Salmon and watercress pies
Mary Llewellin
Monday, May 2, 2016
Serve them with new potatoes and spring onions, says Mary Llewellin
This month’s recipe uses three seasonal ingredients and your choice of omega-rich oily fish. Sea trout is in season, although expensive, but salmon or smoked mackerel would work well too. Children can get involved by helping to mix the herbs into the cheese and assembling the individual pies.
Ingredients
Serves 10 children
? 400g cooked trout, salmon or smoked mackerel
? 1 bunch watercress
? 1 bunch fresh dill
? 5 spring onions
? 100g cream cheese
? 10 sheets filo pastry
? olive oil
Method
You will need a large muffin tin.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Thinly slice the spring onions and sauté half of them gently in a small pan with a spoonful of olive oil until softened but not browned, then remove from the heat.
Finely chop the watercress and dill, mix into the cream cheese, then sir in the cooked spring onion and season with white pepper.
Gently flake the cooked fish and check for bones.
Grease the muffin tin. Cut a sheet of filo into quarters and gently press the first piece into the greased muffin tin, allowing the edges to overflow. Brush a small amount of olive oil over the first layer of filo and then add the second piece. Repeat with all four pieces.
Place a spoonful of flaked fish into the mould and then top with a spoonful of herby cream cheese.
Gently fold the filo edges over, leaving them loose and layered like fallen leaves, then lightly brush with oil.
Repeat this until the muffin tray is full.
Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown and hot throughout.
Serve with Jersey new potatoes, crushed and lightly tossed with butter or olive oil and mixed with the remaining spring onions, finely sliced.
For even more seasonal goodness, serve with steamed spinach or shredded spring cabbage. You can also exchange filo for puff pastry and make mini pasties or one big parcel.
Menu planning In season at the moment are: asparagus, broccoli, carrots, Jersey royal new potatoes, lettuce and salad leaves, new potatoes, peas, radish, rocket, samphire, spinach, spring onions, watercress and wild nettles
