redwall – The Cellarhog's Blog

Goatsmilk Cheese with Hazelnuts

“Oh excellent! Absolutely top hole! D’you know, I’d forgotten how good the old tiffin at Redwall could be. I say, m’dear, would you mind refreshing an old bachelor hare’s memory? Another tankard of that fine October ale, and perhaps one more portion of your very good summer salad. Ah, and I think I could manage another few slices of Friar Hugo’s quince pie. Superb! Ahem, don’t forget the goatsmilk cheese with hazelnuts. I’m very partial to that. Cut along now, you little charmer.”
-Basil Stag Hare, Redwall by Brian Jacques p.140-141

The food described in the first Redwall book sometimes sets itself apart from the later books in the series, especially with the occasional use of goatsmilk as an ingredient. But, calling myself a Cellarhog would just about be a bold faced lie if I didn’t dip my toes into cheesemaking now and again. This recipe is a simple one for any beginning cheesemaker, with minimal additional tools to clutter your kitchen. The end result is a slightly tart and creamy but crumbly cheese, perfect for spreading on thick slices of toast, slicing on crackers, or crumbling over salad.

To begin with, you will need some tools and ingredients that you may or may not have on hand. Many of these items are available on Amazon, I’ve linked to the exact products I used when available:

A Sturdy Stainless Steel Pot with a Lid
A large metal Colander (ideally one with feet or a stand)
A Thermometer with a Clip (it doesn’t need to be a candy thermometer as you only need to be able to read 72-86 degrees Fahrenheit. I used a milk steaming/espresso thermometer.)
Butter Muslin or Cheesecloth
Cheese Molds
Chevre C20G Starter Culture (This packet comes with 5 packets, good for 5 batches of Goat Cheese, just make sure to store in your freezer promptly when it arrives!)
Rennet
A Cheese Drying Mat (Sushi mats make inexpensive options)
Vacuum Seal Bags (You don’t need an expensive vacuum sealer, the linked bags work great for me).
1 Gallon Goat Milk (Raw or Pasteurized, but not Ultra Pasteurized, read the label carefully!)
Coarse Kosher Salt
1 1/2 Cup Whole Raw Hazelnuts

Beginning with day one, I recommend starting this recipe in the evening just before bed if you have a little free time the following morning. To start the recipe you will need the goat milk, starter culture, and rennet, as well as the pot and thermometer. Ensure that all of your tools are thoroughly cleaned prior to beginning the recipe.

The first step is to acidify and heat the milk. Pour the goat milk in the pot and clip on your thermometer. Fill your sink with hot water and gently place the pot in the hot water, you will want it to reach at least the same level as the milk, but not so high that you risk spilling water into the pot. Allow the temperature to reach 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter months I go all the way to 86 because my home holds a chill, but if it is warmer weather 68-72 degrees will be sufficient. Stir the pot a couple of times to ensure that the milk heats evenly.

Once the milk reaches the correct temperature, remove the pot from the sink and it’s time to add the culture and rennet. Dilute 6-8 drops of rennet in about 1 tablespoon unchlorinated water. Sprinkle one packet of culture over the top of the milk and allow it to sit for two minutes to rehydrate, then stir the milk. Add the diluted rennet and stir again.

Place the lid on the pot and allow it to sit undisturbed for 6-12 hours while the culture and rennet allow the curd to coagulate. The milk should stay warm enough, but if your home is particularly chilly (I made this batch in December) you can insulate the pot with a clean bath towel. In colder months you will need to wait the full 12 hours, but in warmer weather your curds are likely to coagulate a little faster.

When your curd has formed sufficiently, you will see a clear separation between the whey and and the curd, and the curd will likely have separate from the sides of your pot. Testing the curd with a knife will show a clean break.

Line a large colander with butter muslin or cheesecloth and gently ladle the curds in. Fold the muslin over the top of the cheese to ensure no dust or flies find their way in, and let it sit. The overall draining period of this cheese for me was about 14 hours during winter, if it is warmer weather you can cut the draining short at 10 hours. Since we are going to be molding the cheese, we want a slightly drier cheese. The longer you allow the cheese to drain the tangier it will be. I usually allow it to drain about 2-3 hours in the sink, which is when the largest amount of liquid will drain off, and then I will place my colander in a large mixing bowl so that I can continue using my kitchen. It’s important to keep an eye on the amount of liquid draining off of your cheese if you keep your colander in a bowl, and make sure to empty the bowl frequently so that the level doesn’t rise high enough to leave the cheese sitting in liquid.

After the draining time it is time to mold and salt the cheese. Carefully spoon the curds into your molds (I recommend using two smaller molds, this will enable your cheese to form faster than one large mold) pushing down gently with each additional spoonful to ensure the mold is filled with minimal pockets of air. I alternated filling between each mold and was able to fill to about 1-1 1/2 inches high. After the molds are filled, smooth over the tops of the cheeses gently with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt over each. Allow the cheese to sit in the molds for 8-10 hours.

After 8-10 hours it will be time to turn and remold the cheese. I like to use two plates for ease of flipping. Turn out the wheel of cheese onto one plate, and place the other plate on top of the wheel. Flip the plates around so that you have flipped your cheese wheel, and then gently place the mold back over the cheese wheel, so that now it has been flipped upside down in the mold. I’ve found that this method enables me to turn the cheese in the molds without accidentally crumbling any bits off. Once again salt the tops of the cheese with about 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt and leave them for another 8-10 hours.

After the second 8-10 hours has elapsed, turn your cheese out onto a cheese drying mat. I bought a cheap sushi mat at Daiso (a Japanese Dollar Store) and found that it works excellently for the purpose. Allow the cheese to sit for another 8-10 hours to firm up. During this time I usually gently cover the cheese with a piece of cheesecloth, which allows the air to reach the cheese but not any wandering fruit flies or bits of dust.

While the cheese is airing out for the last time, it is a good time to roast the hazelnuts.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the hazelnuts out in a single layer. I doubled the amount of hazelnuts called for because I knew that I would be wanting to munch on them when I smelled them coming out of the oven! Bake the hazelnuts for about fifteen minutes, until they become fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Pour the hazelnuts into a clean dishtowel and fold it over, allowing them to steam for two minutes. Using the towel, rub the nuts back and forth to release as much of the skins as possible. Allow the hazelnuts to cool completely and place them in a sealed baggie. Using a meat tenderizer, kitchen mallet, or even heavy bottomed pot, crush the fully cooled hazelnuts until they are broken into small 1/4 pieces.

When the cheese has finished its drying period, roll each wheel in the crushed hazelnuts on all sides, gently pressing the larger pieces into the cheese.

Store the cheese in a vacuum-sealed bag for 12-24 hours to allow the flavors to meld, and then serve! The cheese will keep for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator, on the longer end if you revacuum seal any unused portion.

Serve with crackers, bread, or crumbled over salad. This cheese is delicious on roast beef sandwiches, with fruit, be like Basil Stag Hare and let your stomach be the guide!

Goatsmilk Cheese with Hazelnuts

Servings: Approx 1 lb of Cheese
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes + 52-80 hours resting
Difficulty: Medium
Print

A good beginner's cheesemaking recipe, with many delicious applications.

Ingredients

-1 Gallon Goat Milk (Pasteurized or Raw, never Ultra-Pasteurized)

-1 Tbs Unchlorinated Water

-8 Drops Rennet

-1 Packet Chevre C20G Starter Culture

-1/2 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt, Divided

-1 1/2 cups Raw Hazelnuts

Directions

Gather your ingredients and tools for the cheese (goat milk, starter culture, rennet, unchlorinated water).
Pour the goat milk in a large pot and attach a thermometer with a clip. Place the pot in a sink or basin filled with warm water and allow the temperature of the milk to raise to 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit, stir a couple of times to ensure the milk is evenly heated.
Remove the pot from the sink and sprinkle one packet of Chevre Starter Culture over the top of the milk, allow it to sit for two minutes before stirring in.
Add 8 drops of Rennet to 1 Tbsp of Unchlorinated Water. After two minutes has elapsed since the starter culture was added to the milk, add the rennet and stir the milk gently to ensure it is evenly mixed. Cover the pot and allow it to sit for 6-12 hours.
When the curds have separated from the way, and testing the curd mass with a knife yields an even break, line a large colander with butter muslin or cheese cloth and place in the sink. Ladle the curds into the colander and cover gently. Allow them to drain for 10-14 hours.
Gently scoop the curds into two small cheese molds, gently pressing down with the back of a spoon after each addition scoop to ensure there are no hidden pockets of air. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt and allow the cheese to sit in the molds, loosely covered with cheesecloth, for 8-10 hours.
Using two plates, unmold the cheese and flip it, so that it can be re-inserted into the mold upside down. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt on the top and allow it to sit again, loosely covered with cheesecloth, for 8-10 hours.
Unmold the cheese wheels onto a cheese drying mat (or sushi mat) and allow to sit, loosely covered with cheesecloth, for 8-10 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread hazelnuts in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts become fragrant.
Transfer the still warm hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel and fold it over, allowing them to steam in the towel for two minutes.
After two minutes has elapsed, rub the towel back and forth to loosen the skins from the nuts. Allow the hazelnuts to cool completely before placing in a plastic baggie.
Using a kitchen mallet or meat tenderizer, shatter the hazelnuts into small pieces. Set aside.
After 8-10 hours has elapsed, pour out the shattered hazelnuts onto a cutting board and roll the goat cheese in the nuts, covering every surface and gently pressing the nuts into the cheese.
Vacuum seal the cheese wheels into plastic bags and allow to age for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

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December 28, 2020December 27, 2020

Loukas The CellarhogLeave a comment

Candied Chestnuts

“Ho hurr hurr! Liddle wunner they send oi t’keep watch on ‘ee, you’m a villyen, Maister Gonff. Keepen ‘ee paws outten ‘ee chesknutters, or oi tells Miz Bell offen ‘ee.”
-Billum, from Mossflower by Brian Jacques, p.103

Few foods in the cuisine of Redwall Abbey and the greater Mossflower Wood has captured more readers’ attention and left a more memorable impression than Candied Chestnuts. Making their first appearance early on in Redwall, Candied Chestnuts remain not only a tantalizing described treat, but an important plot device in several books. For me as a child, Candied Chestnuts held an almost holy place: the way Brian Jacques described each morsel, covered in sugar, coveted by birds especially, made me crave them. As such no recipe has ever reached higher on my list of dream recipes than candied chestnuts.

For this recipe I started with a traditional Marrons Glacé recipe but expanded on the recipe to match the descriptions of Candied Chestnuts from the book, namely achieving a crispier outer shell with present sugar crystals. Though the final results takes several days to pay off, you’ll find the crispy shell surrounding a gently chewy center to be well worth the wait.

To begin you will need one and 1/4 cups of water, two cups of granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and approximately one pound of roasted chestnuts (I used three 5.2 oz bags of Gefen Roasted Chestnuts, a little over a pound, available on Amazon). If you have trouble finding roasted chestnuts, I recommend checking in with your local Asian Markets. By using prepackaged roasted chestnuts this recipe is easy to create any time of year, regardless of being bound by Chestnut Season.

In a medium pan, add water, sugar, cardamom, and vanilla and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue cooking it for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chestnuts to the pot carefully, and bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling the chestnuts in the syrup, stirring frequently, for ten minutes.

After ten minutes has elapsed, turn off the heat and allow the mixture sit for about sixty seconds, until it stops bubbling. Carefully transfer the mixture to a clean dish or container and cover loosely. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 12-18 hours. After enough time has elapsed, transfer the mixture back to a clean pot and bring to a boil again, stirring until the mixture is boiling. Allow the chestnuts to boil for three minutes, then remove from heat. Transfer back to the same container once it has ceased bubbling, and once again allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 12-18 hours. Repeat this process 3-5 times (it will required more repetition if the weather is colder, and less in warmer weather) until almost all of the syrup has been absorbed by the nuts.

When you check on the nuts and find that most of the syrup has been absorbed, preheat the oven to 200 degrees, or a warming setting if your oven has one, and transfer them to the pot one last time and bring them to a boil. This time, boil the chestnuts for ten minutes, stirring frequently. The purpose of this final boil is to bring the syrup to a setting temperature, which will allow thick sugar crystals to form on the outside of the chestnuts.

Transfer the chestnuts and remaining syrup back to the cleaned container and set the chestnuts aside to cool slightly (about 3-5 minutes, until you can pick them up safely with your fingers) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the sugar mixture has begun to set around the chestnuts and then can be touched, use a spoon or your fingertips to transfer each chestnut to the lined baking sheet. Allow some of the sugar crystals to remain on the chestnuts, these will help to form the harder outer shell. Bake the chestnuts at 200 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until they have firmed up and the surfaces of the nuts are dry and crispy.

Allow the chestnuts to cool completely, and then transfer to an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, but it’s unlikely they will last all that long! Serve as a snack by themselves, or alongside holiday treats. Or use them as garnishes on baked goods, or chopped in cookies.

Candied Chestnuts

Servings: 4-8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, Plus Soaking Time
Difficulty: Medium
Print

Among the most iconic of Redwall foods, a treat to sweeten any day.

Ingredients

-1 Pound Roasted Chestnuts

-2 Cups Granulated Sugar

-1 and 1/4 Cups Water

-1 tsp Vanilla Extract

-1/4 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

-1/4 tsp Cardamom

Directions

Gather your ingredients.
Bring Water, Sugar, Vanilla, Cardamom, and Nutmeg to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Add chestnuts and boil for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
All to cool until mixture stops bubbling and transfer to a clean container. Cover loosely. Allow to sit for 12-18 hours undisturbed.
Transfer the mixture to a medium pot and bring back to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Allow to boil for three minutes. Allow to cool and transfer back to container, cover loosely, and allow to sit undisturbed for 12-18 hours.
Repeat step 5 3-5 times, until almost all of the syrup has been absorbed by the chestnuts.
Once almost all of the syrup has been absorbed, preheat oven to 200 degrees and bring chestnuts to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil over medium heat for ten minutes. Transfer back to the container and allow them to cool until syrup starts to set.
Using a spoon or your fingertips, transfer chestnuts one by one to a parchment lined baking sheet, taking care to make sure each chestnuts has some sugar crystals attached.
Bake at 200 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until the nuts have firmed up and are dry and crispy to the touch.
Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

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December 26, 2020

Loukas The CellarhogLeave a comment

Oat and Honey Scones

“You’ll like Goody Stickle. If I did have a mother one times, then she couldn’t be any nicer than Goody. Wait till you taste her spring vegetable soup, or her oat and honey scones, piping hot and oozing butter, or her apple and blackberry pudding with spices and fresh cream, or just her new yellow cheese with hot oven bread and a stick of fresh celery, aye, and a bowl of milk with nutmeg grated on top of it…”
-Gonff the Mousethief, Mossflower by Brian Jacques, p. 50

Few things in the world are quite as comforting as warm fresh scones from the oven, drizzled with honey and jam, and cup of hot herbal tea. If you’re looking for a good breakfast scone, a vessel for hot butter and honey, or just something to munch on before bed, then look no further than this recipe. A tad sweeter than Goody Stickle’s Oatfarls, and fluffier from their time in the oven, these scones prove that by tweaking a few ingredients a recipe can have a completely different outcome.

Begin, as always, by assembling your ingredients. For these scones you’ll need 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup oat flour, 1/4 cup old fashioned oats, 1 tbsp honey, 4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, 2/3 cup whole milk, and 1 large egg. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cube the butter and add it to a food processor along with the flour, oat flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times until everything is well blended and has developed a sandy texture. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add the egg to your pre-measured milk and whisk with a fork until it is well combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this mixture for later, and add the rest to the mixing bowl with the butter mixture, followed by the old fashioned oats, and honey. Stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it becomes too difficult to stir, at which point knead the dough against the sides of the bowl with your hand until it is thoroughly combined. It will be a wet dough, but avoid the temptation to add too much flour to the dough, or else the scones will come out tough and brittle.

Lightly flour your workspace and transfer the dough, kneading it until a soft ball forms. It will still be sticky, but continue to avoid adding too much flour or overkneading. Roll the dough out to one inch thickness, and use a scone or biscuit cutter to cut circles out of the dough. Do not twist as you cut, push down straight or the scones will not rise as high. You should be able to cut about 6-7 scones from the dough, and you can push together the scraps and get another scone or two out of them.

Arrange the scones on your parchment-lined baking sheet about two inches apart, and brush the tops with the reserved milk and egg mixture. Bake the scones for 15 minutes, until both the tops and bottoms are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes, and serve warm with tea and honey or jam.

Oat and Honey Scones

Servings: 5-7
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Sweet and hearty scones to warm even the darkest hearts.

Ingredients

-1 Cup All Purpose Flour

-1 Cup Oat Flour

-1/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats

-1 Tbsp Honey

-4 tsp Baking Powder

-1/2 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt

-1/4 Cup Sugar

-6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature

-2/3 Cup Whole Milk

-1 Large Egg

Directions

Gather your ingredients. Preheat oven to 425 Degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add Oat Flour, All Purpose Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, and Cubed Butter to food processor and pulse several times until the mixture has a sandy consistency and is thoroughly combined.
Add egg to pre-measured milk and whisk to combine with a fork. Reserve 2 tbsp of milk and egg mixture in a small bowl, and add the remainder to the butter mixture, along with the honey and old fashioned oats.
Stir to combine first with a spatula, and then with your hands, kneading the dough against the sides of the bowl until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Lightly flour your workstation and turn out dough onto the lightly floured surface. Knead until a soft ball forms, do not add excess flour.
Roll out the dough to one inch thickness and use a biscuit or scone cutter to cut circles out of the dough. Combine the dough scraps to get one or two more scones.
Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet about two inches apart, and brush the tops with the reserved milk and egg mixture.
Bake at 425 Degrees for fifteen minutes, or until both the tops and bottoms are golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes, and serve warm with honey and jam.

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December 21, 2020December 19, 2020

Loukas The CellarhogLeave a comment

Goody Stickle’s Oatfarls

The hedgehog gnawed her lip. “Well, they ain’t slept in their beds last night. Asides that, there’s two oatfarls, a good wedge o’ cheese and some of my best blackcurrant cordial missin’ from the larder.”
Martin could not help smiling at the thought of the two little would-be warriors. “All that for breakfast! They’ll go bang one of these days. I wouldn’t worry too much, Mrs. Stickle. Knowing those two rascals, they’ll be back by lunchtime for more food.”
-Brian Jacques, Mossflower p. 117

What, exactly, is an oatfarl? Put simply, it’s a small quadrant shaped cake fitting somewhere on a Venn diagram where scones, soda bread, and bakestones (picau ar y maen, in Welsh) meet. The word “Farl” comes from a word once used in Lowland Scotland, “Fardel,” to describe a three cornered cake, usually oatcake. The word farl is most commonly used in Northern Ireland in the present, to describe what is often called “North Irish Soda Bread,” a key component of the Ulster Fry. Based on these explanations of a farl, an Oatfarl is more closely related to the Scottish Fardel than the Ulster Farl. A small dense oatcake, perfect for eating with cheese or alongside a hearty vegetable soup, and easy to prepare on the stove without ever flipping your oven on. My oatfarl recipe is perfect for anyone trying to add a simple bread to their evening meal without a great deal of effort, or anyone blessed with a tiny oven-less apartment.

Begin by gathering your ingredients. You’ll need 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 cup of oat flour, 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats, 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. If you don’t have kosher salt, use 1/4 teaspoon of table salt. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill the rest of the way to the one cup line with whole milk. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes and it will add the same flavors as buttermilk to the recipe.

If you’re using a cast iron skillet, you can set it to preheat on the stove over medium-low heat. If you’re using a non-stick or aluminum skillet it won’t need to preheat. Whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly.

Add the buttermilk and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a thick and sticky dough forms.

Generously flour your countertop or working space with oat flour and tip out your dough onto the counter. Dust the top of the dough with oat flour and then knead the dough until it comes together in a soft ball. It will still be sticky, but not nearly as sticky as it was before. You can continue to add additional oat flour a dusting at a time until you are able to achieve this ball.

Flatten the ball with your hands until it is about one or one and a half inches thick. No need to use a rolling pin. Use a sharp knife to cut the round into four equal quadrants. Flatten each quarter separately into half inch thick wedges and set aside.

If you have not preheated your skillet, heat it now over medium-low heat. When the skillet is hot, place the farls in the skillet with a little space in between each one. Make sure your skillet is not too hot, or else the bottoms will brown before the inside has had time to cook. Cook for about 15 minutes until the bottoms are a deep golden brown, and then flip the farls, cooking on the opposite side for an additional 15 minutes. Check the bottoms of the farls halfway through each cooking period, turning down the heat a little if they are browning too quickly. Cool the oatfarls on a wire rack and serve with wedges of cheese, jam, honey, or alongside vegetable soup.

Goody Stickle's Oatfarls

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Print

Warm, hearty Oatfarls perfect for wee little warriors on an adventure.

Ingredients

-1 Cup All Purpose Flour

-1 Cup Oat Flour

-1/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oats

-1 Cup Buttermilk

-1 tsp Baking Soda

-1/2 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt

Directions

Gather your ingredients. Preheat skillet on medium-low if using cast iron.
Whisk dry ingredients to combine.
Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until a rough sticky dough forms.
Generously flour your workspace with oat flour and turn out dough onto the flour. Dust the top of the dough with more oat flour and knead until a soft ball forms.
Flatten the ball with your hands and cut into four quadrants with a sharp knife. Flatten each quadrant to about half an inch thick.
Place farls in hot skillet and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes on each side, checking halfway through and turning down heat if they seem to be browning too quickly.
Cool on a wire rack and serve warm.

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December 19, 2020December 19, 2020

Loukas The CellarhogLeave a comment

Leek and Mushroom Pasties

“Follow me. You’ll have to put a move on, though. I put a leek and mushroom pastie in the oven before Ashnin called. I just hope it hasn’t burned.”
-Loambudd, Salamandastron

As I discussed where to begin this blog with my roommate, we threw around a lot of different ideas. Over the years I’ve indulged in recreating food from different fictional universes, always returning to Redwall and Brian Jacques’ luscious descriptions of English-inspired culinary treats. I wanted to choose a recipe that I had used a number of times, and maybe one that hasn’t been done to death just yet (don’t get me wrong, I love Deeper’n’Ever Turnip’n’Tater’n’Beetroot Pie as much as the next critter). An obvious choice was Leek and Mushroom Pasties, first mentioned in Salamandastron, then throughout the books often served hot right from the Abbey Ovens to hungry mouths.

Pasties, sometimes called “hand pies,” have a convoluted and far-reaching history that likely extends much further back than historians have been able to pinpoint. However the most readily accepted origin of pasties is in Cornwall, England, home of the Cornish Pasty (or Pastie).

These pasties are most delicious served hot and fresh from the oven, but are also still quite tasty served cold with a cup of strong hot tea (I’ve been working through a box of Glengettie Welsh Tea and find it’s a delicious tea served with savories). If you plan to reheat them the following day, I recommend storing them with paper towels and reheating in the oven (about 10 minutes at 350 degrees is sufficient) or a toaster oven. If you reheat in the microwave they’ll come out a little chewy, but edible.

To start you’ll need a single batch of my Grammy’s Butter Crust recipe, refrigerated as logs for pasties. (Sometimes I like to make a double batch of pastry dough when I’m making pasties, so that I have an easy dinner start the next night).

Next you’ll gather together your ingredients for the pasty filling:

The secret of this recipe is really using a variety of mushrooms. Different mushrooms will add different flavors and textures, and with the umami of a variety of mushrooms you won’t find yourself wishing for any meat in the recipe at all. For this recipe I used some of the mushrooms I most commonly cook with: Eryngii (King Oyster Mushrooms), Shiitake, Oyster Mushrooms, and Cremini (also known as Baby Bella) mushrooms. If you have trouble finding any of these, some other delicious mushrooms options I’ve used are: Button mushrooms, portobello, shimeji, or maitake (though since maitake mushrooms cook down more than others, if you use them add a little extra). If you experiment with a kind of mushroom I don’t mention, please let me know how it turned out in the comments!

You’ll also need a medium sized leek, fresh parsley, flour, butter, kosher salt, smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and vegetable broth. If you have a favourite vegetable broth, stock, or bouillon feel free to bring it out for this recipe, but if you do not I cannot recommend Better Than Bouillon enough. Their vegetable bouillon is rich and delicious, not nearly as salty as other bouillon brands, and tastes the most like real fresh vegetable stock.

Cut your mushrooms into thin slices, the smaller you go the more like mincemeat the texture of the final pies will be. You should have about 2 cups of mushrooms after cutting them up. Slice three inches of the white part of the leek into thin rounds (about 1/4 of an inch thick) and cut each round in half. Finely mince the parsley.

Next we’re going to make the gravy.

To make a thick and rich gravy we’ll start with a roux. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan and add one tablespoon of flour, stirring quickly with a rubber spatula. Cook the resulting roux over low heat for about 1-2 minutes, to help cook off the raw flour flavour. Slowly add your prepared vegetable stock about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring to completely combine between each addition. When all of the stock has been added, continue simmering your gravy over low heat for about eight minutes, or until it has achieved desired thickness. After your gravy is done, remove from heat and set aside for now.

Next we’ll move on to the filling: Start by sautéing the chopped leeks on medium heat in one tablespoon of butter until they’ve softened and become slightly translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced parsley and eryngii mushrooms, which can take a little longer to cook than other varieties, and stir to combine, about one minute. Add the rest of the mushrooms, paprika, pepper, and salt and continue to sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked through. Add the reserved gravy and stir to combine. Allow the filling to simmer on medium heat for about six minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When the filling has finished cooking, set it aside and allow to cool completely to room temperature before advancing to the next step. It is also possible to put it to the fridge to cool it completely, this will allow for thicker pasties with more filling.

Bring out your log of butter pastry and using a sharp knife slice it into slices. This recipe makes 6 standard sized pasties, or if you would like smaller bites for an appetizer or a Dibbun Snack, you can slice it into 10 smaller rounds (the batch pictured were made into Dibbun Snacks). On a generously floured surface, roll your first round to about 1/8 inch thickness for a standard sized pasty, or a little thinner if you’re making small pasties. Using your fingers, thin the edges of the round. This will help prevent the crimped edges of your final pasties from being too thick. Holding the rolled dough in one hand, spoon pie filling into the round. About 3 tablespoons of filling for small pies, 4-5 tablespoons for larger pies. Fold the dough over in your hand, and carefully crimp it with a fork (easiest with smaller pasties), or fold over the edges to crimp as a classic pasty.

Carefully lay each pasty on a nonstick or lined baking sheet as you go. After laying all the pasties out carefully score the top with a small sharp knife. Be careful to make sure you are scoring all the way into the filling, but not so deep that you are scoring the bottom of the pasties. Gently brush the top of each pasty with a beaten egg, taken care to cover the entire tops and crimped edges of each pasty.

Bake the pasties in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until the tops are golden brown, 35 minutes for ten smaller pasties, or 40-45 minutes for six larger pasties.

As I mentioned earlier, the pasties are best served warm. I like to serve the pasties with pickled onions, sharp cheddar, and Ploughman’s Pickle or tomato chutney to spread on each bite, with mead or ale to wash it down. If you’re reading in the US, Ploughman’s Pickle is a pickled vegetable spread that can be found in most English Grocers, or any grocery store with a good selection of English ingredients. To make your pasties into a complete meal try serving them with vegetable soup or a garden salad.