A meat free Monday, thanks to Hugh - Roast Root Veg Fritatta

While we were enjoying our meatfree Sunday lunch at the weekend, Blue was clearly considering how to phrase a question that was bothering him. Blue is 8 and thinks almost constantly about where his next meal is coming from, interspersed every now and then with some quick Lego building. To be serious for a moment, it gives me huge pleasure to see him enjoying his food, and in particular good food that I have cooked for him. There was a time, when he was in the grip of steroids during treatment for leukaemia that he lived on a very limited diet. True that included such delights a Moroccan lamb meatballs, but more often than not, what he craved was 1. 53% pork cocktail sausages (any higher meat content and he refused them – I even tried to disguise Waitrose organic 98% pork ones in a Co-Op packet. He could tell the difference); 2. Mature Cheddar cheese; 3. Cherry tomatoes – summer or winter – kilos of them and 4. Shreddies. By the packet. And so now, to see him enjoying normal food, normally, is one of my favourite things.

As he was manfully tucking into his Three Root Boulangere, clearly trying hard not to think about where the chops were, I could see that something else was troubling him. “What’s for tea tomorrow?” He asked, trying to be nonchalant about it. “Roasted root frittata”. I said. I think he could sense an certain undertone, because it took him a few seconds to say “And the day after?”. Poor chap. I’m not trying to go vegetarian but actually I am quite liking this reduction in meat. For a start my shopping bill has greatly reduced. I promised him spaghetti bolognaise and African Chicken (a Nigella recipe, from Kitchen) as forthcoming attractions on the tea time bill of fayre, and he seemed to be satisfied.

So the roast root veg frittata. It is delicious, and beautiful to look at. And a doddle to make – a winner on all counts in my book. Shame the kids didn’t like it. I had thought Pink would go for it because she loves omelette, and I was hoping Blue would like the veg and overlook the egg element (he’s not a huge fan) but to be honest Blue’s a bit post-viral and Pink has a stinking cold and neither were taken. They did like the steamed leeks that I did with it though.
However, I will try it again in a few months time (well, let’s be honest, probably next autumn), and it’s always something the Husband and I can enjoy. I wonder if it would be nice upping the beetroot content and adding dill as the herb, with a sour-cream dressing. What do you reckon?