HONEY ROAST PARSNIPS

2 large parsnips
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tbsp honey
Serves 2 but can easily be multiplied.

Heat oven to Gas 7/ 220˚C/ 425˚F
Peel the parsnips and cut into large chunks.

Place in a pan of cold water. 

Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Then drain.
Heat the sunflower oil, then add the parsnips, shaking well to coat.

Cook for 20 minutes.

Mix in the honey.
Return to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes more.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - DIETER ROTH

Dieter Roth (1930 – 1998) was a Swiss artist who made a career of producing art from found materials.
He was most famous for Literaturwurst, his sequence of artists’ books on the theme of the sausage. Each book used a traditional sausage recipe but replaced the meat with pages from a book or magazine. He then used the cover as the skin of the sausage.

He didn’t take himself too seriously, notoriously

quipping, “When I was young I wanted to become a real artist. Then I started doing something I felt wasn't real art, and it was through this that I became a well-known artist” and often using the work of people he wanted to annoy.

I think he would be great company and, as he likes meat-free sausages, this might please him.

VEGGIE SAUSAGE GNOCCHI BAKE

3 vegetarian sausages, defrosted if frozen
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1tbsp olive oil
200ml tomato pasta sauce, in a jar or home-made (+ 100ml water)
2tsp chopped mixed herbs
1tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1tbsp tomato puree
1 ball mozzarella, torn into pieces
100g cheddar cheese, grated
500g gnocchi
salt and black pepper

Serves 2

Heat the oil and fry the sausages until browned.

Set them to one side and chop them diagonally.

Add the onion and red pepper to the pan and fry until soft and just starting to brown. Replace the sausage pieces.

Pour in the tomato sauce and the water.
Add the tomato puree, mixed herbs, sweet chilli sauce and season.
Allow to simmer and thicken slightly.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the gnocchi.

Cook for a couple of minutes – when it floats, it’s done. Drain.
Add to the sauce.

Mix all together, then place in an ovenproof dish.
Top with both cheeses and lots of black pepper.

Place in oven at Gas 7/ 425˚F/ 220˚C and cook for about 30 minutes.

Serve with a side salad or some focaccia.

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.