VEGETABLES & VEGETARIAN
TOMATOES:
Solar Tomato Sauce
ARTICHOKES
BEANS – DRY & GREEN
Baked Beans
Green Bean Casserole
Solar Cooked Pinto Beans
Solar Mexican Beans
BEETS & BEETROOT
Basic method
Sweet and sour beetroot with citrus sauce
BROCCOLI
Broccoli Casserole
BUTTERNUT
Butternut & Aubergine Coconut Curry
CABBAGE
Stewed Red Cabbage
CORN
Corn casserole
Corn off the cob
Fresh corn with husks
Mealies or Corn on the Cob
EGGPLANT (Aubergine)
Baked Eggplant
Eggplant & Coconut Curry
Eggplant Parmesan
LENTILS & NUTS
Healthy Lentils
Lentils with Raisins
Lentil and Rice Casserole
Lentil and Walnut Loaf
MIXED_VEGETABLES
Mixed Spring Vegetables
ONIONS AND GARLIC
Baked Garlic
Baked Onions
Cheesed Onions
PEPPERS (Capsicum)
Stuffed Peppers
POLENTA
Solar Polenta
POTATOES
Baked Potatoes
Baked Scalloped Pototes
Mashed Potatoes
Pineapple and Sweet Potatoes
Potato and Mushroom bake
Potato Au Gratin
Potato Salad
PUMPKIN
Curried Pumpkin
RICE
Brown Rice
Rice Pudding
White Rice
SQUASH & MARROWS
Stuffed Gem Squash
Stuffed Marrow
Zucchini
Zucchini Casserole
TOMATOES
Stuffed Tomatoes
Solar Tomato Sauce
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Whole Stewed Tomatoes
I am starting this section with the most important recipe of all the vegetable ones. It is the Solar Tomato Sauce – it is the ideal way to preserve a bumper harvest of tomatoes, and it provides an excellent all-round sauce for all those winter dishes.
Vegetables are unlikely to burn in a solar cooking – but be aware that they do require that some small amount of liquid be added to the pot.
A variety of vegetables can be cooked in the solar oven - from canned to fresh and frozen.
Vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peas, cut corn, spinach, onions and many others can be cooked in small darkened (enamel, cast iron, painted steel) pots and pans.
This can be done covered or uncovered with the results varying slightly between methods.
Broccoli, cauliflower, beans, asparagus, peas in pod etc. can be cooked without water yet still cook similar to steam cooked vegetables. However, a tablespoon of water in the pot will assist in the cooking
TOMATOES
Solar Tomato Sauce V
5 X 425gm (15 oz) tins whole peeled tomatoes
or 25 X fresh tomatoes – roughly chopped
(if using fresh tomatoes add ½ cup water to the pot)
1 X large onion – finely chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
3 - 4 X sprigs fresh rosemary, oregano and sage
1 cup of fresh basil leaves - chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Roughly chop the tinned or fresh tomatoes.
Empty into a pot and add the herbs and spices. Add a couple of pinches of salt (salt brings out the 'body' of the sauce so do this to your personal taste).
Cover and place in your solar cooker. Let it simmer all day. The sauce will reduce and thicken.
Check it now and then, and taste it, adjusting the seasonings if required.
Bottle, and freeze for future use.
ARTICHOKES V
4 fresh artichokes
Water
Artichokes cook well in a solar cooker and they are easy to do compared to cooking them on a conventional stove. They taste delicious when cooked with sunshine, but they are not exactly pretty to look at.
Cut off the tops, place top side down in a pan with 2½ cms
(1 “) of water.
Cook at 130°C (250°F) for three hours - they will not look pretty.
However, they are delicious, both hot and cold.
The centers are tender and the chokes pull away quite easily.
BEANS – DRY & GREEN
Baked Beans
2 cups uncooked haricot or sugar beans - soaked overnight
2 litres water boiling water (1quart)
1 large onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons treacle
1 – 2 tablespoons black molasses (optional)
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
pork of any kind – (optional) this can be leftover from another meal, or bacon, ribs, pork chops or shoulder
Drain and discard the water that the beans have soaked in overnight, place the beans in a large dark pot, add the boiling water, bay leaves and the quartered onion. Add no seasonings at this point. Cover and place in the solar oven preheated to 130 – 150°C (250 – 300°F) and cook for 2 – 2 ½ hours.
On a conventional stove, add the oil to a frying pan. Add the diced onion and cook until brown. Add the mustard powder and stir in. Add the tomato paste and cook for two minutes, while stirring. (This will increase the flavour and get rid of that sharp tomato taste.) Add the rest of the flavourings - brown sugar, syrup, black molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, stir it all until well combined and add one cup of water to bring it all together.
Green Bean Casserole V
300gm fresh green beans (10 oz)
1 tin cream of mushroom soup
1 cup peeled, sliced onion rings
Combine the beans, soup and ½ of the onion rings. Place in a dark pan. Top with the remaining onion rings.
Solar Mexican Beans V
2 cups pinto beans (8 oz)
1 sliced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bottle solar tomato sauce (250gm / 8 oz)
1 - 2 tablespoons chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
1 - 2 fresh chilli peppers – finely chopped
Salt
Soak the pinto beans in water overnight. Drain. Cover the beans with fresh water. Add the onion and garlic. Stir.
Cover. Place in oven and bake at 130° – 150°C (250 – 300°F) for 2 – 2½ hours.
Combine the tomato sauce, chilli powder, cumin, oregano and chopped chillies and add to the beans.
Solar Cooked Pinto Beans
250gms pinto beans (8 oz)
Boiling water
1 onion – peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic – peeled and chopped
2 – 4 bacon slices - optional
Salt to taste
Soak about 250gm (½ lb) of pinto beans in water overnight.
Drain the beans and add fresh water to cover the beans by about 1 cm (½ “).
Add the chopped onion, garlic, and sliced bacon if using. Place in a covered dark pot and cook for 2 – 3 hours in the solar oven at 130°C (250°F).
If the water evapourates, just add a little more boiling water. They are cooked when they are tender. Season to taste and serve hot or cold.
BEETS & BEETROOT
Basic Method: V
Leave the stalk and peel on the beetroot to prevent it bleeding too much whilst it is cooking.
Place the fresh beets in aluminium foil in a black pot. Do not add water. Cover and bake at 100 – 150°C (200 – 300°F) for 1½ - 2½ hours until tender. When they are cooked the skins should slip right off.
The beets are then ready for chilling, adding to salads or preserving.
Sweet & Sour Beetroot with Citrus Sauce V
6 beetroot of equal size
25gm butter (1 oz)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon corn flour
½ cup chicken stock
Pinch cinnamon
Salt & pepper
Parsley
Leave the stalk and peel on the beetroot to prevent it bleeding too much whilst it is cooking.
Place the beetroot in aluminium foil in a pot and cook in the solar oven preheated to 130°C for 1½ - 2½ hours until tender.
Allow to cool and then remove the skin. Slice or dice the beetroot and set aside.
Place the butter, sugar, orange juice and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the corn flour to the stock and add to the pot, stirring until the sauce is thickened. Add the cinnamon, salt and pepper and pour the sauce over the beetroot.
Serve as is, but it is also good with lamb or pork.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli, when cooked in a covered cooker will change from a bright intense green to a drab olive green colour. It tastes better than it looks. Simply cook broccoli florets with a tablespoon of water.
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Broccoli Casserole V
3 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
8 oz. cottage cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli - chopped
In a dark round roaster, mix together eggs, cottage cheese, grated cheese, flour and salt.
Wash the broccoli, drain, chop into pieces the size of a walnut and mix into the egg mixture.
BUTTERNUT
Butternut & Aubergine Coconut Curry
½ cup desiccated coconut – dry fried golden brown
2 tablespoons oil
1 x onion – peeled and finely chopped
1 – 2 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
2.25cm piece of ginger (1 “) – peeled and finely chopped
1 X teaspoon spices of your choice (cumin, coriander seeds, tumeric, cinnamon, fennel seeds)
2 – 3 curry leaves
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 – 3 tomatoes – chopped
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut
1 large Eggplant – prepared, sliced and cubed*
1 jar Solar Tomato Sauce
1 tin of coconut cream
Zest of 1 – 2 lemons
Juice of 2 - 3 lemons
Salt and pepper to taste
On a conventional stove fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, chopped ginger and ½ teaspoon each of the spices of your choice. Cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, the diced butternut and the curry leaves. Add the prepared, cubed aubergine. Gently stir in the jar of Solar Tomato Sauce, ½ of the tin of coconut cream, the dry fried coconut and the lemon zest.
Transfer the onion mixture to a dark pot, cover and cook in a solar oven preheated to 130°C (225°F) for 2 - 2½ hours.
Half an hour before eating, add the balance of ½ tin of coconut cream and stir gently to mix.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with a squeeze of lemon, rice or freshly baked bread.
*Slice the eggplant thickly (roughly 4 pieces lengthways )and squeeze the lime juice over. Sprinkle with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse well.
CABBAGE
Stewed Red Cabbage V
25 gm butter (1 oz)
2 medium onions – peeled and chopped
3 carrots – peeled and chopped
4 rashers of bacon – chopped (optional)
4 cooking apples – peeled, cored and chopped
1 kg red cabbage – finely chopped (2 lbs)
I clove of garlic – peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
4 tablespoons port
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Melt the butter in a dark oven proof dish, add the chopped onions, carrots and bacon and cook until they are soft (roughly 10 – 15 minutes).
Remove from the heat and add the chopped apples, cabbage and garlic. Season with the salt, pepper and the nutmeg. Add the bay leaf and cloves. Mix together well and stir in the port and red wine vinegar.
(The red wine vinegar prevents the cabbage from turning blue and helps the colour and flavour).
Cover and bake in the solar oven preheated to 150°C (300°F) for 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours.
Serve hot or cold with ham, sausages, duck, pork goose and venison.
CORN
Hint:
Do not try to cook too many ears of corn at once as this will increase the cooking time.
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Corn off the Cob V
2 – 4 heads of corn
Husk the corn and place in a dark colored pan. Do NOT add water. Cover and bake for 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Fresh corn with husks
4 – 6 heads of corn
1 tablespoon water
Pull back the husks, but do not remove. Clean corn and remove silks. Fold up the husks to cover the corn. Take one of the husks, tear it lengthways and use it to tie up the husks.
Place in a large black roaster and add the water. Cover and bake 1 – 1 ½ hours until cooked.
Drain, remove the husks and serve with melted butter.
A favourite South African accompaniment to a barbeque!
4 – 6 heads of corn
Water to cover
Place your pot, with enough water to cover the intended amount of corn on the cob, in the solar oven and allow it to come to the boil.
Shuck and clean corn.
When the water is boiling place the corn into pot and cover quickly.
Allow corn to cook for no less than an hour (more if there are more than 6 heads of corn) until tender.
Corn Casserole V
2 eggs - beaten
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
1 tin cream style corn
1 tin whole kernel corn (retain ½ the liquid)
6 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon mixed herbs
½ teaspoon Tabasco or any other hot sauce
250gms flour (8 oz)
1 -2 teaspoons baking powder
1 – 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup
½ teaspoon paprika
Preheat your solar oven to 150°C (300°F)
Combine all the ingredients, mix well and pour into a greased pan 30 X 20 cm (13 X 9 ") baking pan or 2½ qt. casserole.
Sprinkle some paprika on top, cover, and place in the cooker.
Bake at 150 – 180°C (300 - 350°F) for 3 ½ - 4 hours. It is ready when it is set in the middle (it should be set enough to cut or scoop cleanly when you serve it). It is a very moist casserole, so you don't have to worry too much about overcooking and it's can easily be placed in your hay / hot box if the sun starts to drop and you're not ready to eat yet. (It's not bad at room temperature, either, although you shouldn’t store it that way for too long.)
This quantity may be halved – one half cooked in a smaller pan and the other half frozen raw for another time. (Just thaw completely overnight, mix a little, pour into a greased pan, cover, and bake. If you use half the quantity – reduce your cooking time to 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours.
EGGPLANT (Aubergine)
Baked Eggplant V
1 large eggplant, peeled & diced
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 cup salty crackers - crushed
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons butter - melted
2 eggs - beaten
60 – 70ml evaporated milk (2 ½ oz)
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese - grated
Mix all the ingredients except cheese and place in a greased covered pot.
Bake at 130 – 150°C (250 - 300°F) until it is the consistency of pudding 1 ½ - 2 hours. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cook for 30 – 40 minutes more.
Eggplant Parmesan V
1 Eggplant (cut into 5cm slices (¼ “)
Oilve oil
1 block of mozzarella cheese (sliced thin)
Jar of Solar Tomato Sauce
grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the solar oven to 150°C (300°F).
Place the eggplant slices on an oiled baking tray and brown both sides under a grill.
In a small casserole dish, layer the base with half of the browned eggplant slices, cover with ½ of the spaghetti sauce, then layer with cheese, repeat with eggplant slices on top of the cheese, and then pour the remainder of the spaghetti sauce over the eggplant and top with the cheese slices.
Place the casserole in the solar oven and cook at 150oC (300oF) until it is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly and brown on top (no need to cover). Serve with extra parmesan cheese, a salad and garlic bread!
Eggplant & Coconut Curry V
½ cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove of garlic – peeled and chopped
1 onion – peeled and chopped
2.25cm piece of ginger (1 “)
Spices of your choice (cumin, coriander, tumeric, cinnamon)
1 large Eggplant – sliced
Juice of 2 - 3 limes
1 jar Solar Tomato Sauce
1 tin of coconut cream
Zest of 2 - 3 limes
Slice the eggplant thickly and squeeze the lime juice over. Sprinkle with salt and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
On a conventional stove add the desiccated coconut and dry fry it until golden in colour. Remove from the pot and keep to one side.
Then add the vegetable oil to your pot and the diced garlic, and onion – fry until golden brown. Add the ginger, dried coriander, cinnamon, cumin, tumeric and fry for another minute or two.
Rinse and pat the eggplant dry – then dice the slices. Add the jar of Solar Tomato Sauce, the tin of coconut cream, the dry fried coconut and the lime zest.
Transfer the mixture to a dark pot, cover and place in your solar oven pre-heated to 130°C (250°F) and cook until the eggplant has cooked down – roughly 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with a squeeze of lime, rice or freshly baked bread.
LENTILS & NUTS
Healthy Lentils V
1 cup lentils
1 ½ cups boiling water
1 X onion – peeled and chopped
Canola oil
1 – 2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
Carrot – peeled and finely sliced (optional)
Salt & pepper
Soak lentils in the water overnight or for a few hours. Drain and place them in a pan. Add the boiling water to the pot.
Add the chopped onion and a small amount of vegetable oil.
Add the 1 - 2 sliced cloves of garlic and bay leaves.
Add the optional finely sliced carrot.
Stir all the ingredients thoroughly.
Cook for 2 – 3 hours at 130 – 150°C(250 – 300°F). Season with the salt & pepper and serve.
Lentil and Rice Casserole V
3 cups boiling water or soup stock
1 cup lentils
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup uncooked brown rice
½ - 1 tablespoon brewer's yeast (optional)
2 onions - peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese and / or yoghurt
Rinse and soak the lentils in water overnight. Drain. Mix all the ingredients, except the cheese, in a dark colored pot. Cover and place in the solar oven for 3 hours.
Season to taste and top with cheese and / or yogurt just before serving.
Optional:
You can also add 1 cup chopped almonds or any other nuts - carrot pieces, chopped celery, shredded cabbage, brussel sprouts, beets or water chestnuts may be added.
Lentils with raisins V
1 – 2 cups of lentils
1 – 1 ½ cups boiling water or stock
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion – peeled and chopped
½ bell pepper – seeded and chopped
5 cm chunk of salami – chopped – optional (2”)
1 clove of garlic – peeled and chopped
3 – 4 tomatoes – chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup raisins – soaked in brandy for 4 hours
Olive oil
Soak the lentils in water overnight. Drain.
In the morning, in a skillet on a conventional stove, cook the onion in the oil until brown, then add the pepper, salami (if using) garlic, tomatoes and carrot. Cook for 2 minutes.
Place the lentils in a dark pan and cover with the boiling water or stock. Add the ingredients from the skillet. Cover and place in solar oven preheated to 130°C (250°F) and cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours until cooked. Add the raisins, drizzle with olive oil, check for seasoning and serve.
Lentil & Walnut Loaf V
1 cup of lentils – soaked overnight and boiled in the solar oven for 2 hours until soft
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 tomatoes – chopped
2 apples – cored, sliced and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup walnuts – finely chopped
1½ cups whole wheat bread crumbs
1½ tablespoons coriander seeds - crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (oregano, thyme and marjoram)
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
1 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup finely chopped parsley to garnish
1 jar Solar Tomato Sauce- heated
Pre-heat the solar oven to 130°C (250°F)
Rinse the soaked lentil add 2 cups of boiling water and cook in the solar oven for 2 hours, or until soft. Drain and mash the cooked lentils.
In a skillet on a conventional stove, brown the onions in a little oil. Add the tomatoes, apple and garlic and cook until soft. Add the tomato paste and stir for a minute.
Remove from the heat. Add the lentils, breadcrumbs, walnuts, herbs, 2 beaten eggs and the milk. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the mixture into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the parmesan on top, and cover with an inverted loaf pan.
Place in the solar oven and cook for 2 – 2½ hours or until set.
Serve with Solar Tomato Sauce or a creamy, sautéed mushroom gravy, solar cooked potatoes (mashed) and freshly picked, home-grown broccoli which has been cooked for 30 - 45 minutes in the solar oven.
MIXED VEGETABLES
Mixed Spring Vegetables V
Take a mixture of vegetables such as leeks, courgettes, french beans, peas, carrots, potatoes, onions, pepper, tomatoes or any other type.
Wash and slice them and place in a pan, placing the denser ones, like potatoes and carrots on the bottom and the softer vegetables, like tomatoes and courgettes on the top.
Add a couple of tablespoons of water and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on top.
Add 1 or 2 sliced cloves of garlic and a bay leaf.
ONIONS & GARLIC
Onions will not brown in the solar oven – it will take too long. However, they will soften if placed in a pre-heated pan to which a tablespoon of oil has been added, and allowed to cook for 15 – 20 minutes.
Baked Onions V
8 medium onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
50 gm butter (1½ oz)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
With their skin on, wash the onions, to remove as much grit as possible. Dry well.
Place them in a black pot and cover. Place the pot in a preheated oven and cook at 130 - 150°C (250 - 275°F) for 3 – 4 hours until tender when pierced.
Remove from the pot and cut a small cross in the top. Push the onions inwards at the middle to open the top – sprinkle with the salt and pepper and place a dab of butter in each. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Bake onions are perfect with grills, roasts (beef, lamb or chicken) or as an accompaniment to fish.
Cheesed Onions V
5 to 6 medium onions – peeled and sliced
1 egg - beaten
2 cups cheddar cheese - grated
2 cups milk
¼ cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon salt
Place the onions in a dark round pan. Blend the beaten egg, milk, butter, flour, salt and cheese together. Pour over the onions. Cover and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 1 - 2 hours.
Baked Garlic V
1 – 2 heads of garlic
Place the heads of garlic in a dark pan, cover and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 2 – 2 ½ hours. To remove the garlic from the skins simply squeeze at the base of each head.
PEPPERS (Capsicum)
6 large sweet red or yellow peppers – of the same size
1 large onion – peeled & finely chopped
¼ cup oil
1 X 410 gm tin whole peeled tomatoes (14 oz)
1 teaspoon basil – finely chopped
2 cloves garlic – peeled and finely chopped
100ml red whine
Salt & freshly ground pepper
100 gm ham – chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
250gm cottage cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs
30gm parmesan cheese (1 oz)
Sauce:
½ cup cream or sour cream
1 teaspoon mustard
1 egg yolk
Chicken / vegetable stock or wine
Cut a lid in each pepper, removing the stem, seeds and membrane.
Fry the onions in the oil until soft. Add the tomatoes, basil, garlic and wine. Simmer until the mixture thickens (10 – 15 minutes).
Stir in the ham (if using), walnuts, cottage cheese and half the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Stuff the peppers and arrange on the base of a roasting pan (dutch oven). Mix the rest of the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and sprinkle on the top of each pepper.
Place in the solar oven and bake at 130°C (250°F) for 1 – 1½ hours until tender.
Make the sauce by mixing together the cream, mustard and egg yolk and, stirring constantly, heat gently on a conventional stove until the sauce thickens – do not allow to come to the boil. If the sauce seems too thick dilute with a bit of stock or wine. Season and spoon over the peppers. Serve on a bed of rice.
Alternative: in place of the sauce above it may also be served with a jar of the Solar Tomato Sauce which has been heated.
POLENTA
Solar Polenta V
½ cup corn meal
½ cup chopped onions
2¾ cups water
1 cup grated cheese
Fresh herbs from your garden
seasoned salt
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a dark pot, cover and cook at 150°C (300°F) until soft (1 - 2 hours, depending on the weather conditions).
Stir in the remaining ingredients, and return to cooker for 15 to 30 minutes.
It can be enjoyed while still hot and soft. Alternatively, mix everything together and cook in a covered flat roasting pan, let the polenta set and cut into squares. This may be eaten hot or cold.
POTATOES
Baked Potatoes V
3 – 4 medium sized potatoes
Clean potatoes and rub with oil, shortening or butter. Place in a dark dish. Cover and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 2½ - 3 hours or until done.
Baked Scalloped Potatoes V
Slice a couple of those solar baked potatoes and place them in a dark pot. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil, add a ½ cup of milk, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a generous amount of parmesan cheese. Mix briefly, then cover and place into a solar oven preheated to 130°C (250°F) and bake until hot – 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Mashed potatoes V
3 – 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup boiling water
Knob of butter
Milk
Salt & pepper
Cream (optional)
Pre-heat the solar oven to 130°C (225°F).
Place the peeled potatoes in the pot and pour over the boiling water, until just covered. Cover and cook in the solar oven for 1 ½ - 2 hours until soft.
Drain the water from the potatoes, add the butter, seasonings and mash. Add the milk and cream, if using, and stir to mix.
Serve.
Pineapple and Sweet Potato V
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
½ cup of tinned pineapple chunks, unsweetened
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Combine ingredients in a dark pot. Cover. Bake in the solar oven at 130°C (250°F) until the sweet potato is soft 1 – 1½ hours.
Potato and Mushroom bake V
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup butter or margarine
250gms mushrooms, sliced and cooked in butter until soft and with 125ml cream added or 1 tin cream of mushroom soup
¼ to ½ cup milk
grated cheddar cheese (optional)
In a greased 2lt (2-quart) dark casserole dish, arrange a layer of potatoes. Dot with butter and sprinkle with some of the chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Repeat this layer until you have 4 layers. Mix together the soup and milk and pour over the layers. Cover and bake at 130°C (250°F) for 2 ½ - 3 hours or until a fork goes through the potatoes easily. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Replace the cover and return to the solar oven to melt the cheese.
Potato Au Gratin V
8 large potatoes
2 cups of cream of chicken soup
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
¾ cup grated sharp cheese
1 tsp. garlic salt
¼ cup grated cheese to put on top of potatoes
Preheat solar cooker to 130°C (250°F)
Bake your potatoes in solar oven the day before or on the day, if you have long ideal solar cooking conditions.
When potatoes are cooked and soft, peel off the skins. Coarsely grate or cut the potatoes into cubes.
Put into a 20 X 30 cm (9 X 13”) casserole dish (clear or smoked glass, black if metal)
Combine all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Top with remaining cheese.
Place in preheated solar oven and cook for 2 – 2 ½ hours or until bubbly throughout.
*Note: You can cover the potatoes with another inverted clear casserole dish or some other lid that will help to retain heat and moisture inside pan and food rather than into the oven.
Potato Salad
6 medium potatoes (1 kg or 2 lbs) unpeeled
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoon minced onion
1 - 2 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper
I tart apple – cored and chopped
2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large gherkin - chopped
Lettuce leaves
Wash the potatoes and pierce them with a knife once or twice to allow moisture to escape. Place potatoes in the preheated solar cooker and bake at 150°C (300°F) until tender – 2 - 2½ hours. Allow the potatoes to cool, then peel and cut into bite-sized chunks.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, milk, cider vinegar, onion, mustard, salt & pepper. Mix well.
Add the potatoes, apple, celery and gherkin to the mayonnaise mixture. Toss gently to coat. Line a bowl or platter with lettuce leaves, place the potatoes on top and serve.
PUMPKIN
Curried Pumpkin
1 x onion – peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 – 3 tomatoes – chopped
1 clove garlic – peeled and finely chopped
4 - 5 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin
1 tablespoon curry powder
¼ - ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
On a conventional stove fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and the cubed pumpkin. Add the curry powder and ¼ - ½ teaspoon of ground cloves.
Transfer the onion mixture to a dark pot, cover and cook in a solar oven preheated to 130°C (225°F) for 1 - 1½ hours until the pumpkin is soft. Season with salt and pepper and serve with Basmati rice.
RICE
Rice cooks perfectly in a solar oven. Due to the gentle method of cooking you need only use 1 cup of rice to 1 cup of water for white rice. For brown / whole wheat rice add 1½ cups of boiling water to each cup of rice. That will result in fluffy, separate rice with none of the gluey starchiness associated with cooking it on the stove top.
Brown Rice
3 portions
1½ cups boiling water
1 cup rice
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
Soy sauce
If required, rinse the rice and place in a dark pot. For every cup of rice, add a tablespoon of butter. Pour the boiling water over the rice and butter. Add any spices you require, except for the salt or the soy sauce (only add the salty spices after cooking).
Cover and cook 1½ - 2 hours in a preheated oven until all the water is absorbed. If the oven is cold cook for 2 ½ - 3 hours. You may substitute white rice in this recipe, using 1 cup of water for every cup of rice.
The mentioned amounts are to be taken by volume, not weight. This means for example 2 cups of rice to 3 cups of water for about 6 persons. Or: 1 cup of rice to 1½ cups of water to feed about 3 persons. Use a heavy (cast iron) pot instead of a light one because of the heat storage in the metal.
50 gm rice (1½ oz)
450 - 500 ml milk (2 cups)
75gm castor sugar (2½ oz)
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs – separated
Rinse then boil the rice on a conventional stove in enough water to just cover it (about 150ml / ¼ pint) for 5 minutes. Drain the rice and place in a buttered dark pot. Stir in the milk and 50 gm (1 oz) of the sugar. Dot with the butter, sprinkle over half the nutmeg and bake in an oven preheated to 150°C (300°F) for an hour.
White Rice
1 cup white rice
1 cup boiling water
Place ingredients in 1 a dark pot with lid and cook at 130 – 150°C (250-275ºF) oven for 1½ - 2 hours.
Remove the dish from the oven. Cool for 5 minutes, then beat the egg yolks lightly into the rice – return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Whisk the egg whites and the remaining sugar until stiff – but not dry.
Remove the pudding from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Fold in the beaten egg whites and sprinkle with the remaining nutmeg.
Return the dish to the oven and allow to bake for another ¾ - 1 ¼ hours at 150°C (300°F) to set the egg whites.
Serve with a dollop of strawberry jam place in the centre of the top of the serving.
SQUASH & MARROWS
Stuffed Gem Squash
4 large gem squash
30gm butter (1 oz)
2 tablespoons flour
200 ml milk (7 fl. oz)
100gm strong cheddar cheese (3 oz)
Salt & pepper
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 egg yolks
4 egg whites
Score a line around each squash with a sharp knife, piercing the skin in two places. Place in a covered pot in the solar oven and bake at 130 – 150°C (250 – 300°F) for 1 – 1½ hours until cooked.
Remove from the pot and, covering in a cloth, cut the squash in half, being careful in case the squash explodes. Remove the seeds. Cut a thin sliver from the base of each half to ensure they stand straight. Remove the flesh and mash or puree.
In another pot, add the butter and melt. Stir in the flour to make a roux and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Add the milk, and bring to the boil stirring constantly, to make a smooth sauce. Simmer for a minute or two. Beat in the mashed flesh, the cheese and the seasoning.
Remove the pot from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, one by one. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. Spoon the mixture back into the ½ gem squash shells and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Stuffed Marrow
1 medium sized marrow
50 gm butter (1 ½ oz)
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic – peeled and finely chopped
250gm beef / chicken or lamb mince (optional) or 250gm cooked lentils (9 oz)
4 medium sized tomatoes, peeled (optional) and chopped
3 – 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 - 2 teaspoons coriander seeds – crushed
1 teaspoon barbeque spice
2 eggs – beaten
Salt & pepper
Cut the marrow in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds.
Melt half of the butter in a pan and add the chopped onion and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes until it is soft. Add the minced meat (optional) or cooked lentils. Cook for a few minutes.
Place the onion, garlic and mince / lentils in a bowl. Add the chopped tomato, breadcrumbs, basil, parsley, coriander seeds barbeque spice and egg. Season with the salt and pepper and mix well.
Stuff the one half of the marrow so that the mixture bulges up and then place the other half of the marrow on top.
Place the stuffed marrow in a pot, drizzle with a little oil and cover the pot.
Bake at 130 – 150°C (250 – 300°F) for 2- 3 hours until cooked.
Serve with rice and potatoes as a main course or with a fresh green salad and crispy rolls
Zucchini
Zucchini
1 – 2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon chopped fresh Oregano
dried garlic flakes
Cut the zucchini into 2 ½ cm (½ “) diagonal slices. Place in a dark enamel pan, and season with the butter, oregano and garlic as required. Do not add water.
Cover and bake 45 minutes at 130°C (250°F).
Zucchini Casserole
750gms zucchini, cut in 1cm (¼ “) rounds (1½ lbs)
500gms ground beef (1 lb)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon garlic or seasoned salt
1 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 X 325gm tin cream of mushroom soup (10½ oz)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese - grated
1 cup instant rice
2 cups cottage cheese
Pre-heat the solar oven to 130°C (250°F)
Sauté the beef in the oil until the meat is lightly browned.
Add the rice and seasonings.
Place half the zucchini in bottom of dark casserole pot /dish. Cover with the beef mixture and cottage cheese. Cover with remaining zucchini.
Then spread the soup over all. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover. Bake for 1½ – 2½ hours until bubbly and hot.
TOMATOES
Solar Tomato Sauce – see beginning of Vegetables and Vegetarian on page 51
Whole Stewed Tomatoes V
Whole tomatoes
Bread slices
Cheese spread
Italian seasoning
salt
pepper
Place each whole tomato into a greased cup and cut tomato into four sections. Spread cheese onto bread and tear the bread into small pieces. Add cheese/bread pieces to the tomato. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes at 150°C (300°F).
Stuffed Tomatoes V
6 large tomatoes
25gm butter (1 oz)
1 medium onion – peeled and chopped
125gm mushrooms – cleaned and chopped (4 oz)
125gm breadcrumbs (4 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese - grated
½ teaspoon paprika
Slice the top off the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon – do not break the skins.
Chop the pulp / seeds and place in a bowl.
Melt the butter and add the onion – fry on a conventional stove until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Place the onions and mushrooms into the bowl with the tomato pulp and add the breadcrumbs and herbs. Season to taste.
Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the tomato shells. Sprinkle with the cheese and paprika. Replace the tomato tops.
Stand the stuffed tomatoes in an ovenproof dish and bake in an oven preheated to 130°C (250°F) for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Serve hot.
Sun Dried Tomatoes V
 |
| Prop the lid of the solar oven open slightly to allow the moisture in the tomatoes to escape |
 |
| Keep your eye on the tomatoes as they can "catch" quite easily towards the end of the drying process. |
Tomato and Vegetable Stew V
2 X 400g tins plum tomatoes (16oz)
About 125ml vegetable stock (4 fl oz, ½ cup)
2 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
1 teaspoon mild chilli powder
4 spring onions (green onions, scallions), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
150g cauliflower florets (6oz, ½ cup)
100g green beans – trimmed and cut into 2cm (1”)
(4oz, ¾ cup)
100gm carrots – peeled and cut into rings) (6 oz)
1 medium green, red or yellow sweet bell pepper
1 large carrot
100g swede (rutabaga) peeled and diced (4oz, 1 cup)
½ medium aubergine/eggplant – diced (150g, 6oz, 2 cups)
½ teaspoon dried basil
Drain the tomato juice from the tins into a measuring jug. Leave the tomatoes in the cans; make up the juice to 400ml (12 fl oz, 1 ½ cups) with vegetable stock.
Put the tomato juice, vegetable stock, stock powder, chilli powder, spring onions and garlic into a large saucepan. Cover, and place in the solar oven preheated to 130°C (250°F) for 1 hour.
Add all the prepared vegetables to the pan. Squish the reserved tinned tomatoes with your fingers and add to the pan.
Mix well, then cover, and replace the pot in the solar oven for 1 – 1½ hours until the vegetables are soft. Add more water or stock if necessary – remembering you want a thick sauce not a soup. Add the basil and stir. Serve on top of cooked pasta or fresh crusty bread.
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