Broccoli and sweet potato pie

Yep. Another pie. I think i need to change the name of this to a million things to put in pastry. 

I'm happy with this, the filo pastry is crispy, the fetta is salty and that complements the sweetness of the sweet potato nicely. The middle eastern veg has lots of cumin and coriander and other yummy spices. So, yeah happy!

Surprise, surprise I turned to Belinda Jeffery for inspiration. I picked up her latest offering Belinda Jeffery's collected recipes from the library as soon as the boss was finished with it. (I really should take it back and let others borrow it! I'll add to my pinterest board of books people should buy me if you want to know what to get me for Christmas) The middle eastern baked veg here is inspired by her Middle Eastern vegetables with chickpeas (page 133 if your interested!). I've changed the amounts a bit and omitted the eggplant and the pasta sauce she used...mainly because I had made eggplant parmagiana the night before and couldn't do something so similar so quickly (especially since I'd had the leftovers for lunch!).

From Penguin. Gotta say, I'm not a fan of the photography on the cover... especially since the photo's inside are amazing. Maybe it's just my aversion to meat? 

While still on the subject of the cookbook, go and buy it (or at least pop down to the local library and borrow it once the staff have finished with it ;-). It has some reprints of favourites like her Spicy red lentils with caper and currants (with a dressing that works on almost anything) a Slow cooked salmon with lime and lemongrass butter (that the husband is wanting to cook as soon as he can wipe the drool from his chin) and as per usual some AMAZING looking desserts (raspberry semifredo anyone?)

Now without further ado......pie!

Broccoli and Sweet Potato Pie

6 sheets of filo

2 medium sweet potato (kumara)

1 head broccoli

100g fetta

Handful of chopped dates

Cumin to taste (1 tsp?)

Crushed coriander seeds to taste (1tsp?)

Grated lemon zest (again to taste.....about 1 tsp....sorry about not being precise!)

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 180c

Peel, chop and boil sweet potato and steam the broccoli above it (I'm guessing it would taste better if it was sautéed but this is faster). Remove broccoli when still green and firm. Cook sweet potato until a fork goes through it. Drain

When both cooked empty into a bowl (or the saucepan if your as washing up adverse as me). Stir though spices, fetta and dates. 

I used a cake tin to bake this as that's what I have at the moment. You could go all fancy and use a pie dish. 

Line base of tin with baking paper. Spread sheets over dish so that the ends are sticking way over the edge. (Oil between layers). Add veg mixture and folder pastry over the top. Brush with oil. 

Cook until brown. (About 25 mins)

Middle Eastern Veg

2 Carrots

1 Zucchini

1 Red capsicum

1 Onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup canned chickpeas

lemon juice

Olive oil

Natural yoghurt, coriander, parsely (optional)

Chop veg add to baking dish, pour over oil and spices and swish around the tray. Cook for 1/2 hr at 220c (stir halfway). Add chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add lemon juice and herbs. Add a drizzle of yp and would serve yoghurt when you plate it. Om nom nom (really good with an amber ale or a glass of red!)

Note: alter the veg in this to whatever is in season. The whole thing was super cheap and would serve 4 adults. 

Spiced roasted vegetable and lentil soup

I started making soup the other day by roasting some vegetables and then sat down to have a flick through this months Delicious. Two minutes later I was up and tweaking my soup with something inspired by the flavours of James Walt's Butternut pumpkin soup with spiced creme fraiche. Apparently his restaurant Araxi is one of the best in Canada (it says it in the article so it must be true). Anyway his soup is on the cover of this months magazine and mine looks....a bit special (mainly due to blurry photos). I know there is some sort of bloggy rule about not including blur, but I have decided to whack it up anyway as it just tastes so damn good!

The original recipe looks great and easy to follow...but as per usual I didn't have most of the ingredients so this is what you get instead.

Spiced roast vegetable and lentil soup

Roast vegetables (use whatever variations you have)
3 Carrots
1/3 Kent pumpkin
2-3 Sweet Potatoes
1 Red Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Garam Marsala
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Cumin
3/4 Cup Red lentils
4 cups of stock (add more water if needed)

Use about this many vegies!

Chop vegies and roast in a large roasting pan with a glug of olive oil, cumin and garam marsala. Roast in a moderate oven until cooked (you know what I mean, brown and smooshy) about 45 mins.

When cooked transfer to a stock pot with stock and lentils. Cook on a medium heat until lentils are cooked through (about 45 mins). Wizz! (With a stick blender or transfer to normal blender). Add a little hot water if too hot. 

Serve with Yogurt / Sour Cream and Crusty bread. 

Super blurry photo due to haste at eating while hot!

Walt's recipe was served with a spiced creme fraiche, which I never buy unless its on special. What I had in the fridge was home made yoghurt and some low fat sour cream. So this is what you get.

Spiced Sour Cream and Yoghurt
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

Mix together and put in fridge for an hour.

I used the leftovers of this the next day on a jacket potato wit lashings of cheese, yum!

Love Pie

Since its well and truly on the way to winter I'm finding more and more meals I am cooking are of the comfort variety. I love pie, its easy, and sooo comforting!

This recipe owes a lot to Veggie num num. I didn't have all the ingredients so came up with this instead.
Despite being vego it has to be the meatiest pie I have made. Mr CC kept stoking on the gravy and polished it off in about two minutes flat.

And yes, this is made in a love heart cake tin.......my pie dish broke a while back and I have been too lazy to replace it.
Enjoy!

Mushroom and Lentil Pie
Pastry (enough for pie and top).
Surprise surprise I used Belinda Jeffery's Shortcrust recipe. The pastry from veggie num num above looks pretty good, or use your own (or just buy some).

For the filling
500g  mushrooms, diced. (I used flat)
1 leek
1 clove garlic
Splash red wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1Tbsp flour
1 can brown lentils
sage
rosemary
1 dollop sour cream

Brown leek in a sauté pan in some olive oil on a medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until mushrooms start to brown. Add lentils. Add a generous splash of red wine (and some for yourself!). Mix the stock and flour together and add to pan. Add herbs to taste and put on a low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until gravy has started to reduce. Stir sour cream through just before spooning into pie.

Line pie dish with pastry, add mushroom mixture, put on a pastry lid and brush with milk and bung it in the oven on about 180c for about 30 minutes.


While at the farmers market I managed to score a bunch of heirloom carrots! They are so pretty, I wanted to stick them in a vase. I also managed to get the last bunch of baby asparagus. I usually use foil in the recipe below, but didn't have any, hence I get to go all masterchef wanky and call in something that sounds remotely french and fancy. I also served it with some potatoes in olive oil and rosemary (hmmm, what fancy words can I call that?)

Honey Carrots and Baby Asparagus in papier. 
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of baby asparagus
T butter
T honey
sprinkle thyme

Wrap all ingredients in foil or baking paper.

Wack in the oven for about 45 minutes on 180c.

OK. Not the prettiest pictures ever...but hey, I have 2 kids under 3 and I'd rather dinner was hot. 

What comfort foods do you crave?

I love Belinda Jeffery

Of course I've never met her and this is completely based on her food. But I do.
I love the way her books give me an insight into her past. I love the photography of the food that I KNOW is still edible even after being under studio lights. How do know...well, because it's Belinda's cooking it has to be.

Most of all I just love the food and the way her recipe's just work.

Mix and Bake is the most useful cookbook I have come across. I used 3 (yes 3!) of its recipes as my wedding cake, her scones are MY scones and as is the case with the following recipe, you can make some tweaks and generally not stuff things up.

Image from Penguin

Belinda (yes I am on first name terms with all of my favourite cookbook authors Belinda, Jamie, Stephanie...) herself says that there are many variations of her "simple upside-down tomato and basil pie" and I think I try something different every time I make it.

Sometimes I halve the amount of canned tomatoes (and it still works), I sometimes replace the mustard powder with dijon or wholegrain mustard (and it still works), I never have Tabasco in the house so chuck in some chili flakes (and it still works) and most of the time I'm out of basil and will use another random herb instead and yes it still works. And of course I don't use egg and it works with "No-egg" replacer.

Tomato and Basil pie...sans basil!

In this particular version it was I added a can of cannellini beans after the tomato. I really enjoy this variation and it packs some extra protein points in.

So try it, Belinda's way, my way, your way....whatever, it still works.

CC.

New celebrity food crush

Hugh Fearnsley -Whittingstall. Your name is rather, well posh. Not really your fault I suppose. With a name like that I would expect your food to completely inaccessible. Its not, its lovely!

OK...thats enough of the fan girl. I picked up the new River Cottage Veg from work this week and it is packed full of accessible recipes that even the most ardent meat eater would love. It also explains to meat eaters WHY they should eat less meat AND is by someone that actually likes meat (as opposed to moi).

Gorgeous photos, intro's that include food sustainability without being overly preachy and fantastic food...what's not to love?

So far I've cooked a yummy baked eggplant and Porotos Granados (Chilean Bean Stew) and thinking tomorrow may be a beetroot soup. I wouldn't normally try so many new recipes a week...but they all look so good and so easy!

I made the stew with few modification......I didn't have enough corn so chucked in a red capsicum and through in a tomato....just because I thought it needed it. I also used dried oregano and bog standard paprika.