No fail Shortbread and tablet

Sometimes when you get a shortbread recipe to try at home the results can be softer or powdery than you would like. With this recipe you can guarantee crispness and a melt in the mouth texture.

Shortbread

ingredients:

250g/ 8oz butter

120g/4 oz caster sugar

270g/ 9 oz plain flour, '00' (pasta) flour is the best.

90 g/ 3oz rice flour

method:

1. cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
2. Add flours and knead gently.
3. Cut to shape and rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Bake at gas 3-4/ 160-170 c for 25-30 minutes or until pale gold in colour.
5. If you wish you can add flavourings such as black pepper, ginger or grated lemon rind, about 1 tablespoon of flavouring should be enough.

this tablet works too!!

Tablet .

Ingredients:

1 kg /2lb granulated sugar

60g/ 2oz butter

1 tin condensed milk

equal amount of milk

flavouring, whisky, vanilla, lavender, etc

method:

1. place all ingredients into deep pan. Simmer gently until sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to hard boil and boil for 22 minutes
3. remove from heat and allow to cool for 6-8 minutes.
4. Beat in mixer for 5 minutes or by hand until mixture starts to pale and crystallise. Pour into greased tray and cut while warm.

Ahem!

I should probably say that all of these dishes are cooked on a normal domestic electric cooker and apart from a food processor there is no specialist equipment needed, although for roasts and such I do recommend that you buy an halogen oven. I have recently bought one and I will never be without. They are a god-send. Fast, economical, you can actually see what you are cooking and they allow all excess fats to drip to the bottom of the oven.

I need to post some photos of my galley to let everyone see where I cook or if anyone has a photo that they can send to me I'd really appreciate it!

I would like someone to leave a comment so that I can see what I need to do to improve this blog. Let me know what you think, ask for a recipe or even advice, it doesn't have to be about food but I'm willing to give it if you are willing to share it:)

An ancient recipe, modernised.

This recipe comes from a book by Hanna Glasse, an eighteenth century cook, famous as the first domestic goddess and her book, The Art of Cookery. I have just modernised it a bit.

This is a very rich but moreish tart with an almost truffle like consistency and when served at room temperature melts at a lower temperature than your body temperature and has the effect of cooling your mouth down. It is truly a chocolate lovers delight and because it contains no flour is ideal for gluten and wheat allergies. You can use any flavouring you wish, be it your favourite liqueur or mint, rosemary or orange, etc. the recipe works equally as well using milk chocolate but you need to use around a third less cream and allow extra time for setting.

Chocolate and malt whisky tart with almond crust

ingredients:

300g / 10oz flaked almonds

2 egg whites

400gm / 14 oz dark chocolate

125g/4oz butter

16fl oz/ 450ml double cream

50 ml good smoky whisky, Islay is the best

method:

1. place almonds into food processor and blend until roughly chopped. Add egg to processor and blend until mix comes together in one lump.
2. Press mix into 8'' / 20cm flan ring until completely lined. Bake at gas mark 4 / 180 c until pale gold colour, about 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. Melt chocolate and butter slowly in microwave or in bowl over pan of hot water.
4. Heat cream until lukewarm, don't allow to boil.
5. Add whisky and cream to chocolate and beat until very glossy and everything is well incorporated.
6. Pour into crust and set in fridge for about 6 hours or overnight
7. allow tart to come to room temperature before serving. This is a very rich tart and only a little is needed, I suggest that you serve with whipped cream and soft fruit.

A family favourite!

The best sticky toffee pudding

This is without doubt the best sticky toffee pudding that you will ever eat. It never fails and is moist, rich and moreish. My kids love it as do my customers. I got this recipe years ago from a lady from Bathgate in Scotland, she was a talented baker and I still use a lot of her recipes.

ingredients:

250g/8oz chopped dates

180g/6oz plain flour

2 eggs (beaten)

250ml/ ½ pint water

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

250g/8oz light soft brown sugar

vanilla essence

180g/6oz softened butter

method:

1. cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
2. Add flour and baking powder together then mix lightly with butter mix, then slowly add egg beating well.
3. Bring water to boil and throw in dates and bicarbonate. Purée dates well.
4. Add vanilla to dates.
5. Combine all ingredients lightly but thoroughly. Mix will look pale and runny at this stage.
6. Bake at gas mark 5 / 180 c for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly.

Serve with butterscotch sauce.

Butterscotch sauce.

250g/8oz soft light brown sugar

125g/4oz butter

250ml/ ½ pint double cream

method:

heat butter in pot and add sugar. Cook until getting quite dark in colour the add cream and blend together. Add more cream to lighten in required.

Vegetarian Cookery, stuffed aubergine.

So far I have concentrated on vegetarian food, not because I prefer it but because it is the most requested for recipes. Most chefs have no imagination when it comes to vegetarian food, they resort to the familiar pasta with cheese, mushroom stroganoff, pizza, etc..
When I cook for anyone, especially at a meal where there are meat eaters and vegetarians together I try to make both meals look the same with similar colours and textures, that way no-one feels left out and others don't get the impression that others are getting special treatment. here is an example;

when serving stuffed chicken breast I like to offer this alternative.

INGREDIENTS,


1 Aubergine per person
1 tub of cream cheese
1 tablespoon chopped sun blushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon basil pesto
1 egg yolk
2 spring onions, chopped
2 carrots

METHOD,

1. cut off the side of the sides of the aubergine and brush lightly with olive oil. Heat griddle pan till smoking and seal aubergine until barbecue lines appear. Carefully cut a pocket into side of aubergine without cutting right through flesh.
2. mix tomato,pesto,cheese,spring onion and egg together. Spoon into aubergine, filling as much as you can.
3. peel carrot into long slices, place into a bowl then pour over a kettle of hot water and stand for 5 minutes until slightly softened. refresh under cold water. 
4. wrap strips of carrot around aubergine in a spiral pattern to help hold in stuffing and to add to decoration. Bake in hot oven 220 degrees c. for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh tomato sauce or gravy made with vegetable stock and vegemite. You can eat thiss with potatoes and vegetables or with salad.

Fried cheese salad

This is one of my most popular salads. I sometimes vary it by adding spicy chorizo  and fried chicken livers.

Sweet pepper and garlic salad with fried haloumi cheese

ingredients;

1 each red, green and yellow pepper/ capsicum

8-9 cloves of garlic

8oz/225 gm Haloumi cheese, sliced.

1 large Spanish onion. Sliced

2 red chillies, de-seeded and diced finely

2 tablespoons light muscovado sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, white preferably

salt to taste

extra virgin olive oil, to taste

balsamic vinegar reduction to garnish

mixed herbs to garnish

method;

1. dissolve sugar in water and add balsamic vinegar and chilli. Season.
2. Pour boiling water over garlic cloves and allow to stand for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water and slice into 6 or 8 slices
3. slice onions and peppers into long strips, you can remove the skins from the peppers by roasting them under a grill but I like the bite that the skin gives.
4. Pour a good cup of extra virgin oil into a pan and bring to a heat without burning. Add onions and peppers and heat until just starting to go soft. Add in the sliced garlic. Then throw in the vinegar and sugar mix and stir well.
5. In another pan fry the cheese in a little oil until nicely brown on both sides.
6. Place some herbs on a plate and add a little heap of the pepper mix and top with a couple of cheese slices. Serve with mixed leaves and crusty bread and drink a well chilled white or rose wine.

Sorry!

Hell again...I am sorry that it has taken a while to get back with more recipes but what with work and trying to find a new job for the winter months things have been a wee bit hectic. Do you know that it is only four more wages till Christmas! It was a shock to me... any way here we go with Ty's request.

Seafood Pie

This is a very simple recipe and what makes it special is the seafood that you add. Don't be tempted to skimp and use things like crab sticks or frozen white fish or salmon, you will get a nice end result but nothing to write home about.

The basic sauce can be used for a vegetarian version because all you need to do to get that smoky cheesy flavour is add a smoked cheese instead of cheddar to the sauce.

Sauce ingredients;

1 heaped tablespoon of butter

11/2 heaped tablespoons of plain(soft) flour

12oz/375gm Grated cheddar or applewood smoked if making vegetarian

4oz/125gm grated Parmesan

1 pint/500ml full cream milk

½ pint/250ml double ( heavy) cream

1 heaped teaspoon English mustard, although Dijon will do.

1 onion, studded with 5 cloves and 3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

grated nutmeg

Method;

1. place onion and milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil, lower heat and allow onion to infuse in milk for 15 minutes.
2. Melt butter in pan and stir in flour, fry flour on very low heat for 2-3 minutes, without colouring.
3. Slowly pour in the strained milk and whisk to prevent lumps forming allow to cook on slow heat for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the mustard and cheese until totally absorbed.
5. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg if desired to taste. At this stage don't worry about the flavour of the sauce too mush you are just looking for a cheese sauce that has a balanced flavour, not to salty or too cloyingly cheesy.

Fish filling;

this is entirely personal taste but I recommend at least 5 types of fish to allow for soours and textures. Use about 2lb/1kg of fish for 6 people and more if you can afford it. My favourite combination is as follows,

1. 1 large scallop per person sut into three pieces
2. 8 oz/225gm of smoked haddock, bones removed and diced
3. 8oz/225gm fresh salmon, bones removed and diced
4. 8oz/225gm langoustine or king prawns, shelled
5. 8oz/225gm sole/ cod or monkfish, diced

When you have you fish prepared simply add them to the sauce and remove from the heat. Divide mixture into pie dishes or large ramekins and top with a creamy mash that you have previously seasoned with salt and grated nutmeg and beaten through 2 egg yolks. Top with a little more grated cheddar and place in a hot oven 220 degrees c. for 20 – 25 minutes until the top is browning. Serve with vegetables or salad and crusty bread .

For a vegetarian version then replace fish with lightly cooked, I mean no more than a 2 minute stir fry.

The vegetables I like to use for this are a mixture of celery, onion, broccoli, cauliflower and peppers. Because it is vegetables I like to add a bit of piquancy by adding a little ginger, garlic and chilli, but only a little and again this is to personal taste.

Have fun with this one it is a great dish and really impresses because of the flavours.

Spinach Roulade

This can be used as starter, main or as a snack.

ingredients


2 x 6oz/200gm ready washed spinach
5 large eggs, separated
6oz/200gm pot full fat fromage frais
1 x 150 gm pack garlic and herb cream cheese
finely grated parmesan


method

1. Preheat oven to 190c gas mark 5. Microwave spinach for 2 minutes, allow to cool then squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
2. Place spinach into food processor with egg yolks and blend until smooth.
3. Whisk egg whites until firm but not dry and stiff. Fold a little at a time into spinach mix until well mixed. Place a sheet of silicon greased paper onto a flat oven tray and spread mix over evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes until firm to touch. Turn out onto another sheet of paper liberally sprinkled with parmesan.
4. Blend fromage frais and garlic cheese together and spread over three quarters of spinach. Roll up tightly like a Swiss roll and cut to size. Mix pesto, sun-blushed tomatoes or any flavouring you like with cheese for variation.

Veggie Haggis

This is one that we will have Rabbie Burns turning in his grave.

Vegetarian Haggis

Ingredients

• 100g/4oz onion, peeled & finely chopped
• 15ml/1tbsp sunflower oil
• 50g/2oz carrots, grated
• 35g/11/2 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
• 50g/2oz red lentils
• 600ml/1pint vegetable stock
• 25g/1oz mashed, tinned red kidney beans
• 35g/11/2 oz ground peanuts
• 25g/1oz ground hazelnuts
• 30ml/2 tbsp soy
• 7.5ml/11/2tsp dried thyme
• 5ml/1tsp dried rosemary
• generous pinch cayenne pepper
• 7.5ml/11/2 tsp mixed spice
• 200g/8oz pinhead oatmeal
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C, 375°F or Gas Mark 52. Sauté the onion in the oil for 5 minutes, then add the carrot and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3. Now add the lentils and three quarters of the stock.
4. Blend the mashed red kidney beans in the remaining stock, add these to the pan with the nuts, soya nd seasonings.
Cook everything, well mixed together, for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Then add the oatmeal, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, adding a little extra liquid if necessary.
6. Turn the mixture into a lightly oiled 1lb loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes.7. Serve with mashed neeps and tatties.




Make sure that you don't add too little pepper as this should be quite spicy.

Pepperpot Soup

This is a lovely soup, ideal for summer or winter.

ingredients


2 each red, yellow and green peppers, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 pints/1.5ltrs vegetable or chicken stock
1 large courgette, finely diced
salt and cracked black, red or Szechuan peppercorns to taste
arrowroot or cornflour to thicken

method

1. This is the simplest soup of all. After chopping all of the vegetables simply place them into the stock, simmer for 10 minutes season to taste and thicken very slightly with, preferably arrowroot.
2. Serve piping hot with pastry squares or soda farls.

Soup Number 2

Banana and Parsnip Soup

This one always gets a funny look when I tell them what it is but after they taste it they love it. It has become one of my most requested recipes.
I came up with recipe after I had roasted some parsnips shortly after making a Banana bread and after tasting both quickly in succession I realised the similarity in texture and even flavours.

ingredients


8oz/250gm carrots, peeled and chopped
4oz/125gm celery, peeled and chopped
12oz/325gm parsnips, peeled and chopped
8oz/250gm bananas
1/2 pint/250ml double cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste for fieryness
2pints/1ltr made vegetable or chicken stock

method

1. boil and simmer all vegetables in stock until very tender
2. blend in hand mixer till smooth
3. add dry spices and cream and re-blend
4. mash bananas with lemon juice until smooth
5. add banana mix a little at a time so that flavour of banana doesn't overpower the other ingredients
6. season with salt and pepper and add hot chilli sauce to personal taste. re-blend again and serve piping hot with fresh crusty bread.

Hi folks!

I will start this blog by giving some recipes that have been requested from me by guests and friends.


We will start with some vegetarian recipes that Barbara and Ty Rosenkotter liked during their recent tour with us. 


Hi Barbara! I didn't forget you. Can you please give Craig and Cathie these recipes or direct them to my blog;) The cook book for the Majestic Line is now available but my own one is still at the design stage but as I've said, if you need a recipe, idea or any questions the just ask..it may be while before I answer, well a few days as you know.


PLOUGHMAN'S SOUP


I suppose that this idea came from my love of cheese and pickle and the idea of a beer soup, then things sort of worked themselves out.


ingredients


5 slices of brown or wholemeal bread
1pint/500ml dark beer or ale, not stout
2 teaspoons of made mustard, I prefer English
1pint/500ml made vegetable stock, I use the brand Marigold
12oz/350gm grated cheddar, medium strength
salt and white pepper to taste
120z/350gm onion
2oz/60gm butter


white bread toasted and sandwich pickle to garnish


method


1. turn bread into crumbs in food processor until fine.
2. fry onions in butter till softened, then add crumbs and fry for 2 minutes 
3. add beer and mustard and bring to boil
4. add add cheese and blend with hand blender till smooth
5 add stock and season to taste. Re-blend if needed
6 serve hot topped with toasted or fried bread shapes topped with blended sandwich pickle spread on top