Rose Elliot’s New Complete Vegetarian

Ploughman’s

On the same theme as the two previous suggestions, but use your choice of British hard cheese – a good strong Cheddar or a crumbly Wensleydale, for instance – and a sweet-and-sour pickle.

Stilton and cranberry

For a luxurious winter sandwich, butter two slices of granary or walnut bread. Place a round lettuce on one slice, top with slices of Stilton and cranberry sauce, finish with another lettuce leaf, and press together with the second slice.

Tomato, mozzarella and olive

Brush a panini or half-size ciabatta with olive oil and fill with sliced tomato and mozzarella, then add some lovely green basil leaves and pitted black olives. This is good with sliced avocado, too.

Parsley pinwheels

I love making and eating these! They look irresistible, like slices from miniature savoury Swiss rolls, and are an attractive addition to a sandwich selection. Fresh springy bread that’s not too thin works best, such as an ordinary, medium-sliced white or wholemeal loaf.

MAKES 25 PINWHEELS

60g (2 oz) soft butter

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1–2 tsp hot water

5 slices from a large sliced loaf of bread

Beat the butter, parsley and hot water together in a bowl to make a light, creamy mixture.

Cut the crusts off the bread and flatten each slice slightly with a rolling pin. Spread the bread generously with the green butter mixture, then roll the slices up like Swiss rolls and if possible chill them for an hour or so.

When ready to serve, cut each roll into about five fairly thin slices.

VARIATION

Pâté or hummus pinwheels

These are lovely made with Swiss vegetable pâté, which you can buy in tubes at health-food shops. Use white bread for these pinwheels, for a good colour contrast. Alternatively, use bought or homemade hummus; same colour, different flavour.

Asparagus rolls

These are very retro, but I’ve always loved them: tender asparagus wrapped in buttery wholemeal bread; what’s not to like?

MAKES ABOUT 40 ROLLS

1 sliced wholemeal loaf

softened butter, for spreading

225g (8oz) asparagus, cooked and drained

Cut the crusts from the bread and roll each slice with a rolling pin to make it thinner and more flexible.

Butter the bread. Put one spear of asparagus on each slice and roll the bread around the asparagus. Cut each roll into pieces so that they are ‘bite-sized’. Cover and keep in a cool place until needed.

Asparagus and cheese on toast

Asparagus from a can may be a pale shadow of fresh asparagus, but it has its own charms, including tasting great on toast.

SERVES 1–2

small (400g) can asparagus

125g (4oz) grated cheese

2 pieces of hot toast

Drain the asparagus and place on the toast.

Pile the grated cheese on top and place under a hot grill for 3–5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Serve at once.

Avocado toast v

My favourite! I love this combination of buttery, creamy avocado and crisp wholemeal toast.

SERVES 2

1 large avocado

juice of lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2–4 slices of hot wholemeal toast

a dusting of chilli powder (optional)

Peel, stone and thinly slice (or mash) the avocado, then sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Place, or spread, the avocado slices on the toast, dust lightly with chilli powder if you’re using this, and serve at once while the toast is still warm and crisp.

Melba toast v

This sounds a bit retro – indeed, it is retro – but I enjoy both making and eating it, and often find it just the perfect thing to accompany creamy dips. It’s best to use bought sliced bread to make it as it’s easier to cut. People always eat more of this than you think they will, so make plenty!

1–2 slices of ready-sliced bread, white or wholemeal, for each person

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6.

Toast the bread, then lay the pieces of toast flat on a board and, using a sharp knife and a sawing motion, cut the toast in half horizontally, so you end up with two very thin slices, each toasted on one side.

Place the toast halves, uncooked side uppermost, on a baking sheet and bake for about 7–10 minutes, until they are crisp and brown all over, and curling up at the edges. Leave to cool. Store in an airtight container or foil for up to one week.

Mushrooms on toast

Always a winner, you can’t go wrong with tender, buttery baby mushrooms on crisp toast.

SERVES 2

450g (1lb) button mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

25g (1oz) butter

2–4 large slices toast, white or wholemeal

salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Wipe the mushrooms, then slice and fry lightly in the oil and butter.

Just before the mushrooms are done, toast the bread.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, then spoon them directly on top of the toast (no need to butter it), together with all their lovely juices. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and serve at once.

VARIATION

Garlic mushrooms on toast

Make as described, cooking 1–2 crushed large garlic cloves with the mushrooms.

Hummus on toast with vine tomatoes v

Quick, easy and so good!

SERVES 2

125g (4oz) hummus, bought or homemade or

2–4 large slices of wholemeal toast

2–4 tresses of cherry tomatoes on the vine

Spread the hummus on the toast – no need to butter it first – and heat through under the grill.

Put the tresses of cherry tomatoes under the grill too for a few minutes until lightly roasted, then place one tress on each piece of toast and serve.

VARIATION

Swiss vegetable pâté and tomato toast v

Swiss vegetable pâté is a smooth, savoury spead that you can buy in a tube at health-food shops. My family have always liked it in sandwiches and on toast. Just squeeze it straight onto the toast, instead of the hummus, heat through under the grill and top with the tomatoes, as described.

Tomato and cheese on toast

This couldn’t be simpler, yet makes a lovely hot snack, rather like a very simple pizza.

SERVES 2

4 slices wholemeal bread

1–2 tbsp olive oil

4 tomatoes, skinned or not, as you wish

125g (4oz) grated cheese

Toast the bread and brush one side (or both sides, if you like) with olive oil.

Slice the tomatoes thinly and arrange on top of the toast, then scatter the cheese evenly on top of that.

Put the toast under a hot grill for 4–5 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling and the tomatoes are heated through and slightly softened. Serve at once.

Garlic bread

Hot garlic bread is unfailingly popular and really easy to make. You can also prepare it, ready for popping in the oven, ahead of time, and even freeze it (before baking).

SERVES 4–6

1 baguette or 1 small wholemeal loaf

3–4 garlic cloves

salt

125g (4oz) butter, softened

Set the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6. Slice the baguette or wholemeal loaf three-quarters of the way through into chunky slices – they should just hold together at the base. Cut the wholemeal loaf right through into thin slices.

Make the garlic butter by crushing the peeled cloves in a little salt, then mixing into the butter. Spread this butter on both sides of each slice of bread. Push the bread back into the original shape, then wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until it’s heated right through and crisp on the outside. Serve at once.

VARIATION

Quick garlic bread for one or two

Spread some slices of bread with garlic butter made using a small clove of garlic (as described). Grill them, without any foil covering them, until the butter has melted and the bread is crisp round the edges.

Hot garlic chickpeas in pitta bread v

These sizzling hot, garlicky chickpeas make a wonderful snack; it’s hard to stop eating them straight out of the pan! They’re great packed into a pitta pocket, along with anything else you fancy – such as sliced tomato, onion, chopped mint, a spoonful of mayonnaise or yoghurt, or some sweet chutney.

SERVES 4

2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained

a little self-raising wholemeal flour, to coat

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tbsp olive oil

2–4 garlic cloves, crushed

TO SERVE

4 warm wholemeal pitta breads

any of the optional extras mentioned above

Spread the chickpeas out on a large plate and sprinkle with the flour and a little salt and pepper. Turn them gently so that each one is coated with flour.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the chickpeas and garlic. Fry the chickpeas gently until they are crisp and golden, turning often. You may need to do them in more than one batch.

Slit open the top of each pitta bread, fill with the hot chickpeas and any extras you are adding, and serve.

Quick pitta bread pizza

These quick pizzas taste surprisingly like the ‘real thing’, yet can be whizzed up in moments.

SERVES 2

2 wholemeal pitta breads

6 tbsp tomato purée

1–2 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

½–1 tsp sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tomatoes, thinly sliced

a few button mushrooms (optional), thinly sliced

125g (4oz) torn mozzarella or grated Cheddar cheese

a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of dried oregano and a few olives (optional), to garnish

Cut the pitta breads open and separate the two halves. Put these on a baking sheet that will fit under your grill.

Mix together the tomato purée, chopped onion, oregano, oil and adding sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

Spread each pitta bread half with the tomato purée mixture.

Arrange the tomato slices on top to cover the surface and add a few thin slices of raw mushroom (if using), or any other ingredients you want – such as sweetcorn, thin strips of red pepper, artichoke hearts and olives – and sprinkle the cheese all over the top.

Place under a hot grill for 5–6 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Serve at once.

Quick ciabatta pizza

Ciabatta bread, split in half, makes a wonderfully light and crispy base for a quick pizza. A packet of half-size ciabattas is best, making one pizza each for four people once the ciabattas have been split in half; alternatively, cut a normal-size ciabatta into four. Do use good-quality canned tomatoes – they reduce to a delicious thick sauce far quicker than economy versions. Keep some ciabattas in the freezer and some canned tomatoes in the cupboard and you’ll never be stuck for a tasty quick meal again!

SERVES 4

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

400g can chopped tomatoes in juice

tsp dried oregano

2 half-size ciabatta breads, or 1 normal-size ciabatta

salt and freshly ground black pepper

125g (4oz) grated Cheddar cheese or torn mozzarella

a handful of pitted green olives

Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of oil for 5 minutes, covered, then add the tomatoes and oregano. Simmer, without a lid on the pan, for about 10 minutes or until thick.

Meanwhile, slice the bread in half lengthways. Put the pieces on a grill pan or baking sheet and grill on both sides until just crisp; don’t let them get really brown.

Brush the toasted bread lightly all over with the rest of the olive oil and place, cutside up, on the grill pan or baking sheet.

Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper, then spread it over the top of the ciabatta halves, dividing it between them. Scatter with the grated cheese and put the olives on top.

Place under the hot grill for about 7 minutes or until the sides of the pizzas are crisp and the cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve at once.

Iced banana smoothie v

If you freeze chunks of banana and then whiz them with freshly squeezed orange juice, the result is a wonderful, thick smoothie, almost like a completely natural ice cream shake.

MAKES 1 X 250ML (10FL OZ) GLASS

1 banana, peeled

200ml (7fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice (using about 3 oranges)

Peel the banana and cut into roughly 2cm (1in) chunks, then freeze until solid.

To make the smoothie, put the frozen banana chunks into a blender or food processor with the orange juice, and whiz to a pale, thick cream. Serve at once.

Fruit cup with vermouth v

This lovely fruit cup, which a friend of mine serves as an aperitif, is beautifully refreshing and great for drinking in the garden in the summer. All you do is mix together equal quantities of well-chilled apple juice, orange juice and white vermouth. Then add a few sprigs of fresh mint and a few slices of orange, lemon and/or cucumber, as available. You can use either still apple juice or a sparkling one if you want some bubbles.

Fresh peppermint tea v

This is the most refreshing way to end a meal, and good for the digestion if you’ve overindulged. You can use real peppermint, or spearmint, the variety most commonly grown in gardens and available in shops. It’s less intense than peppermint.

MAKES 1 POTFUL

a large bunch of peppermint or spearmint

boiling water

Cram the mint into a large tea pot or cafetière and fill to the top with boiling water.

Leave to stand for 4–5 minutes, then pour. If you’re using a cafetière you can push down the handle, separating the mint leaves from the water, as you would with coffee, but a teapot works fine too. You can top it up again with more boiling water if you wish.

Lassi v

This drink from India is refreshing in hot weather, but also nourishing because of the protein and calcium in the yoghurt. It can be made salty or sweet, according to taste.

SERVES 1

1 heaped tbsp natural yoghurt or vegan yoghurt

200ml (7fl oz) chilled water

a pinch of salt, or 1–2 tsp clear honey and a pinch of cinnamon, or a few drops of triple-strength rose water

Put the yoghurt into a glass and gradually stir in the water. Add the salt or honey and cinnamon or rose water.

Strawberry bliss in a glass v

This is the most wonderful fruit smoothie, sweet and delectable. The more powerful your blender, the smoother and better this will be. If you really love smoothies, you may find it worth investing in a good-quality, high-speed machine.

MAKES 1–2 LARGE GLASSES

1 sweet orange, peeled and cut into rough chunks

1 banana, peeled and roughly sliced

1 thick slice of fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks

225g (8oz) strawberries, hulled (or leave unhulled if organic)

a small bunch of sweet red grapes

a cup of ice

Put all the ingredients into a high-speed blender and process until thick and smooth. If adding everything at once is a bit too much for your blender to handle, start with the oranges and use chilled water instead of ice, to get things moving. Drink as soon as possible.

VARIATION

Blackberry bliss in a glass v

The flavour of late summer! Use 225g (8oz) juicy ripe blackberries instead of the strawberries.

Blueberry bliss in a glass v

Deep purple, delicious and wonderful (so they say) for keeping those brain cells lively and youthful, blueberries make a great smoothie. Add 225g (8oz) of them instead of the strawberries.

Pomegranate bliss in a glass v

Leave out the strawberries and instead pop the juicy red seeds out of 1 large pomegranate by cutting it in half then bending back each half to release the seeds, dislodging them with the aid of a small pointed knife. Add the pomegranate seeds to the blender along with the other fruit and whiz until completely smooth.

Green bliss in a glass v

Try adding a good handful of baby spinach leaves to any of these smoothies. You won’t taste the spinach – it will be just like a fruit smoothie – but you’ll notice the extra, sustained energy that the green leaves give you. A green smoothie must be one of the most health-giving drinks on the planet. You can use other dark green leaves too; kale, for instance. Start with a few leaves and add more once you get used to the flavour.

Yoghurt and orange smoothie v

This is calming, revitalising and quick to make.

MAKES ABOUT ONE 250ML (9FL OZ) GLASS

1 orange, peeled

150ml (5fl oz) natural yoghurt or vegan yoghurt

a little clear honey (optional)

Break the orange into segments and place in blender. Add the yoghurt, then whizz for 30–60 seconds or until fairly smooth, adding a little honey to taste, if you like. There will still be some chunky pieces of orange, but these give the drink ‘body’ and provide extra fibre.