Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - GRAM PARSONS

Gram Parsons: Legendary country singer and songwriter, both as a solo artist and also as a member of The Byrds, The International Submarine Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Fallen Angels. 
Check out How Much I’ve Lied, Hot Burrito #1 and A Song for You. 
He died in 1973, aged only 26, of a drug overdose in a hotel in the Joshua Tree National Park, California. 
His friend Phil Kaufman, acting in accordance with his wishes, and in official reports “unencumbered by sobriety", 'diverted' his corpse from the airport and attempted to cremate it in the desert. (Watch the film ‘Grand Theft Parsons’ for a great - if slightly fictionalised - version of these events.)
Incidentally, unencumbered by sobriety has now become a well-used phrase, brought into service when I want to tell Dave that he really doesn't need another beer! 

So if Gram were a vegetarian he may have called his band the ‘Veggie Burrito Brothers’. I would like to think so, anyway…
And there would really be only one thing I could serve him.

VEGGIE BURRITOS

Makes 4

150g quorn chicken-style pieces, defrosted if frozen

1tbsp paprika

1tbsp ground cumin

1tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or chopped finely

handful of coriander leaves, chopped

1 large tin black beans, drained and rinsed

200g cooked white rice

½ lime

3-4tbsp mild chilli sauce

150ml sour cream

shredded lettuce

4 tortilla wraps

Heat oil in a large pan and begin to brown the quorn pieces. When almost done, add the garlic and stir until golden.

Add the spices and make sure everything is well coated.

Pour in the beans and rice.

Grate zest from the lime and add, along with a spritz of the juice.

Use chilli sauce to bind everything together.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Warm tortilla wraps in microwave or pan.

You can assemble everything now or take individual elements to the table, as I have done here.

To assemble:

Place a tortilla wrap on the plate.

Spoon a quarter of the filling along the middle.

Top with the shredded lettuce and a dollop or two of sour cream.

Wrap up and tuck in.

And here's some very rare footage of the man himself.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest – KAREN CARPENTER

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 song Jambalaya was 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.

Make sure that everything is piping hot.

Serve in individual bowls.

GOOSEBERRY, LIME AND ALMOND CRUMBLE

We have a new crop of gooseberries in the garden.

Each year I pick them, top and tail them and freeze them. Then, more often than not, I forget to do anything with them.

So, this year, I am using them when they are freshly picked. Most are red.

First up: 

GOOSEBERRY, LIME AND ALMOND CRUMBLE

For the filling

300g gooseberries, topped, tailed and rinsed

50g caster sugar

zest of ½ lime

For the topping

100g plain flour

60g chilled butter, in small cubes

50g caster sugar

40g flaked almonds

Serves 3-4

Method

Put the gooseberries in the bottom of a suitable dish (they should not go more than half way up).

Sprinkle over the caster sugar and the zest from the lime.

Put the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and whizz until it is the consistency of slightly lumpy breadcrumbs.

Chop the almonds roughly.

Add them to the mixture.

Spoon the topping over the gooseberries and place the dish on a baking tray.

Cook in oven at 200°C/ Gas 6 for about 25 minutes until browned and bubbling.

Serve in bowls. Add ice cream or cream if you wish.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - PRINCE

I grew up with Prince's music so it was a shock to hear of his premature demise. I would like to think of him at my fantasy dinner table. 

Prince was, in fact, a vegetarian already.

Knowing that he was an eccentric, I don’t think I would waste my time by trying to serve him any usual main course. Instead, knowing that he liked to be spoilt and made a fuss of (and that his minder always had to taste any food first), I think fairy cakes would be the logical answer. Especially these purple ones.

LAVENDER BUNS

Makes 12

125g/ 4oz caster sugar

125g/ 4oz self-raising flour

125g/ 4oz butter

2tbsp fresh lavender flowers, rinsed and dried
12 whole lavender flowers (for decoration)

2 free-range eggs

2tbsp milk

350g/ 12oz icing sugar

Purple (or a combination of red and blue) food colouring

Method

Mix the lavender flowers with the sugar and flour in a food processor.

Pass through a sieve and throw away any of the rough flowers which are left.

Add butter and eggs and mix until smooth.

Place 12 bun cases in a bun tray and spoon the mixture into the bun cases.

Bake for about 15 minutes until they have risen. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with 6 tbsp of cold water. Add food colouring to stain it a purple colour. (This should make more than you think you will need.)

When the buns are cool, spread the icing over them. Allow the icing to drip - just place some kitchen roll beneath the wire rack. 

When this layer has dried, spread another layer on top. Repeat until you have a nice thick covering.

Remove the paper cases and place on a plate. Top each bun with a lavender flower.

BRIE AND CRANBERRY BAGUETTE SLICE

This is called a baguette slice because I just had a section of the whole baguette for my lunch.

Brie and cranberry is a classic combination.

There are no hidden secrets about making this; just assemble and enjoy!

Cut a section of the size you require from a baguette or French stick. Cut this almost in half lengthways.

Spread each side with butter or spread.

Spread one side with cranberry sauce.

Cut slices of brie and place inside.

FALAFELS

Middle Eastern street food makes a lovely light lunch.

Serves 2 - 4

3tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2tsp curry powder
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
handful chopped parsley
1 egg
2tbsp flour (plus extra for forming)
4 pitta breads
salad to serve

Heat 1tbsp oil in pan and fry onion until almost soft.
Add garlic, curry powder and spices and fry for a minute or two more. 

Stir well so that the spices have coated everything. Allow to cool a little.

Tip into mixer with chickpeas and parsley.
Blend until rough and chunky. 

Then transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add egg and flour and season. Blend together well with a wooden spoon.

With well-floured hands, shape into patty shapes and set aside until ready to serve.

Now prepare the accompaniments to suit your taste. (I used lettuce, cucumber, tomato, spring onion, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce and lemon wedges.)

Cut pitta breads in half.
When ready, heat the remaining oil. Fry patties until golden brown and firm, turning regularly.

They should be brown and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. 
Place on kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil. 
Then place in a bowl.

Serve in pitta breads with the salad accompaniment.
We had them for lunch, outside at the picnic bench.

FRIED HALLOUMI

halloumi cheese

plain flour

olive oil

salt and pepper

Drain and rinse the halloumi cheese and cut into slices.

Dip the cheese slices into the seasoned flour. 

If they are dry, dampen them again first.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the coated cheese slices.

Fry for a couple of minutes each side until golden brown. (it doesn't matter of some of the flour comes off in the oil.)

Drain on kitchen paper before serving.

I accompanied the halloumi slices with some mixed leaves and a splodge of chilli sauce. 

They are also tasty sprinkled with paprika.

Can be a starter for one...

...or a sharing plate.