Thomasina Miers on Vegetables

Thomasina Miers is one of a kind. A successful business women, an author and a mum of three. She also has an incredible knowledge of food and it's origins; you can tell from the variety in the Wahaca menus through to the complexity of flavours in her cookbooks, this woman knows how to make things taste amazing.

To celebrate National Vegetarian Day this week, we are speaking to some of our favourite people in the food industry and it's perfect that the lovely Tommi is first up. We asked her three simple questions about Vegetables and here's what she had to say.

What’s you favourite vegetable and why?
My favourite vegetable is changing all the time but at the moment I am getting really excited by the imminent arrival of green beans. You can do so much with legumes – in salads they can be dressed with classic French Dijon dressings and shallots, or fiery, citrussy Thai dressings; they are amazing in Indian food, think vegetable thorans. Or you can eat with hot butter and lots of chopped fresh mint. When I have barbeques I love to steam, then char-grill runner beans. For me these vegetables really herald the arrival of the summer and I feast on them as much as possible.

What's the best vegetarian dish you have ever cooked or eaten?
I love making curries with vegetables with shape and form. I made a coconut laksa last year with Brussel sprouts and Delicia pumpkin that was delicious but also really satisfying to eat. I also love the clear vegetable broths they make in Mexico. Last summer I made sopa de guia – a classic soup from Oaxaca – with summer courgettes, courgette flowers, corn, summer herbs and flowers – with a delicious chilli sauce to trickle over – in Oaxaca they serve it with courgette flower quesadillas – I am not sure what could be better – an amazingly healthy and verdant soup followed by wonderfully cheesy quesadillas!

Is there a particular vegetable that you have a top cooking tip for?
Aubergines are one of the most delicious vegetables but they need to be cooked properly to lose that puffy, flobby texture. I brush them with oil before grilling or roasting as they absorb so much less oil that way – but I try not to stint on the oil as it makes them taste so good – then I love giving them a Middle-Eastern treatment with mint, chilli, caramelised garlic and lemon. They are so good!

Find our Green and Vegan packages here.