Yes, Zelda does seem to invite a lot of 'bad boys' to the table; and here's another one.
The reckless, thieving Jem Merlyn can hardly be called a 'hero'. After all, he is the brother of Joss, the evil landlord of Jamaica Inn. But, in Daphne du Maurier's dark novel about Cornish wreckers, published in 1936, though set in the nineteenth century, he provides romance and might just provide salvation, if only he can be trusted. Like many of my favourite fictional characters, I have yet to find a screen portrayal which I feel fully captures the way I see him in my head. The closest I have found was by Trevor Eve back in 1983. If Jem came to dinner, I would take something traditionally Cornish, and add a bit of spice. Quite appropriate, I think.
SPICY SAUSAGE PASTIES serves 2
200g ready-made shortcrust
pastry
3 veggie sausages (e.g.
Quorn), defrosted if frozen
1 medium onion, chopped
2tbsp chilli sauce
Splash of milk
1tbsp olive oil Heat the oil and cook the
sausages until brown.
Remove them from the pan and
chop into small pieces.
Heat the remaining oil in
the same pan and fry the onion until soft and golden.
Turn off the heat and
return the sausage to the pan. Add the chilli sauce and mix well.
Allow to cool.
Divide the pastry in two
and roll out each piece into a circle.
Place the mixture on one
half of each.
Place a little milk around
the edge, fold over and crimp the edges. Place on baking paper on a tray and coat with a little milk.
Cook at Gas 8/ 230°C/ 450°F
for about 10 minutes. Then turn oven down to Gas 6/ 200°C/ 400°F and
cook for 20 minutes more.
Dean Martin was never, contrary
to popular belief, an alcoholic. In fact, he drank far less than his
contemporaries, believing that it would interfere too much with his golf. On
stage, whatever he led an audience to believe, his glass was more likely to be
filled with apple juice than whisky.
He makes a perfect New
Year’s guest, though, as he will always be remembered for his entertainingly ‘drunken’
performances, on stage with The Rat Pack,
where he delivered lines such as:
You're not drunk if you
can lie on the floor without holding on and
I feel sorry for people
who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're
going to feel all day He also sings one of Zelda's favourite songs:
In the 1959 film Rio Bravo he pays Deputy Sheriff ‘Dude’,
who is unable to keep order in a Texas town, until John T Chance (John Wayne)
arrives to sort matters.
Every drunk needs a
hangover cure and a traditional breakfast is tried and tested. For Mr Martin,
Zelda has devised a breakfast which can be eaten in the morning, or later as a
snack. Guaranteed to make you feel better.
ALL DAY VEGGIE BREAKFAST
QUICHE Here is the recipe, step by step, for those who may not be 'firing on all cylinders':
2 vegetarian sausages, defrosted
if frozen
4 rashers vegetarian bacon,
defrosted if frozen
2 tomatoes
3 mushrooms, sliced
Oil of choice (I used
olive oil)
4 free range eggs
1 slice bread
300ml single cream
50g cheese, grated
(optional)
ground black pepper
1 sheet ready-rolled
shortcrust pastry Notes: I used pre-made pastry as no-one with a hangover wants to make their own pastry. Although there are many lovely veggie sausages out there, choose some (such as 'Quorn' which resemble their meaty counterparts. Cheese is optional.
Place pastry inside a
20cm/ 8inch flan dish. Use a rolling pin to roll over the top and remove any
excess pastry.
Prick the base.
Cut a disk of baking paper
to fit the base of the dish and place inside. Fill with baking beans.
Cook at Gas 6/ 200°C/ 400°F
for 10 minutes.
Remove the beans and paper
and cook for 5 minutes more.
Take two pans and place a
glug of oil in each.
Cook the ‘bacon’ in one
and the ‘sausages’ in another.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Chop the bacon into small
pieces. Slice the sausages thinly.
Add a bit more oil to the
pans.
Place the mushrooms in one
and the bread in the other.
Cook mushrooms until soft
and just golden, then place on a sheet of absorbent paper.
Cover with another
to remove the moisture.
Cook bread on both sides
until crispy. Then remove crusts and chop into croutons.
Cut six slices from the
tomatoes.
Remove all pips and then finely chop the rest. Store on absorbent
paper to remove excess moisture.
Beat the eggs and season
with black pepper.
Add the cream, whisking as
you go.
You should now have all
you need. The quiche can be prepared in advance to this stage.
When ready to cook, heat
oven to Gas 7/ 220°C/ 425°F
Place mushrooms, bacon,
sausage, tomato chunks
and cheese (if using) in the pastry base.
Pour over the cream mixture.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and place
tomato slices on the top.
Place back in the oven for
a further 10 minutes.
When cooked, sprinkle the fried bread croutons over the top. Serve with baked beans.
Like many of my favourite fictional characters, I have yet to find a screen portrayal which I feel fully captures the way I see him in my head. 
Heat the oil and cook the
sausages until brown.
Heat the oil and cook the
sausages until brown.
