Parables

These mushroom pies are so quick and easy to make and taste so good that I am going to make them again. These are perfect for an afternoon tea.

Mini Creamy Mushroom pies
Adapted from BBC GoodFood
Makes 6


Ingredients

25g/1 oz butter, plus extra for greasing (15g)
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely sliced (minced)
1 garlic clove, crushed
350g/12oz mixed mushrooms, sliced (200g, white button)
100ml/3 fl oz single cream (50ml)
A small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
375 packed ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (Pampas brand 1 ready rolled sheet)
a little plain flour, for dusting (omit)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp caraway seeds (black sesame)


Method

• Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms, season and cook for 5 mins until the mushrooms are soft. Stir in the parsley and cream. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Heat oven to 200C. Grease a 6 hole muffin tin with butter, then line each hole with a long thin strip of baking parchment. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out 6 x 10 cm circles. Press a circle into each hole to line. Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 6 x 8cm circles.(I used disposables and cut out is 8cm and 7cm(lid).
• Divide the mushroom mix between the pies. Brush the pastry edges with a little egg, top each with a pastry lid and carefully press the pastry edges together to seal.
• Brush with the remaining egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds.(black sesame). Bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Allow to cool in the tin slightly before serving, or cool on a wire rack and keep in airtight containers for up to 1 day. Reheat before serving.

Parables

I started reading the Bible before I first stepped into a church.  I was about 11 years old then and was captivated by the parables told by Jesus in the Bible.  Though  parables are short and simple stories,  I enjoyed reading them again and again.  I did not know there are spiritual and moral lessons in parables nor did I understand why Jesus chose to tell parables. Jesus told his disciples that not everyone would understand his parables. He told his disciples:

  "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand."
                                                                                                                     Luke 8:10

Jesus spoke his parables to tell people the truth of God. But often we are so lost in sin that we resent hearing God's Word and turn away.. Our pride, arrogance and prejudice prevent us from understanding and accepting Jesus' teachings.