It was such a relaxed session at
the Approved Premises in Chorlton this Wednesday, despite the guys having to
prepare a good deal of seasonal vegetables for the beef and root vegetable casserole with herby dumplings and a lovely rustic Lancashire crust pie using the same beef and veg mix. Kim
shared tips on how to peel and chop the hard-skinned butternut squash and the guys
deftly worked their way through the parsnips, carrots, tomatoes, leeks and
beetroot, and were reminded about what they learnt last week: that ‘eating a rainbow’ of vegetables aids digestion
and is simply more enticing. Bay leaves, tomato puree and paprika were added to
the saucepan with the chopped root vegetables, along with fragrant
rosemary and thyme. Our tastebuds were well and truly awakened when the
braising beef – a cheap cut, but tasty if you cook it for the right length of time – was set to brown on a high heat then combined with the veg and stock poured over.
While the mixture stewed, the
guys set to measuring out flour, one batch for the dumplings and another for the pie top – however, the
batteries in the scales were flat! Kim welcomed suggestions to overcome the
dilemma, then explained that you
can calculate the required amount simply by judging the quantity left in
the bag in relation to the ‘full package’ amount. The guys relished the
challenge, and we ended up with some beautifully fluffy chive dumplings and a
perfect crust pie top. Our hearty lunch was accompanied by broccoli florets
which had been treated to a sprinkling of lemon juice – a very tasty and
extremely satisfying, colourful meal.
Visit our Facebook page for more photographs from the session.
No comments:
Post a Comment