Savoury Vegetable Puffs

Last week we received in the range of 17 inches of snow over two days!! Pretty much everything was buried under it, and I could not even see where my beautiful kitchen garden had existed barely a couple of months ago! Barely a speck of green was visible and I could almost hear some of the tree branches groaning under the weight of the snow that had come to rest on them. Winter in all its beauty and wonder had arrived.

When we speak about the sub-zero temperatures (in Fahrenheit!!) to friends and family, we often hear gasps of amazement and wonder at the arctic conditions we seem to be living in. But we love the seasons and in the north we get to see them all in stark contrast to each other. And winter is no different. We also love the seasons for the variety that they offer in vegetables, fruits, food, and cuisines that I love to experiment with and cook in my lovely kitchen.

Here is one recipe that is perfect for a winter evening. It works really well if you are expecting a large number of guests. Its easy to prepare and usually a great hit with kids and adults alike when served!!


Ingredients:
Croissant Dough (I used Pillsbury)
1 cup mixed vegetables ( I used a mix of carrots, beans, sweetcorn, and peas)
1 small onion, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small potato, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup chickpeas, precooked
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin, then after a moment, stir in the garlic and onions. fry until translucent.
2. Add potatoes and 1 tbsp water. Stir and cook for 6 minutes.
3. Next add all the vegetables and chickpeas. Add salt to taste, stir, cover and cook until tender.
4. Remove the cover of the pan, add all the spices, blend well. Cook, stirring occasionally until the spices are absorbed and the cooked vegetable is very day. There should be no visible moisture in the vegetables at this time as the filling needs to be dry. Remove onto a large plate, spread and allow to cool completely.
5. Separate the croissant triangles. Take one triangle, spoon in some of the filling, seal the three ends of the croissant triangle to achieve a puff. Repeat for all the triangles.
6. Place the prepared puffs on a baking sheet around one inch apart. Bake in a pre-heated, moderately hot oven, 350F-375F for 10-12 minutes or until the puffs are well baked and golden brown.
7. Serve hot with your choice of condiment and a piping cup of tea!!

You can vary your filling quite a lot. Just make sure that it is reasonably dry before you fill the puffs and bake. Cheese does well in these baked goodies. Grate and add to the cooled filling. This winter warmer is going out to the wonderful Winter Treat event being hosted by Trupti @ Recipe Center. This event runs until 10th January 2009 and invites you to post your favourite winter food on your blog. Do make sure you stop by to check out all those yummy treats for this season.


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