Vegetable and nut loaf in cheese pastry with sweet red pepper sauce
Ingredients
(serves six)
For the crêpes
3oz plain flour
1oz polenta
1 egg lightly beaten
1tsp olive oil
¼ pint milk
Salt to season
For the vegetable nut filling
1tbs olive oil
8oz finely chopped onion
1lb peeled diced carrots
1lb broccoli florets
1oz desiccatedcoconut
1oz ground almonds
4oz freshbreadcrumbs
4 egg yolks beaten
Salt and pepper
For the cheese pastry
8oz plain flour
½tsp salt
½tsp dry mustard
¼tsp cayennepepper
3oz margarine
1½oz vegetarian cheddar
Water
Beaten egg to glaze
Method
To make the crêpes sift flour stir in polenta and a good sprinkling of salt.
Make a well in centre gradually add combined milk egg and oil. Mix to a smooth batterthen beat whiskor blend in a processor.
Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Using two to three tablespoons of batter at a time cook six crêpes.
To make the filling sauté onion in oil until just colouring. Remove from heat and reserve.
Steam carrot and broccoli separately until barely tender. Cool and finely mince.
Add half-cooked onion breadcrumbs and egg to each vegetable.
Add coconut to carrot mixture.
Add ground almonds to broccoli mixture.
Season each with salt and pepper.
To make the cheese pastry rub margarine into dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in finely grated cheese and enough water to form a short paste.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
To assemble the loaf line a 1lb loaf tin with well-oiled foil.
Line tin with two crêpes. They need to come halfway up sides of tin.
Pipe half of carrot mixture on one side of tin half of broccoli mixture on other side.
Cover with two more crêpes and press firmly.
Repeat vegetable layers reversing vegetablemixtures.
Top with remaining crêpes push down sides with palette knife.
Cover with oiled foil. Bake in moderate oven for 40-45 minutes until firm to touch.
Cool and turn out on to wire rack.
To finish the dish roll out pastry as thin as possible and trim.
Place loaf upside down in centre of pastry. Wrap and seal with beaten egg.
Place on a greased baking tray. Brush with beaten egg. Decorate with pastry trimmings.
Bake in a medium oven until golden (20-35 minutes). Serve hot or cold.
Sweet red pepper sauce
Ingredients
4 red peppers
1 sprig fresh rosemary finely chopped
¼ pint water
6oz diced onion
27oz plum tomatoes chopped
1 large garlic clove chopped
1fl oz olive oil
1oz tomato purée
2fl oz white wine or Champagne vinegar
½oz white sugar
1oz butter (margarine for vegetarians)
Salt and pepper
Method
Brush a little oil on pepper skins and char under a hot grill until blistered and blackened. Cool peel chop finely.
Sauté garlic and onion in remaining oil until softened but not coloured. Add peppers tomatoes and water. Simmer gently until softened.
Purée and pass through fine sieve.
Dissolve sugar in vinegar and reduce by half over gentle heat. Add to pepper sauce with tomato purée.
Whisk in butter and season.
Garnish with chopped chivesand a sprig of rosemary.
