Ingredients
Leeks, 2 (about 600g)
Butter 45g
Parsley, a handful, chopped
Double cream 350ml
A sprig of rosemary (if you’ve got it)
Mushrooms 200g
Olive oil 4 tbsp
Garlic 4 cloves, thinly sliced
Parsnip, 1 (about 150g)
Swede 300g
Potato 200g
Sweet potato 300g
Butter 25g
A small egg, beaten
Summary
Comfort food is not always the prettiest food. This pie’s creamy, bubbling filling overflows onto its warm orange mashed topping – you’ll wonder what exactly you’ve put on the table for dinner… The answer is something sweet, rich, herby, earthy and delicious. Tuck in!
Leek and Mushroom Pie with Root Veg Mash
Set the oven to 200°C.
Cut the leeks into 2cm-thick rings and wash them thoroughly. Put the leeks in a saucepan with 45g butter, sprig of rosemary (if using) and a pinch of salt, then cover tightly with a lid. Let the leeks steam in the butter over a moderate heat until tender, but not coloured twenty-twenty five mins.
Thickly slice 200g mushrooms. Warm 4tbsp olive oil, add the mushrooms and fry till golden. In the final five minutes of cooking, add the 4 cloves of garlic.
Meanwhile, make the root veg mash. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel and chop the vegetables into rough 3cm chunks. Add the swede to the boiling water first and cook for five mins, then add the remaining vegetables and cook for a further twenty mins, or until completely tender. Drain veg into a colander, set in a sink and leave to steam dry for 5 min. Return vegetables to the empty pan, add 25g butter, 1/2 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Mash or blend until smooth.
In a shallow ovenproof pan about 24cm in diameter, combine the leeks (discard the rosemary), mushrooms, 350ml cream and handful of parsley. Season liberally with pepper. Taste, to check seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Top pie filling with mashed root veg and brush with beaten egg. Bake for about thirty mins until golden brown, and the filling is bubbling.
I made this pie last night when we had guests over for dinner. It was a very big hit and my brother now declares I am the best cook he knows. I’m still wondering if he is kidding, but the pie really is SO tasty and a perfect wintery night’s meal. The only change I made to the original recipe was to cut back on the amount of cream, just adding a couple of dollops, as I needed some to go with the lemon delicious we had for dessert. ☺️
We’re so glad to hear you and your guests enjoyed the pie – this entire menu has us drooling! Great initiative on the cream, it can totally be taken down a notch, especially when there’s pudding to be had!
This pie is so delicious. I added more mushrooms and leeks and made a bigger pie but it was so popular I didn’t end up with the leftovers I’d hoped for. Yum yum yum. Thanks Ceres cooks.
More mushrooms and leeks are always encouraged! You might have to triple the recipe to ensure leftovers remain – hehe!