Dauphinoise Potatoes

Creamy layers of potato with garlic and nutmeg make Dauphinoise potatoes a real weekend treat. Whether you have a roast dinner or sausages or serve them with a crunchy salad for a vegetarian meal, give them a try for something a bit different.

Serves 8

1.25kg Maris Piper potatoes
300ml full cream milk
1/2 nutmeg, grated
300ml double cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
25g butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 150C/300F/gas2

Use half the butter to coat an ovenproof dish
Place the milk, cream, garlic, 1tsp salt, a few grindings of black pepper and the grated nutmeg in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.
Thinly slice the potatoes either in a processor or with a mandolin slicer
Add the potatoes to the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.
Pour the potatoes into the buttered dish, dot a few knobs of butter on top and bake in the oven for 1 hour until browned on top.
Serve immediately

Courgette Soup (the healthy version)

I have previously posted this recipe for Italian courgette soup but this version is low fat, especially for those of us who have had a great holiday with very good food and returned home to 'the courgette invasion' in the garden.

If you would prefer the full fat version see my post for 04.08. 2010.

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g courgettes, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Small bunch of basil, roughly torn
Small bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tbsp low fat yoghurt
1 tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan over a medium heat, add the courgettes salt, pepper and garlic, cook for 6 minutes until softened, stirring continuously.

Add the basil and cook for 1 minute then add the stock and simmer, without a lid for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and blend until smooth.  Place back on a low heat and add the parmesan cheese, parsley and stir in the yoghurt.  Warm through gently and serve immediately in warmed bowls.

Blackberry Trifle with Blackberry Syrup

Using fresh blackberries straight from the garden in a light spongeless trifle, is a great way to retain that just picked flavour.

Sparkling wine jellies with whole berries, a light vanilla custard made with single cream and milk and a topping of  greek yoghurt drizzled with blackberry syrup, keeps it light and refreshing, a perfect summer dessert.

Makes 6 small or 1 large trifle

For the jelly
1lb fresh blackberries, reserve 1/3 for the bottom
of the glasses and decoration
4 sheets leaf geletine
700ml sparkling white wine

For the blackberry syrup

Remaining 2/3 of blackberries
2 tbsp icing sugar

Place the blackberries and icing sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar is melted.  Cook gently for 5 minutes then press through a seive into a jug making sure you squeeze out all the juice.  Set aside.

To make the jelly 
Soak the geletine sheets in a little cold water then heat 100ml of the blackberry syrup in a sauce pan.  Remove the geletine from the cold water, shake off any excess and stir them into the hot syrup.  Gradually add the sparkling wine, stirring continuously until combined.

Save 6 blackberries for decoration then place the rest in the bottom of the trifle dish/dishes, pour the jelly over the berries then refrigerate until set.

For the custard
3 egg yolks
2 oz sugar
6 oz whole milk
4 oz single cream
1 tsp vanilla paste

Cream the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick enough to leave trails when you lift the spoon.

Bring the milk and cream to the boil, remove from the heat and pour into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.  Add the vanilla paste and return the mixture to the pan over a medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the custard is thick and coats the back of the spoon.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to cool.

Remove the set jellies from the fridge and pour over some of the cooled custard, leave in the fridge for 30 minutes then spoon over some Greek yoghurt (you should need around 250ml)  Pour over some of the blackberry syrup and decorate with fresh berries.

Keep refigerated until needed.

Plum and Ginger Muffins

I never seem to run out of recipes to use my victoria plum harvest they are such a lovely flavour.  These muffins are delicious and even with the addition of ginger you can still taste the plums.

When they were baked and still warm I brushed the top of each one with ginger syrup, from a jar of stem ginger, then sprinkled over some demerara sugar for a crunchy topping.

For the muffins

10 oz plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground mixed spice
4 oz sugar
5 fl oz milk
5 fl oz buttermilk
1 egg
2 fl oz vegetable oil

1 tbsp stem ginger syrup

1 small piece stem ginger, very finely chopped

6 oz plums (victoria if you can get them), stoned and chopped

For the topping (optional)
1 tbsp ginger syrup
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/gas 5

Place paper muffin cases inside a muffin tin

Seive together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, ginger, salt and mixed spice.

Place all the wet ingredients (oil, milk, buttermilk, ginger syrup and egg) in a separate bowl and mix together.

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the flour, spices and powders then gently mix together until the flour has been incorporated (the mixture should be lumpy).

Gently fold in the chopped fruit and stem ginger.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the tops are spongy and the muffins are golden brown.

Remove from the oven.  If you are making the crunchy topping, this is the time to do it.

Chicken Madras with Saffron rice and Spinach Paratha

Chicken madras uses a lot of spices but the blend makes a really good hot spicy curry and tastes great.

I used chicken breast for this delicious curry but chicken thighs are also good and probably more economical.

For the chicken madras

2lb chicken, cut into 1" pieces
8 oz onion, sliced
4 oz sliced fresh tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 oz fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 black cardomom pods, black inner seeds only
2" cinnamon stick
5 cloves
4 oz ghee or butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp med hot chilli powder
1/2 pint water
2 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 fresh green chillies, chopped (keep the seeds in if you like very hot curry)

Melt the ghee in a large frying pan or heat proof casserole, fry the onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger over a moderate heat until the onion is golden brown.

Add the rest of the spices except the garam masala and green chillies and fry gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add the meat and continue to cook over a gentle heat, stirring until the meat is well coated in the spice mixture.

Add the water and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the chicken is tender.  Sprinkle over the garam masala, lemon juice and chopped chilli, leave it to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

For the saffron rice

12oz basmati rice
½ tsp ground saffron threads, infused in 4 tbsp hot water
salt and freshly groundblack pepper

Place the rice into a large saucepan and cover with enough water to reach about 2.5cm/1in above the rice. Add the saffron and its soaking water and place the pan over a high heat.

As soon as the water comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover the pan with a lid. Cook gently for 8-10 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the spinach paratha

1 cup whole-wheat flour
Water (Use as needed)
250g fresh spinach, cooked, drained and blended to a puree
Pinch of salt
3-4 teaspoon of oil
1/2 cup dry flour to roll

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and pureed spinach add a little water and mix well until it forms to soft dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly greased surface. The dough should be very smooth and soft.

Set the dough aside, cover and let it rest for at least ten minutes before cooking.

Place a griddle over a medium heat . To check if it is ready, put a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, it's ready.

Divide the dough into 5 equal parts. Roll it to about 3 inch diameter circles. Spread about 2 drops of oil and fold into two again put another drop of oil and fold into a triangle.

Roll it in dry whole-wheat flour. Press it a little and start rolling on a clean surface to about 6 inches in diameter.

Place the Paratha on the griddle. When it starts to puff up, turn the paratha over.

Cook for a few minutes on the other side and serve warm.

Afternoon Tea

Rich Chocolate Tray-Bake with Truffles

What a great tradition afternoon tea is, especially when the weather has taken a turn for the worse.  A small piece of cake and a cuppa is just what is needed.

The truffles were a present from a trip abroad and are delicious but to stop me consuming too many at once I thought this would be a good way to share them.

The chocolate tray bake is quite rich, so I cut them quite small.  If you find truffles are a bit much, a chocolate button will do just as well.


Ingredients
for the cake

4 oz self-raising flour
1 scant tsp baking powder
4 oz butter, softened
4 oz golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water

1 x 8" square cake tin lined with parchment paper

Pre-heat the oven to 190C

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter together then gradually add the eggs.  Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until pale and fluffy.

Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 minutes.  To test  insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean the cake is ready, if there is wet mixture leave for a couple more minutes then test again.

Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

For the icing

3 oz butter, softened
3 oz icing sugar
1 oz cocoa powder

1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tsp hot water

Seive the icing sugar and cocoa together

Beat the butter and coffee mixture together then gradually add the icing sugar and cocoa, beating well after each addition until the mixture is light and creamy.  Set aside but do not refrigerate.

When the cake has cooled completely spread the icing over the top then cut into small squares and decorate with truffles (or chocolate buttons).

Spicy new potatoes with spinach and tomatoes

This is a lovely accompaniment to any meat or rice dish but also delicious with just a chapati and some mint and cucumber raita.

If you prefer a mild spice omit one of the chillies, for a really spicy dish add 1 more but make plenty of raita.

For the spicy new potatoes

700g new potatoes, boiled in salted water until tender

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp turmeric

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

2" root ginger, peeled and grated

2 small red chillies, cut into thin strips

6 tomatoes, chopped

400g spinach, washed and cooked in a little salted water until wilted, then drained

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan, over a medium heat add the mustard and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute until they begin to pop.  Add the turmeric and stir fry for a few minutes more.  Then add the ginger, tomatoes and potatoes, stir to combine then cook for 5-6 minutes more.

Test the seasoning and adjust as necessary.


Chop the spinach and add to the pan along with the chopped coriander and strips of chilli.  Stir gently to avoid breaking up the potatoes.


Serve hot with a freshly made chapati.


For the chapatis

280g chapati flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
220ml warm water


Sift the salt and flour into a bowl, pour in the water and mix to a soft dough.  Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.  Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set aside for at least 1 hour.

To make the chapatis

Take a piece of dough the size of a golf ball, place on a floured surface and roll out thinly to a large circle.  Heat a heavy based frying pan and cook the chapatis for 1 minute each side, if you press down the edges with a cloth bubbles will form.  Continue to cook the remainder of the dough and wrap the chapatis in a tea towel until ready to serve.

Weekend Barbecue

Originally posted July 2010 this is well worth another look, especially the new recipe for sticky chicken.
The weather forecast looks great for this weekend, so start planning delicious barbecue food from this great selection of barbecue recipe ideas.

Sticky chicken wings and drumsticks

6 chicken drumsticks
6 chicken wings

For the marinade:

2 tbsp clear honey

1¼" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, crushed

1½ tsp Chinese five spice

2 tsp soy sauce

3 tbsp orange marmalade

½ tsp grated orange zest

1 tbsp sesame oil

 

Score the chicken drumsticks three to four times each with a sharp knife and place in a non-metallic bowl with the chicken wings. Mix together all of the marinade ingredients and pour over the chicken. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you can, turning occasionally.

 

Then place the chicken on the barbecue over medium-hot coals and cook for about 20 minutes, brushing with any marinade left in the dish as it cooks.  If you think the outside of the chicken is cooking too quickly move it to a cooler spot on the barbecue.

 

If you're unsure about when the chicken is ready, pierce a drumstick with a skewer: if the juices are still pink, carry on cooking. Serve as soon as they're cool enough to eat.

 

Foil Baked Salmon with Tarragon and Lemon Oil

4 salmon fillets

Small bunch of fresh tarragon

150 ml olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper




My top 10 barbecue tips
1. Stock up on Calor patio gas or barbecue coals.


2. Position your barbecue away from the children's play area and in a place where the chef has shelter from the sun. Make sure the chef has plenty of fluids.


3. Try a few vegetarian dishes like, cheese fondue made with Brie wrapped in foil and baked on the barbecue, served with crusty bread or crudites. Or Halloumi cheese and cherry tomato kebabs served with a wedge of lime.


4. Make a one bowl salad with leaves, herbs, plum cherry Tomatoes and thinly sliced Fennel, Radish and cucumber. Place batches of salad in food bags and keep in the fridge. Use to replenish the salad bowl. Provide a selection of oils and dressings.


5. Pre cook large jacket potatoes, halve lengthwise and criss cross the flesh with a knife. Brush with oil and cook on the barbecue until golden brown.


6. New potatoes can be par boiled, drained and tossed in oil before putting them on skewers with peeled shallots. Barbecue until crisp turning them frequently.


7. Have plenty of fresh bread. Baguettes and ciabatta can be thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil and seared both sides. Alternatively cut halfway into the top of the baguettes, place some garlic butter in the slices and wrap in foil. (This can be done well in advance) Bake on top of the barbecue for around 6 minutes.


8. Don't forget the side dishes. dips, salsa, coleslaw etc, can be made earlier in the day and stored in containers in the fridge.


9. Barbecued corn on the cob is very popular. Soak the cobs in cold water for a couple of hours and leave the husk on throughout cooking, 25-30 minutes. Turning them every 5 minutes.


10. Fish is delicious cooked on the barbecue, especially oily fish like Mackerel, Sardines, Trout and other small whole fish. Oily fish does not need basting and if you have a fish grill there is less chance of it breaking up when you turn it. Medium sized fish will only take 4 minutes each side on a moderately hot shelf and the skin will be lovely and crisp. The more delicate fish and seafood is best cooked in a foil parcel with herbs, white wine or lemon juice. Or with sliced Chilli pepper,Coriander, Soy sauce, lime juice and just a small drizzle of honey.


Try this delicious Rhubarb sauce with grilled fish

Ingredients



Juice of 1 orange
1 tsp grated orange zest

1 piece of root ginger, approx 1 inch, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp clear honey
8 sticks of pink rhubarb, chopped






Method

In a heavy based pan, warm the orange juice, orange zest, honey and ginger.
Add the rhubarb and simmer for 6-8 minutes
Puree in a food processor or blender
Place in the fridge until chilled


This sauce is particularly good with Mackerel

Place the tarragon in a food processor or blender, warm the olive oil to just above room temperature and add it to the tarragon, liquidise until smooth, strain the mixture into a jug , add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Place each salmon fillet in a foil parcel with 2-3 tbsp of the tarragon and lemon oil, top with a couple of sprigs of fresh tarragon, leave them in the fridge until ready to barbecue.

Tandoori Lamb Chops

8 lamb chops

3 tbsp tandoori paste

6 tbsp natural yoghurt

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Mix together the tandoori paste, yoghurt and chopped coriander, add the lamb chops and stir to coat, leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.

Minty Courgette Strips

Blend 1 small handful fresh mint with 100ml warm olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut 4 courgettes lengthways and brush them with the mint oil, barbecue for about 2 minutes each side and serve as an accompaniment to lamb or fish or  with crusty bread and plain yoghurt with a couple of chopped mint leaves and a drizzle of mint oil added.

Pork and Pepper Kebabs with Apple and Sage Sauce

700g pork tenderloin, cut into cubes

Strips of red, yellow and green peppers

3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

50g butter

5 medium sized sage leaves

1 tsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp Calvados (optional)

Place the pork and peppers onto skewers and season with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the apples, Calvados if using, sugar and whole sage leaves.  Cook gently until the apples are tender then remove the sage leaves and blend until smooth, leave the sauce  to cool. It can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Barbecue the kebabs over hot coals, turning frequently until the juices run clear.  Serve with the chilled apple sauce and crispy potato skins.

Crispy Potato Skins  

Cook 4 large baking  potatoes in the microwave (make sure you prick them all over with a fork) until tender.

Cool slightly and halve lengthways Scoop out 2/3 of the potato flesh and set it aside, brush the skins with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Mix the reserved potato flesh with grated cheese and 1 tsp Dijon mustard, spoon the mix into the potato skins and crisp them under the grill or over a hot barbecue, Top with a spoonful of soured cream.

Salmon Fishcakes with buttered spinach and lemon caper sauce

Ingredients

600g salmon

300g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 lemon, juice only

2 shallots, finely chopped

Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 slice wholemeal bread, made into crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1tsp flour

For the lemon caper sauce

2 tbsp small capers, drained and washed

juice of 1 lemon

Small handful fresh dill, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

200g spinach leaves, washed and stalks removed

Pinch of nutmeg

45g butter

Salt and pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until tender.

Poach the salmon in simmering water for 15 minutes, flake and set aside.

Heat some olive oil and cook the shallots until softened.

Mash the potatoes with a little butter and adjust the seasoning if necessary

Combine the potatoes with the flaked salmon, juice of 1 lemon, shallots and chopped parsley.

Form the mix into 4 fishcakes, coat in flour, dip in the beaten egg and then into the breadcrumbs.

Heat the olive oil and fry the fishcakes over a moderate heat for 4 minutes each side, until golden brown.

Wilt the spinach in the hot melted butter and add the nutmeg.

Melt the remaining butter and add the capers and dill, fry for a few minutes and add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce on the fishcakes and spinach and serve hot.

Birsay Biscuits

This recipe, adapted from an old Orcadian cookbook, is a definite winner when it comes to home baked biscuits.  The original recipe calls for beremeal but as it doesn't seem to be readily available you can replace it with oatbran.  Also great flavoured with cinnamon or ground ginger, just add 1+ 1/2 tsp of either spice with the flour.

Ingredients
Makes 30 large biscuits

12 oz self-raising flour
4 oz oatbran
8 oz caster sugar
8 oz butter, softened
1 egg
6 oz sultanas
A good pinch of salt

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F

Cream together the butter and sugar.

Sieve in the flour then add the oatbran, sultanas, egg and salt.  Mix well.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a dough, roll out to 1/8" and cut into 3" rounds.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and bake the biscuits on the top shelf of the oven for 14-16 minutes until light golden brown.

Carefully transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack, use a fish lifter for this as they will still be soft, they become crisp as they cool.

A bit about beremeal (supplied by wikipedia)

Bere, pronounced "bear," is a six-row barley currently cultivated mainly on 5-15 hectares of land in Orkney, Scotland. It is also grown on Shetland, Caithness and on a very small scale by a few crofters on some of the Western Isles.   It is probably the British Isles' oldest cereal in continuous commercial cultivation. 

Whisky, beer and biscuits have been developed for Orkney Bere. The crop is also being grown on the island of Islay, for whisky production.

Rhubarb and Ginger sponge Pudding

The sight of lovely long, red, rhubarb stocks appearing in the garden, evokes childhood memories of eating tender stocks of rhubarb dipped in sugar. The sugar being absolutely necessary to cover the natural tart taste of the rhubarb.

This weeks seasonal recipe is Rhubarb and Ginger sponge pudding. Ginger has a great affinity with rhubarb and this pudding is the ultimate comfort food, especially when it is served with custard, but not real custard with egg yolks, vanilla and cream, (though it is lovely) but good old custard powder, which is the only custard, people of a certain age remember.
Ingredients
Juice of 1 orange
2 oz golden granulated sugar

1tbsp stem ginger syrup

1lb rhubarb, chopped
4oz self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
4oz caster sugar
2 large eggs
1tsp grated orange zest
4oz unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Method
Cook the rhubarb with 2oz of golden granulated sugar and the juice of 1 orange until tender.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, ginger, orange zest, and eggs, blend together with a hand mixer until smooth and lighter in colour.

To bake
Place rhubarb in an ovenproof dish, drizzle on the syrup and cover with the sponge mixture. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190C gas 5, for 35 - 40 minutes.
Serve with custard and/or ice-cream.
Did you know?
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable and the leaves are poisonous.