Restaurant Review - The Battle Axes, Elstree

Tonight we went to the Battle Axes in Elstree for a family celebration.  The Battle Axes is a Chef and Brewer pub set in the Elstree countryside near Aldenham Country Park and Elstree Aerodrome.

The setting is lovely, with a great pub garden for the summer and log fires in the winter.  The interior is well decorated and welcoming, and we were given our own area to eat in as there were ten of us dining.  The children were provided with colouring pencils and a high chair, but the children’s menu was quite expensive for the size of portion they were given.

So thinking about this restaurant specifically for vegetarians, how did the vegetarian food rate? 

There were three vegetarian starters out of nine – Stilton and Mushrooms, Vegetarian Minestrone Soup and Summer Bruschetta.

There were two vegetarian mains to choose from – Mozzarella and Pesto burger (again – Pesto is not strictly vegetarian) and the Feta and Courgette Lasagne, as well as a special which was a vegetarian pasta.

I chose to have the Summer Bruschetta for Starter which was described as:

“Toasted Malted Bloomer, topped with Houmous, tomato, marinated olives, feta, and red pepper tapenade, finished with baby watercress and red pepper coulis”.

For main, I decided on Feta and cheese Lasagne, described as “Lasagne in a rich tomato and herb sauce with chunks of creamy feta and sliced courgette, topped with sunflower seed crumble, served with golden chips and rocket salad.”

The starters arrived about 10-15 minutes after ordering which was good considering the size of the group.  The Summer Bruschetta was served cold and looked appealing and appetizing, although nothing like the picture displayed on their website.  The Bruschetta was served on the red pepper coulis.  The flavours merged well together and complimented each other.  The rich red pepper tapenade added to the flavor of the houmous, olives and feta.  The watercress absorbed the flavours well and provided a crunchy texture compared to the smoothness of the houmous, coulis and tapenade. The Feta crumbled well upon eating and the olives were delicious.  My only slight criticism would be that I felt that cherry tomatoes would have merged better with the flavour of the dish than Salad tomatoes, which did not mix well with the other flavours. 

After the starters were cleared, main courses arrived about fifteen minutes later.  Unfortunately, the Feta and courgette lasagne did not live up to the expectations which my starter had set.  It was apparent that the lasagne had been cooked in the microwave and was not freshly made - as is the case with most vegetarian pub fare.  It was served with chips and the rocket salad.  The rocket salad seemed more like a rocket garnish with a couple of cherry tomatoes.  For a rocket salad, I would be expecting a larger amount of rocket with a salad dressing of some description – perhaps balsamic vinegar or similar which would have complimented the rocket well.  There is not much I can say to describe the lasagne other than it tasted like pure salt and pepper in a bowl.   Although the temperature was satisfactory, the lasagne was overcooked and I was not able to pick out any of the courgette or feta flavours, or the pasta, it just all tasted like a rather unpleasant mush.

The dessert I chose was strawberry and clotted cream ice cream, which was a refreshing finish to the meal. 

Altogether, the starter and dessert were pleasant, but my main did not live up to the description on the menu.  Although the ambience and atmosphere of the restaurant were pleasing enough, the waitress service was not forthcoming and mistakes were made with drinks and desserts.  Also, we asked for a birthday cake to be bought out which did not arrive until about twenty minutes after the dessert and by the time the bill arrived ten minutes later, we had already put the children in the car as we couldn’t wait any longer.

This restaurant may be worth a visit at lunchtimes, as they have reasonable priced sandwiches and light meals including a good vegetarian range and the garden is lovely on a sunny day.  They also offer a £4.99 lunchtime deal served until 5pm Monday to Saturday which includes the Mozzarella and Pesto burger and a week day offer served Monday to Thursday – 1 course for £9.99 or 3 courses for £11.99 including the mozzarella burger and the summer bruschetta. However, I would not recommend a visit over the weekend, as the menu is massively overpriced for the quality of the cuisine presented and the drinks are also substantially pricey compared to other local restaurants.  The mediocre service and food led to a bad experience, and the extortionate prices left an unwelcome hole in the pocket.

My Royal Wedding British Trifle

What an amazing day! Kate will make a great addition to the royal family and she looked beautiful.  I loved the dress! Today was a day where I felt immensely proud to be British and proud that we have a great history of tradition which I am now able to pass on to my children – The pomp, ceremony and national anthem made me happy to be able to wave the British flag in front of the tv. My daughter (who is princess obsessed) said that the wedding was the best princess film she had ever seen and to see her learning proudly about what it means to be British bought a tear to my eye!

I decided the make a traditional British trifle to celebrate the union of the happy couple. Relishing the chance to use my pampered chef glass trifle bowl, my portions were quite big to fill the bowl.


I did cheat slightly and used ready-made trifle sponges and custard, as I wanted to enjoy the wedding rather than spending hours in the kitchen.  After watching the coverage all morning, we headed off to my friend Sharon’s royal wedding party where we had a fantastic time and my trifle went down a treat.

Ingredients:

 2 Packets of Trifle Sponges (16 pieces)
500g Strawberries, raspberries and cranberries defrosted from frozen
100g Fresh Strawberries
 8 tbsp sweet desert wine
1 Litre Ready to serve Custard
 600ml double cream, softly whipped
Aerosol Cream to decorate
Grated milk chocolate to decorate

Method:

1) Completely cover the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the sponges, breaking them into pieces to fit

2) Add 4 tbsp of dessert wine over the top to soak into the sponges

3) Layer half of the fruit over the trifle sponges to completely cover the trifle sponges

4) Repeats Steps one to three with the remaining sponges, fruit and wine.

5) Allow the wine to soak into the trifle sponge for 10 minutes.

6) Pour the custard over the top of the fruit and smooth over.

7) Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the custard has set

8) Meanwhile, whip the double cream until it turns thick and stiff

9) When the custard has set, spoon the double cream over the custard layer and smooth over

10) Wash and cut the strawberries into halves and lay on the top as desired

11) Pipe aerosol cream on the top to decorate

12) Finish with grated chocolate curls

14) Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately.

The Six Bells Pub, St Albans - Restaurant Review

Last night the local Ladies Circle I attend held their annual AGM at the Six Bells in St Michaels, St Albans. Having been here a few times, I would say that this is a lovely pub for a quiet drink or intimate meal. The atmosphere is always pleasant and welcoming, with a cosy fire in the winter and reasonably priced drinks. However I intend to focus on the vegetarian element of the menu being served, rather than other factors.

My review will be slightly different to forthcoming reviews, as I was part of a large group for this dining experience, which can affect the quality of the food and service. The menu was pre-selected and offered one vegetarian choice. Having looked at their usual evening menu, the Six Bells offers a choice of four vegetarian starters out of seven starters and a single vegetarian choice out of eleven main courses. 

The vegetarian menu offered for the evening was:

Starter: (V) Grilled Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Pesto Bruschetta served on warm 

Ciabatta bread

Main Course:  (V) Brie, Grape & Cranberry Tart served with chips and mixed leaves

Having begun our business meeting, the starters arrived and were served by very obliging staff.  If I were being slightly pedantic, it could be argued that the starter wasn’t strictly vegetarian, as the pesto contains Parmesan which is made from animal rennet, however, vegetarian food is defined differently by everyone and so I was happy to eat the starter. Unfortunately though, I wasn’t overawed. To be fair, I was being served as part of a large group, but by the time it was served, the bruschetta was more cold hard stale bread than warm ciabatta bread. The Mozzarella was also cold and had turned from grilled soft mozzarella to hard, stiff, stodgy cheese. The bruschetta was served layered in Balsamic vinegar which whilst tasty on its own, did nothing to add to the dish. The appearance of the dish wasn’t hugely appetising either.

My main course was the Brie, Grape and Cranberry Tart. When it arrived at the table, the chips and tart were completely cold.  However, this was quickly rectified by a member of staff when I let them know. Once the meal was returned, the temperature was much more satisfactory. The Tart was delicious and tasted very fresh. The cranberry jelly complimented the brie perfectly and the grapes added to the taste and texture. I would have preferred the tart to be served with new potatoes as the chips tasted quite stodgy next to the lightness of the tart and the salad.

Dinner was finished off with a sumptuous oozy chocolate pudding and ice cream which was absolutely delicious.

Verdict:  Perhaps worth a 2^nd visit to test the food in a more intimate dining setting but 6/10 based on last night’s experience.

Local Vegetarian Friendly restaurants

As a vegetarian, I have had more than my fair share of bad dining experiences in the past.  It seems that not eating meat or fish is too hard a concept for many in the restaurant industry to comprehend.  I have endured years of choosing from the two mediocre vegetarian options on a menu and have come to expect an average or bad meal when I eat out.  I have found that restaurants and pubs serving mainly British food are the worst offenders for the most uninspiring vegetarian fare.  

Despite being famous for their salad bar, the Harvester’s vegetarian main course options are basic and bland at best, but marginally saved by their sweet potato burger which although it is edible, is essentially a carbohydrate overload on a plate.  The local Ember inn consistently run out of their vegetarian options, and if they have stock, they can’t prepare the dishes to a suitable standard.  The vegetarian option is mostly frozen and reheated at most chain restaurants since demand is always not as high for the veggie option as it is for other meals.  This means that I normally end up with a half frozen, half microwaved reheated meal.  Not Pleasant.

My tried and tested local restaurants which cater well for vegetarians are:

L’Italiana – St Albans : We have been here a couple of times with the family and have always had a great meal, good service and the kids have been well catered for.

L’Artista – Watford: A favourite of mine since I began pounding the Watford night scene at eighteen, this is currently my daughter’s favourite restaurant as she can watch her pizza being freshly made and pick her own ice cream cup.  The Tagliatelle here is always excellent and the pizzas are very big.

Woody’s Vegetarian Café - Apsley lock: This vegetarian café has a great ambience and although it can take a while to cook as the food is freshly made, it is worth the wait.  Great in the summer.

Cote  - St Albans: A recent addition to St Albans and my new favourite restaurant.  We have been here with the kids for my birthday, and found the kids meals quite sparse, but it’s an ideal restaurant for a romantic meal on a night off from the kids and the vegetarian options are delicious.

The Greek - Hemel: Great Service, great food, great atmosphere. The owner here makes the dining experience.

Other local restaurants who do vegetarian food well are The Waffle House, Bar 62 and Freddie’s in St Albans.  

My "Not So Pregnant Vegetarian Pasta"

After receiving Jamie’s 30 minute meals for Christmas, I have dabbled in and out of various recipes in the book.  I have only cooked a couple of complete whole meals from scratch as this isn't a great book for Vegetarian mains.  However, I love the introduction which explains what kitchen equipment you need and how to sort it.  I also love the family-style sharing ethos of the book.  Jamie’s recipe book is fab for sides and yummy puddings and so I have cooked lots of the dishes singly (who knew they could be so easy?).

I adapted “Pregnant Jools's Pasta” to make my “Not So  Pregnant Vegetarian Pasta” by swapping the meat sausages for vegetarian ones - a quick and easy alternative.  As Parmesan is not vegetarian, I found a great cheese on-line called “Not just a pasta cheese” by Bookhams, which can be used in place of the Parmesan.  Lastly, I left out the chillies as my kid’s aren’t a big fan of them.

My “Not So Pregnant Vegetarian Pasta”

(Adapted from Jamie's Pregnant Jools's Pasta).

4 Spring Onions

1 Carrot

1 Stick of Celery

400g Quorn Frozen Sausages

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1 tsp Dried Oregano

500g Penne Pasta

4 Cloves of Garlic

4 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar

1 400g Chopped Tomatoes

100-150g “Not Just a Pasta Cheese” (available from Bookhams)

Fresh Basil to decorate

1)    Grill the Quorn sausages for 15-20 minutes under a high heat, turning until cooked

2)    Boil the kettle and place a large saucepan for the pasta on the hob

3)    Heat a large frying pan over a high heat

4)    Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery.  Roughly chop the vegetables and then blitz in the food processor

5)    Chop the cooked sausages and add to the food processor along with the oregano and fennel seeds. Keep pulsing until well mixed.  Spoon into a hot frying pan with some olive oil, breaking up and stirring as you go.  Keep checking and stirring the mixture.

6)    Fill the saucepan with boiled water and out on a low heat.  Top up with more boiled water if needed.  Add a little olive oil to the water to stop the pasta sticking together, and then add the Penne.  Season, and cook according to the instructions with the lid askew

7)    Crush 4 unpeeled garlic cloves into the sausage mixture and stir in the 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and the chopped tomatoes. If needed, add some starch water from the pasta to loosen.  Keep stirring whilst the pasta cooks.

8)    Once cooked, drain the pasta, reserving about a wine-glass full of the cooking water.

9)    Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and stir to combine.  Add enough of the water to bring it to a silky consistency if required.  Taste, correct the seasoning and then tip in a large bowl

10) Sprinkle some “not just a pasta” cheese liberally over the top and decorate with basil

11) Take straight to the table to serve immediately

I served this with a Waitrose Watercress, rocket and spinach salad and some garlic bread.

The Meat-Free Monday Campaign

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As a vegetarian, I am ashamed to say that despite hearing about the Meat-Free Monday campaign, I have never really looked into it as I already felt that I was doing my bit by being meat-free seven days a week.  However my good friend and fellow vegetarian Marianne recently donned a T-Shirt and handed out leaflets next to a masquerading polar bear to raise awareness of the campaign, and so I thought I should find out what Meat-free Mondays are all about.

The Meat Free Monday campaign is designed to reduce global CO2 emissions in order to slow the rate of climate change and protect the environment.   It was launched by Sir Paul McCartney and his daughters Stella and Mary.  Climate change could drive millions of the world’s species, including the polar bear to extinction.

Livestock produces almost half of all carbon emissions and so the more meat that is eaten, the bigger the carbon footprint becomes.  Eating beef produces the most emissions, as it requires a lot of energy and natural resources to produce the cattle feed, manage the manure, transport livestock to market, slaughter, process and package.  The methane produced by the cattle is also a major greenhouse gas

The group “Compassion in World Farming” has estimated that if the average UK household halved its consumption of meat, this would cut more emissions than if car use was cut in half. Cutting the use of dairy products would also help to reduce emissions and reduce climate change.

My local town of St Albans may soon become the first Meat Free Monday local authority in the whole of the UK.  A consultation has been started by the local council, suggesting that all publicly funded organizations in the city become meat-free on Mondays.  This would mean that if approved, all hospitals, council buildings and school canteens would be a meat-free zone one day of the week. 

So why not consider having a meat free day yourself?   With the price of meat rising each week, Meat-free Monday (or any other day) is good for your shopping bill, good for your health and also good for the environment.  

You can rally your local MP to become involved in the Meat-free Monday campaign through the website. 

Book Review: The Quorn Kitchen.

After years of adapting and making up my own recipes using the Quorn brand of products, the arrival of The Quorn Kitchen recipe book was a very exciting moment for me, as I finally had in my possession, a recipe book from which I could eat every single one of the recipes inside.

By collecting my 2 tokens from the back of packets of Quorn, and paying £2.99, my copy of The Quorn Kitchen arrived at the end of January this year.

The Quorn brand is made from a healthy protein called mycoprotein which is a member of the fungi family. It is low in fat, saturates and calories, cholesterol free and has no trans-fat at all.  It is not just a product for vegetarians.  It’s great for those who wish to follow a low-fat healthy diet and ideal for those with health problems who need to cut down on their meat consumption, as they can still eat the same dishes, but with Quorn substituted.

The Quorn Kitchen contains a wide range of 70 recipes using most of the Quorn range.   There are also some beautiful mouth-watering full-page pictures to whet your appetite.  I was especially interested to see recipes from a wide variety of countries as I have tended to stick to staples such as bolognese and lasagne in the past.

  

Recipes include:

·         Classics like bolognese, lasagne, casseroles and pies

·         Tastes of Italy including carbonara, pizza, Italian balls, and risotto. 

·         Spanish-style dishes including frittata, paella, fajitas and empanadas

·         Asian-style dishes including noodles, thai salad, green curry, korma and tikka masala. 

The book is divided into sections: 

Simple sharing snacks 
Scrumptious light bites 
Super duper soups 
Midweek winners 
Comforting classics 
Lazy weekend recipes 
Food with friends 
A taste of takeaway 
Little chefs 

My hubby (the meat eater) took on the unenviable challenge of cooking for me on Valentine’s day and decided on the Salsa and Nacho Crusted Fillets as his dish of choice.  They required only a few ingredients:

1 Pack of Chicken style Fillets

1 Pack of fresh salsa

40g crushed Nachos

25g of cheese.

After doing a brilliant effort and serving them up on a bed of salad, we decided that they would taste more yummy if coated in breadcrumbs first and that a jar of salsa would be a better choice than fresh salsa as it didn't cook amazingly well.  This is the only dish I have found I would defer from the recipe book for.

Other recipes I have cooked from this book are the spaghetti bolognese which is a weekly staple in our house as the kids love it. Also, the Chilli con Quorn, Quorn Lasagne, Quorn balls in tomato sauce and the Quorn Streak Supper in a flash, which is a wonderfully warm and hearty meal on a cold winter’s day.  With the summer coming, I plan to try the sticky sausage skewers on the BBQ and the Thai salad on a warm evening.  When I am feeling brave, I shall attempt the Quorn Korma or may be the Byriani for my hubby.

I have cooked various Quorn recipes from this book whilst entertaining and the meat-eaters can rarely tell the difference and are often impressed that Quorn recipes are so tasty.  

As I said at the start, it is hard to find a recipe book for vegetarians where you can cook and eat every single recipe featured and so this book makes a refreshing change.  I love that when I need to cook dinner for the family quickly, I am able to pick it up and cook straight from it rather than working out how to adapt meat recipes to make them vegetarian.

Vegetarian Glory for St Albans Pie Maker

(From St Albans and Harpenden Review)

A CHEF has received a prestigious vegetarian award for her outstanding mushroom, ale, and puy lentil pie.

Kate Ford, of East Common, Redbourn, claimed first place in the UK’s Tastiest Meat Free Dish competition after tickling the public’s taste buds on ITV’s This Moring programme.

The competition, launched by Linda McCartney Foods, saw hundreds of chefs from across the country seeking to win over a range of celebrity judges.

They were competing to have their recipe added to the Linda McCartney range.

Ms Ford, who won an overwhelming 40 per cent of the vote, said: "I am delighted and shocked that my pie has been chosen. The campaign has really opened my eyes to creative vegetarian cooking.”

During the television promotion her home was visited by an ITV film crew and the footage played live on air.