Picnic bakes from Michelle Darmody
Three of the recipes included here taste good eaten in the great out doors, preferably under dappled, summer sunlight. Once cooled they can be wrapped in baking parchment and a tea towel or popped into a lunchbox for ease of transport.
The pork and prune pies are a nice neat size; you can of course make bigger versions and slice them up. I have often made similar pies with apricot instead of the prunes or a variety of chopped green herbs to add a freshness.
It is possible to make your own puff pastry from scratch but it is very time consuming. There are quite good varieties available to buy in the frozen food section of shops. I try and get one that is ready rolled so I can work with it soon after taking it from the freezer. If it comes in one block it will take longer to defrost.
Marmalade tarts are nice served with a spoon of clotted cream sitting on top or a dollop of whipped cream. I mix some Grand Marnier through the marmalade to make it a bit more runny and to add some extra flavour. You could use other orange liqueurs such as Cointreau.
Although all of these recipes are very tasty a crisp sandwich is always a good picnic fall back.
Pork and prune pies
flour for dusting
280g of puff pastry
200g of minced pork meat
50g of prunes, de stoned and chopped
25g of pistachio nuts, without their shells and chopped
1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper of mild chilli powder
1/2 tbs of brandy
a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Grease and then flour six holes in a large muffin tin.
Lightly coat a clean surface in flour and roll the pastry to just over a millimeter think. Cut six 4in circles. Re-roll the pastry again and cut six 3in circles.
Gently lay the 4in circles into the prepared muffin tin. Place it into the fridge. Place the six 3in circles on a plate and into the fridge as well. Lightly dust between them or use some parchment to stop them sticking together.
Mix the pork mince, some seasoning, the nuts, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, brandy and parsley together until everything is combined.
Press the pork mixture firmly into the waiting 4in cases. Press the meat down firmly. Top each pie with the smaller circle and press around the edges so they are firmly held together. Cut a hole in the centre and brush with the beaten egg.
Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through. Serve with some chutney on the side.
Broccoli and parsley and sesame bake
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
40g of butter
40g of plain flour
280mls of milk
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of ground nutmeg
130g of cheddar, grated
a bunch of parsley, chopped
280g sheet of puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
a handful of sesame seeds
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment.
Steam the broccoli florets and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Stir over a low heat for about two minutes to cook the flour. Whisk the milk into the mixture in a continuous stream until the sauce is smooth and beginning to thicken.
Season it and add the cayenne and nutmeg. Stir in the grated cheese, the broccoli and parsley.
Lay out the sheet of pastry pastry and spoon the mixture the length of it on one side. Fold the pastry over and seal it. You will have a long sausage shape. Place onto the baking tray with the joined sided at the bottom. Make slits across the pastry from side to side. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden.
Marmalade tartlets
225g flour
a pinch of sea salt
140g butter
55g caster sugar
1 egg
6 tbs of marmalade
1/2 tbs of Grand Marnier
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Grease it lightly and dust with flour a cupcake tin.
Mix the flour and salt and rub in the butter, do not over mix.
Stir the sugar into the eggs, mix it lightly and add to the flour. Rest the pastry for an hour in the fridge or over night.
Roll the pastry on a flour dusted surface and cut into 12 circles large enough to fit into the holes in the tin.
Mix the marmalade and the Grand Marnier.
Gently place them in the greased tin and place a small spoon of marmalade in the centre. Leave room all around so that the marmalade does not spill over.
Slice 48 thin strips of pastry each about the length of a tart. Cross the strips over the tart and pinch at the edges.
Bake for about 15 minutes at 180.
