By September, dinner starts asking a little more of us. Salads lose some of their appeal, the oven suddenly seems useful again and comfort food begins its annual return to the table.
The good news is that comfort food does not have to mean abandoning anything green until spring. These five recipes take some of the dishes most of us already want to eat at this time of year – bubbling mac’n’cheese, lasagne, fish pie, chilli and a golden-topped pie – and work kale or cavolo nero into them without making dinner feel remotely worthy.
Both greens are well suited to the job. Kale holds its texture in rich sauces and bakes, while cavolo nero has an earthier flavour that can stand up to cheese, beans, chilli and buttery pastry. Folded through familiar dishes, they bring colour, texture and a useful extra helping of veg without demanding an entirely different dinner.
They are practical, too. Most rely on supermarket staples, several come together in well under an hour and all are designed to feed a family rather than produce a sink full of pans for one elaborate Tuesday-night meal.
Consider it a gentle September reset rather than a dramatic one: the same warming, cheesy, bubbling dinners you were probably going to make anyway, just with rather more green involved.
Super greens pie
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
500g potatoes, diced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 leek, sliced
200g pack cavolo nero, stalks removed and shredded
400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
100g vegan cream cheese alternative
250ml carton cream alternative
320g pack puff pastry sheet
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6.
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes until just tender, drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the leek and cavolo nero for 5 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, beans, nutmeg and herbs and season well.
5. Stir in the cream cheese and cream alternatives.
6. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish, a little smaller than the size of the pastry sheet.
7. Top with the pastry and crimp the edges.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
Veggie chilli
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
250g bag cavolo nero
2 tbsp chilli oil
1 red pepper, diced
1 tsp mild chilli powder
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 vegetable stock cube
Cooked rice to serve
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
2. Place 100g cavolo nero in a large bowl, removing any thick stalks, toss in 1 tablespoon of oil and season. Spread out onto a large baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy but not too browned.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and pepper for 4-5 minutes. Add the chilli powder and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato puree and stock cube. Add 150ml water and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the remaining cavolo nero and cook for a further 5 minutes, covered then season.
5. Top with the cavolo nero crisps and serve with cooked rice.
Fish pie
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
200g cavolo nero, shredded
300g salmon fillets, diced
250g cod fillets, diced, defrosted
350g prepared cheese sauce
200g cooked, peeled prawns, defrosted
750g hot mashed potato
Method:
1. Steam the cavolo nero for 5 minutes, then transfer to the base of a heatproof serving dish.
2. Meanwhile, cook the fish in simmering water for 4 minutes and drain.
3. Heat up the cheese sauce and add the fish and prawns, then cook for 1 minute to heat through.
4. Pour over the cavolo nero and top with mashed potato.
5. Place under a preheated grill for 1-2 minutes until golden and serve.
Easy lasagne
Serves: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
500g extra lean minced beef
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
400g can chopped tomatoes
½ x 200g bag ready-prepared kale
6 sheets lasagne
350g tub cheese sauce
50g cheddar cheese, grated
Method:
1. Fry the onion, beef and herbs for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cover and cook for 10 minutes adding the kale for the last 3 minutes.
2. Place 2 sheets of lasagne in an ovenproof dish, top with half the mince. Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top then the remaining mince. Add the final 2 sheets of lasagne. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle over the cheese.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden. Serve with a fresh green salad.
4. Place 2 sheets of lasagne in an ovenproof dish, top with half the mince. Place 2 sheets of lasagne on top then the remaining mince. Add the final 2 sheets of lasagne. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle over the cheese.
Mac’n’cheese
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
250g bag kale, thick stalks removed
250g macaroni
1 leek, sliced
25g butter
25g plain flour
350ml semi-skimmed milk
150g cheddar cheese, grated
2 tsp English mustard
For a vegan option: swap butter for vegan butter, cheddar cheese for vegan cheese and cow’s milk for vegan alternative (almond or oat milk).
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
2. Cook the kale in a large pan of boiling water for 3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and cool under cold water, squeeze out the excess liquid. Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook for 9-10 minutes, adding the leek for the last 2 minutes. Drain well and return to the pan.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Off the heat gradually blend in the milk, then bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Stir in 100g cheese and the mustard, season well.
4. Stir the sauce into the macaroni with the kale and transfer to an ovenproof serving dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes until golden.
Recipes courtesy of Discover Great Veg
