Craig Wilson from Eat On The Green creates some tasty alternatives to mark National Vegetarian Week.
In celebration of it being National Vegetarian Week (May 10-16), my no-sausage roll is a great alternative to the meat version and a delicious lunchtime snack that can be made in minutes.
My challenge to you is to try putting some meat-free options into your weekly meal planner.
There are so many plant-based and vegetable alternatives that can be incorporated into your favourite home-cooked meal, without compromising on taste. And it’s a great way to encourage children to try new things in a familiar dish that they enjoy.
Today’s pudding recipe is rhubarb gin and ginger pannacotta.
Rhubarb goes perfectly with the botanicals in gin and with the added heat and freshness of the ginger every mouthful of this pannacotta is a flavour explosion.
It’s a great dessert for making ahead, so once it’s set and assembled it can chill nicely in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Broccoli, pine nut, cheese no sausage roll
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
- 50g pine nuts
- 100g Isle of Bute Vegan Sheeze (or use Feta or your favourite hard cheese)
- 200g tender stem broccoli
- 2 egg yolks
- A pinch of cracked black pepper
- 320g (1 sheet) puff pastry, ready-rolled
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 190C Fan/210C/410F/Gas Mark 6½.
- Finely chop the broccoli and pine nuts, and place in a bowl.
- Crumble the Sheeze (or cheese) into the bowl and mix together, then grind in some cracked black pepper. Unroll the pastry.
- Place your Sheeze/veg mix along the length of the pastry (down one side) to create the filling of the roll.
- Separate your eggs and pop the yolks in a bowl and mix with a fork.
- Take a pastry brush and paint the pastry with the egg yolk around the veg filling. Take the edge of the pastry and fold over your filling.
- Crimp around the filling and pinch along the length to ensure filling is intact. Cut away any spare pastry.
- Take the remainder of the egg yolk and wash over the top of the pastry with your brush. Sprinkle the black sesame seeds over the top.
- Cut into bite-size portions, then place on a baking tray and put in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
Rhubarb gin and ginger pannacotta
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
For the pannacotta:
- 300ml double cream
- 225ml full-fat milk
- 50g caster sugar
- 2½ – 3g sheets of leaf gelatine
- 4 tbsp Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb and Gin Liqueur
For the stewed rhubarb and crumble:
- 300g rhubarb
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 100g plain flour
- 50g salted butter
- 25g soft dark brown sugar
To decorate:
- 50g dark chocolate
- 1 piece crystalised stem ginger
Method
- For the pannacota (can be made in advance): Soak the leaf gelatine as per pack directions.
- Put the cream, milk, sugar and softened gelatine into a pan and leave over a low heat until the sugar and gelatine have dissolved. Pour the mixture into four serving glasses then place these in the freezer for four hours.
- For the rhubarb: Wash the rhubarb and chop into pieces. Put in a pan; add the sugar and 2 tbsp water.
- Bring to the boil then simmer for eight minutes, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb is cooked but still holds its shape. Set pan aside and allow to cool.
- For the crumble: Put the sugar and flour into a bowl.
Break up the butter and add into the bowl, then rub all together until it resembles fine crumbs. - Put the mixture on baking tray and place in the pre-heated oven at 185C Fan/205C/410F/Gas Mark 6, for six minutes.
- Take the tray out and fork through the crumbs. Return to the oven for a further two minutes or until the crumb is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- For the chocolate topping: For added wow factor, melt some dark chocolate, then thinly spread it on to a long strip of greaseproof paper. Take a piece of stem ginger; thinly slice it then place it into the chocolate.
- Put the ginger covered chocolate pieces into the freezer until frozen.
- To serve: Remove the pannacotta glasses from the freezer and spoon stewed rhubarb on top of each glass. You can keep a little aside if you wish to decorate the plate.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the rhubarb and pannacotta – again you can keep a little to decorate on the side of the plate.
- Just before serving, take the chocolate out of the freezer, break into pieces and place on each glass.