Winter Vegetable Cobbler

WINTER VEGETABLE COBBLER

This is quite an old-fashioned dish, a tasty way of using some root vegetables also you can make it without the cobbler if you wish, but to me that is the best bit.  Great served with any leftover meats or a standalone dish with perhaps a Jacket potato/Salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 Large onion – peel, cut in half then slice into semi circles

1 large parsnip – peel and cut into bite size pieces

2 small turnips – peel and cut into bite size pieces

2 carrots – peel and cut into bite size pieces

2 sticks of celery – remove any stringy bits and dice

½ Tin of Butterbeans, cannellini, or plain tinned beans of your choice.

1 chicken stock or vegetable stock cube – make up to 400ml with boiling water

1 tablespoon of dried parsley

Cobbler

100g Self raising flour – from your storecupboard

25g butter

25g cheese grate.

Pinch of paprika

STORECUPBOARD

4 or 5 fresh sage leaves – use these if you have any in the garden or freezer and just tear them into smaller pieces.

Salt and pepper

Oil

Self raising flour – or plain with a pinch of baking powder in it.

50ml of milk any type [ if you haven’t got milk then water will suffice]

METHOD

1] Take a fry pan, measure in approx. 1 tablespoon of oil and place over a medium heat.  Add your onions first and cook for approx. 5 minutes until they are transparent.  Then add your parsnip, turnip, carrot and celery, stir to combine with the onion and coat evenly in the oil.  Continue to cook over a medium heat for approx. 10 minutes.

2] Add your hot stock to the pan, then gently stir in your beans and dried parsley and sage if you are using it.  Bring this to the boil then reduce the heat till it is simmering and cover the pan.  Leave to cook for 20 minutes.

3] While the vegetables are cooking make the cobbler.  Place your sifted flour into a bowl and rub in the butter [ you want a breadcrumb consistency], stir in the cheese and a good pinch [ heaped teaspoon] of paprika.  Make a dip in the flour mixture and pour in 2 tablespoons of your milk [ or water].  You want to mix in enough liquid to form a soft dough – I find the easiest way is to use a knife and clockwise mix it all together until a large ball is holding everything together.  Put onto a floured board and roll out to 1cm thickness and cut into circles [ use the top of a glass if you don’t have a pastry cutter] you are looking to allow 2 circles per person at least.

4] Preheat the oven Gas 6/200C/180C Fan

5] Remove your bean mix from the heat and pour into an oven proof dish, this can be quite shallow as you want to put the cobbler circles on the top overlapping them slightly, brush with a little of the leftover milk and put into your preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes.  The cobbler topping will rise slightly and be golden brown.