Make your own: West Bridgford in transition

How to make your own Eco carrier bags

2011-05-28T04:16:00.000-07:00

Have you been caught out whilst shopping and had forgotten to take a bag?
This might be a trendy and useful hint.

Get yourself a lovely 105cm square scarf. It will keep you warm in cold weather, can be an accessory to your coat, blouse or jacket, could be a belt, what ever you fancy.
Have this on you as part of your daily outfit and see what you can do with this

Here are a few pictures of what I used my scarf for earlier:

scarf bags

Poached Pears with Blackberries

2010-09-08T05:11:00.001-07:00

4 medium pears
1 lemon – grated zest and juice
250g blackberries
300 ml apple juice
50g sugar

1. Peel pears leaving whole with stalks on. Put in pan with lemon zest and juice, apple juice, sugar and half the blackberries.
2. Heat until simmering and cook with lid on for 20 minutes.
3. Remove pears from liquid, and either leave whole or halve and remove cores. Put pears in dishes, and strain liquid into another pan. Boil to reduce a little, then add remaining blackberries and pour over pears
4. Serve warm or cold with crème fraiche

Pear chutney By James Martin

2010-09-08T05:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
• 60ml/2¼fl oz olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 200g/7¼oz sultanas
• 100g/3½oz raisins
• 100g/3½oz demerara sugar /or coconut sugar
• 400ml/14¼oz cider vinegar
• 100g/3½oz crystallised ginger, finely sliced
• 800g/1lb 12¼oz pears coared and cut into wedges
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 good pinch of saffron

Preparation method
1. Heat a large saucepan with the oil, add the rosemary, sultanas, raisins and sugar and fry them until the fruit begins to caramelise.
2. Pour in the vinegar and boil on a high heat for three minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil, then turn to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Because of the fruit, this chutney has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir it well and keep an eye on it. Don't let the pears cook too much; they should keep their shape.
3. Spoon it into clean hot jars, filling them as full as you can, and seal while hot. Store in the fridge.

Pear and Almond Frangipane Tart (Waitrose.com)

2010-09-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
375g pack Saxby's Dessert Shortcrust Pastry
75g butter, softened
75g Waitrose Unrefined Light Brown Muscovado Sugar
75g ground almonds
50g Waitrose Self Raising Flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
4tbsp Waitrose Greengage Conserve, plus extra to glaze
2 pears, peeled, cored and halved
Icing sugar, to dust

Method
1. Roll out the pastry and use to line a deep 23cm fluted flan tin. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
2. Prick the pastry base with a fork, then line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine the butter, sugar, nuts, flour and eggs, and beat until smooth and creamy.
4. Spread the greengage conserve over the part-baked pastry base, then top with the almond mixture, smoothing the surface with a palette knife.
5. Slice the pear halves and fan out. Arrange on top of the filling. Return the tart to the oven for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set and golden brown.
6. Brush a little extra conserve over the pears and filling while the tart is still warm. Dust with icing sugar and serve with crème fraîche.

Chocolate and pear tart (Jamie Oliver)

2010-09-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

Carol recommends this Jamie Oliver's recipe. With so many pears around, why not spoil your family and share the abundance.

ingredients
• a pack of ready-made shortcrust pastry
• 125g ground almonds
• 2 large free-range or organic eggs
• 125g butter, softened
• 95g caster sugar
• 185g dark chocolate, melted
• 3 conference pears, peeled, cored and quartered
• crème fraîche, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Roll out the pastry until ½cm thick and use it to line a 24cm tart tin. Leave in the freezer to rest for at least 20 minutes, or longer if you can.

Bake the pastry blind for around 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove, set aside, and reduce the oven temperature to 170°C/325°F/gas 3.

Mix your almonds, eggs, butter and sugar together and stir in the melted chocolate while it’s still warm. Pour the mixture evenly into the pastry case and then press the pears into the chocolate and almond mixture.

Bake the tart for 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the chocolate and almond mixture is firm. Serve warm with crème fraîche.

Blackberry Bakewell cake

2010-07-31T00:32:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from the BBC good food website but instead of Raspberries I used black berries as they were available.

Serves 8
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes

Ingredients
140 gr ground almonds
140 gr softened butter
140 gr sugar
140 gr SR flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 gr blackberries (enough to cover the cake)
2 tbsp flaked almonds
icing sugar to serve

Heat oven to 180C or gas 4 and base-line and grease a deep 20 cm loose bottomed cake tin. Blitz the almonds, butter, sugar, flour, eggs and extract in a food processor until well combined. (if butter is very soft it is as easy to do it by hand)

Spread half the mix over the cake tin and smooth over the top. Scatter the fruit over, then dollop the remaining cake mixture on top and roughly spread (it will only just cover it all)
Scatter te flaked almonds and bake for 50 mins until golden. Cool, remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar to serve.

The cake I baked for the foraging I spread a bit of lemon and elderflower marmalade and dotted it with the first black berries.

Home made cleaning recipes using essential oil - Wood cleaning

2010-05-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

Basic Wood Cleaning Formula

This formula is for well-used furniture. The vinegar works to pull dirt out of the wood. It doesn't leave an oily residue because the little bit of oil keeps the wood from drying out. It will store almost indefinately in a lidded jar.

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon liquid castile soap
5 drops jojoba or olive oil

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Saturate a sponge and squeeze out the excess. Wash surfaces of tired and dirty wood. The vinegar smell will disipate soon. Dry with a soft cloth.

Home made cleaning recipes using essential oil - Soft scrubber

2010-05-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Homemade Soft Scrubber
1/2 cup baking soda
Liquid Castile Soap
5 drops Lavender essential oil and/or 5 drops Tea Tree essential oil

Place the baking soda in a bowl. Slowly pour in liquid soap stirring constantly, add liquid soap until the consistency resembles frosting. Add the essential oil (oils) if desired. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, scrub the surface, and then rinse.
If you add a little pure vegetable glycerin to the baking soda, the mixture will stay moist for a long time in a jar with a tight lid.

Home made cleaning recipes using essential oil - Floor cleaner

2010-05-10T13:08:00.001-07:00

Floor Cleaner

Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water.
Add 10 drops of lemon oil and 4 drops of oregano essential oil.
Oregano oil has powerful antiseptic properties!
1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
10 drops lemon oil
4 drops oregano oil

Home made floor cleaner

2010-05-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

Home made cleaning recipes using essential oil - Clear hard floors

2010-05-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hard Floor
To clean hard floors, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water. Then add 5-10 drops of lemon, pine, spruce, If the floor is especially dirty, add several drops of dishwashing soap. This will clean even the dirtiest floor.
1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
5-10 drops lemon, pine, spruce
Liquid castile soap if needed

Naan bread

2010-05-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Naan bread makes 8

250 gr (90z) self raising flour
2 table spoons plain yogurt
1 tsp salt
about 115 ml (4fl oz of luke warm water)

Put the flour, yogurt and salt into a large bowl. add water a lttle at a time. knead roughly for a couple of seconds, then cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm spot for the dough to ferment, about 1 hour.
Flour your fingers and pull off an egg sized piece of dough. Form a ball then roll out on an unfloured work surface to an oval of 20-23 cm long and .8cm thick, repeat to make 8 naan.

Put the naan on the hot grill pan and grill until puff up and are speckled with brown spots. Serve warm and enjoy with some lovely curry!

vegetable stock

2010-05-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

Vegetable stock:

4tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves
2 onions chopped
2 chopped leeks
4 chopped carrots
2 diced potatoes
4 celery sticks
4 ripe tomatoes
4oz mushrooms wiped
4oz rice
1 bouquet garni (bunch of herbs, parsley, thyme etc)
3 pints water

Heat the oil, garlic, onions, leeks for 10 mins
Then add carrots, potatoes and celery.
Fry for 10 more mins
Add all the other ingredients, boil and simmer for 30mins.
Strain stock through a sieve and use as required.

lemon curd

2010-05-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Lemon Curd the way Bom Bom used to make it:

3 eggs
3 oz butter
8oz sugar
Rind and juice of 2 lemons

Whisk eggs and put in basin with butter, sugar and lemon. Put the bowl on top of a pan with boiling water (au bain marie) and stir until thick
Pour into clean jars

*keep in fridge as it doesn’t keep very well*

Humous

2010-05-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Humous:

400 gr chickpeas
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp tahini
s+P
125ml olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground cumin.

Put all ingredients except olive oil in food processor. Then add oil in a steady stream.

Baking powder

2010-05-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

Baking powder:

50 gr bicarb of soda
50gr creme of tartar
50gr rice flour

Mix all 3 through a sieve. Hey Presto, you have baking powder!!!

Lemonade

2010-05-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

Karina’s Lemonade:

4 lemons
6oz sugar
1 ½ pt of boiling water

Squeeze juice and put in a bow, add sugar and pour ½ pint of boiling water into it.
Stir until dissolved.
Add peel and 1 pt of boiling water and then leave to cool
Bottle and dilute
Keep in the fridge

Elderflower juice

2010-05-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

Elderflower Juice:

150 gr flowers
3 lemons
1 ½ litres of cold water
(its not in the recipe but try adding 1kilo of sugar to make it sweeter)

In a large bowl add flowers, lemon and water
Covered, leave for 10-12 hrs and then strain
Boil and put into bottles

Pat Gallagher’s ice box cookies:

2010-05-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

Pat Gallagher’s ice box cookies:

An empty milk carton
1 cup melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
3 ½ cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1tbsp vanilla
1 cup of nuts

Mix sugar, butter, egg and vanilla
Then add salt, baking powder, flour and nuts
Put all in an empty milk carton. Let it stand in the fridge for a day or freeze
Slice with a sharp knife and bake at 180ºC on baking sheet for 5-10 mins

Nicola’s Rosemary and orange biscuits:

2010-05-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Nicola’s Rosemary and orange biscuits:

8cm sprig of fresh rosemary
125 gr butter
200gr sugar
1 large egg
Zest of one large orange
250 gr plain flour
2tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Chop up the rosemary finely
Whisk butter and sugar together until pale
Beat egg in with butter and sugar mix
Stir in rosemary, zest, sift in flour, baking powder and salt

Shape into a 10p sized sausage
Freeze in Clingfilm

In oven on mark 5 for 7-9 minutes

Custard:

2010-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Custard:

300 ml Milk
15 ml / 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
15 ml / 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
2.5 ml vanilla essence (extract)
2 egg yolks

Blend a little of the milk with the cornflour in a saucepan. Stir in the remaining milk, the sugar and vanilla essence. Bring to the boil, stirring, until thickened. Whish in the egg yolks and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Serve hot or cover with a piece of wet greaseproof (waxed) paper and leave until cold.

Custard tart
225g short crust pastry
2 eggs, 1/2pt milk, ½ oz sugar and ground nutmeg
Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 18cm flan tin. Whisk together the eggs, milk and sugar and pour into the pastry case. Sprinkle generougsly with nutmeg and bake in the oven at 190C for about 25mins. Until lightly set. Leave to cool in the tin.

Bread

2010-05-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

Quick Home made bread (2 loaves)

- 1 bag of wholemeal, multi grain bread mix
- Same amount of strong white flour
- Double the amount of warm water (or whey) which is written on the breadmix instructions
- 1 spoon of molasses

Mix all this and knead for 10 mins. Divide into two and put in a bread tin. Let it rise for 1-2 hours and put in oven 220ºC for 10 mins then reduce to 200ºC for another 20 mins. If you cover it with a butter wrapper straight after you have taken it out of the oven it will keep the crust soft.

Quick Pizza

2010-05-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Quick Pizza (makes 2 small pizzas)

110 gr flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb of soda
Dollop Yoghurt,
1 tbsp oil
Tomato sauce
Grated cheese and other toppings

Sieve flour and raising agents. Stir in yoghurt to make a soft dough.
Roll into a very thin circle to fit in a frying pan.
Heat oil, put the dough into the pan
Cook for ½ minute then turn the dough, adding a little sauce, topping and cheese. Cook for ½ minutes and place under the grill for another 3 mins.

Ricotta

2010-05-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Ricotta Recipe:

Ricotta is made from re-cooked whey. In fact the word ‘Ricotta’ means ‘re-cooked’. It forms when proteins from the why separate, rise and coagulate. There are three distinct varieties of ricotta: ricotta salata moliterna (ewe’s milk whey), ricotta piemontese (cow’s milk whey + 10% milk) and ricotta romana (a by-product of Romano cheese production).
This recipe adds additional milk to raise the yield (it is a variety of ricotta salata moliterna. Regardless, this recipe will not yield much more than a cup of cheese.

Ingredients:

Whey from the making of 1 gallon cheese recipe
1 Quart Milk
1/3 cup White Vinegar

1. Mix the quart of milk with the whey
2. Warm the mixture to 100ºF/ 38ºC. Keep it at this temp for about an hour
3. The milk might curdle, don’t worry. After an hour, bring the temp of the milk mixture to 200ºF/ 93.5ºC. Do not allow it to boil
4. While sstirring with a whisk, slowly add the white vinegar
5. Stir for an additional five mins then remove the mixture from the heat
6. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 8-10 hours
7. Line the colander with a bouble layer of very fine cheesecloth or butter muslin
8. Pour the mixture through the colander. Allow the cheese to drain for several hours
9. Salt the ricotta cheese to taste
10. Place the cheese into a sealable container in your refrigerator

Mascarpone Cheese

2010-05-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Mascarpone Cheese Recipe:
This cheese is used in various Italian pastries and dessers. It also tastes great on a piece of toast with sprinkled sugar!

1qt Light Cream
¼ tsp Tartaric Acid

1. Heat 1 qt of LIGHT CREAM to 180ºF (82ºC)
2. Add ¼ tsp tartaric acid
3. Stir for about 10-15 mins
4. The cream should thicken with small flecks of curd
5. Using a DOUBLE layer of FINE cheesecloth in a strainer, pour off the whey and let it drain for about an hour
6. Put the strainer in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator to drain overnight (or 12 hrs)
7. In the morning, scoop out the cheese and put into an airtight container

** Tartaric Acid is available from any cheesemaking supply company and most wine companies. Since at home winemaking is much more common, look in your phone book for a local winemaking supply store. Many wine and liquor stores carry wine making supplies and may have tartaric acid.

Yoghurt

2010-05-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yoghurt:

1 litre of milk
2 tbsp of live yoghurt

In a clean tub, smear yoghurt on bottom and edges,
Pour in the blood warm milk. It it was long life milk you will need to heat it to bood warm, if it was fresh milk, boil first, then let cool to form blood warm (37ºC).
Mix and leave in a warm place for 8 hrs.
Put in the fridge
If you want thick creamy yoghurt, put through a cheese cloth and reserve the whey for scones and bread making.

Quark

2010-05-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

Quark, a simple curd Cheese:

You will need:
1 litre (1 ¾ pints) of milk
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh herbs for flavouring (optional)
A saucepan
A colander
Some cheese cloth or muslin
A washing up bowl
A plastic container or bow

1. Method:
2. Bring the milk just to the boil, then add the lemon juice
3. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to settle for a little while
4. Bring the pan to the boil again, then let the milk cool once more
5. It will have curdled
6. Place the cheese cloth in the colander, place the colander over the washing up bowl, (so that the colander does not touch the bottom of the bowl)
7. Pour in the curdled milk and allow the whey to drain (this may take some time)
8. Take the corners of the cheese cloth and tie tightly with string, hang up over the washing up bowl and allow to drain for a further hour.
9. Don’t press on the cloth as it will affect the flavour of the quark and it will become sticky
10. Turn the quark out of the cheese cloth into the container or bowl, at this stage the quark may be flavoured with chopped chives or other fresh herbs
11. Place in the refrigerator to cool before sampling

Toad in the Hole with Roasted-onion Gravy

2010-05-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

6 vegetarian lincolnshire sausages
1tbsp oil

For the batter:
3oz (75gr) plain flour
1 large egg
75 semi skimmed milk
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the onion gravy:
8oz onions, peeled and sliced
2 tsp oil
1 level tsp golden caster sugar
1 dessertspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 level tsp mustard powder
425ml vegetable stock
1 rounded dessertspoon plain flour
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Equipment:

You will also need a solid-based, flameproof roasting tin with a base of 9x 6 inches (23x 15 cm), 2 inches deep, and a baking tray 14x 10 inches (35x 25.5cm)

Method
Begin by making the batter, and to do this sieve the flour into a large bowl, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Now, with the back of a spoon, make a well in the centre, break the egg into it and add some salt and pepper.

Now, measure the milk and 2 fl oz (55 ml) water in a measuring jug, then, using an electric hand whisk on a slow speed, begin to whisk the egg into the flour – as you whisk, the flour around the edges will slowly be incorporated. Then add the liquid gradually, stopping to scrape the flour into the mixture.

Whisk until the batter is smooth. Now the batter is ready for use, and although it's been rumoured that batter left to stand is better, I have never found this, so just make it whenever it's convenient. Now place the sliced onions in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the oil and the sugar and toss the onions around to get the lightest coating, then spread them on the baking tray.

Next arrange the sausages in the roasting tin, then place the onions on a high shelf in the oven, with the sausages on a lower shelf, and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the sausages from the oven but leave the onions in for a further 4-5 minutes – they need to be nicely blackened round the edges. When they are ready, remove them and leave to one side.

Now place the roasting tin containing the sausages over direct heat turned to medium and, if the sausages haven't released much fat, add the tablespoon of oil. When the tin is really hot and the oil is beginning to shimmer – it must be searing hot – quickly pour the batter in all around the sausages. Immediately return the roasting tin to the oven, this time on the highest shelf, and cook the whole thing for 30 minutes. Now for the gravy.

First add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder to the stock, then add the onions from the baking tray to a medium-sized pan. Now add the second teaspoon of oil, then, using a wooden spoon, stir in the plain flour. Stir all this together over a medium heat and then switch to a whisk, then gradually add the stock to the pan, whisking all the time, until it's all in.

Then bring it up to simmering point and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Taste to check the seasoning, then pour into a warmed serving jug. When the toad is ready, it should be puffed brown and crisp and the centre should look cooked and not too squidgy.

Serve it immediately with the gravy, and it's absolutely wonderful with mashed potato.

Risotto with spinach

2010-05-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

Risotto with Spinach/ Chard and herbs 4-6

2tbsp olive oil
4 oz butter
1 chopped onion
1lb Risotto rice
2 ¾ pt vegetable stock
8oz spinach or chard
1tsp dried oregano
1 crushed garlic
3 oz parmesan or grated cheddar
Salt and pepper and 1 grated rind of lemon

1. Heat oil and ½ butter in saucepan.
2. Add onion and stir in rice and cook for 5 mins
3. Add stock, garlic and oregano
4. Stir in the rest of the butter and cheese
5. Serves with salad

Spinach pasties

2010-05-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

Spinach Pasties:

8oz cooked spinach
1oz butter
2 oz cottage cheese
1 ½ oz grated cheddar
1 garlic clove, dill, nutmeg and lemon juice
Salt and pepper

1. Put spinach in a pan and heat until moisture have evaporated, beat in butter, cheeses and rest of the filling. Season and cool
2. Pastry rounds 15cm
3. Put tablespoon of cool spinach on one half of each circle, brush edges with beaten egg, seal.
4. Glaze with beaten egg, make a small ventilation hole. Bake on the 2nd shelf for 15 mins, sprinkle with sesame seeds
5. Serve with fresh tomato sauce, boiled potatoes and salad

spinach lasagne

2010-05-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

Spinach Lasagne:

2 chopped onions
1 tbsp oil
2 crushed garlic
1 can tomatoes
Salt and pepper
450 gr frozen leaf spinach
350 gr cream cheese
100 gr quick cook lasagne

1. Fry onions for 5 mins
2. In the blender mix 3 tbsp of this mixture with tomatoes, salt and pepper
3. Add the rest of the onions to the spinach, cream cheese, salt and pepper
4. Layer spinach, lasagne, half the tomato sauce, repeating ending with sauce
5. Sprinkle with bread crumbs on top and dot with butter
6. Bake uncovered in the oven at 175ºC for 20-30 mins

Serve with salad

spinach, baked beans and mashed potato bake

2010-05-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Spinach, Baked Beans and Mashed Potato Bake:

1. Wash spinach and put in sauce pan, heat and let it shrink
2. Drain off the juices and chop
3. Make a cheeses sauce (Miscellaneous pg2), add spinach and a little salt and pepper
4. Put in the bottom of an oven proof dish
5. Heat a can of baked beans and put on top of the spinache mixture
6. Put a layer of mashed potatoes on top of this with a fork
7. Some grated cheese to finish of and then put under the grill until brown

Serve with salad

short crust pastry

2010-05-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Short crust pastry
1 beaten egg

1. Melt butter and add prepared spinach, drain and chop
2. Put pastry on a loose bottomed flan tin (thinly 3mm)
3. Line the tin. Blind bake for 25 mins or until firm
4. Remove the beans and brush the bottom with a beaten egg
5. Bake for another 7 mins
6. Whisk eggs, cheese and cream in a bowl and add spinach
7. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg
8. Pour into the pastry and bake for 25-30 mins at 180ºC

Spinach and Ricotta quiche

2010-05-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Spinach and Ricotta Quiche (serves 4-6) 180ºC

500 gr spinach
20 gr butter
3 eggs
200 gr ricotta cheese
100ml thick double cream
Nutmeg to taste

Spiced pumpkin and apple curry

2010-05-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

Spiced pumpkin and apple curry
1 tablsp sunflower oil
1 large onion roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
500 gr butternut squash, cubed
2 small sweet potatoes (about 400 gr) peeled and cubed
400 gr baking potatoes diced
1 medium cooking apple diced
2 tsp mild curry paste
1 tsp tumeric
2.5 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 vegetable stock cube
50 gr raisins
Seasoning.

Heat oil add onion and fry for 5 minutes until golden.
Add the garlic, pumpkin, potatoes and apple. Stir in the curry paste, tumeric, ginger and bay leaves. Add 500 ml water, the stock cube, raisins and seasoning. Bring to boil, stirring then cover and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally until the veg are just tender.

Spiced Chickpea cakes with red onion and coriander salad

2010-05-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Coriander Salad:

8 oz chickpeas
1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
2 oz butter
1 small finely chopped onion
1 small finely chopped green pepper
3 squeezed garlic cloves
1 tsp turmeric
½ oz fresh coriander
500 gr Greek yoghurt
½ lemon zest (grated)
1 dessert spoon lemon juice
3 tbs gram flour
2 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper
1 red onion thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp coriander leaves

1. Simmer chickpeas in salted water for 30 mins drain
2. Mix onion, zest, jices and coriander and leave for 30 mins
3. Roast coriander and cumin seeds with pestle and mortar to crush
4. Fry onion and green pepper and garlic for 5 minutes add toasted spices and turmeric for 30 seconds
5. Process chickpeas, fresh coriander until chopped but not pureed
6. In bowl stir soften onions, spices 3 tbsp yoghurt and lemon zest and juice
7. Mix, taste and add seasoning
8. When cool enough for 8 pasties coast with beaten egg, toss in flour
9. Fry pasties, serve on red onions salad and 2 tbsp yoghurt per person

Salmon souffle

2010-05-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Salmon Soufflé:

400 gr chopped smoked salmon, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp almonds and a finely chopped onion. And 1 tsp escoffier sauce Robert. Add a few spoons of cream and 4 whipped egg whites, put in buttered dish and put au bain Marie for 45 mins in a medium hot oven.

Smoked salmon pate

2010-05-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Smoked salmon pate:

Chop 300 gr smoked salmon. Mix with 3 pureed potatoes (still warm), 3 tbsp melted butter, 3 tbsp chopped black olives and some freshly grated pepper. Mix all, but in a buttered dish and put in fridge. Make a Russian salad by putting mayo through finely chopped cooked vegetables.

Red dragon pie

2010-05-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

Red Dragon Pie:

4 oz aduki beans
2 oz soy mince or rice
2 pts of water for soaking
2pts water for boiling
1 tbsp oil
1 onion,
8 oz diced carrots
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tom puree
1 tsp mixed herbs
1/2 pt aducki bean stock
1 lb potatoes
1 oz butter
salt and pepper

Wash beans and steep in boiling water for 1 hour. Drain and rinse cook for 50 mins. Drain and reserve stock. Fry onion, add carrots cook 2-3 minutes. Add beans and grains. Mix soy, tomato puree, herbs with stock.
Pour over bean and veg mix. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Season. Add liquid if necessary and put in a 3 pt dish.
Boil and mash potatoes. Spread on top. Bake 40 minutes 180C

Rice croquettes

2010-05-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Rice Croquettes:

Leftover cooked rice, fry with mixed vegetables, carrots, onions, leeks, cabbage, courgettes, tomatoes slice and diced small, in a wok and add the cooked rice and a cupful of vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Make croquettes of cooked rice. Add grated cheese, chopped parsley and a beaten egg to the rich, form into croquettes, dust with flour and fry

Quiche loraine

2010-05-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

Quiche Lorraine:

200 gr flour
100 gr butter
100ml cold water
Pinch of salt

1. Sieve flour with salt, cut butter through flour, bit by bit
2. Add some water until it loosely stays to your fork
3. Gently make a ball and roll out
4. Put in a cake tin and leave to rest in the fridge
4 eggs
250 gr ham/ smoked pretend bacon etc
300 gr grated cheese
Salt and pepper
Paprika
Nutmeg
¼ litre cream

1. Put grated cheese on top of bottom of pastry
2. Fry the ham and put on top of cheese
3. Beat eggs and add herbs and spices and the cream and pour over the mixture
4. Put in the middle of the oven at 200ºC and bake for 30-45 mins until set in the middle

Onion and Bacon Quiche:

1 packet of puff pastry
2 onions or 250 gr cut onion rings
30 gr butter
7 gr bacon (or vegetarian equivalent)
3 eggs
2 dl cream
Salt and pepper
2 tsp mustard

1. Fry the bacon until crispy, then remove from the frying pan
2. Fry the onion for about 5 mins
3. Roll out the pastry and put into a flan dish
4. Spread the bacon and onion over the bottom
5. Beat the eggs with cream, salt, pepper and mustard
6. Brush a little bit of the mixture over the pastry edge and pour the rest into the dish
7. Bake in the middle of the oven at 200ºC for 35-40 mins

Pumpkin gratin

2010-05-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin gratin:

1 ½ pounds potatoes, cooked in small amount until still firm
3 cups thinly sliced squash and carrots
1 garlic clove
White pepper
2 cups of stock
1 cup of grated cheese
2 tbsp of butter

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly
3. Grease a large shallow gratin dish and rub with peeled garlic
4. Arrange the potato slices in a layer, alternating with the sliced veggies
5. Season each layer with salt and pepper. Pour the stock over the potato and veggie mixture and bake for 30 minutes
6. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter
7. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the cheese is golden brown.

pumpkin and sausages

2010-05-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin and sausages:

Medium sausage 700 gr,
1 onion,
2 garlic,
chopped sage,
2 tsp dried or
2 tbs Dijon mustard
600 ml stock
1 can chickpeas

1. Grilled sausages,
2. fry onion and garlic then add squash for 10 minutes,
3. stir in sage and mustard, put stock and peas, season salt and pepper, boil,
4. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve with warm rolls possibly more liquid

Leeks

2010-05-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Leeks
Wash and trim leeks, lay them in an ovenproof dish with a drizzle of olive oil and lots of black pepper, and bake in a moderate oven until tender.

Creamy pasta with egg and leek

2010-05-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Creamy pasta with egg and leek (4)
4 hardboiled eggs
350-400 gr pasta
Salt
500 gr sliced leek
2 dl cream

Cook pasta. Stir in leek and let cook for the last 5 minutes of the pasta. Drain cut the eggs in pieces, add the cream egg through the pasta. Sant and pepper to taste.

Leek and feta parcels

2010-05-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Leeks and feta parcels (24):

Filling
25 gr butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg shredded leeks
2 garlic crushed
Fresh nutmeg
200 gr feta crumbled
Salt and pepper

Pastry
50 gr butter
3 tbsp olive oil
24 filo pastry sheets.

Roll up the pastry to make a cigar shape. Brush well with more melted fat repeat and bake on 200 for 15-20 mins.

leek

2010-05-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Creamy Leek (4):
500 gr sliced leeks
1 ½ dl cream
Salt and pepper

1. Cook the leek in a little water with a little salt 5-7 minutes
2. Drain (reserve the liquid for vegetable stock)
3. Pour over the cream and heat through.
4. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon chicken (using quorn)

2010-05-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

Lemon Chicken:
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
25ml olive oil
½ lemon, juice only
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1tbs olive oil
6 quorn fillets
1 ½ glasses dry white wine
1 lemon thinly sliced
85 gr black olives stoned.

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together.
2. Pour into a shallow dish, leave chicken in the marinade for 3 hours turning once.
3. Then remove chicken from the marinade. Reserve the marinade.
4. Heat the olive oil and cook the chicken until golden
5. When done. Remove from pan and set aside.
6. Pour the wine in the pan bring to boil and stir any meat deposits at the bottom, reduce heat.
7. Add the marinade, lemon and olives, then return the chicken and juices to the pan.
8. Cover and simmer gently until ready.
9. Serve with slices of the lemon, pour over pan juices and top with some of the garlic

Christmas pancakes

2010-05-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Christmas Pancakes:

Mix a few drops of brandy through 150 gr of mincemeat. Spread over the thin pancakes, roll and fold. Pour over some brandy and light while bringing it to the table. Lovely with ice cream.

potato cakes

2010-05-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

Potato Cakes:

Great if you have left over mashed potato in the fridge

450 gr potatoes mashed with a knob of butter
2 ground cashew nuts
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 finely grated carrot
1 finely chopped onions
Extra virgin oil for frying

1. Cook potatoes and mash with the butter and milk to get a firm consistency.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients and form into small burger shapes
3. Pop in the fridge before cooking to firm them up.
4. Fry for 5 minutes on each side or grill for a little longer.

Herb and nut roast

2010-05-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Herb and Nut Roast (4-6 people):

100 gr hazelnuts
100 gr cubed wholemeal bread
25 ml vegetable oil
450 gr peeled and chopped onions
1 tbsp yeast extract
100 gr unsalted cashew or peanuts
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to moderate 180C
Put the hazelnuts in blender (reserving about 12 whole ones) add the bread and grind coarsely.
Heat the oil, add the onions and fry gently for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the yeast extract.
Remove from heat, then stir in ground hazelnuts, bread, cashews or peanuts and herbs.
Season to taste.
Press the mixture into a 1 ½ pint pie dish or oven proof casserole. Press the reserved nuts into the top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until lightly browned on top.
Serve hot.

White Sauce/ Cheese Sauce:

2010-05-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

White Sauce/ Cheese Sauce:
Ingredients
25g/1oz butter
25g/1oz plain flour
600ml/1 pint milk
salt and white pepper (to make a cheese sauce you should have grated cheese as well)
Method
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the milk to get a smooth sauce.
4. Return to the heat and, stirring all the time, bring to the boil.
5. **(If you are making a cheese sauce, add the cheese now and stir in. Taste it to make sure you have added the correct amount of cheese)**
6. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes and season with salt and white pepper.
Doortje’s Pancake Recipe:
1 egg per person +1 1 cup of flour per person (5oz = 1 cup) a pinch of salt milk- add until the right consistency

Egg and Tomato Bake

2010-05-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Egg and Tomato Bake:
Serves 6

This is a wonderfully fresh-tasting dish. It can be made with canned tomatoes.

50g (2oz) butter
6 eggs
A few fresh basil leaves, or 1 tsp dried basil
4 spring onions, chopped
900 gr (2lbs) tomatoes, skinned and sliced
50gr (2oz) fresh breadcrumbs, preferably white
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 8/ 230ºC
2. Using half the butter, grease a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish
3. Hard-boil the eggs and keep warm
4. Chop the fresh basil leaves, if used. Mix the basil and spring onions with the tomatoes.
5. Make a layer with half this mixture over the bas of the dish and season to taste.
6. Halve the egs and mixture, season again and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs
7. Dot with the remaining butter and bake in the oven for 8-10 mins
8. Serve at once

Quorn in vermouth sauce

2010-05-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Quorn in vermouth:

1 chicken,
4dl white vermouth,
½ litre stock,
3 carrots, 3 potatoes,
3 tbsp chopped parsley,
Celery
Some bay leaves

1. Put everything in a pan but not the chicken or vermouth.
2. Let it brew for a bit until the vegetables are soft.
3. Then in a sauce pan, fry the quorn and pour over the vermouth.
4. Use the stock to make a veloute sauce.

Veloute sauce:
Make a white sauce (pg 2 of Miscellaneous), except use stock instead of milk. Also add some yoghurt if you have some.

Nut roast made with rice

2010-05-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Nut Roast made with Rice (4-6)

6oz brown rice
salt and pepper
1 onion
2 carrots
¼ oz butter
1 garlic clove
4 oz bread crumbs
4 oz nuts chopped
4 oz mature cheddar cheese
2 eggs
2 tbsp parsley
Tomato sauce

1. Boil the rice
2. Finely chop the onions, mushrooms (my instructions don’t actually say how many), grate carrots
3. Fry onion, garlic and carrots for 3-4 mins, add mushrooms and cook for 5 mins
4. Remove from heat, stir in bread crumbs, nuts and rice, cheese and eggs.
5. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper and mix
6. Put in a greased loaf tin 180ºC for 1 to 1¼ hrs
Serve sliced with tomato sauce and crisp salad

Tomato and cashew nut roast

2010-05-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Cashew Nut and Sundried Tomato Nut Roast (our favourite):

1 chopped onion
Oil from the sundried tomatoes
200gr ground cashew nuts
12 finely cut sundried tomatoes
1 can of chopped peeled tomatoes
Rind of lemon
1 spoon of fresh basil
1 egg
Salt and pepper
1 packet of puff pastry

1. Fry the onion in the sundried tomato oil
2. Add the can of chopped and peeled tomatoes and leave until the juices have evaporated, then remove from heat
3. Add chopped sundried tomatoes, lemon, nuts, basil, salt and pepper and most of the egg (keep some behind to put over the puff pastry)
4. Mix together thoroughly and put in a loaf tin
5. Bake in over at 180ºC for 45 mins

6. For the meal time, roll out the puff pastry large enough to wrap around the loaf. Then if you feel in the mood to do some fancy decorative skill, do that now. Haha

Cannelini bean burgers

2010-05-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Cannellini Bean Burgers:

2 tins of cannellini beans
1 large shallot or small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, or pressed through a garlic press
2 small red chillies (or less!), deseeded and finely chopped
1 beaten egg
75g grated cheese
Salt and pepper
Breadcrumbs for coating

1. Drain and rinse the beans, then mash them, either with a potato masher or in the food processor
2. Warm a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, then add the shallot or onion, garlic and chillies and cook until they are soft and the onion is very pale gold
3. Tip them into the mashed beans, then stir in the egg and the cheese
4. Season with salt and pepper
5. Leave the mixture to coo, by with time it should be a stiffish paste

6. Roll the bean mixture into 8 balls, then flatten them slightly into burger shapes (it helps if your hands are slightly damp)

7. Dip the burgers into the bread crumbs until coated (at this stage the burgers can be frozen)

8. Pour a thin layer of oil into the pan you fried the shallots in and warm until it starts to sizzle. Then fry the burgers for 4-5 mins on each side until golden

This quantity serves 4 people

Broccoli and Salmon quiche

2010-05-08T12:24:00.002-07:00

Broccoli and Salmon Quiche:

1 packet of puff pastry
500gr broccoli
100 gr smoked salmon
4 eggs
2dl cream
1 tbsp mustard
Salt and pepper

1. Boil the broccoli in salted water for 6-8 mins, drain well
2. Cut the salmon in pieces
3. Roll out the pastry and put in a flan dish
4. Put the salmon and broccoli so that it covers the bottom
5. Beat the eggs with cream, salt, pepper and mustard
6. Brush a little of the egg mixture over the pastry edge and pour the rest into the dish
7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 mins at 200ºC
Nice with salad

Oat and Leek Tart (serves 6)
Pats Recipe in a 23cm flan dish

6 oz plain flour sifted
3 oz porridge oats
1.2 tsp salt
4 oz butter
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil

For filling:
2lbs leeks (about 5-6) trimmed, split lengthways, washed and thinly sliced
3 oz butter
3 eggs beaten
200ml crème fraiche
2 oz mature cheddar grated
Salt and pepper

1. Boil the leeks in a little water for about 5 mins
2. Roll out the pastry and put in flan dish
3. Spread dish and leek over the bottom
4. Beat egg with cream, salt pepper and mustard
5. Brush a little of the egg mixture over the pastry edge and pour the rest into the dish
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 mins at 200ºC
This tart should be served warm or at room temperature, never straight from the oven or fridge.
Broccoli Quiche:

1 packet of puff pastry
500gr broccoli
4 eggs
100gr grated mature cheddar
3 dl cream
Salt and pepper

1. Boil the broccoli in salted water for 6-8 mins, and drain well
2. Roll out the pastry and put in a flan dish
3. Put cheese over the bottom and broccoli on top
4. Beat egg with cream, salt, pepper and mustard
5. Brush a little of the egg mixture over the pastry edge and pour the rest into the dish
6. Bake in the middle of the oven 200C for 35-40
Nice with salad

Carrot and ginger soup

2010-05-08T12:22:00.002-07:00

Carrot and ginger soup (4)

350 gr carrots
1pt vegetable stock
1 piece of fresh root ginger peeled
25 gr butter
2 medium onions, sliced
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 tbsp orange juice
Salt and pepper
Garnish with parsley

Put the carrots, stock and ginger into a pan
Bring to boil and simmer for 15 mins
Discard the ginger and remove and reserve 1 tbsp of carrots slices
Melt butter in a saucepan, add the onions and fry gently for 3 mins
Stir in ground ginger and cook for 1 min.
Stir in the orange rind and juice and add the carrots and stock
Cover the pan, bring to boil and simmer for 10 mins
Puree the soup
Return to pan and season with salt and pepper

To make a garnish, thinly slice the reserved carrot slices and stamp out shapes with aspic cutters
Reheat the soup
Pour into the bowls and garnish with carrot shapes and parsley

Lentil and tomato soup

2010-05-08T12:22:00.001-07:00

Liz Thomas’ lentil and tomato soup (4-6)

1 small onion
1 can of tomatoes
2 tbsp oil
4 oz lentils
1 ½ pt vegetable stock
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp yeast extract
Salt and pepper

Chop the onions and sauté until transparent
Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 30 mins
Adjust seasoning for taste.

split pea soup

2010-05-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

Split pea soup (6)

8oz split green peas
3 pts stock
2 oz margarine
1 onion
3 celery stalks
2 leeks
2 medium potatoes
1 medium carrot
Salt and pepper

Cook peas in stock for 10-15 mins.
Melt margarine, sauté onion, celery and leeks. Add peas and stock with potatoes, carrots and bring to boil
Simmer for 40 mins and liquidise

Immune boosting soup

2010-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

Immune boosting soup:

1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 slice of ginger peeled and chopped
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1 celery stick chopped
1 potato peeled and cubed
A handful of pot barley
1 ½ pint of vegetable stock
1 broccoli head broken into florets
1 handful ofchopped parsley
1 heaped tbsp hummus

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent
Add all the other ingredients except the broccoli, parsley and hummus, and stir well
Cover and simmer for 40 mins
Add the broccoli and cook for a further 5-10 mins
Just before serving, sprinkle over the parsley and stir in the hummus

Leek and potato soup

2010-05-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Leek and potato soup:

2 small leeks, washed and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large potatoes, chopped
1pt of stock
Cashew nut butter or tahini
Croutons
Chopped parsley

Sauté leeks in the oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes and cover with the stock. Simmer for ½ hour until soft. Liquidise. Before serving stir a teaspoon of cashew nut butter or tahini into each bowl and sprinkle with croutons and chopped parsley.

Cream of leek soup

2010-05-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Cream of leek soup (6)

2 large leeks
1 small potato
1 medium sized carrot
1 oz butter
2 pts vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Fresh double cream ¼ pt

Chop the vegetables.
Melt the butter and sauté the vegetables for a few mins
Add the stock, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 mins
Allow to cool slightly before blending
Return to saucepan and adjust seasoning to taste
Stir in the cream and reheat to serving temperature, without boiling

Lentil soup

2010-05-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Easy lentil soup (4-6)

8 oz split red lentils
1 oz butter
1 medium chopped onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
Rind of lemon
2pts stock
Alt and pepper

Rinse lentils and pick out stones
Heat butter and onions for 2-3 mins
Add celery, carrots and sauté for 5-10 mins
Stir in lentils and add lemon, stock, salt and pepper
Boil for 10-15 mins and blend

Sprinkle with cheese and serve with hot toast

Courgette and Spinach soup:

2010-05-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Courgette and Spinach soup:

Heat 2 tbsp of oil and sauté 1 onion and 1 large courgette
Add 1 potato, 4 oz spinach, few sprigs of parsley and 2 pts of vegetable stock
Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins.
Liquidize.
Add ¼ pt double cream

Rhubarb and Almond crumble

2010-05-08T12:15:00.002-07:00

Rhubarb and Almond Crumble:

Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) rhubarb
4 oz (110 g) golden caster sugar
1 rounded teaspoon grated fresh root ginger

For the crumble:
4 oz (110 g) whole almonds, skin on
3 oz (75 g) chilled butter, cut into small dice
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour, sifted
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 level teaspoon ground ginger
4 oz (110 g) demerara sugar

To serve: custard or pouring cream

Method:
Begin by preparing the rhubarb. First of all wash it, then trim off the leaves and cut the stalks roughly into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks. Next, toss them in a bowl with the sugar and freshly grated root ginger, then place them in the baking dish and keep on one side.

Now make the crumble, which couldn't be simpler, as it is all made in a food processor. All you do is place the butter, sifted flour, cinnamon, ground ginger and sugar in the processor and give it a whiz till it resembles crumbs. Next, add the almonds and process again, not too fast, until they are fairly finely chopped and there are still a few chunky bits.

If you don't have a processor, in a large bowl, rub the butter into the sifted flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the almonds, which should be fairly finely chopped by hand, cinnamon, ginger and sugar.

Now you need to press the rhubarb very firmly with your hands all over the base of the dish to spread it evenly without too many large lumps sticking out. Then simply sprinkle the crumble mixture all over the rhubarb, spreading it right up to the edges of the dish, and, using the flat of your hands, press it down quite firmly all over; the more tightly it is packed together the crisper it will be. Then finish off by lightly running a fork all over the surface.

Now bake the crumble on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time the rhubarb will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp. Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving, then serve it warm with custard, pouring cream or ice cream. One of my favourites with this would be Hill Station Stem Ginger Ice Cream, available at Sainsbury's and other supermarkets.

Ginger cake

2010-05-08T12:15:00.001-07:00

Recipe for Ginger cake:

Ingredients

* 175 g butter
* 175 g soft brown sugar
* 175 g golden syrup
* 200 ml milk
* 2 eggs, whisked
* 325 g self-raising flour
* 2 tsp ground ginger
* 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Heat oven to Gas 2, 150°C, 300°F. Butter and line a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan on a low heat, mix so that the sugar has melted into the butter and syrup. remove from the heat, add the milk and blend until smooth, add the eggs and mix in. Finally fold in the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, pour into the prepared loaf tin.
3. Bake for 1 hour, then cover with baking paper and bake for another 30 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked insert a knife into the middle and it should come out clean.
4. Remove cake from the oven and leave for 5 minutes, then turn out of the baking tin and cool. If possible, wrap cake in greaseproof paper and leave it in a tin to enrich for a week as it improves with age.

Chocolate Brownies:

2010-05-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Brownies:

4oz melted chocolate
4oz butter
8oz sugar
2 beaten eggs
4 oz flour
4oz chopped walnuts

Mix all together.
Pour into a buttered and floured into an 8 inch square tin.
Put in the oven at 180ºC for 30 mins (until the top looks crispy)
Leave in tin for 15 mins

Raspberry Ice cream

2010-05-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Ice cream:

1kg frozen raspberries
7 tbsp sour cream
70 gr sliced roasted almonds
Lemon zest

Slowly cook the raspberries until soft
Put through sieve
Add lemon juice
Pour the mixture through sour cream
Mix in the almonds and freeze

Crumble topping

2010-05-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Crumble topping and Plum crumble 200ºC 35 mins
125 gr flour
1tsp mixed spice
50gr butter
50gr sugar
Mix all by hand

Plum crumble:
2lbs plums
50gr sugar
Take out stones, put all in a dish and mix with sugar
Put crumble topping on top.
Put in the over at 200 ºC for 35 mins

Pat Temples orange or lemon biscuits

2010-05-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Pat Temples orange or lemon biscuits

An empty milk carton
125gr butter
200 gr sugar
1 large egg
1 orange or lemon zest
250 gr plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Mix sugar, butter, egg and zest
Then add salt, baking powder and flour
Put all in an empty milk carton. Let it stand in the fridge for a days or freeze
Slice with a sharp knife and bake at 180ºC on baking sheet for 5-10 mins

Mince pies:

2010-05-08T12:09:00.002-07:00

Mince pies:

8oz butter
12oz flour
9oz sugar
1 orange rind
1 egg
Large apple (chopped finely and peeled)

Mix the butter, flour, sugar, orange and egg. When it starts to form a dough, knead by hand. Roll the dough into golf ball sized balls and place in the indents in the muffin baking tray. With a round ended object squash the balls into the indents so that it form the cup shape desired. Put a little bit of chopped apple in and then top up with the ‘mince meat’. To make a top you can role the dough flat and cut out a lid, but its not necessary.

Pat Gallagher’s ice box cookies:

An empty milk carton
1 cup melted butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
3 ½ cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1tbsp vanilla
1 cup of nuts

Mix sugar, butter, egg and vanilla
Then add salt, baking powder, flour and nuts
Put all in an empty milk carton. Let it stand in the fridge for a day or freeze
Slice with a sharp knife and bake at 180ºC on baking sheet for 5-10 mins

Pat Temples orange or lemon biscuits

An empty milk carton
125gr butter
200 gr sugar
1 large egg
1 orange or lemon zest
250 gr plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Mix sugar, butter, egg and zest
Then add salt, baking powder and flour
Put all in an empty milk carton. Let it stand in the fridge for a days or freeze
Slice with a sharp knife and bake at 180ºC on baking sheet for 5-10 mins

Crumble topping and Plum crumble 200ºC 35 mins
125 gr flour
1tsp mixed spice
50gr butter
50gr sugar
Mix all by hand

Plumb crumble:
2lbs plums
50gr sugar
Take out stones, put all in a dish and mix with sugar
Put crumble topping on top.
Put in the over at 200 ºC for 35 mins
Raspberry Ice cream:

1kg frozen raspberries
7 tbsp sour cream
70 gr sliced roasted almonds
Lemon zest

Slowly cook the raspberries until soft
Put through sieve
Add lemon juice
Pour the mixture through sour cream
Mix in the almonds and freeze

Chocolate Brownies:

4oz melted chocolate
4oz butter
8oz sugar
2 beaten eggs
4 oz flour
4oz chopped walnuts

Mix all together.
Pour into a buttered and floured into an 8 inch square tin.
Put in the oven at 180ºC for 30 mins (until the top looks crispy)
Leave in tin for 15 mins

Recipe for Ginger cake:

Ingredients

* 175 g butter
* 175 g soft brown sugar
* 175 g golden syrup
* 200 ml milk
* 2 eggs, whisked
* 325 g self-raising flour
* 2 tsp ground ginger
* 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Heat oven to Gas 2, 150°C, 300°F. Butter and line a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan on a low heat, mix so that the sugar has melted into the butter and syrup. remove from the heat, add the milk and blend until smooth, add the eggs and mix in. Finally fold in the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda, pour into the prepared loaf tin.
3. Bake for 1 hour, then cover with baking paper and bake for another 30 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked insert a knife into the middle and it should come out clean.
4. Remove cake from the oven and leave for 5 minutes, then turn out of the baking tin and cool. If possible, wrap cake in greaseproof paper and leave it in a tin to enrich for a week as it improves with age.

Rhubarb and Almond Crumble:

Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) rhubarb
4 oz (110 g) golden caster sugar
1 rounded teaspoon grated fresh root ginger

For the crumble:
4 oz (110 g) whole almonds, skin on
3 oz (75 g) chilled butter, cut into small dice
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour, sifted
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 level teaspoon ground ginger
4 oz (110 g) demerara sugar

To serve: custard or pouring cream

Method:
Begin by preparing the rhubarb. First of all wash it, then trim off the leaves and cut the stalks roughly into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks. Next, toss them in a bowl with the sugar and freshly grated root ginger, then place them in the baking dish and keep on one side.

Now make the crumble, which couldn't be simpler, as it is all made in a food processor. All you do is place the butter, sifted flour, cinnamon, ground ginger and sugar in the processor and give it a whiz till it resembles crumbs. Next, add the almonds and process again, not too fast, until they are fairly finely chopped and there are still a few chunky bits.

If you don't have a processor, in a large bowl, rub the butter into the sifted flour until it resembles crumbs, then stir in the almonds, which should be fairly finely chopped by hand, cinnamon, ginger and sugar.

Now you need to press the rhubarb very firmly with your hands all over the base of the dish to spread it evenly without too many large lumps sticking out. Then simply sprinkle the crumble mixture all over the rhubarb, spreading it right up to the edges of the dish, and, using the flat of your hands, press it down quite firmly all over; the more tightly it is packed together the crisper it will be. Then finish off by lightly running a fork all over the surface.

Now bake the crumble on the centre shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes, by which time the rhubarb will be soft and the topping golden brown and crisp. Leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving, then serve it warm with custard, pouring cream or ice cream. One of my favourites with this would be Hill Station Stem Ginger Ice Cream, available at Sainsbury's and other supermarkets.

Oat biscuits

2010-05-08T12:09:00.001-07:00

Oat biscuits:

40gr butter
225 gr oatmeal or grind your own porridge oats in a blander

In a bowl combine the oatmeal, fat and a small amount of boiling water to bind (a little at a time). Knead and roll out on a board sprinkled with oatmeal. Roll out thinly and cut into rounds. Lovely with cheese.

The World’s Most Amazing Fudge (Eugenio)

2010-05-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

The World’s Most Amazing Fudge (Eugenio)

Ingredients:

- ½ cup water
- 1 cup of sugar
- Good blob of butter
- Powdered milk (more than 1 cup of sugar)
- Vanilla essence
- Extra ingredients eg, chopped almonds, raisons and chopped peanuts or chocolate powder

Procedure:

1. Pour water into a thick pan
2. Put the sugar in the middle of pan
3. DO NOT STIR and put on the stove

4. Rub a small amount of butter onto a plate (preferably as flat as possible)

5. Let the mixture start to boil and wait to see when the bubbles begin to slow down
6. Once the bubbles begin to slow turn down the heat*
7. Add a good blob of butter
8. Start adding small amounts (eg. 1/3 of a cup) of powdered milk and stir with a wooden spoon
9. Add a bit of vanilla essence as well as any of the ‘extra ingredients’
10. Keep adding powdered milk until you reach the desired consistency
11. Continually stir the thickening mixture to prevent it from burning but do allow it to begin to caramelise so you have small buts of caramel in it
12. Put it out onto a plate (or maybe two) and spread

13. Start nibbling with a spoon
14. Leave to harden over night

* The longer you leave it the harder the fudge will be, so if you want a softer fudge turn the heat down as soon as the bubbles begin to slow

Serves: very few people seeing that most people won’t share it with anybody, but it should make 2 plates of fudge about 1-2cm thick

Zucchini Bread con Leche (Devon and Tom)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup of milk powder
- ½ cup of flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ ginger
- ½ cup of sugar
- 1 zucchini
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of oil
- 1 tsp of lemon rind
- ‘optional’ chopped walnuts

Method:

1. Sift the dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, milk, flour and baking soda and powder)
2. Grate the zucchini and place in tea-towel, fold in the corners and wring over the sink to remove most of the bitter juices, then set aside
3. Grate lemon rind and set aside
4. Stir dry ingredients
5. Mix in all the other ingredients
6. Pour into a well greased bread tin

7. Bake in the over at 350ºF for 1 hr
8. Hope for the best

Serves: it makes one loaf

Fiona's lemon loaf

2010-05-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

Fiona’s lemon loaf:

4oz margarine
4 oz sugar
2 eggs
6oz self raising flour
½ cup milk
1 lemon

Mix all the ingredients and lemon rind.
Grease a 1 lb loaf tin. Put mixture in the bake for 50 mins 180ºC

Dissolve 2 oz of sugar in lemon juice, spoon on top of hot cake, leave to cool.

Amaretti biscuits

2010-05-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Amaretti biscuits (makes about 48):

Pre heat oven to gas mark 2
Line a tray with foil, butter and flour it
Combine 300g whole toasted almond, 250gr sugar, 25 gr plain flour, ¼ tsp salt in the food processor.
Process to a crumbly powder
Transfer to a bowl, stir in 4 egg whites and 2 tsp almond extract
Bake for 20mins or until dry

Flap Jacks

2010-05-08T12:03:00.002-07:00

Flap Jacks:

6 oz margarine
2 tbsp golden syrup
4 oz brown sugar
8 oz porridge oats
2 oz coconut

Melt butter and syrup in a pan.
Add sugar.
Add rest and cook at 180ºC for 20 mins
Golden crunch biscuits, a family favourite:

4 oz oats
4oz plain flour
4 oz sugar
4oz butter
1tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp bicarb

Sift flour, bicarb, mix and dry ingredients
Dissolve butter, sugar, syrup over low heat, stir and add to mixture
Put small teaspoons on a baking sheet, bake on top shelf 15-20 mins at 180ºC

Devonshire Apple cake

2010-05-08T12:03:00.001-07:00

Devonshire Apple cake
In a basis combine 8 oz self raising flour,1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp mixed spice and 4 oz sugar. Rub in 4 oz of butter to make crumbs. Wash and roughly chop 350gr apple. Mix in a beaten egg. Stir all quickly together to combine. Spread evenly in a greased tin for ½ hour on 190C. Cut into squares.

Elderberry Ice cream

2010-05-08T12:02:00.001-07:00

Elderberry Ice cream
Elderberries destalked
Sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
Double cream
2 egg whites

About ½ carrier bag of berries. Put in entsaftersprinkling of sugar and half of the lemon juice. Not too much sugar you can always adjust.
Taste the syrup and add more sugar if required. (you will probably have about one pint of syrup at the end) Whip half a int of double cream until is stands in peaks, and in a separate bowl whisk two eggwhites untilthey are stiff enough to tip the bowl upside down. Fold in cream , eggwhites and syrup together gently, until uniform purple. Put in freezer

Fruit cake

2010-05-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Boiled Fruit Cake:

Ingredients:
Boiled Fruit Mixture
• 4 oz Brown Sugar
• 8 oz margarine or butter
• 1lb mixed fruit
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 Pint Milk
For the cake mixture
• 4 oz Glace Cherries
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 oz chopped walnuts
• 12 oz Self Raising Flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method:
1. Place all the ingredients for the fruit mix in a large saucepan bring to the boil and allow to cool for about 30 minutes
2. Preheat oven to 160C / Gas 3
3. Add the cherries and nuts stir through
4. then add eggs and mix well, add the flour and fold through the mix.
5. Place the mixture in a greased and floured 8' - deep cake tin. Tie some greaseproof paper around the outside of the tin so that the paper comes over the edges of the tin or optionally place over the top about half way through baking. Bake for 2 hours but check after 1.5 hours , check to see if cooked throughly with a skewer. If not bake a little further until the skewer comes out clean from the cake. Allow to cool and either decorate with marzipan and royal icing, or dried apricots and cherries and glaze with melted apricot jam or plain is very nice too.

Bocás de Cereal

2010-05-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

Bocás de Cereal (Melissa)

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 box of corn flakes
- A good blob of butter
- 1 tin of condensed milk

Method:
1. Melt butter in a pan then add the sugar and the milk
2. Once mixed add the corn flakes
3. Allow to caramelise in some place but keep stirring

4. Take off the heat and shape into balls and place on grease proof paper
5. Put in fridge to cool
6. This is the only desert that tastes better when its ready as opposed to when still a dough, but that shouldn’t stop you from eating most of the mix before you get it to the fridge.

Serves: it makes around 30 little balls

Appel Flappen

2010-05-08T11:46:00.002-07:00

Apple Flaps:

- Plain flour
- Puff pastry
- Cinnamon
- Sugar (brown)
- Water
- Apple (1 large, chopped and peeled)
- Egg

1. Cut the puff pastry into 4 blocks
2. Put flour onto the table and role out the pastry into a square about ½ cm thick
3. Place on a baking tray and put a couple of blocks of apple on one half
4. Put a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon on the apple
5. With your finger, rub water round the edges and fold it over to make it into a triangle and push in the edges
6. Brush mixed egg over the pastry and put more sugar and cinnamon on top
7. Put in the over for 20 mins until golden brown (keep and eye on it though)
8. Eat when still a little warm or heat it up before eating

Cheese Scones

2010-05-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Cheese Scones (makes 15)

1 lb flour
2 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
50gr butter
300gr cheese
½ of milk or whey

Mix all, roll out 1cm thick, cut out circles and put on baking sheet 200ºC for 20 mins

*Tip, if you fold it over and roll it out again 3 times it becomes fluffier

Bread

2010-05-08T11:43:00.002-07:00

Basic bread:

350 gr white strong flour
350 gr whole meal flour
15 gr salt
430ml luke warm water
15gr fresh yeast
1tbsp olive oil

Put yeast in luke warm water until froth appears
Mix all the other ingredients, knead and put in oiled bread tin
Place in over at gas mark 6 for 45 mins (keep an eye on it)

Pizza

2010-05-08T11:43:00.001-07:00

Basic Pizza Dough:

8oz strong flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp yeast
120 ml warm water
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix warm water with the yeast and let it froth up
Add to the flour, salt and olive oil mixture
Knead and roll out
Put on a baking tray
Spread some tomato paste (from tube)
Add grated cheese, and your topping
Leave to stand in a warm place for about 1 hr.

Then bake in oven 200ºC for about 20 minutes

Roman Salad:

2010-05-08T11:41:00.001-07:00

Roman Salad:

500 gr fresh spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp raisins

Wilt spinach and drain in colander
Heat oil and pine nuts for 1-2 mins
Add garlic, stir in raisins and drained spinach
Cook for another 30 seconds.
Season and serve

Mummy’s Salad Dressing:

2010-05-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

Mummy’s Salad Dressing:

Put 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp of brown sugar or honey in a screw top jar and shake thoroughly to mix. Shake again before serving.

Beetroot Salad (Kathy)

2010-05-08T11:38:00.002-07:00

Beetroot Salad (Kathy)

Ingredients:

- Beetroot
- Potatoes
- Eggs
- Carrots (large)
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Oil
- Cilantro
- Seasoning

Method:

1. Cut the (non pealed) beetroot, potatoes and carrots into big chunks and boil along with the eggs
2. Once cooked, chop into small cubes and add the rest of the ingredients
3. Serve with lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes

Rice with pecan nuts:

2010-05-08T11:38:00.001-07:00

Rice with pecan nuts:

Cook 180gr rice in 5dl of stock and stir
Then add 100gr of butter fried pecan nuts

Samosas

2010-05-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

Samosas

Boil 2 cubed potatoes in salted water for 10 minues. Drain well.
Boil 125 fine chopped vegetables: carrots, beans, peas, spinach, sweetcorn, cauliflower and parsnips, until tender but crisp. Drain well.
Put vegetables and poatoes iin a bowl. Add 1 tsp mild curry powder, 2tbsp cream cheese,and salt and pepper. Mix.
8 sheets of filo pastry. Make triangles, 2 sheets on top of eachother.
Brush the outside with butter and roll samosa in poppy seeds or sesame seeds. (about 16)
Put samosas on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Potatoes with Leeks

2010-05-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Potatoes With Leeks:

1 lb potatoes, sliced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 medium leeks
1 cup milk
1lb cabbage
½ tsp mace or ¼ tsp nutmeg
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 dash of salt and pepper
2 tbsp butter
Parsley

Cook the potatoes and parsnips in water until tender.
While vegetable are cooking, chop leeks (light grean as well as whites) and simmer in the milk until soft
Next cook the cabbage and have warm and well chopped

Drain the potatoes and parsnips and season with mace, garlic, salt and pepper and beat well.

Queso Blanco

2010-05-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Queso Blanco Recipe:

Put it in your lasagne recipes instead of Ricotta or in addition to it. Yum!

Ingredients:
1 Litre whole milk
¼ cup white vinegar**

1. Heat milk to 82ºC stirring constantly Be careful not to burn the milk
2. While mixing with a whist, slowly add the white vinegar. You will notice the milk begins to curdle
3. Keep stirring for 10-15 mins
4. Line a colander with a fine cheesecloth
5. Pour the curdled milk through the colander
6. Allowthe curds to cool for about 20 mins
7. Tie the four corners of the cheese cloth together and hang it to drain for about 5-7 hrs (until it stops dripping)
8. The solidified cheese can be broken apart and salted to taste or kept unsalted

** the juice of 3-5 lemons may also be used in substitute or addition to the vinegar. The resulting cheese will have a much more tangy flavour

Homemade Ricotta Cheese:

2010-05-08T11:23:00.000-07:00

Unlike most other fresh cheeses, cottage and cream cheese, for example – the curd of this bland, light cheese is formed by the direct addition of acid to the milk, not by fermentation. For that reason the time required to make it is generally short.

It is good for such dishes as lasagne and manicotti, in place of cottage cheese.
You’ll find it is a bit creamier than most cottage chesses, with a much finer curd.

Ingredients:

2 litres regular milk
3 tbsp distilled white vinegar or ¼ cup of strained fresh lemon juice
Salt

1. Pour the milk into a heavy stainless-steel pot
2. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice
3. Set the pot over very low heat and bring the milk very slowly to a simmer (a reading of 200F on the thermometer). There will be fine beads around the edge of the milk, which will look foamy but will not appear to be boiling; remove the pot from the heat and set it, covered, in a spot where the temp will remain fairly uniform at a reading of between 80 and 100ºF (an unheated oven, without a pilot light, is a good spot) let the milk stand for about 6 hours or until a solid curd floats above the liquid (the whey); more or less time may be required, depending on the temp of the environment and the characteristics of the milk;
4. Line a fine sieve with doubled dampened cheesecloth (or better yet, two layers of very fine-meshed nylon curtain netting, dampened) and set it over a bowl; dump the curds and whey into the sieve and allow the whey to drain off until the ricotta is yoghurt like;
5. If you want a firmer cheese, tie the corners of the cloth to form a bag and hang it up and drain further; in warm weather, there draining might well be completed in the refrigerator; when the texture of the cheese is to your liking, and a little salt (from ¼ to ½ tsp) if you wish; store the cheese, covered, in the refrigerator; it will be at its best after it has chilled for 24 hrs, and it will keep well for 4 or 5 days.
6. It makes about 1 pound

Dianne's courgettes pate

2009-07-03T06:30:00.001-07:00

First, the original recipe, then my notes:

Courgette Pate
14 oz courgette, grated
1/4 pint double cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I like dill and parsley)
2 eggs
pinch of black pepper, paprika, turmeric and salt
1 oz butter

Gently fry the grated courgettes in butter until softened.
Mix everything together.
Pour into a lined 1lb loaf tin and place in a tray containing water to come halfway up the side of the loaf tin.
Bake for 1 hour at 180 C until firm and starting to brown on top.

My notes (the lazy way):
I didn't bother with the grating and frying. I just put everything into a food processor and whizzed until well chopped (I left the butter out).
I forgot to use the water bath and it still turned out alright.
Using yellow courgettes and a pinch of turmeric gives a nice golden colour.

Cream of Weed Soup - April

2009-04-29T05:39:00.000-07:00

This recipe can be easily adapted to the edible weeds in your garden at any time of year.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN IDENTIFY YOUR WEEDS WITH 100% CERTAINTY!

1 Colander full of nettle tops, loosely packed
1 colander of comfrey, ground elder, sorrel and garlic mustard (Jack by the Hedge)
1 potato, washed and chopped
1 onion, chopped

You can have a carrot too if you want.

Fry onion for a few minutes in olive oil, then add the potato and chopped greens and steam-fry on a low heat for five minutes or so. Add water or stock (marmite or vegemite are ideal) and simmer till everything is tender. Liquidise, add salt and pepper to tase and more liquid if needed, then stir in a cup of cream, creme fraiche or natural yoghurt. Serves 4.

This recipe was taken from Plants with Purpose.

DISCLAIMER: Plants with Purpose cannot take any responsibility for problems or effects of trying the recipes on this page. Please desist or take professional advice if you think your health may be affected!
© Plants With Purpose.co.uk 2004 All Rights Reserved.

Lady Ridley's Nettle Soup

2009-04-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

Why not try Lady Ridley's nettle soup recipe?
Let us know what you think or tell us your own favourite nettle recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb potatoes
½ lb young nettles
2 oz butter
1½ pts chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt & black pepper
4 tablespoons sour cream

Method:
Cook the peeled, chopped potatoes for 10 mins in salted water. Drain.
Wash & chop coarsely the nettles (Only pick the new, young tops,using gloves!)
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the nettles and stew gently for a few minutes. Add the
potatoes and heated stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
When all is soft, cool slightly & purée in a blender, adding seasoning and the sour cream.

I hope you enjoy the nettle soup. The hardest work is picking the nettles. Half a pound is a lot of small leaves, but it is fun to do, in season, once a year.

THE VISCOUNTESS RIDLEY

Fiona's Roasted red peppers and halloumi

2008-11-10T22:32:00.000-08:00

A favourite in our house and one I don't have a written recipe for, so apologies for vague quantities!! Very easy and quick

Serves 4

4 red peppers
Couscous
Stock
Mushrooms (best are ones that are in a jar that are roasted and in olive oil, but I cant find these anymore so I roast some mushrooms in oven with olive oil, S+P for about 15 mins and use them instead)
Halloumi cheese
Parsley
Pine nuts if you`ve got any

Cut peppers in half, through the stalk, deseed and put on baking tray, cut sides up. Drizzle with olive oil, S+P. Roast at GM6 for 20 mins

Meanwhile...add stock to couscous, cover and wait for 5 mins till fluid absorbed. (no idea of how much! - ??maybe about 3cm couscous in measuring jug and add enough stock up to 5-6cm mark - ish)
Then combine couscous, chopped up halloumi, mushrooms, parsley and fill pepper halves, sprinkle with pine nuts if using and back in oven for 20 mins.
Enjoy!
Fiona

Liz' courgettes recipe

2008-11-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
Courgettes, garlic (as much as you want!), butter/margarine
Grate courgettes, prepare garlic and add to melted butter/margarine in saucepan.
Cook garlic for a few minutes then add courgette and stir/cook until heated..!
I taste to see when it's ready!!
Serve with anything!!

If you like garlic and courgettes this is absolutely gorgeous!!

from Liz

Marcel's 10 minute spicy tuna salad

2008-10-28T11:12:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
Fresh tuna
Tagliatelle (or any other pasta in fact)
Rocket lettuce
1 fresh red pepper
Good quality olive oil
Salt

Preparation:
Put the pasta on.
After washing the rocket, tear the leaves into smaller pieces.
Remove the seeds from the pepper and cut into shreads.
Cut the tuna in cubes.

Put the cubes of tuna in a large salad bowl and add the al dente pasta
on top of the tuna.
Add the fresh red pepper. Now toss the rocket leaves one by one though
the whole while adding drops of fine olive oil.
Depending on the amount of ingredients and dinner guests you can
determine how much green you want.
The hot pasta will somewhat cook the tuna.

Voila!

Enjoy.