Greek Potatoes with Curly Endive, Spinach and Leeks

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Greece truly makes the most of vegetables. This is a complete, delicious one-pot meal; you won't miss meat. Curly endive cooks to softness and the bitterness is pacified. Arugula can also be used.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
5 leeks, cut into chunks
1-1/4 lb. small waxy potatoes, halved
salt and pepper
10 oz. spinach
6 oz curly endive leaves, torn
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
leaves from 6 mint sprigs, torn
good squeeze of lemon juice
extra-virgin olive oil, to serve (optional)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Put half the oil into a heavy saucepan and add the leeks and potatoes. Season, add a splash of water, cover and sweat for 20 minutes. Add a bit of water every so often and stir.

2. Once the potatoes are almost tender, add the spinach, endive and remaining oil and turn gently. Add another splash of water, season, cover and cook until the leaves have wilted—about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the herbs and lemon juice, put into a serving dish and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, if you want.

4. Mix the garlic into the yogurt and serve with the vegetables.

Leftovers: Make these into soup. Add chicken stock, heat, mash to break down the potatoes and leave chunky or purée. Top with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Turkish Potatoes with Tomatoes and Black Olives

1. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large, heavy pan and sauté 1 large onion, sliced, until soft and golden.

2. Add 4 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 green chillies (seeded and chopped), and 1/2 tbsp ground cumin.

3. Cook for 2 minutes, then add 1-1/2 lb. waxy potatoes, cubed. Stir to coat in the spices and add 2 x 14 oz. cans tomatoes (preferably cherry, in thick juice), 1 tbsp tomato purée, 1/2 tbsp soft light brown sugar, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 cup water, 1-1/2 tbsp dried oregano and 2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley.

4. Stir and bring to the boil. Season. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick.

5. Add 3/4 cup good-quality black olives (in oil, not brine), pitted, 4 minutes before the potatoes are ready.

6. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, whack up the heat; if it is too thick, add water. Taste for seasoning (add harissa if you want it hotter).

7. Stir in 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley and serve drizzled with olive oil.

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Diana Henry is the Telegraph's food writer. She is the author of six books, including Plenty, which was selected as one of the top cookbooks of the year by The Washington Post.