Welsh Onion Cake With Caerphilly Food

WELSH ONION CAKE WITH CAERPHILLY

Steps:

• In a large pan, heat a knob of the butter with a drizzle of oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the onions, leek and some seasoning and cook for 15 mins until the onions are soft and sticky, stirring occasionally. Butter a 22cm cake tin or baking dish (alternatively, you can assemble the cake in the pan you're already using if it's ovenproof).
• In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter. Toss the sliced potatoes with the melted butter and plenty of seasoning. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Arrange the potato slices over the base of the dish in a spiral or in concentric circles. Top with some of the onion mix, sprinkle over a layer of cheese and continue layering, finishing with a final round of potato slices. Press down firmly with your hands to compact the layers. Bake for 45-50 mins until the potatoes are golden brown and tender; cover with foil if the cake starts to take on too much colour. Turn out onto a plate to serve.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat about a quarter of the butter in a large pan, set over a medium heat. Sweat the onions with a little salt and the rosemary sprig. Slowly cook on a gentle heat with a lid on for about 20 mins. Remove rosemary and set aside.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the potatoes and immediately cut into wafer-thin slices directly into a bowl containing the rest of the warm butter. Season with salt and pepper. The thinner the potatoes, the better the dish will be. Do not wash them once they are sliced, as you want all of the starch to stick the potatoes together.
• Line an ovenproof, non-stick frying pan with a round of baking parchment. Layer potatoes neatly into the dish in a circle, slightly overlapping. The bottom of the pan will become the presentation side. Continue to pile in half of the potatoes, then add the melted onions. On top of the onions continue with the potatoes until all used up. Set the pan over a medium heat and gently begin to colour the bottom of the dish for 5 mins, then transfer to the oven and cook for 45-50 mins until the potatoes are soft.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 mins. Invert onto a serving plate, then slice into wedges with a very sharp knife.

RACK OF LAMB ON WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
• Peel the potatoes and slice very finely with a mandolin or sharp knife.
• Toss with the melted butter and season with plenty of salt and black pepper.
• Brush a shallow ovenproof dish with a little a little more melted butter.
• Layer the potato and onion in the dish, starting with potato and finishing with a neat layer of overlapping potato slices.
• Drizzle any remaining butter over the top.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, take the lamb out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
• After the onion cake has had an hour in the oven, remove the tin foil.
• Sit the lamb racks on top with their bones interlaced and tuck the rosemary sprig in the middle.
• Return to the oven for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the racks and how you like your lamb cooked.
• By now the potatoes should be beautifully tender and browned on the top.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a 7 inch souffle dish and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom and then a layer of onions, dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Repeat the layers, finishing off with potatoes. Brush with butter and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Serve hot.

WELSH CAKES

Steps:

• Mix together dry ingredients.
• Cut in cold butter.
• Mix egg and milk together and slowly add to dry ingredients.
• Turn onto a floured board and roll 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut into rounds and fry on an electric skillet at 300* for about 5 minutes on each side.