Panic set in with every degree the water boiling my vegan tortellini increased. The packaging exclaimed "ready in 3-4 minutes!" but there was nothing to be excited about. I had no complimenting sauce and the thought of vegan tortellini on its own seemed so... so UnItalian.
I opened my fridge in haste to see how I could rectify the impending doom of unseasoned, unflavoured tortellini. All that's in the fridge is a ready made spanish omelette, some lactose-free milk, and a jar of tomato and chilli chutney. In the pantry lies a jar of strawberry jam, hardly useful in a situation as dire as this.
I light up another hob - in go four teaspoons of the chutney. I've seemingly put the heat on slightly too high as the chutney instantly sizzles, aromatically overloading my olfactory system with the smell of... well, tomato and chilli.
Memories of working on "the line" at well known American burger chain flare up in my brain and in a moment of brief clarity I feel the urge to grab some lacto-free milk and add it to the sizzling chutney. A quick stir and it begins to resemble more of a sauce now. Reduce.
There's cheese in the back recesses of the fridge. I grab it, inspired. It brings the sauce from runny to thick near enough instantly. Reduce. I add garlic powder, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper.
In this moment I am a chef.
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