Fr Alex's Recipes
VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO MASH
Not only do these Lenten recipes reduce our carbon footprint, they can also be made with fairly traded ingredients
that give workers a fair pay for their labour.
What sweeter life could there be?
Good thing about this pie, is that most of the ingredients are produced in the United Kingdom
and you can get them all year round
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced
- 2 large carrots (500g/1lb 2oz in total), cut into sugar-cube size pieces
- 2 tbsp thyme chopped
- 200ml red wine
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 410g can green lentils (or any Lentils)
- 950g sweet potatoes*, peeled and cut into chunks
- 25g butter
- 85g vegetarian mature cheddar, grated
*
For an alternative topping and If you want to really skimp on your Air Miles, substitute the Sweet Potato with Parsnip or ordinary potato or indeed a mix of both (Same Quantity) and make the topping exactly the same way.
Method
STEP 1
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry 1 halved and sliced large onion until golden.
STEP 2
Add 2 large carrots, cut into sugar-cube size pieces and most of the 2 tbsp chopped thyme, reserving a sprinkling for later.
STEP 3
Pour in 200ml red wine, 150ml water and a 400g chopped tomatoes, then crumble in 2 vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins.
STEP 4
Tip in a 410g can green lentils, including the juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
STEP 5
Meanwhile, boil 950g sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with 25g butter and season to taste.
STEP 6
Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over 85g grated vegetarian mature cheddar and the remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
STEP 7
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straightaway, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.
Basic Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 375gms. sifted Strong Bread/cake flour
- 250gms. – Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 250gms. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 250ml Strong brewed coffee
- 250ml. light olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. aged balsamic vinegar
Method
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter and dust with all-purpose flour. Set aside.
Whisk the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
Stir the coffee, oil, vanilla, and vinegar together and whisk into the flour mixture just until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center rack of the oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean — 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Serve the cake, iced with a packet of ready to make chocolate glaze or icing (Dr Oetker) Cake can also be served plain alongside whipped cream or coffee ice cream.
Quality cocoa ensures rich chocolate flavour.
Try Green & Black's organic cocoa — available in most Supermarkets.
Cluster Challenge Answer:
Four ingredients are readily available as Fairtrade products:
Wine, cocoa powder, sugar and coffee.
You can get them in most supermarkets.
You will find the best choice of Fairtrade goods at the Co-op. A more expensive but delicious fairly traded Palestinian olive oil is available from:
(Both shops have a wide range of Fairtrade goods, also available online.)
One World Shop
St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 4BJ