Gardeners Pie Food

PERFECT PIE CRUST INA GARTEN

Steps:

• Cut the butter in 1/2-inch dice and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle at least 1 inch larger than the pie pan, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesnt stick to the board. (You should see bits of butter in the dough.) Fold the dough in half, ease it into the pie pan without stretching at all, and unfold to fit the pan. With a small sharp paring knife, cut the dough 1 inch larger around than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork.

GREEN GARDEN VEG PIE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 min. Gradually stir in the milk until smooth with no lumps, then keep stirring until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens to a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat, then stir in all but a handful of the grated cheese.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and bring a large pan of water to the boil. Cook the potato slices for 5 mins, tip in the broccoli and cauliflower for another 3 mins, then finally add the peas for 1 more min. Drain all the veg and pat dry. Reserve enough potato slices to cover the top of the finished dish, then gently stir the rest of the vegetables into the sauce with the chives.
• Tip into a deep ovenproof dish, arrange over the reserved potato slices, then sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Bake for 20-25 mins until the topping is golden and crisp, then serve straight from the dish.

ALLOTMENT COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a blender, cover the porcini with 600ml of boiling water.
• Trim, wash and slice the leeks 2cm thick, then scrub the carrots, swede and celeriac and chop to roughly the same size.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, strip in the rosemary, fry for 1 minute to crisp up, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add the cumin seeds and prepped veg to the flavoured oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes, cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, and season to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
• Quarter the onion, add to the porcini in the blender along with the Marmite and tomato purée and whiz until smooth.
• Pour into the veg pan and cook for 20 minutes, or until dark and caramelised, stirring regularly and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Tip the lentils (juices and all) into the veg pan, bring to the boil, then season to taste.
• Spoon over the mash, place on a tray, bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges, then sprinkle over the crispy rosemary. Serve with simple steamed seasonal greens - it's a winner!

GARDENER'S PIE

Steps:

• Soak the lentils for 2 hours or overnight, drain and rinse.
• Add fresh water and bring to the boil in a large saucepan with the onion powder.
• Simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan and saute onion, garlic and mushrooms for 5 minutes.
• Add remaining vegetables and saute a further 5 minutes.
• Add lentils, seasoning, tamari, vegetable stock, herbs and tomato paste.
• Stir over heat until combined and simmer 5 minutes. Mixture should be fairly thick.
• Turn into a 5cm deep dish, top with mashed potato.
• If you're not a strict vegetarian sprinkle some grated cheese on top.
• Mark attractively with a fork and brown in a hot oven 15 minutes.
• Serve with side salad or vegetables.

SKILLET GARDENER'S PIE - VEGAN

Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes and cut them into cubes. (I leave mine unpeeled, but if you want you can peel them before dicing.) Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Reserve a cup of their cooking water, if possible, and drain. Place in a large bowl, add the soymilk, and mash until smooth, adding a little of the potato-cooking water if they seem too dry. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and set aside in a warm place.
• While the potatoes are cooking, make the "pie" filling. Spray a large non-stick or cast iron skillet with canola oil. Heat it on a medium-high burner and add the onions. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and sauté for 3 more minutes.
• Add the vegetable broth, kidney beans, green beans, and herbs. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes and all vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste (I added a little hickory smoke salt). There should still be some liquid in the pan, but if it has become too dry, add a little of the potato-cooking water. Add the spinach and stir until it's completely wilted. Mix the corn starch with the water until smooth, and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until mixture has thickened.
• Spoon the potatoes evenly over the top of the filling and sprinkle with chopped rosemary. If potatoes have cooled, put the skillet under the broiler for a minute or two. Serve immediately while hot.
• http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/05/skillet-gardeners-pie.html.