Ingredients:
2oz sugar
2oz olive oil spread
2oz golden syrup
6oz self raising flour
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
Extra flour for rolling out
Method:
Melt the sugar, olive oil spread and golden syrup in a pan - do not boil
Once melted remove from heat and leave to cool slightly for 2-3 minutes
Add in the flour, ginger and mixed spice and stir throughly to make a dough
Knead the dough gently for one minute
On a floured surface roll out the dough to a depth of about 2-3 mm
Using a pastry cutter, cut out biscuits shapes and transfer them to parchment or greaseproof paper on a baking tray
Cook at 180 degrees for 10 minutes
My batch made 22 biscuits
Ingredients:
1/2 a pack of ready rolled puff pastry
Olive oil spread
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
milk or beaten egg
Method:
Thinly spread the olive oil spread over the pastry - ensuring it goes right up to all the edges
Evenly sprinkle over the ground cinnamon and then the ground mixed spice
Starting at one edge, roll up the pastry to the centre, turn and roll in from the opposite edge to the centre so that the two rolls meet - brush the meeting edges with egg wash or milk to help them stick together
Cut into about ten 1cm lengths
Turn cut-side down and place on parchment paper or greaseproof paper on a baking tray
Brush the top and edges with egg wash or milk and cook in the oven at 180 degrees for about 12 minutes
Really tasty with a strong cup of coffee or a cappuccino.
Ingredients:
1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry
1 red pepper - deseeded and cut into strips
1 yellow pepper - deseeded and cut into strips
1/2 a small red onion - cut into strips
1/4 of a fennel bulb - cut into strips
1 pack of feta cheese - cut into small cubes
4 tsp pesto
12 small plum or cherry tomatoes - cut in half
12 green olives
1 egg
Spray of oil
Method:
Place the strips of fennel onto a baking tray with a light spray of oil and cook in the oven for about 5-8 minutes to begin to roast
Cut the puff pastry into quarters and place onto baking parchment or greaseproof paper on a baking sheet
With the tip of a sharp knife, about 1/2 cm in from the edge, score a line inside each edge of the pastry to make an inner square/rectangle - don't cut all the way through
Brush beaten egg around the edges of the pastry - making sure all the area outside of the scored lines is covered
Spread 1 tsp of pesto around the inner shape of each piece of pastry
Share out the other ingredients between the 4 pieces of pastry - keeping all the vegetables and cheese inside the scored lines
Cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown
Makes 4 tartlets
Served with a grilled salmon fillet and a spoon of homemade sweet chilli jam
These tartlets are very tasty to eat cold with a salad.
Ingredients:
1 medium onion - finely chopped
1 pepper (any colour) - finely chopped
2 medium carrots - finely chopped
1 stick of celery - finely chopped
1 clove garlic - crushed
500g pack of minced turkey
3/4 pt passata
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp freeze dried basil
2 tbsp sliced black olives
2 tbsp capers
Splash of oil
Method:
Put the chopped onion, pepper, carrot, celery and garlic into a pan with a splash of oil and begin to soften
Don't let the vegetables brown or stick on the bottom of the pan - add a small amount of water as necessary
Once they have started to soften add in the minced turkey and cook for a further 5 minutes
Add in the passata, tomatoes, oregano and basil and bring up to the boil
Turn down the heat and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in the olives and capers and cook for a further 5 minutes
This amount of bolognese sauce gives 5 servings
Serve with spaghetti or linguine
This bolognese sauce freezes very well and is handy to have in the freezer for when a quick meal is needed.
Ingredients:
3oz mixed dried fruit (a mix of sultanas, currants, raisins and candied peel)
1 assam teabag
4oz sugar
4oz wholemeal self raising flour
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
3 small carrots (weighing about 3 oz) - peeled and grated
Method:
Brew one cup of black assam tea (remove the teabag)
Steep the dried fruit in the tea for one hour, strain and throw away the tea
Beat together the egg and sugar and then stir in the oil
Add all the remaining dry ingredients and mix gently
Stir in the fruit and carrot
Spoon the mixture into muffin cases
Cook for 15-18 minutes at 180 degrees
Makes 8 large muffins
Ingredients:
8oz of stoned gin soaked sloes - roughly chopped
2 bramley apples - peeled, cored and chopped
2 medium sized onions - finely chopped
8oz sugar
4oz mixed sultanas and raisins
8 fl oz white wine vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt
zest of a medium sized orange
Method:
Place all of the ingredients into a pan and bring up to the boil
Turn down heat and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the chutney reaches your desired consistency (and is not too wet)
Remove from heat and fill freshly prepared/sterilised jars
Tap the bottom of the jars to remove air bubbles before screwing on the lids
The chutney now needs to be stored in a cupboard for 3 months to allow the vinegar to mellow before being eaten.
This recipe made 5 small jars of chutney which will be ready to eat at Christmas.
I prepared the jars and lids by washing in the dishwasher whilst the chutney was cooking. They always come out of the dishwasher piping hot and ready to use.
These sloes have been used to make sloe gin. They have been steeping in gin for almost a year. The process of removing the flesh from the stones of the sloes is very slow. I tried using a cherry stoner but the fruit was too small. I just used a small, sharp vegetable knife to cut the flesh from the stones bit this did take a long time. I am aware of some people having had limited success in boiling sloes to help to loosen the flesh. As the purpose of making this chutney is the use the sloes which have been gin infused I did not want to do this as the taste of the gin would be diluted.
I have designed my own labels for my homemade food and drink preserves.
Ingredients:
440g pack of braising steak
1 ox kidney - cored
1/2 a medium sized leek - sliced
1 medium carrot - sliced
10 baby button mushrooms - halved
1/2 pt beef stock (I used one stock cube)
1/4 pt stout
1 pack shortcrust pastry (I used ready rolled)
Splash of oil
1 egg to brush over the pastry before cooking
Method:
Remove any fat from the outside of the steak and cut into chunks
Put half of the steak into a hot pan with a splash of oil to brown, then add in the other half and continue to brown
Cut the kidney into chunks - smaller than the steak - and add to the pan
Once all the meat is browned add in the leek, carrot, mushrooms, stock and stout
Bring up to the boil, then turn down to a simmer
(If using ready rolled pastry - at this point take the pastry out of the fridge so that it can come up to room temperature before it is needed. If it is cold it will crack when being opened out)
Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally
By this time most of the liquid will have gone
Remove from the heat and leave to rest and cool slightly - for about 10 minutes
Line a pie dish with just over half of the pastry
Fill the dish with the cooked meat
Cover with with remaining pastry
Brush the pastry with lightly whisked egg
Cook at 180 degrees for about 20 minutes until the pastry is nicely browned
The size of this pie will give:
2 big portions, 3 average portions or 4 small portions
I prefer to use ready rolled pastry, but I do roll it out just a little bit to make it slightly thinner
Ingredients:
4 medium sized carrots
1/2 a small butternut squash
6 mushrooms - sliced
3 large tomatoes - thinly sliced
1 medium to large courgette
1/2 pt passata
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Method:
Peel and chop the carrots and butternut squash, cook together in boiling water until tender
Drain and mash
Pour about 1/4 of the passata into a lasagne dish and spread around to cover the bottom
Using a vegetable peeler thinly slice the courgette
Place overlapping slices of courgette in the bottom of the dish and then repeat, placing the second layer of overlapping slices in the opposite direction
Spread half of the carrot and squash mash over the courgette
Add a layer of mushroom slices followed by slices of one of the tomatoes
Drizzle over half of the remaining passata
Repeat the layering process again with overlapping courgette in two directions, carrot and squash mash, mushrooms, slices from one tomato and then drizzle over the remaining passata
Add a final two layers of courgette and press down gently
Place the slices of the remaining tomato on the top and sprinkle with the dried oregano
Cook at 180 degrees for 25 minutes
Serves two
Other vegetables can also be used instead of pasta to create layers in a lasagne. Leeks can be sliced open and used, or thin slices of aubergine.
Butternut squash from one neighbour's greenhouse and courgette from another neighbour's allotment.
Ingredients:
10oz tomatoes
3 shallots - finely chopped
1/2 a stick of celery - finely chopped
1/2 a red pepper - finely chopped
3/4pt vegetable stock (I used one stock cube)
1tbsp tomato puree
100ml single cream
Method:
Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for one minute, drain, then remove and discard the skins
Place the tomatoes into a blender/chopper and blend for a few seconds until smooth
Place the finely chopped shallots, celery and pepper into a saucepan with a small amount of boiling water and cook for a few minutes to soften
Add the tomatoes and vegetable stock, bring up to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes
Add in the tomato puree and continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes
Remove from the heat and blend/liquidise the soup until smooth
Return to a clean pan, add in the single cream and heat through gently, don't boil
Serves two
Served with a garnish of fresh home-grown basil
Tomatoes from one neighbour's greenhouse, shallots from another neighbour's allotment
Don't overfill the blender/liquidiser with soup, it is better to do a few smaller batches so that the hot liquid does not splash
If a really smooth soup is required, after blending strain through a sieve before returning to the pan
Ingredients:
2 small tuna steaks
2 small portions of penne pasta
2 eggs - hard boiled and quartered
1/2 an orange pepper - deseeded and chopped into small cubes
1/2 a yellow pepper - deseeded and chopped into small cubes
1/4 of a cucumber - cut into small bite sized pieces
10 french beans - cut into 3cm lengths
4 radishes - sliced
1 block of feta cheese - cut into cubes
1 small tin of anchovies
10 small on-the-vine, cherry or plum tomatoes - quartered
4 tsp capers
10 pitted green olives (mine were citrus marinaded)
Method:
Cook the pasta, hard boil the eggs and cook the green beans
Once cooked rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking process and to keep the pasta and beans firm. This also stops the eggs from having a grey edge to the yolk
Put half of all the salad ingredients and cheese into each of two bowls and gentle stir around to mix
Place the anchovies and egg quarters on the top
Grill the tuna steaks for 2-3 minutes each side and place on top of the salad in the centre of each bowl
Serves two
I served mine with a big spoon of homemade sweet chilli jam (see previous recipe).
Any salad ingredients can be used. Everything just needs to be cut into small, bite sized pieces. I usually use fresh marinaded anchovy fillets rather than from a tin, but I didn't have any in the fridge this time. Fresh anchovies have more flavour and are much less salty. Instead of tuna I have also used salmon fillets, swordfish or marlin steaks.
Ingredients:
2 portions of dry spaghetti or linguine
1 small pack of sliced pancetta (about 100g)
5 mushrooms
2 tbsp sliced black olives
1 large egg
1 small tub of single cream (about 170ml)
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Put the pasta on to cook as per the pack instructions
Cut the slices of pancetta into about 3cm lengths and place into a large, hot, frying pan or wok - this needs to be big enough to hold the whole dish - and cook for about 5 minutes, turning regularly
Slice the mushrooms, add to the pancetta, and cook for 3-4 minutes
Add in the olives
Break the egg into a bowl or jug and whisk, add the cream and whisk again
Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the pan with the pancetta and mushrooms, mix around and then pour in the egg and cream mixture and stir through
Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes until the egg and cream mixture is cooked/warmed through
Season with lots of freshly ground black pepper
Serves two
Ingredients:
12oz fresh tomatoes - skinned
1 small onion - finely chopped
3/4 pt vegetable stock (I used one stock cube)
1 stick celery - finely sliced
1 small courgette - cut into pieces
1 small carrot - sliced
2oz dry orzo pasta
Method:
Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for one minute, drain, then remove and discard the skins
Place the tomatoes into a blender/chopper and blend for a few seconds until smooth
Place the finely chopped onion into a saucepan with a small amount of boiling water or oil to soften
Add the blended tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil
Add in the celery, courgette and carrot, bring back to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes (or slightly longer if the vegetables are cut into big pieces)
Add in the orzo pasta, bring back to the boil and then simmer for another 7-8 minutes
Serves two
Tomatoes provide from one neighbour's greenhouse.
Onion and courgette provided from another neighbour's allotment!
I used a yellow courgette as that is what I had, but a green courgette would probably have made the end dish look a bit more colourful.
Ingredients:
8oz monkfish - cut into chunks
1 can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 medium onion - finely chopped
1 clove of garlic - crushed
1 red pepper - chopped
1 small courgette - cut into bite sized pieces
1 can chopped tomatoes
1/2 pt vegetable stock (I used one stock cube)
1 red chilli - finely chopped
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
12 green olives
splash of olive oil
Method:
Using a splash of olive oil, soften (but don't brown) the onion, garlic, chilli and pepper in a pan. Add a bit of water to stop it browning or sticking if needed
Add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring up to the boil
Add the paprika, ground ginger, chickpeas and courgette and bring back to the boil
Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes
Add in the olives and simmer for a further 10 minutes before adding in the monkfish
Cook for a further 8-10 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through
Serves two
I served the dish with couscous
The easiest way I have found to make couscous is just to place it into a bowl, add boiling water to just above the height of the dry couscous, leave for 5 minutes and then fluff up with a fork. Vegetable stock can be used instead of water to add a bit more flavour. Also herbs or dried fruit such as sultanas or chopped apricots can be mixed with the couscous before adding the water or stock, again this will give the finished dish more flavour.
Ingredients:
8oz wholemeal self raising flour
1oz porridge oats (and more to sprinkle on top before cooking)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3oz sugar
2 ripe bananas
2 tbsp honey
2 eggs
6 tbsp olive oil
4 fl oz milk
Method:
Place the flour, oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, mixed spice, ginger and sugar into a large bowl and mix well
With a fork mash the bananas in a bowl, add the honey and milk and mix together
In another bowl lightly whisk the eggs, add in the oil and mix
Pour the egg and oil into the bowl with the bananas, honey and milk and mix together
Pour the egg and banana mix into the bowl with the dry ingredients and gently stir until all the ingredients are wet.
Spoon the mixture into muffin cases, sprinkle a few additional porridge oats on the top
Cook for 20 minutes at 180 degree
Makes 12 large muffins
Ingredients:
For the paste:
1 stick of lemongrass
2 cloves of garlic
2 spring onions
1 green chilli (or more to taste)
3cm root ginger
Small plant or small pack of coriander (leaves and stems)
Small plant or small pack of basil (leaves and stems)
1 lime - zest and juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts
1 can of coconut milk (only about 2/3 of the tin is needed)
Method:
To make the paste:
Trim the lemongrass and remove the outer layer if needed and cut into slices
Peel the root ginger and cut into slices
Trim and slice the spring onions
Remove zest from the lime (easier to do when the lime is still whole)
Slice the garlic cloves
Place the lemongrass, root ginger, spring onions, lime zest, garlic and chilli into a small blender/chopper and process
Add in the lime juice, process again
One at a time, add in the herbs and process
Once all the ingredients are finely chopped, add in about 2 tbsp of olive oil to bring together in to a smooth paste
Discard any skin and cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces
Mix about 3 tsp of the paste with the chicken breast and coat evenly
Leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour if you have time
Put about 1/3 of the coconut milk into a large pan or wok and bring up to the boil
Add in the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes
Add in the remaining paste, stir and cook for a couple of minutes
Add in another 1/3 of the tin of coconut milk and cook for another 10 minutes
Serves two
Served with basmati rice and naan bread
I sometimes add the remaining coconut milk to the water in which I cook the rice. This does add a small amount of flavour, but the rice needs to be strained and washed with boiling water before eating as it can start to stick together as it cools.
Ingredients:
