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Onion Fest!

Onion Fest!

We’ve reached “O” in our “Vegetarian Alphabet” and realistically it had to be Onions. They are a staple here in the same way that we always try to have Potatoes in the draw.

We decided to be indecisive and go with a warm buffet sort of gig, with Onion Bhaji, Onion Rings and a Cheese and Onion Pasties.

Onion Bhaji

Onion Bhaji Ingredients:-

 2 Onion roughly chopped
100g Gram flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp Chilli powder
½ tsp Ground Cloves
½ tsp Ground Turmeric
Salt
Oil to fry
 
Method:-
 

(1) Mix all the ingredients into a stiff batter in a bowl.
(2) Deep fry at 170c until they float and the protruding Onion starts to brown.
(3) Remove and drain on Kitchen Paper.

Cheese and Onion Pastries

Pastry Ingredients:-

340g Plain Flour (Gluten free here)
2 tsp Xanthum Gum
220g Margarine
2 Eggs
2 tsp cold water
A pinch of Salt

Filling ingredients:-

Cooled mashed Potato
Wholegrain Mustard
Grated Cheese
Roughly Chopping Onion

You’ll also want a beaten Egg for an Egg wash.

Method:-

(1) Rub the Margarine and Salt into the Flour to form a crumb texture.
(2) Beat the Eggs and add the Water to them.
(3) Fork the Water and Egg into the Crumb mixture a little at a time.
(4) Use you hands to kneed into a dough.
(5) Set aside in the fridge for an hour wrapping in Cling Film.
(6) Mix the filling ingredients.
(7) Roll out the Pastry and use a small dish to cut circles.
(8) Stuff and crimp your Pasties and brush with an Egg wash, using Egg wash as a glue.
(9) Stab holes in the Pastry to let the steam out.
(10) Place in a preheated over at 180c and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
(11) Remove from the oven and eat hot our preferably allow to cool.

Onion Rings

Onion Rings Ingredients:-

1 Large Onion, cut into rings
Self Raising Flour (Gluten free here)
Soda Water
Garlic Salt
Onion Salt
Black Pepper
Paprika

Method:-

(1) Mix the ingredients to make a sticky batter. Adjust with more Water or Flour for thickness.
(2) Dredge the Onion rings in Flour.
(3) Dunk in the batter and fry in small batches fry until until golden brown.

We served these with a Tomato and Onion dressed salad, an Onion and Gherkin salad and some dips and chips.

 

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Foraged Pine Bolete Stroganoff

Our central and eastern European friends have a much stronger tradition of gathering and eating wild Mushrooms than we do. Which is cool for us when I find something which I know is not poisonous and good eating!

This is out take on a traditional Russian recipe, modified to suit the ingredients we had available. All we actually needed to buy specifically was a small bottle of White Wine at £1.35 which we used half of - Because we tight like that!

Ingredients:-

1 Onion, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp Paprika
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 Button Mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 Forages Pine Bolete Mushrooms cleaned and thickly sliced
100ml White Wine
150g Basmati Rice
A glug of Soy Sauce
500ml Vegetable Stock
100ml Sour Cream
A sprinkling of home grown Parsley for some colour
Salt & Pepper
Oil to fry

Method:-

(1) In a large frying pan heat a little oil on a medium-low heat.
(2) Add the Onion and Garlic, cook for about 5 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the Paprika and Cayenne Pepper. Season with Salt & Pepper.
(3) Cook for a further couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
(4) Add all the mushrooms, and fry on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown all over.
(5) Stir in the Soy Sauce.
(6) Meanwhile cook the Rice in another pan.
(7) Turn down the heat under the Mushroom mixture, add the stock a little at a time. Let this reduce for a few minutes.
(8) Add the Wine and reduce by a third.
(9) Finally stir in the Sour Cream.
(10) Serve over the drained Rice.

It’s clearly not the most photogenic dish even garnished with a bit of Parsley, but looks can and are deceptive!

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