Edibletcetera – Fast & Fabulous Food | Quick (Mostly) & Easy Recipes for Busy People who LOVE Good Food…

Recipe: Minted Lamb with Roasted Baby Vegetables

Posted on April 12, 2012 by edibletcetera

Now that spring has sprung, here’s something delicious and easy to prepare that will impress. Marinating the lamb for a few hours with fresh mint, garlic, sherry vinegar and olive oil, infuses the meat beautifully as all the flavors compliment each other really well.

If you’re not in the UK, I recommend using Australian or New Zealand lamb as it has a better flavor and more tenderness than US lamb, in my opinion. Costco sells wonderful lamb from down-under.

For the roasted vegetables, I used baby red beets, baby potatoes and tiny carrots and if Jersey Royal potatoes are in season in the UK, the better still! Otherwise, any variety of small potato will work well and the same goes for those little rainbow-colored beets, if you can find them.

Minted Lamb with Roasted Baby Vegetables

LAMB CUTLETS with FRESH MINT, GARLIC & ROASTED BABY ROOT VEGETABLES

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

0.7 oz (20g) of fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar

2 fat cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons of extra-v olive oil

4 good sized lamb chops or 8 small cutlets

8 oz (200g) of baby potatoes

8 oz (200g) of small beets, trimmed and scrubbed clean

8 oz (200g) of baby carrots, trimmed and washed if necessary

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Action:

Start by combining half the chopped mint, half the garlic, the sherry vinegar and two tablespoons of olive oil and place this in a sealed container or plastic bag with the lamb. Season with salt and pepper then give everything a good shake to coat the lamb evenly. Marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to six.

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C).

Halve any larger potatoes and quarter the beets. Put them with the carrots in a shallow roasting tin, scatter with the remaining chopped garlic; drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 30-40 minutes until tender, turning at least once.

Now either fire up your BBQ grill or heat up a heavy pan on the stove until it’s really hot. Scrape most of the marinade off the lamb and set it aside. Sear the lamb on both sides, turning the chops until you’ve reached the desired doneness (I like mine pink in the middle, crisply caramelized on the outside).

Arrange the lamb on top of the vegetables; heat up the marinade briefly and pour it over the lamb. Finish with a scattering of the remaining mint leaves to serve.

Posted in Meat | Leave a comment

Recipe: English Sticky Toffee Pudding

Posted on April 7, 2012 by edibletcetera

I’ve been asked for this recipe many times by friends who’ve been to the UK and are feeling nostalgic for the sweetly divine experience they’ve had as a result of finding this on a menu.

So, from the Land of Hope and Glory, I’d like to present our most famous, mouthwatering and comforting dessert…….English Sticky Toffee Pudding.

It’s the perfect dessert to follow a Sunday roast or whatever you traditionally have at the weekend. I think it’s fabulous at any time but it’s not exactly low in calories so I only make it on special occasions.

I’ve mentioned this before but in case you missed it; over here in the US, the term ‘pudding’ refers to something you’d feed to people without teeth or who are convalescing. But in good old Blighty, we use it to describe anything that falls within the US ‘dessert’ category. So, ‘pudding’ it is.

Note: you can forgo the pudding part and just make the sauce if you love a warm and fudgy topping for vanilla ice cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

ENGLISH STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

(Serves eight)

Ingredients:

4 oz (100g) of unsalted butter at room temp, divided in half

6 oz (150g) of fine white sugar

2 large eggs

6 oz (150g) of chopped dates (I buy medjool dates, pop out the stone and then measure the weight before chopping)

One can of evaporated milk

¼ pint (150ml) of water

1 teaspoon (5ml) of baking soda/bicarbonate

6 oz (150g) of all purpose/plain flour (or self raising flour, omitting the baking powder)

1½ teaspoons (7.5ml) of baking powder

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon (2.5ml) of pure vanilla essence

7 oz (175g) of soft brown sugar

Action:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)

Butter a 2.5 pint (1.4Ltr) baking dish.

Beat half of the butter with the white sugar until light and fluffy then gradually beat in the eggs.

In a heavy saucepan, combine the chopped dates, half the can of evaporated milk (you’ll need the other half for the sauce) and ¼ pint (150ml) of water.

Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda/bicarbonate. Stand back.

Sift the flour together with the baking powder and fold this into the creamed butter and sugar. Add the date mixture and vanilla, combining everything well – then pour into the buttered baking dish.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan combine the remaining 2 oz (50g) of butter, evaporated milk and soft brown sugar. Heat gently until the sugar is completely melted. Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes until it thickens a bit.

Serve the pudding warm, smothered in toffee sauce and with some crème fraiche, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream on the side.

Your challenge will be in resisting eating the whole thing yourself – however, it is extremely rich so small portions are best. I like it with crème fraiche or sour cream; they compliment the sweetness of the pudding.

Posted in Desserts | 2 Comments

Recipe – My Favorite Veggie Mushroom Burger

Posted on March 31, 2012 by edibletcetera

After last weeks carnivorous offering, I though it appropriate to balance things out with something for my vegetarian friends.

This is by far my most favorite non-meat sandwich (the other being a classic Reuben, meat and all)…and depending on how hungry you are, you can leave out the Boca Burger. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Boca Burgers, they’re a very good quality veggie burger, available in the freezer section of most good supermarkets in the US. I’m sure that the UK has its equivalent.

If you can’t find them don’t worry; the oozingly-garlicky hot mushroom will feel like a steak party in your mouth, with or without the addition of a fake meat burger.

I like mine served on a sprouted wholegrain burger bun but this might be a little too heavy for some folks so go with what you like – a soft ciabatta roll; a chunk of baguette – in fact anything that will soak up the buttery, garlic mushroom juices.

You could also melt a slice of gruyere or good mozzarella on top of the Boca Burger – a bit excessive for me but it works if you’re super-hungry. I use arugula but lettuce will do just as well.

In fact, the mushroom part is just a starting place so build your own burger from there.

MY FAVORITE VEGGIE MUSHROOM BURGER

(Serves one)

Ingredients:

One large portabella or open flat field mushroom – wiped clean, stalk trimmed

1 oz (28g) of softened butter, mashed with a heaped teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley and a fat clove of garlic, crushed

One Boca Burger or equivalent

Extra-v olive oil

Your favorite soft roll, burger bun, etc

Dijon mustard

A squeeze of lemon

Sea salt

Arugula or lettuce

Optional – sliced mozzarella, gruyere or your favorite cheese

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C)

Put the mushroom in a shallow baking pan, gills-up. Spread the garlic butter with parsley onto the open mushroom cap and drizzle a little olive oil over.

Roast in the oven for approx 20 minutes. Start heating your Boca Burger according to instructions.

Once the mushroom is dark, soft and oozing, take it out of the oven and dunk both cut sides of your roll into the juices in the pan. Spread a little mustard onto the roll, add the Boca Burger (melt some cheese here if you want), the whole mushroom, a grind of sea salt, a squeeze of lemon juice and some greens. Sandwich together and enjoy.

Have napkins handy as the mushroom will be juicy and messy – but in a good way!

Posted in Made in Under 30 mins, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 5 Comments

Recipe: My Favorite Italian Meatloaf with Porcini, Basil & Tomatoes

Posted on March 24, 2012 by edibletcetera

I’m not much of a meat eater but I do like to make this (and my favorite burger) using organic grass-fed bison or beef, whenever I want something a bit more substantial. Non-meat eaters can substitute ground turkey.

This recipe includes one of my all-time favorite ingredients, dried porcini mushrooms – they add a deep, rich, earthiness and combined with fresh basil, tomatoes and authentic parmigiano reggiano cheese, the result is a wonderful meatloaf with enough delicious sauce to serve separately over pasta, Italian style.

The meatloaf is very easy to prepare and if you can bear not to eat it right away it tastes even better the following day; covered and heated through in a moderate oven.

Serve it with a green vegetable and some of the sauce; then pass around some pasta with the remaining sauce and plenty of freshly grated parmigiano.

Use organic ingredients where possible. Dried porcini are available in good supermarkets like Wholefood’s or Italian delicatessens; unless you’re like me and prefer to forage for your own, which is much more satisfying. Note: please study fungi before embarking on such an adventure as I don’t want to be held responsible for any of your mistakes.

Adapted from an Antonio Carluccio recipe.

Meatloaf with Porcini, Basil & Tomatoes

MY FAVORITE ITALIAN MEATLOAF with PORCINI, BASIL & TOMATOES

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 lb (454g) of organic ground bison or lean beef

½ oz (14g) of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 8 fl oz (237ml) of hot water

1 oz / 1/3 cup (28g) of fresh homemade breadcrumbs

½ oz / 1/4 cup (14g) of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

1 egg

A good handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Two 14.5 oz (411g) cans of Italian plum tomatoes including their juice, chopped

Extra-v olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra grated parmigiano reggiano to serve

Optional: enough freshly cooked pasta to serve with the sauce at the same time or as a separate course, immediately after the meatloaf

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C)

Combine the ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs and grated parmigiano cheese with your hands or a fork – season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and once everything is thoroughly blended, form it into a compact loaf shape.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pan and brown the meatloaf, turning it very carefully. Transfer it to a deep baking dish so that it fits quite snugly but there’s still enough room for the sauce ingredients.

Pour in the chopped canned tomatoes and their juice, the torn basil leaves and the soaked porcini mushrooms along with their soaking liquid. It should just cover the meatloaf. Give everything a good grind of sea salt and fresh black pepper.

Cover with a lid or heavy duty foil and bake in the oven for 60 minutes. Remove the lid and give it another 20 minutes or so to reduce the sauce slightly.

That’s it.

Either slice the meatloaf and divide it between individual serving dishes with a little sauce and your favorite green vegetable, or put the whole thing on a large platter with some of the sauce and a sprinkle of fresh parsley – serve a steaming bowl of freshly cooked pasta separately, with the remaining sauce poured over the top and plenty of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese to go around.

Buon appetito!

Posted in Meat | Leave a comment

Recipe – Warm Goat Cheese Tartlets with Fresh Thyme

Posted on March 19, 2012 by edibletcetera

Here’s another of those incredibly easy recipes – thanks to the wonderful Nigel Slater – that involves nothing more than some ready-made puff pastry, a log of goat cheese and a sprig of fresh herb, such as thyme or rosemary.

It makes a wonderful appetizer, light lunch or vegetarian main course and I find something deeply satisfying about warm, crisp, flaky pastry, brimming with oozing goat cheese.

I don’t know anyone including me, who has time to make their own puff pastry from scratch, so here’s one of the few instances where I’ll ‘cheat’. This recipe takes no more than 20 mins from start to finish.

I always keep the ready-rolled variety in my freezer as it comes in handy for so many last minute sweet or savory dishes, such as little wild mushroom (duxelles) pastry parcels; another delicious appetizer.

I make duxelles in batches and freeze it in ice cube trays; for that recipe, check the blog archives: ‘It’s Hunting Season’, August 2010 – that way you’ll always have something you can assemble quickly to offer any unexpected guests; an impressive alternative to the ubiquitous frozen pizza.

Serve these warm with a green salad tossed in a lemony dressing.

WARM GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS with FRESH THYME

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

12 oz (375g) of ready rolled puff pastry

A goat cheese log measuring 12 inches (30 cm), cut into six 2 inch (5 cm) thick slices

Fresh thyme or rosemary

1 egg beaten

Action:

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).

Roll out the pastry if necessary and cut into six 5 inch (13cm) approx squares. Place a slice of goat cheese in the center of each pastry square; top with a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary and brush the pastry edges with beaten egg.

Gather the pastry edges and bring them together around the cheese, leaving the top open. Brush the pastry with a little more beaten egg.

Slide them onto a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden and the cheese is soft and bubbling.

Serve while they’re still warm.

Posted in Vegetables / Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Recipe: Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Garlic & Parsley

Posted on March 10, 2012 by edibletcetera

This is possibly my most favorite pasta dish with one exception; home made tagliatelle in a light Alfredo sauce, smothered with freshly shaved white truffle… this was the signature dish at Cecconi’s, a wonderful Italian restaurant in London’s Mayfair, back in the 80’s. Cecconi’s is still there but I can’t vouch for the truffles.

Their tagliatelle was made in-house daily and it arrived piled high on a huge oval platter, closely followed by another waiter bearing a grater and a fresh white truffle the size of a man’s fist. Just when you thought he couldn’t possibly be any more generous, he kept on grating. I’ll never forget the heavenly aroma and still dream of it today.

Anyway – back down to earth where truffles of that intensity and magnitude are pretty rare nowadays; this dish combines wild and cultivated mushrooms, garlic, parsley and the very best Parmigiano Reggiano cheese – not quite in the truffle-realm but delicious nevertheless. And it’s drop-dead easy to prepare.

Dried porcini mushrooms are available in good supermarkets and Italian delicatessens. The garlic is meant to be a presence, so don’t cut back on it.

SPAGHETTI with MUSHROOMS, GARLIC & PARSLEY

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 oz (28g) of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup of hot water

8 oz (227g) of large fresh portabella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, or your favorite wild mushrooms, such as ‘Hen of the Woods’, oyster mushrooms, etc

3-4 fat cloves of garlic, crushed

½ cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter

¼ cup of cream

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

8 oz (227g) of spaghetti, linguine, tagliatelle, or whatever you prefer

To serve; lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and extra minced parsley

Action:

Start by soaking the dried porcini in the hot water for 15 minutes, then drain, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the porcini and add them back to their soaking liquid. Set aside.

In a wide pan, heat the olive oil and butter and sauté the crushed garlic and chopped parsley for a few minutes, until the garlic starts to turn golden.

Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté for a few more minutes.

Start cooking the pasta according to the instructions.

As soon as the mushrooms have softened, add the porcini and their soaking liquid and give everything a good grind of black pepper and sea salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer gently until there’s virtually no liquid left.

Pour in the cream and heat through gently, adjusting the salt and pepper to taste.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain quickly (never over-drain pasta) and tip it into the pan with the mushrooms. Gently combine everything and allow it to warm through for a minute or two.

Tip the lot onto a warmed serving plate or divide between individual bowls and sprinkle with a little more parsley – serve with plenty of grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and some extra black pepper on the side.

Buon appetito!

Posted in Pasta, Vegetables / Vegetarian | 2 Comments

Recipe: Oscar-Worthy Chocolate Pie

Posted on March 3, 2012 by edibletcetera

I made this last weekend for a friend’s ‘Oscar Night’ party – it was inspired (but not completely, you’ll be happy to hear) by the pie that was baked by Octavia Spencer’s character in the nominated movie, ‘The Help’.

I can assure you that this Oscar-worthy chocolate pie will be infinitely more delicious than hers. The crust is made almost entirely from ground almonds, which beats regular pastry in my opinion (try using this crust for a glazed plum, pear or cherry tart).

And, as with most of the recipes I post here, it’s criminally easy to assemble. You’ll need a rolling pin, though. Every home should have one…!

Chocolate Pie with an Almond Crust

CHOCOLATE PIE

(Serves six to eight)

Ingredients:

For the crust …

6 oz (170g) ground blanched almonds

2 oz (57g) fine white sugar

1 egg white

For the filling …

½ pt (284ml) whipping/single cream

8 oz (227g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ pt (284ml) of heavy/double cream

1 tablespoon of dark rum

1 tablespoon of powdered/icing sugar

Shaved chocolate and/or toasted flaked almonds to decorate

Action:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C)

Mix the crust ingredients to a still paste and chill it for 30 mins. Roll out on a floured surface (or between two pieces of cling film) and fit into a 9 inch loose-based tart tin. If it breaks apart, just push it into place.

Bake blind (no need to weigh it down or stab it with a fork) for 20-25 minutes, or until a light golden color – cool completely.

In a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, combine the whipping/single cream and chocolate –stir until melted. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water.

Cool quickly then whisk it until you have a foamy bulk; pour this into the crust and chill the pie in the fridge.

Whip the heavy cream together with the powdered sugar and rum until soft peaks form; smother the pie with the cream and finish with some lightly toasted flaked almonds, grated or shaved chocolate – or both.

It keeps well in the fridge for a few days, not that it will last that long.

Posted in Desserts, Gluten Free Desserts | Leave a comment

Recipe: Crispy Baked Fingerling Potatoes with Sea Salt & Rosemary

Posted on February 25, 2012 by edibletcetera

These crispy little potato treats can be served as a side dish or appetizer. I prefer the latter and you’ll be amazed at how quickly they’re gobbled up.

The combination of rosemary and potatoes is a personal favorite but the possibilities are endless… sprinkle them with truffle oil, or a dash of cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick; some crushed garlic, anchovy paste, or any combination of potato-friendly toppings you can think of.

They’re simply delicious roasted with olive oil and sea salt, finished with a dollop of sour cream and a scoop of caviar.

Serve them on their own with some coarse sea salt on the side, or with your favorite dip.

Be careful not to overcook them during the final stage – they should be crisply-chewy, not burnt around the edges.

Purple fingerling potatoes are especially pretty but if you can’t find the multi-colored varieties, use any variety of small potato.

CRISPY TWICE-BAKED FINGERLING POTATOES with ROSEMARY

(Serves eight)

Ingredients:

4 lbs (2.25 kilos) of tiny potatoes, wiped clean

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary (or garlic, etc)

Fine sea salt

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C)

Pierce the potatoes and spread them out onto 2 baking trays. Bake for approx 45 minutes or until tender.

Halve the potatoes (lengthways, if they’re sausage-shaped) and place them cut-side down on a cutting board – carefully press down on them with the bottom of a heavy drinking glass to flatten out.

Arrange them on the baking trays cut sides up in one layer; sprinkle with sea salt and chopped rosemary, then drizzle the olive oil over.

Put back in the oven for 12 more minutes then flip them over and bake for another 12 minutes, or until they’re starting to brown at the edges.

Serve piping hot.

Posted in Vegan, Vegetables / Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Recipe – Tamari Baked Trout with Crispy Fennel & Bacon

Posted on February 19, 2012 by edibletcetera

This is incredibly easy to assemble and creates a wonderful supper for two in less than 30 minutes. If you feel slightly squirmy about being eyeballed by a whole trout (even one that’s been cleaned), use skinned wild salmon fillets as they’re equally delicious.

The sautéed fennel, crispy bacon and honey-glazed Chinese (Napa) cabbage with cumin work very well together; the flavors compliment each other rather than competing and the honey-tamari dressing creates a subtle sweet and salty finish.

Use all organic ingredients where possible, including the bacon. I find nitrate-free bacon in the freezer section with all the other organic, minimally processed meats and its worth spending a little more for a healthier option.

You can use soy sauce (preferably low sodium) instead of tamari sauce.

Tamari-baked Trout with Crispy Bacon & Fennel.

TAMARI BAKED TROUT with CRISPY BACON & FENNEL

(Serves two)

Ingredients:

2 whole cleaned trout

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil plus extra for brushing the dish

1 tablespoon of organic tamari or low sodium soy sauce

½ a medium sized fennel bulb, thinly sliced

3 rashers of organic bacon (streaky), thinly sliced

½ a medium sized Chinese (Napa) cabbage, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, lightly crushed

2 teaspoons of clear honey

Action:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F (180C). Brush a shallow ovenproof dish with olive oil.

Using a very sharp knife, score each trout diagonally several times along the side.

Fit the fish snugly into the dish; drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil and two teaspoons of the tamari/soy sauce over the trout. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water to the dish.

Bake for 25 minutes basting once or twice with the juices, until cooked through. (Pierce the thickest area of the fish behind the head with the tip of a knife – it should be opaque and flake easily when it’s done).

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a wide sauté pan and fry the bacon and fennel for approx 5 minutes until it starts to brown, stirring frequently.

Add the cumin seeds and cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is just tender, about 2-3 minutes.

Mix together the remaining tamari/soy sauce with the honey and drizzle all over the cabbage, fennel and bacon – give everything a good toss and serve immediately with the trout.

Posted in Fish & Seafood | Leave a comment

Recipe: Easy Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Pie

Posted on February 11, 2012 by edibletcetera

I admit I’ll rarely open a can unless it contains Italian tomatoes, anchovies or dog food – but I succumbed with this recipe, as it looked like a tasty shortcut and I wanted to test out my theory that occasionally it’s OK to cheat using processed ingredients.

Cheating involves using ready made frozen puff pastry and condensed mushroom soup in a can (preferably organic), making this an easy, foolproof pie.

If you want to take the pie to a sublimely luxurious level, add 4-6 tablespoons of duxelles.

Duxelles is an intense, mushroomy reduction where cultivated and wild mushrooms, fresh thyme, *Madeira and shallots are cooked very slowly in butter and olive oil until you have a thick, dark paste.

I make duxelles in large batches about 4 times a year and freeze it in ice cube trays. It’s indispensable for elevating omelets, baked or mashed potatoes, pizza toppings, burgers, steak, pies, dips, pasta, risotto, soups and sauces. For the best result, you’ll need to add dried porcini mushrooms. Dried porcini are available from good supermarkets and Italian deli’s. On the other hand if you’re a forager like me, head into the woods and dry your own.

You can make duxelles without dried porcini. To create the best possible mushroom flavor, use large, open-capped, meaty portabella/field mushrooms. Replace the dried mushroom soaking liquid with a good vegetable broth. It will be very good, just not as intense. A flourish of good truffle oil at the end will enhance it further.

If you can’t be bothered to make a batch of duxelles, this pie is still delicious without it.

*Madeira is inexpensive and available from any decent liquor store/wine shop.

Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Pie

EASY CHICKEN, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIE

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon (15ml) of vegetable oil

1 medium sized leek – white and pale green parts only, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 fat clove of garlic, finely minced

14 oz (375g) of boneless, skinless, chicken breast cut into one inch (3cm) chunks

3 tablespoons (45ml) of *Madeira (you can substitute Marsala or a medium sherry)

One 10.5 oz (295g) can of condensed mushroom soup

Optional – 4 rashers of bacon (streaky bacon), chopped – preferably organic and nitrate-free

Optional – 4-6 tablespoons of duxelles

Freshly ground black pepper

Two packs of frozen puff pastry (500g or 17.5 oz each)

1 egg, beaten

Flat leaf parsley for a garnish

Action:

Defrost the frozen puff pastry in the fridge.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the chicken, garlic and sliced leek (and diced bacon if using); sauté for 3-4 minutes or until everything is slightly golden. Add the Marsala and cook for 2 more minutes or until the alcohol has evaporated.

Pour in the condensed mushroom soup – stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the optional duxelles, otherwise give everything a good grind of black pepper to taste.

Set the filling aside to cool (you can make it ahead up to this point – keep it covered in the fridge).

When you’re ready to bake the pies, preheat the oven to 425F (220C).

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out into six 6 inch (15 cm) squares. Brush the edges with the beaten egg and pile the cooled chicken mixture into the center of each square.

Gather the pastry corners together and bring to the middle, pinching to seal the edges together. Transfer to a baking sheet and brush each with the remaining egg.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden – garnish with a sprig of parsley.