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My first mince pies of the season filled with Mum's home-made mincemeat and boy was it worth the effort.
Monday, 05 December 2011 14:51

Salt Beef for Christmas

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It takes about 10 days to cure a decent bit of salt beef. Curing salts and spices can be sourced from sausagemaking.org who have an online shop. Add a few juniper berries, cloves and bay leaves for even more flavour. The silverside came for F.L Edge, a great butchers shop in East Harling.  Ok, it is in Norfolk, but only just. This piece will be ready for my daughters 21st birthday party on Dec 17th.

Thursday, 20 October 2011 08:56

Dad made brawn

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And jolly nice it was too.

Saturday, 03 September 2011 14:23

I'm in love with my ice-cream machine

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I have always wanted an ice cream maker but I thought they were far too expensive for me at about £250 plus, but I had a look at Lakeland, the 'home of creative kitchenware' where I saw a Cuisinart one for £69.99 and decided to buy it. You just have to freeze the bowl overnight but that didn't seem too difficult to me. Thirty minutes later you have a litre of the most fab ice cream. They say 'it's noisy' - but I say 'don't stand in the kitchen then...' I have made two lots - mulberry, and rum and raisin, and I am going to have to put it away now because if I don't I'm going to need to buy their Fat Trapper as well. 

Monday, 25 July 2011 14:56

Drop Scones

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Life is hectic and yesterday when I was exhausted from gardening I had a sudden urge to go inside and make drop scones. I just love that moment when the batter creates bubbles as it cooks.  I think if they could talk they would be saying "turn me over now". Here is the recipe:

 

Saturday, 28 May 2011 20:17

The Caribbean comes to Stanton

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A day back at school for me, doing a Caribbean cookery session. Five lessons, eighty-five children, loud reggae and chicken with rice and peas. 

Friday, 22 April 2011 21:07

Granola

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Granola - a toasted muesli, nice with fresh fruit and yoghurt for a vegetarian breakfast, this is a very adaptable recipe using any grains, seeds and nuts that you fancy.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz / 300g rolled oats, wheat flakes, rolled barley or any other rolled grains
  • 4oz / 100g chopped hazelnuts, pecans, almonds or any other nuts
  • 2oz/50g pumpkin, flax, sunflower seeds or seeds of your choice
  • 2oz/50g desiccated coconut
  • 4 fl oz Hill Farm rapeseed oil or sunflower oil
  • 4 fl oz Suffolk honey
  • 6oz/150g raisins or sultanas

Method

Preheat the oven to 130c/Gas 2 ( a cool setting)

Place the rolled oats in a bowl and mix in the nuts, seeds and coconut.  ( not the raisins yet!) Stir well.

Warm the honey and oil together in a small pan and pour onto the dry mixture.

Coat all the nuts, oats, seeds etc in the honey and oil.

Spread the mixture onto a baking tin and place in the oven for 40 mins.  You will need to move the granola around a little from time to time to ensure that it crisps all over.

Remove from the oven and mix in the raisins.  Leave to cool and store in an airtight container. where it will keep for several weeks.

Thursday, 31 March 2011 15:38

My lunch - and the Masterchef tattoo

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If I presented sweet potato soup and fennel quiche and then ripped open my shirt to show off my Masterchef tattoo  would I stay in the competition?

my lunch

Vanilla, Orange and Mascarpone Cheesecake

Makes a 7in/18cm cheesecake to serve 8 

For the base

  • 50g/2oz butter
  • 175g/7oz digestive biscuits
  • Half a tablespoon honey

Melt the butter and honey over a very low heat.

Crush the digestive biscuits and stir into the melted butter until well mixed.

Press the rubble-like mixture in a loose bottomed 7in/18cm tin and place in the fridge to chill.

For the cheesecake topping

  • 200g/8oz cream cheese
  • 200g/8oz mascarpone
  • 75g/3oz caster sugar
  • Rind and juice of 1 orange
  • 200ml/8floz double cream ( whipped into soft peaks)
  •  1 vanilla pod or a drop of vanilla essence

Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, orange rind and juice together in a bowl.

Fold in the whipped cream and the seeds scraped from the vanilla pod.  Mix well.

Spread the cheesecake mixture onto the biscuit base and chill.

Serve with the Roasted Rhubarb and Orange compote.

This recipe can be easily adapted - if you add lime or lemon to the mixture instead of orange, and it can be served in summer with a raspberry coulis.

Roasted rhubarb and orange compote 

  • 700g/1.5lb rhubarb
  • 150g/5oz caster sugar
  • Juice and zest of one orange

Wash and chop the rhubarb into 2in/5cm lengths and place in an ovenproof dish with the sugar, orange zest and juice.

Bake in a preheated oven 375F/190C Gas 5 for about 25 minutes or until soft. Stir gently to release the juices, trying not to lose the shape of the rhubarb. Cool and serve.

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:59

Wholemeal Ginger Crunch

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Wholemeal crunchy ginger shortbread -  a shortbread type ginger biscuit to bake in a tray and that I couldn't resist with my cup of tea today. The wholemeal flour makes it healthy doesn't it?

 

 

 

 

 

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