Real vegetarian food, served in an imaginary world...

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest – THOMAS SHELBY

To be fair, The Peaky Blinders don’t seem to eat much, preferring to spend their time drinking and fighting. This, however, is based on an old Black Country recipe which Zelda thinks that the charismatic leader, Thomas Shelby, might enjoy if she managed to get him to sit down for long enough (or it would make a good snack to take on one of his 'jobs').

This veggie version of Brummie Bacon Cakes was always going to include my favourite fake bacon…

BRUMMIE 'BACON' CAKES
1tbsp oil
4 rashers of vegetarian bacon
225g self-raising flour
25g butter, cut into small pieces
75g mature cheddar, grated
160ml milk
1tbsp tomato ketchup
½tsp salt

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the bacon. Then drain and cut bacon into small pieces.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and add the butter. Rub between fingertips until the texture of breadcrumbs. 
(This can be done in a blender if preferred – just put back in a large bowl afterwards.)

Add the bacon bits and 25g of the cheese.Then pour in the ketchup and 150ml of the milk and mix all together well to make a dough.
Flour the work surface and shape the dough into a thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges.


Place the wedges on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper, coat with the rest of the milk and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake at Gas 4/ 180°C/ 350°F for about 25 minutes.

Friday 23 February 2018

'HAM' AND CHEESE OMELETTE


A quick and easy, but very tasty lunch. 
       
4 slices vegetarian ham, chopped into small pieces
100g cheese, grated,
3 eggs
10g butter
+  seasoning

Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix with a bit of pepper.
Melt the butter in a pan. 
Add the eggs and begin to cook. Turn the pan and allow the liquid to run to the edges to cook softly.
Allow it to firm up.
When you  think it is almost cooked, place the cheese and most of the ham in the middle.
Use a spatula to ease around the edge and fold the omelette in half.
Allow it to turn golden brown, then turn over for a few seconds.
Turn out onto a plate and serve immediately. Scatter the remaining ham over the top.

VEGGIE SAUSAGE ROAST


This is a lovely Winter Warmer dish which means that a vegetarian diner can still enjoy a roast meal.

Serves 2-3

6 vegetarian sausages, defrosted if frozen.
2-3 parsnips
3 carrots
3 large potatoes
1 large sweet potato
1 medium onion
2tbsp oil

You may also wish to add stuffing balls – make your own or cook to packet instructions. 


Peel and cut parsnips, carrots and sweet potato into chunks of similar size. 
(If not cooking straight away, place in a bowl and cover with water. Drain before cooking.)
Peel and cut potatoes. Place in a pan of cold water.
Peel onion and cut into wedges.
Cut each sausage into three pieces.


Heat the pan of water containing the potatoes. When it comes to the boil, turn heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then drain.
Place oil in a large, deep baking tray and heat in oven at Gas 7/ 220°C/ 420°F until sizzling.
Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes.
Place back in oven for 20 minutes.
Then turn all veg and add the onions and sausage pieces.
(If cooking stuffing balls, put them in the oven now too.)
Place back in oven for about 30 minutes until all just browned.
Serve with stuffing balls and gravy if you wish.


Friday 16 February 2018

KILLING FOR CASH - A Meal for The Columbo Bowl Chili Cook-along

BREAKING NEWS FOR COLUMBO FANS! 


A fragment of a previously unknown episode featuring the popular TV sleuth has been uncovered.

All that has been located so far is part of the script and a few stills from the original, but we have been able to piece them together to reveal the first ten minutes of the episode entitled Killing for Cash:

KILLING FOR CASH 

Moose Allison is a jazz pianist who has announced that he will be recording his version of I Walk the Line by the legendary Johnny Cash. 
This one track will last for more than 45 minutes and be full of the discordant meanderings of which only a jazz musician seems maliciously capable. 



Zelda Manners is a Johnny Cash fan who is determined to put a stop to his evil plans.

Armed and dangerous, Zelda slips into the studio...
...where Moose is rehearsing.


Well, that’s the last B flat major in the third bar that Moose will ever play! 

Johnny Cash's legacy is safe.


Zelda sets up her alibi.











Then, back at home, she prepares for her dinner party.

At 8pm her guests crowd in; each of them able, if necessary, to vouch for the fact that she was with them all evening (except for Oscar who left to go to a boxing match and that bloke at the front with the glasses who fancied an early night).

Dinner is served and enjoyed by all. Mr Brando is especially complimentary and even asks for a second (and third) helping.

Later that night, there is a knock on the door.
Zelda opens it and is surprised to see a man, not in black, but in a very shabby raincoat, standing there. 
Now, what can he want at this late hour?
..........................................

And there, unfortunately, the script ends. 

We hope to bring you more information soon. In the meantime, check out Silver Screen Suppers and catch up on the latest news from the Columbo Bowl Chili Cook-along.

Thursday 15 February 2018

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

There are hundreds of recipes for Chocolate Brownies. This one is very easy and gives a classic, plain cake. It can be modified with a variety of fillings.

100g butter, chopped into cubes
200g dark chocolate
4 eggs
250g caster sugar
100g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
30g cocoa powder

N.B. These ingredients make about 500cm2  so make sure your Brownie tin is of the right size.

Grease and line the tin with baking parchment.



Then get all the ingredients ready.





Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Fold the egg mixture into the chocolate. 
Then sift in the flour, baking powder and cocoa.
Mix all together well...
...and  pour into the tin.
Cook for 35-45 minutes at Gas 4/ 180°C/ 350°F until the top is cracked but the middle is set.
Allow to cool and cut into chunks.