DIY BREADCRUMBS

A great way to use up old bread or those crusts you just don't fancy.


Dave cannot resist a bargain, so he came back from the shop one evening with this loaf. 

We managed to use a couple of the slices, but I didn't want to throw away the rest. The solution was to make breadcrumbs.

I decided to make 2 types: fine white and thicker rustic.

Start by cutting off the crusts.

For the fine white, rip the slices and place them in a food processor. Whizz for several minutes until you have small, fluffy crumbs.

Then, put in the crusts and whizz for a shorter amount of time to make the rustic ones.

Use as needed or freeze until required. I divided mine up into bags of approximately 100g.

CRISPY VEGETABLE RIBBONS

Use left-over root vegetables - I had parsnips and carrots
1tbsp sunflower oil

Peel the vegetables, then continue to peel down from top to bottom to make ribbons.
Place in a bowl and drizzle over the oil.
Stir to coat.
Place in a baking tray. It is best to do this in batches so that they do not overlap too much.

Cook for about 10 minutes at Gas 7/ 220°C/ 425°F.
Check and remove any which are ready. Replace the rest in the oven and check regularly, removing them as they are done, until all are golden and crispy.
Drain on kitchen paper. 

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - MARCEL PAGNOL

Marcel Pagnol was a French novelist, playwright and film maker.  It is as a novelist, that Zelda would like to celebrate him today and invite him for dinner. 
L'eau des Collines (The Water of the Hills) is the collective name for two brilliant novels set in Provence: Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. They are best known now as the inspiration for two French language films of the same name, made in the 1980s. The films are beautiful, but the novels are sublime. Zelda likes to re-read them at least every few years. 
The cassoulet is a famous French 'peasant dish'. It must be made with white beans but then whatever meat is available is traditionally added. Why not, therefore, add vegetarian alternatives, if the finished dish tastes great?

VEGETARIAN CASSOULET

2tbsp olive oil

2 slices vegetarian bacon, defrosted if frozen

2 vegetarian sausages

1 quorn fillet or 50g chicken-style pieces

1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

300ml vegetable stock

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1tsp dried thyme

2tbsp tomato puree

½tsp smoked paprika

100g coarse breadcrumbs

2 bay leaves

Serves 2

In a large ovenproof pan, heat 1tbsp of the oil and fry the bacon. Remove from the pan and cut into pieces.

Add the rest of the oil and cook the pepper and onion until it starts to soften.

Cut the sausages and quorn fillet into chunks and add to the pan as well. Stir together until all are slightly browned but not burnt.

Return the bacon to the pan.

Add the tomatoes and butter beans.

Top up with the stock, add the tomato puree, thyme, paprika and bay leaves and mix all together well, over a low heat.

Put the breadcrumbs over the top.

Cook at Gas 7/ 220°C/ 420°F for about 40 minutes until the breadcrumbs form a golden brown crust.

Lovely served with mashed potato

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - CAPTAIN KRONOS

Hunters, in the traditional sense, are not the natural friends of the vegetarian cook. So this may seem an unlikely one. 
Yet, myths and fables provide valued ingredients for the lovers of literature, and a woman like Zelda who appreciates stories of vampires, can find inspiration in one of the Hammer Films which she watched with her brother, another huge vampire film fan. 

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, played by Horst Janson in the 1974 film, is called to a village to investigate a series of mysterious deaths, where the victims are drained of their youth. It's a great 'swashbuckling adventure'. 

HUNTER’S QUORN

2 quorn fillets, defrosted if frozen

4 vegetarian bacon rashers, defrosted if frozen

6tbsp ketchup

2tbsp brown sugar

1tbsp white wine vinegar

1tbsp paprika

½ tsp garlic granules

pinch cayenne pepper

50g cheese, grated

Wrap each fillet in two pieces of bacon. (This follows the usual recipe for Hunter’s Chicken. Don’t expect it to look the same at this point, but it will be worth it in the end.)

Cook in the oven at Gas 7/ 220°/ 425° for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by mixing the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, garlic granules, paprika and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan. Heat all gently over a low heat.

Pour the sauce over the quorn and bacon and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Lovely served with Jazzy Mash and Herby Baked Mushrooms

HERBY BAKED MUSHROOMS

250g mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2tbsp olive oil

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

1tsp mixed herbs

Slice mushrooms and place them in a single layer on a baking tray. 

Cook at Gas 6/ 200°C/400°F for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the garlic, oil, vinegar and herbs in a bowl.

Place the cooked mushrooms in the same bowl and stir all together.

Pour away the liquid (which will have come out of the mushrooms) left on the baking tray.

Place the coated mushrooms back on the tray.

Replace in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Makes a lovely side dish.

Good with Hunter’s Chicken.