Jerusalem Artichoke With Mushrooms & Thyme
1kg/2 lb Jerusalem artichokes
25g/1 oz butter
5 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, chopped
125ml/ ¼ pt white wine
1 bay leaf
750g/ 1½ lb mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small lemon
1½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
S&P
Peel and halve the Jerusalem artichokes. In a large pan, heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and fry 2 minutes. Add Jerusalem artichokes, white wine, bay leaf and water to cover. Bring to boil, and cook on low heat until the Jerusalem artichokes soften, about 25 mins. Meanwhile, thinly slice a small lemon (don't peel). When the Jerusalem artichokes are cooked, add the mushrooms to the pan, then the thyme, lemon slices and 3 tablespoons olive oil, and cook another 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Leek and Chicken Pie
(to celebrate the Welsh St David’s Day on 1 March)
1 chicken
1 onion
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
6 parsley stalks
2-3 leeks
250g/8oz shortcrust pastry, made with 250g/8oz flour, 125g/4oz butter
125ml/¼ pt cream
S&P
Peel the onion and cut into quarters. Put the chicken, onion, parsley, bay leaf & salt into a large saucepan, cover with water. Cover with lid, bring to boil, then turn heat to low and simmer for 45mins. Turn off heat and allow chicken to cool in the water. When cool, take off the lid, remove the fat that has risen to the surface. Remove chicken and reserve 250ml/½ pt of the drained stock (remainder can be used as soup base). Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and cut into bite-sized chunks. Trim and wash the leeks, chop coarsely. Layer chicken and leeks in deep pie dish, seasoning each layer with S&P. Pour over reserved stock. Roll out pastry to make a lid to cover the pie. Make a few slits in pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush with a mixture of beaten egg and milk to glaze. Bake for 25 mins Gas 5/190˚C/375˚F, then reduce heat to Gas 3/160˚C/325˚F and bake for further 15 mins. Just before serving, heat the cream (but do not allow to boil), lift pastry top, pour in cream, replace pastry and serve.
Rhubarb and Cinnamon Pie
175g/6oz shortcrust pastry (made with 175g/6oz flour, 75g/3oz butter
500g/1lb rhubarb
50g/2oz sugar
2 tbsps plain flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
125ml/¼ pt cream
Roll out the pastry and use to line a flan ring or shallow pie dish. Wash rhubarb, remove roots, cut into large bite-sized chunks. Layer over pastry. Mix sugar, flour, cream and cinnamon together and pour over rhubarb. Bake for 30 mins Gas 7/210˚C/475˚F