Piccalilli

I love piccalilli but had never thought about making my own until two years ago when I realised that I hadn't bought any for Christmas and couldn't face going into a supermarket again prior to the big day.  And then my love for Piccalilli grew as I discovered that the pickle I could make was far superior to anything I bought in a jar.  Like all my recipes I have amended it each time I made it because I had set my mind to making it and didn't have all the listed ingredients. I've discovered that this recipe allows for variations depending on personal taste or vegetable availability. I've even played around with spices a little and added a few of my personal favourites. This could just be the start of a pickling adventure for you. The first time I made it I used broccoli as I didn't have cauliflower and fine beans instead of runner beans. The footnote on the recipe suggests that some people add carrots but that doesn't appeal to me.  

One thing I have found is that I like to cut the vegetables into smaller pieces than advised in the recipe. It would be fine in larger chunks if you're only going to eat it with cold meats as a vegetable in its own right. However, if you're going to balance it on crisp bread with slices of cheese the large chunks fall off and the turmeric will stain your clothing as it hurtles downwards!

This quantity makes 2kg (4 1/2 lb) and supposedly keeps for 6 months but mine has still been fine to eat almost a year later. I have also made half the quantity when I didn't have a large preserving pan and used a large stainless steel saucepan.

            Ingredients: 

• 225g / 8oz salt
• 450g / 1 lb pickling onions
• 1 medium cauliflower, broken into small florets
• 225g / 8oz runner beans, sliced into 2.5cm / 1 inch lengths
• 2 ridged cucumbers or courgettes, diced
• 2 head of plump garlic cloves (I like to slice mine)

       For the Sauce:

• 30g / 1oz plain flour
• 60g / 2oz mustard powder
• 225g / 8oz white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground turmeric
• 750ml / 1 3/4pts distilled malt vinegar, plus extra if needed. 

        Method:

• For the brine, put the salt in a large china or glass bowl. Pour over 450ml / 15 fl oz boiling water and stir to dissolve the salt. Add a further 1.7 litres / 3 points cold water. Add the prepared vegetables and leave to soak overnight. (I place a plate over the veg to keep them submerged under the brine).
• For the sauce, combine the flour, mustard, sugar, and turmeric in a large bowl. Add a little of the vinegar and work into a paste, adding more vinegar if required. Mix in the remaining vinegar, and pour into a large preserving pan.
• Bring the mixture to the boil, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat
• Rinse the vegetables and drain well. (I have found that rinsing thoroughly is essential and now do it once more than I think is necessary. The time I didn't do this the resultant pickle was far too salty)
• Add all the vegetables to the sauce, bring back to the boil, and simmer for about 3 minutes until they are cooked but still a little crisp.
• Pot into hot sterilised jars, pressing the vegetables down to ensure that they are covered, and adding extra vinegar if needed. Seal with vinegar proof lids and label. 

 

It is best left for a month to allow the flavours to develop and mature ... if you can wait that long.

I hope that I have inspired you to start your own pickle adventure. Next on the list for me is pickled onions and maybe a ploughman's pickle 

Easy Kedgeree

Today I have been asked for my kedgeree recipe; and as I had already cooked and eaten it last night there are no photos as I didn't anticipate blogging about it. This recipe is an old one from a Somerfield magazine and truly is quick and easy. Having looked at other recipes I am tempted to try them to see how much the flavour differs with such intensive preparation and attention. The original recipe also advises using prepacked rice which would be excessively quick and easy; but I am on a plastic free mission so I avoid all packaged products where-ever possible. My measurements will always be variable as I have strayed from following the recipe explicitly.

Original recipe for four people

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped (I use a whole onion for 2 people)
• 10 ml oil (recipe says olive but I'm currently using rapeseed ... use what you like)
• 250g / 9oz smoked hadddock (or use whatever you consider to be the right portion size for your appetite. I just look at the size of the fillet and decide on the day what I feel like)
• 2 x 250g packs of rice (I use 2oz of uncooked rice per person)
• 15ml / 3 tsps curry powder (adjust to taste, I like a kick so use this amount for 2 people)
• 2 eggs (I use 1 egg per person)
• 30 ml creme fraiche (if not in the fridge I substitute yoghurt or sour cream .. or even kefir)
• 15ml / 1 Tbsp chopped coriander

Method:

• If not using packs of rice prepare and cook rice according to pack instructions ( I always steam mine in a steamer and add the haddock in a top layer for the second half of the time along with the eggs to cook. This saves additional pans being used.)
• Fry finely chopped onion in oil with curry powder until soft.
• If not steaming haddock with rice place the deskinned haddock in a pan with a little water or milk, cover and poach gently until cooked (time varies depending on thickness of fillet; approx 7-10 mins). Once cooked drain and flake
• Hard boil the eggs if not already cooking
• Once the onions are soft mix the rice into the pan with the onions and add the haddock, creme fraiche and coriander. Season to taste and serve with the shelled boiled eggs cut into quarters and a good squeeze of lemon juic.

Variations: Feel free to add additional vegetables to increase your veggie intake. I like broccoli, spinach, peas or sweetcorn ... just use your imagination or whatever is lurking in the fridge.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can juggle ingredients and quantities to suit your individual taste. Other recipes cook the rice gently with all the other ingredients and a multitude of spices but I find this is simple and doesn't need to be watched constantly. Good Luck and Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon, Caper and Chilli Dressing

 I grew up eating boiled cauliflower or if lucky cauliflower cheese. It has always looked so anaemic and unappetising. However, the discovery of this recipe has transformed my cauliflower and I now look forward to getting a tightly packed head of deliciousness. Give it a go and see what you think!

From this raw ingredient

Add a colourful zingy dressing

And you get a side dish that can surpass the main feature!

I find that taking photos of my food don't always do it justice. That's not a reflection on the dish but more on my photography skills; plus the fact that the steam rising from the freshly cooked food makes everything look a little blurry.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cauliflower, cut into florets
• 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped ( I like the heat so leave a few seeds in, adjust to taste)
• 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• Handful flat-leafed parsley, chopped

Method:

• Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200*C, fan 180*C. Toss the cauliflower florets with 1 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil and spread them out over a large baking sheet. Season well, and then roast for 25 minutes, or until golden.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the remaining olive oil with the lemon zest and juice, chilli, capers and most of the parsley. Season with some freshly cracked black pepper.
• Arrange the roasted cauliflower in a serving dish. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat. Serve warm scattered with the remaining parsley

Go on ... Try it!

Versatile Versailles

 I have spent far too long this week playing around with inks and stamps. I've never been so obsessed with experimenting with a particular set as I have been this week. Today it was the turn of Very Versailles from Stampin' Up. I needed to make a New Home card and when I sat down to create the only starting point I had was a woodchip house from Kaisercraft. I stared at the desk for ages before then staring out of the window, and began to despair that I would think of anything. Inspired by Pinterest I had wanted to try stamping in a monochrome background effect leading onto a coloured version on a different mount. This was the opportunity to try. 

Another time I might stamp more on the background as most of it is hidden but I still like the effect. I also like the Stampin' Up embossing folder. Kaisercraft blooms added an extra bit of colour and a spring like feel.

I'm pleased how this turned out. Now I need somebody else to move house so I can make another one!

A little Addicted to Green

Having got out my green inks for a previous entry in this week's Fusion Challenge I decided to play around with another Stampin' Up set. With more time on my hands I have indulged in buying two new stamps sets and today was the perfect opportunity to experiment with Very Versailles. 

I got a little carried away with this wonderful set but sometimes the simplest designs are the most effective. I love how simple this leaf design is and was very impressed with the way that the leaves were easily brought to life with a little ink and a blender pen. I love Stampin' Up Lemon and Lime Twist ink and was pleasantly surprised at how the colour altered it's effect when blended into the veins of the leaves. 

This card may not showcase a variety of greens and I have not attempted to follow the sketch but I think it still fits the green category. Maybe tomorrow I'll see how different the same design looks in a different colour palette. 

A little more blending and fussy cutting and the frame came to life. All in all a very versatile card. This one is destined to send Mother's Day love but would be perfectly suitable for any occasion.

Green Fusion Challenge

 I always need a little direction or guidance rather than staring at all my craft supplies and wondering where to go next. The Fusion Card Challenge gave me that nudge today. I paid homage to the sketch and used a selection of green inks from Stampin' Up and Kaisercraft. The stamps are my latest love 'Enjoy the Moment' set. The die is one I haven't used before but I found it lurking in my cupboard from a moment of mad internet shopping. It didn't quite work out how I envisaged in my head but I'm happy with it and I'm sure the recipient will appreciate the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy The Moment

I have been spending a little too much time on crafting this week and the blame can be laid completely at the door of Stamping Up. I ordered a new stamp set and have got a little carried away. I love the botanical elements and the sentiments are spot on for this collection called Enjoy the Moment.

I was inspired by other designs by friends and spotted on line but ultimately everything always turns out with an individual twist by the very essence of my inaccurate cutting and sticking.

I started simply with just one stamp and got to grips with how it felt and coloured.

Two similar designs but different sizes and finishing touches

My personal favourite involved stamping a sheet of pattern and then dividing into strips 

A final effort for today was a birthday card

I'm getting to grips with how the stamps work with different colours. I think I may try using stazon next time to give a clearer outline and allow for more obvious colouring in for depth. Maybe even a little resist heat embossing. I'm still really excited to spend more time exploring all possibilities.

Card Challenge

It's been a long time since I took part in any challenges and I thought that I would try and kick start my mojo with trying something more personal than following layouts and styles of others. Discovering Fusion Card Challenge was an unexpected surprise. Having created a card using a previous week's challenge I decided to bite the bullet today and actually do a challenge in 'real time'. 

I wasn't quite sure where to start but decided to concentrate on the rainbow theme and progressed to utilising the layout sketch too. I'm pleased with the result and that's the most important thing. Thank you for giving me the push that I needed to be creative.

Easy Marmalade

When I retired I became a little obsessed with preserving and pickling and finally had the time to make marmalade in the way I had watched my grandmother do as I grew up. I studied various recipes, as is my wont, and finally settled on the one with the least faff involved. Now in my third year of making marmalade I have tried a couple of other recipes but still keep coming back to the one that I find the easiest. Why make a project harder than necessary? Although the original recipe came from the book: 'Jams and Chutneys by Thane Prince' I have amended it a little as I found the quantities a bit too unpredictable. They stated 7 Seville oranges but how big is an orange? This year the oranges were much smaller than those I've used previously. Therefore I have merged the recipe with one I have also used from Riverford which gives specific weights. I have also found it beneficial to have a formula for calculating how much sugar is needed in relation to the liquid yielded.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Seville oranges
• 2 lemons
• 1.8kg granulated sugar

Method:

• Scrub the fruit and place in preserving pan with enough water to cover fruit (I used 2.2 litres of water). 

At this stage I boil the fruit in a large stockpot which seems to prevent too much evaporation, uses less space on the hob and also my preserving pan doesn't have a lid!

• Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 50 - 60 minutes until the fruit is very soft. Remove from the heat, lift out the fruit and allow to cool.

• Meanwhile measure the liquid and make up to 2 litres with water. Pour into the preserving pan and stir in the sugar.

• Recipes vary in whether to mince, chop or slice the fruit and flesh. I like to cut into quarters and then scrape out the bulk of the flesh and pips and add to a muslin bag. I have tried tying a muslin square with string but now I use a jelly bag and just adjust the size by twisting any spare fabric. I then thinly slice the quartered fruit. I have found that stacking two or three pieces together makes this a little quicker.

So many people comment that making marmalade is time consuming and hard work. I actually find that slicing the orange skins is a very mindful activity and for me it is a vital part of the magic in creating sunshine in a jar.

• Add the sliced fruit to the preserving pain with the bag of pips and flesh. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

• Increase the heat and cook at a full rolling boil for 10 - 15 minutes until the marmalade has reached setting point. I have found that this takes much longer than anticipated but it may be due to my very old aluminum pan and I hope that a shiny new stainless steel one will hold the heat better. Keep testing for setting point every 2-3 minutes until achieved.

 I'm not going to go into the details of how you check for setting point, I suggest you google the different methods. Suffice to say that I am an old fashioned girl and use the cold saucer wrinkle test that was good enough when I was at school and is still reliable today. I don't need fancy thermometers or anything more complicated than a saucer and freezer.

• Remove the muslin bag and squeeze out any liquid as it is rich in pectin. Pot the marmalade in sterilised jars, seal and label. 
• This year I made a variation in adding 80ml of Amaretto to the pan and stirred through prior to pouring into jars.

If you find that you have differing quantities of liquid you can adjust the amount of sugar  proportionately. The principle is that for every 500ml of liquid you need 450g sugar. With this knowledge you can play around with any ingredients and create your own little jar of sunshine.

I hope that you find this as easy and tasty as we do. You need to like a bitter marmalade to enjoy this, but that is exactly what I like about it. If you'd rather have something less bitter substitute a couple of Seville oranges for sweet oranges.  Watch this space for another post featuring grapefruits. I discovered pink grapefruit marmalade last year and now I am a convert. Although there may be dozens of different recipes out there I can't imagine myself ever deviating from this tried and tested delight.

Pea and Lettuce Soup

 At this time of year I love nothing more than a warming soup and I am not impressed at the thought of being given salad ingredients in my vegetable delivery.  I received a lettuce at Christmas and could not face the thought of serving it as a lone ingredient. Therefore I was thrilled to find a recipe for soup using an entire lettuce. The perfect combination of creating a lush soup with an otherwise unwanted ingredient. 

No matter how unusual it may seem I would say take the plunge and give it a go ... you won't regret it!

Serves four

Ingredients:

• 15g butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 large round lettuce, leaves separated and roughly chopped
• 400g frozen petit pois (I used normal frozen peas with no obvious ill effects)
• 1 vegetable stock cube, made up with 900ml hot water
• small handful fresh mint leaves
• 4 eggs
• small handful fresh dill, leaves picked.

Method:

• Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Fry for 5-6 minutes until tender but not brown. Stir in the lettuce and, when it has wilted, add the peas, stock and mint. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, season and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until thickened slightly.
• Remove from the heat and blitz the soup with a stick blender (I have done this and I have used a liquidiser; both are effective). Season
• Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to a simmer. Make a whirlpool in the centre by stirring rapidly with the handle of a wooden spoon. Allow the swirl to almost subside, then crack the eggs directly into it. Poach for 3 minutes over a low heat. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon; set aside.
• Divide the soup between 4 bowls and top each one with a poached egg and some dill leaves.

The first time that I made this I added eggs but had no dill. The second time I made it as a quick lunch and didn't have any eggs so served the soup as it was and found it just as enjoyable.  I would urge you to give it a go and amend it as indicated to suit your needs and the contents of your fridge.