Shortage of some vegetables

[Takethedogalong]

I hope some good comes out of this to be honest. This country is far too reliant upon imported goods in general, not just foodstuffs. Whilst it is nice having a lot of choice and year round choice, where possible I do think that home produced stuff should be first choice, and as for rejecting less than perfectly shaped and coloured fruit and veg, have always though this almost criminal while others around world starve. Might have to start harvesting our own again as well, if immigrant cheap labour is less available.

[Admiral]

Now it has been announced on the News the shops will be empty.  OH just been to Sainsbury's and got Courgettes, broccoli, leeks and green beans no more expensive than usual.

I think the Media in general are hyping this up, people will go and stock up with more than they need creating the shortage

[DaveFL2]

I have a wonderful recipe for a deep filled pie that has sprouts in the filling. Quartered, gently fried along with shallots, cubed potatoes, mushrooms, whatever other veg you fancy, then the veg is stirred into a thick homemade cheese sauce. The whole filling is poured into a pie dish lined with filo pastry, the overlapping sheets of filo are pulled over the top and fancied up a bit, and then into a hot oven. I used a clip cake tin, so that I could unclip it once cooked, and then cut pie slices. Kept its shape lovely, trick is to make sauce thick and use plenty of veg. Good seasoning, including herbs if you fancy them works well in pie filling! Delicious, looks nice as well.

TDA, I'm not into cooking at all but as Carol is a 'Veggy' and I was thinking of perhaps surprising her with a first ever homemade pie when she returns from a Sunday Club walk. Could you knock up an easy to follow recipe of this with easy peasy guide please It does sound delicious.
I did once make pasty's (obviously hers had all veg) and mine had steak but they turned out quite well.

[David from Suffolk]

Dianne and I live in an area that can grow lots of vegetables carrots , potatoes onions, parsnips , celery. beet root. but the most profitable crop is maize for the Bio Di jesters , provided you grow the tonnage low inputs low labour requirement. and a ready buyer with a known price per ton. Hence acres of maize grown each year. I am told there will be a lot more this summer ass new plan is coming on stream. Growing food on alot of farms is a secondary requirement in this part of Suffolk.

[Takethedogalong]

I have a wonderful recipe for a deep filled pie that has sprouts in the filling. Quartered, gently fried along with shallots, cubed potatoes, mushrooms, whatever other veg you fancy, then the veg is stirred into a thick homemade cheese sauce. The whole filling is poured into a pie dish lined with filo pastry, the overlapping sheets of filo are pulled over the top and fancied up a bit, and then into a hot oven. I used a clip cake tin, so that I could unclip it once cooked, and then cut pie slices. Kept its shape lovely, trick is to make sauce thick and use plenty of veg. Good seasoning, including herbs if you fancy them works well in pie filling! Delicious, looks nice as well.

TDA, I'm not into cooking at all but as Carol is a 'Veggy' and I was thinking of perhaps surprising her with a first ever homemade pie when she returns from a Sunday Club walk. Could you knock up an easy to follow recipe of this with easy peasy guide please It does sound delicious.
I did once make pasty's (obviously hers had all veg) and mine had steak but they turned out quite well.

Will do Dave, need to check out original recipe for oven times and heat etc.... Will get back to you!

[Takethedogalong]

Filo Veg and Cheese Pie.

Sheets of Filo Pastry

Cheese sauce
Butter
Plain Flour
Full or Semi skimmed milk
Strong cheddar (extra strong if you love cheese!)
Put good sized knob of butter into fry pan, melt, careful not to burn. Remove from heat, then add plain flour until all butter is absorbed, almost dry and crumbly. Add milk bit by bit slowly, stirring until you get a thin runny liquid with no lumps. A wooden or plastic spoon is better for this. Now grate in plenty of cheese. (For a real punchy cheese flavour you could add Parmesan if you like it, and a small pinch of paprika, again if you like it.) Now, put back on heat and stir constantly until all cheese melts and sauce thickens. It won't thicken until it boils, but don't have heat on too high. Ideally you need sauce to be quite thick. Leave on one side.

Other filling:
Three/four decent sized new potatoes, cut into cubes and boiled until almost soft
Handful of sprouts, peeled and quartered
Handful mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Leek and/or shallots, peeled and sliced
(Other veg if you fancy, such as sliced peppers, frozen peas, sweetcorn)
Stir fry in butter sprouts, leeks/shallots, mushrooms, peppers etc..... until soft. Hopefully you won't have too much cooking liquid, but use a slotted spoon to put this mix into cheese sauce. Now add drained potatoes to cheese sauce mix as well and gently mix trying not to break up veg too much in sauce. I never add salt, but like lots of pepper in this mix, so add to your taste.

To create pie:
Melt some butter, brush inside of pie dish, then use double sheets of filo pastry to line the dish. You need to brush each sheet and hang it well over dish sides, as this will fold over top to create the pie top. Make sure all bottom of dish is covered with pastry, with sheets overhanging. Now spoon cheese veg mix into dish, then fold filo sheets over top to create the crust, adding extra butter brushed sheets if you need to. Brush top again with butter, then to medium hot oven (180-190c) for around half hour, until pastry is crisp and golden on top, but not burned.

Image below shows how it should look, this is recipe I amended, as we found spinach too wet, and feta too bland for us. 


photos upload

You can amend veg to suit what you like, for example replace new potatoes with sweet potato, use leeks or onions or shallots, cauliflower or broccoli would work well but not boiled too soft. PM me if you need any help.

[DianneT]

Now it has been announced on the News the shops will be empty.  OH just been to Sainsbury's and got Courgettes, broccoli, leeks and green beans no more expensive than usual.

I think the Media in general are hyping this up, people will go and stock up with more than they need creating the shortage

[Happydaze]

TDA, you are a Lady of many & varied talents. It both reads & looks great

[DaveFL2]

PM me if you need any help.

Um yes, are you close by?

Seriously, thank you for the time spent in doing this, I will give it a go

Just googled Filo pastry, thank God I haven't got to make it

[Takethedogalong]

Filo is a nice pastry. Light, crisp and you don't usually have to make it! Just remember to brush butter on each strip so you get the layers.

I apologise that there are no definite weights for things, but basically, more flour and slightly less milk will give you a thicker cheese sauce. Just keep stirring and any small lumps will disappear, if not, shove it through a sieve! Lots of veg go really well with cheese sauce, especially leeks and stir fried sprouts, they taste nutty. The other thing of course that would also go well in this pie are chopped walnuts, again give it a different element. We just shove in whatever we have in fridge to be honest!