Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Foraging and a recipe

Rather than going on our normal walk, my dh and I went bramble picking yesterday. Our youngest who normally finds excuses of why going for a walk with his parents is uncool, immediately volunteered to come.
We managed to pick enough for a pie -- blackberry and apple. The younger two squabbled a bit as they made it, but managed to do everything -- including making the short crust pastry without my help.
The sloes are far fewer but look to be nearly ready. Sloe gin is very simple to make and tastes so much better than ordinary gin.
We do not have any damsons.
Because of the continuing glut of Victoria plums, I used them in a chicken pie instead of sumac. They provided the same sweet tartness. The pie is an adaptation of a Bedouin recipe. You could just use the filling for a wrap or a piece of pita bread.
For the filling:
2 large onions chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 chicken legs and thighs -- skinned, boned and chopped into bite sized pieces.
6 plums, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 pods of cardamon -- crushed
1/2 lemon
salt and peeper
1 block of puff pastry, defrosted.
To make filling --
Gently fry onions until they start to turn colour, add chicken pieces, continue to cook until chicken has turned colour (about 10 min). Add plums and spices. Cook for a further five minutes or so.
Cut puff pastry into two -- one about two thirds of the block and the other one third. Roll out the bigger piece to fit a 9x 13 oblong pan. Place in pan, spread filling evenly over puff pastry. Roll out the remaining piece to make the lid. Place on top of filling. Brush with oil.
Bake pie in preheated over 180C/375F/gas mark 4/top oven of Aga for 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Can be made in advance and then baked.
Can be turned out of pan after cooking and served on a platter.
Serves about 8.

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