Butter Pie aka Friday pie or catholic pie

Today saw an attempt at "Butter Pie" - traditional Lancashire delicacy. Or for those not in the know, potato and onion pie, traditionally served on a Friday so as to comply with the catholic rule of not eating meat on a Friday. Apparently my version is a little dry when compared with commercial avaliable versions, but very tasty all the same, of course should be served with HP or Heinz tomato sauce if liked, pickled red cabbage or beetroot all work well.

To make the shortcrust pastry

Ingredients

• 8oz of plain flour
• 2oz butter
• 20z white fat (dripping / lard or veg fat)

Method

Blend in food processor and then drizzle in just enough cold water to make the pastry form a ball.

Leave in the fridge to rest for 1/2 an hour

In the mean time, peel 3 large potatoes and 1 onion, cut the potato into large chunks and the onion in to half moon rings. Parboil for approx 20 mins until potatoes are just soft but still holding there shape. Drain and slice into your pie dish , into which you have rolled out a bottom layer, layer in the onions, salt and pepper and flecks of butter. Top off with your top layer of pastry. Bake at 180 degrees for approx 1/2 hour until golden. Serve immediately with your preferred condiment.

Cedar Farm Galleries - Mawdsley

Hubby suggested a walk yesterday, so on our way to Lancashire Wildlife trusts reserve at Mere Sands Wood, we called in for lunch at Cedar Farm Galleries, Mawdsley. The food in the cafe is excellent , modern and freshly produced. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. Also the galleries showcasing local arts and crafts provide interesting browsing for an hour or so. We also purchased some superb oolong tea from Roberts & Co, apparently this supposed to help with high blood pressure and weightloss.

Three fishes - Mitton

Today we had lunch at the best pub in Lancashire, the "three fishes" at Mitton nr Whalley. Owned and operated by Northcote Manor this is the place to experience superb Lancashire food in relaxed and informal atomosphere. The website is on the links on this page.

Blackberries & Apples

Whilst in the garden today dodging the showers, discovered some blackberry on the thorn less blackberry “Loch Ness”. I decided I would make a cobbler with them and also use some apples from the garden.

Ingredients

• 4 oz Blackberries
• 2 eating apples peeled, cored and chopped in to small chunks
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 1tbsp cornflour - Mix all these together in an open proof bowl

• 6 oz Self-raising flour
• 3 oz butter, chopped in to small chunks
• 125ml plain low fat yoghurt3 oz caster sugar

Method

Mix in the food processor until you have a sticky mixture, place this on top of the blackberry and apple mixture, sprinkle top with some extra caster sugar and cook in the oven @ 180 deg C, for approx 40 mins. Serve with custard or cream

Hubby took a picture of the final result; the resulting cobbler was a nice rustic dessert, light and very moreish.

Beetroot soup after the farmers market

Today saw hubby, my brother, nephew and myself all visiting the local farmers market in the rain. The market at Cedar Farm Gallery, Mawdsley is on the first Saturday in the month. The market is well attended and you can get all sorts there. This was my brother's and nephews first visit and both really enjoyed the atmosphere and the resultant goodies they left with.

Several of the producers have been nominated for UKTVfood "Food Hero" awards and the black pudding supplier is even a Rick Stein hero. On returning with some excellent lamb and local Lancashire cheese I decided to make soup with some of the beetroot in the garden.

The beetroot is not the usual purple type and is the striped "choggia" version, still tastes the same though. I also grated an onion, 2 carrots and added half a dozen leaves from a Savoy cabbage. I then simmered this for approx 40 mins with beef stock and some tomato puree. Result a fairly textured soup when liquidised but with a fairly distinct beetroot tang.