Dreamy Rhubarb Puddy

I have a glut of rhubarb in the garden - its broad green leaves shading over everything else in the veg patch so it is time to make something with it - I could reach for the old favourites like crumble or fool but I fancied something more cakey!

Rhubarb is a wonderful ingredient and can be used for both savoury and sweet dishes, it is also realtively easy to grow so if you have a sunny corner spare or even a big tub I would recommend picking up a plant down the garden centre - give it a year or two and you will be giving stalks away to friends and neighbours - it can be a bit of a brute though and will take over the garden if you let it so pick it regularily and cut it right back at least once a year!

Ingredients
4 cups of rhubarb roughtly chopped - I use 8 stalks medium/small of you are using the big shop bought stems then 4/6 should be plenty
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs water
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp salt




First place the rhubarb into a pan over a low heat, add 2 tbs sugar and 2tbs of water, put on a lid and allow to cook out for about 10 minutes until it is soft - allow to cool - resist the urge to add any more sugar as you want it to be tart

Preheat the oven to 175C

Place 2 cups of plain flour and the caster sugar into a bowl and mix together - now add in the butter and rub together to form breadcrumbs. Pour this mix into a baking tray and firm down with the back of a spoon to form a firm layer.

Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour and salt and then fold in the cooled cooked rhubarb

Pour the batter over the base and return to the oven for 40 - 45 minutes until firm and golden. Allow to cool and then cut into squares and serve - this is lovely warm or cold but just remember hot rhubarb is HOT so let it cool past napalm heat.  This very squidgy and very moreish and is utterly divine with a scoop of ice cream!

Pastry free quiche

When the summer heat starts to rise you want something light and easy for dinner and this quiche is perfect with crispy salad in the cool of the evening - it is great warm or cold and is a wonderful picnic addition

Pastry free means it is lower in calories and lighter to eat than the traditional quiche as well as making it gluten free but it is just as tasty and the great thing is you can put whatever filling you like in it!

Today I am making bacon, sweetcorn and asparagus quiche but you can swap out any of the ingredients (other than the eggs and milk) it is equally nice just with crisp in season veg or smoked sausage - watch out for items high in fit like salami though as this can cause pools of oil to form


Serves 4 main meals - approx 316 calories a serving

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups of semi skimmed milk
Salt & Pepper
handful of mixed herbs
250g diced bacon
200g fresh asparagus - washed with woody ends removed and sliced
150g drained sweetcorn
1 handful grated cheese







Pre-heat the oven to 160C

In a large bowl/measuring jug whisk together the eggs and milk - season well with salt and pepper and add the herbs

Fry off the bacon and asparagus until the bacon is crispy - add in the sweetcorn and remove from the heat

Take a medium deep flan case - mine is 20cm diameter (not one with a removable bottom else your filling will leak!) arrange the filling evenly in the bottom and sprinkle over the cheese. Gently pour the egg mix over the top and carefully place in the oven - depending on how full it makes your dish you might want to half fill it and then pour the rest in when it is in the oven to stop it spilling as you put it in

cook for 30 - 40 minutes untill it is golden brown but still has a jelly wibble in the centre when you tap it - quiche keeps cooking as it cools so it is important to have this wobble. - start checking it after 30 minutes a knife stabbed in the edge should come out clean and the whole thing should be firm and slightly golden.

As the quiche cools it will loose a bit of its height - dont worry this is normal - it will also sink away from the sides so should be a doddle to turn out when cold and ready to eat.

Now all you need is to cut it into slices to take on the picnic or in quarters to eat with salad for tea! Once cold refridgerate!

Mini Eclaires

Right the sun is in the sky the family is coming round for a bbq and there is only one afters which will do - mini eclaires - these two bite pieces of heaven are the ideal finger food for afters and once you have tasted home made you wont ever want those chewy cardboard flavour ones you can get in the supermarket again! In our case I will make one lot with coffee icing and one with chocolate but the world as they say is your oyster as far as what flavour icing you want to put on!

Eclaires are made with choux pastry which is one of the easiest pastries to make . . . provided you stick to the recipe like glue! The one I use is the delia smith one and it hasn't failed me yet.  The secret is to prepare before you add any heat and to use the right ingrediants in the exact amounts - there are no short cuts!

This is not something to try out for the first time at your big dinner party - so grab a willing sampler and have a practice before hand!


This mix makes about 28 thumb sized eclaires

Ingredients
2 1/2 Oz of strong white flour - the kind you use for bread - plain normal flour will not work!
2 Oz of butter - it has to be butter and has to be proper butter not 'spread'
5fl oz cold water - measure carefully
1 tsp caster sugar
2 medium eggs well beaten




First preheat your oven to 200C and place an oven proof dish of water in the bottom - you want it to be steamy in there.


Measure out all your ingredients - place the water in a large pan (dont use your best non stick as you will be using the beaters in it!) and add in the butter cut in to small cubes. Weigh out the flour and add the sugar to it - you need to be able to tip it in one go so place it in a bowl unless your scales have a pan.  Whisk up the eggs and place to one side. You are going need to use the electric whisk so get that set up ready and if you dont have a handy plug by the stove you need to put something heat proof down to put the pan on when you mix. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper and flick a little water over it.

Check everything is ready and then put a low heat under the pan of water and butter and allow the butter to melt. Once it has increase the heat until it comes to the boil then switch off the heat and grab the flour and your mixer - begin beating the water mixture and 'shoot' in the flour in one go carrying on beating.  Within a minute or so the mix with form in to a dough and come together as a ball leaving the sides of the pan clean. Remove from the hot stove (if you haven't already) and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 

Now beat in the egg a little at a time until the dough turns glossy - be very careful at this point - you dont want it to become too fluid or it wont rise - I usually use about 3/4 of the egg but it is dependant on the flour, the size of the egg and the amount of water.  You want it to be a stiff consistancy which will hold peaks well - mash potato or runnier texture is not going to work - it is one of those things that you learn with practice but luckily these are something your family and friends wont mind you practicing!

I pipe my eclaires but you can make them with just two tea spoons and spread it out (not too thin) if you dont have a piping bag - or you can buy eclaires pans from all good cook shops (although these tend to be for full sized ones) I inherited mine from my grandmother

Pipe or squidge logs of the pastry mix onto your baking sheet about the size of your thumb leaving a space between for them to puff up. Dip your clean finger in some cold water and smooth out any sticky up points as these will burn!

Place the eclaires in the oven for 10 minutes and then turn up the heat to 220C for a further 15 minutes until they are risen and golden brown as in the picture. Take out and holding each eclaire in a tea towel make a small slit in the side with a sharpe knife and place on a cooling rack. Now the purests say you should return the pastry to a low oven for a couple more minutes to dry out the insides but I prefer them to be softer and so dont do the oven repeat - so it is up to you.

Once your eclaires are fully cool you can split them and fill with a little whipped cream and ice with a little thick glossy royal icing flavoured with coffee or chocolate (or whatever you fancy) - they are also really nice dipped in melted chocolate and left to set before adding the cream.

Dont be tempted to fill them too early as they start to go soft so really they should be the last thing you do before you guests arrive.

You can make them the day before and place them un filled in an air tight container - pop them in a low oven for 5 minutes to crisp up again before you use them.


p.s - funnily enough there is not a single one of these beauties left from earlier although there is plenty of salad . . . go figure!

Cheats BBQ chicken

This is a firm favourite in our house - I serve it stuffed into pitta bread with salad - a slightly healthier option on the take away - the sticky chicken really hits the spot!


Ingredients
2tbs of Tomato Sauce
2tbs Brown Sauce
1tbs Honey
1/2 tsp garlic granuals
2/3 chicken breasts cut into chunks or butterflied



Put tomato sauce, Brown sauce, honey and garlic granuals into a robust sandwich bag or freezer bag - throw in the chicken and tie a knot in the top. Get squidging to massage the sauce together and into the chicken. Put in the fridge for at least 3 hours to marinade

Put a heavy bottomed frying pan or griddle on a medium heat and cook the chicken well until done - turning regularily - the sugar in the sauce will burn if you are not careful - take care as it does spit a bit while frying

You can also use the sauce as is to top burgers or with mayo in a wrap instead of using it to marinade

Peanut and chocolate cookies (with Banana)

Ok so I have a confession I am a Banana leaver - I buy them full of good intentions, I will eat one every morning, I will have one as a snack etc etc. But then the days go on the yellow turns brown and I reach for something else so I need to find uses for them and there is only so much banana bread/cake you can eat.  My hubby is also a banana hater - well no that isn't true hand him a sweetie version and he will bite your hand off but the natural version forget it - so I also need a way to hide the presence of the yellow fruit.

I was pottering around on the internet the other day - trying to ignore the browning fruit in the kitchen and I stumbled across this american recipe and whipped up a batch - well it beats the ironing!

The instructions say this will make around 30 biscuits - now either american walnuts are a lot smaller than the ones we have in the UK or they can't count - so it will make 30 American walnut sized biscuits or around 15 uk ones!

Ingredients
115g Mashed Over-ripe bananas - around 1 and 1/2
130g Peanut Butter - chunky or smooth it is up to you - although chunky does give you a nicer texture
70g Dark Brown Sugar
100g Caster Sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
165g Plain Flour
1 tbs Baking Powder
40g plain chocolate chips

Mash up the bananas and mix in the peanut butter until well combined.
Stir in sugar and vanilla
Combine the flour and baking powder and mix into the peanut mix
Fold in the choc chips

Put in the fridge and chill for 1 hour

Line baking trays and roll the dough into walnut sized balls - they do spread a little so leave space between them and flatten them slightly

Bake in the oven at 190C for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown - dont over cook as they go hard as they cool.

Allow to cool on the tray for a couple of minutes before transfering to the rack to cool completely

The banana flavour is slight and it blends enough with vanilla to be mostly hidden from banana haters

Fish Pie - K Style

When I create recipes for K I usually aim to make all in one meals because that way at least I know it is a balanced meal.  I remember once talking to him on the phone and asking - so what did you have for tea tonight . . . pasta came the response . . . oh right and what did you have with the pasta? Some rice!
The basics of food groups is something that passed both the men in my life by!

Thankfully K loves fish but after seeing just how nasty and expensive the ready meal version of a simple fish pie is I was determind to work him out a recipe - I have to say this is his favourite meal and it gets made on a regular basis - I think we knew my cooking lessons were starting to have an effect when he turned round in a supermarket and announced . . . I Need Creme Fraiche!! and then marched off to the chiller cabinets to get it leaving his brother with a shocked expression

This pie is easy with a capital E and you can swap out the fish as you desire - you do need to add in one smoked variety though as it adds to the finished flavour and stops it becoming bland

Tikka (who is mentioned in this recipe) is K's adopted cat who thinks she is a dog and who LOVES to help cook - this is also her favourite recipe!

She is also really good at crosswords and jigsaws - although she hides the pieces

When she wants something she does the best impression of Puss In Boots from Shrek you have ever seen!

Makes Enough for 3/4 portions – can freeze!

Ingredients

2 Large baking potatoes

3 pieces of frozen smoked fish or 2 pieces of mixed fish and 1 piece of frozen

300ml Pot Crème Fraiche

Frozen peas

Dried Parsley

To season

Pepper

Garlic

Method

·      Take the fish out of the freezer and place in a bowl in the fridge to defrost over night/   during the day

·      Peel potatoes and cut them into small chunks with a sharp knife

·      Put potatoes in a pan of water and boil until cooked

·      Drain potatoes and mash them well with a sprinkle of pepper and a small nob of marge

·      Put potatoes to one side to cool

·      Put the oven on to Gas Mark 6

·      Take out the large mixing bowl

·      Cut the defrosted fish into bite sized chunks with a sharp knife (watching out for an interested Tikka!)

·      Put the fish into the mixing bowl

·      Add in the crème fraiche taking care to scrape out the pot to get it all

·      Add in a teaspoon of dried parsley and a sprinkle of pepper and garlic granules

·      Add in a cup of frozen peas

·      Pour the mixture into a casserole dish

·      Spoon the mashed potato over the top of the fish mixture and smooth over to cover it

·      Place in the oven for 35 minutes

·      Serve with mixed vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower or with crusty bread

Alternative versions

You can make with other ingredients like for example:

·      Use a mixture of fish instead of just one type

·      Add in a handful of frozen prawns (defrost them with the fish)

·      For more sauce take the pot the crème fraiche came in and half fill with milk and add to the sauce when mixing with the fish

·      Try adding grated cheese to the mashed potato

Coconut Crunches

 Antoinette Savill's coconut crunches are quick and easy (if a little sticky to make) I like to dip the finished cookies in melted chocolate for an added little bit of luxury but if you leave that off then this is a dairy and gluten free treat


Ingredients
5oz of desiccated coconut
1 tbs cornflour
3 egg whites
3tbs of caster sugar
1 tsp of orange flower water (optional)
A little melted chocolate (optional)







Mix all the ingredients together to form a paste, mould walnut sized balls using your hand and a spoon of the mixture and place on a greaseproof non stick greaseproof paper. Flatten them slightly - these dont spread so you can fit them quite closely together. Dependant on the size of your balls you will make between 6 and 10 biscuits

Place in the centre of the oven at 170C for 10 minutes and then turn the temp down to 150C for 5 more minutes.

Allow the biscuits to cool on the tray for a couple of minutes and then transfer them to the rack to cool fully - if you want to at this point dip the base of each cookie in melted chocolate and then let it set firmly.

Keep in an airtight tin these are lovely with a cup of tea or with a spoon of ice cream

Honey and Mustard Chicken

This is a quick and tasty tea with a slight taste of mild curry

Ingredients
1 onion sliced up
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of mustard
2 tsp of mild curry
boneless chicken thighs (is equally nice with pork or chicken breasts)
Salt and pepper to taste.





Slice up the onion and put in a microwave proof bowl with the butter. Microwave on full for 2 1/2 minutes.

Add to it the honey, mustard, curry and salt and pepper and stir well

Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of a casserole dish and pour over it the onion mix.

Put in the oven at 150C for 40 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through) Serve as desired - we usually have it with rice and peas.

This does have a slight curry taste so if you dont like curry then simply omit it from the recipe or put less in - to be honest we are not keen curry fans (well K is so his version has double in) but the taste is just a background note that lifts the other flavours

Indi's Milk Bone Bites

Ingredients

 3/4 cup of boiling water
1/3 cup of marg
1/2 cup powdered milk
1tsp salt
1 egg beaten
3 cups plain/wholemeal flour


Put the marg in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over the top of it, add in the powdered milk and whisk together.  Add in the salt and beaten egg and then whisk in the flour - you will need to swap to hand after about 2 of the cups as it starts to come together as a soft dough. Once you have mixed in all the flour in tip the dough out onto a floured board and knead for a couple of minutes.

Roll out the dough to about half a cm thick and then cut into shapes - if you can't find bone shaped cutters then you can use an alternative shape or simply cut them into bars.

Place on a baking sheet and cook at 150C for 50 minutes until light brown and hard.

Allow to cool on a wire rack before providing a sample to your waiting furry friend

Indi is very keen on these bone shaped biscuits and likes to have one on his way up to bed at night! The mix will make around 25 medium bones which keep well for a couple of weeks in an airtight tin or they freeze brilliantly - Indi gives them a big waggy tail scoring - infact he hoovers up the crumbs for them which he never does with commercial ones.

Cooking for canines

Not all the family I cook for are human - Indi is my retriever cross who is very keen on home cooking whether it is for him or not.  I am not sure how he knows when the baking is for him but he always appears and takes up residence in the kitchen door to supervise their removal from the oven and then guards them from random passing biscuit thieves until they are cooled and put away

When I first started cooking for Ellie (indi's predecessor) dog recipes were few and far between - not counting that calorific offering blue peter used to wheel out yearly - so when I found a dog bakery while on holiday in America I was delighted to find they also sold a treat cookbook and set of bone cutters - now however there are lots of recipes out there (although alot of them are still american) to choose from.  The recipes I put on here have been tried and tested by Indi and occasionally my husband if he has opened the wrong tin!

So why take the time and effort to bake for a dog?

Well first up and the main reason in my book is I know exactly what has gone into it - this is particularily important if your dog has allergies or intollerances - luckily my furry dusbin on four legs has none but I still want to know what I am giving him and secondly it is the cost - for a few pence I can make a treat jar full of healthy home made bites. 

So why cant they just eat human biscuits?

Not all human friendly items are dog friendly infact some can kill your furry compainion while others will give them a nasty tummy ache and others well just like too many sweeties for us will make them fat and shorten their lifespan - dogs need to avoid in particular chocolate, grapes, raisins and onion but a quick trawl of the internet will give you a full list - if in doubt make sure you are following a recipe designed for dogs but always remember to introduce new treats slowly and watch for any changes in behaviour or health and well being of your pet.

Don't get in a Jam about . . .

Opening the store cupboard this morning I realised that we are down to the last of the last batch of jam I made last summer so the need to start thinking about making some more and that means digging in the back of the cupboard to find my Jam kit.

To me making jam is one of the true alchemy activities of cookery - this is probably mostly because my mum made it in what I used to think was a witches cauldren, but also because it appears to be a lot more complex than it actually is! Infact making Jam is actually pretty easy and homemade jam tastes a world away from the stuff you buy in the shops. You just need a few essential items and before you know it you will be mixing up your first batch and smiling proudly at the lined up jars.

Essential Kit!

A Heavy Bottomed pan - you need prolonged even heat and so need a decent pan and I wouldn't recommend a non stick one - you dont have to have one of the cauldren looking ones (otherwise known as a Preserving pan) but do need to invest in a heavy decent one.

A funnel to decant the jam into the jars - it will be hot so a metal one is the best

A collection of jam jars and lids - aim to use ones of the same size

A muslin square - if you are intending to make jelly (i.e. jam with out bits!)

A jam/sugar thermometer - it is essential you get your jam up to the right temp in order for it to set

Sterilising tablets - I use Miltons as they don't leave an after taste

A Wooden spoon (to stir with) a metal spoon / iced water to test with.

A Ladle

A timer - most recipes will give you a boil for XX time after which you need to be checking for the signs of setting - this is the science bit!

Wax circles - these help in stopping the mould setting in while your jam is sitting on the shelf waiting for you to open it.

Lables - you want to know what is in the jar a couple of months down the line right? You can use posh little funky jam lables if you want to (and have the budget) but a cut up sheet of cheap printer lables work just as well.


You can get jam making starter kits so if you like to have the exact tools for the job then it is worth having a shop around or places like the Range stock in expensive supplies so grab your list and get hunting!

Ingredients

Ok so you have your equipment and are ready to get jamming so what are you going to use

The most important thing is the fruit - there is no jam with out it - so this is your most important decision as the fruit you choose not only dictates the taste it dictates how easy or difficult it is to make work.

The thing which makes jam set is pectin and you have several choices - either add it by using jam sugar (which works out pretty expensive when you start looking at the amounts of sugar you are going to use) add it in the form of fruit pectin which can be bought on the internet or by selecting fruit which has a high pectin content such as cranberries and black currants or lemon (zest) So the rule of thumb is the more of pectin high fruits you use the quicker and easier it will be to get your jam to set and the lower the pectin content - fruit like strawberries - will be harder to work with.  If you are new to jam making I would advise you start with the former group of fruits until you get used to the processes.

It used to be that making jam used to meant a trip down to the pick your own farm or if you are lucky enough to have the space down the bottom of your garden to pick what the blackbirds haven't stolen but you can make perfectly good jam from the frozen fruit you can buy relatively cheaply in supermarkets - or use it to bulk out your fresh fruits.  This also means you can make jam at anytime of the year and not just wait for the summer gluts.

The other basic ingrediant is Granulated Sugar - on average this is the exact weight of the fruit or juice but check your recipe for exact amounts.

Some recipes also use lemon juice or zest (to help the setting) and water for low juice fruits

Jam that sets?

So how do you know it is ready? There are several methods and it is a case of finding the one which works for you

The line test - dip a cold metal spoon into the jam and allow the excess to drip off, carefully draw your finger along the back of the spoon - if it leaves a clear line then it is done

The ball test - drip a small amount of the jam into ice water - if it turns into a ball then it is done

The wrinkle test - either on a cold spoon or in iced water drip a little of the jam and nudge it with your finger nail - if it wrinkles then it is done.

Personally I am a wrinkler - I coat the back of a cold spoon with the jam and then run my finger nail through to create a wrinkler/line combo while my mum swears by the ball technique.


Tips


Clean your fruit, remove any stalks, dirt and any bad fruit as these will give your jam a bitter taste and increase the amount of scum you have to deal with, rince it with clean cold water before putting it in you pan

Heating your fruit gently before adding the sugar helps to release the juice as does crushing it with potato masher.

Put sugar in a heat proof dish and place in a low oven - this speeds up the melting process and lowers your chance of burning it

Sterilise your jars by following the instructions on the packaging and then place the jars in the oven - they need to be heated up to stop them cracking when you put the hot jam in them - plus it helps sterilise them further - also put the lids in

If you want clear jelly allow the fruit to drip slowly through a muslin square - it is very tempting to squidge it through instead but patience will bring the clearest result

Dont make jam when you have 15 other things to go - you need to concentrate and give the jam your full attention or it will all go horribly wrong and very quickly - so make a cup of tea and grab a chair, switch off the phone and switch on the ipod before you begin.

Dont over boil - jam over boiled goes toffee like and refuses to spread - but it can still be used in sauces, jam tarts etc so dont bin it - learn from it! - once you think your jam is getting there test, test and test again - use a timer and dont wander away - the difference between well set jam and toffee is a split second!

If you have a lot of scum on your jam you can either skim it off (but you do loose some jam doing this) live with it - to be honest this is usually my route - or add a small knob of butter to the finished jam before bottling - this disperses the scum.

Once the jam is in the jars place on the wax circle but dont put on the lid until it is fully cold - the exception to this is if you are using a kilner jar at which point you need to follow theproducts canning instructions.

Dont put your lable on until after the jam is cold

Once you have emptied your pan fill it with HOT soapy water - dried on jam = hard work with a brillo pad

Home made jam makes a brilliant gift and is sure to impress!



To make the best jam, take your time, dont rush it, enjoy the experience and mostly be proud of your product - as you grow in confidence you can switch around ingrediants and play with the amount of sugar you use - but until you get there follow the recipe to the letter



Happy Jamming!

Banana loaf with lemon icing

This gluten free cake from my battered, sticky and well worn Antoninette Savill cook book is a great use for over ripe bananas and it is well worth hunting down the flours and having a go even if you dont have a gluten intolerance. (and no the picture isn't a true representation of the finished article!!)

Ingredients

5oz rice flour
5oz buckwheat flour
3 heaped tsp baking powder (gluten free)
1/2 tsp salt
9oz of Margarine (DF if using)
9oz sugar
23oz peeled ripe bananas - mashed well
4 large free range eggs
icing
4 tbs icing sugar
1/2 - 1 tbs lemon juice


Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a 9-10 inch loaf tin

Sift flours, baking powder and salt into a large bowl
Beat together the margarine, sugar and bananas until they are smooth, add in the eggs and blend. Stir in the flour until evenly blended and then pour the batter into the loaf tin.

Bake until a skewer comes out clean - 1 - 1 1/4 hours (if the top is getting a little too brown then loosely cover with foil)

Allow to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before removing to the rack

Once cool - mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice until it is a stiff paste and then ice the top of the loaf - alternatively the loaf can be frozen for up to a month.

Store in an airtight tin - will last around a week if it gets that far!

Elderflower Cordial

A taste of early summer served ice cold with sparkling water all year round - there is something fun about getting out selecting and picking the creamy blossoms - they are best picked in the morning on a dry day to get the best of the flavour - and is an activity my dog looks forward to as he is free to follow rabbit tracks while I fight through nettles and brambles to get to the best of the mornings offerings.  I have been making this since I was a child and it is a firm favourite in my family.  There is an ettiquete in picking - only aim to take two or three heads from each tree - not least as there are many other pickers out there - but also to make sure there is plenty left for the insects to pollenate or else there will be no elderberry cordial in the autumn. If you are picking on private land be sure to get permission from the land owner - and watch out for the little black beetles who dig deep into the flowers and need a firm shake to remove.



Ingredients
20 Large Elderflower heads (40 small) shaken well to dislodge any bugs
4lb Granulated sugar
75g Citric Acid (cheapest bought on the internet although you can order it from the chemist)
2 lemons sliced
2 Pints Boiling water






Place elderflowers in a large bowl.

Add the citric acid and sliced lemons

Place sugar and water in a pan and heat gently until the sugar melts. Once melted bring to the boil - pour over the flowers and cover

Leave for 24 hours to seep

Strain through a muslin sheet and bottle

Store in a cool dark place this will last over a year - some people advocate freezing it but I have never had a problem with it fermenting if kept cool.


An alternative is to add in a couple of sliced oranges - this makes a darker brew with a sweeter taste.

Microwave Lemon Curd

This tasty treat takes a fraction of the time to make that the hob ones does - so it is ready for the hot buttered toast all the sooner!



Ingredients
200g caster sugar
3 eggs
250ml lemon juice
zest of 3 lemons
100g melted butter




Whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and melted butter and mix well

Microwave on full 1 minute at a time whisking inbetween until it is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon without running off

Pour into jars and allow to cool fully

Will last 3 weeks in the fridge


Use it in the Limoncello Tiramisu for an extra special zesty taste

No Fat Fruit Tea Loaf

This makes a 2lb loaf or 10 mini loafs and is a no fat light fruit cake/loaf - perfect to spread a little butter on and have with a cup of tea! You need to soak the fruit in the tea over night so it takes a little preparation in advance.

Ingredients
12oz mixed dry fruit - the make up of which is entirely personal preference
4oz soft brown sugar
1/2 pt of hot freshly brewed strong tea
1 egg
8oz SR Flour






Put the fruit and the sugar in a large bowl. Pour over the hot tea and leave to seep for at least 24 hours.

Line a 2lb tin or if using put the mini loaf cases on a baking sheet.

Beat the egg and add to the fruit/tea mix and mix well to combine

Sift in the flour and mix the batter well until well blended. Pour into tin/cases.

Bake in a medium oven (180C) for 40 - 60 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin then turn out and wrap in greaseproof paper

This cake improves with keeping and freezes brilliantly

Limoncello Tiramsu

If you are looking for a change from the trifle at family parties or if like me you are not keen on coffee then this Limoncello version of the classic dessert is a winner - and there is never very much left at the end of the meal!

Ingredients:
4tbs of Limoncello (or lemon juice for a non alcoholic version)
4tbs of Water
1 lemon peeled and segmented
2tbs granulated sugar
1 packet of boudiour biscuits
250ml double cream (whipped to soft peak stage)
250g marscapone
5tbs lemon curd
1tbs Icing sugar
1 sachet of vanilla paste (or 1 scraped pod)
150ml of double cream (whipped to soft peak)
Couple of hard amaretti biscuits - crushed


Heat the limoncello/Lemon juice with the water and sugar and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the lemon segments and allow to cool

Mix the 250ml whipped cream, mascapone, vanilla, lemon curd and icing sugar until blended smoothly.

Drain the lemon segments reserving the syrup. Roll the biscuits in the syrup and place in the bottom of the serving dish - pour over a little of the remaining syrup.

Pour the mascapone mix over the top of the biscuits and smooth out evenly. Place in the fridge for an hour

Place the lemon segments and remaining syrup back into the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the liquid by half over a low heat and leave to cool

Whisk up the 150ml double cream and pipe round the edge of the bowl, Pour the cooled lemon mix into the centre. Sprinkle the amaretti biscuits over the top.

Red/Black currant cassis

The first time I made this I only made a small amount and by the time Christmas had come and gone so had this ruby coloured liquid so last year I used my glut of fruit to make several bottles worth.  You need to leave the brew for at least 5 months for it to infuse


Ingredients

Equal weight of Red or Black currants (or mixture) and granulated sugar
Twice the weight of good quality vodka or white rum
Two Leaves from the currant bush







Remove fruit from stalks and wash, weigh and then place in a large wide mouth kilner jar. Weigh out the same amount of granulated sugar and pour onto the fruit. Crush gently to crush the fruit and start the process. Wash the leaves and pat dry, place on the sugar/fruit mix.

Weigh out twice the amount of vodka (or white rum if using) and pour it over the fruit mix. Seal securely and then shake.

Store somewhere dark and shake once a week until all the sugar has disolved then leave to 'brew' for around 5 months.

Strain through a muslin cloth and bottle.

If you find it is a little dry then you can top up with a little sugar syrup (sugar disolved in warm water and then brought to the boil for 5 minutes)



Cassis is lovely over ice or added to dry sparkling wine but it also makes a perfect comfort drink for colds - warmed for a couple of seconds in the microwave it  makes a rich vitamin c hug which soothes coughs and sore throats.

I also use it a fair amount in cooking - and if you have made it yourself rather than bought an expensive bottle you dont mind so much.  It makes a lovely sauce for red meat or pork and added to fried onions and mushrooms and boiled rapidly it make a fantastic sticky topping to make a burger just that little bit special

It's a mince up! - Sheperd's Pie

This is K's latest creation and it got 5 thumbs up from him at the weekend when we did the trial cook of it. Infact when his brother suggested we stayed for tea as it smelt soooo nice we were ushered out of the door! Whenever I create a new recipe for him we always have a run through cook of it before I leave him to it - this gives him time to ask any pressing questions and for me to realise what I have left out or not explained well enough.

This recipe (infact all the ones I make for K) is as salt free as possible - this is for health reasons but if you want to add it then please feel free - cooking is all down to personal taste at the end of the day!

Makes enough for four big portions and is freezable.

INGREDIENTS:

500G PACK OF LEAN MINCE (either lamb or beef)

1 ONION OR BAG OF PRE DICED ONION
2 CARROTS
SMALL TIN OF SWEETCORN DRAINED
HALF A CUP OF FROZEN PEAS (1 PORTION)
2 DESSERT SPOONS OF TOMATO PUREE
1 TEASPOON OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
1 BEEF STOCK CUBE
500ML BOILING WATER
2 LARGE POTATOES
SMALL KNOB OF BUTTER
3 HANDFULS OF GRATED CHEESE
PEPPER
GARLIC GRANUALS
2 TEASPOONS OF CORNFLOUR MIXED WITH TWO DESSERT SPOONS OF WATER

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5 or equivalent

Peel the potatoes, cut into small chunks and place in a pan with water – place on the gas and boil until cooked

While potatoes are boiling peel the carrots and cut into small chunks then peel the onion (if using a whole one) and slice finely – alternatively use a bag of pre sliced onion.

Put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add a teaspoon of oil and allow to heat. Add in the carrot and onion and cook until the onion starts to soften stirring well to stop it burning. Once the onion begins to cook add in the mince and stir well into the carrot and onion. Sprinkle on half a teaspoon of garlic granules and half a teaspoon of pepper, turn the heat down and cook the mince mixture until the mince goes brown stirring occasionally.

While that is browning boil the kettle, place the stock cube in a measuring jug and carefully pour 500ml of boiling water on to it and stir to dissolve the stock cube. To the measuring jug add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and 2 dessert spoons of tomato puree and stir well.

Pour the liquid over the browned mince and turn up the heat to bring it back to a boil

While waiting for the liquid to boil put 2 teaspoons of cornflour in a mug and add just enough cold water to make it into a paste – around 2 dessert spoons – mix together to form a free flowing paste

Once the mince is boiling pour the cornflour mix in and stir well until thickened. Turn the heat down and allow to bubble

Drain the cooked potatoes and mash with the butter, pinch of pepper and the cheese until smooth – put to one side

Turn the heat off under the mince and stir in the drained sweetcorn and frozen peas – if it seems too thick then add a little more water and stir well

Take the casserole dish and pour the mince into it and spread out into an even layer. Now take spoonfuls of potato and cover the top of the mince and once it is covered smooth over with the spoon. Take a fork and with the back of it draw lines across the mashed potato to rough it up

Place the finished pie in the oven for 35 minutes until bubbling and browned on the top

Serve with broccoli or on its own with some bread and butter.  Tastes even better the next day

Alternative Serving Suggestions

·      Use Turkey mince for a healthier option

·      Leave out the carrots and sweetcorn and peas and add in frozen veg mix at the point you would have added the sweetcorn and peas.

·      Sprinkle a bit of extra cheese on the top of the potato just before it goes in the oven

·      Add sliced mushrooms with the mince and fry together

·      Add a tin of chopped tomatoes with the stock

·      If it seems a little watery then mix another teaspoon of cornflour and water and then add and bring to the boil

·      Serve with broccoli