Dennis Quaid was, is and probably will continue to be, a very good actor; but there is one role which, above all others, will define him and Zelda will celebrate that this evening when she entertains him to dinner, because The Big Easy blew us girls away when we saw it in 1986!
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So, Remy McSwain will be a very welcome dinner guest.
CAJUN QUORN PASTA
175g quorn chicken-style pieces (defrosted if frozen) 1 large onion, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped ½tsp chopped garlic 1tsp smoked paprika 2tsp Cajun seasoning 1 large tin chopped tomatoes 1tbsp tomato puree 100ml fat free natural yogurt 120g penne pasta spray oil coriander leaves to serve
Serves 2
Spray some oil in the pan and fry the onion and pepper until the onion is just browning.
Add the quorn pieces and cook for a minute more. Add the garlic and spices and stir well to coat.
Then pour in the tomatoes, tomato puree and the yogurt. (Don’t worry if the yogurt looks split, it will sort itself out by the end of the cooking process.)
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, drain and add to the pan.
Stir to combine and simmer until quite a dry consistency.
I don’t mean to be ironic.
Perhaps a meal for Karen Carpenter might not be seen as being in good taste,
but this is a fantasy world; a world where a beautiful, talented lady can eat
her fill and forget her troubles.
The songJambalayawas actually written by Hank Williams but I have lovely memories of hearing it sung by The Carpenters when I was a child, so that is how it will stay with me.
Jambalaya is a traditional
Cajun dish, particularly popular in Louisiana. It is a mixture of meat
(especially sausage), fish and rice. This vegetarian version is not for purists because of
the quick cooking time but it showcases the same flavours.
JAMBALAYA
Serves 2
Ingredients
2tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped,
1 red pepper, chopped
300g dried rice
3tsp Cajun seasoning
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100ml red wine
4 Quorn sausages,
defrosted if frozen
150g Quorn chicken style
pieces, defrosted if frozen
1tbsp chopped herbs.
Method
First, cook the rice
Rinse the rice and put in
a pan with double the amount of water and a little salt.
Bring to the boil and then
turn heat right down low.
Cook for about 15 mins.
Drain off any additional water and then fluff up with a fork.
Set aside until needed.
While the rice is cooking
Take two shallow/ frying
pans. Heat 1tsp oil in each.
Fry the onion and pepper
gently in one.
Cut the sausages into
chunks and fry them in the other with the quorn pieces.
When the onions and
peppers have softened, add the tomatoes and red wine.
Add the browned sausages
and chicken-style pieces to the tomato mixture.
Sprinkle in the Cajun
seasoning and the herbs, and stir well. Adjust to taste and add more if needed.
Add rice and stir through.
If it is a bit dry, mix 1tbsp ketchup with half a cup of hot water and stir this in.
