Roadtesting a New Cookbook

It was my birthday last week and as is becoming traditional I invited some friends round for supper and games. Decided to try out a cookbook I was given for Christmas and all three courses came from its pages. "New Vegetarian Kitchen" by Nicola Graimes is unusual in that it is divided into six sections based on the method of cooking: raw, grilled, fried, steamed, simmered and baked, and each of these is divided into light meals, main meals and puddings.
From this I selected Spiced Parsnip and Apple soup (served with my home made bead), Mushroom Pies and Lemon Meringue tarts.
The recipes were easy to follow but I found one error, the Lemon Meringue tarts included an egg yolk in the ingredients but did not specify where it should be used it was in the lemon curd filling).

The soup was good, a nice blend of spices that didn't overpower the parsnips. The pies were brilliant, a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms, crushed cashews, ground almonds and onions in the filling was strongly flavoured and densely textured. The individual pies were cooked in dariole moulds lined with thin shortcrust pastry - thinner than specified as I had to make eight rather than six as my moulds were smaller than specified in the recipe. The pudding was very popular, very tart lemon curd contrasted with a sweet ginger-nut crumb base all topped with a lightly grilled meringue.

Mushroom Pies shortly before being demolished.

The pies caused much discussion after the meal as we came up with lots of new ideas for fillings - probably the top two were ratatouille and a samosa inspired lentil, pea, potato and onion. Will be making those in the near future for sure.

There are lots of other recipes in the book that I want to try so very soon it will be covered in sticky fingermarks like all the best cookbooks.

Rabbit Pies

Inspired by the yummy 2-in-1 pies served at the Weighbridge Inn in Minchinhampton. This one doesn't have two fillings in the same pot but was equally tasty!

Makes 5 pies but depends on the size of the ramekins.

Ingredients
1 pack of diced wild rabbit (350g)
1 chicken breast, diced
2 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped into lardons
3 small carrots, diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
small handful of dried mushrooms, soaked and chopped (keep the soaking liquid)
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
6 juniper berries crushed
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tbsp flour seasoned with salt and pepper
large glass of red wine
1 tbsp of tomato purée


6oz of shortcrust pastry, rolled out and cut into discs just larger than the ramekins
1 egg, beaten.

Fry off the onions, garlic, bacon, carrots and celery in a little olive oil until softened. Remove. Coat the chicken and rabbit in the flour and fry in a little extra oil. Return the vegetables and bacon to the pan with the meat and add the herbs and spices, mushrooms, soaking liquor, wine and tomato purée. Simmer for 30 minutes, if the sauce gets very thick add a little extra water.

Fill the ramekins with the stew and cover with the pastry and brush with the beaten egg.

Cook in an oven (220C) for 30-40 minutes. Serve with chips and peas or beans or a salad.