Three courses for Amy

Apologies for the pictures, I'd just forced myself into the kitchen to cook a three course dinner worth blogging and then I heard the news of her very untimely death. So I celebrated as I know she'd have understood. Poor Amy, so young and so lost.


Tomato Pepper Vodka Cocktail

If anyone wants the recipes say so in the comments and I'll update the post for you. ***Update*** Recipes at bottom of post ***


Courgette Custard Tart with Glazed Garden vegetables and roast potatoes


Strawberries and Peaches marinated in Rosé wine

Raise a glass to her, but don't ever drink too much.

Tomato Pepper Cocktail

For one serving:

1 medium tomato
1/2 roasted red pepper (for one person, easiest to take one from a good quality jar, but you can roast and skin a fresh pepper if you prefer)
3 Greek cured black olives (or Kalamata)
a little finely chopped green chilli to your taste
10ml vodka
5ml lemon juice
Salt if needed, most likely if you roasted your own pepper

Skin the tomato, take out the seeds and discard, chop the flesh into small dice. Chop the prepared red pepper into dice of a similar size to the tomato pieces. Remove the stones from the olives and slice the olive flesh into small slivers.

Mix all the ingredients together, taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary, cover and refrigerate until needed. Remove from fridge half an hour before serving, mix around again to combine the fruit and juices and serve in a chilled glass with such decorations as you prefer.

Courgette Custard Tart

for shortcrust pastry:

300g plain flour
150g vegan marg.
pinch of salt

Cut the fat into the flour and salt with a knife or pastry tool, then rub with the fingers gently to make flaky crumbs. Use just enough cold water (about 2 tbsp) to form a soft dough that can be formed into a neat ball. Cover and leave in a cool place for half an hour.

for filling:
500g grated courgette flesh
1 onion
splash of oil, not too much
170g tofu - soft or from longlife block
50g non-dairy milk
50g plain flour
15g nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 to 1 tsp black salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Heat the oven to 200C

Chop the onion and fry it in a little oil until it starts to colour. Add the grated courgette and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes or so to remove all excees moisture. If you want you can sqeeze the courgette flesh in a teatowel before cooking to remove some juice and hasten this process. Set aside to cool.

Mash the tofu with the flour, milk and flavourings to make a smooth batter. The black salt gives this an eggy flavour, use ordinary salt to taste if you prefer. Mix in the cooled fried vegetables.

Roll out the pastry and use it to line a deep muffin cup tray, there should be enough pastry for 12 tarts but if you prefer make a smaller amount of pastry for fewer tarts, left over filling cooks nicely in the oiled muffin cups and will make good 'eggs' for breakfast.

Prick the pastry lined cups all over to stop the pastry puffing up and bake blind for 10 mins. Then remove from the oven and fill the cups with the filling mixture. Return to the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes until the filling is lightly coloured and the pastry is golden.

Can be eaten warm or cold.

Peach Strawberry Rosé Pudding

is so simple you don't really need a recipe. Cut some nice ripe fruit into bitesize pieces, sprinkle on a little sugar if you like and douse in a glass of rosé wine - mine was a Minervois but any that you like will do. Cover and chill for an hour or so until needed. A little chopped mint sprinkled over at serving time adds some slight complexity.