Need to Make a Veggie Meal - Never Have Before - Help Me Please

Stephen_Leak

got-it-spend-it wrote: »

If she does then how about a spag bol or shepherd's pie with the meat mince substituted for quorn mince.

Try these ...

1. Bolognese Sauce (on a jacket potato, not with pasta)

BOLOGNESE SAUCE (and vegetarian version)

Enough for spaghetti for 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
2 onions
1 tablespoon of olive oil
500g of minced beef
400g tin of plum tomatoes*
1 beef stock cube
2 teaspoons of basil, oregano or mixed herbs
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into the frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Fry the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Put the meat into a frying pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time. By this time, it should have broken up and be an even colour, with no pink bits.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into the frying pan. Crumble the stock cube into the pan. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the pan).

Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pan. Add the herbs. Season with the pepper. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, until the sauce has reduced.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use minced lamb, pork or turkey instead of minced beef.

The vegetarian version is made by substituting the meat for a 150g packet of soya mince or Protoveg Burgamix, made up according to the instructions on the packet. You can even use 500g of broken up vegetarian hamburgers. Substitute the stock cube for a vegetable one.

* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

2. Cottage Pie (a little bit more "assembly" required)

COTTAGE or SHEPHERD’S PIE (and vegetarian version)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of old potatoes*
1 onion
1 carrot
250ml of water
½ a teaspoon of salt
½ a tablespoon of butter
½ a tablespoon of milk
Ground pepper to taste
½ a tablespoon of sunflower oil
250g of minced meat (Use minced beef for a cottage pie. Use minced lamb for a shepherd’s pie.)
125ml of water
1 stock cube (Use a beef stock cube for a cottage pie. Use a lamb stock cube for a shepherd’s pie.)

METHOD

Peel the potatoes and chop into quarters. Peel the onion and chop it into tiny pieces. Cut both ends off the carrot, peel it and then grate it.

Put the 250ml of water and salt into a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the potatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until soft. Check the water level from time to time and top up if it starts to dry out.

While the potatoes are cooking, put the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the onion for a couple of minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking. Add the meat and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the carrot. Crumble the stock cube into the 125ml of water and pour it into the frying pan. Cook for another 5 minutes until most of the water has boiled off.

Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter and milk until it is smooth and lump free. Season with the pepper.

Put the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Level off the surface. Put the mashed potato on top. Spread to cover the meat mixture. Make artistic swirls in the mashed potato. This increases the surface area and makes the top crisper.

Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4 for 20 to 30 minutes until golden on top.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use minced pork, but then it ought to be called a swineherd’s pie. Use minced turkey, but then it ought to be called a poultryman’s pie.

If you haven’t got a grater, you can chop the carrot into tiny pieces. However, grated carrot was the traditional farmer's wife's method of making the minced meat go further without anyone realising.

The vegetarian version is made by substituting the meat for 75g (½ a 150g packet) of soya mince or Protoveg Burgamix, made up according to the instructions on the packet. You can even use 250g of broken up vegetarian hamburgers. Substitute the stock cube for a vegetable one.

Add 100g of chopped mushrooms to the meat. Sprinkle 50g of grated Cheddar cheese on top of the potato, or even into it as it being mashed.

*New potatoes make rubbish mashed potato. Use old ones like King Edward’s or Desiree Reds.

Symbeaux1

I made my veggie friend a good old fashioned shepherds pie with quorn mince and veggie cheese sprinkled over the top (and put in the oven for 10 minutes) , as long as it's not blue cheese (pregnancy no-no) with a shepherds pie packet sauce suitable for vegetarians. He didn't look up or pause for breath till it was all gone ! pity really , half of it was meant to be for me!