Vegetables

Vegetables are the saving grace of cookery. Without them a meal would simply be a mass of protein. Much as I could happily munch away solely on a roast suckling pig and no vegies, as Michael and I did at Restaurant Botin in Madrid over Easter 2003 (which incidentally is recorded as the oldest restaurant in the world), what we craved when we left was something that once grew in or above the soil, that was born from a seed – a little steamed broccoli, grilled courgettes or even a salad leaf! These recipes include stand-alone vegetarian dishes, side orders and buffet-type dishes. If cooked properly and with good seasoning and spicing, it is possible to satisfy die-hard carnivores with vegetables alone.