Rose Elliot’s Vegetarian Meals In Minutes. Rose Elliot

alt="images" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="#fb3_img_img_57331097-fce2-5480-827c-4003ae0c9e51.jpg"/> Slice the Brie thinly then arrange it on top of the lettuce with the red onion slices and sprinkle with a few walnuts.

      SERVES 2

      EGG AND OLIVE

      2 slices of white poppyseed bread

      mayonnaise

      4 frisée lettuce leaves

      1 hard-boiled egg

      6 black olives

      paprika pepper

       Spread the bread with a thin layer of mayonnaise then arrange the lettuce on top.

       Chop the hard-boiled egg into chunks and mix with a little mayonnaise to moisten. Divide this mixture between the bread slices and garnish with the olives and a little paprika.

      SERVES 2

      PAN BAGNAT

       You can vary the filling for pan bagnat according to your taste and what is available: try adding slices of cheese, hummus with some olives, or any of the fillings for pitta pockets (see here). The main thing is to be generous with the filling.

      1 long French slick

      450g / 1lb tomatoes

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      1 lettuce

      225g / 8oz Mozzarella cheese

      1 large avocado

      lemon juice

      fresh basil leaves

       Cut the French stick into quarters. Slice each piece open and scoop out most of the crumb.

       Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Wash the lettuce and spin or pat dry; slice the Mozzarella cheese; stone, peel and slice the avocado and sprinkle the slices with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

       Fill the bread with layers of the ingredients, adding lorn basil leaves and seasoning to each layer. If you are eating the sandwiches later, wrap them tightly and keep in the fridge until needed.

      SERVES 4

      (top) Pan Bagnat and (bottom) Open Sandwiches

PITTA POCKETS

       Pitta breads make very convenient containers for all kinds of delicious ingredients that would be too moist or bulky to put in a sandwich. Salads and stir-fries can be piled into warmed pitta pockets; grilled vegetables, too, freshly cooked and still sizzling; and simple mixtures of beans, vegetables, cheese and hummus. Here is a selection of fillings.

      SPICED CHICK PEAS

       A tomato, sliced into quarters or eighths, is nice added to this for a change.

      1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

      2 tbls olive oil

      2 garlic cloves, crushed

      1 tsp cumin seeds

      1 × 425g / 15oz can chick peas, drained

      2 pitta breads

      4–6 lettuce leaves

      4 tbls thick Greek yogurt, or a mixture of yogurt and good-quality mayonnaise

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      paprika pepper

       Fry the onion in the oil, with a lid on the pan, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin seeds, cover again and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the onion is tender.

       Add the chick peas to the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until heated through and perhaps lightly browned in places.

       Warm the pitta breads under the grill then cut them lengthwise in half. Gently open up each half and put in the lettuce, tearing it as necessary, then spoon in the chick pea mixture. Season the yogurt or yogurt and mayonnaise, spoon on top of the chick peas and sprinkle with a little paprika pepper. Serve at once.

      SERVES 2

      AUBERGINE WITH PESTO

       You can sprinkle the aubergine with salt, leave it for 30 minutes, then rinse it if you wish; this isn’t usually necessary as a precaution against bitterness, but it can reduce the amount of oil the aubergine absorbs.

      1 large aubergine

      olive oil

      2 pitta breads

      1–2 tbls good-quality bought pesto sauce, or home-made (see here)

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

       Heat the grill. Cut the aubergine lengthwise into slices about 3mm/¹/₈ inch thick and lay these on a grill pan. Brush the slices on both sides with olive oil then grill on high for 5–10 minutes, turning them over as necessary, until golden brown and tender.

       Warm the pitta breads under the grill, then cut them lengthwise in half and gently open up each half. Mix the aubergine slices with pesto to taste, season, then spoon them into the pitta breads and serve at once.

      SERVES 2

      GREEK SALAD

      4–6 lettuce leaves

      small piece of cucumber

      2 small tomatoes

      4 spring onions

      a few black olives, stoned

      2 tbls olive oil

      2 tsp wine vinegar

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      125g / 4oz feta cheese

      chopped fresh mint or oregano

      2