Daughter No1 has just pointed out that I forgot to tell you when to put the lentils in for the Indian lentil and cauliflower soup in previous post. Thank you, Jennifer – here it is as it should be!
Indian lentil and cauliflower soup
1 tbsp. coconut oil or other oil
1 onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced and peeled
curry powder, to taste
ground coriander1 tsp. ground cumin
1 litre vegetable broth (from a cube)
190 g uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 medium cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 large handfuls baby spinach
salt and black pepper
chopped fresh coriander for serving (optional)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, coriander, and cumin and saute for 2 minutes more, until fragrant. Add the LENTILS. Stir in the cauliflower and sweet potato. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cauliflower and sweet potato are tender. Season with the salt and pepper, and add more curry powder, if desired. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with coriander, if desired.
At least it proves she reads the blog – and even more importantly want to make it!
As September moves to October so does the weather move from our lovely Indian Summer to Autumn in all its golden gloriousness. The nights draw in (I know some people don’t like this (including The Husband) but I love closing the curtains, lighting the fire, candlelight – but mostly being able to read my book early without my conscious nagging I should be doing something outside!) and, inevitably, hours become colder. As I write this, the day is filled with wonderful sunshine but I know as evening comes there will be a nip in the air and I will need something warming to come to – and, thus, we are back in the land of Soup which you can make ahead and freeze for another time. Hopefully, you will like this new set – and definitely be asking “for more”.
Vegetable Pho
Pho is a Vietnamese favourite. It is a complex, flavoursome soup that is traditionally served at breakfast as a hearty start to the day but will work best as a delicious dinner. Traditionally made with beef or chicken, this vegetarian version is just as delicious. The stock is best made a day in advance to allow the flavours to fully develop. Although the ingredients list may seem long, the soup is very easy to make.
1L vegetable stock
3 tbsp. soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp. caster sugar
2 star anise
stick of cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom seeds, cracked
rice noodles (use however much you want for each serving)
100 g beansprouts
Chinese cabbage, shredded
1 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves
75 g mushrooms, cut into strips
1 small red or green pepper, cut in half, deseeded and finely shredded
4 spring onions, thinly shredded
1 red chilli, cut into thin rings
2 limes, cut into wedges
The day before it is needed, prepare the broth. Put the stock, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, ginger, star anise, cinnamon and cardamom in a large pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool then refrigerate overnight.The next day, move the broth from the fridge, strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan and bring to the boil. Add the beansprouts, cabbage, coriander, oyster mushrooms, and the pepper, spring onions and chilli. Reduce the heat and simmer for two minutes. To serve, cook the noodles by covering with boiling water, leave to stand for 15 minutes, drain and put in the bottom of serving bowl. Ladle over vegetables and broth.
Indian lentil and cauliflower soup
1 tbsp. coconut oil or other oil
1 onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced and peeled
curry powder, to taste
ground coriander1 tsp. ground cumin
1 litre vegetable broth (from a cube)
190 g uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
1 medium cauliflower, chopped into bite-size florets
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 large handfuls baby spinach
salt and black pepper
chopped fresh coriander for serving (optional)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent.Stir in the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, coriander, and cumin and saute for 2 minutes more, until fragrant.Stir in the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the curry powder, coriander, and cumin and saute for 2 minutes more, until fragrant. Stir in the cauliflower and sweet potato. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cauliflower and sweet potato are tender. Season with the salt and pepper, and add more curry powder, if desired. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.Ladle the soup into bowls and top with coriander, if desired.
Carrot, ginger and coconut Soup
3 tbsp. sunflower oil
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic, peeled and finely chopped
800 g carrots, peeled and grated
2 tbsp. peeled and finely chopped root ginger
800ml chicken or vegetable stock (from a cube)
400 ml tin of coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped coriander, to serve
Pour the sunflower oil into a large saucepan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the onions and garlic. Cover with a lid and sweat for six to eight minutes or until softened but not browned. Stir in the grated carrots with the ginger, then cover again with the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for eight to 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for two to three minutes. Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup in a blender, or use a hand-held blender, then place back on the hob and heat through again. Season with salt and pepper and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.
Season’s of mist and mellow fruitfulness . . . It all happens in this household in September. The Husband’s birthday, daughter No 1’s birthday, wedding anniversary – and this month we are finally getting away for a week, visiting friends and relatives, up and down the country. With no road trip abroad this year (just as well as I’ve now discovered my passport has run out!), we thought we would just do a mini British one so off to Northumberland, Scotland and Cumbria, testing the waters of what Britain can offer in these odd times.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (home) the garden continues to offer up its treasures and I expect when we return that we will be faced with a glut of tomatoes – green at the moment but about to turn. So having picked blackberries and sloes and various vegetables, herewith some ideas for the scarlet harvest!
Halloumi and TomatoesHalloumi is a semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk, and sometimes also cow’s milk. It has a high melting point and so can easily be fried or grilled.
½ tsp za’atarA combination of herbs, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt, it is one of the world’s unique and best seasonings. It’s loaded with bold flavours and great texture
Pour the olive oil into a medium bowl, add the za’atar and stir to combine. Add the halloumi and toss in the mixture until well coated. Heat a large griddle pan. Place the halloumi in the pan and cook for 1-2 mins, then turn over and cook for a further 1-2 mins until golden brown on both sides. After turning the halloumi, add the cherry tomatoes and move them around the pan quickly so they cook all over. Transfer the halloumi and tomatoes to a plate, then drizzle over the pomegranate molasses and serve with the mint leaves and pomegranate seeds scattered over.
Semi Dried Tomatoes
batch tomatoes (any quantity and any size, from cherry to plum)
Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Halve tomatoes and arrange over a baking sheet, cut-sides up. Brush lightly with olive oil and put a small piece of shredded basil or oregano on each. Sprinkle with seasoning and bake for 2-3 hrs, depending on size, until semi-dried. Pack into jars and pour over olive oil. Use for salads, sauces, pizza and pasta. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce If you really have a mountain of tomatoes (or you find them cheap at the market) you can easily double up the sauce recipe and freeze.
Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the chilli, shallots, oil, lemon zest, vinegar, sugar and tomatoes into a big mortar. If yours isn’t big enough, put it all in a bowl and just use the pestle in that. Add a good amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and bash everything together. Drain the pasta and toss together with the tomato mixture and mozzarella. Scatter over the basil and serve immediately.
It’s worth getting hold of burrata – a softer, creamier relative of mozzarella – for this dish. It will go oozingly melty and create a sauce that clings to the pasta.
I could also give you The Husband’s recipe for tomato salsa with its secret ingredient – but then I would be forced to kill you! Shall I ask him if he wants to do a guest spot?
In the UK we call them courgettes, in other countries, zucchini, and when they get BIG, they are called marrow. Wherever they are, once they start producing they go on and on till you are wading through a glut. The trouble is, you cannot grow just one courgette. Minutes after you plant a single seed, hundreds of courgettes will barge out of the ground and sprawl around the garden, menacing the other vegetables. At night, you will be able to hear the ground quake as more and more courgettes erupt into monster marrows. So the trick is to pick and eat them quickly – although this now gives you the problem of what to do with them. All of these recipes are freezerable – or pass-on-able – or barter- able (you know how your blackcurrants failed – find someone whose didn’t and do some trading!)
Make the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the courgettes and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Next add the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste and top up with a little more water if it seems too thick. Top with some chopped hazelnuts to serve.
Courgette Frittatas (this recipe makes 8 but they keep in the fridge for a day or so so you can have two lunches – or invite a friend over for lunch in the garden and serve with a nice salad and a glass of cold white wine)
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, then put an empty muffin tin inside. Coarsely grate 1 large or 2 small courgettes and slice 4 spring onions. Heat 2 tsp rapeseed oil in a frying pan and fry the spring onions for about 3 mins. Stir in 1 crushed garlic clove and the grated courgette and cook for another 1 min, then set aside to cool. Beat 3 large eggs, a good pinch dill fronds and 4 tbsp Greek yogurt together in a jug, then season. Stir in the courgette mixture. Take the muffin tin out of the oven and drop in eight muffin cases, divide the egg mixture between the cases and bake for 15-18 mins until set and golden. Serve hot or cold.
Courgettes, like carrots, make very good cakes so don’t forget they can have a sweet side!
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and sugar, then add the courgettes and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a pinch of salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then pour into the tin. Bake for 1 hr, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then serve, or freeze for up to 1 month.
NB You could go mad and throw a party and serve them all these recipes in one sitting! Starter, Main and Dessert!
There are blackberry bushes – and there are blackberry bushes – and there is mine:
It’s absolutely HUGE – and laden with fruit! Underneath are some old fallen apple trees, mistletoe, nettles and probably a host of homes for rabbits, mice and badgers. Luckily, I have lots of friends to come and pick – and lots of recipes. Blackberries freeze beautifully – just lay them out, singly, on a tray and pop in the freezer. Leave for a few hours and put in a bag. We eat them all through the Winter first thing in the morning with porridge or on their own for a quick burst of Vitamin C and sunshine.
We all love blackberry crumble (with or without apple), pies and ice cream but I hope you will give these a try, too, when you can:
Blackberry Crumble Overnight Oats:
50g fresh or frozen blackberries
1 teaspoon runny honey
small handful chopped almonds or walnuts
40g porridge oats
150ml milk
3 drops almond extract (optional)
Put all the ingredients into a jar, stir, put the lid on and chill in the fridge overnight. In the morning, top with extra nuts, if wanted.
If you prefer your oats wared, microwave the mixture in the morning for 30 seconds to release the aromas and flavours.
Blackberry Fridge Jam (as the name implies, you keep this in the fridge once made. It has half the amount of sugar normally used so better for you. I put it into small jars so that I am opening and using quickly)
Weigh however many blackberries you have and put in a bowl. Weigh out half that weight in preserving sugar and add to the bowl. Mash the fruit up slightly and leave aside for no less than an hour. Put into a saucepan (you can at this point add atablespoon of cassis if you like/have), bring to the boil and stir a rolling boil for exactly 5 minutes. Allow to cool and put into sterilised jars.
Put the blackberries in a saucepan with the elderflower cordial, caster sugar and fresh mint sprigs. Set the pan over a medium heat and gently bubble the mixture for 10-15 minutes until the berries soften and release their juices, then reduce to a thick coulis. Remove from the heat and let it cool a little, then taste, adding more sugar or a dash more cordial if needed. Remove the mint sprigs. Allow the mixture to cool completely (it will become more like jam in consistency). Pour the double cream into a large bowl then, using an electric mixer, whisk to soft-medium peaks. Stir in the Greek yogurt, then fold in the cooled blackberry coulis, creating a swirled effect. Spoon the fool into a dish and serve straightaway, or cover and chill for up to 6 hours.
Gooseberry Season – early this year because of the wonderful weather – and so sweet I ate them straight off the bush! I have only one bush in my garden ( a Valentine present from the Husband about 10 years ago) and each year it just gives on giving. 22lb picked in one go yesterday – and still some left to mature! Thankfully, they freeze beautifully without any effort – just put them in a bag and freeze. I top and tail when I need them – 22lb really would be too much hard work! I also swap them with friends for things I haven’t got like blackcurrants (although it looks like I might have some of my own this year). If you scroll back through blog pages you will find lots of other gooseberry recipes but have managed to find some new ones for you to try, sweet and savoury.
Gooseberry Crumble(I know everyone will have their own favourite but try this one – make the whole mix and bake on a tray, break up and put in a jar whenever you feel the need of a pudding, using whatever fruit you happen to have to hand).
80g butter
1 tablespoon runny honey
60g amaretti biscuits, lightly crushed
60g flaked almonds
60g oats (I use jumbo but whatever you have)
Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan and add the crushed biscuits, almonds and oats. Stir till all combined, spread out on a baking tray and bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 180oC. Break up when cooled, put on top of stewed/baked gooseberries – and the rest in a jar for another time.
Heat all of the gooseberry jam ingredients apart from the wine in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the gooseberries have started to break down (approximately 15 minutes). Pour in the white wine and bring the to the boil, scraping up any burned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Continue to simmer until most of the wine has evaporated and the mixture had thickened slightly. Set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly. Strain the jam mixture through a fine sieve, collecting the strained liquid in a clean saucepan. Reserve the strained pulp. Bring the strained liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat until the liquid is simmering. Continue to simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by half and thickened. Transfer the strained pulp to the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the reduced liquid to the jam as necessary, blending to combine, until the consistency of the jam is to your liking (you may not need all of the reduced liquid).
Heat the sugar in a large, heavy-based pan over a low heat, stirring well until it has melted and turned golden-brown (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully. Use a deep pan to avoid bubbling over.). Stir in the sultanas, thyme, ginger and shallot. Add the cider vinegar and gooseberries to the pan, stir well and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gooseberries have softened and broken down. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then set aside to cool slightly. Serve with mackerel or fish cakes.
At long last, we in England can now meet up with (6) friends and those of us on our own can now “bubble” with another household, bringing grannies and grandads together with sons, daughters and grandchildren. Smiles all round – so, obviously, the weather which has been so good to us over the last few months has now decided to turn and we are being faced with heavy rain and winds – someone is definitely saying we are not having it all!
This week’s recipes are thus back to comfort food – albeit with tastes of summer. Anything with basil immediately transports me to the Mediterranean – if I could bottle its’ smell, I would – sun, warmth and taste in one little green plant!
Chicken, Pepper and Basil Traybake (I’ve taken this back to our meals for one as in the title – but if you are feeding friends or family (how wonderful to be able to say that!) its very easy to double up)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken thigh cutlets, bone in
salt and pepper, to season
1 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1/2 red pepper, cut into thick slices (I don’t know about you but I would eat the other half as I went along – love the sweetness and crunchiness!)
1/2 yellow pepper, cut into thick slices (ditto)
3 anchovies, chopped (optional)
100ml cup chicken stock
a pinch of sugar
loosely packed basil leaves, torn
a splash of balsamic vinegar
Heat your oven to 200C. Take a large baking dish or frying pan that can be placed on a stovetop as well as into the oven (cast iron is perfect) and heat over high heat. Add the olive oil, season the chicken thigh with salt and pepper and fry, skin side down, until golden brown. Turn the chicken and add the onions, garlic and peppers around the chicken. Scatter with the anchovies (if using) and pour over the stock. Season very well with salt, pepper and a good pinch of sugar and transfer to the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked though. Scatter with the torn basil leaves and serve immediately, with a splash of balsamic vinegar. A side salad (you could put the rest of your peppers in if you haven’t already eaten them!) and some little Jersey potatoes would be perfect alongside.
Baked Banana Split (one of my grand daughters said I was “too old” to like banana splits – I’ll show her!)
1 large ripe banana
1 tbsp granola
41tbsp chocolate chips
1 tsp honey
1 scoop vanilla ice-cream
thick yoghurt
few crushed pistachios
1/2cup mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries and strawberries work well)
pinch ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 200°C. Split the banana (don’t peel them) in half lengthways, almost all the way through. Fill with granola and chocolate chips and drizzle with a little honey. Wrap in foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and place the banana halves (with the skin) on a serving plate. Add a scoop of ice-cream, a couple of spoons of yoghurt, scatter with the pistachios and berries and finish off with a little cinnamon.
FINALLY, we are allowed to meet up with a few friends in the garden (or park) so this week I thought we could celebrate – with one of my favourite meals, Afternoon Tea! A few years ago my daughters took me to a lovely place for tea for my birthday where (apart from the yummy food) everything was mismatched – there wasn’t a cup and saucer, plate and even chair which went together – so no excuse for saying you can’t do it properly! Cups and saucers, please, and a teapot; a tablecloth and napkins (paper is fine) if you have. As luck would have it our weather seems to have changed to cooler – but never forget we are British so just put a jumper on and have the brollies ready!
Afternoon Tea should consist of Tea (of course!), sandwiches, scones and cake. And perhaps a little fizz? So first recipe is Elderflower Fizz – totally non alcoholic for those driving home.
Elderflower Fizz (I’ve had this recipe so long it’s in lb and ozs)
7 heads of elderflower
1 1/4lb sugar
7 pints of boiling water
2 lemons – zest and juice
Put all of above in a container/clean bucket. When cold, add 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar. Strain and put into PLASTIC bottles – and leave about 2 weeks for the fizz!
Sandwiches – everyone has their favourite (mine is chopped egg and tomato with a little mayonnaise which my mum used to make for school packed lunches) but here are a few (new?) suggestions :
Mix together boiled eggs with fresh avocado, then season with lemon, salt, pepper, and spring onions
Tomato and mozerella with a little basil leaf
smoked salmon and cream cheese with capers
pastrami, swiss cheese and gherkins
prawns with a dill mayonnaise and lemon
Scones : we’ve made these before – but to save you scrolling through. . . Traditionalists aren’t going to believe this recipe – but, believe me, it works! Scones used to be one of those things I was never that good at – but they now work every time!
200g self raising flour
3 fluid ozs double cream
3 fluid ozs LEMONADE (yes, you have read that right!)
Heat the oven to 220C. Mix all the ingredients together and tip onto a floured board. Knead very lightly for a minute or so and flatten out to about 2 cm thick. Cut out shapes (makes about 6 large ones). Put onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm with cream and/or jam (and try not to argue which comes first!)
Now for the cake and I’ve chosen this recipe as it’s wonderfully light – which means you won’t be able to say after the sandwiches and scones that you are too full for it!
St Clements Swiss Roll
eggs 4 large
caster sugar 100g, plus 1 tbsp
self-raising flour 100g
lemons 2, zested
double cream 200ml, plus extra to serve
caster sugar 2 tbsp
vanilla extract ½ tsp
orange ½, zested
lemon curd 4 tbsp
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 33cm x 23cm swiss roll tray or lipped baking tray with baking paper. Use electric beaters to whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes until light and creamy. It should leave a trail when you remove the whisk. Fold in the flour and lemon zest. Carefully spread this mixture into the prepared tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through (the sponge should spring back when pressed). Put a large piece of baking paper on a worksurface and sprinkle over the tbsp of caster sugar. Carefully flip the sponge onto it, peeling off the bottom layer of baking paper. Roll it up tightly, lengthways, using the baking paper on the bottom to help. Cool completely. For the filling, whisk the cream with the sugar, vanilla and orange zest until it forms soft peaks. Once the roll has cooled down, unroll it on a worksurface and spread the marmalade on top, followed by the cream mixture. Gently roll it up again and put it on a serving plate. Serve with double cream, if you like.
Just realised it’s over 2 weeks since I last posted! I’d like to say I’d been away somewhere exotic (or even non-exotic!) but, of course, I haven’t! The weather has been wonderful and the garden calls every day so I have been busy doing houseworky things in the morning to get out in it as soon as possible. Also, shopping now takes forever with having to queue outside (not that I mind too much – I just take a book or talk (shout?) to the person in front of me). I probably shouldn’t say this but I’m actually not minding lock down too much (apart from seeing and being with my family) because everyone seems much kinder and happy to talk and help out. Silver linings and all that!
We’ve been doing a few BBQs recently as the sun has been so kind – which, obviously, means The Husband has been in charge. Teamwork – I do the prep and the salads and he cooks – leaving me time in the kitchen to make my summer comfort food – ice cream (actually, scratch that – ice cream is not just for summer, is it?). With shopping taking time and it takes longer to get through the checkout, you may be thinking ice cream would be melted by the time you get it home – and ice cream vans haven’t been seen for ages – I thought we should make our own. Not every one will have an ice cream maker so these recipes can also be made without.
All you need for this ultimate vanilla ice-cream recipe is five easy-to-find ingredients. If you have an ice-cream maker, you can churn the mixture in there until frozen, but if not this vanilla ice-cream recipe is easy to make by hand.
Simply put the mixture in a freezer-proof container and freeze for 2 hours. Turn into a bowl and beat with an electric whisk; return to the freezer. Repeat every 2 hours until the ice cream is completely frozen. Add any extra solid ingredients after the last beating.
NOTE THIS RECIPE MAKES 1.3 LITRES OF ICE CREAM
VANILLA ICE-CREAM
1 vanilla pod or 2tsp vanilla bean paste
400 ml double cream
400 ml whole milk
4 large egg yolks
125 g caster sugar
Halve vanilla pod lengthways (if using) and scrape out seeds. Add seeds and pod to a large, heavy-based pan with cream and milk (or add vanilla bean paste instead). Heat gently until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove pod (if used). Meanwhile, beat yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale. Gradually mix in the hot cream mixture. Return to pan. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring, until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not overheat or it will scramble). Pour through a sieve into a bowl, cover with clingfilm; cool.
Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine until frozen or by hand using the method above. Empty into a freezer-proof container. Cover; freeze until solid.
TO MAKE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM
Follow steps 1-3 of the Vanilla recipe (above). Cook 600g chopped strawberries with 2tbsp strawberry jam in a pan over medium heat until mushy. Blitz in a food processor until smooth; cool. Stir into cooled custard, strain custard through a fine sieve and discard strawberry seeds. Churn mixture in an ice-cream machine until frozen or by hand using method above. Empty into a freezer-proof container. Cover; freeze until solid.
TO MAKE SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM
Follow steps 1-3 of the Ultimate Vanilla recipe (above), using 200ml double cream and 600ml whole milk. Heat 50g unsalted butter in a pan (swirling pan frequently) until butter darkens to amber. Remove from heat; mix in 200g Carnation Caramel and 2tsp sea salt flakes. Mix 3⁄4 of this into custard (reserve the rest). Cover bowl; cool. Churn custard mixture in an ice-cream machine until frozen or by hand using method above. Empty into a freezer-proof container; marble through reserved caramel. Cover; freeze until solid.
You can also use the above basic to make Chocolate Ice cream thus – increase sugar to 175g and add 1tbsp cornflour to egg yolks. Mix 200g finely chopped dark chocolate into hot custard, stirring to melt. Cover with cling film; cool. Churn mixture in an ice-cream machine until frozen or by hand using method above. Empty into a freezer-proof container; mix through 100g chopped dark chocolate. Cover; freeze until solid.
However, I will always prefer this recipe (I’ve given it before but here it is to save you scrolling back)
FRENCH CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
2 oz caster sugar 4 tablespoons water 6 oz plain chocolate
3 egg yolks (freeze the egg whites individually for later or make some meringues)
1/2 pint double cream
Melt the sugar and water together till a light syrup. Break up the chocolate into a bowl and pour the hot syrup over. Mix to smooth and add yolks. Whip the cream until stiff, fold in the chocolate and freeze. Simples!
Sun’s out; sunglasses on; book. Kick back and enjoy a taste of summer.
The Husband and I were driving the NC500 which is a 500 mile circular trip from Inverness to Inverness, west, top and east of Scotland, this time last year. With some additional visits to Wales, my brother in Ayrshire, meeting up with a friend on the Crinan Canal, a visit to Skye and a stay on the Lake of Menteith in the Trossachs plus getting there from home and back, the speedometer clicked on to 2001 miles as we turned into our drive, 2 weeks later! With Lockdown, of course, we can’t even drive in our own country so I’m adding this to the places and food we would have eaten and seen had we been on our road trip. Also, as even visits for shopping aren’t as numerous as usual, the recipes here are using up foodstuffs you might have in the fridge.
STOVIES – The word Stovies means “bits from the stove,” so it is a recipe using whatever you happen to have to hand on a Monday, after your Sunday roast. Think of all those leftovers, with the main constituent being the bits of meat from the roast the day before (although, I don’t know about you, as I never know what day it is just now a roast doesn’t necessarily happen on a Sunday – more probably the day when I’ve been shopping!).
Vegetables (any that you have leftover from the day before)
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C / Gas 5. Place a Dutch oven, or casserole dish, on the stove over medium heat. Add the lard or dripping, and melt. Add the onions and cook until soft, but not browned – about 5 to 8 minutes. Take care not to burn the onions. If using, add the beer or stout and turn the heat up and allow to boil for 2 minutes to burn the alcohol away. Add the meat and stir well. Add the potatoes in layers, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper as you go, before adding the next layer. Pour over the stock or gravy (or both). Cover with a lid and cook in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, checking from time to time to make sure the stock is not boiling dry. If it is, add a little extra stock. Ten minutes before the end of cooking, add any leftover vegetables to suit, stir well, and check the seasoning. Cover with the lid and cook for a further 10 minutes. The meat and vegetables will break up to create a thick, hearty stew-like consistency. Be careful not to over boil, as you need to retain chunks of meat and vegetables. Serve the stovies in a deep dish or bowl with rough oatcakes and brown sauce, if you like it.
Variations
Don’t feel that you have to be restricted to the pickings from your Sunday lunch. Stovies can also be made using a tin of corned beef, some cooked minced beef, or sausages:
CornedBeef: Crumble the corned beef and stir through your potatoes 20 minutes before the end of cooking.
Cooked Minced Beef: Stir through the potatoes 20 minutes before the end of cooking.
Sausages: Cook the onions as above. Using 1 pound of sausage, slice thickly then put one layer on the onions, followed by a layer of potatoes. Continue until all used up. Cook as above.
Place all berries in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over 1/2 tbsp caster sugar and the zest and juice of the orange. Mix together the yoghurt, creme fraiche and remaining caster sugar and spread over the fruit and leave in fridge for 2 hours. Sprinkle the soft brown sugar over the top and dust with the cinnamon, place under a hot grill until the sugar melts. Serve immediately.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/traditional-scottish-stovies-recipe-435577-Final-5bae6883c9e77c0026c7518c.jpg)
Ailsa cooks for One 