On Saturday, we had a Valentine’s Day breakfast of pancakes with strawberry sauce. I used frozen home-grown strawberries to make the sauce and it was yummy, although it simmered a bit too long and the strawberries dissolved into a puree. Tasty, but not very pretty!
For our evening meal, I wanted to make veggie steak with roasted potatoes and gravy, plus some cooked veg and a salad. Then we ended up going shopping. To Ikea. Ah yes, the lure of the Swedish flat-pack furniture store. I restrain myself from too many Ikea trips, as I always find something there to buy. On Saturday, it was their solid walnut “Hol” storage table, which was on offer for half price. (Which justified buying two of them.)
Before I knew it, the afternoon was pretty much gone, and I knew I wouldn’t have time to make the “steak”. The recipe I had in mind was a slightly modified version of this recipe from Tami at vegan appetite, which turned out excellent last time I made it.
But alas, lack of time meant relying instead on a ready-made veggie steak. Grassington’s have come out with three new vegan “meat” products, one of which is pepper steak. We’d tried it before and liked it, so that was the cheating part of the meal.
To accompany, I made roasted potatoes, along with sauteed baby button mushrooms with garlic and steamed broccoli with garlic. Also gravy and salad.
It was most delicious!
Here for your enjoyment is my recipe for roasted potatoes, a very English way of serving the spectacular spud. The potatoes have a lovely crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. YUM! I don’t usually peel potatoes for this recipe, but you can if you like.
Crunchy roasted potatoes
| British | American | |||
| 450g | floury potatoes, cut into even-sized chunks | 1 pound | ||
| 1-1/2 tablespoons | olive oil | 1-1/2 tablespoons | ||
| salt and freshly ground pepper to taste |
1. Heat oven to 200C (400F). Place potatoes in a medium-sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot, then shake pot to rough up the surface of the potatoes.
2. Heat oil in a roasting tin until very hot, then add the parboiled potatoes. Turn them so that they are evenly coated with the oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Roast potatoes for 30 minutes, rotating tin after 15 minutes. Then remove tin from oven and turn potatoes over. Roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are brown and crunchy on the outside.
Makes 2 servings.
Roasted potatoes are a beautiful thing!
Oooh I smuggled some Pepper Steaks back with me from Blighty – they were outta this wold. Not sure if they’re the same as what you had ‘cos your link doesn’t work.
I almost almost went to Ikea on Saturday too!
I’m currently coveting a new Loaf pan because my one is all rusty and gross.
Thanks, I fixed the link… were those the ones you had?
My loaf pans always get rusty and gross… but I don’t buy non-stick stuff, so I think I’m stuck with rusty and gross, lol.
Wow, you can buy vegan pepper steaks? I never had a pepper steak in my whole life, but I always thought that would be a nice thing to veganize. They really should sell something like that in Germany!
YES!
That’s them. I couldn’t get over how good they were. I kept the ingredients in the hope that I’ll be able to recreate them in the future – lord knows how they get that texture though – it is just divine!
I’m actually after a glass Loaf pan – I’m sure I saw them on the Ikea website but I could have imagined it……………..
Tara — ya, definitely! I love taters.
Mihl — the pepper steaks are a new product and they are really nice. I’ve bought some great vegan meat replacements made by Viana, who I think are a German company? I LOVE their little pepperoni-type snacks! If you can buy the full range of Viana in Germany, then I am very jealous!
Jeni — hehe, I saved the pepper steak box too. great minds think alike 🙂 A glass loaf pan would be the cat’s pajamas… I’ve never seen one here, though.
Mmm, that steak looks great, and so do the taters.
you evil…evil woman!!!
i am so hungry! fill my plate to the max!
xoxoxo
I always get so tired and confused when I go to IKEA because they are so HUGE.
your meal looks awesome. I don’t even remember what I ate for dinner on valentine’s day 🙂 I think I was in a hurry to go to a party.