|
|
Asparagus the quick way
We
grow quite thick stemmed asparagus and I cook it by microwaving within
a few hours of picking. This ensures the taste is so good that it is not
necessary to add butter or oil dressing (full of calories).
I wash the asparagus and then break the stem at the lowest point where
it will break easily. The lower part I peel taking the woody outside off.
Place the asparagus in a microwave dish (I use a lidded casserole dish)
with a small amount of water (2 - 3 tablespoons), cover and cook on full
power about 3 mins. for approx. 6 spears, but you will soon find out how
long - it depends on the power level of your microwave. Serve with wholemeal
bread - no need to butter it. This makes a super supper dish.
N.B. do not throw away the asparagus water. Use it to add to soup or gravy
etc.
Thank you, Celia
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Beetroot cake
Ingredients
| 250g self-raising flour sieved | 200g beetroot peeled and grated (about two medium sized) |
| 2tsp baking powder | 150ml vegetable or sunflower oil |
| 150g soft brown sugar | 2 medium sized eggs beaten |
| 100g sultanas |
Method
-
Preheat oven to 180°C or Gas Mark 4.
-
Grease and line an 8" loose based cake tin (can use a 2lb loaf tin for ease of cutting).
-
Mix together the flour, baking powder and soft brown sugar in a large bowl.
-
Add the sultanas and grated beetroot mix in with hands making sure all the beetroot is covered in the dry mix.
-
Beat the oil and the eggs together and add to the bowl.
-
Combine with either a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
-
Spoon the mixture into the tin.
-
Bake for 50mins - 1hr
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Broad
Bean and Chicken Pasta
recipe
Ingredients
| 4 (skinless) chicken breasts | 1 tsp olive oil |
| 175g broad beans | juice 1 lemon |
| 300g tagliatelle | grated parmesan |
| 85g (healthy) creme fraiche | handful chopped parsley |
Method
1. Place chicken in a roasting tray, coat with oil, season
and grill under a hight heat for about 12 minutes, turning once halfway
through.
2. At the same time boil the pasta adding the beans for the last 5 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta/bean mix, saving 150ml of the water.
4. Shred the chicken and put in the now empty pasta pan. Add the creme
fraiche, lemon juice, 4 tbsp grated parmesan and the 150 ml saved water.
5. Heat gently, season then stir in the parsley and pasta. Serve and sprinkle
with grated parmesan.
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Broccoli and Roast Tomatoes
Ingredients
750g broccoli (white or purple) Sea salt
400g small tomatoes Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Method
1. Heat oven to Gas 5; 190°C; 375°F
2. Trim broccoli
3. Place tomatoes in a dish and drizzle with oil
4. Roast in oven for 10 mins
5. Heat a pan of ot water, add broccoli, cook for 3 mins
6. Drain and serve with the tomatoes, lightly season, drizzle with oil
and top with grated cheese
7. Pop under grill until melted
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Carrot Cake
Lots
of Carrots? Why not make a carrot cake? This recipe
serves 10 (or fewer bigger slices!)
| Ingredients | For the Topping |
| 9oz diced carrot | 6oz cream cheese |
| 8oz soft brown sugar | 3oz icing sugar |
| 8oz ground walnuts | Zest and juice of 1 small orange |
| 3oz wholemeal flour | |
| Zest and juice of 1 orange | |
| 4 eggs | |
| 1 tsp cinnamon | |
| 1 tsp baking powder |
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180° (Gas Mark 4)
2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and creamy.
3. Add other ingredients apart from egg whites and fold gently until
the mixture is smooth.
4. Whisk egg whites stiff then fold in. Pour all into a greased tin
and bake for 1 hour.
5. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack
and allow to cool completely.
6. Mix the cream cheese and icing sugar together to make the topping.
Add a little orange juice and zest then spread over cake with a knife
dipped in hot water. Any remaining zest can be sprinkled over the top.
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Carrot and Parsnip Soup
A warming recipe that makes use of your stored root crops
Serves 4
| Ingredients |  |
| 1 onion | a little oil freshly ground black pepper |
| 1lb carrots | 2 pints vegetable stock |
| 12oz parsnip | 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley |
| 1 heaped tbsp ground coriander | 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander or 1 tsp dried coriander |
Method
-
Peel and chop the onion carrots and parsnips, place in a pan with some oil and sauté until the onion is soft, about 10 mins.
-
Stir in the dried coriander, season well with black pepper and cook uncovered for a minute.
-
Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 20-25 mins or until the vegetables are cooked.
-
Allow to cool a little before putting the soup in batches in a liquidiser or blender and blend until smooth.
-
Reheat the soup before serving garnished with chopped parsley and coriander
Thank you, Peggy
*********************************************************************************************************Chocolate Apple Betty
Serves 4, with cream or vanilla ice-cream
Ingredients:
1kg Bramley apples, peeled and cored + 30g butter
For the crumb layer:
| 125g soft white breadcrumbs | 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped |
| 100g light soft brown sugar | 75g butter, melted |
|
3
heaped tablespoons golden syrup
|
|
-
Cut the apples into large chunks, put them in a pan and toss with the butter and a couple of tablespoons of water over a moderate heat.
-
When the apples start to soften but are still keeping their shape, tip them into a 1.5 litre baking dish.
-
Mix the crumbs, sugar and chocolate and cover the apples loosely with the mixture.
-
Melt the butter with the golden syrup in a small saucepan, then pour it over the crumbs, making certain to soak them all.
-
Bake in an oven preheated to 190°C/Gas 5 for thirty-five minutes, till the apple is soft and the crumbs are golden and crisp.
Thank you, Lyn
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Courgette Cake (as offered at our show)
Ingredients
|
200g. butter or margarine |
pinch of salt |
|
200g. caster sugar |
good pinch of cinnamon |
|
200g. plain flour |
½ tsp. baking powder |
|
150g. courgette |
100g. sultanas |
|
2 eggs |
Method
-
Cream butter and sugar and then gradually add beaten eggs.
-
Grate courgettes and squeeze to remove excess juice.
-
Stir into mixture.
-
Add flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and mix well.
-
Add sultanas.
-
Put in a greased and lined 2lb. loaf tin and bake at Gas 4 for about an hour.
-
Cool in tin.
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Cucumber Relish
Ingredients
| 1 kg yellow apple cucumbers | 310g can corn kernels, drained | 2 tbsp salt |
| 2 small cucumbers | 1 onion, chopped | 1 cup whitevinegar |
| 1 red capsicum | 2 tsp celery seeds | 1½ cups sugar |
| 1 green capsicum | 2 tsp brown mustard seeds |
Method
-
Slice cucumbers thinly. Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with a dry cloth and stand overnight.
-
Dice capsicums and onion and chop finely.
-
Drain cucumbers, rinse in cold water then drain again.
-
Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer for an hour or until the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.
-
Remove from heat then spoon into sterilised jars and seal.
Thank you, Peggy in Norfolk
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Elderberry Wine Recipe
For those of you who thought we were a bit late with the
Elderflower Champagne recipe, 
assuming you've still got your bushes, here's the recipe for Elderberry
Wine:
Ingredients:
| 4lb elderberries | juice of 1 lemon |
| 5 litres (1 gallon) of boiling water | juice of 1 orange |
| 3 lb of sugar | 1 vitamin B tablet |
| a sachet of 'claret' yeast | 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient |
| 8 oz chopped raisins |
Method:
-
Strip the berries into a suitably large primary fermentation vessel with a fork
-
Add 8 oz chopped raisins, juice of the lemon, juice of the orange, a vitamin B tablet and a teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
-
Add the boiling water and stir well.
-
When cool enough to handle, squeeze fruit with hands to extract juice.
-
Leave for one day to infuse.
-
Add 2½ lb sugar and activated yeast and leave covered for three days.
-
Strain off liquid into demijohns, top up with another ¼ lb of sugar in each and, if necessary, with cooled boiled water.
-
Leave to ferment in a warm (70ºC -ish), dark place.
-
Rack off the lees into a clean demijohn when bubbling has subsided. Rack again 6 weeks later.
-
Bottle when wine is clear and there has been no activity for some time.
-
Mature for at least 6 months before drinking.
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Elderflower Champagne (metric) recipe
Ingredients
24
- 30 elderflower heads, in full bloom 2
kg sugar
4
litres boiled hot water
juice & zest of 4 lemons
1
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar pinch
of dried yeast (maybe)
Method
1. Put hot water & sugar into large
container (very clean bucket is good) and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Top up with water to 6 Litres then add the lemon
juice, zest, vinegar and flower heads and stir gently.
3. Cover with muslin and leave in cool place
for a couple of days.
4. Now take a look and if it hasn't started to ferment
add a pinch of yeast.
5. Leave the mixture to ferment for a further 4 days.
6. Strain the liquid through muslin into sterilised
bottles. Seal & leave to ferment in bottle for a further 8 days before
serving chilled.
Gingerbread
A favourite treat on Bonfire Night
Ingredients
| 1 lb SR Flour | 8 oz brown sugar | 6oz. golden syrup |
| 1 level tbsp ground ginger | 6 oz butter or marg | ½ pint milk |
| 1 tsp baking powder | 6 oz treacle | 1 egg, beaten |
Method
-
Sift the flour, ginger, and baking powder.
-
Warm the sugar, fat, treacle and syrup until melted, but do not allow to boil.
-
Mix in the milk and the egg.
-
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid and mix very thoroughly.
-
Pour into 2 lined tins, approx. 11" x 8".
-
Bake in the centre of the oven for approx. 40 mins. or until firm at gas 3, 325º F.
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Leek and Cream Cheese Tart
Ingredients
12 small leeks a
warm tasty starter for 2 - 4 people
4 oz cream cheese with chives and garlic
2 oz grated Cheddar cheese
6 oz puff pastry
Method
1. Preheat oven to gas mark 8 (230°C).
2. Cut off roots and tops of leeks, to lengths of about 5 - 6 inches.
Wash them then blanch them in boiling water for about a minute.
3. Roll out the pastry to 8x12 inches and place on a greased baking
tray. Cut off ½ inch strips from each edge. Moisten the edges and places
these strips on top to make a pastry frame.
4. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese inside the frame and cover with
the blanched leeks laid top to tail.
5. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and brush the pastry with egg glaze.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
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Parsnip Gratin
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
-
500g parsnip, sliced into thin rounds
-
175ml double cream
-
2 cloves crushed garlic
-
2 tsp mustard grated cheese
Method:
-
Butter a gratin dish and set oven at 200°C;
-
Boil parsnips for 5 mins then layer in gratin dish;
-
Mix rest of ingredients together and pour over parsnips;
-
Cook for 35 mins;
-
Top with grated cheese, black pepper and return to oven for a further 10 mins.
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Posh Pumpkin Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
| 700g pumpkin, peeled & chopped into 2" cubes | 75g pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped |
| 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped | 750 ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock) |
| 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped | 110 ml white wine |
| 2 sp extra virgin olive oil | 50g butter, cut in pieces |
| 200 ml double cream | Salt and pepper |
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
-
Place pumpkin on a baking tray, sprinkle with onion and garlic and pour over olive oil.
-
Roast in oven for 30 mins or until soft. While it is roasting whisk a third of the cream into soft peaks and fold in half the chestnuts. Then leave in fridge.
-
Bring the stock to simmering point in a saucepan over medium heat.
-
When the pumpkin is ready remove from oven and pour over white wine and stock in tray.
-
Add butter and remaining cream then blend to a purée.
-
Return purée to pan, season and reheat gently.
-
Serve with chilled chestnut cream on top. Sprinkle with remaining chestnuts.
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Raspberry and Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients
| 5oz sifted SR flour | 1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon | 2oz caster sugar | 1 beaten (medium) egg |
| 3 tbsp sunflower oil | 3 - 4 tbsp milk | 4oz raspberries | 3 tsp demerara sugar |
Method
-
Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 4 (180°C).
-
In a large bowl stir and mix together the flour, cinnamon and caster sugar.
-
Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg, oil and milk. Stir gently, mixing thoroughly. If the mixture is a little stiff add another tablespoonful of milk.
-
Very gently stir in the raspberries making sure they stay whole.
-
Spoon the mixture into paper cases in a bun tray and sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar.
-
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they are well risen and golden brown on top.
-
Empty on a rack to cool.
The tops should be nice and crunchy.
Thank you, Gladys
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Raspberry Cakes
Recipe makes 16 little cakes.
Ingredients
For the shortbread mixture:
| 4oz plain flour | 2oz caster sugar | 2oz fine semolina | 4 oz butter at room temperature |
For the filling and topping:
| 6oz full fat cream cheese | approx 1lb fresh raspberries | icing sugar |
Method
-
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 2 (150°C).
-
Lightly grease some patty tins.
-
Make up the shortbread cases by mixing the ingredients to form a dough. Place it in a polythene bag to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
-
Then roll it out on a floured surface to just less than 1/4 inch thick and cut out round shapes with a 31/4 inch fluted cutter.
-
Arrange in the patty tins, pricking the sides and base of each one.
-
Bake in middle of oven for 30-35 minutes until firm and golden.
-
Place on a wire rack to cool.
-
Soften the cream cheese by beating with a wooden spoon and place a little into each tartlet, pressing down gently.
-
Pile raspberries into each cake and dust each one with icing sugar prior to serving.
Thank you, Gladys
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Russian
Raspberry Pudding 
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
| 1 lb raspberries | 3 tbsp caster sugar | ½ pt soured cream | 2 eggs | 1 tbsp flour |
Method
-
Heat the oven to 150°C or Gas Mark 2.
-
Place the raspberries in a 1½ litre capacity oval gratin-style dish and sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar.
-
Place on a low shelf in the oven and leave for about 10 minutes until hot and juicy.
-
Lightly whisk the eggs then mix in the cream and remaining 1 tbsp sugar. Sift the flour over the top and mix thoroughly.
-
Pour over the raspberries, return to the oven on a middle shelf and cook for 45 minutes until golden, puffed and firm but with a slight wobble.
-
Dust with a little extra sugar before serving hot, warm or cold.
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Tomato Pickle
Ingredients
| 2 kg green tomatoes | ¾ cup salt | 1 tsp curry powder |
| 1 kg onions | 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar | ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper |
| 1 medium cucumber | 1½ tsp dry mustard | ½ cup plain flour |
| 2 litres water | 2 tsp turmeric | 2 cups malt vinegar |
Method
-
Chop tomatoes. Peel and chop onions and cucumber. Place vegetables in a large bowl, add water and sprinkle with salt. Stand overnight.
-
Place vegetables and brine in a large saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for 3 minutes. Drain.
-
Return vegetables to saucepan. Add sugar, mustard, turmeric, curry powder and pepper.
-
Blend flour with vinegar then add to pan. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
-
Remove from heat. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal.
(Thank you Peggy S)
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Welsh
Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
| 3oz (85g) butter | 2 eggs | 1lb (455g) rhubarb | ||
| 3oz caster sugar | 3 oz SR flour | 1 tbsp demerara sugar |
For the topping
2½oz (60g) butter 3oz plain flour 1oz
(30g) caster sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas5). Grease and line an 8" (20cm) round cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in eggs and fold in the flour and a pinch of salt. If needed, add milk to give a dropping consistency.
- Slice the rhubarb into 1" (2½cm) pieces and toss with the demerara sugar. To make the topping, rub the butter into the flour and stir in the sugar.
- Pour the cake mix into the tin and arrange the rhubarb on top. Sprinkle the topping over and bake for 40 - 45 mins. Serve with a dollop of double cream.
Thank you, Joy