MUSHROOM AND BRIE CRACKER

TAKES 1 HR SERVES 6-8

200g frozen whole cranberries, defrosted, keeping some for garnish

1tbsp caster sugar 750g chestnut mushrooms 100g unsalted butter 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 onion, chopped 2tbsp dry sherry 200g breadcrumbs 30g chopped chives, reserving 8 whole chives for garnish 200g Brie, cut into 3cm strips 12 sheets filo pastry 1

Place the cranberries and sugar in a pan with 150ml cold water and season with pepper. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 12-15 mins until thick and glossy, then cool.

2

Chop half of the mushrooms into quarters then halve again. Blend the rest to a paste-like consistency. Strain off excess liquid. 3

Melt 20g of the butter in a large pan, add the garlic and onion and sauté for 8 mins, until softened, then add the quartered mushrooms and fry for 4 mins. Add the sherry and cook until evaporated. Mix in the blended mushrooms, breadcrumbs and chives, and season. Let it cool.

4

Heat oven to 200C/gas 6. Melt rest of the butter and grease a baking tray.

5

On a sheet of baking paper layer up 10 filo pastry sheets, brushing with melted butter, to make a 30x30cm square. Allowing a 7cm border, apart from the side you start from, spread the cranberry sauce; top with the mushroom mixture. Place the Brie in a single row horizontally down the middle, then roll up the pastry to make a sausage shape. Twist the ends to create a cracker shape. Transfer to the prepared tray using the baking paper. Brush a leftover filo sheet with butter, fold in half lengthways and wrap around one end. Do the same with the other end. Brush the whole cracker with melted butter. Bake for 15-20 mins.

6

Slice the reserved chives in two lengthways, put in cold water, to curl. Decorate the cracker ends with them and the reserved whole cranberries.