Chestnut, mushroom & shallot pie
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes – 1hour
You’ll need:
200g cooked chestnuts (such as Merchant Gourmet vacuum packed)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
200ml red wine
300ml vegetable stock
25g butter
1tbsp olive oil
12 shallots, peeled & left whole
250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 tbsp Beurre Manie (1 tbsp flour mixed to a paste with 1 tbsp softened butter)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
225g puff pastry
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the olive oil to stop it burning and fry the onions until slightly browned, about 5 minutes
- Add the mushrooms, bay leaves and rosemary and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chestnuts, red wine and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the
- Add the beurre manie, stirring constantly until is dissolves, and cook for a further 5 minutes until the
- Stir in the mustard and flat leaf parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and place on top of filling, crimping the edges to seal the pie. Cut a cross in the top of the pastry to let the steam out during cooking.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.
Thanks to www.UKShallot.com
Spring Onion Tart
Make spring onions the hero of the dish with this indulgent tart topped with whole spring onions, crème fraiche and pine nuts and complete with a hidden layer of Parmesan in the puff pastry base.
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
You’ll need:
1 pack ready rolled puff pastry
40g Parmesan, grated
1 egg yolk
200g Crème Fraiche
5 spring onions, trimmed and cut in half lengthways
2 tbsp pine nuts
Salt and pepper (to season)
What to do:
Heat the oven to 200C and put a baking tray in, to heat up.
Unroll the pastry onto some non-stick baking paper with the long edge closest to you. Sprinkle half of the parmesan over the left hand half of the pastry then fold the right side over to create a seam of cheese through the middle of the pastry. Gently roll out to its original size.
Score a border 2cm from the edge of the pastry all the way around then transfer, along with the baking parchment, to the hot baking tray. Cook for 10 minutes until just golden.
While the pastry is cooking combine the egg, creme fraiche, remaining cheese and season.
After 10 minutes take the pastry out of the oven and gently flatten the centre of the pastry leaving the border intact.
Spread the crème fraiche inside the border then top with pancetta and spring onions. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. The filling should be cooked and golden. Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan and serve the tart scattered with nuts.
Thanks to: www.lovethecrunch.com
BLACKBERRY ALMOND TART
Blackberries in a delicate almond sponge makes a perfect pudding or pack lunch and tea time treat.
Serves: 6
Prep time: 20mins
Cook time: 40 mins
You’ll Need:
• 175g blackberry
• 150g castor sugar
• 212g short crust pastry
• 110g ground almonds
• 50g butter, softened
• 3 free range eggs, beaten
• Few drops each vanilla and almond essence
• 15g flaked almonds, toasted
• Sifted icing sugar
What to do:
Place the fruit in a small pan with 50g of the sugar and warm through until the juices begin to rest. Remove from the heat and cool.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas Mark 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface large enough to line an 18cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Ease the pastry gently into the corners without stretching and trim the edges. Chill until required.
In a mixing bowl cream together the rest of the sugar, the almonds, butter, eggs and flavourings until soft and well blended.
Spoon the fruit into the pastry case, spread over the topping and flatten. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the topping is set and light golden.
Serve warm or cold topped with the flaked almonds and a shake of sifted icing sugar