SAMHUINN: Hearty Autumn Hotpot
Butter - 75g (3 oz)
Onions - 2 medium, sliced
Carrots - 4 medium, sliced
Parsnips - 2, cut into chunks
Cauliflower - 1 small, cut into florets
Courgettes(zucchini) - 4, sliced
Tomatoes - 6, skinned, roughly chopped
Plain flour - 50g (2 oz)
Milk - 450 ml (¾ pint)
Vegetable stock - 300 ml (½ pint)
Dried mixed herbs - 1 tsp
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Wholemeal self raising flour - 100g (3½ oz)
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - ½ tsp
Cheddar cheese - 75g (3 oz), grated
Mustard powder - 1 tsp
Melt 50g (2 oz) butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrots and parsnips and sauté lightly for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large casserole dish. Add the remaining vegetables.
Blend the flour with 300 ml (½ pint) milk and add to the vegetables with the stock, mixed herbs and seasoning. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F / Gas 6 for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, place wholemeal flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Rub the remaining butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in half the cheese, mustard and a little milk and mix to a soft dough.
Roll out on a floured work surface until 1.5 cm (½ inch) thick and cut into rounds with a 5 cm fluted cutter.
Place the scone rounds on top of the vegetables and brush tops with remaining milk and sprinkle with cheese.
Return to the oven for 20 minutes until scones are golden brown and vegetables are cooked.
serves 6
http://www.hwatson.force9.co.uk/cookbook/recipes/veggie/heartyautumnhotpot.htm
