Chocolate Salami (for Christmas)

Ingredients:
125g bar of 70% dark chocolate 

(+ 6 squares of galaxy chocolate)

2 1/2 oz caster sugar
1 1/2 oz olive oil spread

1 very large free range egg

1 tbsp cocoa powder

10 x rich tea biscuits (broken up into small pieces)

6 oz cashew nut and dried cranberry mix (chopped)

1 tbsp icing sugar 

(Cling film)

Method: 

Break up the chocolate and place in a microwavable bowl

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stir so it is smooth and leave to cool slightly 

Cream together the sugar and the olive oil spread

Add the egg to the creamed sugar and beat in

Sieve the cocoa powder into the melted chocolate and stir in

Add the melted chocolate to the creamed sugar and mix together

Add the broken biscuits and chopped fruit and nut mix to the bowl and stir through so that everything is coated in chocolate

Place in the fridge for about 20 minutes to firm up slightly

Place 2 large sheets of cling film, one on top of the other, on the worktop ready

After 20 minutes take the mixture out of the fridge, scrap it out of the bowl into the middle of the cling film

Using the cling film roll the mixture into a sausage shape

Cover it tightly with the cling film, twisting tightly at each end to make the salami shape and return to the fridge for a few hours, ideally overnight.  

To serve, unroll the cling film and place the salami on to greaseproof/parchment paper

dust hands with icing sugar, pick up the salami and rub the surface with the icing sugar before placing back on the parchment paper until ready to slice and serve.

This will cut into about 10 portions

I added a bit of galaxy to the chocolate mix so that it wasn't too bitter 

Vegetarian Scotch Eggs

Ingredients: 

4 large eggs

1 tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

1 tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 

1 tin of chickpea, drained and rinsed 

1 tsp mixed herbs

1 slice granary bread for breadcrumbs

Method: 

Hard boil the eggs in boiling water - cook for about 6 minutes

Remove eggs from the boiling water and immediately place in cold running water to quickly cool, once cooled peel away the shell

Place all the rinsed beans into a large bowl and using a potato masher mash them up

Mix in the herbs

Divide the mixture roughly into quarters

Place a quarter of the bean mixture onto a square of cling film and flatten it out

Place an egg into the middle of the flattened bean mixture, pull the cling film up to help to cover the whole egg with the bean mixture.   

Repeat the above until all the eggs are covered with the bean mixture

Grate the slice of bread to make breadcrumbs (I used a crust)

Gently roll of the eggs in the breadcrumbs to lightly cover

Place the eggs on parchment paper on a baking sheet and cook in the oven, 170 degrees, for about 12 minutes, or until looking golden

Leave to cool on the baking sheet

The eggs are quite delicate so handle carefully. 

I cut mine in half as served as a starter (half an egg each) with mixed leaves and baby plum tomatoes and drizzled each egg half with balsamic glaze.  I was serving 6 people but cooked 4 eggs so that I had a spare in case one of them broke up when cutting in half.  

Poached Pears

Ingredients:

3 ripe pears - peeled
stick of cinnamon
5 cardamom pods
6 tbls granulated sugar
water

Method:
Place the peeled pears in a small pan and just cover them with water

Stir in the sugar and add the cardamom and cinnamon

Bring up to the boil and then turn down to a very gentle simmer for 12-15 minutes

Turn off the heat and leave to rest in the hot cooking liquor for about 10-15 minutes

Serve with a spoon of the cooking liquor drizzled over the pear and a spoon of clotted cream

Serves 3.  

Rocky Road (presented as a Christmas pudding)

Ingredients:
4oz chocolate (I used a mix of galaxy and Green and Blacks dark)
2oz olive oil spread
2 tbsp golden syrup
6 rich tea biscuits - broken into pieces
2oz mini marshmallows
2oz cinder toffee - broken into pieces
2oz dried cranberries

For the top:
1 1/2 oz white chocolate

Method:
In a pan melt together the milk and dark chocolate, spread and syrup on a low heat
Stir until well mixed and smooth
Remove from the heat
Add in the marshmallows, biscuits, cinder toffee and cranberries, stir until they are all coated in the chocolate
Pour into a small round bowl or plastic Christmas pudding bowl lined with cling film, press down and smooth the top
Refrigerate until set

About 20 minutes before serving remove the rocky road from the fridge, tip upside down and turn out on to a serving plate, remove the cling film
Start to melt the white chocolate, stir well so that it just melts but is still fairly firm and them pour over the top
Leave the white chocolate to re-set for a few minutes
Cut into portions with a sharp, warm knife

Serves 8

Cashew nut and mushroom layered roast with cranberries

 Ingredients: 

1 small onion - finely chopped
2 slices of granary bread - grated into breadcrumbs
6 oz cashew nuts - chopped 
1 beaten egg 
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp yeast extract
up to 1/4 pt hot water 
2 oz dried cranberries - chopped 
3 large carrots - cooked and mashed 
6 medium/large mushrooms - chopped 
Splash of olive oil

Method: 
Gently fry the onion in the oil until soft - remove from the heat
In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, cashew nuts, dried herbs and cranberries
Mix in one beaten egg 
Stir in the mashed carrot and the onion from the frying pan
Dissolve the yeast extract in a small amount of hot water - no more than 1/4 pt at the most - and then add to the mixture
Mix everything together really well 

Gently cook the mushrooms in the frying pan until soft

Using a greased and lined loaf tin, add in half of the nut mixture and press down well

Layer on top the cooked chopped mushrooms

Add on the rest of the nut mixture and press down well

Cover the tin with foil and cook at 180 degrees for about 55 - 60 minutes 
Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before turning out - cut around the edges of the tin and the loaf, cover with a plate, turn over and then lightly tap around the tin to loosen the roast. 

Can be eaten hot or cold
Serves 6-8

Onion Soup

Ingredients:

4 medium/large onions - halved and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 1/2 pts beef stock (I used 2 stock cubes)
1/4 pt red wine
Freshly milled salt and pepper

Method:

Cut the onions in half through the root and then slice thinly into half rounds
Heat the oil in a large pan, add in the onion to gently fry for a few minutes (do not let the onion brown or stick, so stir regularly), a tablespoon of water may be needed so that the onion does not stick
Add a lid and continue to cook very gently for about 10 minutes - stir regularly
Stir in the sugar and then add in the stock and wine
Bring up to the boil and then turn down the heat and cook gently with a lid on, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and thoroughly cooked through
Add in salt and pepper to taste and serve

This amount of soup will serve 4 people

Crustless Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients:
1 medium leek - quartered lengthways and sliced
1 medium courgette - halved lengthways and sliced
3 large broccoli florets - sliced and blanched in hot water
8 thin asparagus spears - 4 cut into small lengths and 4 left whole 
8 baby plum tomatoes - halved
2oz Ossau Irraty cheese - grated 
5 medium sized eggs
30ml semi skimmed milk
1 tsp dried thyme 
1 tsp sunflower oil (plus more for greasing the dish)
Freshly milled black pepper

Method: 
Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan, add the leek and soften for about 5 minutes
Add in the courgette and continue to cook for 5 minutes
Add in the sliced broccoli florets and chopped asparagus, continue to cook gently for another 5 minutes and then remove from the heat
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl 
Add the grated cheese, milk, thyme and black pepper to the eggs and mix
Tip the vegetables into the bowl with the eggs and stir together

Tip the mixture into a shallow, well greased flan dish or tin (mine was about 9 inches)
Add the halved tomatoes and remaining asparagus spears to decorate the top
Place in the oven at 180 degrees and cook for about 30 minutes, until the egg is set and the top is starting to look golden
Remove from the oven and leave in the dish/tin to cool

Serves 6 people
The quiche was sliced and eaten with salad whilst it was still just slightly warm. 
The quiche was made to use up an excess of vegetables from the fridge.