Wild About Garlic

Everything is starting to bloom and hazes of green cover the trees and hedges. Amidst showers and sunshine, we are out walking more and enjoying the Spring. Daffodils, tulips and bluebells; new rhubarb and spinach and strawberry flowers with the promises to come. The Husband has been fishing and the added bonus to this is the first of the year’s green treasures – wild garlic by the riverbank.   It looks like this:

Please note – wild garlic does look similar to lily of the valley, which is poisonous. The key difference between the two plants is that wild garlic always smells – yes, you guessed it – of garlic. If you’re in any doubt about which plant you’ve found, do not eat it.

Take yourself out for a walk in the woods and you won’t fail to notice the fragrant smell of wild garlic as you stroll through – the scent is truly hard to miss!  The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and taste milder than shop-bought garlic. A fairly low growing plant and the most beautiful vibrant green. Pick it when you find it and you can make wonderful soup, dips, butter and oil.

Wild Garlic Soup

This recipe is enough for 4 but freezes beautifully. Not only is it delicious but also helps lower cholesterol and high blood pressure!

  • 1 onion sliced
  • 2 – 3 potatoes (these are for thickening the soup so depends on size)
  • 500 ml water
  • stock cube (I use a vegetable one)
  • milk/crème fraiche/cream

Saute the onion in a little butter in a large saucepan.  Add chopped potato, stock cube, and water and bring to the boil.  Cook until the potato is soft.  Lay 3 – 4 handfuls of the garlic leaves on the top and allow to wilt and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Cool slightly and, using a hand blender, puree.  Put back into the saucepan and add milk or cream or creme fraiche to taste along with plenty of pepper.  It never lasts long in our house but will keep in the fridge for 2 – 3 days – or ladle into bags to freeze.  Serve with crusty bread and a dollop of creme fraiche.

Wild Garlic Oil – blanch several handfuls of leaves in boiling water for 5 – 10 seconds then immediately drain and toss into iced water (this keeps the colour). Drain again and wrap in an old tea towel and squeeze all the liquid out. Chop up into small pieces and put in a jam jar or bottle and top up with 150 ml of olive oil.

Wild Garlic Butter – I make lots of this and usually manage to eke it out all year. Chop the garlic leaves up as you would any other herb. Soften a block of butter, add salt and pepper and the chopped leaves. Roll into cigar shaped pieces, wrap in cling film and freeze. I usually keep one on the go in the fridge, replacing with a frozen one when needed. Just cut off slices and use to cook with as you would any other flavoured butters.

Garlicky green Goddess dressing

Put about 30 washed and dried garlic leaves into a food processor or blender with 300ml sour cream (if you haven’t got this creme fraiche will do or make your own by adding some lemon juice to fresh cream – leave aside for a minute or two whilst it goes thick) , the juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper.  Blitz till smooth and serve over a green s salad or use a dipping sauce for bread or crisps.

Leek love

Every greengrocer and farm shop seems to be selling leeks at the moment.  I love them – so easy to grow and so much you can do with them. Ever heard of potato and leek soup? I thought so! But how often do you cook leeks in other recipes? Have you tried them in pasta, stuffing, or risotto?  If I had my way, we’d all be eating leeks more often. They’re incredibly versatile, adding unique, sweet, and mild onion flavour to a huge range of dishes. This vegetable  seems humble, but there’s so much that it can do.

Sometimes, I make up a recipe that is so ridiculously non-challenging and moreish, that I just have to pass it on and this is one of them.

Ailsa’s Cheese and Leek Pate

  • 1 leek
  • Large knob of butter
  • 2 – 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 200g packet of cream cheese
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Cut the leek up into thin slices – I cut down the middle and then slice.  Melt a little butter in a pan with some salt and coarse pepper.  Saute the leek and garlic very slowly until soft (keep an eye on it and move around the pan as you don’t want it to burn).  Put the cream cheese in a bowl, tip over the hot leek and blend with a stick blender until pate-like. Put into a small bowl and seal with some melted butter (if you want to be super-posh in your serving, line a small tin with cling film and spoon it in – when set in the fridge you then tip it out and slice like a cake on a plate with salad and bread).  Personally, I just eat it almost immediately with crusty bread/toast/or favourite crispbread!

Leek and Potato Soup (couldn’t really miss this out!) with cheesy mustard croutons

  • 10 grams butter
  • 2 leeks
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional)
  • 1 large potato
  • 500 ml stock with boiling water and a stock cube
  • 30 grams watercress (optional)

Melt butter in a large pan and add chopped leeks and tarragon. Add the chopped potato and stock.  Bring to boil and cook until potato is soft.  Add the watercress if using, simmer for 3 minutes and blend till smooth. Preheat grill to high and toast 2 slices of bread/baguette until crisp.  Spread each slice with some Dijon mustard and top with some grated cheese (any kind you like). Put the soup into a bowl and top with a cheesy crouton and serve.

Leek risotto with poached egg

  • 60 grams frozen broad beans or peas, cooked
  • some butter and oil
  • 2 leeks
  • 20g / 4 oz Arborio/ risotto rice
  •  glass Dry white wine (don’t worry if no wine, just make up with extra stock)
  •  1 pint hot chicken or vegetable stock
  •  2 Teaspoons butter
  •  2 Teaspoons olive oil
  • A little cream or crème fraiche
  •  60g/2oz grated parmesan cheese
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons parsley chopped

Melt a knob of butter with a little oil and add the thinly sliced leek and cook till soft over a low heat. Increase the heat and add the rice turning it in to the buttery leeky mix.  SLOWLY add the stock (a tablespoon at a time to begin with), stirring all the time in between additions until the rice is soft. Add the beans and/or peas. Remove from the heat and add the lemon, parsley and cheese. Pile into a bowl and top with a poached egg – delicious!

ps this will make more than one portion but it’s a difficult one to scale down. However, it will freeze very well for another day when you may need some comfort food.

Love the one you are with . .

February 14th Not everyone’s Valentine’s Day will be filled with chocolates and roses. It can be a hard day for many people and when you’re feeling low, it’s tough to motivate yourself so do something nice for yourself. Light a candle (the one you bought but have been saving for a ‘special occasion’) read your book (give yourself time to read that extra chapter) or take yourself off on a stroll (walking that route you never take because although it’s beautiful, it always takes a little bit too long) And most importantly, cook something unctuous and delicious (a recipe that requires a bit of time and patience).

This is comfort food when you may need it most.

Mushroom risotto

  • 1 handful of chestnut mushrooms
  • OPTIONAL dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 sticks celery – finely diced
  • 1 white onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 200g risotto rice
  • Splash of white wine (save a glass for yourself)
  • 1 pint stock (chicken/vegetable, whatever takes your fancy)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Knob of butter (cold, to be stirred in right at the end)
  • OPTIONAL glug of Worcestershire sauce or mushroom ketchup

Make your stock and pop the porcini mushrooms in, if you have them, and keep it warm. Fry the onion, garlic and celery in a large saucepan with a little bit of butter and olive oil until soft (ideally ten minutes, very low heat). Pour the risotto rice in and, stirring often, let the rice soak up some of the oil and butter. Once the rice starts to stick a bit, pour in the white wine, let that bubble away as the rice soaks it up before slowly adding a ladle-full of stock in. Continue this way, allowing the rice to soak up the liquid, between each ladle full, until the rice is soft but still a little bit chewy and moist. You’re almost teasingly feeding it liquid ladle-full by ladle-full – just as it has drunk up one, the next goes in. Take it off the heat once all the stock has been used, and grate in the parmesan, stirring it round so it melts into the risotto.

Finally, add some seasoning and a lump of cold butter and let it ooze in and cover the pan for a few impatient minutes. It should still just be moist – the Italians spoon it onto a plate and jiggle the plate around in circular motions to allow the risotto to rest in an even flat disc, so it must still retain some moisture and ooziness to do this.

Scatter the parsley on top as a garnish – or even the celery leaves as they are tasty, nutritious and shouldn’t be wasted.

Don’t do anything else for the rest of the day.

Some hae meat and canna eat,And some wad eat that want it,But we hae meat and we can eat,And sae the Lord be thankit.

There are two things which always take me back to my roots and like to celebrate – Hogmanay and Burns Night.  The former has no particular culinary history (a lot of alcohol and emotional singing of Auld Land Syne). The latter, of course, has the Burns Supper. Haggis, neeps and tatties are a given and can really only be served one way – but you may not know the following 2 recipes.

Cullen Skink – a hearty soup made from leeks, onions, potatoes and smoked haddock

  • 50 grams butter
  • 1 small onion and 1 small leek, finely chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 150 ml water
  • 200g (ish) smoked haddock
  • 200 ml milk

Melt butter and leek in a saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes without browning. Add potatoes and cook till soft. In another pan cover the haddock with the milk and cook gently till tender (you can also do this in the microwave). Remove from milk when cool and flake gently into large pieces, removing bones. Drain the potatoes (keeping the water), take out some of them with some leeks and onions and mash the rest. Return the vegetables to the pan with the liquid and add the milk and haddock.  You may need more liquid – you can add some more milk, white wine and/or cream or creme fraiche – whichever takes your fancy. You can also add some chopped parsley and/or chives for a bit of colour. Serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up.

Cranachan – a delicious mix of raspberries, cream, whisky, honey and toasted oats.  What’s not to like?

  • 100 grams porridge oats
  • medium pot of double cream
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons honey to taste
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons whisky (I personally hate whisky but somehow can take it here!)
  • raspberries – fresh or frozen

Heat a heavy based frying pan up and toast the oats until nutty and pale brown (I sometimes add a little demerara sugar so they caramelize but you do have to keep moving them around!). Put to one side to cool. Whip the cream till soft peaks and fold in the honey and whisky. Layer up the cream, raspberries and oats and eat immediately whilst the oats are still crunchy.

ps One of the greatest myths about the Selkirk Grace (heading above) is that it was written by Robert Burns. He was said to have delivered the grace at a dinner party, held by the Earl of Selkirk in 1794. However, at that time, the Selkirk Grace was already 80-100 years old, and was originally called the Galloway Grace or the Covenanters’ Grace. Burns, a well known individual of the time, brought some popularity to the grace, which is why people began to call it the Selkirk Grace, as his speech in Selkirk became well known. Rabbie was known to recite it at many dinners, and so people often mistakenly thought that he wrote it.

Auld Lang Syne (which was written by him) is sung at the end of Burn’s night. A song about forgiveness, friendship, and new beginnings.

Bits from the stove . . .

The middle of January is always hard, I think.  Usually not great weather and still recovering from the festive season – both in spirit and financially! Trying to keep to resolutions and cope with Dry January, it’s nice to think of something to cook that is both comfort food and pennywise.  Make this stew on a dark, dismal afternoon and have it as a TV dinner, watching your favourite comedy and you will soon be cheered up.

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 – although you can always use fresh meats, too.

  • 1 dessertspoon lard (or beef dripping or oil)
  • 1 onion, skinned and roughly diced
  • Optional: 4 tablespoons dark beer (or stout)
  • 2 ounces roast beef (or lamb, cold and diced)
  • 3/4 lb potatoes (washed, peeled, and cut into quarters)
  • 6 fluid ounces beef stock (or lamb stock or leftover gravy)
  • Vegetables (any that you have left-over from the day before)
  • Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas 5. Place a 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, 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 keep 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:

  • Corned Beef: 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.

Happy New Year!

New Year – new look – and an update of why we/you are here.

This cookery blog is a collection of some favourite recipes written at my kitchen table, using ingredients you can find locally and in season. Personally, I love the changes and wouldn’t want to live anywhere other than the UK with all its climate and regional diversities.  I look forward to the first asparagus from the farm just around the corner, English strawberries from the local market, the freshest fish from our British waters, field mushrooms from an autumn walk.

With less carbon footprint and more freshness, you will soon understand why eating British and following the months will tickle your tastebuds, save you some pennies and help local economy.

I live in Worcestershire with The Husband, one cat and with visiting children and grandchildren. as and when. In my time, I have been a nurse, made children’s clothes, had a catering company, estate agent and for the last 16 years volunteered, helping with arts and crafts, at a local Hospice.  It was there that I was encouraged to start www.ailsacooks4one.com after taking in recipes for those bereaved and having to cook just for themselves.  I want to give you the love of cooking I have and the confidence to do so for others. 

And, now, I want to get everyone else onboard, following the Seasons!

It wasn’t so long ago that every meal people ate was prepared using seasonal ingredients because there was no means of transporting international produce between countries.  People ate as nature intended and their diet was dictated by what grew locally.  There really is no sense or benefit in eating fruit, vegetables, meat and fish that have been flown around the world when you can enjoy native ingredients that have been grown, reared or caught a matter of miles from home.

Every time we look at our plates, we should ask ourselves where the food comes from, how it was produced and what it cost – not just in terms of money but also in terms of environmental damage. To entice us to buy fruits and vegetables, supermarkets lay out stacks of perfectly formed specimens, Unfortunately, this means that 20 – 40% of local farm produce is wasted because it isn’t “perfect” enough even though it tastes absolutely fine.  It also means that to reduce the risk of blemished produce, the former relies more and more on a range of pesticides and fertilisers to keep food available out of season. The fertilisers also cause massive problems in the environment as soil biodiversity and water course are polluted by the run off from fields.

Locally grown will often cost less, will be fresher, tastier and more nutritious. It will be less damaging to the Earth due to the reduction in energy used to transport far flung places. You will also be supporting farmers and producers in your area and, in turn, helping the local economy.

We can change things for the better by:

  • accepting “wonky” or less than perfect vegetables and fruit
  • Grow your own.
  • Eat by the Season

Spring is traditionally a time of culinary celebration after the Winter months.  Fresh green produce, various meats and berries begin to appear. By the Summer the harvest from land and sea is in progress and many fruit and vegetables are plentiful.  With the advent of Autumn, there is still much about and will now include wild mushrooms, British apples and pears and nuts.  Winter is not the dull culinary season many people think it is with game and winter vegetables that need a touch of frost to bring them to their peak.

January 5th I know it’s a bit of a cliché and perhaps because I am a Scot and brought up in the tradition of Hogmanay but I love New Year’s Day.  I see a whole year before me stretching out just waiting to be filled with people and places and happenings!  Some will be bad as well as good but I’ll take that for a chance at newness and anticipation for a year to come. And my main resolution this year – to try to cook seasonally – as I hope you will!

Make the best of the month’s offerings with warming soups and casseroles and seasonal cooking will never feel so wholesome.

Anything-you-Have Coconut Curry Soup – the best soup using leftover veg.

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 -2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • small knob of ginger, grated
  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • 1 dessertspoon sugar
  • 1 14 ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1 pint vegetable stock (from a cube will do)
  • the fun part – any vegetables you have in the house!  You can add:
  • potatoes/sweet potatoes/parsnips/carrots/courgettes/peppers/mushrooms/spinach

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the curry paste, turmeric, salt and sugar.  Stir fry again to combine.  Add the coconut milk and stock – and whatever lost vegetables you have found!  Simmer until soft, blend to silky smooth and serve with some crispy fried onions and/or coriander on top.

This is obviously going to make more than more portion – but it will keep in a pot in the fridge for about a week – or you can freeze it in your own sized portions!

Winter Salads

AS we head towards the time when we turn the clocks back and Autumn seems to be rain and cold and grey, try to remember the foods of summer, their freshness and greeness. Whilst the weather often dictates that stews and comfort food are what we want/need to eat, don’t forget winter salads – but with a hint of warmth to keep out the chill. You can eat them on their own – but they will easily sit happily alongside lamb or pork chops or baked fish – and give you a quick boost of Vitamin C and all things sunshine!

Mushroom and Wild Rice Salad

  • 125g chestnut mushrooms, halved
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
  • 75 – 100g mix of brown basmati and wild rice, cooked (you could use one of the ready made pouches )
  • 200ml hot vegetable stock
  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only
  • 3 – 6 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 50g watercress, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh coriander, roughly chopped               
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice  
  • Salt and pepper                                         

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place the mushrooms, onion, garlic, lemon zest, rice and vegetable stock in a casserole dish or small, deep roasting tin. Cover tightly with kitchen foil or a lid and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, to make the lemon and coriander dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. Stir the dressing, half the pomegranate seeds, half the spring onions and the watercress into the rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds and spring onions. Serve immediately.

Thai Vegetable Salad with Crispy Noodles (Optional)

  • 2 carrots, peeled and pared into ribbons
  • 1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 – 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 little gem lettuce
  • Bean sprouts
  • small can of water chestnuts, drained and halved (you can freeze what you don’t need for another time)
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Add chopped mushrooms (raw), sliced peppers, radishes, cashew nuts, coriander, sliced cabbage, seeds of your choice

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil                                       
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable/sunflower oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger                                  
  • 1 teaspoon castor sugar
  • 1 dessertspoon sherry vinegar                           
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water

Deseed and finely chop chilli; peel and slice garlic. Heat the oil and fry the chilli, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.  Add the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and water and simmer for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and cool. Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Serve at once with a scattering of sesame seeds

Try topping with Crispy Noodles (soak half a sheet of dried Chinese egg thread noodles, drain and dry thoroughly. Heat some oil in a deep pan and deep fry the noodles for 1 -2 minutes until crisp and golden.

Pear Salad

  • 3 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 pears, quartered lengthwise and cored
  • salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar, divided
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 /2 head of a romaine or other crispy lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • crumbled blue cheese or feta
  • seeds and/or walnuts (optional)

In a large pan, over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil until just smoking. Add pears in a single layer cut side down and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both cut sides, 4 to 6 minutes total; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar. Gently stir until liquid is thickened and coats pears, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pears to a plate and let cool. Halve each piece of pear lengthwise.

In a large bowl, whisk honey and remaining oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Fold in greens, gently tossing to combine. Top with pear slices and blue cheese.  You can also add your favourite seeds and/or walnuts.

You say Tomato, I say Tomato . . .

You are probably, like me, in the middle of a tomato glut. Why do tomatoes all become ripe at the same time? And, also, what about the ones which never turn red?  All the hard work of growing, looking after and nurturing them to end up with almost too many of the little red bombs!  What can you do with them once you’ve made gallons of soup and tomato sauce for the freezer, eaten them fresh, fried and baked and given away pounds (very useful for bartering, though, for things you might not have grown)?

The flavour depends largely upon the variety and how the fruit has been grown and ripened: some cheap imported tomatoes are grown under polytunnels, picked under-ripe, then artificially ripened with ethylene gas, a plant hormone. Sun-warmed tomatoes picked straight from the vine are arguably the ideal way to enjoy tomatoes.

When choosing tomatoes, pick them up, feel them and smell them. Choose tomatoes that feel heavy for their size; they are more likely to be bursting with juices. Tomatoes with no smell will probably have no flavour, so opt for those with a pleasant aroma (although the aroma released by tomatoes on the vine are usually due more to the vine than the tomatoes themselves).

The Husband makes a spicy special salsa with tomatoes and a secret ingredient he keeps very close to his heart so I’m afraid I can’t give you that recipe but I hope you will try below for something a little different – and one for all those toms who simply refuse to turn colour!

Tomato and plum might sound like a questionable salad combination to some, but just give this recipe a try and I think you’ll be convinced. Totally tasty and perfect – and possibly also using up the other glut of the month – plums!

Tomato and Plum Salad

  • 400g tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 2 red plums cut into wedges
  • Finely grated zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sumac (a citrusy Middle Eastern Spice)
  • 1/4 bunch tarragon, leaves picked, torn

Combine tomatoes, plums, lemon zest and salt flakes to taste in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to marinate. Add vinegar, oil, sumac and three-quarters tarragon. Toss until well combined. Spread salad across a serving platter, scatter with remaining tarragon and serve immediately.

This sweet Tomato Jam is given a nice kick by the addition of ginger.

  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 firmly packed (100g) brown sugar
  • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
  • 450g chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the vinegar, brown sugar and chilli, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes until thick. Stir in the honey and cool to room temperature.

This last recipe is for the ubiquitous green tomatoes – but is so good that if I were you I wouldn’t wait for the end of the season but just use them when you have them, even if early on! Slice them thickly, dip into beaten egg, fine polenta and fry in rapeseed oil till crisp. The insides soften and have a delicious stab of sharpness to them and benefit further from a bowl of garlicky mayonnaise on the side. If you haven’t got polenta, you can use flour, breadcrumbs or a thin batter instead.

Fried green tomatoes with garlic mayonnaise

There is something quite perfect about the green-apple tang of an unripe tomato with the warm, mealy notes of crisp polenta. This recipe is good with any under-ripe tomatoes. Just squirt a little lemon juice on each one as you slice. Serves two.

  • 4 medium to large green tomatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • A little milk
  • 90g plain flour
  • 3 tablespoons fine ground polenta )cornmeal)
  • 2 sprigs of thyme (optional)
  • Oil for frying

Slice the tomatoes thickly, about three or four from each fruit. Break the eggs into a small, shallow bowl and beat them lightly. Stir in a tablespoon or two of milk. Mix the flour and ground polenta, season with salt and black pepper and the leaves pulled from the thyme branches. Tip onto a large shallow plate. Press a slice of tomato into the flour and polenta mixture then into the beaten egg then back into the polenta again. Shake off any excess. Don’t worry if bits of tomato show through here and there, you want a light, crisp coat, not armour-plating. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Warm the oil in a frying pan. Lower some the tomatoes into the pan, one at a time – otherwise they will stick together- then let them colour lightly on both sides. I turn mine after a minute or two. Cornmeal burns quickly, so I keep a watchful eye on the tomatoes as they cook. They should be ready in four or five minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with garlic mayonnaise.

Blackberry Way

When I was little, I used to go blackberry picking with my mum – and I, in turn, took my own children with my friends, Claire and Beryl, and their children.  Our babies have got babies of their own now and we hope to all go picking again this week – trying to persuade little fingers to put as many of the berries they put in their mouths into their baskets! Our garden is partly an old orchard where the apple trees have fallen down (we have also planted new ones!) and become a secret hiding place for rabbits, squirrels and mice and the trunks homes for woodpeckers and robins.  And over it all, has grown the most wonderful blackberry bush, its huge, thorny branches weighed down with all the glistening, purple gorgeousness of fruit!

There are so many things you can do with blackberries – jams, cordials, puddings and savoury sauces – and, of course, you can just freeze them for later and eat every morning with porridge (me) and yogurt (the husband) for a dose of vitamin C throughout the winter.  They are free, picking gets you out in the fresh air and it’s a time to spend with friends, chatting away as you do, as we have done for years behind years!

Overnight Oats and Blackberries

  • 1 cup fresh ripe blackberries (plus a few for topping)
  • 1/2 banana (save the remainder for the topping)
  • 200 mls milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup oats (I like the organic jumbo ones best)
  • Topping: slices of banana and extra blackberries

Put the blackberries, banana, milk and vanilla in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl or glass jar and stir in the oats. Cover the bowl or jar and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow the oats to soak and soften. In the morning add some fresh blackberries and the other half of the banana (sliced) on top (for those with a sweet tooth, add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Blackberry Salad

  • baby spinach/ watercress/ rocket leaves (or a mixture if you have it)
  • fresh blackberries
  • crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • walnut pieces (optional)
  • citrus vinaigrette (recipe below)
  • 1/3 cup good-quality olive oil
  • 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange, lemon, or lime juice
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients.  Toss the leaves and blackberries together with the vinaigrette and serve topped with crumbled cheese.  It will look so beautiful with the light green leaves and purple blackberries, you will be loathe to eat it – but do!

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. You can even put the whole jar in the freezer and take out when needed.)

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 a tablespoon 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.

Blackberry, Elderflower and Mint Fool

  • 100g ripe blackberries
  • 1 tbsp elderflower cordial
  • 30g caster sugar
  • a few fresh mint sprigs
  • 75ml double cream
  • 60ml full-fat Greek yogurt

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.

Summer’s Coming . . .

The arrival of swallows and so many good things grown or reared locally!  I love May with all its promise of Summer to come and everything fresh and newly green! It’s also the time for British asparagus and Jersey Royal potatoes. The potatoes have been grown on the island for 140 years and today there are approximately 20 island farmers who grow them (and often no other crops) on approximately 7,300 acres and can only be grown on Jersey to have the name. As for the asparagus, I am very lucky to live in the Valley of Evesham, one of the homes of British asparagus. I know you can buy this most of the year from abroad – but there is nothing like the Real Thing from just around the corner! This first recipe is using these two British stalwarts – but with a twist!

Coconut Potato Bowl with Lime and Ginger (I’m not giving you exact amounts here – just use how ever much you need to feed how many people!

  •  Jersey Royal potatoes, roughly chopped
  •  cauliflower florets
  •  Coconut oil, melted, enough to coat
  •  Sea salt and pepper
  •  asparagus
  •  olive oil
  •  cherry tomatoes, halved
  •  spring onion, sliced
  •  Baby broad beans
  •  Sliced cooked beetroot
  •  coconut flakes, toasted, to garnish
  • Dressing: 2 tbsp olive oil      finely grated zest and juice of a lime      grated ginger

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6. Place the potatoes and cauliflower florets in a roasting tray, drizzle over the coconut oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes until tender and beginning to brown. In the meantime, prepare everything else; brush the asparagus with some olive oil, heat a griddle pan until hot and cook the stems until charred and tender. Set aside. For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil and lime juice, then stir in the zest and ginger and season with some salt and pepper. To assemble, arrange the potatoes and cauliflower to one side and place the other ingredients round the bowl (or how you prefer), drizzle with the dressing and scatter over the coconut flakes, or serve on the side.

Crispy Oregano Jersey Royals with creamy feta sauce

  • 250g Jersey Royals, halved or quartered if large
  • 1/2 lemon, halved
  • 1 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 20g oregano, chopped
  • 20ml, plus 60ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 40g mixed chopped herbs, basil, dill or parsley
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • Sesame seeds

Feta Sauce

  • 50g feta cheese
  • 20g cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Pinch of smoked paprika
  • Pinch of chili flakes

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius

On a baking sheet, toss the Jersey Royals, lemon wedges, garlic and oregano with 40ml olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove the Jersey Royals from the oven. Remove the charred lemon and garlic from the baking sheet. Return the pan to the oven for 20-25 more minutes until crispy.

Herb oil, finely chop the roasted lemon wedges – rind and all. Chop/mash the garlic into a paste. Add the garlic and lemon to a bowl along with 30ml olive oil, mixed herbs and the honey. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes

Feta sauce, combine the feta, cream cheese and lemon juice in a blender until creamy. If desired, thin with additional lemon juice.

Asparagus Soup – this will make more than for one – but I will allow you to batch cook and freeze on this occasion as the season is relatively short for British Asparagus!

  • 25g butter
  • a little vegetable oil
  • 350g asparagus spears, stalks chopped, woody ends discarded, tips reserved
  • 3 shallots, finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 large handfuls spinach
  • 700ml vegetable stock (fresh if possible)
  • olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
  • rustic bread (preferably sourdough), to serve (optional)

Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan until foaming. Fry the asparagus tips for a few mins to soften. Remove and set aside. Add the shallots, asparagus stalks and garlic, and cook for 5-10 mins until softened but still bright. Stir through the spinach, pour over the stock, bring to the boil, then blitz with a hand blender. Season generously and add hot water to loosen if needed. Ladle into bowls and scatter the asparagus tips over each. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with some nice crusty bread.

CRAB AND ASPARAGUS WITH THAI MAYONNAISE – again, the amount of asparagus and crab is up to you.

  • Asparagus spears
  • crab meat      
  • sliced sourdough bread
  • olive oil
  • handful of rocket leaves or spinach
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons of good mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • 1/2 – 1 red chilli
  • freshly grated zest of 1lime
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (if this is the first time you have used it please don’t be put off by the smell – it tastes much better!)
  • chopped coriander

Cook the asparagus in boiling water for 2 – 4 minutes, drain and refresh under cold running water. Stir the garlic, chilli, zest, fish sauce and coriander into the mayonnaise.  Season, if necessary, fold in the crab meat and set aside.  Toast the bread, drizzle with olive oil and scatter over rocket or spinach leaves. Pile the crab mixture on top. Toss the cold asparagus spears in a little olive oil and arrange over the crab meat.

Alternatively, you could cook LOTS of asparagus and serve, on the side, hot with lashings butter – using any leftover toast to soak up the juices!