E for Eccles Cakes - vegan and savoury with leek, spinach and blue cheese - For the Picnic Game and Eat Your Greens

Eccles cakes - those British pastries packed with dried fruit - have never held much interest for me.  Not until I saw the creative Shaheen at Allotment to Kitchen make a savoury version.  Fortunately she posted two versions.  Once years ago when I bookmarked the recipe for Leek and stilton.  Then again recently she posted a Savoury nettle, ground elder and spinach 'Eccles' cake.  I found serendipity had presented me with all the ingredients to make a vegan version.

I had Vegusto's vegan blue cheese, Borg's puff pastry and lots of greens.  It was meant to be.  Especially as I had been wandering what to do with the blue cheese.  The vegan stuff really needs to be used in a dish rather than a sandwich.  It isn't crumbly and creamy in the way of dairy cheese.  But it worked well in this dish.  Of course you could deveganise the Eccles cakes and make them with dairy like Shaheen did.

Shaheen had used wild garlic so I thought it was a good way to use my wild garlic salt.  Not that I need any help with ideas for using the salt.  I put it in everything.  And it really does smell strongly of wild garlic.   

I loved these Eccles cakes.  They have a magnificent combination of indulgent puff pastry, virtuous greens and creamy cheese that gives it oodles of flavour.  I think they would be great for entertaining.  They look impressive despite requiring very little effort and skill.  You could prepare them in advance up until the point where they are baked and pop them in the oven when you friends arrive.  I also think they would be a great conversation starter.

Alas I haven't been doing much entertaining of late.  Mine were eaten for dinner on the run during Sylvia's dinner and bedtime routine.  They deserve better than this.  I think a hearty salad and a nice home cooked tomato sauce would be far more respectful.

The next day I heated them up in the microwave for lunch and popped them under the grill to crisp up the tops.  You might have noticed that they were rather well browned on top in some of my photos.  I don't recommend this method.  But between you and me, sometimes there is just not the time  and energy.  And if you wanted them really quickly or to take out for lunch, I think they would work at room temperature.

I am pleased to be able to send these Eccles Cakes back to Shaheen for a new blog challenge she has started this month called Eat Your Greens.  It is a vegetarian event to share ways of serving up green vegies.

I am also sending the Eccles Cakes to Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations for the Picnic Game. My fellow Melbournians will appreciate that it is not at all picnic weather here.  But Louise lives on the other side of the world and begins this game each year to celebrate International Picnic Day on 18 June and has the full list up on 1 July in time for National Picnic Month.  Bloggers all choose a letter and play along as we used to like when we were kids.  Here we go (a few more to be added when they are posted):

We are going on a picnic and my friends are bringing

A - Angel Cake
B - Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawns
C - Chicken Piccata
D - TBA
E - and I am bringing Eccles Cakes filled with Leek, Spinach and Blue Cheese

Head over to Months of Edible Celebrations on or after 1 July to see what everyone brought to the picnic.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Winter Solstice chocolate fruit mince slice
Two years ago: Oat and honey bread, and a malted bread
Three years ago: Tahini lime rice with some multicultural day thoughts
Four years ago: SHF Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Five years ago: Novice Nutella cupcakes accompanied by guitar
Six years ago: The solstice fruitcake offensive
Seven years ago: Winter Solstice Roast Dinner

Vegan Leek Spinach and Blue Cheese Eccles Cakes
adapted from Allotment to Kitchen
serves 3-4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium leek, washed and chopped
100g (couple of big handfuls) baby spinach, chopped
1 tsp wild garlic salt (or regular salt)
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley (a good handful)
finely ground black pepper 
100g vegan blue cheese, diced (I used Vegusto)
1-2 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs (oops I forgot)
2 squares of ready rolled puff pastry
Soy milk, for glazing
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 180 C.

Fry leek in olive oil over low heat for about 10 minutes or until soft.  Add spinach, salt, parsley and pepper. Stir for a minute or two until spinach starts to wilt and turn off the heat.  Cool slightly.  Stir in blue cheese and breadcrumbs.

Cut the sheets of puff pastry into four squares.  Cut the corners to make the squares a roundish shape.  Place a spoonful or two of spinach filling in the middle of each square.  Bring the edges together and seal to make a round parcel.  Turn over with seam side down and lightly roll with rolling pile to flatten slightly.  You should be able to see the filling through the pastry but do not break the pastry.

Place parcels (or eccles cakes) on a lined oven tray with a little space between each.  Brush tops with soy milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Use a sharp knife to make three slashes in the pastry.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm.

On the stereo:
Tooth and Nail: Billy Bragg