mushroom and rocket baskets

 Today we had our usual zoom meeting and the only person who joined was Mark.

So for the first time in a long time, we had a one on one cooking session. First we made some cheesey Lavash that went into the oven with cinnamon and sugar biscuits to warm up the oven. When the oven was hot, we put in both a loaf of bread and a tray of mushroom and rocket baskets. We had them with rice and salad but in future I don't think we need rice. The baskets with a piece of blue cheese and sweet chilli jam and a salad was a lovely light meal.

Filo pastry “baskets” with mushroom and rocket

 

Prep 1hour | 8 servings | VG/VE

 

Ingredients:

·      12 sheets of filo pastry (6+6)

·      500 gr chestnut mushrooms

·      50 gr rocket

·      2 sticks of celery 

·      150 gr rice/soy single cream (or regular single cream)

·      1 tbs chopped parsley

·      1 tbs chopped walnuts

·      1 tbs nutritional yeast 

·      1 clove garlic

 

Method:

 

Filling:

1.     Clean well and cut the mushrooms, mince the celery. 

2.     In a frying pan, fry gently the garlic in olive oil until golden, then add celery and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes. 

3.     Add the mushrooms and cook at medium heat until their natural water dries up and the mushrooms look golden

4.     Add the cream, parsley and nutritional yeast and cook again for one minute

5.     Turn off the hob and add the rocket as last ingredient

 

“Baskets”:

 

6.     Lay a sheet of filo pastry at a time, brushing each with some water and/or olive oil, then cover with the next until 6 are piled. Repeat for the other 6 sheets.

7.     Cut with a knife 4 squares of about 12cmx12cm from each layered sheet, for a total of 8 squares.

8.     Place each square in one muffin mould, previously brushed with oil.

9.     Fill each basket with the mushroom filling, sprinkle on top the dust of walnuts.

 

Cooking:

10.  Cook in static oven at 180ºC for 25 minutes, until the pastry will look golden and crispy. Serve warm. 

 

Rhubarb Curry, crumble and cordial

 Rhubarb curry, crumble and cordial. Went down a treat. We used Sweet cicely to reduce the sugar content. We managed to get parsley, wild garlic and mint from the garden to flavour the curry. We showed how to propagate mint AND use it to cook with at the same time. Something to know about growing mint varieties together.

The cordial (left over) became the base of the crumble. All in all an amazingly quick way to make a dessert, main course and a refreshing drink for the hot days ahead (if you believe the weather forecast.

Filo Pastry baskets recipe from Chris Wingfield

 

Filo pastry “baskets” with mushroom and rocket

 

Prep 1hour | 8 servings | VG/VE

 

Ingredients:

·      12 sheets of filo pastry (6+6)

·      500 gr chestnut mushrooms

·      50 gr rocket

·      2 sticks of celery 

·      150 gr rice/soy single cream (or regular single cream)

·      1 tbs chopped parsley

·      1 tbs chopped walnuts

·      1 tbs nutritional yeast 

·      1 clove garlic

 

Method:

 

Filling:

1.     Clean well and cut the mushrooms, mince the celery. 

2.     In a frying pan, fry gently the garlic in olive oil until golden, then add celery and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes. 

3.     Add the mushrooms and cook at medium heat until their natural water dries up and the mushrooms look golden

4.     Add the cream, parsley and nutritional yeast and cook again for one minute

5.     Turn off the hob and add the rocket as last ingredient

 

“Baskets”:

 

6.     Lay a sheet of filo pastry at a time, brushing each with some water and/or olive oil, then cover with the next until 6 are piled. Repeat for the other 6 sheets.

7.     Cut with a knife 4 squares of about 12cmx12cm from each layered sheet, for a total of 8 squares.

8.     Place each square in one muffin mould, previously brushed with oil.

9.     Fill each basket with the mushroom filling, sprinkle on top the dust of walnuts.

 

Cooking:

10.  Cook in static oven at 180ºC for 25 minutes, until the pastry will look golden and crispy. Serve warm. 

Wild Garlic and pea risotto

 

Wild garlic and pea risotto 

• Ingredients

  • 800ml vegetable, light chicken or fish stock
  • 350g freshly podded peas
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 100g butter 
  • 2tsp finely chopped thyme
  • 3 small shallots, finely chopped
  • 350g arborio or carnaroli rice
• Maldon salt
• 1 glass dry white wine or Prosecco
• Handful wild-garlic leaves, large stalks removed, each leaf cut into 2 or 3 pieces (keep any blossoms for garnish)
• 90g freshly grated Parmesan

Method

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a small pan and set aside. Blanch the peas for 1-2 minutes in boiling salted water, drain and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil and 25g of the butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the thyme and shallots, and cook over a medium heat, without colouring, for a few minutes. Add the rice and stir while the rice absorbs the oil. Season well with Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper and continue to cook gently for a few minutes, stirring. Add the wine, stirring continually as the rice absorbs the liquid.
3. Start to add the warm stock, little by little, gently shaking the pan to prevent the risotto sticking to the base. It should never be too soupy, but as soon as the risotto starts to look dry, a top-up of stock is required.
4. After approximately 10-12 minutes, when almost all the stock has been incorporated, start to taste the rice to see if it is done. It should retain a slight bite but should not seem raw or crunchy. 
5. When the consistency is to your liking, add the peas, wild-garlic leaves and remaining stock, if required. As the leaves wilt (after a few seconds), remove from the heat, stir in the remaining 75g butter vigorously, then fold in half the Parmesan. 
6. Taste and pour into warmed bowls, scatter over the remaining Parmesan and finish with any garlic blossoms, or a few extra sprigs of thyme.

 

 

Wild Garlic and potato soup with coriander soda bread

 Today we made wild garlic and potato soup with coriander soda bread

Rhubarb cordial, crumble and a curry

 We started by making rhubarb cordial. Then after draining the cordial we used the content of the sieve into ramekin dishes and topped it up with the almond ginger crumble. (as per the 2nd cookery book)

The Persian Rhubarb  chickpea curry was delicious, instead of rice we used quinoa.

Persian Chickpea Rhubarb  Curry

2+2+2 Tbsp coconut oil (6 Tbsp total)
2 cups chickpeas
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
2 ramps, sliced thin, greens and whites divided
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup mint, chopped
1 cup water
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 Tbsp maple syrup

In a cast iron pan, melt 2 Tbsp coconut oil on medium heat. Saute the ramp greens, parsley and mint together until a very dark green, about 4min. Remove from cast iron pan, reserve and add to chickpea mixture below. (can be made while chickpeas cooking).
In cast iron pan, melt 2 Tbsp coconut oil on medium heat.  Lightly saute the rhubarb about 5min, stirring often.  Reserve and add to chickpea mixture below.

In a large pot, melt 2 Tbsp coconut oil.  Add white parts of ramps and saute on medium heat about 2min.  Add spices and chickpeas.  Continue cooking about 5min, stirring often to prevent sticking.  Slowly add water and mix in.  Cover and cook on low about 15min before adding mint/parsley/ramp mixture and sauteed rhubarb.  Cook another 15 min.  Add maple syrup before serving.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve on bed of brown rice.

On Wednesday we will make Andrea's Aubergine curry

Although not from my garden, the aubergine seedlings are doing really well, despite the frost and hopefully we some lovely aubergines in the summer to make this dish again with my own produce

Aubergine with yoghurt (Andrea’s recipe)

1lb aubergines, 

2 tbsp ground coriander 

1 ½ tsp ground tumeric

A garlic clove mashed

Salt

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 medium onions cut in thin half rings

1 cup plain yoghurt

Tin of tomatoes

 

Nice with rice and green salad.

Broccoli and coconut milk and wraps on Monday Bank holiday

 I will try and walk to the allotment to show you all what is currently in the garden. It has been a very difficult month. No rain and a severe night frost every night going into May.

For lunch we will have  broccoli and coconut soup with vegetable wraps: for the wraps ( recipe in book 4)

Ingredients

200g self-raising flour

4g salt

50g boiling water

Method

1. Mix dry ingredients until well combined.
2. Add boiling water and mix with a knife until it cools enough to knead by hand. Continue to knead for 1 minute or until dough is smooth.
3. Divide into 8 equal portions (approximately 70g) and turn into balls. Cover each piece with flour. Flatten the balls and cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.
4. Roll each dough piece into a wafer-thin sheet. Use a 30cm pan lid, to press out a circle. 
5. Heat a large pan over medium heat. When the pan is very hot, place one dough circle into the pan and allow to cook until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. Flip to the other side and cook for 15-20 seconds. The tortillas should be nice and soft with a few small brown spots on the surface. 
6. Remove from pan and stack in a covered container to keep the wraps soft. Serve warm. 

For the filling, I tend to have soft cheese, some grate cheese, lettuce, carrot, peppers, sweet chilli jam. But it is up to you.