Did you know that Macsween invented the vegetarian haggis over 25 years ago? National Vegetarian Week is approaching, 21st - 27th May and to celebrate we invited Alex Connell, Principal Tutor of the Cordon Vert cookery school to step out of the kitchen for a quick chat.
What's the best part of your job Alex? I genuinely love my job. The best part is, well it has many best parts…creating new recipes and seeing what combinations of flavours and textures work well together is very satisfying. Tutoring at the school is also very rewarding, showing people how to prepare dishes they would not normally attempt such as fresh pasta, choux pastry, sugar baskets, or making fresh paneer. I'm looking forward to doing a cookery demo at Albert Square in Manchester on 19th May as part of the veggie food festival to mark the start of National Vegetarian Week 21-27 May.
Did you always want to be a chef? I was always interested in cooking. Even as a young boy I would pull up a stool so I could reach the work surface to help my mum to make pastry and buns. As I got older I started to make the family meal which gave me a good grounding. Being able to cook is a great life skill everyone should have even if it's only to make a few classic dishes.
Do you have a favourite fruit or vegetable? That's easy, potatoes and tomatoes. I could not imagine a world without chips! And, tomatoes are the base ingredients for so many dishes.
What kitchen gadget could you not live without? It used to be a simple hand blender, perfect for soups, hummus, etc. Now it's a general food processor not very exciting or original but very practical.
Alex has generously offered Macsween a delicious recipe to share with our haggis loving fans. The mouth-watering recipe for Vegetarian Haggis with baked onion and feta can be found here.
Got a recipe you'd like to share? Join our community on Facebook and twitter, post your photos, share your foodie news and feed your haggis hunger!