Monday, 11 November 2013

Barn Brack

Tom's friend Jess suggested making this Barn Brack with Rose Tea so we are trying it

6oz each of  Sultanas
                    Raisins
                     Currants
7oz soft brown sugar
3/4 pt strong tea
12oz self raising flour
I egg

Soak fruit and sugar overnight in cold tea
Next morning add beaten egg
Sift in flour
Bake in greased tin at 180* for 1 hour

Monday, 12 August 2013

Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownies

This is a Rose Elliot recipe

100g plain chocolate broken into pieces
100g butter in pieces
225g dark brown sticky sugar(mucavado or rapadura is best)
2 large or 3 medium eggs
50g self raising flour
125g skinned,lightly toasted hazelnuts roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 190 C or Gas mark 5
Melt butter and choc.
Remove from heat.
Stir in sugar, then eggs and flour.
Add nuts ,bake for 25 mins.
Cool briefly in tin.
Cut.
Enjoy!

Brilliant with the fool or vanilla ice cream or cherries or coffee....

gooseberry fool

gooseberry fool

Something ate all the gooseberries in our garden while we were away.
Lovely Valerie  let me pick some from her garden and this fool went down a treat
with Clive's sister Diana and her son Mark and daughter-in-law Leanne.

250g gooseberries,topped and tailed
3 tbsp caster sugar
200g Greek yoghurt
1-2 tbsp. icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 ml double cream

Put the gooseberries and sugar in a pan with a splash of water.
Hear gently,stirring.then bring to a simmer and cook until the fruit starts to burst.
Squash the gooseberries with a potato masher or fork until pulpy.
Cool then chill until cold in the fridge

Put the yoghurt in a bowl and beat with the icing sugar until smooth.
Gently whisk in the cream   ( it will thicken as you whisk so don't overdo it)
Ripple through the gooseberry pulp then spoon into pretty bowls or glasses to serve

The gooseberries were the lovely red tinged variety so the fool was a pretty pink
rather than the grey colour it can be when made with regular raspberries!

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

More Waffles

These waffles are the thicker Belgian variety and the lovely chef at Fisherton Mill
in Salisbury gave me this recipe from his handwritten book.He serves them with maple syrup
and clotted cream at their Jazz brunches.

The recipe uses yeast so the batter cannot be made too far in advance or saved for too long.

To stand

200ml warm water
21/4tspn dried yeast
Pinch sugar

Into bowl

3 cups (1lb 4oz) plain flour
1/4 tspn salt

Mix the following together then add to yeast

3 egg yolks
1/3 (4oz)cup sugar
155 ml water
236 ml milk
8 tbspn (8 oz) melted butter
2 tsp veg oil

Mix altogether
Whip 3 egg whites and fold in
Leave to stand for 1 hour.

Cook in the Belgian Waffle Maker
This is a thicker waffle than the previous recipe



Waffles

These waffles are delicious for brunch at the week end after the Bircher Muesli

8oz (225g)flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon golden caster sugar
2 eggs
12 fl oz (350ml) milk
3 oz (75 g) butter( melted)

Preheat the waffle iron

Sift together the dry ingredients.Beat the egg yolks with the milk and vanilla.
Stir in the melted fat and stir into the dry ingredients .
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and stir a heaped tablespoon into the batter
to lighten it,then scrape the batter on top of the egg whites and gently cut and fold together.
Bake in the waffle iron.

Best with maple syrup and strawberries and bananas or both!

Bircher Muesli

Summer must be around the corner and then Bircher Muesli makes a refreshing change from porridge. This recipe feeds 4 generously.

Juice of 1 lemon
4 apples,pears or a combination
1 cup apple or orange juice or a combination
2 cups low fat Greek yoghurt
11/2 cups muesli base
1/2 cup mixed seeds
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup sultanas/ raisins/cranberries
2or3chopped dried figs
2or3chopped dried prunes
2or3chopped dried unsulphured apricots
1tblsp cinnamon

Soak overnight in the fridge

Serve with a generous selection of fresh berries and fruit.
Strawberries,blueberries,blackberries,raspberries,banana,mango and kiwi fruit are all good.

Top with more yoghurt,passion fruit and a drizzle of honey.

Monday, 13 May 2013

Brown bread Ice cream

This makes 1 pint (570 ml)
3oz (75g)fresh brown  bread crumbs
3oz(75g) Demerara sugar
2eggs,separated
1tablespoon honey
3/4 pint (400 ml) double or whipping bread

Preheat oven to 190C/375F mark 5
Mix the breadcrumbs and the sugar together and spread them out on a baking sheet.
Bake until the sugar has melted and the breadcrumbs have caramelised.Cool.
Beat the egg yolks and honey in a large bowl.
Lightly whip the cream.
Whisk the egg whites until firm.
Fold the cream and egg whites together and fold them carefully into the egg yolk and honey mixture.
Stir in the caramelised bread crumbs and freeze the mixture until firm-a few hours.
Place in the fridge 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

Crummy with the fruit crumble

Best Ever Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is Simon Hodginson's. Nigella's is good too.
She does a magic one where you pour on boiling water and the miracle sauce appears

175g(6oz dates chopped)
1 rounded tsp bicarbonate soda
50g/2oz melted butter
Pinch salt
75g/21/2oz Demerara sugar
75g/21/2oz molasses sugar
2eggs
175/6oz self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
Butter for greasing

For sticky toffee topping
250ml/9 fl oz double cream
80g/3oz butter
80g/3 oz molasses sugar

For the extra sauce
300/10fl oz whipping cream
50g/2oz molasses
50g/2oz butter
Double cream to serve

Preheat oven to 180C/350FGas 4
Pour 275ml/10 fl oz boiling water into a large mixing bowl and add the dates.
Stir and set aside until lukewarm
Add all the other ingredients and mix .
Blend until smooth and then bake in buttered dish for 40 minutes

Make topping and sauce by heating ingredients together in separate pans .
Pour the topping over the cooked pudding.
Serve the extra sauce separately

Apple and Summer Fruit Crumble

Apple and Summer Fruit Crumble

5 cooking apples
1pckt  frozen summer fruits
1lemon
1tblsp honey
1tbsp cinnamon
4oz oats
3oz whole meal flower
1oz ground almonds
3oz soft brown sugar
3 oz butter
1tblsp Demerara sugar and cinnamon for dusting on top

Peel apples add to frozen fruits in saucepan with the fruit juices honey and cinnamon until the apples are beginning to soften.
Blitz remaining ingredients  or mix and rub in butter.
Sprinkled dem sugar and cinnamon on top.
Bake for 30 mins at 200 C

Flaked almonds are good on top too

Serve with vanilla ice cream  cream or custard
Brown breadicecream is good too
Recipe for that later

Alex's Favourite Flapjacks

225g(8oz)soft brown sugar
110g(4oz)golden syrup
300g(12oz)butter
175g(6oz)dried and chopped dates
175g(6oz)dried and chopped unsulphured apricots
450g(1lb) rolled oats

Heat oven to 190C gas mark 5.
Line a baking tray 9x13 inches
Weigh the sugar,make a well in the centre and add the syrup.
Slide into a large saucepan,add butter and heat gently stirring until mixture becomes liquid.
Add the finely chopped dates and apricots and the rolled oats and mix well.
Spoon onto the prepared baking tray
Place into the hot oven for 20-30 minutes. Then score 4 or 5 lines each way.
Cool in tin.

Alternatives are dried cranberries and hazelnuts
                            dried figs and walnuts
                             dried mango and Brazil nuts
                             pumpkin seeds are good too instead of any nuts

Sunday, 12 May 2013

Nigella Lawson's Millionaire's Shortbread

Millionaires Shortbread

It took me a while to master this because I was too impatient to let each layer set but with Nigella's help I have cracked it

225g plain flour(sometimes I use 1/3 rice flour)
75 g caster sugar
375 g butter
375 tin sweetened condensed milk
4 tbsp golden syrup
325 g plain chocolate

8 by8 inch tin lined and greased

Preheat oven to 170C  gasmark3 325F

Put flour and sugar into the bowl and rub in 175 g of butter,clumping the dough together to make a ball .Press the sandy shortbread mixture into the tin and smooth it down.Prickwith a fork and cook for5 minutes.Then lower the oven to 150C mark 2 325 F and cook for a further30-40 mins until golden brown and no longer doughy.Let it cool in the tin.

Melt the remaining 200g of butterin a large microwaveable bowl,then add condensed milk and golden syrup..Whisk the mixture well until the butter is thoroughly incorporated .Heat in microwave for 6-7 minutes and boiling stirring thoroughly every minuteIt is ready when it is thickened and a nice golden brown.Pour this molten toffee over the shortbread and leave to cool.Melt chocolate and pour over the fudge mixture  and leave to cool once set cut the caramel shortbread into pieces.makes about 24.

White chocolate biscotti with pistachios and cranberries

225 g plain flour plus extra to dust
1tsp ground mixed spice
1tsp baking powder
Pinch fine sea salt
170g golden caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
50 g good quality white chocolate chopped into small pieces
50g shelled unsealed pistachio nuts
50 g dried cranberries
1 egg white,to glaze

Preheat oven to 170C/Gas3
Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner.
Sift flour,mixed spice,baking powder and salt into large bowl
Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre

In another bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla extract
Pour into the wll in the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.
Then press together to form a ball and knead in the chopped chocolate,pistachios and cranberries.

Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces.
Roll each portion into a long log about 2-3 cm in diameter.
Then place on the lined baking sheet
Lightly whisk the egg white until just frothy and brush over the top of the dough.
Bake for 20 mins until risen and firm,but stil pale.
Set aside to cool for10-15 minutes and lower the oven to 120C

Using a serrated knife cut the logs into 1cm thick slices on the diagonal,lay the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 10 mins.Then turn over and bake for another 10 mins until dry and golden

Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Everyone who I have given these biscotti to has asked for the recipe so thank you Gordan Ramsay

Dahl

Dahl

300 g red lentils
200g can chopped toms
200ml can coconut milk
1onion chopped
2cloves garlic chopped
2tspn cumin seeds toasted
1tspnturmeric
750g veg stick(marigold)
Lemon juice
1red chilli
2 tsp mustard seeds

Bring to the boil the lentils,toms,coconut milk,onion,garlic,cumin,turmeric and stock.
Simmer for 40 minutes. Add lemon juice
Cook mustard seeds and chilli in hot oil until they pop and dance.
Sprinkle over Dahl
Enjoy

Seriously good gingerbread

Gingerbread

125 g I salted butter chopped
75 g muscovado sugar
125 g golden syrup
125 g black treacle
280 g self-raising flour
2tspn ground ginger
1tspn cinnamon
1/2 tspn bicarbonate soda
1/2 tspn salt
2eggs
125ml buttermilk
115 g stem ginger in syrup drained and chopped
      Plus 3tbsn of the syrup
2tsp fresh root ginger finely grated

Line a20by20 tin with non stick baking parchment.
Heat oven to160C 150 C fan 325 Ff gas mark 3
Melt the butter ,sugar, golden syrup and treacle together in a saucepan
overa low heat and then allow to cool.
Sift the flour,spices and salt into a bowl.
Add the melted butterand syrup mixture,eggs,buttermilk,stem ginger,stem ginger syrup
and fresh root ginger.
Mix thoroughly and pour into prepared tin.
Bake for 50 minutes until the cake is risen and springy
Cool in the tin
Wrap in cling film or foil for a few days and it will get darker but it is also great straight away.

Red onion marmalade

Red onion marmalade

This made for a delicious lunch with a Camembert (it was La Rustique)
studded  with garlic and rosemary and drizzled with white wine and baked
at 200 for 20 minutes a served with .Clive's bread and carrot and celery sticks
and a green salad.

4 onions sliced(red is good but white is fine)
Olive oil
4 tbsp Demerara sugar
4 tbsp white wine vinegar

Cook onions in the oil until soft
Add sugar and vinegar and cook uncovered for at least an hour.
 It is fun to experiment
I added a slug of sherry, a slug of port and I would have added a slug of
Red wine but we did not have any open.
I also added paprika and nutmeg.

Seafood curry

Seafood Curry

Paul cooked us this curry and it made a welcome change from our usual Thai curry.

Olive oil
1large onion finely chopped
3crushed cloves garlic
2tspn grated fresh ginger
1red and 1 yellow pepper chopped
2 Birdseye chillies finely sliced
3  tbsp Madras curry powder
600ml coconut milk
1tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp mango chutney
700 g white fish fillet (like monkfish or red snapper)chopped in bite sized pieces
450g tiger prawns
225 g scallops
Juice 2 limes and one for garnish
Coriander chopped for garnish

Heat the oil and sauté the onions until soft.
Then add garlic,ginger,peppers and chillies .
Cook for 5 mins and then add curry paste
Cook gently for another 5minutes.
Add coconut milk,simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add tomato purée and mango chutney
Add fish .prawn and scallops.
Simmer for about 7 or 8 mins until the fish I cooked.

Vegetarian Puy Lentil Lasagne

Vegetarian Puy Lentil Lasagne

I used to cook this a lot and haven't made it for ages.
I have to say it was good

Olive oil
200g Puy lentils
2 cloves garlic
1stick celery
1leek
2carrots
4ozmushrooms
Sprig rosemary
2bay leaves
200 ml red wine
1canchopped toms
500g veg stock (Marigold)
8 sheets lasagne

For the cheese sauce

4ozbutter
31/2 oz plain flour
11/2 pints milk
6tbsp double cream
4oz grated cheddar cheese
Parmesan salt and pepper to taste

Cover the Puy lentils with veg stock and cook about 20 mins until tender.
Sauté onions garlic celery leeks mushrooms and carrots in the oil.
Add the lentils red wine rosemary and bay leaves and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes.
Season to taste

Make the cheese sauce by melting the butter,mixing in the flour,stirring until bubbling
And then adding the milk and cream gradually whisking all the time.
Stir in the cheese when the sauce begins to thicken.add salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the lasagne with a layer of the lasagne sheets on the bottom of the baking dish
Which you have generously greased with butter. If you shook the sheets in cold water fo 20minutes
They are more malleable
Layer the lentil ragu and the cheese sauce and then repeat finishing with the sneeze sauce and topping
with the grated Parmesan and a little more cheddar

Bake for 40 mins at 180 degrees and then it will be bubbling ang golden
It only needs a green salad to go with it.

Sunday, 14 April 2013

More Pancakes (Alex sent me this Recipe from California)


Meyer Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Macerated Strawberry Coulis

 

Prep Time: 25 min              Inactive Prep Time: 30 min          Cook Time: 10 min             4 servings

Ingredients


Strawberry coulis:


1 quart strawberries, topped and quartered

1/2 cup orange juice

Pancakes:


2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar – Suggested to Half

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for egg whites

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs, separated

1 heaping cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup milk

2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced

Butter, for cooking the pancakes

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions


Strawberries:


Toss the strawberries with the sugar and orange juice. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

 

After the berries and sugar have macerated and become very juicy, remove 1/2 of the berry mixture, put it in a food processor and puree until smooth. Return it to the rest of the berries and reserve until ready to use.

Pancakes:


Sift together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta, milk and lemon zest and juice, and mix until it becomes homogeneous. Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients to the well and whisk until combined.

 

Preheat a griddle.

 

In another bowl, using a whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture in thirds. Do this quickly and gently so the pancakes will be light and fluffy.

 

Melt small pats of butter onto the preheated griddle, and spread it around with a paper towel to remove any excess butter. Spoon or ladle the pancake batter onto the prepared griddle to desired size of the pancake. When the top of the pancake is full of holes, like bubbles have risen to the surface and burst, the pancake is ready to flip. Flip the cakes and cook until the bottom is golden brown.

 

Remove the pancakes from the grill to serving plates. Top with the macerated strawberry coulis and garnish with powdered sugar.

 
What a flapjack!

Roasted Peppers

Roasted Peppers

Simply half the peppers,however many you wish to use.
Red ones ,yellow ones,orange ones- all good,but never green!
Try to keep the green stalks on
Fill with 3 or 4 baby tomatoes(picola are very tasty)
Place an anchovy cross on half a pepper.
Sprinkle with the oil from the anchovies and a little honey.
Scatter with basil leaves.
Bake for 25 minutes in a hot oven
A few fresh basil leaves are good too.
Spicy Aubergine Casserole

2 firn Aubergines
1tblspn salt
1large onion
3tblspn olive oil
1/2 tspn dried chilli flakes
2garlic cloves1tspn ground cumin
400g tin chopped  tomatoes
50g olive oil1tbsp toasted pine nuts
1lemon
400g veg stock

Quarter the Aubergines ,half them lengthways ,chop into bite size chunks.
Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt.
Leave while you finely chop onion and cook in the oil until soft.
Add crushed garlic and chilli.
Rinse Aubergines,pat dry,add to onion and stir for 10 minutes.
Add can of  tomatoes and veggie stock-(Marigold again)
Cover and simmer until soft.(about 10 minutes)
Chop the olives and stir in along with the capers and roasted pine kernels.
Add juice of a lemon

Good with couscous and roasted peppers(see next recipe)

Friday, 5 April 2013

Kedgeree addition

Sometimes I add frozen prawns along with the frozen peas to the kedgeree

Kedgeree

Kedgeree
Tonight we had kedgeree - Clive's favourite
Recently after a trip to The Circus in Bath I have changed the way I cook it.
Now I put leeks as well as onion  or shallot in the sauce and serve the rice separately.

500g smoked haddock
Milk for poaching
2bay leaves
Olive oil
1onion
2leeks
1tablespoon curry powder (Patak's cumin coriander paste has a great taste)
Brown rice cooked-1cupbefore.cooking
Veggie or fish stock
4hard boiled eggs quartered
A little cream or crem fraiche
Smoked paprika and parsley for garnish
2handfuls frozen peas

Poach the smoked haddock in the milk and bay leaves for 5 minutes
Then skin ad flake it. Save the milk
Sauté the onions and leeks and curry past for 5 minutes
Add stock and the poaching milk from the fish.
Add the peas and the flaked fish
Simmer
Add cream or crime fraiche
Serve with the rice and quartered eggs decorated with  the smoked paprika and parsley

Puttanesca Sauce

Puttanesca Sauce

This is an old favourite that the whole family like to cook and eat
 
2 cloves garlic
1red chilli
2 tins tuna
2 tins sardines
1tin anchovies
1jar passata
1tin chopped tomatoes
20 black olives - stoned or guests warned if not stoned!
2tblspns capers

Cook garlic and chilli in a little oil from the anchovies.
Add drained tuna,sardines and anchovies.stir.
Add passata,chopped tomatoes,olives and capers
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve scattered with basil leaves on a bed of linguine.
Black linguine is fun !

Next quick pasta dish

Patsta with mackerel Marsala and pine nuts

50g sultana
200g linguine
1shallot
60ml Marsala
2fillets smoked mackerel
2tblspns capers
1 tspn red wine vinegar
25g toasted pine nuts
Dill or the fronds from fennel

Soak sultanas in hot water
Cook the pasta
Cook chopped shallot in a little oil
Add Marsala and let it bubble
Add flaked mackerel drained capers and red wine vinegar
Remove a cup of the pasta water to add to sauce.
Drain  pasta Mix with sauce. Scatter with the toasted pine nuts
Decorate with dill.

Two very quick pasta dishes

Two very quick pasta dishes courtesy of Nigellissima
Número UNO
Sicilian pasta with tomatoes,garlic and almonds
500g pasta
259g cherry tomatoes
50g anchovy fillets in olive oil
25g sultanas
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon capers
50g blanched almonds
Basil

Cook the pasta.

Blitz everything else other than the basil 2 minutes before the pasta is ready
Add a cupful of pasta water

Drain pasta

Toss together

Decorate with basil!

Devour!

Two soups for the cold (continued)

Spicy Parsnip Soup (continued)

Melt a little butter and cook the onions for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add garlic parsnips,apple and the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes
Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes
Blend and serve.
A little honey or maple syrup make a sweet addition .
A dollop of crème fraiche or natural yoghurt looks pretty and tastes good
A scattering of paprika and chilli flakes at the end is good too.

Two soups for the cold

Spicy Carrot and Lentil Soup

600g carrots
2 onions
2 Bramley apples
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp smoked paprika
11/2 litres stock (Marigold)
coriander to serve

Saute the onions until soft  in a little olive oil
Add the spices for a couple of minutes.
Then add the apples and carrot and cook gently for 10 minutes.
 Next add the stock and bring to the  boil
Simmer for 20 minutes.
Liquidise and serve.
Garnish with a blob of crème fraiche and a scattering of coriander.

 Optional extras added at the bring to the boil stage-
  A handful of little red lentils
 A can of choppe tomatoes

Optional extra at the simmering stage
Milk coconut,soy or regular.
 

Spicy Parsnip Soup

6 large parsnips
2 onions
1 apple
2 cloves garlic
3 tsp curry powder(I like Patak's coriander and cumin curry paste)
1 1/2 litres stock

Monday, 25 March 2013

Pad Thai

Pad Thai

 This is not the best Pad Thai in the world( you have to go to
The Old Bakehouse at Castle Cary for that) but it is pretty good just the same!

You need

350g rice noodles
2 red chillies
2 garlic cloves,crushed
6 spring onions,chopped
2 eggs,beaten
2 tbsp sugar
juice of 2 limes
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
100g peanuts
300g cooked prawns
2 handfuls beansprouts
1 handful coriander
 

Soak noodles in hot water until soft.Drain.
Stir fry chilli,garlic,ginger and spring onions in oil over high heat.
When onions are soft,add eggs.cook for 1 minute until scrambled.
Add sugar,lime juice,fish sauce and noodles and toss together for 1 minute.
Add peanuts,prawns and beansprouts and cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with coriander,serve.

Friday, 22 March 2013

Italian Ugli biscuits

Italian ugly biscuits

100g roasted hazelnuts
50g dark chocolate
2 egg whites
110g caster sugar

heat oven to 180C

blitz nuts and chocolate until finely chopped
beat egg whites with a little sugar to soft peaks
add sugar and continue beating until thick and glossy
carefully fold in nuts and chocolate
spoon onto lined baking tray
place in oven and turn off immediately and leave alone till
the next day or make them in the early morning then they will
be ready for tea.
not pretty but delicious!

Stir Fry

Stir Fry

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 Bunch of spring onions
1 Red chilli
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Ground corriander
1 dessert spoon Thai curry paste
Tamari soy sauce (to taste)
4 large carrots
100g chestnut mushrooms
100g green beans trimmed
100g snap peas
1/2 head brocolli
225g raw king prawns
100g bean sprouts
125g (2 nests) medium egg noodles

Heat the olive oil in the wok on high heat until sizzling.
Saute chopped spring onions, chilli, cumin and corriander until onions are soft/translucent.
Add chopped carrots, mushrooms and green vegetables stirring continuously for 2 minutes on high heat, then reduce heat for 5 minutes and cover wok to allow vegetables to cook.
Add raw prawns and stir in the red thai curry paste. Increase heat and stir continuously until prwns turn pink (approx 3 minutes).
Add bean sprouts, cooked noodles* and soy sauce to taste. Stir on high heat for approx i minute and serve

* bring a pot of hot water to the boil. Add the noodles, take off the heat and leave to cook for 4 minutes or until noodles are soft. Drain the noodles and add to the wok as above.

This is the dish Clive always cooks when he is on his own or cooking for me and it is always different and delicious according to whatever veg are to hand. Cashew nuts are good too.
It was a life saver when he was in Saudi during the first Gulf  war and we were all banished to UK.

Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Veg

Maple glazed salmon
6o ml maple syrup
1 tbs soy sauce(tamari if pos)
1 garlic clove.crushed
pinch ground ginger
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 salmon fillets
Mix maple syrup,soy sauce,garlic,ginger and seasoning in a small bowl.
Place salmon fillets in an ovenproof dish and coat on all sides with the mixture.
If you have time cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour.
When ready to cook,preheat oven to 200 C (fan 180 C)400 F gas mark 6
Cook uncovered for 15-20 mins until centre is cooked through)
Above the fish in the oven at the same time you can roast your veg(this amount is good for 4)
6 oz green beans(cooked briefly in boiling water and drained-not entirely necessary)
1red and 1 yellow pepper,deseeded and sliced
16 cherry tomatoes
A cup of pitted green and black pitted olives
50 gm tin anchovies in olive oil(optional extra)
capers (optional extra)
chopped fennel(optional extra)
asparagus(optionaal extra)
Basil leaves- some to cook and some to decorate at the end
Sprinkle with olive oil and 1 chopped garlic clove
cook in the oven with the fish,putting the veg above the fish
15 mins should be good unless the salmon is very thick
you will see fish is for 2 and veg for 4 but I know you are good at maths!

Crayfish Salad

Crayfish Salad
 Actually  I do this delicious and simple salad with those tasty little brown shrimps too.
 I make a caeser dressing by whizzing

2 cloves of garlic
A few anchovy fillets in olive oil
An egg yolk
The juice of a lemon
Another slug of olive oil
A tbsp cream
2 tbsp grated Parmesan

I toss the dressing with rocket.
Scatter over the crayfish or brown shrimp.
Picola tomatoes make  a good addition

Summer-Fruit Brulee

Summer Fruit Brulee

You need

700Gg soft fruit(raspberries,redcurrants, loganberries,blackberries and blackcurrants)
                            ( frozen is fine)
110 g golden caster sugar
275ml whipping cream
295g Greek yoghurt
175g demerara sugar

Heat the fruit and caster sugar gently for a few minutes until the juices run
Transfer to a serving dish(10 x 6 inches)
Allow to cool
Whip the cream,fold into the yoghurt and spread over the fruit sealing the edges.
Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
About 2 hours before you wish to serve,spread the demerara sugar thickly and evenly.
Spray with water and caramelize  with a blow torch.
Allow to cool and then pop back in the fridge  to get a crunchy surface

Sugar Crusted Lemon Cake

Sugar Crusted Lemon Cake

This lovely cake is from the wonderful Fisherton Mill in Salisbury

You need

225g SR flour
225g caster sugar
150g soft butter
1 1/2 tspn baking powder
3 eggs
85ml milk
zest ftom 1 large lemon

For the topping
juice from the zested lemon
125g granulated sugar

Sift the flour into a large bowl.
Add caster sugar,butter, baking powder,eggs and milk.
Grate lemon zest and add that too.

Beat well for 2 minutes.

Pour into a 10 inch lined cake tin.

Bake for 40mins at 180C.

Combine the juice from the zested lemon with the granulated sugar.
Prick the surface of the cake whilst still warm with a skewer .
Pour the lemon topping over the cake.

Leave to cool.

Mary Berry says if you have forgotten to take the butter out of the fridge you can soften it in chunks in hot water for a few minutes and you get more juice from your lemon if you pop it in the micro  wave for a few seconds!

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Five Minute Chocolate Pot

Five -minute  chocolate pot

This is an alternative chocolate pot,even quicker and no egg.

Sylvain Jamois developed it for Green and Black's Organic Ultimate Chocolate Recipes cookbook.

You  need

200g dark choc (70%cocoa solids) broken unto chunks
100 ml just boiled water
1 tsp vanilla extract
125 ml whipping cream
 

Melt the choc over a pan of simmering water or gently in the microwave.
Add water and vanilla slowly.
Mix until smooth
Add cream
Pour into 6 ramekins
Cool for at least 45mins

ENJOY 
Try blueberries and more cream on top.

Chocolate Pot Recipe

Chocolate Pot Recipe

This is the nearest I can find to the one I used to cook 35 years ago.

You need

100g scrummy dark chocolate
250g double cream
40g muscovado sugar
1 vanilla pod split and scraped or 1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg

Chop choc up small

Heat cream sugar and vanilla seeds until just boiling and remove from heat

Whisk and then place on top of choc in a food processor.
Wait 1 minute
Turn on just to combine.
Add egg and blend for 20 seconds

Divide between 4 ramekins(or expresso cups) and chill.
Overnight is best but 2 hours will do.

Serve with raspberries,mint leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.

Note this contains raw egg like mayonaise does so not for pregnant woman etc.
Also a drop of brandy, Grand Marnier, Tia Maria or the like make a welcome addition.

Sunday, 17 March 2013

French Pancakes

We have just had pancakes for our Sunday breakfast.
This recipe is from Chef Romaine at the Residence in Mauritius circa 2007.

French Pancake

500gm plain flour
1 lt whole milk
8 eggs
200 gm sugar(natural caster sugar)
50 ml oil(sunflower)
25 ml vanilla essence

Stir well.

Romaine spread the batter with a ladle in circular movements.
We use a small wooden rolling pin on a stick too.
It makes them nice and thin.

Today I made half and that is enough for 4 people to have 2 each.
I put a handful of frozen blueberries (I do that to the porridge sometimes too)
 in the batter and we had ours with
maple syrup and lemon juice.

Saturday, 16 March 2013

Clive's Bread

Clive has just made some bread.
Once upon a time I was the family breadmaker but when I was teaching and wrote a report for
Clive he retaliated and wrote one for me in which he criticised my bread making so he took over
and very well he does it too.
The original recipe Myrtle Allen's Brown Bread came from the cookbook Beard on Bread which
we found in a bookshop in Sausilito over 30 years ago.
By a quirk of fate when we visited our artist  friend Gaye on her Hippo houseboat in Sausilito she gave us the original recipe that Clive had handwritten for her when we all lived in Hong Kong.

You need

2 cups Canadian strong white bread flour
2 cups Canadian whole wheat flour
2 tspns salt
1 sachet (7g) dried yeast
2 cups lukewarm water

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
Add  water and stir until a dough is formed
Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
Return to bowl and leave to rise covered with a teatowel  in a warm place for 1 hour.
It has now doubled in size.
Place in a 2 lb baking tin
Make 3 cuts with a sharp knife in the top.
Leave to prove in a warm place until the loaf is above the top of the tin.
Bake for 35 mins at 190 c.(25 mins if you are using an Aga)
Remove from tin.
Cool on a rack.

Optional additions

3 tbsp mixed seeds or chopped dates and walnuts or raisins

If you like a good crust put a ramekin of water in the oven or spray 20 times with water inside the oven just before you put  the loaf in

Thursday, 14 March 2013

Mackerel Pate

I made smoked mackerel pate for lunch today
 

200 g smoked mackerel filet (mashed)
50 g tin anchovies in olive oil(cut up with scissors)
1 dspn capers
1 dozen or so chopped black olives
200 g creme fraiche
100 g natural yoghurt
juice 1/2 lemon
black pepper
parsley

Simply combine and enjoy!

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

Seven Layer Cookies

Seven Layer Cookies

My lovely friend Helen gave me this recipe.
We have a holiday cottage and I usually leave these for the guests.
I think it might be one the reasons one German family have just booked for  their  8th visit!
 
You need
 
4 oz butter
1 cup digestive biscuits (crushed)
1cup dessicated coconut
1cup chocolate chips(or chopped chocolate)
1 cup butterscotch chips(or peanut butter or white chocolate)
1can condensed milk
1cup chopped mixed nuts

Preheat oven to 350F 180C
Melt butter in 13x9 in pan.
Sprinkle biscuit crumbs over meltd butter and press down evenly and firmly.
Layer remaining ingredients in order.
Bake 25 mins.
Cool before cutting.
Freezes well,but I doubt you will have any left!

Very Special Lentil Soup

Very Special Lentil Soup

Snow flurries today so this soup really hit the spot for lunch.
I have been making it for as long as I can remember.
The original Special Lentil Soup was in a book called
The Happy Herbivore by Jaime Lass and published in
Edinburgh in 1979 that my brother David and his wife
Sylvia gave me very many moons ago.

You need

8oz red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock (again I use Marigold vegetable bouillon
1 tsp marmite
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne
a little olive or sunflower oil
2 large onions chopped
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic chopped
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice and1 tbsp sherry

Cook the lentils in the stock until soft.
Add ginger, cayenne,marmite,salt,pepper oregano and bay leaves.
Saute the onons in the oil until soft,then add garlic and then mushrooms,
Turn for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms have just darkened.
Then add to the lentils and simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice and sherry just before serving.

Leek and Marscapone Risotto

Leek and Marscapone risotto for 2

Last night we had risotto for supper.
So simple,so few ingredients but so good.

2 leeks
1 litre vegetable stock(I  LOVE  Marigold Swiss Vegetable powder)
Butter
175g risotto rice
100ml dry white wine
1 heaped tbsp marscapone
A big handful of grated parmesan and more for serving
Salt and pepper to taste.

Chop the leeks  small keeping the green and white separate.
Cook first the greens and then the white for 5 to 10 mins until soft in a knob of butter.
Put the greens aside keeping warm for serving.
Stir the rice into the hot softened white leeks and when coated in butter add the wine.
Meanwhile have the stock hot and ready to add a ladle at a time when the wine has bubbled and evaporated.
Keep adding the stock until the rice is cooked.
Stirring and thinking beautiful thoughts for the best part of 20 minutes.
Then remove from heat add marscapone,parmesan and another knob of butter.
Season to taste Cover and leave for 3 minutes.
Then serve in beautiful bowls and top with the green leeks and more parmesan.
 YUMMY!

Sunday, 10 March 2013

Supper Tonight...my take on Nigellas Thai curry

Tonight we're going to have one of my favourite meals. Originally Nigella's but over the years I have added and changed it as I have felt the need

This evening we're going to use Mussels as well as salmon and prawns.

Below is the standard recipe with the additional extras.

Enjoy!!!

Standard Recipe

  • 1 tablespoon(s) Red Thai curry paste (or yellow)
  • 350 ml Fish stock
  • 3 tablespoon(s) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
  • 2 tablespoon(s) caster sugar
  • 3 Lemongrass (cut into 3 and bruised with flat of knife)
  • 3 Lime Leaves (destalked and cut into strips)
  • ½ teaspoon(s) tumeric powder
  • 1 kilogram(s) Pumpkin (peeled and cut into bite sized chunks)
  • 500 gram(s) salmon fillet (pref organic) skinned and cut into large bite sized chunks
  • 500 gram(s) Raw Prawns (peeled)
  • 1 packet(s) Pak choi (or any other green veg of your choice)
  • 1 lime (juice)
  • 1 bunch(es) coriander (to serve)
  • 400 ml coconut milk

  •  
    Optional Extras and Replacements
    • If you don't have butternut squash use sweet potato
    • You can also use mango
    • Waitrose sell frozen spices which add flavour
    • Can also use ground almonds to thicken the sauce if you like it that way
    • Can also use Red Lentils
    • Can use chickpeas instead of fish
    • Can use spinach instead of pak choi
    • Red pepper looks very colourful
    Method
    1. Skim the thick creamy top off the tin of coconut milk and put it, over medium heat, into a large saucepan or casserole with the curry paste. Let it sizzle and, using a fork, whisk or wooden spoon, beat milk and paste together until combined.
    2. Still beating gently, add the rest of the coconut milk, fish stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves and turmeric. Bring to a boil and then add the pumpkin. Cook on a fast simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes, although different sorts of pumpkins can vary enormously in the time they take to cook; some squash take as little as 5 minutes.
    3. You can cook the curry up till this part in advance, maybe leaving the pumpkin with a tiny bit of bite to it (it will soften and cook as the pan cools). Either way, when you're about 5 minutes away from wanting to eat, get ready to cook the seafood.
    4. So, to the robustly simmering pan, add the salmon and prawns (if you're using the prawns from frozen they'll need to go in before the salmon). When the salmon and prawns have cooked through, which shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes, stir in any green veg you're using - sliced, chopped or shredded as suits - and tamp down with a wooden spoon.
    5. When the pak choi's wilted, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, stir and taste and add the juice of the remaining half if you feel it needs it. Take the pan off the heat or decant the curry into a large bowl, and sprinkle over the coriander; the point is that the coriander goes in just before serving.
    6. Serve with more chopped coriander for people to add to their own bowls as they eat, and some plain Thai or basmati rice.

    Morning Porridge

     Recipe serves 2

    Take 1 cup of oats(I like Flahavan's Irish Organic)
    Add 4 cups of water
    A handful of raisins
    Two chopped dried figs
    Four chopped prunes
    Three chopped apricots(I like unsulphured)
    Cinnamon and ground ginger to taste.
    Bring to the boil and stir lovingly for 3 minutes.
    Add soymilk towards the end.
    Serve with yoghurt and blueberries
    Clive likes maple syrup on top.
    Yummy!
    Enjoy!

    Introduction

    Marilyn Gibson has been exploring recipes and cooking for more than 20 years. She has lived in many parts of the world, including, India, Saudi Aribia, Hong Kong, USA. Her background is teaching. Since she and her husband Clive decided to have a family, she gave up teaching and concerntrated on raising the family of three boys. During this time, she has been passionate about food in all it's splendours. She can make the most mundane dishes into a work of art, and taste without a doubt a 5 star dish. Her cooking is far more interesting than many chefs on the market at the moment, and yet, she has kept this secret to herself and family and friends, We are delighted that she wants to share it with us and the wider public at large. Her wonderful out going personality shines through her taste in food and flavours. Her home is filled with many creative settings that makes a simple meal into a gourmet experience. She will charm you with her delightful presentation of each dish, and I hope you will experience what many have the pleasure of expereincing in her recipes of home cooking in this blog