Five vegetarian recipes
for kids

Makes 24 fingers (serves 8)

1 litre water, lightly salted
250g polenta
3 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
50g parmesan
1 tbsp sundried tomato purée (optional)
3 lumps frozen chopped spinach (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

1-2 medium heads fennel
olive oil
200g petit pois
2 small carrots (optional)

1. Bring some lightly salted water to the boil and pour the polenta into it in a thin stream, stirring vigorously all the while.
2. Keep stirring over a medium heat until the polenta is thick and beginning to leave the sides of the pan (how long will depend on the quality of your polenta – see packet for instructions). Stir in the butter and parmesan and, if you’re using them, the tomato purée and spinach. Add a little seasoning to taste, bearing in mind that the parmesan is already quite salty.
3. Pour the polenta onto a wet chopping board and spread to a rectangle about 30cm x 23cm and about 1cm thick. Allow to cool, then cut into 24 fingers (each 8cm x 3cm).
4. To cook, pour about 3 tbsp olive oil into an oven tray and place the fingers on top, basting them with oil, and bake for about 20 minutes on 200C/400F/gas mark 6 until crisp and golden. Or heat the oil in a frying pan and fry them on both sides till similarly ready.
5. Meanwhile, cut the fennel into 6-8 long pieces. Baste with olive oil and roast in a separate tray in the oven for about 20 minutes until soft in the middle and browned on the outside.
6. While the fennel is cooking, blanch the petit pois in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for about 4 minutes. Drain and mix with the roasted fennel, then serve with the burgers.
7. If you want added colour and a good dose of vitamin A, peel a couple of small carrots and cut them into thin batons. Baste them with olive oil and roast them at the same time as the polenta fingers – in a separate tray with the fennel if necessary. Mix with the petits pois as before.