Edibletcetera – Fast & Fabulous Food

Vegetarians can ignore the sausages because kale and brie mash is deeply satisfying and makes a perfect supper on a chilly winter evening, sausage or no sausage. I just happened to have some locally made duck sausages that I wanted to serve with something a bit special.

You could even throw in a pork or lamb chop but why bother? They won’t be missed unless you’re  a strict carnivore.

Kale & Brie Mash

KALE & BRIE MASH

(Enough for 4 people, or 6 as a side dish)

Ingredients:

7fl oz (200ml) of milk

3 small sprigs of fresh thyme

2lbs (1kg) of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish chunks of equal size

3 bay leaves

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled

1 oz (30g) of butter

7 oz (200g) of ready to eat baby kale

A bunch of scallions/spring onions sliced into 1 inch (2cm) pieces

3.5 – 4 oz (100g) of Brie, thinly sliced

1 oz (30g) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Action:

Cover the potatoes with water, add the garlic, bay leaves and a good pinch of salt and bring it to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until tender then drain, discarding the bay leaves but keeping the garlic.  Return the potatoes and garlic to the pan and shake around to steam away any remaining water.

While the potatoes are cooking, bring the milk and thyme leaves to almost boiling point then remove from the heat and allow to infuse. Once the potatoes have dried off  in their pan,  add half of the butter, the thyme-infused milk (discarding the thyme) and a good grind of black pepper. Mash together, adding more butter if you think it needs it, adjust the seasoning, cover and set it aside to keep warm while you prepare the kale.

Heat the remaining butter in a wide pan, add the kale and onions, and sauté for a couple of minutes until they’re soft and wilted.

Mix the greens and both cheeses into the warm mash, adding more black pepper and sea salt if you think it needs it.

Pile everything into a warmed bowl to serve, perhaps  with a scattering of extra Parmesan on top.

Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge. They can be gently warmed through, covered with foil and dotted with a little extra butter.

One of the nice things about these delicious mushroomy little puff pastry parcels is that you can make the filling ahead and freeze it, along with your frozen puff pastry.

The quantities listed below will also make a vegetarian ‘Wellington’ if you want to wow your veggie guests with an impressive entrée; alternatively, there’s enough for 8 individual pastries, ideal for a light lunch served with salad.

You don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy them, either!

Note: *dried porcini mushrooms are available from most decent supermarkets these days. They add an wonderfully intense mushroom flavor to anything but if you can’t find them don’t worry, the mushroom filling here is excellent even without them.

Mushroom, Chestnut, Spinach & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Parcels

MUSHROOM, CHESTNUT & SPINACH PARCELS with GOAT CHEESE

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

1 lb (approx 500g) of frozen puff pastry, thawed

A 5 oz packet (142g) of ready to use baby spinach leaves

2 oz (50g) of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 medium leeks, washed trimmed and thinly sliced, white and pale green parts only

5-6 sprigs of thyme, leaves pulled off the stalks and stalks discarded

1/3 cup (80ml measure) of *dried porcini mushrooms, soaked for 15 mins in hot water then drained and finely chopped (save the mushroomy soaking water for another use such as gravy, soup, etc)

7 oz (200g) of cooked, peeled chestnuts, crumbled

2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed

22 oz (600g) of crimini/baby portabella/chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and quartered

5 oz (150g) of soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

To glaze the pastry, 1 lightly beaten egg

Action:

In a wide skillet or sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil and sweat the leeks until they’re meltingly tender over a low heat. Add the garlic, chopped porcini (if using) and thyme leaves and cook for a few more minutes, then add the mushrooms. Turn up the heat a bit and toss the mushrooms around in the pan until they’re cooked and golden.

Add the spinach leaves and stir until they’re wilted, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the chestnuts. Set the filling aside to cool.

Once cooled, mix in the crumbled goat cheese and if you’re making a Wellington, form the cooled filling into a log shape to fit your puff pastry and wrap it in cling film. Chill until firm (or freeze at this point).

When you’re ready to make the parcels (or Wellington), heat the oven to 400F /200C.

Roll out the pastry into either 8 small squares or one large rectangle. Brush the edges with beaten egg and divide the filling equally for the individual parcels then bring the edges together in an envelope, pressing to seal. If you’re making a wellington, wrap the chilled filling until you have a sealed log with the seam on the bottom (also brushed with egg wash to seal it).

Using the left over pastry bits, cut out shapes to decorate your parcels (or Wellington) then brush with beaten egg.

Bake on a parchment-lined sheet for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting/serving.

I’m generally not a fan of vegetables and sugar in the same dish, particularly after being presented with a sweet potato and toasted marshmallow ‘casserole’ many years ago. I’d recently moved to the US and was hosting Thanksgiving dinner in an attempt to embrace American culture. Even today, the very thought of that well meant but unsolicited offering makes me shudder. Needless to say it remained untouched even by my new American friends and was taken away intact. Perhaps I should have served it as a dessert but as the gifter insisted it should be served with the turkey, I thought it best to leave well alone.

On the other hand, this is a rather lovely – and different – way of serving mashed butternut squash, that goes very well with roast chicken, turkey, goose or pork. After you’ve drained the squash, don’t discard the chicken broth; it can be added to soup or used to make gravy for your roast.

Butternut Brûlée

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BRULEE

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 lbs (1 kilo) of butternut squash, peeled, seeds discarded and cut into  smallish chunks

2 cups (480-500ml) of chicken broth

A level teaspoon of grated nutmeg

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup (120ml) of crème fraîche

1/4 cup (50ml) of grated parmigiano reggiano

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Action:

Heat the oven to 375F (190C)

Put the cubed squash and chicken broth in a pan, bring it to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the squash, reserving the broth for something else.

Tip the squash back into the pan, add the crème fraîche, nutmeg, egg, parmesan,  sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, then mash until smooth.

Transfer it to an oiled, shallow baking dish and smooth the top, then dot with small pieces of butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove it from the oven, set the broiler/grill on high and sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the baked squash. Stick it under the broiler/grill for a couple of minutes until the sugar has melted and is bubbling.

Serve very warm.