PICNIC FAVOURITES ================= 4 Recipes - Further recipes will be added from time to time 1. Picnic Pie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ingredients: 12oz Shortcrust pastry 8 oz Bacon - chopped 1 oz Butter 6 Large eggs Salt & pepper as needed Method: -Preheat oven to 200c/400f/Mark 6. -Roll out just over half the pastry and line a 9 inch pie dish or deep flan tin -Melt butter in a frying pan and cook the bacon gently until coloured -Drain well and arrange on the base of the pastry -Break the eggs onto the bacon - placing 5 around the edge and one in the centre -Tilt the dish so that the whites meet -Add a sprinkling of salt (Omit if bacon salty) and pepper -Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the pie, sealing the edges well -Glaze with beaten egg or milk and bake for 25mins then -Reduce heat to 160c/325f/Mark 3 and bake for another 15mins -Serve cold cut into slices +++ 2. Walnut Bread ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ingredients: 1lb Flour 9oz Molasses or dark soft brown sugar 1/2tsp Ground Cinnamon Pinch Ground cloves 1tsp Baking powder 1/2tsp Salt 5oz Walnuts cut in half or chopped 2 Eggs - beaten 1/2pt Milk (can be up to 3/4pt) Method: -Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Mark 4 -Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin -Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves into a large mixing bowl -Sift in the molasses sugar -Stir the salt and walnuts and then the beaten eggs -Slowly pour in the milk - beating all the time until the mixture is like a paste and hard to beat -Put the mixture into the tin and cook for 45-60mins until the loaf is cooked through and a skewer comes out clean -Cool the loaf in the tin for a few mins then turn out onto a wire rack to become cold +++ 3. Herb Paté ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ingredients: 10oz Cooked or frozen spinach 1lb Lean pork - minced 4oz Cooked bacon - chopped 1sm Onion 2tbsp Mixed fresh herbs (e.g. Thyme, Basil, Prsley, Sage, Rosemary) Grated nutmeg Salt & pepper 1 Egg 4 Rashers of streaky bacon Method: -Preheat oven to 180c/350f/Mark 4 -Cook sufficient spinach to produce 10oz (about 1 1/2 lb of leaves) or use frozen - thawed then pressed and drained well (pat with paper to dry) -Chop spinach and place in mixing bowl with rest of ingredients apart from the bacon rashers -Mix very well to combine -Press the mixture into a 2lb loaf tin or a 1 1/2 pint dish and cover with the bacon rashers -Cover with foil and stand in a roasting tin -Pour in hot water until half submerged -Place in oven and cook for 1hr (until cooked through) -Remove and place a heavy weight on top -When cool, chill overnight with the weight on top (Makes it easier to slice) +++ 4. Chilled Cucumber Soup ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ingredients: 2 large Cucumbers 2oz Butter 1/2tsp Sugar Salt & Pepper 10fl oz Milk 1sm Onion - halved 1 Bay leaf 1oz Flour 15fl oz Vegetable or chicken stock 5fl oz Single cream Method: -Peel cucumbers, cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds -Chop the flesh and blanch in boiling water for 2mins; this preserves the green colour -Melt half the butter in a pan and add the cucumber, sugar and salt & pepper to taste -Cover and cook gently for about 15mins until soft -Heat the milk with the onion halves and bay leaf in a second pan -Bring to boiling point then remove, cover and leave to stand for at least 10mins -Melt the remaining butter in a pan over low heat and stir in the flour. Cook for 1min -Gradually add the milk (discard the onion and bay leaf) stirring constantly to make a thick smooth sauce. -Add this to the cucumbers with the stock and cook over a low heat for 15mins -Pureé the mixture in a food processor or blender or push through a sieve. -Return the soup to the rinsed pan and stir in the cream. -Check the seasoning and leave until cold -Chill until needed. +++