I’ve never really understood “meat and potatoes” people. I eat both, but during the week I prefer to cook lighter meals using seasonal produce. (In other words if it’s cheaper at Woolies, it’s on my dinner plate. Sorry asparagus, I miss you dearly.) So when a PR agency asked Foodblog Joburg to host a vegetarian dinner party for 10, it sounded like an ideal way to discover more vegetarian dishes. They were very mysterious about what exactly we were in for, and I counted down the days with baited breath.
Soya hasn’t been taking home any awards lately. If anything, its press of late is going to win it a Miss Controversial trophy. That said, when Candice – the chef – arrived at my house on Sunday afternoon to start her prep and all those telltale green boxes came out the packet, I wondered what my guests would say. Would the token vegetarians think “not this stuff again?”, would the health-nut eat anything at all? This was a vegetarian meal by the Fry’s Family. Surprise.
Meatless Sunday?
Cooking in someone else’s kitchen is never easy, but Candice was full of smiles from the start. She quickly explained the dishes she would be compiling – each with a different Fry’s ingredient – and got to work chopping. Although she went to culinary school, these recipes were developed exclusively with Fry’s products in mind and she was really there to facilitate their plating, from pot to pan.
So let’s see what she put up:
Mini Sliders with Blue Cheese and Onion Jam and Wedges
Candice usually bakes her own bread, but because she didn’t have enough time to prep the dough from scratch in my kitchen she used Sasko rolls. Each burger was topped with a slice of blue cheese and onion jam, both from Woolworths. The chef served the dish with spiced potato wedges. Blue cheese and sweet onion jam is a classic flavour combination, so of course the sharpness and sweetness worked wonderfully together.
“Everything in the Kitchen” Salad with Honey Sesame Chicken Strips
A nice mix of mini lettuce leaves, carrots, red onion, olives, baby corn and cucumber – topped with Fry’s chicken-style strips, flash-fried in a mix of honey and sesame seeds. An Asian salad dressing (soya, garlic, lemon, olive oil) gave a tanginess that complemented the sweetness of the faux-chicken strips. However, I expected and wanted that sticky, dark Korean-style strip, but the honey sesame sauce wasn’t as prolific as it should’ve been.
Baby Bunny Chow with Traditional Sambals
The aroma of the garam masala permeated my kitchen, but while this dish smelt fantastic, I wasn’t sure about the texture of the Fry’s meat-free mince in the dish. It was a bit gelatinous. Candice made some traditional curry sambals like Indian Raita (chopped cucumbers in yogurt) and diced, raw tomatoes and onions, but overall it was underwhelming.
Schnitzel served with Garlic Mash, Tomato Mushroom Ragu and Mustard Sauce
Each golden-crumbed Fry’s schnitzel was served atop a creamy garlic mash, with a side of baby tomato and fried mushroom sweet ragu. The mustard sauce was delicious… but was from an Ina Paarman packet.
To me, wholesome vegetarian food doesn’t have to include soya. It can, but I’m more prone to using ingredients like lentils and nuts when I want to make a meatless meal. I liked all the dishes and the honey sesame chicken strips were everyone’s pick at the end of the night.
What we all agreed on is that the Fry’s range is incredibly versatile and convenient. (The schnitzels, for example, can be popped in a toaster and you’re good to go. Just add hummus.) I did feel a bit Fry-ed out by the end of the fourth course. That said, when I walked past their product range in my supermarket a few days later, I felt compelled to buy a box or two to see what I could make at home.
All the recipes for these dishes and more can be found online and in the new Fry’s Family cookbook.
http://www.frysvegetarian.co.za/
