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Recipe
Tastes so good... PARSNIP QUICHE WITH BLUE CHEESE
This dish can be eaten hot or cold and it’s great for lunch boxes. You can use up leftover cooked veg from the Sunday roast instead of the freshly cooked parsnip. Sweet potato or carrot can be exchanged for the parsnip. Ingredients: Shortcrust pastry: 100g salted butter 200g plain flour 4-5 tbps cold water Filing: 200g parsnip, peeled & sliced 1 shallot, diced 3 eggs 175ml crème fraiche 290ml milk 1/2 tsp mixed spice or korma curry powder 50g good blue cheese 50g ham or cooked bacon Diane Johnson
Equipment: 23cm / 9 inch buttered/greased loose bottomed flan dish. Rolling pin Method: Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Add sufficient water to bring the pastry together into a ball without it being sticky and leave to rest for half an hour covered in the fridge. Cook the parsnip in boiling water until soft. Leave to cool. Fry off the shallot until soft. Set to one side to cool. Line a 9 inch greased flan dish with the rested pastry. Prick the bottom of the base gently with a fork to stop air bubbles forming. Bake blind (this will avoid the famous "soggy bottom"!) by crumpling baking parchment and placing it in the pastry case being careful not to tear the pastry. Then fill with ceramic baking beans spreading them out evenly. Cook at 450º F for 20 minutes until lightly brown and a little crisp. Remove the paper and beans. Whilst the pastry case is cooking beat the eggs together and add the creme fraiche and milk, incorporating all together with a whisk. Puree or mash the parsnip with the spice or korma and gradually add to the egg mixture until thoroughly mixed. Once the pastry case has come out of the oven dot the base with the blue cheese, onion and ham. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry case and bake on 180ºC for 45 minutes, or until the centre doesn’t wobble.