Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Blue Cheese Dill Lasagne

A generous portion of Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Blue Cheese Lasagne.

Lasagne is not the easiest to photograph, its a flat dish for a start.

So the best way to sell it to you is with its flavours, but that is a little hard when one of the main ingredients is mushrooms and I am not big on mushrooms, but here goes.... This Creamy Chestnut Mushroom is smothered in Blue Cheese and fresh dill herb.  

I actually made this Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Blue Cheese Lasagne early on in the year, when we had load of cheese left over from the Christmas and New Year - this Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Lasagne was made around the same time as the vegan Pickled Mushroom Strogonoff with Watercress.  Though it can be, this lasagne is not vegan, its made with blue cheese, milk and butter and a garnishing of fresh dill.

I have to confess I don't often make Lasagnes at home that often.  It its one of those dinners that is Ds makes, like weekend breakfast or brunch and coffee made in the cafetiere.    But I did this time as it was my decision to pick up the chestnut mushrooms in a bid to use up the excess cheese. I am sharing this recipe with Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary for No Waste Food Challenge.  

Gnocchi in Red Pepper and Blue Cheese Sauce

We have been eating lots of pasta based dishes from lasagne's to cheesy bakes, a bit like this Gnocchi in Red Pepper and Blue Cheese Sauce. 

I made this when I had barely any vegetables in the house and lots of cheese in the fridge from Christmas and New Year binge eating.  this is a relatively easy recipe, especially if you use roasted red peppers from a jar and ready made gnocchi, then lunch or dinner will be on the table in no time.  The sauce is whizzed in a food processor and then its just about cooking the gnocchi and bringing the two components together.

This photograph does not do this Gnocchi in Red Pepper and Blue Cheese Sauce Bake justice, it really was quite delicious; and this comes from someone who is not a huge fan of blue cheese.

D loved this and went back for seconds, in fact he finished off what was left in the pot.  He loved the Red Pepper Blue cheese sauce and I loved how the the pillowy potato dumplings became crisp under the grill.

Sweet Potato and Cheese Bake

Its been a longish working day.  As I had worked through my lunch break, one bonus from the day was that I was home a little earlier, which mean't I had a little more time to potter in the kitchen. These days when I get in from work, I just want to put something relatively quick on the table like pasta, unless of course I had prepped something over the weekend, then it is much more considered.  

Anyway, I had already mentally bookmarked a recipe that had been submitted to Vegetable Palette last month by Anne at Anne's Kitchen; and as I had most of the ingredients, I went ahead and made it. By the time D got home, it was pretty much ready to serve up. D was delighted with this sweet and savoury  warming orange glow of a dish, moreso as its been a while since I made a cheesy bake.  

As I was following Veganuary last month it impacted on him quite a bit, as anything I was cooking or baking  was completely vegan for January, but he did not grumble once.  Bless. I think he is quietly glad now that is is February.  Funny though, as a lot of the dishes I make happen to be vegan, in fact I would go as far as saying that 90 percent of what I make at home is accidentally vegan, but I will keep that hush.  

The recipe below makes a rather big portion, perfect for a little family or friends, but no so much for a couple, so we will be tucking into this tomorrow too.    

Kale, Potato and Blue Cheese Hand Pies

We are all packed and ready to leave in the next hour or so.  

I've made some portable grub for our long drive down south.  It may not be the tastiest of hand pies I've made, but it will certainly save us some pounds and pennies, after all we will have enough expenses with just petrol fuel.

I call these hand pies, but really in the U.K we know them as pasties. Encased in this puff pastry is mashed up new potatoes with steamed curly kale and blue cheese: Stilton to be more precise. Again this is just a made up recipe to use up what we had in the fridge. 

I made a couple extra which D ate and commented that they were like 'tangy potato pies and so much better than the veggie pasties you get from the High Street bakers'.  Well of course, I thought - how on earth can you even compare them.

Below - piping hot, straight from the oven.  But for our journey they have been wrapped in foil and will be eaten cold at some point when we want to stretch our legs.

I've also made a Winter Pasta Salad with the remaining curly kale, black olives and sun-dried tomatoes.  It's so dark and un-inviting that I think I am going to dub it 'Dirty Winter Pasta Salad'. 

And there are also a couple of slices of Cranberry Bread to enjoy with our flask of black coffee.  Wish us a safe journey.  See you in the New Year and of course how can I forget, Happy New Year to each and every one of You.  

Romanesco Cauliflower Cheese Tart

I wanted to use the remains of the blanched Romanesco cauliflower (from the macaroni cheese) for a 'Feta and Black Olive Tart', but I had no feta cheese in my fridge, so it had to be made with the blue cheese. 

Ah it was okay, the rest of it will be eaten during the week when the hungry pang strikes.

Romanesco Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Tart
For the shortcrust pastry - follow here for the pastry recipe.
Blind bake the pastry tart tin and set aside.
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients for the filling
250g - 300g Romanesco Cauliflower florets, blanched, drained and set aside
2 eggs, beaten
120ml milk
100g - 120g blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. 
 In a measuring jug, add the milk, and beat eggs, about 80g of the blue cheese and season with pepper and a little salt to taste.
Spread the blanched cauliflower florets on the bottom of the tart. Pour over the liquid mixture, then top with remaining cheese and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until set and a little golden on top. Easy as that.

Brussels Sprouts and Blue CheeseTart

Yes this is virtually the same Brussels Sprouts and Shallots I made about two weeks ago, albeit with some minor modifications and a little more prettier in presentation (if you can say that about sprouts), but I put my hands up in my defence -  I really did not want to make it again - more bitter and niffy sprouts - no way.  However the man in the house who doesn't mind them so much, picked up a Brussels Sprouts tree.   I think it was his sneaky ploy to get me to eat more of them.  I  plucked the tightly wrapped balls of green off the stalk and chucked them into a bowl.  I just couldn't get my creative juices flowing on the day - so it ended up being savoury tart again!

A day or two later, some inspiration starting coming to me .... as well as suggestions by number of fellow bloggers.

So I must forewarn you in advance, I'll be featuring a number of recipes this week with Brussels sprouts, not that I love sprouts but because of the Brussels Sprouts tree that was purchased.  So you may not want to come by if you dislike sprouts with a passion, though my aim this week is to try and persuade you and myself to try other recipes with these mighty green nuggets.

I am submitting a slice of this Brussels Sprouts Tart to Ren Behan at Fabulicious Food who is hosting Novembers edition of Simple And In Season.

Brussels Sprouts and Blue Cheese Tart
For shortcrust pastry - follow here for the pastry recipe.
Blind bake the pastry tart tin and set aside.
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients for the filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and slice
2 cloves garlic, sliced
300g Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
2 eggs, beaten
120ml milk
100g blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5.
Heat the oil in a wide pan, then add in the onions and cook slowly until soft and caramelised, then stir in the sprouts and garlic and cook for until the sprouts and shallots are just tender and golden brown.
In a measuring jug, add the milk, and beat eggs, about 80g of the blue cheese and season with pepper and a little salt to taste.
Spread the soft caramelised onions at the bottom of the tart, then top with the sprouts – either cut side up or cut side down – it is your choice. Pour over the liquid mixture, then top with remaining cheese and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until set and a little golden on top.

Brussels Sprouts and Shallots Tart

If there is one vegetable I struggle with eating still to this day, it has to be Brussels Sprouts.  Even when I try to convince myself that they are only little baby cabbages, I get put off by the nose wrinkling wiff of them whilst cooking.  To add to that they taste awfully bitter, that no amount of brown sauce can disguise it dominant flavour.   Having said all that though, I have found way of enjoying them, such as my Christmas Brussels Sprouts Pie and Brussels Sprouts Hash. 

In this tart recipe, the sprouts bitter undertones are sweetened a little by the accompaniment of caramelised shallots and further lifted by the blue cheese.

I actually found myself enjoying this, so much so  went back for another small slice.  Its better enjoyed warm , and just about okay cold.

Admittedly the food presenter in me could have presented the tart in a more appealing manner, with green nuggets peeking through the cream and golden layer, but I wasn’t really thinking at the time.

You can just steam or boil the sprouts, but you don’t get those deep caramel flavours.

Brussels Sprouts and Shallots Tart
Blind bake the pastry tart tin and set aside. 
Follow here for the pastry recipe.
Serves  4 – 6
Ingredients for the filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 shallows, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic, sliced
300g Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
2 eggs, beaten
140 ml milk
100g- 120 g blue cheese, crumbled 
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. 
Heat the oil in a wide pan, then add in the shallots and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the sprouts and garlic and cook for 6 minutes until the sprouts and shallots are just tender and golden brown.
In a measuring jug, add the milk, and beat eggs, about 80g of the blue cheese and season with pepper and a little salt to taste.
Spread the soft caramel shallots at the bottom of the tart, then top with the sprouts – either cut side up or cut side down – it is your choice.   Pour over the liquid mixture, then top with remaining cheese and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until set and a little golden on top.

Roasted Butternut Squash Tart

There is a distinct lacking of warmth autumnal glow in the air today, but one thing I am sure of is that the next few days my plates will all have a orange tinge about them - thanks to the abundance of pumpkins and squashes. 

And you better make the most of them, because as soon as Halloween passes us by, the pumpkins will all be snatched from the supermarket and grocery shelves.  

Today my offering is a rich savoury -sweet Butternut Squash tart oozing with salty Gorgonzola cheese. 

Up-dated: October 2011 - Fellow blogger Veronica of Pura Lana (Pure Wool) based in Argentina made a wonderful version of this Savoury Tart, please follow this link to check it out. 

I am sharing this with Foodie Friday #8 hosted at Not Your Ordinary Recipes; and Fat Camp Friday#49 hosted by Mangoes and Chutney, as well as Friday Food hosted by Shannon at Momtrends.  
Roasted Butternut Squash Tart
Serves 6
Ingredients
Make shortcrust pastry base to line a 8 inch round tin. 

1 small butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150g spinach
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
150ml double cream
80g Gorgonzola, crumbled (or other similar cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Blind bake shortcrust pastry and set aside.
Preheat the oven to gas mark 7.
Peel and seed the squash. Cut the flesh into chunks and toss with the oil. Season well and place in the roasting tin. Add the crushed garlic to the pan. Roast in the oven for 30 – 45 minutes or until tender.
Steam the spinach until wilted, then drain and squeeze out the excess moisture.
Whisk together the egg, egg yolk and cream and season well. Evenly spread the spinach over the pastry base, along with the squash and Gorgonzola. Pour the egg mixture over and bake for 30 –35minutes or until firm and golden to the touch.

Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Tart

As well as the Sweet Pear Tart, I mentioned I had made a Savoury Pear Tart. 

Well as promised here it is, in all its flowery autumnal glory.  I sliced the pears wafer thin, so that I could decorate the top of the tart for visual appeal.

I was rather proud of my culinary work of art that I found it too hard to slice into, but you all know that greed finds a way. And it was worth it.  This is a textual tart: softness from the set eggy milk, oozy twang from the blue cheese and crunch from the walnuts.  The pear flavour is very mellow.

I am submitting a slice of this Savoury Pear Tart to Fabilicious Food who is hosting September: Simple And In Season.  I am also sharing this with Lady Behind the Curtains Cast Party Wednesday#14 and Simple Lives Thursday#61 hosted by Gnowfglins.
Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Tart
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
170g plain flour
A pinch of salt
85g cold butter
2 tablespoons cold water
Method for short crust pastry
Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water to the mixture. Mix to a firm dough. It may be necessary to add more water. Chill, wrapped for at least 30 minutes before using.
Preheat oven to gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 8- 9 inch round dish, then bake blind.

For the Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese filling

Ingredients
1 – 2 medium pears, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
1 – 2 medium pears sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
50g walnuts, chopped
2 eggs
100ml milk
150g blue cheese, sliced or crumbled
Method
Heat the oil and gently fry the shallots in oil until very soft, then add in most of the pear slices, keeping back for the topping and sauté for a few minutes. Season to taste and turn off heat.
When cool evenly spread into the pastry case and scatter over the walnut pieces and cheese.
Now whisk together the milk with the eggs and a little seasoning, then pour over the filling. Neatly arrange remaining pear slices.
Bake in oven gas mark 5 for 30 – 35 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Rustic Cauliflower, stilton and walnut flan

I know I’ve been wishing for the rain and it has truly been appreciated as the thirsty plants and dry ground have all got a good soaking over the weekend, but I didn’t ask for the gusto of wind and the hanging grey clouds that came with it. Its beginning to feel like November, not July. Weather forecast for Scotland predicts it lingering until this weekend, I do hope it clears as we've made plans to do travelling a little further afield this time. Its no fun driving when the rain is lashing down on you at the best of times, much worse when you don't know the roads either. We can only hope that it clears by Saturday.

The early start, hence early finish at work today gave me an opportunity to make something a bit more comforting on this rather wet and blustery day - 'a rustic cauliflower, stilton and walnut flan'.
This is not a set flan, the filling is creamy. It reminded me a little of cauliflower cheese. The walnuts added a nice crunch too. I think these are best served with some new potatoes, simply boiled as the creamy coating from the cauliflower should give it enough flavour.
Cauliflower, Stilton and walnut flan
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small cauliflower
25g butter
25g flour
275ml milk
125g Stilton cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
50g chopped walnuts
Method
Set oven to gas mark 6. Make shortcrust pastry to a recipe you are comfortable with and line a flan tin. Bake blind.
Break the cauliflower into bite sized florets, boil or steam until just tender (about 6 minutes) then drain. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, cook for a few seconds, then pour in milk and stir over heat to make a smooth sauce. Simmer gently for 5 – 10 minutes, to cook the flour, then remove from heat, mix in 75g of the cheese and season. Add cauliflower, stirring gently to coat. Spoon into flan case, sprinkle with rest of the cheese and the walnuts. Return flan to oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve at once. Adapted from Rose Elliot's Complete Vegetarian Cooking.

kale and sprouts for dinner

This is what we had to eat yesterday. Curly kale and brussel sprouts cooked in good olive oil till tender. Served with jacket potatoes covered in St Agur, a blue cheese. It was simple food and it was delicious.

PS I know its not well presented, but its the taste that matters.