Some of you already know that my best friend and housemate is a Vegetarian. As a consequence, unless having a takeaway, meals at home are always meat free. This does mean that I have to use my imagination a little more, especially to avoid boredom.
Eating a meat free diet doesn’t have to mean bland or repetitive. Nor does it mean cutting out all your favourite meals; just find a suitable alternative. These days you can find plant-based alternatives for just about every meat. Some are better than others. Personally, I’m not a lover of the processed alternatives for bacon or chilled sandwich meats, and I don’t like chickpeas (cardboard balls!). But, being creative with vegetables and use of the likes of Quorn or Soya means you can pretty much emulate all your favourites. The mince alternatives are so much better now than they used to be. My preference is for the soy mince, but there are others if you don’t like that one. This ensures that you don’t have to miss out on your chilli, spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne etc. In fact, it’s much higher in protein and lower in fat than standard beef mince, and the quantity you begin with raw is the same quantity you end up with cooked. No losing half the mince when frying – which is down to the fat and water content in minced meat.
I thought today I’d share some of our recent meals, as an example of how you can replace meat in day-to-day eating.
I love Beef Wellington. It’s a nice option for a ‘special’ dinner or Sunday lunch. But it does take a while to make so ensure that you set aside plenty of preparation time. To swap out the beef, you do need something suitably solid but tasty. Butternut Squash is ideal.
Butternut Squash Wellington
Recipe:
- 200g shortcrust pastry
- 1 whole butternut squash
- ¼ onion
- Handful chestnut mushrooms
- 1-2 garlic cloves (to own taste) – or teaspoon of ready to use ‘lazy garlic’
- Teaspoon paprika
- Teaspoon dried thyme
- Maple syrup
- Egg wash or a little milk
Method:
Make (or buy) shortcrust pastry – best with a 50:50 butter and lard fat content. Chill for a minimum of half an hour before using.
Peel the butternut squash and cut in half lengthways. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy innards. Continue along the whole length of the squash to make a ditch for your filling. Bake the squash for 30-40 minutes then set aside to cool.
Chop the onion reasonably finely. Chop the mushrooms to a similar consistency. Mix these together with the garlic, paprika and thyme. Drizzle the mixture generously with maple syrup. Mix and cover. At this stage, if you prefer not to waste the squash you’ve scooped out, you can add this back in finely chopped – but not the stringy innards or pips.
Once the squash has cooled and pastry chilled, fill the squash void on each half with the mushroom mix. Don’t worry if this is slightly over or under full. Set aside.
Roll out the chilled pastry into an oblong shape at least 2 inches wider than the length of the squash.
Once big enough that the pastry will cover the squash, place one half of the filled squash about 2/3 up the pastry length, centring the sides. Place the second filled squash half on top of the first, to complete the original squash shape.
Lift the shorter length of pastry onto the squash, smoothing with your hands to ensure no wrinkles. If you wish, use a little water or more syrup to help hold the pastry on. Bring up the bigger length of pastry and join with a slight overlap – sticking together with a little water. Cut off any excess.
On each side, gently roll both pastry layers together to join and thin them, and cut off any excess. Bring the side up to join the top and again stick with a little water. You will then have a squash filled parcel of pastry.
Turn the whole pastry parcel over so that the joins are on the bottom and place on a baking tray. If you wish, use the leftover pastry cut-offs to make decorations – stripes, diamonds, leaves etc.
Egg wash (or milk) the pastry. This is now ready to bake, whether you cook it now or later. If making for Sunday lunch for example, you could do all the preparation the day before and store overnight in the fridge.
Bake in an average oven (150-200°) for at least 40 minutes until nice and golden brown. The bottom must be fully cooked and the squash inside nice and hot.
Simple filled mushrooms
Recipe:
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- Jar kidney beans in mild chilli sauce
- ¼ red onion
- Handful of vegetarian mince
- Herbs and spices of your choice including chilli powder or chilli flakes if you prefer a spicier version.
- Approximately 100g cheddar cheese, grated
Method:
Chop the onion finely and fry together with the mince until both are fully cooked.
Stir in the jar of kidney beans and sauce, plus any spices or herbs you wish.
Fill the mushrooms with the mince mixture. Top with the grated cheese and bake in a medium oven for about 25-35 minutes until the cheese has melted and filling is hot.
Ideal for a lunch served with home-made potato wedges and a crisp salad.
Butternut Squash Gratin
Recipe:
- ½ butternut squash, cubed
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- Handful of mushrooms, chopped
- 1 large (or 2 medium) white potatoes
- Similar quantity sweet potatoes
- Large pinch each of salt, pepper, thyme and sage
- Tablespoon of cornflour
- ½ pint milk
- 1 egg
- Grated cheddar cheese
Method:
Mix together the squash, leek, mushrooms and seasonings.
Split the mixture into two individual oven-proof dishes, or one larger oven-proof dish.
Slice the potatoes and sweet potatoes into approximately ¼ inch slim round slices. Layer these on top of the squash mixture in strips – I like to do one white potato, one sweet potato etc, but if you prefer to randomise it then do.
To make a savoury custard, mix the cornflour with a little milk until combined as a thick paste. Add the remainder of the milk, whisking gently. Whisk in the egg and season with salt and plenty black pepper.
Slowly pour the custard over the potatoes so it sinks into the assembled mixture.
Top the dishes with the grated cheese.
Bake in a medium oven for around 40 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and brown, and you can pass a sharp knife easily through the potatoes.
Serve with preferred green vegetables.
Vegetable Pasties
Recipe:
- 200g shortcrust pastry
- 2 medium white potatoes
- 1 medium sweet potato*
- ½ leek*
- 1 parsnip*
- Pinch of salt, black pepper
- *or any other vegetables of your choice, eg squash, carrot or swede
Method:
Chill your pastry for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Chop all your chosen vegetables into approximately ½ inch sized cubes. Mix them together to ensure well-combined. Season well – add more pepper than you think you need.
Divide the pastry into 4. Roll each quarter into a round shape, a little over ¼ inch thick.
In the centre of the pastry round, spoon in a quarter of the combined mixture. At this stage, add any herbs if you want or indeed any extra seasoning if you think it needs it.
Fold one half of the pastry over the mixture, securing to the bottom with a little water. If you have a lot of excess, trim the pastry edge leaving around an inch or so in a neat semi-circle. With your fingers, press the edge to ensure secure and fold, twist or crimp as you like. If you prefer a Devon pasty shape, fold both top and bottom pastry halves over the filling, meeting in the middle. Again, trim as necessary, wet to ‘glue’ and crimp together.
Egg wash the pastry and bake at around 200° for around 40 minutes until golden and crisp.
These pasties can be served hot or cold, as preferred.
I do hope you’ll give some meat-free cooking a try, even if you’re not a Vegetarian. We have such lovely seasonal vegetables in this country, and Autumn through to Winter brings our wonderful root vegetables into season. I personally love root vegetables in particular, and enjoy a good Sunday roast – or better still a mid-week roast with lots of different vegetables, Yorkshire Puddings and plenty rich gravy (onion gravy for non-meat eaters).
Writing this has made me hungry! So I’ll be off now scrabbling in the fridge to see what goodies are hiding in there for lunch and preparing tonight’s tea.
love
Maggie x