Become Pro Vegetarian Chef

I am not a lazy person when it comes to making pastry from scratch . I make pies all the time, but I wanted to make a different style of pastry this time, both easier and perhaps lighter. I've been enjoying making sweet Galettes with homegrown fruit , so a savoury one was just waiting to be eagerly made. Its my first time baking with spelt flour, and I thought it would be a lot more sturdy to hold the filling,, but the recipe I followed from a blog that I hadn't previously used a recipe from, sadly the pastry just collapsed and crumbled.  Despite the spelt pastry falling apart, the pastry was crisp and biscuity in texture and this balanced well with the sweetness coming from the roasted sweet potatoes. As I had really enjoyed  VPud 'Black Pudding' last time , I was very keen to get my hands on some more to make this particular galette as I have been imagining this combo would work well together. And it did, the vegan Black Pudding surprising spice  kick offsets...

The last time I used the  Red Camargue was for a Roasted Butternut Squash and Pepper Salad  and then when rediscovered it whilst looking for another grain and thought, why not.  I actually ended up using the red rice for two dishes: as an accompaniment and then with left-overs,  I decided to make this salad with it, making the most of our homegrown tomatoes.   This Red Rice Tomato Salad turned out to reflect the weather outside, autumnal.  The colours of the trees are certainly changing from lush greens to handsome shades of brown: sepia, ochre russet, terracotta, tawny and gold. I don't normally do dishes like this for the two of us, unless I have guests, as its one to impress as its quite colourful and pretty .  Its also a little fussy and involves lots of little ingredients to build the Salad, but once its done, its worth it as it makes you feel kinda special.  The salad is not just visually pretty, but it packs quite a punch too but i...

Due to work related distractions and tiredness, I have been missing Five on Friday since it began again at the start of September, but I thought no I will join in today and share Five things in my favourite room - Cooks Library come Dining Room.  Come, let me explain why it has two names This Dining room is where we would entertain guests, family and friends should they ever come over.  Trouble is because we live in the valley s and a little out the way, sadly we haven't had many diners sit at the table, except for us in the evenings or at the weekend when we have a proper cooked breakfast.  We only made this big purchase of dining table and chairs quite recently are quite pleased with it, but as I said only our bottoms have graced those chairs.   I describe this room as so-called dining room, because this room actually is the Cooks Library - my library. The room houses all of my cookbooks, D says I am like a squirrel with my cookbooks hiding them like nuts in...

Food from the Indian Sub-Continent is what I grew up with and I love its diversity, but when I left home for University all those years ago, I discovered a whole world of global vegetarian cuisine from Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Moroccan, Malaysian, Thai, Greek, Turkish, Irish, Scottish and Mexican.  Vegan Mofo prompt today is to share your favourite cuisine.  Its hard to choose one cuisine that i favour over others, but I can hands down say what dish I really really like - Vegetarian Chilli. Although the Mexican cuisine I had in Scotland and Wales has never ever authentic, more Tex - Mex style, I developed a taste for Mexican flavours and vegetarian Chilli in its many incarnations became my favourite go to meal.  Perhaps the first vegetarian Chilli I ever had was made with soya mince.   Later when I started making my own vegan Chilli from scratch, it was always made borlotti, pinto or kidney beans, then I discovered black turtle beans and this dish became my favo...

What I like about this Roasted  Balsamic Beetroot Galette with thyme is its appearance.  It looks warming, with its fiery flame red and sunset yellow colours.  This is perfect as it compliments Vegan Mofo prompt today which is  'Its cold and rainy and there's a snow drift outside your door. What are you going to make using the ingredients you have.  I usually have lots of dried beans, pulses and grains - but the one veg that shows its versatility during the autumn and wintry season is the beetroot - from cakes to  steaks . curries   to wobbly jelly. I have used two different beetroots in the galette.  A  Golden Beetroot and the traditional crimson-red .  I sliced the beetroot, then doused it generously with some good olive oil and good balsamic vinegar and allowed it to roast until it was tender.  I must emphasize the importance of good olive oil and good balsamic vinegar here, its essential as these two ingredients make the b...

Early in the week, whilst I was doing some research for work (honestly I was), I stumbled on The Best Jollof Rice Competition held in Brixton, London today.  It the UKs first ever Jollof competition, in past there have been Best Rum Cake. Its hosted by The Afrikan Family Works . I  love these grassroots community spirited competitions.  I thought I would compete virtually with my vegan Jollof variation, but I sincerely wish the hosts and the participants the best and hope the event is a success.   For those of you unfamiliar with Jollof.  Jollof rice or Benachin which means 'one pot' originates in Senegal.  Jollof  is eaten all across West Africa and has recently become appreciated alongside the South Indian Pilaf and the Spanish Paella. So here it is my vegan Jollof  rice.  I added peppers, okra and chickpeas to the Jollof rice only because I didn't have an accompaniment with it.  I am no expert at making Jollof, in fact this is ...