Chef in the Spotlight…..Diane

Not knowing anyone locally, volunteering was a great way to meet people.  Diane loves cooking, and the Cambrian Centre Chef role appealed because the team repurpose food waste and get to be creative each week.

From the age of 11 Diane has been cooking from scratch for her family, initially under the supervision of her grandmother who had experienced rationing and taught her how to be frugal in the kitchen, excellent training for TRJFP!  During her time as a mature student, Diane put her cooking skills to good use by setting up a small catering firm that provided lunches for conferences.

Since having a family Diane has enjoyed teaching her children to cook and encouraged experimentation.  She describes how they would regularly have batches of different flavour brownies that were given out to school friends.

Diane really enjoys being part of a sociable and inclusive team as well as getting to know the regular guests.  She explains that Cambrian Centre Cafe is about so much more than the food.  After living in a rural area with few services, she recognises the value of the Centre to the local community, particularly encouraging people to get out and socialise.

Diane’s creativity has led to some excellent dishes at the Cambrian Centre Cafe. The following Butternut Squash lasagne is a firm favourite!

Ingredients:

400g mushrooms chopped, large onion finely chopped, 1 pepper chopped, can green lentils drained and rinsed, can chopped tomatoes & ½ can water, mixed herbs, 3 cloves garlic chopped, vegetable stock cube, 1 tbsp tomato puree, salt/pepper, grated cheese, lasagne sheets

For the Bechamel Sauce - 40g butter, 1 tbsp plain flour, approx 425ml milk, salt/pepper, ⅓ butternut squash cubed & roasted

Method:

1. Fry off onion, celery and garlic in a little veg oil then add pepper and mushrooms and cook until tender.  Add lentils, herbs, seasoning, tomatoes and stock cube.  Simmer until thick consistency.

2. Bechamel Sauce - Melt butter, stir in flour and cook off.  Add milk and combine with balloon whisk and until ‘thick cream’ consistency.  Season then add 4oz of grated cheese and stir through roasted butternut squash until it melts into the sauce.

3. Layer mushrooms, bechamel and lasagne sheets - 3 layers. On top of the final lasagne sheet add bechamel sauce and finish with grated cheese.