Veggie crumble
Less bother than a pie, vegetable crumble is a great way to use up what you have in the fridge, cupboard or freezer! You can change the filling with the seasons making green and summery fillings in the spring and summer and heartier root vegetable crumbles in the winter.
Ingredients
For the filling
- About 600g/1lb 5oz mixed vegetables that you like, such as
- carrot
- parsnip
- squash
- potato
- sweet potato
- spring onion
- leek
- mushroom
- pepper
- kale
- peas (frozen or fresh)
- sweetcorn (frozen or fresh)
- 100驳/3陆辞锄 leftover roast chicken or ham (optional), chopped
- 1 x 400g/14oz beans or pulses (optional), drained and rinsed
For the crumble
- 200g/7oz plain or wholemeal flour
- 100驳/3陆辞锄 butter, softened
- 50g/1戮oz grated cheese
- handful of porridge oats
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400ml/14fl oz milk or vegetable stock
- pinch salt
- handful grated cheese (optional)
Method
Adult鈥檚 job: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Kid鈥檚 job: Chop or slice all of the vegetables into roughly equally sized pieces and set aside.
Kid鈥檚 job: For the crumble, put the flour into a mixing bowl. Chop the butter into little lumps and add it to the flour. Using your fingers rub the flour and butter together. Keep going until it looks like breadcrumbs (a few lumps are ok!). Stir in the oats, cheese, pepper and seeds (if using). Set aside.
Adult鈥檚 job: Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan and melt the butter until it bubbles slightly. Add the garlic and stir for a minute. Add the flour and stir well for another minute. The butter and flour will thicken and change colour slightly. Gradually add the stock or milk a little at a time, stirring as you pour. The sauce should thicken up and not be lumpy. If it is you will need to mix it really fast to get rid of any lumps.
Kid鈥檚 job: Taste your sauce. (Careful - it鈥檚 hot.) You may want to add some salt and pepper, grated cheese or just a squeeze of lemon juice.
Adult鈥檚 job: Add the chopped fresh vegetables (but not any frozen ones) to the sauce and cook gently for five minutes, stirring often. Then add any frozen vegetables and any of the optional extras like cooked meat or tinned beans and stir through.
Adult鈥檚 job: Pour the saucy vegetables into a 20cm/8in square baking dish and let it cool slightly.
Kid鈥檚 job: Sprinkle the crumble all over the top of the vegetables. You should cover all of them up and have a nice thick crumble topping.
Adult鈥檚 job: Place the dish onto a baking tray (to catch any spills) and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble is golden-brown all over.
Adult鈥檚 job: Remove the crumble from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving.
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