Salmon and Sweet Potato Quiche

Ingredients: 
1/2 pack of ready made shortcrust pastry
1 salmon fillet - cooked and skinned
1 sweet potato - diced and cooked 
8 mint leaves - roughly chopped
2 large eggs - beaten
100ml single cream 
Black pepper

Method:
Roll out the pastry and line a quiche dish
Cover the pastry with parchment paper, add in baking beans and bake in the oven, 180 degrees, for 10 minutes 
Remove the parchment and beans and cook for a further 2 minutes
Leave the pastry to cool for at least 10 minutes 

For the filling: 
Flake the salmon fillet and spread evenly on the bottom of the pastry case
Add the diced, cooked sweet potato on top of the salmon
In a jug or bowl beat the eggs, add in the cream and beat again
Stir in the mint and add a twist of back pepper
Pour the egg and cream mixture over the salmon and potato until it reaches the top of the pastry case
Cook for 30 minutes at 180 degrees

I used a 18-19cm quiche dish
I had a bit of potato and some of the egg mixture left over once the quiche dish was full.  I split the potato into the bottom of 2 muffin cases and added in the egg mixture.  These cooked in the oven for the same amount of time as the quiche.  These have turned into small savoury souffles/quiches without the pastry crust. 

The quiche divides into 2 large, or 4 smaller portions

Oven Baked Sea Bream

Ingredients: 
2 sea bream fillets
3 large salad tomatoes 
1 small red pepper - de-seeded and chopped 
2 tbsp sliced back olives
1 tsp dried oregano 
Drizzle of balsamic glaze to serve 

Method: 
Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for one minute, drain, then remove and discard the skin.  Chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl
Add in the chopped pepper, sliced back olives, oregano and mix together 
Place about a third of the tomato mixture into the bottom of an ovenproof dish
Place the sea bream fillets on the top and then spoon over the remaining tomato mixture 
Cook in the oven for about 12-15 minutes at 180 degrees
Carefully lift each fillet from the dish with a fish slice and then drizzle with balsamic glaze 

Serves 2
Served as a Sunday lunch with roast potatoes, broccoli and carrots 

Fig Frangipane Tart

Ingredients:
1 pack ready rolled shortcrust pastry
4 1/2 oz olive oil spread
4 1/2 oz sugar
5 oz ground almonds
2 oz self raising flour
3 large eggs - beaten 
6 fresh figs 

Method: 
Roll out the pastry slightly to make it a bit thinner
Line the pastry into a loose bottomed shallow tin
Place baking parchment on the top of the pastry and add baking beans
Blind bake the pastry at 180 degrees for 10 minutes
Remove the beans and parchment, lightly pick over the base of the pastry with a fork and then return to the oven to cook for another 2 minutes
Leave to cool slightly

To make the frangipane filling:
Beat together the sugar and olive oil spread
Add in the flour, ground almonds and beaten eggs and mix together until smooth
Tip into the pastry case and spread out evenly
Cut 4 of the figs into halves and arrange in a circle around the outside of the tart - push them into the mixture
Cut the other 2 figs into quarters and arrange in a smaller inner circle on the tart - push them into the mixture
Cook at 180 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown all over

Serves 8 
Served with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of blackberry vinegar (see previous recipe) 

Blackberry Vinegar

Ingredients:
Blackberries (medium sized bowl full)
White wine vinegar (600ml)
Sugar (1 lb) 

Method: 
Place blackberries into a sealable jar.  I used a 1 litre Le Parfait preserve jar
Completely cover the blackberries with white wine vinegar and then add in a bit more
Seal the jar and leave in a cupboard for 2 weeks

After two weeks strain the blackberries from the vinegar - do not squash the fruit or the final vinegar may become cloudy.  First I just tipped the whole of the contents of the jar into a large sieve over a jug, then I strained the vinegar through a paper coffee filter
Place the vinegar in a pan add the sugar and bring to the boil
Boil gently for 15 minutes
Allow to cool before placing into sterilised bottles 

I started off using 12oz of sugar but when testing the vinegar I found it was not sweet enough, so I aded in another 4oz.  I have another batch on the go but this time I am using red wine vinegar.  I will use the same proportion of sugar to vinegar when I boil this up.  I didn't want to put too much sugar in at the start as I didn't want to turn this into a thick syrup. 

This recipe made 3 small bottles (they are single portion wine bottles).  There was a little bit extra left over which we used as a cordial with tonic water, and also added some to glasses of Prosecco.  

Some suggested uses for Blackberry Vinegar: 

• Drizzle on ice-cream or pancakes 
• Use as a cordial and dilute with soda, tonic or lemonade
• Add to a glass or Prosecco - place in the glass first to get a drink which is all pink, add after and it will sink to the bottom and give a sunrise effect
• Drizzle on salad leaves, or use with oil to make a vinaigrette dressing
• Add to a vodka and tonic 

Vinegar in first       Prosecco in first
before Prosecco       vinegar in last    

Thank you to my very kind neighbour who allows me to pick blackberries from his garden. 

Salmon and Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients:
8oz arborio risotto rice 
1 small onion - finely chopped 
1/4 pt white wine
1 pt vegetable stock (I used 2 cubes)
8 white cup mushrooms - sliced
6 long, fine asparagus shoots - cut into 1-2cm lengths 
creme fraiche 
smoked salmon - cut into strips 
Splash of oil
Extra water may be needed 

Method: 
With the oil, soften the onion in a large based pan - do not brown, add water if needed so that it does not stick 
Add in the rice and white wine, stir around and cook for a couple of minutes
Add the stock, bring to the boil then turn down to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
Add in the mushrooms and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently
Add in the asparagus and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently 
Don't let the rice boil dry or stick on the bottom of the pan, add a little extra water if needed
When the rice is cooked, stir in the creme fraiche and allow to warm through for a minute (I used about half of a 200g pot of 0% fat creme fraiche)
Just before serving stir in the smoked salmon.  The heat from the rice will cook the salmon in seconds

Serves two

Chicken in White Wine and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts 
5 white cup mushrooms - sliced
1/2 pt vegetable stock (I used one cube) 
1/4 pt white wine 
1 small pot of single cream (170ml)
Splash of olive oil

Method:
Using the oil, brown the chicken in a large frying pan - start skin side down if the breasts have skin on them
Turn and begin to cook/seal the other side for a couple of minutes 
Add the stock and white wine and bring up to the boil
Turn down to simmer for 10 minutes - turn chicken occasionally
Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer for another 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through 
Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm
Stir in the pot of cream and warm through - do not boil

Serves 2
Served with basmati rice, broccoli florets, carrot batons and asparagus spears. 

If I make this again I may add in some tarragon for additional colour and flavour.  

Beetroot and Feta Soup

Ingredients:
5 medium sized, cooked beetroots - roughly chopped
3 spring onions - sliced 
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1/2 pt vegetable stock (I used one cube)
Splash of olive oil
1/3 pack of feta cheese 

Method:
Soften the spring onions in the oil
Add the beetroot, tomatoes and stock
Bring up to the boil
Simmer for 10 minutes
Blend or liquidise the soup
Re-heat slightly before serving
Season if required
Crumble feta on the top of the soup once in bowls

Serves 4 as a starter

Use disposable gloves whilst dicing the beetroot to avoid staining hands.
A glass chopping board is good to use too as wood or plastic will become very stained.