven for half an hour until just beginning to brown.

Bechamel white sauce

A good white sauce is great base for many other things, so here is the version I have concocted for our vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free and milk-free world. The herbs etc. might seem superfluous in a white sauce, but in the absence of cheese, it is good to get some kind of flavour going on.

200ml unsweetened soya milk

100ml water

1 small onion

2 cloves

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp nutmeg, grated

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

2tsp vegetable oil

2tsp cornflour

Slice the onion finely, then add it and the soya milk, water, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then take off the heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes before straining off all the herbs and spices. Measure the remaining sauce in measuring jug and, if it’s less than 200ml, add water.

In another saucepan, put the oil and the cornflour. Stir together, then slowly add the flavoured soya milk, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil (keep stirring!) and you will see it gently thicken. Take off the heat.

This sauce tastes great poured over cooked leeks or used in one of my recipes (eg. Broccoli bake).