Posts Tagged ‘chestnuts’
Turkey & Leek pie
Thursday, November 25th, 2010
ingredients
• 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
• ½ bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
• olive oil
• a large knob of butter
• 2kg leeks, washed, trimmed; white end chopped into chunks, green end finely sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 800g cooked white turkey meat, torn into big chunks (brown too if you want)
• 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 pints turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons of crème fraîche
• 1 x 500g packet puff pastry
• 12 jarred or vac-packed chestnuts, roasted and peeled
• 2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves picked
• 1 egg, preferably free-range or organic, beaten
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Put your bacon in a large pan on a medium heat and add your thyme leaves. Add a lug of olive oil and the butter and let it all fry off a few minutes. Add all of your prepped leeks and fry them off for about 3 minutes so they are well-coated in the butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper then pop the lid on top, turn the heat down to medium and let them cook away gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they don’t catch. There’s going to be enough moisture in the leeks to keep them happy in the pan so they should be soft and melt in your mouth once they’re done.
When your leeks are ready, add the turkey meat to them and stir. If you’ve got a bit of stuffing mixed in there you can put that in too. Add the flour, mix it in well then pour in your stock and stir again. Add the crème fraîche then turn the heat up and bring everything back up to the boil. Have a taste and add a bit more salt and pepper if it needs it then turn the heat off. Pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan and let the wonderful gravy from the mixture drip into the pan while you roll out your pastry.
Get a deep baking dish roughly 22 x 30cm. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with a bit of flour and roll your pastry out so it’s about double the size of your dish. Crumble the chestnuts over one half of the pastry then tear a few of the sage leaves over the chestnuts. Fold the other half of pastry on top then roll it out carefully and evenly so you have a rectangle big enough to cover your baking tray. Don’t worry if a few bits stick out here and there.
Spoon that thick leek mixture from your sieve into the pie dish and spread it out evenly. Lay your pastry on top, tuck the ends under then gently score the pastry diagonally with your knife. Add a pinch of salt to your beaten egg then paint this egg wash over the top of your pastry. Pop your pie in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. When the pie is ready, re-heat the lovely gravy and serve with your pie, along with some peas tossed in butter, lemon, salt and pepper and everyone’s happy!
Tags: bacon, chestnuts, eggs, leek, sage, thyme, turkey
Posted in Christmas, Meal Suggestions | No Comments »
Wild rice, chestnut & squash stuffing
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Wild rice, chestnut & squash stuffing
Ingredients
* 1 onion , finely chopped
* bottom half of 1 butternut squash , peeled and cut into small cubes
* 200g pack cooked chestnuts , chopped
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 4 sage leaves, chopped plus extra sage leaves, to serve
* 200g mixed wild and basmati rice
* 500ml vegetable or chicken stock
* 25g Parmesan (optional) or vegetarian alternative, grated
Method
1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the onion, squash and chestnuts into a roasting tin with the oil, chopped sage and seasoning, then toss well with your hands. Roast for 20 mins or until the edges of the squash start to tinge brown. If your oven is full, you can simply fry the lot together in a large frying pan.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat it, then tip the lot into a saucepan. Add the stock and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 mins or until the rice is tender and the stock absorbed. Add cheese, if using, and tip into a baking dish. You can now cover and chill the stuffing for up to a day. To finish, heat grill to high, then cook until the top is browned and crisp and the stuffing is hot through.
Tags: butternut squash, chestnuts, onion, sage
Posted in Christmas, Stuffing | No Comments »
Creamy Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and bacon
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
If you know anyone who’s yet to be convinced by Brussels sprouts, put them out of their misery and cook this dish for them. It’s so undeniably magnificent that it will convert them in a second.
Ingredients
* 25g unsalted butter, softened
* 600g waxy potatoes, such as ‘Belle de Fontenay’ or ‘Duke of York’
* 300ml double cream
* 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed or grated
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 250g fresh chestnuts (or use vacuum-packed chestnuts)
* 500g Brussels sprouts
* Sea salt
* Knob of butter
* 2 tbsp double cream
* 4–6 thick streaky bacon rashers
Directions
Roast the chestnuts well ahead: make a little cut in each one (to prevent explosions)
and dry-fry them in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat for about
10–15 minutes (or, better still, toast them on a shovel in an open fire).
Turn them frequently until they are cooked through and probably a little charred.
Let the chestnuts cool, then peel away both the shell and the thin brown inner skin.
Chop or crumble them up and they’re ready to go.
Just before serving, add the Brussels sprouts to a saucepan of well-salted water and
simmer for around 6–8 minutes, depending on their size, until just tender.
Drain well, then pure with the butter and double cream in a food processor, or using a
hand-held stick blender.
You’re after creaminess, but the texture doesn’t have to be totally smooth.
Cut each bacon rasher into bite-sized pieces and fry them in a dry pan until crispy.
Add the chestnuts to the creamed sprouts and heat through gently but thoroughly.
Spoon the mixture into a warmed serving dish and sprinkle over the crispy bacon bits. Serve immediately.
Variations
All of the leafy brassicas will happily partner the chestnuts, cream and bacon.Prep time
* 10 mins
Cook Time
* 30 mins
Servings
* Serves 6 as a side dish, 2 for supper
Tags: bacon, brussell sprouts, chestnuts, garlic, potatoes
Posted in Christmas, Meal Suggestions | No Comments »
Brussels sprouts with chestnut bacon butter
Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Brussels sprouts with chestnut bacon butter
Ingredients
6 rashers streaky bacon , cut into pieces
100g vac-pack chestnuts , chopped
140g butter , at room temperature
1kg small Brussels sprouts , trimmed of outer leaves
Method
Fry bacon in a hot pan without any oil for 10 mins until crisp. Add chestnuts and fry until they are beginning to colour and coated in the fat. Pour away excess fat, then tip bacon and chestnuts into a bowl to cool.
Beat butter to soften with a spatula, then stir in the bacon and chestnuts. Season with black pepper, then store in fridge. This can be made up to 3 days ahead or frozen for 1 month. Defrost in fridge overnight.
To serve, place sprouts in a microwaveable bowl, pour in 100ml water, cover with cling film and pierce a few times. Microwave on High (850W) for 16-18 mins, stirring twice during cooking, or cook in a pan of boiling water for 5 mins. Drain and tip into a warm serving dish, then dot the butter over to melt. Toss through and serve.
Tags: bacon, brussel sprouts, chestnuts
Posted in Veg Ideas | No Comments »