Springtime Soup

It may be April but this week has felt decidedly autumnal at times.  We have been beaten by hail storms, whipped by torrential rain only to then be treated with bursts of amazing sunshine.  Today is no exception and rain is falling relentlessly from a dull sky and so my thoughts turned to soup.

I am having to be careful with my diet at the moment due to a nasty flare-up of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, no doubt exacerbated by a recent change of career,and so I consulted one of my favourite new cookbooks, 'Pippa Kendrick - The Intolerant Gourmet' and her blog www.theintolerantgourmet.com.

Pippa clusters her recipes by season and having flicked through Spring, I used her recipe for Garden Soup as inspiration to create my own Springtime Soup.

Springtime Soup (makes four servings)
1 red onion
2 leeks
4 sticks of celery
4 cloves of garlic
good slug of olive or vegetable oil
2 sweet potatoes
1 courgette
125g mix of frozen peas and broad beans
1 litre marigold vegetable bouillon
glass of white wine or sherry
1 bay leaf
1 bag of washed watercress
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop the first four ingredients fairly finely.
2. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes and chop the courgette into similar sized pieces as the potato chunks.
3. Warm the oil in a large pan (I used a casserole) and add the chopped vegetables.  Sweat with the lid on for five minutes until softened, making sure that you have sufficient oil to stop the veggies catching.  Season.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, return the lid and continue to sweat for up to 10 minutes.
5. Add the courgette, frozen peas/beans and pour in the stock and alcohol (if using).  Add the bay leaf and season.
6. Bring to the boil then simmer with the lid on for around 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaf.
8. Chop or cut the watercress and stir into the vegetables.
9. Remove from the heat and then either remove half of the mix and blitz with a hand-held blender or simply blitz it in the pan, depending on how chunky you like your soup.
10. Season again to taste, reheat and enjoy.

I added some tinned butter beans to a bowl for a protein kick and am looking forward to being welcome home from work by the leftovers throughout the coming week.

Pea & Mint Dip

Today I had a craving for peas and mint and always love eating with my hands rather than cutlery (there's a reason I live alone!).  The solution?  A simple pea dip.  Takes moments to concoct and as long as one likes to savour.

I confess that I didn't measure anything but this made a good sized bowl that I imagine will be ok in the fridge for a few days to come.

Pea & Mint Dip

500g peas (fresh or frozen)

3 spring onions

garlic - as many cloves as you like (I use ready minced for speed)

handful of mint leaves

juice & zest of half a lemon

splash of balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper

1. Cook the peas in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.  Plunge into cold water to keep their colour and flavour.

2. Roughly chop the spring onions and garlic cloves.  Chuck into a food processor and tip in the peas.

3. Tear the mint leaves and throw them in along with the lemon zest and juice and a splash of vinegar.  

4. Grind in some black pepper and salt.

5. Blitz until you have something that resembles a dip.

And that's it.  Simple.

Elderflower Fairy Cakes

There are certain flavours and dishes that represent the seasons for me.  Venison casserole and swede make me shiver at the memory of long winters.  Asparagus and broad beans make me smile at the thought of nature creaking into life as spring emerges.  And the floral scent of elderflower is forever linked in my mind to British summers.  So what better ingredient to choose when I was asked to make cakes for a double celebration - not just my friends' wedding but their send off party as they leave Blighty and head for a new life in Oz?  Elderflower.

In addition to the traditional iced, boozy fruit cake and a blueberry and almond sponge, I whizzed up a couple of batches of these little treats.  Only to find that they got left behind in the mad panic to get aboard the wedding bus!  The best laid plans......

Elderflower Fairy Cakes
(makes 12)

110g salted butter, softened
110g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
80g self raising flour, sifted
1tsp baking powder
50g ground almonds
 
For the fondant icing:
175g fondant icing sugar
1 tbsp elderflower cordial
2-3 tbsp lemon juice (sieved)
 
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/fan oven 160°C. Line a 12-hole bun tin with paper fairy cake cases and set aside.
 
Cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy and combined. Beat the eggs with the elderflower cordial.  Beat in the egg, a large spoonful at a time - alternate with a spoon of sieved flour to stop the mixture curdling.  
 
Sift in the rest of the flour and baking powder and add the ground almonds. Fold in until well combined and the mixture is pretty firm. Divide it between the paper cake cases and bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden, risen and springy to the touch. Cool the cakes on a wire rack.
 
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in the elderflower cordial and lemon juice to make a smooth, thick icing. Spoon the icing over the cakes and spread it to the edges to coat the cakes. Leave to set.
 
Enjoy with a cup of tea for that quintessential British taste. Or a glass or two of champagne.

Forman & Field Smoked Salmon

To my utter astonishment and amusement, I was recently emailed by Forman & Field (the online gourmet shop that specialises in independent producers) who had read my blog and wondered if I'd review some of their smoked salmon if they sent a pack of their 'London Cure' to me.  Being deeply cynical 'where's the catch' was my immediate reaction followed by 'what if I don't like it?'.  Greed outweighed such silly concerns and so a package was promptly dispatched.

I rarely buy smoked salmon for myself and so to receive a pack of 'H. Forman & Son London Cure Smoked Scottish Salmon' was a real treat.  According to the packaging, Formans are the oldest salmon smoker in Britain, started in 1905.  They claim that their London Cure is one of the most delicate as the idea is to taste the salmon, not the smoke.  They also recommend that one doesn't serve the salmon with lemon as it disguises the fish's natural flavour.

So, what should one serve it with?  I took Formans' advice and had my first slice unadorned.  The fish had a rich, silky texture and melted beautifully on my tongue.  Although it was far from cloying, I decided that I personally needed a touch of acidity to cut through the richness of the fish.  It certainly wasn't the smokiest fish I'd ever tasted but instead had a sweet character that was akin to chestnuts and peat.

Formans' generous gift saw me through two meals.  The first, a simple open sandwich (on a gluten free roll) accompanied by a simple salad including my favourite broad beans with a drizzle of lime juice.  

The lime was a touch too far and so I experimented with alternative sources of acidity and arrived at an elegant solution of preserved lemons, dill, capers and mere touch of Dijon mustard which I mixed with prawns, peas and beans and served with the final slices of salmon, nestled on a bed of finest English round lettuce.  Springtime on a plate.

Personally I like a touch of zing and so sorry H. Forman & Sons - this sampler will continue to add lemon (albeit in the preserved, salty form).  So, the overall verdict?  Lovely texture, gorgeous natural colour and subtle sweet flavour and very rich.  Not to be eaten everyday but then it wouldn't be such a treat, now would it?!

Cauliflower – My Vegetable Epiphany

My daily diet relies heavily on fruit, vegetables and pulses (oh, and I confess, wine!) and very happy I am with that indeed.  Nothing gives me greater pleasure than a pile of crisp radishes with salt and capers, a chickpea and spinach stew or an aromatic and warming dhal.  Vegetables and I enjoy a happy friendship.  I have even managed to overcome my childhood fear of the broad bean (curse those frozen vegetable mixes and thank goodness for my long suffering father who turned a blind eye to his three daughters picking them out and piling them on his plate before our mother noticed).  And yet there is one vegetable from which I have shied and, before a fortnight ago, had never purchased in my adult life.  The cauliflower.

Why?  Now that’s an interesting question and I’m not quite sure why.  Perhaps I associate it heavily with cauliflower cheese – which obviously is never going to pass the lips (or hips) of this cow’s dairy intolerant (and weight conscious) cook.  Yet a recent salad box from Whole Foods tickled my tastebuds with the joys that this bland, white veg can hold with their curried florets.  Could I recreate something similar at home I wondered?  I made up the following recipe which, I have to say, is rather delicious, either alone or alongside a silky bowl of dhal.  I made the recipe up by slinging ingredients together so forgive the rather vague quantities and adapt to your own taste.

Roasted Fragrant Cauliflower

(serves 3-4 as a side dish)

1 large head of cauliflower, outer leaves and stem removed, divide into florets

½ head of garlic, divided into individual cloves but left in their papery skins

1 lemon

2-3 tbsp olive oil

½ - 1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1tsp ground cumin

Preheat oven to 180C

Pop the cauliflower florets and garlic cloves into a large roasting dish (ensure that the dish is large enough for them to sit in one layer)

Zest the lemon over the cauliflower, juice the lemon and pour over the veg. 

Pour in the oil, throw in the spices and mix well to coat everything with the pungent covering.

Throw in the lemon halves if you like roasted lemons.

Put in the middle of a preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, tossing half way through.

Next time I may toast some almond slices and toss them in before serving and perhaps some flat-leaf parsley.  

Berry Frozen Yogurt

I don't have a particularly sweet tooth.  Neither do I own a freezer nor an ice-cream maker.  Making a frozen dessert therefore does not exactly feature high up on my culinary agenda.  A recent stay with my friends Deb and Chris and their experiments with goats yogurt started to get my mind, and my tastebuds racing.  Goat and sheep yogurts have a pleasing tang which is perfect if you don't fancy something overly sweet.  A Sunday lunch for friends presented me with the opportunity to play in the kitchen and see what I could conjure up with a pot of sheep yogurt and the tiny freezer compartment of my fridge.  The result?  A simple (but delicious even if I do say so myself) dessert.  Delicious served on its own or, as pictured here, with leftover defrosted berries and a meringue nest.

Berry Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

450ml yogurt (I used sheep)

275g defrosted, frozen berries

zest and juice of ½ a lime

1 tsp runny honey

Method

Scoop the yogurt into a food processor.  Add the berries and their juices, lime zest and juice and honey.

Blend until smooth then pour the mixture in a freezer-proof container with a lid.

Freeze for approximately 2 hours. 

Remove from the freezer and break up the mixture with a fork.  Stir until smooth and return to the freezer.

After another couple of hours, repeat the process then return to the freezer.

Remove the frozen yogurt 15 minutes or so before you want to serve it to allow it to soften slightly.

Dial Dhal for Comfort

Just when the first buds dare to poke their heads above ground, the sun graces us with its presence for longer each day and nature starts to shrug off its wintery cloak, then, WHAM, Jack Frost cracks back into action and we're plummeted straight back into a chilly gloom.  These are times that call for bowl food that cossets and comforts with its pillowy textures.  That warms one through with gentle spices and a hint of chili.

For me, the one dish that is guaranteed to seep its warmth down into my very bones is dhal.  My version would undoubtedly horrify the purist amongst you, however it's quick, uncomplicated and never fails to bring a much needed smile as a gentle fug fills the kitchen.

Dhal (serves 2)
125g red lentils
1pt water
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1tsp ground turmeric
knob of fresh ginger, peeled and halved
sprinkling of cardamom seeds, crushed
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 large handfuls of spinach, washed
can chickpeas, drained
fresh coriander, chopped

1. Rinse the lentils, pop into a saucepan and cover with the water.  Bring to the boil, skimming off any white foam that bubbles up.
2. Reduce to a simmer and add the bay leaf, garlic and ground spices.  Stir and simmer for approximately 25 minutes with the lid on the pan.  Add more water should it start to look a little dry,
3. Stir through the tomatoes, the zest and juice of the lime (I throw in the lime halves for added flavour).
4. After 10 minutes, stir in the spinach and chickpeas and cover the pan.
5. As soon as the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat, season with salt to taste and serve.

Comfort guaranteed and no need to dial for a take-away!

Cranberry and Cinnamon Cake

I adore baking.  There is something rather magical yet simple about the whole therapeutic process which produces sweet goodies to be shared with loved ones.  So, when heading over to see dear friends for lunch last weekend and a belated festive celebration, it made perfect sense to make a treat that used cranberries and cinnamon to conjure that christmassy feeling.  I used the fresh cranberry cake recipe from http://appleandspice.blogspot.com but couldn't help but tweak it!  

Cranberry and Cinnamon Cake

Streusel Topping

65g chopped or flaked almonds

20g unsalted butter, melted

20g light soft brown sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Cake

160g plain flour

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 eggs

300g caster sugar (I only used 225g)

100g butter, melted and cooled

¾ tsp vanilla extract

250g fresh cranberries

Heat the oven to 150C. Grease an 8inch loose bottomed or spring form cake tin.

Method – Streusel

Combine the butter, almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Work the mixture between your fingers to form large crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Method – Cake

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it is well combined (around five minutes).

Add the butter in a slow stream with the mixer on low, then turn up the speed to medium and beat for another couple of minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

Fold in the flour mixture a few large spoons at a time.

Stir in the cranberries.

Pour the butter into the prepared cake tin and smooth.

Sprinkle the streusel over the batter.

Bake in the centre of the oven until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1hour 10 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely. 

Venison, Chestnut & Mushroom Casserole

I am going to gloss over the fact that 2010 saw a woeful lack of posts from this particular blogger.  I could conjure all manner of tales of devoting my time to learning to tap dance, to walk a tight-rope or saving small amphibians in the outer hebrides.  Or I could admit the very boring truth - that I've been devoting too much time to establishing myself as an independent businesswoman.  Too much of my life has become dictated by work that is clear and my outside interests and passions have taken something of a backseat.  Well, time for a change!

I still devour cook-books avidly and every morning I eat my breakfast whilst reading food blogs and even dabble occasionally in the kitchen but somehow the outcomes have not made it to Lemon Soul.  Whilst reviewing the imbalance of my life, I spied the perfect opportunity to kick-start the change with regards to blogging. A couple of meat-loving girlfriends were coming over for Sunday lunch.  Not only did I have a rare opportunity to cook meat but, aha, also an opportunity to take pictures and blog.  So, here it is.  A stew that is perfect for a very long and leisurely lunch on a wintery Sunday.

Venison, Chestnut & Mushroom Casserole

500g venison steak, cubed

2 tbsp cornflour/plain flour seasoned with salt and black pepper

olive oil

2 banana shallots, peeled and finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 rashers smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces

200g mini chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean

300ml red wine

300ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

2 tbsp tomato puree

bay leaf

2 springs fresh thyme

200g pack of vacuum pack of cooked, peeled chestnuts

chunk of dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.

First remove any traces of fat or sinew from the venison. Pat the meat dry with kitchen towel, then toss the meat in the seasoned flour (I find that throwing everything into a plastic bag is easiest – just remember to zip it shut!).

Heat 2tbsp of oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the meat until browned all over to seal in the flavour.  Remove the meat.

Add 1tbsp or so of oil to the plan and tip in the onion and garlic. Fry until soft.  Add the bacon and fry until it starts to crisp, adding more oil as necessary.

Add the mushrooms, add the chestnuts (breaking larger ones into smaller chunks) and return the meat to the pan.

Add the wine, stock, herbs and stir in the tomato puree.  Season, stir thoroughly and bring to the boil. 

Reduce to a simmer and then either simmer on the oven top or put in the oven. Cook for 1 ¼  hours if you are going to reheat the dish, else cook for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours, adding the chestnuts 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

When cooked, throw in a chunk of dark chocolate and stir until melted.

Baba Ghanoush - Comfort Food

I find it fascinating that concepts of 'comfort food' can differ so wildly between people.  That 'comfort' has such a varying meaning dependent on which particular need one is looking to fulfill and how we then translate that into food.  For some, chocolate (predominantly milk rich) provides the ultimate hug if they are feeling somewhat low.  For others, a large dish of fish or cottage pie with its rich pillows of potato topping is what they crave to dive into in times of need.  Starchy and milky dishes seem to feature high on the menu for some (and no, I won't dabble with any tinpot theories of seeking the comfort of our mother's milk), whereas others seem to favour a steaming bowl of goodness either in vegetable or fruit form.

Feeling rather fatigued and hungry after a rare late night out (made even later by the clocks springing forward) without supper, lunchtime found me seeking the silky and unctuous stroking that only one of my favourite dishes can guarantee - baba ghanoush.  This Arabic dish based on roasted or grilled aubergines, has cousins known as mutababal in the Levant and patlican salatasi in Turkey, both of which have variations of seasonings although the main ingredient and method remains the same.  Research indicates that to be truly authentic, baba ghanoush should include flat-leaf parsley.  Sadly, hunger got the better of me after a long, brisk walk and so I simply went with the ingredients that my fridge and cupboards could offer.

Baba Ghanoush (my version)
2 aubergines
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1/2 - 1tsp ground cumin
squeeze of lemon juice
salt to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 200C.  Stab the aubergines a few times with a fork - this prevents them from exploding in the oven.  Pop them in the oven with the whole garlic cloves in a dish until they are soft, approximately 30 minutes.
2. When they are cool, cut the aubergines in half and scoop the flesh into a food processor (if you'd prefer a stiffer dish, put the flesh in a colander to allow any liquid to drain.  I was too hungry!).  Squeeze the garlic from they're papery coats into the processor.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice, the ground cumin and a good grinding of salt.  Whizz until you have a smooth puree.

That's it.  Simple, fairly quick and delicious to dive into when one is in need of comfort.

(p.s I'm aware that it's not the most visually appealing of dishes but the taste more than compensates for the lack of aesthetics).

Fish Pie

Living alone has rendered me somewhat of a lazy cook, as demonstrated by my lack of posts.  I rarely take the time and care to create something overly tempting or complicated for myself, and I certainly never try new recipes out if they are only to feed one.  I was delighted therefore to have an opportunity to try a twist on an old favourite for two very dear friends.  It was a terribly wet and cold evening and so a warming but informal fish pie was the perfect dish - and something that I would not go to the bother of making for just me.  The whole process, from selecting ingredients, to skinning fish whilst my dear friend Peter mashed celeriac, warmed my soul and reminded me just how much I relish the challenge of adapting recipes and nurturing others by providing a meal.

Fish Pie (serves four) adapted from Sophie Dahl's recipe in December's Observer Food Monthly

for the topping
1 large celeriac
milk
salt and pepper

for the pie
700-800g fish fillets (I used a mixture of undyed smoked haddock and pollack)
200g large, cooked and peeled prawns
600ml milk
2 bay leaves
four black peppercorns
olive oil
one small onion, chopped
2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped
handful of peas, defrosted if frozen
3tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tbp soya margarine (or butter)
3tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
white wine

1. Peel the celeriac and cut into chunks.  Boil under tender.
2. Drain, return to the pan with a splash of milk and mash with vigour (you can use a blender if you prefer a smoother topping).  Season and set aside.
3. Preheat your oven to 200C.
3. Place the fish in a large, flat pan, cover with milk.  Add the bay leaves and peppercorns.  Poach for four minutes (you may need to do this in two batches).  Remove the fish, pour the milk into a jug.  When the fish is cool, remove any skin and check for bones, flaking the fish with your hands as you go.  Rinse the prawns and add them to your fishy mix.
4. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and sweat the onion and leeks without allowing them to catch and go brown.  When soft, remove from the heat and stir in the peas and parsley.
5. In a large pan, melt the margarine on a low heat and stir in the cornflour or arrowroot mixed with a little of the milk to make a paste.  Slowly pour in the rest of the milk and increase the heat whilst continually stirring until you have a thick sauce.  Add the fish, vegetable mix and a good slug of white wine.  Season (go steady on the salt).
6. Pour the mixture into a deep baking dish.  Cover with the celeriac mash.
7. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes.









And perhaps it's about time that I started to nurture myself a little more frequently.  Hmmm.

Spiked Scrambled Eggs

January in London, with its interminable dark and dank cloak that suffocates and oppresses, is not a month that I enjoy.  Certainly not this year as the uncertainty of my working and financial future lies before me as a gaping abyss and threatens to cripple the few vestiges of professional confidence I've managed to salvage after redundancy.  The relentless rain and a fear of spending money seem to be keeping me prisoner in my flat and in danger of descending into a routine of rituals and habits within which I feel safe, food included.

Today however I decided to make some changes and, after an injection of sunshine via a sykpe chat with my wonderful friend in the Seychelles, I took heed of Lucy's words and am going to try to 'be kind to myself'.  I will make plans to see friends rather than hiding away, I will escalate the (in)offensive on alerting contacts to my availability and I will soothe my tastebuds and mood by investing more time and love into my food.  I will nurture rather then feed myself - body and soul.  Or at least that's the theory.

So, on this freezing Monday lunchtime which saw me with a raging hunger (and yes, I am still going for the burn at the gym almost daily!) and an impending cold (thank you dear nephews), I decided upon a rare treat of scrambled eggs on a gluten-free but no less comforting muffin substitute of grilled portobello mushrooms.  Of course, being me, I cannot allow a meal to pass without an injection of greenery and a twist of some description, hence my strange but good version of scrambled eggs.

Spiked Scrambled Eggs (serves 1)
2 eggs
splash of fino sherry
large handful of baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper

1. Whisk the eggs, adding a splash of sherry.
2. Tear the leaves into small pieces and add to the merry egg mix.  Stir well and season as you see fit.
3. Heat a non-stick pan (or if you like the taste of butter and prefer to cook in a normal pan, warm a pan and melt a good sized nub of butter until melted).  Pour in the egg mix and stir regularly until the eggs are truly scrambled (I remove the pan from the heat after a couple of minutes but continue to stir - this prevents the eggs from suddenly veering from pillow perfection to a rubbery mess).

Serve on toasted English muffins (as in what the savoury patties we used to know as muffins rather than the toothsome, sweet American buns for which we now commonly use the term).  Or if you prefer or have to avoid gluten, tip the egg onto chargrilled large, flat mushrooms.

Serve with a glass of tomato juice and a good dollop of ketchup and your vitamin and nutritional needs are met.  And, whilst it doesn't come close to a real bear hug, I certainly felt cared for just that little bit more.

Gluten and Dairy Free Double Chocolate Cookies

2009 ended on something of a sour note.  Not only was I made redundant but managed to slip on ice and break my right elbow, and yes, you guessed it, I'm right handed.  Suddenly my default mechanisms for lifting my mood were very limited.  Not only could I not write and struggled to type, or 'go for the burn' at the gym but nor could I bake myself a positive mental pie.  This was the first festive season for years that I had not reveled in knocking up batches of mince pies, baking dozens of Christmas biscuits or creating comforting casseroles.  I had to resort to buying sad little packs of pre-sliced vegetables so I could at least make soup with a hand-held liquidiser.  Thank goodness for pre-chopped ginger and chillies!

This winter feels especially cruel as Jack Frost has his icy talons gripped firmly around Europe and we are battling against unforgiving winds, dangerous black ice and blasts of snow.  It is at times a struggle to venture outdoors (other than to slide to the gym in my wellies) and this afternoon I succumbed to the need to hibernate but also to bake a pleasing, chocolatey treat and to test my fast-healing arm out.  If I can bake, I can tackle 2010 with relish and succeed.  And so much the better if it's a treat does not contain gluten or dairy and so one in which I can personally indulge.

As the pleasing, biscuity aromas leaked from the oven, I sighed with pleasure and thought '2010 may indeed be a year full of challenges and uncertainty, but I will survive.  And enjoy life.  Chocolate and all.'

So, here follows an indulgent recipe for gluten and dairy free double chocolate cookies, adapted from the ridiculously tempting 'the hummingbird bakery cookbook' that a dear friend gave me for Christmas.  Bake, breathe and consume.  And enjoy the start of a new year and whatever it may hold.

Gluten and Dairy Free Double Chocolate Cookies
(makes 6-7 large cookies)
25g soya margarine
225g dark chocolate - 125g roughly broken, remainder 100g chopped in a food processor
1 medium egg
85g light muscovado sugar
42.5g gluten free flour (I used what I had which amounted to half quantity each of rice and tapioca flours)
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp gluten free baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 170C/gas 3.  Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
2. Put the margarine and 125g of roughly broken chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of just simmering water.  Ensure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.  Leave until it has all melted and has a smooth appearance.  Allow to cool a little.
3. Beat the egg and the sugar until well combined.  Slowly beat in the chocolate/margarine mixture until jolly well mixed.
4. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder and gradually stir into the chocolate mixture, ensuring it is well combined.
5. Stir the remaining, finely chopped 100g of chocolate into the mixture until well mixed.
6. Spoon roughly equal amounts of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet (I made seven), ensuring they are evenly spaced as they will spread.  Bake in the oven for anything between 10-15 minutes - checking regularly after 10 minutes.  You are aiming for a glossy finish and cracks to appear on the top.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool somewhat on the baking sheet.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack after around 5-10 minutes.

If this virgin batch were not potentially headed for young mouths, I would have added a few teaspoons of dried chili flakes and next time I will reduce the amount of sugar and increase that of salt.  They'd also work with some salted pecan nuts thrown in and....... I shall stop there else will spoil the subject of a future blog!

And there will be more to come.  This is going to be the year of food, blogging and lots of changes.  2010 here I come!

Plum and Ginger Cake (for plum chums)

Words are such funny things.  Just one word can contain such a myriad of meanings depending on its usage, context, user etc.  Take the word 'plum'.  To some the obvious link will be made with the gorgeous autumnal fruit with a misty bloom that dissipates with the lightest of strokes.  Others will immediately think of something agreeable, pleasant, undemanding or even comfy (according to my reliable online Thesaurus).

So when searching for a fitting end to two meals with two seperate but equally 'plum' and dear friends, and, given the plethora of cheap Victorias in the local shop, the obvious solution was a plum cake.

One quick skate through my burgeoning library of cookery bakes and a hurried stock-take of the cupboards later, I arrived at the following adaptation of Nigel Slater's 'wonderfully moist, fresh plum cake', using what I had to hand.  And, I confess, my irritating habit of tweaking every recipe I try.

Plum and Ginger Cake
150g unsalted butter, softened
75g unrefined caster sugar
75g demerera sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
75g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp ground ginger
100g ground almonds
50g chopped nuts (I used almonds)
4 nuggets of stem ginger, chopped
12-16 plums (depending on size)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.  Line the base of a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides with butter.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs slowly, adding a spoon or two of flour with each addition to avoid curdling.
4. Mix to combine then stir in remainder flour, baking powder and ground ginger.
5. Stir in the ground almonds, chopped nuts and the stem ginger.  Stir well but with a light hand.
6. Spoon the cake mixture into the cake tin and level the top.
7. Stone and quarter the plums.  Scatter as evenly as possible over the top of the cake mixture.
8. Pop the cake tin into the centre of the oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until a skewer emerges cleanly when inserted.
9. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then remove.

I divided the results into two pieces.  The first was taken as an after-dinner offering to the wonderfully accomplished cook (and reluctant blogger Xochitl) last night.  The remainder is to be post-lunch or afternoon tea treat for my darling friends Peter and Max in only a matter of hours.
Plum treats for plum friends.

Warming Leek and Parsnip Soup

When element of one's life seems to be in turmoil and the weather is doing it's best to bring one down, there is something deeply comforting about a large bowl of soothing soup.  To be enveloped by the delicious, warming steam from a saucepan of root vegetables bubbling in mildly spiced liquid.  A much needed soothing of one's jangled senses.  The day can only get better.

Warming Leek and Parsnip Soup (makes two-three servings)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 leeks, rinsed and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled (core removed if woody) and chopped
1 thumb sized piece of root ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
slug dry sherry (optional)
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

1. Warm a good slug of olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic and leek.
2. Once the vegetables have softened, add the parsnips and ginger and stir well.
3. Add enough boiling water (you could use stock if you prefer) to cover the veggies.  Add the chilli, curry powder, cumin and coriander.  Stir well and bring to the boil, covering the pan.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for approximately 15 minutes or until the parsnips are soft.
5. Liquidise the ingredients either with a hand-held blender or in a liquidiser adding more water/stock as necessary.
6. Add a slug of sherry (I don't know why but it accentuates the flavours), season to taste and serve with a grating of fresh nutmeg.

You could also add a swirl of cream if you're minded to or a spoon of decent mango chutney (omitting the nutmeg if you're tempted by the latter.  I know it sounds odd but trust me, it works!).

Sit yourself down with your favourite cookbook for reading material and watch the rain lash against your window whilst you bask in the warmth of your soup.

Wilkinson Family Christmas Cake 2009

The last Sunday before Advent is traditionally known as 'Stir Up Sunday' whereby families return from church to stir sumptuous mixtures for Christmas puddings and cakes and make a wish for the New Year.  I'm not sure what making wishes has to do with organised religion, however, who am I to argue with hundreds of years of tradition.  And so this weekend sees me soaking dried fruits in brandy and grating nutmeg in readiness to bake the Wilkinson family Christmas cake.

As with the family fruit cake, the original recipe was I believe from Saint Delia, tweaked by my mother and has subsequently been jiggled with by yours truly.  Ensure that you have an afternoon or evening spare to stay at home as it's quite a lengthy process.  But hopefully well worth it.  Here is the recipe for this year's;

Wilkinson Family Christmas Cake

1lb 14oz mixed dried fruit (I used a mixture that included candied peel)

2oz glace cherries

100ml brandy

8oz plain flour

1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2tsp ground mixed spice

8oz unsalted butter, at room temperature

8oz soft brown/muscavado sugar

4 medium eggs

2oz blanched, lightly toasted almonds, roughly chopped

3tbsp thick cut marmalade

grated zest 1 unwaxed lemon

pared zest 1 unwaxed orange

8inch round cake tin, double lined and greased with a double layer of baking parchment around the outside of the tin, tied with string (see picture)

1. The night before you are going to bake, weigh out the dried fruit into a non metallic bowl, stir in the brandy, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 12 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 140C/gas mark 1.
3. Sift the flour, salt and spices.
4. Cream the butter and sugar until it is fluffy.
5. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the creamed butter at tablespoon at a time, stirring in a spoon of flour at the same time to avoid the mixture curdling.
6. Fold in the remainder flour then fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts, marmalade and fruit zests.
7. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and cover the top of the cake with a piece of greaseproof paper, leaving a hole the size of a 50 pence (this prevents the cake from burning).
8. Bake on the lowest shelf in the oven for a minimum of 4.5 hours.  It can take up to 45 minutes longer depending on your oven, dried fruit used etc so rely on the good old skewer test (insert a skewer - if it is clean upon removal, the cake is ready). Whatever happens, don't open the oven door for a peak until at least four hours are up!
9. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.  Remove the top paper, make a few small holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and drizzle in a little brandy.
10. When cool, wrap the cake in clean baking parchment, then foil and keep in an airtight tin.  'Feed' the cake with a spoon or three of brandy every few days.  The cake will keep for up to two months like this.

I have not posted a picture of the finished article as I'm aware that it will look remarkably similar to my previous post.  When it is suitably adorned with marzipan and icing in December (for the Wilkinson early Christmas) I'll pop an image up then.

Happy Christmas baking!

Failproof Family Fruitcake

I am somewhat appalled to see that I have allowed such a huge amount of time to lapse since my last post. It's not that I haven't baked, stirred, nibbled and sipped. More that I haven't taken as much pleasure in cooking, rarely bother to create anything exciting for myself and, I confess, my head space has been filled with coping with the changes that life tends to throw at one.

Today however something stirred within me. It is rather complicated and involves the acceptance of numerous changes and the excitement, rather than terror, that they have brought. More specifically though, I awoke early this morning to a howling gale and torrential rain and craved nothing more than to be enveloped in the comforting fug that is

created by the baking of a spiced fruit cake to be shared with family. A warming glow to dispel the chill of Autumn and wonderful aromas of nutmeg and ginger to counter those of damp leaves. And the knowledge that a cake still warm from the oven will be gratefully received by my sister and her family.

This is an inexcusably simple recipe for which I make no apology. Sometimes the simplest things in life really are the best, something I increasingly realise the older I get. In its original version I believe this cake hailed from Delia Smith however it has subsequently been tweaked by my mother and then by me. It has become the default Wilkinson fruit cake of choice and on a wet November day, the very tonic for every ill.

Wilkinson Fruit Cake (and no, that isn't my new nickname!).

10oz mixed dried fruit

2oz glace cherries

4oz muscavado or soft brown sugar

4oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/4pt water

juice and zest 1 orange

1 medium egg

8oz self-raising flour*

1/4tsp each of ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice

1. Preheat oven to 150C/gas mark 2.5. Grease a 7" round cake tin.

2. Place fruit, cherries, sugar, butter, water, juice and zest in a saucepan and simmer slowly for 20 minutes.

3. Allow to cool then add the beaten egg. Stir in the flour and spices.

4. Turn into the cake tin and smooth the surface.

5. Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 1.5 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

*if you only have plain flour, you can convert it into self-raising by adding 2-3 teaspoons of baking powder for every 250g/9oz plain flour used.

Balls! Spicy Fish Ones

Think balls in London in July and most people tend to think of Wimbledon.  I however think of these delicious little morsels which I made for supper with one of my most beloved friends who loves all things fishy. http://newmanlegros.blogspot.com

The recipe is adapted from the super 'Steam Cuisine' by Marina Filippelli.  It is uber healthy thanks to the method of cooking and is naturally gluten and dairy free.

Spicy Fish Balls serves 2 (with leftovers)

1 red chilli, seeded

1 garlic clove

nub of fresh ginger, peeled

handful of fresh coriander

1tsp cornflour

1/4tsp salt

1/4tsp caster sugar

300g white fish fillets, skinned

1/2tbsp tamari (or soy) sauce

1/2tsp sesame oil

1/2 medium egg

Put chilli, garlic, ginger and coriander in a food processor.  Add cornflour, salt and sugar and whizz until finely chopped.

Feel the fish and remove any bones.  Add to the processor with the tamari sauce, sesame oil and egg and whizz again until well blended.

Using wet hands, shape into 10 or so balls the size of large walnuts.

Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes or over night.

Bring the water in your steamer to the boil.

Line the steamer with baking parchment and pop the fish balls inside.  Steam for 4-5 minutes until they feel firm.

I served with jasmine rice, lime wedges and a cucumber, carrot and chilli salad.

Ballsy!

Fuggy Fig & Ginger Cakes

It startles me to notice that my last few posts have been for sweet things and ones which I can consume without being ill.  Indeed, ones for which I veritably relish licking the mixing bowl clean. And none more than these fig and ginger bites of delight.  Clearly my days of rigorous self control are over (and combined with giving up smoking there's a risk of me turning into a figgy pudding), but these delicious babies, adapted from the Sunday Times, are so worth throwing out all the rule books for.  They create a delicious fug in one's kitchen and a deeply satisfying 'aha' deep in the throat when one's teeth sink into their silky depths.

Fuggy Fig & Ginger Cakes (gluten & dairy free)

125 ground almonds

125g dark brown, soft sugar

1/2tsp baking powder (gluten free if required)

1/2 - 1tsp ground cinnamon

125g dried figs

2 balls stem ginger

juice and zest 1 orange

orange blossom water

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.  Put 12 paper cupcake cases in a bun tin.

Mix almonds, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon until well combined.

Remove any stalks from the figs and whizz in a food mixer with the ginger, orange juice, zest and a good splash of orange blossom water until you have a paste.

Combine the fig mixture with the almond mix.  Beat in the eggs one at a time until you have a smooth batter.

Divide between the cupcake cases then bake in the oven for 25 minutes, turning the tray half way through.

When cooked, remove from the tray and cool on a wire wrack.

Delicious for breakfast with a steaming, strong espresso.

A Berry Pleasant Brunch

What does one conjure up for a bevvy of girls of varying ages for a late breakfast? Muffins of course! And for one particular big girl, a gluten-free berry special treat.....

Blueberry Muffins (12)

Dry Ingredients:

5oz caster sugar

9oz self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

grated zest of a lemon

Wet Ingredients:

3oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, beaten

7fl oz milk (200ml)

1tsp lemon essence

150g blueberries

Heat oven to 180C fan/200C/Gas 6. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases (the cuter the better).

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in a jug, pour into the dry and stir until just combined. Don't over mix else the muffins will be tough.

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and firm. Cool on a rack.

Gluten Free Raspberry & Pink Pepper Muffins (also suitable for lactose intolerant) (makes 6)

90g rice flour

40g ground almonds

1tsp xanthum gum

1tsp gluten free baking powder

25g soya margarine

40g caster sugar

grated zest 1/2 lemon

1 egg

125ml milk (goats/rice/soya)

1tsp lemon essence

125g raspberries

1tbsp pink peppercorns

Preheat oven to 180C fan/200C/ Gas 6.

Sift flour, almonds, gum and baking powder into bowl and mix well (this is very important with gluten free flours). Add sugar and stir in lemon zest.

Melt margarine in a pan and leave to cool.

Whisk together egg, milk, lemon essence and cooled butter and pour into dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Fold in raspberries and pink peppercorns (I know it sounds weird, but trust me, it works!).

Spoon into muffin cases. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through/

So, the little girls were replete, the bigger girls were happy and the token male looked content. A berry acceptable outcome.