Goats Cheese Red Onion and Walnut Tarts-Flavoured with maple syrup

These little tarts are so easy to make and taste great.  Have them for a starter, a snack, or with a jacket potato and coleslaw for a very quick and easy supper.  If you don't have maple syrup use runny honey (also delicious).

Ingredients

1 pack ready rolled puff pastry
200g soft goats cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Maple syrup
100 g chopped walnuts (hazlenuts are also good)

Pre-heat the oven to 200C

Cut out 5" rounds from the puff pastry, lay them on a baking tray.

Spoon 1 tsp maple syrup on each pastry round and spread to 1/2" from the edge of the pastry.

Scatter over some red onion slices and top with a slice of goats cheese.

Press some chopped walnuts into the cheese and spoon over 1/2 tsp of maple syrup.

Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and risen.

Serve hot.

Lamb Pasties

Eaten hot or cold with a salad, pasties make a delicious and filling lunch. For a main course try them with mashed potato and minted peas.

Makes 8

Ingredients

Filling

1kg stewing lamb, finely diced

110g potatoes, diced

110g swede, diced

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, finely diced

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Pastry

110g butter, cubed

110g lard, cubed

1 egg, beaten

75ml very cold water

450g plain flour

Large pinch salt

The pastry

Add the salt to the flour and rub in the fats to the seasoned flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Slowly add the water and mix to a very stiff dough. Knead lightly until smooth. Place in a plastic bag and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas 4

Combine the filling ingredients in a large bowl.

Roll out the pastry to 5mm thick and cut into 15cm rounds. Divide the filling between the pastry rounds, brush the edges of the pastry with water and bring up the edges to meet at the top of the filling.

Crimp the edges of the pastry together and make a small cut to let the steam escape. Brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Petticoat Tails

Shortbread biscuits with a sugary top and a buttery flavour, what could be nicer, try them with a warming glass of mulled wine you will be pleasantly surprised.

I use salted butter, which seems to enhance the flavour.

They are very easy to make and keep for about 1 week in an airtight container.

Ingredients

6oz plain flour

3oz semolina

6oz salted butter, softened

3oz golden caster sugar

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Seive the flour and add to the semolina, gradually add to the creamed butter and sugar until a dough is formed (this can all be done in a food mixer).

Pre-heat the oven to 150C

Roll the dough lightly to form a round to fit a 20cm fluted tin, press into the tin and prick all over with a fork.

Bake for 1 hour until the shortbread is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin. Before the shortbread cools completely mark out wedges with a sharp knife.

Break into wedges and store in an airtight container.

Mincemeat and Cranberry Muffins

This recipe makes 12 huge muffins which I thought would be good for sharing, apparently not!

Ingredients

20 oz plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp salt
6 oz granulated sugar
3 oz dried or fresh cranberries
3 oz sultanas
2 large eggs
16 oz ready-made mincemeat
480 ml whole milk
6 oz butter, melted

Pre-heat the oven to 180C
Place large muffin cases in a 12 hole muffin tin

Sift together in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt and sugar.

In another bowl mix together the eggs and milk, stir in the mincemeat and butter.

Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients, stir gently to combine (the mixture should be lumpy) finally stir in the cranberries and sultanas.

Spoon the mix into the muffin cases and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Christmas Chutney

My Christmas chutney (adapted from a Delia Smith recipe) is made and sitting on a shelf waiting for the appearance of the turkey, great cheeses, pies, and cold cuts of meat, and ready to perk up any leftovers.  It makes a great Christmas gift, (if you can bear to part with it.)

This chutney is very easy to make and can be eaten almost right away but will keep for years in a cool dark place and the flavour will develop with time.

I used my food processor to chop the onions and fruits, except the dates they don't chop well in the processor but only take 5 minutes to chop by hand.

Ingredients

For 4 x 350ml jars

570 ml cider vinegar
450 g onions, peeled and chopped
50 g salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp ground allspice
350 g prunes, no-soak variety, chopped
275 g dried apricots, no-soak variety, chopped
275 g pitted dates, chopped
150 g sultanas or dried cranberries
450 g demerara sugar

Place all the ingredients in a large pan mix well to combine.  Bring to the boil then simmer gently for 1.5 hours, accasionally stirring, until there is no visible liquid when you pull a wooden spoon through the middle.

Pour into warm steralized jars place on a waxed disc and seal with a tightly fitting lid.  Label when cool.

Salmon Fishcakes with Dill and Lemon Mayonnaise

Poached salmon makes great fishcakes.  I try to keep the flakes of fish as big as possible by folding the fish into the potato mixture after all the other ingredients have been incorporated.

Ingredients

Makes 5 large fishcakes

1 kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large salmon fillets
1 bay leaf

12 whole peppercorns

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

1 large bunch dill, keep a few leaves for decoration then finely chop the rest (save 1 tbsp for the sauce)
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 oz butter
Oil for shallow frying (I used rape seed oil)

3 slices seeded brown bread, made into breadcrumbs

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp plain flour


Poach the salmon with the bay leaf and peppercorns in simmering water for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and place a lid on top.  After 7 minutes remove the lid and drain off the liquid.  Remove the peppercorns and bay leaf.

Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender, drain and return to the pan to dry out add the butter and mash until you have a smooth consistency.  Set aside.

Add the chopped capers, chopped dill, parsley and lemon juice to the potato mixture and mix thoroughly.  Flake the salmon fillets and gently fold them into the potato mixture.  Season to your taste with salt and pepper.

Mix the grated lemon zest into the breadcrumbs.

Form the fishcake mixture into large patties then dip each patty first into flour then into the beaten egg and finally into the breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat, test by dropping a few breadcrumbs into the pan, if they gently sizzle the oil is ready. 

Place the fishcakes in the frying pan and cook for 2 minutes, turn them and cook the other side for 2 minutes followed by a further minute each side.

For the dill and lemon mayonnaise

6 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp natural yoghurt

1 tbsp chopped dill

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix all the ingredients together and keep it cool until needed.

Serve the fishcakes piping hot with the mayonnaise on the side.

Little Pies with Chicken Ham Chestnuts and Cranberries

Another great freeze-away for Christmas, small savoury pies.  These ones have a bit of a festive edge with cranberries and chestnuts.

For the pastry

8 oz plain flour

2 oz butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 oz white cooking fat, chilled and cut into cubes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp English mustard powder
a little chilled water

Seive together the salt, flour and mustard powder.

Rub the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs,  add cold water 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture forms a dough that is not too wet.

Place the dough in clingfilm and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the filling

2 large chicken breasts, cut into smallish pieces

1 small red onion, finely chopped

100 g vacuum packed chestnuts, chopped

25 g dried cranberries

200 g unsmoked bacon, chopped
1 tbsp chopped sage leaves
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
Salt and freshly milled pepper
150 ml double cream
1 tbsp olive oil
Knob of butter

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry gently until softened then add the chicken and bacon, turn the heat up slightly and stir fry for 4 minutes until lightly browned.

Toss in the chestnuts and cranberries and cook for a couple of minutes then add the cream , stir to combine then simmer for 2 minutes.  The cream should reduce a little.

Taste the mixture add pepper and salt, if necessary.

Stir in the chopped herbs and leave to cool while you roll the pastry.

On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and using a 3" round cutter cut out 12 rounds, roll out the remaining pastry and cut out 12 x 2.5" rounds for pie lids.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C

Place the larger rounds into a 12 hole muffin tin and spoon in the filling, wet the edges of the lids with water and place one on top of each pie, press down the edges to seal and brush each pie with beaten egg.  Cut a couple of slits in the centre then bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle over a little sea salt.

Serve warm or cold.

To freeze, cool completely then wrap in cling film before freezing.  Defrost at room temperature.

Apple Galette

200g all butter puff pastry

160g Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into slices 1/8"

2 tbsp sugar,

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tbsp apricot jam

Whole milk

Roll out pastry dough between 2 sheets of cling film to form a 1/8" thick round 14" in diameter.  Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place apple slices, 1 tbsp sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl, stir to combine.

Spread the apricot jam over the pastry, leaving 1 1/2" plain border. Arrange apple slices in circles over the jam, overlapping slightly.

Fold plain edge border up over apples, pinching any cracks in the pastry. Brush with milk. Sprinkle pastry edges and apples with remaining tbsp sugar.

Bake the galette for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the pastry is golden, (about 20 minutes).

Remove from oven.  Let stand at least 10 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Roast Saddle of Venison with Saute Potatoes and Croutons

Venison has higher iron levels than any other red meat, contains omega 3 fats and less fat than a skinned breast of chicken.

Cook venison as you would beef. To compensate for the lower fat content, I covered with streaky bacon, you could also marinate the meat overnight with red wine and herbs.

Serve it on very hot plates as venison fat has a high melting point and isnt quite so appetizing cold (unlike beef).

Serves 4

Saddle of venison approx 2 kg
8 shallots, peeled
2 glasses red wine, about 250ml
Salt and freshly ground pepper
200g streaky bacon
A few sprigs fresh rosemary
Beef or vegetable stock (I used the cooking liquor from the broccoli)
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Pre-heat the oven to 200C

Heat a casserole and add 1 tbsp oil, add the venison and seal on all sides.  Remove the meat. 

Add the shallots and wine to the casserole, sit the venison on top and cover it with rashers of streaky bacon and sprigs of rosemary.

Cook on the middle shelf of the oven for 40/45 minutes for medium rare / medium,  remove from the oven and rest the meat, wrapped in foil, for 20-30 minutes.

To make the gravy, heat the roasting juices in the casserole with the redcurrant jelly add 2 tsp cornflour mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp of water and use to thicken the gravy.

For the potatoes

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Olive oil

Boil the potatoes and garlic in salted water for 5 minutes, drain, remove the garlic and add it to the meat juices and toss in olive oil, cook on a baking tray for 15 minutes until golden brown.

For the croutons

Cut thin slices from a baguette, fry them over a medium heat in a little oil and butter for 30 seconds each side, drain on kitchen paper and keep them warm.

Serve with bacon, shallots, saute potatoes,gravy and croutons.

Chelsea Buns with Toasted Pecans

The Chelsea bun is a type of currant bun that was first created in the 18th century at the Bun House in Chelsea and although traditionally made with currants, I am using sultanas as they tend to add a bit more moisture to the bun.  The toasted pecans have a nice crunch.

For the buns

1 lb strong white flour,plus extra for dusting

1 tsp salt

1/4 oz fast action dried yeast

10fl oz milk

1½oz butter, softened

1 large egg

Sunflower oil for greasing

For the filling

 

1 oz butter, melted

3 oz soft brown sugar

2 oz toasted pecan nuts, chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

5oz sultanas

 

For the glaze

 

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp caster sugar

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the yeast.

Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter in a saucepan until the butter melts and the mixture is lukewarm.

Add the milk mixture and egg to the flour mixture and stir until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough. (You may need to add a little extra flour.)

Tip the dough onto a generously floured work surface. Knead for five minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer feels sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl with a little of the vegetable oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn until it is covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm place for one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Lightly grease a baking tray.

For the filling, knock the dough back to its original size and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle ¼" thick. Brush all over with the melted butter, then sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and dried fruit.

Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder , cut ten 1½" slices and place them onto a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each slice. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.  (I also put a few in a cake tin to make a round of buns).

Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Bake the buns in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown.

Meanwhile, for the glaze, heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan until boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the buns from the oven and brush with the glaze, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toasted Pistachios

These delicious little puddings are quite gingery, which I like.  If you are not a big fan of ginger the pudding will still be delicious without it.

When they are ready let them stand for 5 minutes before serving, it makes such a difference to the flavour.

Ingredients

225g fresh dates, stoned
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
85g unsalted softened butter
170g caster sugar
2 large eggs
170g self-raising flour
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
¼ tsp ground mixed spice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
120g shelled pistachio nuts

For the sauce

115g unsalted butter
115g light muscovado sugar
140ml double cream


Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

Begin by toasting the pistachios in a hot frying pan for 5 minutes, shake the pan frequently as they burn easily.  Set them aside.

Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and cover with 200ml of boiling water. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes then drain. Put the dates in a food processor and puree.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and light using a wooden spoon, then add the eggs, flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and ginger. Mix together then fold in the pureed dates and yoghurt.

Pour into buttered, pudding moulds then place the moulds into a roasting tin containing 2" boiling water and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until springy to the touch.

Make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in colour.

To serve, turn the puddings out and pour over the toffee sauce then sprinkle pistachios over each pudding.  Pour over cream or custard.