Vegetarian Pot Pies

I like a pie in any shape or form, and teemed with countless vegetables and topped with puff pastry, makes my heart sing. Its a beaut (good old Australian word) thing to eat with creamy mashed potato and some steamed broccoli.

Cooking doesn't have to be Masterchef quality every night; too many ingredients, too little food on the plate.  Good, wholesome, flavoursome food which is simply prepared is fine. And I want to be fed; to push my empty plate away and say "delicious", I feel like I have eaten.

Making a few short cuts when you are cooking is OK too. Yes, making your own puff pastry is truly fun, but there are moments when you are so pushed for time that having some ready made in the fridge is a perfectly acceptable option. (Actually, I must admit it's a life saver) So use it and don't feel at all guilty. 

Try these little gems (made with bought puff pastry) and tell me how good they taste.

Recipe makes enough for 8

Vegetables of your choice - this is what I used

1 zucchini diced

2 carrots diced

1 leek chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 shallot (French) chopped

2 small potatoes diced

4 mushrooms diced

handful of baby spinach

handful frozen or fresh corn

600ml stock

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons butter

few sprigs of fresh thyme and parsley

2 tablespoons Creme Fraiche

few sheets defrosted puff pastry

Add olive oil and butter to a large pan. Add leek, garlic and shallot and cook until it starts to soften. 

Add zucchini, carrot, potato, salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables start to soft. Keep stirring to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom. Season with salt and pepper, a few sprigs of thyme and parsley and the mushrooms.

Add stock or water with a vegetable stock cube.

As the vegetables soften you can throw in a handful of baby spinach and frozen or fresh sweet corn (or any other vegetables you like). Allow this to just cook together for a few minutes and then check the seasoning. 

Spoon in some creme fraiche and turn off the heat, allowing the mixture to cool.

Place your cooled mixture into ramekins and start preparing your puff pastry.

Cut a circle of pastry large enough to go on top of your ramekins. Now cut out some strips of pastry which will go directly onto the ramekins and act as a collar. You can join pieces if you need to, moistened with a little water.

Using a pastry brush, lightly wet the edges of the pastry collar with water and press down the pastry topping. Give a tweek with thumb and finger to adhere the pastry together. 

Lastly, cut a small V with the point of a sharp knife in the centre of the pastry, to allow steam to escape. You can brush the top with milk if you wish, but usually I don't bother.

Bake in a preheated oven 200/400Fº for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on your oven. Keep a check on them so the pastry does not burn. Remove when the pastry is golden brown. Happy eating!

Corn Soup

I have a hankering for a Corn Chowder! I haven't made one of these for a very long time and with winter just around the corner this would put a smile on my face and fire in my belly.

Sweet Corn is such a versatile vegetable, not only in the way it can be prepared to eat but its other uses. Did you know that toothpaste, rubber products, paint, varnish and cosmetics are just a few of the items made from corn? Amazing to think of this widely grown and eaten vegetable can do so much.
Can you think of any other product that you use on a regular basis that is also made from corn?

But I am talking food so let's get back into this fabulous Corn Soup or Corn Chowder. This soup originated in USA as a Clam Chowder and Corn Soup is often served as a vegetarian alternative.
But whatever the origin, this Corn Chowder is pretty damn good and I like to think of many Americans sitting down during Thanksgiving and dipping a chunk of bread into the very same.

My fancy - a bowl of steaming soup, some crunchy bread and a glass of wine! A perfect end to a perfect winter's day.

Corn Soup or Corn Chowder

Ingredients   serves 6 people

2 sticks celery very finely sliced
small onion very finely diced
2 medium sized potatoes, diced
500 ml reduced fat milk
500 ml cup vegetable stock or water
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1 400g can creamed corn
2 cobs of corn with corn removed or a packet of frozen corn
knob of butter
1 tbls olive oil
2 tbls chives finely chopped
1/2 cup extra tasty cheese

• Take olive oil and butter  and add to a large pot and under a low heat. Stir in onion and celery and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens. 

• Now add potato and cook for a further 2 minutes coating the potato with oil and butter. 

• Mix milk and stock/ water together with fresh thyme,  creamed corn, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes or until the potato is almost cooked. 

• Take fresh or frozen corn and add this to the pot and continue to cook until the corn is soft. 

• Check consistency. If the soup is too thick you can dilute with a little more milk.

• Before serving, place some of the extra tasty cheese into the bottom of each bowl then fill with hot soup. Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives.

• This soup is delicious served with with Cheese and Herb Scones, Bagels or fresh crusty bread.

I haven't posted a recipe for my scones yet, but I will try and do this later in the week, because I have been asked to include it.  Check back soon.