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

Monday 2 December 2019

A Meal For... GARY RHODES


How sad, last week, to hear of the untimely death of Gary Rhodes. He made cooking seem fun and accessible, and he also did a great deal to elevate British cuisine and give it back its pride.
This is his recipe for what he called 'Vegetarian Sausage Rolls'. I have re-named it as it is a fantastic alternative, not a substitute, and deserves acclaim in its own right.

As Gary, himself, said: "If you're wondering what a vegetarian sausage roll is: simple, fantastic; that's what it is."

I have to say, these little beauties are absolutely delicious. They conform to Gary's own standards, by taking a British classic and giving it a 'twist', in this case the cayenne pepper. 

Indulgent and spicy, these will definitely be making these again (and again). 

I have re-ordered the instructions slightly to make it easier to have everything ready when needed. I have also added conversions for amounts and cooking temperatures. The rest is all Gary's. 

SPICY CHEESE AND ONION ROLLS

To make the pastry: 
175g self raising flour
75g vegetable suet
pinch of salt 
about 6-8 tbsp water

To make the filling:
175g strong cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1tsp cayenne pepper

You will also need: 
1 egg, beaten
knob of butter for greasing

Start by preparing the filling.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. 
Set aside until needed.

Make the pastry.
Mix all the ingredients together until you have a pliable dough.
Place it on a floured surface and work it to mix in the suet and give it a smooth texture.
Make it into a roll and cut it in half.
Dust the surface and roll out the first half until you have a rectangle of about 10" by 4" (25cm by 10cm).
Brush water around the border.
Place half the filling inside and press down.
Roll it up from the long side.
Dust again and lightly roll through the flour to seal the base.
Cut into 5.
Repeat with the other half of pastry and filling.
Place all on a buttered baking tray. 
Brush the egg wash over the top of each.
Cook at 220°C Gas 7/ 428°F for 15-20 minutes or, until as Gary says they: "Go all squishy and the juices run. They might not look the most shapely in the world, but they are the most flavoursome."
Allow to cool on rack.
Serve as part of a picnic, or as part of a meal. 

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