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Succot is here otherwise known as the festival of the Tabernacles. You can read more about Succot here.  During Succot I like to have a nice hot slice of quiche whilst eating in the Succah, especially as it gets cold in the North of England.  However if you are enjoying Succot in a warmer climate then by all means have your quiche cold.

mushroom and courgette quiche complete with pastry Succah!

Ingredients:

• 230g plain flour (50:50 wholemeal to white)
• 120g margerine or butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 pint of milk
• seasoning
• basil (optional)
• soy sauce
• oil for sautéing
• balsamic vinegar (optional)
• a dollop of green tomato chutney (optional)
• 60g grated cheese
• 450g mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 3 large courgettes
• 2 tsps cornflower (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6 (200oC) for at least 20 minutes.
2. Take your quiche or flan dish and grease the inner surface and set aside.
3. Take the margerine and flour and combine using the rubbing in method.  Add the pinch of salt.
4. Adding a little cold water at a time make up flour mixture into a dough shape.
5. On a floured surface lightly knead the dough using the rock and roll method (pinch it together and roll it rather than bread style kneading).
6. Leave the pastry ball in a bowl and put it in the fridge whilst you prepare the vegetables.
7. Wash and chop up all the vegetables keeping each type separate.
8. In a large wok or deep saucepan lightly fry the onion in a little oil for a minute or so.  Add the courgettes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
9. Season the vegetables and add a dash of soy sauce and if using, the same of balsamic vinegar.  Stir fry well.  You can also add a good dollop of green tomato chutney if you wish.
10. Now add the mushrooms and fry them also.  (You can see why you need a big pan.  If you don’t have one then use two pans and split the vegetable mixture between them).  If using basil add a few washed leaves at this point.
11. Now do not be tempted to add more water.  The mushrooms will give out plenty of water and you want some of this to evaporate off as the vegetables cook down.
12. Once the vegetables are soft (10 minutes or so, maybe longer), transfer them to a large bowl and allow to cool off.
13. Now go back to the pastry:  flour the surface again and also a rolling pin.  Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out to fit your quiche dish.  When rolling out pastry make sure you keep the pastry moving and do a quarter turn every few rolls.  Stay calm and relaxed too or your stress will go into the pastry - true! 
14. Roll the pastry onto the quiche dish.  Go around the dish and lift the pastry slightly from the edge so it sinks down into the dish.  Go around the pastry walls and ‘pinch’ lightly against the wall of the quiche dish.  Now comes the best bit - hold the quiche dish from underneath with one hand and cut around the edges of the quiche dish with a sharp knife to remove the excess.  This is bliss!
15. Now take a length of foil and place it in the quiche dish, also place either baking beans or a weighty oven proof plate (I used a pyrex lid), in the quiche dish, bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes.  This starts the pastry off without allowing it to rise 
16. Once you have baked the pastry blind carefully remove the weight and foil (it will be very hot).
17. In a bowl beat eggs and add grated cheese.  If you want a thick texture then add a couple of teaspoons of cornflower too.  Add the milk and beat again.
18. Mix the vegetables with the egg mixture and pour the contents into the quiche dish.  If you have any leftover pastry you can make pastry leaves and put them on top of the vegetables (in my case I did a pastry Succah!)
19. Bake in the top part of the oven for 40 minutes (though not right at the top you don’t want to grill it!
20. Enjoy and have a very happy Succot!

The Succah at Casa Marge

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This year the British summer has been a typical one - with plenty of rain and hardly any sun, consequently only a few of the tomatoes at il giardino del terra del Marge (the garden to you!) have ripened.  This has left me with a glut of green tomatoes.  However, not to be outdone, done down, or vanquished I have done my research and found a really good green tomato chutney recipe!  I have adapted it to my own taste and present it here for you.

Now the first thing I would suggest when it comes to making chutney is to allow yourself a good few hours.  This is very much like jam making as you are effectively making a savoury jam, and cannot be rushed.  (I understand Tefal have produced a jam making machine which cuts the time down.  If you make a lot of jam and preserves them it might be worth considering?)

Ingredients:

• 1kg green tomatoes
• 2 medium size apples
• 500g soft brown sugar
• 500ml malt vinegar (or about 3/4 of a pint)
• 2cm of root ginger
• 3 red chilis (you can use more if you like things hot!)
• 125g raisins
• 300g shallots
• 1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Wash the green tomatoes well.  If you see any with blossom end rot (like a nasty bruise), or any yukky bits then chuck them out.
2. Prepare the chilis (carefully!) and set them aside.  I used chilis from the garden that I had frozen so I didn’t need to wash them again.  I also kept the chilis whole.
3. Peel the ginger using a sharp knife.  They are so knobbly it is too much of a faff to use a peeler! Give the ginger a light bash with a rolling pin.  You want to squash it a bit without breaking it into pieces.  Set aside
4. Take the green tomatoes, shallots, and apples and bung them in a food processor.  You want things nicely chopped but not mushy.  If you are a tough guy (or don’t have a food processor) you can chop things with a good sharp knife, but bear in mind this will take a while.
5. In a large, deep cooking pot place the chopped items along with the vinegar, sugar, raisins (I like to leave them whole for this recipe), and salt.  Give it all a mix with a wooden spoon.
6. Add the chilis and ginger and stir again.  Put the heat on and bring the chutney to the boil.  You will need to keep stirring to make sure the sugar dissolves and the bottom of the pot doesn’t catch.  When stirring make sure you don’t break the chilis or you will have chili seeds all over the chutney!  If you have one of those tea cage things you can use that to put the chili and ginger in if you wish.
7. Once at a good boiling stage turn the light right down to a simmer.   And this is where patience comes in handy.  You will need to simmer the chutney for ages, at least an hour, if not more.  Also you will need to stir the chutney from time to time.  Whilst the chutney is simmering you can take some ‘me’ time.  Personally I like to do a bit of tapestry needlework or read .net magasine - true!
8. One thing you can do whilst waiting for the chutney to simmer is to prepare the chutney jars.  Being resourceful you can use old coffee, jam, or pickle jars.  You MUST clean the jars and lids until scrupulously clean in very hot water.  Whilst the jars are still wet microwave them for 2 minutes on high.
9. Once the chutney has attained a jam like consistency it is done.  Take out the chilis and ginger (or just remove the tea cage thing) and discard.
10. Carefully spoon the chutney into the sterilized jars.  It is a good idea to make sure the jars are warmed too so as not to crack when the hot chutney goes in!  You want to pack the chutney in so there are no air bubbles.  Create a seal over the surface of the chutney with a bit of folded clingfilm. Put the lids on tightly.   Leave the jars to cool thoroughly.  Once opened keep the chutney in the fridge.
11. Serve in a nice cheese sandwich, or as a relish with a lovely meat dinner.

Green Tomato Chutney

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