Cookery Spot

Spicy Potato Cakes

2009-11-09T15:45:00.001Z

I adapted a recipe from BBC Food recipes, their version had a lot of chilli in it and, though we like spice we don’t always want the heat of the chilli. This is mildly spiced and we enjoyed it.

7 fl oz veg oil

1 lb raw potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish cubes

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp garam masala

2 garlic cloves crushed to a paste

salt and freshly ground pepper

7 oz boiled potatoes mashed

plain flour, white or wholemeal

Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan then grind to a powder.

Heat half the oil in a roasting pan, when it is smoking add the cubed potatoes and coat them in the oil. Add the spices and garlic and mix well the season with the salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper, allow to cool for a while as you are going to use your hands in the next stage.

Mix the cooled potato cubes with the mash and form into small balls then flatten slightly. Dip into the flour to coat all over.

At this stage you can set the cakes aside to be cooked when you are ready as they are best served hot with a variety of dips.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add the cakes 3 or 4 at a time, cook on each side till golden brown and heated through. Drain on kitchen paper then serve.

Suggestions for dips – sour cream and chive, mango chutney, yoghurt with chives and cucumber, yoghurt with coriander (cilantro) etc

Crab Bites

2009-10-28T12:07:00.001Z

3 1/2 oz fresh white breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, separated

7 fl oz crème fraiche

1 tsp English mustard powder

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1lb 2oz fresh white crabmeat

oil

salt and pepper

Put the crumbs in a bowl. In another bowl whisk the egg yolks with the crème fraiche and the mustard powder then add to the breadcrumbs with the crab and the dill.

Heat the oil in a non stick pan over a medium heat. Drop in the mixture in teaspoons full. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Flatten the cakes slightly and cook gently till brown and crisp, flip over and cook the other side the same.

Drain on kitchen paper the serve with lime wedges.

Pork, Cranberry & Herb Stuffing

2009-10-28T11:54:00.001Z

1 tbsp oil

1 onion finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

1 lb pork sausage meat

1 3/4 oz breadcrumbs (can be wholemeal)

1 3/4 oz dried cranberries

2 1/2 oz fresh cranberries

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh sage

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 large egg beaten

salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and celery and cook fro about 10 minutes, till transparent.

Preheat the oven to 190C/ gas 5.

Break up the sausagemeat in a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs and dried and fresh cranberries and the herbs. Mix together then add the onion and celery, then the egg. Season well and mix thoroughly.

Form into balls, place on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. If you want you can put the mixture into 2 tins and bake for 45 minutes.

Break

Panettone in the bread maker

2009-10-27T16:48:00.000Z

1 Tbs sugar
2/3 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
1/4 cup mixed fruit
1/8 cup raisins
1/8 cup candied peel
1 tsp anise or fennel seed
1 Tbs lemon zest, grated

Directions

Place the first 8 ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in order listed.
Select the dough cycle.
Add the chopped fruit 15-20 minutes before the last kneading cycle ends
When the nut or fruit signal sounds add the remaining fruit, lemon zest, and anise seed.
If you need to allow the dough to rise, place in a warm spot, covered with a cloth. Let rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until double in size.
When the dough is done place the pan in a preheated oven and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. A skewer should come out clean when done.

Green Tomato Chutney

2009-09-28T11:19:00.002+01:00

With the large number of green tomatoes we have and the even larger number of red ones we already have in the freezer, I decided to make chutney. I looked at a number of recipes and mixed them up and came up with the following.

2 kg green tomatoes, chopped
500g apples, peeled, chopped and cored
*250g sultanas
*625 g onions, chopped
*500 g sugar - I mixed soft brown and granulated
*2 tsp salt
*500ml cider vinegar/white wine vinegar mixed (I find malt vinegar is too harsh)
*1 tsp ground ginger
*1 tsp ground red chillies

Now the easy bit. Chuck it all in a pan that easily takes the whole lot in one. Bring slowly to the boil giving it a stir every now and then to dissolve the sugar. When it is boiling well (careful it can spit and will be hot) turn it down to simmer for 30-45 minutes. By this time it will be reduced and starting to thicken, keep simmering until it reaches a consistency that is a little looser than you want the end product to be as it thickens as it cools. Pour into sterilized jars and cover and label. Leave to cool before putting away.

Now if you like that you can change things round to use what ever is in season or there is a glut of. Just make sure you use all the items marked with * and change the fruit to whatever is available.

If you have a smaller quantity of fruit reduce the other ingredients in the same proportion and watch the simmering time as it will be less.

Some suggestions: peaches, courgette or marrow, mango, plums, runner beans, pears, apples on their own

The best Tomato Ketchup

2009-09-19T15:45:00.001+01:00

Makes 1.5 litres (approx)
3 kg ripe tomatoes
2 tbls salt
600 ml white vinegar
1 1/8 cups (250 g) 9 oz white sugar
1/2 tsp each of ground cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and Cayenne pepper
method

Quarter the tomatoes, place them in a preserving pan with the salt and vinegar, and simmer until they are soft and quite broken up.

Rub the mixture through coarse muslin or a fine nylon sieve; then return it to the pan and add the sugar.

Simmer until the ketchup starts to thicken, and then add the spices to taste, a little at a time, stirring thoroughly.

Meanwhile, heat enough bottles to hold the ketchup, and prepare seal, a boiled cork to fit the bottle and either waxed or covered with greaseproof paper tied securely over.

When the ketchup is thick enough, fill the hot bottles, leaving a head-space.

Seal immediately, or allow the ketchup to cool slightly; then fill up the bottles, leaving a headspace, and sterilize at 88°C for 30 minutes.

Seal immediately. Label when cold.

Note Remember that the ketchup will be thicker when cold, so do not reduce it too much.

Tomato sauce - 2

2009-08-27T16:08:00.001+01:00

This one is from the BBC and looks quite easy.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions ,
1 thumb-size piece fresh root ginger , finely chopped or grated
2 garlic cloves , chopped
1 red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
800g tomatoes , briefly whizzed in a food processor or finely chopped
100g dark brown sugar
100ml red wine vinegar
2 tbsp tomato purée
coriander seeds

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan, then fry the onions, ginger, garlic and chilli for 10-15 mins until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and some seasoning, then boil for 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and is sticky.

Cool slightly, then whizz in a blender or food processor until smooth. If the sauce is a bit thick for your liking, stir in a dribble of boiling water. Sieve, then funnel into a bottle or jar while still hot. Cool completely before serving. Will keep for 3 months in the fridge.

Tomato Ketchup

2009-08-23T06:37:00.002+01:00

Found this recipe online on the Southernfood site, I will be using it with our tomatoes which we have loads of this year.

This homemade ketchup takes time, but the final result is well worth the effort. I start this the day before, then I refrigerate the tomato pulp and liquid mixture to boil down and process the next day.
Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
* 2 teaspoons whole cloves
* 1 (3- to 4-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into small pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
* 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
* 12 pounds tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 small hot red pepper, finely chopped, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons pickling salt

Preparation:
Put the celery seeds, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and mustard seeds in a cheesecloth bag. Tie up and set aside.

In a small stainless steel or enamel-lined saucepan, combine the vinegar and spice bag. Bring to a full boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 25 minutes. Remove the spice bag and discard. Set the vinegar aside.

In a large stainless steel or enamel-lined kettle (at least 8 to 12 quart size), combine the chopped tomatoes, garlic, onion, and red pepper or cayenne. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue at a gently boil, stirring frequently, for 25 minutes. Add the spiced vinegar to the tomato mixture and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes longer.

Drain the tomatoes into a large stainless steel saucepan, then put them through a food mill to extract as much juice and pulp into the saucepan as possible. Discard the solids. Add sugar and salt to the extracted pulp and juices. At this point, you can refrigerate this mixture overnight and finish the next day. Bring the tomato pulp mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and boil for about 2 hours, or until reduced by about 2/3 and thickened to a ketchup consistency.

Meanwhile, prepare the work area, canner, jars, and lids. See Preparing Jars for Canning and Boiling Water Processing.

Fill jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Use a small plastic or stainless steel spatula to remove air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, and fit with lids and seals.

Transfer to a rack in the canner and lower into the hot water. Add more water, as needed, so you have 1 inch over the jars. Cover, bring to a boil, and continue boiling gently for 15 minutes.

Makes 3 pints.

Red Lobster Biscuits

2009-06-20T07:03:00.002+01:00

Our favourite restaurant in the US is Red Lobster and the main reason is their 'biscuits' which we would call cheese scones. They are light and so tasty but you must have them warm.

You can find Bisquick in larger supermarkets in the cake making section or with the batter mixes.

This recipe was posted in the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
2 Cups Bisquick
2/3 Cup milk
1/2 Cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 degrees (220C). Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cooking sheet. Bake 8- 10 min until golden brown. Mix butter and garlic powder. Brush mixture over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

Chocolate Terrine

2009-03-29T11:30:00.002+01:00

Low carb but high fat this is a recipe for a special occasion. It is yummy though.

Prepare this the day before you need/want it. Easier said than done because you will probably want it as soon as it is done!!

For the terrine
2 tsp vegetable oil, for greasing
250g/9oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
175g/6oz dark chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids, broken into pieces
600ml/1 pint double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
2 free-range egg whites, whisked until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed

For the chocolate sauce
65g/2oz dark chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids, broken into pieces
65ml/2fl oz double cream
½tbsp unsalted butter
75g/2½oz dark chocolate, grated, to serve

Brush a 900g/2lb loaf tin with oil, then line with cling film.

Bring a little water to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat until the water is simmering. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the white chocolate and stir until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

Repeat the process in a clean bowl with the dark chocolate.

Fold a third of the whipped cream into the white chocolate until well combined then fold the remaining whipped cream into the dark chocolate until well combined.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the dark chocolate mixture until mixed in completely.

Spoon half of the dark chocolate mixture into the prepared tin. Pour over all of the white chocolate mixture, then top with the remaining dark chocolate mixture. Chill in the fridge overnight. When the terrine is ready to serve, make the chocolate sauce (This sauce should not be reheated.)

Bring a little water to a simmer in a pan. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the pan (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the chocolate and cream to the bowl and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.

Add the butter and stir until it has melted and the mixture is glossy.

To serve, turn the chocolate terrine out onto a serving plate. Cut into slices. Place one slice into the centre of each serving plate. Pour over the chocolate sauce and sprinkle over the chocolate shavings.

You can of course serve this without the chocolate sauce - should you want to!

Mixed Berry Creamy Cake

2009-02-10T14:42:00.002Z

I saw Simon Rimmer make this on Market Kitchen and I so want to try it when we have berries in the garden or freezer later in the year.

250g Butter
100ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
3 Eggs
275g caster sugar
550g Flour
1 lemon, zest only
2 tsp Baking powder
500g mixed frozen berries
icing sugar and whipped cream, to decorate

Grease and line a 20cm round springform cake tin. Melt the butter, cream and vanilla together in a saucepan over a low heat, then set aside to cool. Beat the eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the butter and cream mixture to the eggs and sugar and stir to combine. Fold in the flour, lemon zest and baking powder, followed by the frozen berries. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake at 180C/ gas 5 for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

Serve as a cake or with a fruit coulis and cream as a dessert.

Warming, filling winter soup

2009-01-28T12:58:00.002Z

This is so easy to make, and so versatile.

you will need

Bacon bits. I can get really chunky ones in our supermarket and I prefer the smoked ones for flavour.

1 Onion or leek
1 tin tomatoes - chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
root veggies of your choice, I always have carrots and parsnips then add whatever else I can find. e.g swede, celeriac. I rarely add potatoes but they can be added.

Cop the bacon into bite sized pieces and, if there is fat on the bacon fry it off in the large pan you will use for the soup. This will draw the fat and add to the flavour. Chop the onion (or leek) and add once the bacon bits have browned a bit. Stir every now and then while you peel and chop the root veggies into bit size pieces. Throw them in the pan, add the tomatoes and the puree and enough water to almost cover it all. Season and bring to the boil then simmer until the bacon is tender, can take about an hour but the testing is fun - you get to eat a bit of the bacon!

For a change you can add some small pasta bits and turn it into a rustic minestrone. Other additions can be kidney beans, chick peas, (I use canned in both cases) or een baked beans.

I sometimes serve with chunks of bread or dumplings.

Juicy turkey

2009-01-06T08:33:00.002Z

I adapted Nigella Lawson's brined turkey recipe for this years turkey and it was the best we have had. The breast didn't dry out at all, even when it was cold it was moist.

The adaptations I made were because I didn't have some things and I either had powdered spices instead of whole or I couldn't get the whole ones in time.

OK so you need to have a bucket large enough to take your turkey and you need somewhere cold to store it for 24-36 hours before cooking time.

Ingredients - the list is long but shorter than the original.

The following is enough for a 12 lb turkey

turkey - remove any string, elastic bands etc
5 oz table salt
2 small oranges - satsumas etc, halved
1 lemon halved
1 lime halved
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns (I had these but 1 tbsp of ground black pepper would do
1 piece of thyme )
1 piece of rosemary ) 1tsp of dried of each wo9uld suffice
3 or 4 sage leaves )
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 onions quartered - don't worry about peeling them
1 tbsp ground ginger
bunch of parsley - just the stalks

Put about 2 pints of cold water in the bottom of the bucket and add everything except the turkey, mix it all well with a wooden spoon then put in the turkey. Add enough cold water to cover the turkey. I found I needed to move the larger pieces of onion and the fruit so the turkey sat on the bottom, and I put a small plate on top to keep it under the brine mixture.

Put in a cool place for between 24 and 36 hours before cooking.

1 hour before it is due to go in the oven drain the turkey and let it stand to come to room temperature. Discard the brine liquid, it is no good for anything.

Preheat the oven to 200F, baste the turkey with oil before putting in then turn down to 180 and cook for 2 1/2 hours, make sure you test the thickest part of the leg to see that the juices run clear, or use a meat thermometer.

Take it out of the oven when cooked and allow to stand, with a foil tent over it, for 30-40 minutes before carving.

Chocolate cake with a twist

2008-12-20T10:40:00.002Z

This is so rich - yum. Thanks to James Martin for this.

250g/9oz self-raising flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
300g/11oz caster sugar
2 free-range eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g/9oz butter, plus extra for greasing
175ml/6fl oz cola
250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 24cm/9½in spring-form cake tin with butter and line it with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder into a bowl.Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat well to combine.

Place the butter into a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat. Add the cola to the butter and stir to mix, making sure the mixture does not boil. Stir in the milk and remove the liquid from the heat. Quickly whisk the cola mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently, but thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, remove the cake from the tin and discard the parchment paper.

Chocolate sauce

75g/3oz caster sugar
75g/3oz water
200g/7oz dark chocolate, chopped

place the sugar and water into a saucepan and cook until the sugar has melted. Add the chocolate and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well until you have a glossy sauce

Yogurt Recipes

2008-12-11T13:10:00.004Z

I have had an EasiYo yogurt maker for ages and I have used it quite a bit but I have now got a good, reasonable source of the powders so I will be using it more. I have just got some Greek yogurt to make and was searching for recipes. The following are from the website with some notes from me on what I think I can do with each one.

BLUE CHEESE DIP

• ½ cup drained EASIYO Yogurt (drained overnight)
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 pinch of salt

From preference I would use Stilton cheese and I would leave the salt out. Just mash the cheese in with all the other ingredients and leave for a few hours for the flavours to develop.

SALMON MOUSSE

• 425g canned salmon
• 1 1/2 tbsp gelatine
• 1 cup drained EASIYO yogurt (4-5 hours)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon rind
• 1 cup EASIYO yogurt
• dash of Tabasco to taste
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 sprig onions, finely chopped
• salt and ground pepper
• fresh basil to garnish

I would use smoked salmon offcuts for this, probably cheaper than canned salmon and certainly tastier.

Mix gelatine with water and heat until dissolved.

Mash salmon and blend with drained yogurt, lemon juice, lemon rind, the extra EASIYO yogurt, Tabasco and nutmeg.

Fold in dissolved gelatine and spring onions. Season to taste.

Pour mixture into lightly oiled 1 litre mould. Smooth the top and refrigerate until set.

For serving, quickly dip the bottom of the mould into hot water to loosen, then turn onto serving plate. Garnish with fresh basil

Use a fish shaped mould for a special occasion.

LOUISIANA YOGURT DRESSING

2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots
• 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ½ cup Easi Yo Natural Yogurt

Crush, peel and finely chop garlic. Peel and finely slice shallots.
Mix garlic, shallots, tabasco sauce and vinegar and yogurt together.

Do you know I wouldn't change a thing with this, sounds wonderful.

YOGURT SATAY SAUCE

• ½ cup EASIYO yogurt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ½ tsp chilli sauce
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger

Mix them all together and taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Chocolate Truffles

2008-12-01T05:02:00.002Z

This is the easiest recipe I have found for an old family favourite

1 1/4 cups double cream (heavy whipping cream)
9 oz dark chocolate 79% cocoa solids

You can either chop the chocolate or throw it into a food processor and blitz it.

Heat the cream but do not let it boil. At the same time melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water, this needs to be done slowly or the end product will be grainy. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate to the cream stirring all the time.

Leave to cool then chill till it is firm enough to roll. This will take about 3 hours.

This is the messy bit and you may need to return the paste to the fridge if it gets too soft. Take small quantities of the paste and roll into bite size balls, place on a baking sheet. Continue until it is all done then chill for an hour before rolling in cocoa powder to finish. An alternative is to roll them in chocolate sprinkles before chilling.

Key Lime Pie

2008-11-10T15:36:00.003Z

Though this is traditionally made with a crumb crust I like it with a pastry one. I have to admit to buying my pastry these days as it comes ready rolled as well ( cheat - well yes but a good one).

Ingredients

One pack of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
The grated zest of 3 limes
The juice of 4-5 limes, about 150ml
3 large egg yolks (save the whites for meringues)
1 tin condensed milk

Preheat the oven to 180C 350F. Line an 8 inch loose bottomed flan tin, a deep one is needed to take all the filing, with the pastry. Put a ring of foil or greaseproof paper in the base and fill with baking beans. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, remove form the oven and take out the foil and the beans and the return for another 5 minutes then remove and leave to cool slightly.

While the pastry is baking make the filling by putting the egg yolks and the lime zest in a bowl and mixing with an electric hand whisk for a few minutes, it will start to thicken. Add the condensed milk and whisk for a further 4 minutes then add the lime juice. The mixture will thicken readily when this is done.

Put all the mix in the pastry case and bake for about 20 minutes. It should feel firm in the middle. Leave to cool completely,cover with foil or cling film before popping in the fridge. Serve with cream or creme fraiche.

Cupcakes

2008-10-26T10:30:00.003Z

I have been experimenting with cupcakes for ages, trying to find an easy and foolproof recipe. Here it is courtesy of BBC - Good Food

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g/4oz caster sugar
125g/4oz soft margarine
125g/4oz self-raising flour

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat them together until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in colour.
Line a bun tin or cupcake tin with paper cake cases and half-fill each case with the cake mixture.
Cook the cakes for 18-20 minutes. You can tell they are done when they have risen up, are golden in colour, and spring back into shape when lightly pressed.

Decorate as you wish, I have a number of different ideas for celebrations etc.

I also think the vanilla extract could be substituted with other flavourings, lemon oil, orange oil, cocoa and so on. Also chocolate chips could be added

Crabmeat cheesecake

2008-10-11T14:56:00.003+01:00

While we were on the Outer Banks in North Carolina we had lunch in Roanoke, at a small, privately run restaurant. I had this amazing crabmeat cheesecake and asked about the recipe. It comes from the Palace Cafe, New Orleans and I have tracked it down so here it is. I have left out a sauce as I think it is just great served with a green salad. Also the original comes with a pecan crust but I am not fond of pecans, the one I had just had a basic crust. A simple pastry ring is what I will use.

Crabmeat Cheesecake

Serves 8

Base
Ready rolled pastry cut to fit the base of a 9" flan dish.

Filling
½ cup Onion, small diced
1 tbsp Butter
4oz Crabmeat
8oz Cream cheese, room temperature
⅓ Cup cream cheese or sour cream
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Hot pepper sauce
Rock salt and white pepper to taste

Garnish
2 Cups Sliced, mixed wild mushrooms
3 tsp Butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350°. Line the base of a 9" flan dish with the pastry, gently butter the sides of the dish. Cover the pastry with parchment and fill with baking beans then bake the crust for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Preparing the Filling
Sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add crabmeat and cook just until heated through, then remove from heat. Blend cream cheese until smooth in a mixer fitted with a paddle, or by hand using a wooden spoon. Add the cream cheese and mix well. Mix in eggs one at a time. Gently fold in crabmeat mixture. Stir in hot sauce and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Bake at 300° for 30-40 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Onion Tart

2008-10-11T14:35:00.002+01:00

This takes a while but is so delish hot or cold!

One sheet of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
8 medium onions
3 oz butter
2 fl oz white wine vinegar
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp rock salt
2 oz grated parmesan

Heat the oven to 200C, gas 6. Take a sheet of ready rolled short pastry and put it on an 8" flan case, loose bottomed is best. Don't worry about the edges we will deal with them later. Line with parchment or baking paper and fill with ceramic beads or rice. Cook for 25-30 minutes, till golden. Remove the paper and the beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Take it out of the oven and trim the edges of the pastry.

While the pastry is cooking peel and chop the onions finely, a food processor is fine. The finer the onions the better. In a large saucepan melt the butter over a medium heat then add the onions. They need to cook slowly with a lid on, stir them occasionally. They must be completely soft before moving on to the next stage. This is the slow bit - it takes a bout 2 hours to get them just right, remember the heat must be low. OK so the onions are now really soft so you can add the vinegar, sugar and salt. Let the vinegar evaporate off, this again takes a while but you must let it happen. Once it as gone the mix will start to caramelise, just stir regularly and bring in the slightly brown bits. This stage will take about 25 minutes so be patient and don't leave it or it will burn.

Put the onion mix in the pastry case and smooth over, sprinkle with the cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

SLOW-ROAST LAMB

2008-09-20T15:15:00.002+01:00

Lamb is a family favorite and just occasionally I get a whole leg for a treat. We find that the shoulder has the sweeter meat so this recipe is great to add flavour to the leg.

Ingredients

a leg of lamb say 4lb 1 large onion, roughly chopped
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary 4 cloves of garlic
1 Tbs sea salt flakes a pinch of sweet paprika
1 Tbs cumin seeds 3 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbs olive oil a large knob of butter

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160C.

Peel the garlic cloves and lightly crush them together with the salt. Add the cumin, thyme and paprika then gradually add the oil so make a thick paste. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir into the paste.

Plae the lamb in a roasting tin and rub the spice paste all over. Hands are best here but a wooden spoon is fine. Make a few holes in the flesh with a skewer and insert the rosemary sprigs. Scatter the chopped onion around the meat and put the roasting tin in the oven for 35 minutes uncovered.

Pour in 250ml water (red wine if you are feeling generous) and baste the meat. Roast for a further three hours, basting every hour.

After the 3 hours is up remove from the oven, place the meat on a plate and leave to rest, covered with foil. Pour off as much of the fat as you can from the top of the juices. Use as it is as a gravy, check for seasoning.

The meat should just fall apart, serve with your choice of potatoes and veggies.

Pear and Lemon Jam

2008-09-06T16:02:00.002+01:00

We have a big crop of pears this year so I have searched for recipes to use. I will be bottling some in plain syrup and there is the usual chutney but I found this recipe for an unusual preserve, on the Cottage Smallholder site and will definitely give it a try.

2 kilos of pears (peeled, cored and chopped
3 medium lemons (strained juice and zest)
1 kilo of granulated sugar
1 litre of water

Peel, core and chop the pears and place in a large covered bowl, to stop them browning.

Remove the zest from the lemons carefully to avoid adding the bitter pith. Set zest aside. Squeeze the lemon juice and strain.

Add the water, chopped pears, lemon zest and juice to a large heavy bottomed saucepan.

Simmer very gently until the pears are just soft. Pour in the sugar and stir, over a medium/low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring the heat up to a rolling boil . Allow to boil hard for ten minutes before testing for a set. If it has not reached setting point. Continue to boil rapidly, checking for a set every four minutes or so. When the jam has set remove from the heat.

Allow the jam to stand for a few minutes and pour into warmed sterilised jars. Cover with screw top lids or wax disks and cellophane tops. Label when cold. Store in a cool dry place.

Slow cooked lamb

2008-09-06T15:47:00.002+01:00

shoulder of lamb
3 tbsp cooking oil
2 lb small onions, peeled but left whole
handful of thyme sprigs
1/2 pint red wine
chopped parsley to garnish

Heat the oven to 160C. Rinse the meat off and dry then season.

Heat the oil in a heatproof casserole - make sure it is big enough for the meat to go in whole. Fry off the onions until they are gently colored then remove them from the pan. Put the meat in the casserole and brown all over, add the onions and the thyme, cook for about a minute then add the wine. Check the seasoning and when right put a tight fitting lid on the casserole and cook for 3 hours. Remove the thyme before serving and garnish with parsley.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

The oh so easy sponge cake

2008-07-17T15:36:00.003+01:00

Yes I said easy - if you follow a few basics.

Once the cake is in the oven DO NOT TOUCH IT for at least 20 minutes or it will fail.

Remember a medium egg weighs 2 oz and you need equal quantities of flour, eggs, butter and sugar. You will need to work in pounds and ounces though as the conversion is not that simple.

Brush the tins with melted butter - all over, then line the base with a circle of baking parchment.

So to the recipe

6 oz butter at room temperature
6 oz flour
6 0z caster sugar
3 medium eggs (remember each one weighs 2 oz)

Heat the oven to 180C, 160C if you have a fan oven and Gas 4. Butter and line 2 7" sponge tins as above .

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Divide the mix evenly between the 2 tins and pop in the oven. Bake for 20 mins then check to see if it is cooked. If it is done the edges should just be coming away from the tin and the cake should be springy to the touch.

Take out of the oven and leave until cool enough to handle, turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and leave until completely cool.

FILLINGS

Traditionally the filling was strawberry jam and the top sprinkled with caster sugar. I prefer the next variation.

Whipped cream and fresh summer fruit, put this in the middle and sprinkle the top with sugar.

Mocha cake - substitute 3 oz of the flour with the same quantity of good cocoa powder. For the filling use a tub of mascarpone cream, add 3 oz caster sugar and 4 tbsp very strong coffee. Use half in the middle and the other half on top. Grate some dark chocolate on top to finish.

Cheats Pizza

2008-07-15T09:22:00.002+01:00

I love this, the pastry makes for a much lighter base than pizza dough, and it is so easy to make.

Take a sheet of ready rolled puff pastry and place on a baking sheet.

Spread the top with passatta or a tin of peeled tomatoes blitzed up and strained so you have a thick paste.

Top with whatever you want and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes till the edges of the pastry are browned.

Se I told you it was simple!