Vegetarian mains
Celeriac & mushroom pie with spring greens
This is a dish that fits so snugly into the category of ‘winter warmer’ as to give the heartiest of meat pies a run for its money.
Ingredients
- 1 celeriac
- 1 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- light olive or vegetable oil
- 25g butter
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 200g portobello mushrooms
- 75ml red wine
- 1 small sprig rosemary
- 150ml double cream
- 1 nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1 pack puff pastry
- 200g spring greens
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Peel the celeriac and cut into 1½cm cubes. Peel and slice the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves.
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Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Get it very hot, so that it is shimmering and nearly starting to smoke. Add the celeriac, being careful not to splash yourself as the oil will hiss and spit for a few seconds. Keep it moving so doesn't catch or burn and after 2 minutes add 50ml of water, half the butter, the cider vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Pop on the lid.
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Step 3
Keep checking every 5 minutes, adding a dash more water if it looks like it may be catching. You want it to cook through, so the edges become soft and the middle retains a toothsome bite, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid.
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Step 4
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the onion on a medium heat until starting to soften, about 10 minutes. While they cook, thickly slice the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the onions, turn up the heat and cook until they start to brown and release their moisture, about 5 minutes.
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Step 5
Pour the wine into the mushrooms, add the chopped garlic and let the liquid bubble and reduce until you have a dark, sticky mess. Season with salt and pepper. Strip the leaves from a small stalk of rosemary and finely chop them. Combine the celeriac and mushrooms in the pie dish/roasting tray.
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Step 6
Pour in 150ml of cream, grate in a little nutmeg and add the chopped rosemary. Mix gently and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper or nutmeg if you see fit. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Lightly beat the egg. Unroll the pastry and cut it out to the size of the rim of your dish. Place it over the top of the filling, tucking it in around the sides.
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Step 7
Brush with the beaten egg, lightly score a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife and slash a couple of holes in it for the steam to escape. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
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Step 8
While the pie cooks, wash the greens and strip away and discard any tough central stalks. Slice the leaves into a fine shred. Heat a little oil in the other pan and cook the greens until wilted and tender, 8-10 minutes, on a gentle heat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the pie between 2 plates and serve each with a pile of greens.