CHEESY AIR FRYER CHIPS

1 large potato per person
grated cheese
few sprays oil


Heat the air fryer to 180C.

Peel the potatoes and slice them in to chips. I used a crinkle cutter, but straight-cut ones are fine.

Place the chips in the basket with a few sprays of oil and shake to cover.

Cook for 18 minutes, shaking part-way through to ensure even cooking.

Either place in a bowl, cover with cheese and place in the oven or under the grill, or put in a shallow pan with the cheese and heat until the cheese melts.

EASY CRISPY MUSHROOMS

When you need a quick side, using storecupboard ingredients

1 small tin whole button mushrooms
1 egg, lightly whisked
2tbsp plain flour
4tbsp fine breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Drain the mushrooms and place in the flour.
Dig each one in the egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs.

Place the oil in a large pan to a depth of 1cm and heat.
Fry the mushrooms, turning as needed until golden.

Put them on a baking tray and cook in the oven at  Gas 7/ 425˚F/ 220˚C for about 10 minutes to make them really crispy.

SPINACH AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Zelda has already made cannelloni for Marlon Brando, using dried pasta tubes. This one is a great way to use up some left-over lasagne sheets.

4 fresh lasagne sheets
250g cooked spinach, excess water removed. (If using frozen spinach, four balls should suffice)
1 white onion, finely chopped
1tbsp olive oil
1tsp crushed garlic
250g ricotta
black pepper
salt
200ml tomato sauce (bottled or home-made)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped
2tsp chopped mixed herbs
70g cheddar cheese, grated


If using fresh spinach, wash it and cook it in the same water until it wilts. If using frozen, heat it with a little water. Squeeze out any additional moisture.
Heat half the oil and cook the onion and garlic.
Place the onion, garlic and spinach in a blender. Add lots of black pepper and blitz together well so that all is finely chopped.
Tip out into a bowl and mix with the ricotta.

Cook lasagne sheets as to packet instructions. If fresh, put them in a large shallow tray and cover with boiling water.

Carefully take one out at a time, dry, and cover with a quarter of the spinach mix.

Roll the sides in and place in a dish, with the seam on the bottom. Don't worry if a bit of the filling spills out.
Repeat with the other three sheets.

Gently fry the red onion, pepper and tomato until soft. Add the tomato sauce and mixed herbs.

Pour on the pasta and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Cover with foil. Cook at 190˚C/ 375˚F/ Gas 5 for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

Lovely served with a salad.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - SIDNEY POITIER

Zelda was very sad to hear of the recent death of Sidney Poitier, one of her favourite actors. 

Poitier was a mesmerising presence on screen. 

He excelled at playing characters who succeeded against all the odds and eventually gained respect, in films such as To Sir With Love and the wonderful In the Heat of the Night.

So, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

VEGGIE SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Serves 2-3

6 vegetarian sausages (robust meat-substitute ones rather than vegetable ones)
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin tomatoes
1tbsp olive oil
300ml tomato pasta sauce
1tbsp tomato puree
2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1tsp chopped, mixed herbs
splash of red wine vinegar
pinch of caster sugar
2 bay leaves
handful fresh parsley

Place an ovenproof dish (which has a lid) on the hob and heat the oil.Add the sausages, onion and red pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onion and pepper have softened and the sausages have started to brown.

Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more.
Pour in the tin of tomatoes, then re-fill the tin with water and add that, too.
Add all the beans, mixed herbs, tomato sauce, tomato puree, caster sugar, red wine vinegar and bay leaves. 

Season and bring to the boil. Turn to a simmer and put the lid on.

Place in the middle of the oven at Gas 7/ 220˚C/ 430˚F. Cook, covered, for about 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook for 20 minutes more.

Serve with the parsley on top and a nice glass of wine.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - LISA LOPEZ

'Left Eye' Lisa was a member of TLC. She received four Grammy Awards and was instrumental in the writing of most of their songs. But, in spite of the success and recognition, she was not a happy girl, leading to her burning down her boyfriend's house. In 2002, in an attempt to 'get back on track', she was filming herself for a documentary as she drove to a charity event in Honduras. She swerved off the road to avoid a crash with a truck, rolled the car, landed in a ditch and died instantly. 

To commemorate her status as a well-known vegetarian, Zelda would like to invite her round to have a slap-up meal.

CHEESE-STUFFED QUORN PASTRIES

Serves 2 but can easily be multiplied

2 Quorn fillets, defrosted if frozen
½ onion, peeled and chopped finely
1 tsp olive oil
4tbsp cream cheese
black pepper
1/3 sheet ready-made puff pastry
splash of milk

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion until golden.
Mix with the cream cheese and season with lots of black pepper.

Cut a long rectangle from the puff pastry (either use the rest to multiply this recipe or use for other meals).
Place one of the fillets on half of the pastry.

Spread the cheese mixture over the fillet and the pastry.

Place the other fillet on top.
Fold over the rest of the pastry and crimp the edges.

Cut into the top to make it look pretty. Brush with milk.

Cook at 220˚C/ 425˚F/ Gas 7 for 25-30 minutes.

Cut in half to serve.

For a lovely main meal, serve with Parmesan-style Parsnips and Lemon Potatoes.

LEMON ROASTIES

Serves 2

2 large potatoes
1tbsp olive oil
2tsp lemon juice
black pepper

Wash the potatoes but leave the skins on.
Cut into chunks.
Place in a baking dish with the oil, lemon juice and copious black pepper.

Cook in oven at 220˚C/ 425˚F/ Gas 7 for about 50 minutes, turning halfway through.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - BOB CRATCHIT

Christmas and Dickens go together like mince pies and cream. Zelda has previously made a Christmas Carol themed meal but it's worth doing another one.
This time it's for Bob Cratchit.
Dickens knew exactly what he was doing when he created this poor, overworked clerk, who is even begrudged a day off on 25th December. Tiny Tim may be a step too far down the road of sentimentality, but his father perfectly represents the long hours, low pay and total dependency upon the whims of an employer which was the lot of so many in in the mid-Nineteenth Century. 
Of course, it might work out well for the Cratchits, but in the meantime...

CHRISTMAS FILLETS WITH CRANBERRY CRUMB
 
Serves 3-4

Pack of 6 frozen Quorn fillets
3tbsp cranberry sauce
1 red onion, chopped finely but roughly
6tbsp breadcrumbs (panko if poss)
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp brown sauce
1 vegetable Oxo cube
 
Place the Quorn fillets in an ovenproof dish with a lid.
Mix the Oxo cube with 150ml water and pour over the Quorn.
Add the sauce (randomly over the top).
Cook in the oven at 200˚C/ 390˚F/ Gas 6 for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. (You may think it is a bit more than you need but it will be used later to help moisten the breadcrumbs).

When the onion is cooked, add it to the breadcrumbs along with any residual oil.
Stir in the cranberry sauce and mix well.

Put the fillets on a baking tray, rounded side down.
Load the tops with the breadcrumb mixture. Don’t worry if it goes over the edge. Add the rest of the crumbs to the tray as well.

Place under a medium grill for 5-10 minutes until the topping is crisp. Watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn.

Put one or two fillets on the plate and sprinkle over any remaining crumbs.

Then add all your usual trimmings.

CHRISTMAS SALAD WREATH

½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 little gem lettuce, shredded
3 spring onions, including green, chopped finely
10-12 red grapes, halved
½ a red pepper, small chop
½ a yellow pepper, small chop
¼ cucumber, finely sliced
1 tomato, deseeded and chopped into small pieces
segments of 1 small orange, halved
+ any other items of choice
 
Cut a circle from greaseproof paper of the chosen size for the wreath. Put this on a plate or board. Alternatively, double-line it with tin foil in-situ.
Start by arranging the lettuce around the outside of the circle.
Then, scatter the other ingredients to create colour and depth.

You can leave it like this but it is even better to add a bow and lights.

Alternatively, put crisps and dips in the middle.

BITS AND DIPS

This is a great addition to a healthy lunch or a platter at a party.

Serve with crudites of choice - I used crusty bread slices, cucumber and carrot.

Tzatziki

Herby Oil

Make a herb combination of your choice. I used basil, coriander, flat leaf parsley, marjoram and oregano. Include lots of black pepper, chopped garlic and chilli flakes. Place in a shallow dish and pour olive oil over the top. 

Cheese and Chive Dip
Mix soft cheese (such as Philadelphia) with sour cream and season well. Add a sprinkle of lemon juice and the fresh, chopped chives.