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.

Aloo Gobi Soup

With 11 months of new recipes behind me I am making headway in trying out the recipes torn from magazines in previous years. Today I tried Aloo Gobi soup torn from a Tesco magazine and I am not disappointed. Easy to make with store cupboard ingredients and very tasty. 

The recipe states it serves four but with the large portions I served today as a complete meal it would only serve three. A normal sized portion at lunch would serve four perfectly.  I also found that some of the timings were not quite sufficient for complete cooking so I've made notes and suggest you listen to your instinct and test consistency before moving onto next step.

Ingredients:

• 2 maris piper potatoes (about 200g) cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 head of cauliflower (about 200g), roughly chopped into small florets
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 5cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp tomato puree
• 400g chopped tomatoes (I didn't have any so used passata)
• 1 vegetable stock cube, made up with 500ml water
• 100g Greek style yoghurt ( I used feta cheese)
• 1 tsp nigella seeds (I didn't have any so used cardamom seeds)
• handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

Method:

• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and simmer for 8 minutes until just soft. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile heat half the oil in a large, heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in the cauliflower, garlic, chilli and ginger. Cook for 1 minute and then add the ground cumin and turmeric. Fry for 2 minutes, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5-6 minutes (or longer) until soft.
• Remove the lid and stir in the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes. Bubble over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes (I found it took longer) until thickened. Stir in the stock and half the cooked potatoes. Remove from the heat and blitz with a stick blender until smooth (or you could use a food processor). Stir through the yoghurt and return to the pan on a low heat. Season.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a small frying pain over a high heat. Add the reserved potatoes and fry for 4-6 minutes turning frequently, until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. 
• Serve the soup on bowls, scattered with the potatoes and topped with the nigella seeds and coriander.

Warming Winter Sausage and Apple Bake

This recipe was one that my grandparents made and has never been written down. I haven't cooked it in years and when I made it today I wondered why it had been so long. I was given a glut of home grown cooking apples and thought of as many ways to use them as I could.

The quantities are variable and feel free to adjust them to suit you.

Ingredients: 

• 1 pack of sausage meat
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 1-2 cooking apples, peeled and sliced
• Enough potatoes to mash and cover your baking dish (I'm not good on weights)

Method:

• Cut the potatoes and cook until tender, then season and mash. Meanwhile:
• Press half the pack of sausage meat onto the base of a casserole dish or baking dish.
• Spread the sliced onion evenly across the sausage meat to cover the dish.
• Dot the remaining sausage meat over the onions.
• Arrange the sliced apples over the mixture to completely cover the meat and onions. Top with the mashed potato, place in the oven and cook 35 minutes until golden.

Serve with whatever accompaniment you fancy. We had stir fried cabbage and carrots but baked beans would also go well.

It might not look the most attractive meal but it's a tasty supper which is perfect for an Autumn evening

Best Christmas Pudding Ever

I spent most of my life never venturing into the world of puddings. I must admit that I've never really liked Christmas pudding. In my view it was dark and bitter and had none of the enjoyment I've experienced in a Christmas cake. And then I had a revelation when we visited Australia over Christmas and their pudding was a whole different ball game. It was light and delightful (although I wasn't so keen on it being served with cold custard). And so began the mission to find the right recipe.

I have made Christmas cakes since my 20s but some-how I thought puddings were too complicated.  How wrong I was!  My first attempt I scoured the internet for lots of different recipes. I followed recipes by both Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater. This involved a lot of pudding eating to make a final decision. The first year I made them we enjoyed both but by the following year we had forgotten which we preferred. Then followed more pudding tasting. I made both in various sizes and then we cooked portions of both and tasted together to compare. The third year I decided to mix and match the best of both and create my own. 

This year I have also increased the mixture size so that I can create more loveliness to last me through the year. My recipe is predominantly inspired by Jamie Oliver but has a distinct ginger twist. His recipe is intended to fill one large 1.5 litre pudding bowl and I prefer a selection of smaller ones. Therefore instead of one large pudding I have increased the ingredients by half again and made three puddings. The saying goes that a dog is not just for Christmas and I believe the same applies to puddings!

• Ingredients:
• 250g raisins
• 250g sultanas (possibly add more if you feel it's not dense enough)
• 80g cherries
• 100g apricots
• 100g cranberries
•  160g dates
•  100g finely chopped crystalised ginger
• 180g plain four
• 150g fresh bread crumbs
• 185g suet ( used whole 200g pack)1
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 80g macadamia nuts (or mix with almonds)
• 2 eggs
•  200ml milk (or adjust according to texture)
•  Zest of one orange
• 1-2 tsp ground ginger (add whatever spices tickle your fancy)
•  Pinch of salt
• 140ml ish of alcohol (your favourite liqueur, mine is amaretto)

Method:

·         I like to soak all the fruit overnight with the alcohol … don’t worry if you leave it longer. Chop the dates and apricots. I also like to cut the cherries so there are more pieces in each mouthful.

·         Start by greasing your pudding basin with a knob of butter. I found that these quantities made three 2-pint puddings with basin filled ¾ full; or one 2pt basin and two 1pt basins filled to brim.

·         In a bowl beat the egg and milk together and put aside.

·         In a large bowl mix all the other ingredients together. Pour the egg and milk mixture into this bowl and stir or mix with your hands until everything is combined.

·         Spoon this mixture into the greased bowls and cover with a layer of buttered greaseproof paper. If steaming without specific designed lids add a double layer of foil and secure these layers around the rim of the bowl using a piece of string. I use purpose made basins with lids.

·         Place the bowl (s) in a large saucepan and pour cold water into the pan until it comes halfway up the side of the bowl. Bring the water to the bowl, then cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 hours. If using a small bowl adjust cooking time.

I use an electric steamer and can fit more than one bowl in at a time. Ensure the pan does not boil dry and top up as indicated. 

·         If storing puddings, reheat for further 2-3 hours before serving. Remove greaseproof paper and turn out. Enjoy with your favourite accompaniment … brandy butter is Jamie’s recommended indulgence; my husband likes brandy sauce and I like custard. Even ice-cream is good but it needs to be a good Madagascan vanilla.

Oat and Raisin Cookies

I had never made cookies before discovering this recipe and now they are a regular feature in our cake tin. They are simple to make and have been a great success at every event I have taken them to. Although the recipe says to use raisins I often use sultanas as they seem a better size to go in a cookie. I also love ginger and thought how I could adapt the recipe. My friends seem to like the ginger best but it's an easy variation. Once the basics are mastered you can try out any combination of favourite flavours. I'm now thinking about Christmas and maybe cranberry and white chocolate would work; or even orange and dark chocolate ... let me know what you try!

Ingredients:

• 100g SR flour
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 100g butter
• 100g oats
• 1 egg
• 50g raisins (or chopped crystalised ginger)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or 2 tsp ground ginger)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180*C / 160*C

Mix the four and cinnamon together in a bowl. 

Cream the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and beat until smooth.

Add the flour and mix well.

Stir in the oats and raisins to make a stiff dough.

Put the dough onto parchment paper, shape into 20cm / 8" cylinder wrap and chill until firm (I have made in advance and left chilled for 24hrs until I'm ready to bake). Lightly grease 2 baking trays.

Cut dough into 7-8mm / 1/4" thick slices and place on greased baking trays, maintaining round shape.

Bake for 18-20 mins.

Cool on baking tray for 3 minutes before lifting onto wire rack to finish cooling.

Allow to cool if you can before tucking in ... be warned, they are very moreish!