Culinary Recipes

There are just a small number of recipes at the moment, but I am sure that everybody could contribute one recipe that is popular with them. They are listed in alphabetic order.

(Frozen) Blackberry & Cinnamon Cake

Contributed by Janet King.

125ml sunflower oil
175g plain flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
200g frozen blackberries
125g demerara sugar
zest and juice of a lemon
125ml greek-style or low-fat plain yoghurt
3 medium eggs

Grease and line a square tin (approximately 7") with greaseproof paper.  The oven needs pre-heating to 170C (or 150C, fan-assisted).

Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Mix, add the frozen blackberries, and stir for a good coating.  Whisk together all the other ingredients in a separate bowl, and then pour into the first bowl, mixing well (it looks a little sloppy but that's ok).  Spoon into prepared tin and bake for about 50 minutes (it may be a bit more or less, as it depends on the oven – just do the usual cake test with a knife until it comes out clean).  When cooked, leave in the tin for approximately 10 minutes before turning it out.

This cake freezes extremely well, but you should leave plenty of time for it to defrost, as the blackberries take longer than the rest of the cake.

Carrot and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Contributed by Chris Parnell.

4oz (100g) butter
8oz (225g) onion, finely chopped
1 lb (450g) Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and chopped    ) these should be basically
1 lb (450g) carrots, topped, tailed and scrubbed                ) the same size
¼ pint (150ml) cooking sherry (optional but preferable)
1.5-2 pints (850ml -1 litre) good stock

In a large (9-pint) saucepan, melt the butter. Add the finely chopped onions and cook until golden. Then add the vegetables. With the vegetables, pour in the sherry (essential when entertaining!). [Add any additional individual flavourings at this time.] Take a double thickness of dampened greaseproof paper and press this down on top of the vegetables and simmer over a low to medium heat on top of the stove for about 35-40 minutes (checking occasionally that they are not burning or drying out). Liquidise in suitable amounts. Sieve the soup. Season as required when reheating to serve.  Can be frozen.

Dinde au Rêve* (or Dream Turkey )

Contributed by Joan Brightwell.

For 2:

A spaghetti marrow ( Tivoli is good), or marrow rings would do.
200g diced turkey (or chicken, bacon, or any sort of mince)
A small onion chopped
Some diced sweet pepper
A few mushrooms sliced
Garlic
Favourite herbs (tarragon is nice)
2 tsps cornflour
Milk to thicken
Grated cheese.

Method:

1. Cut marrow in half, remove seeds, and steam until tender. Drain, skin side up,  in a colander
   
2. Meanwhile sauté meat, onion and pepper in butter or olive oil. When tender add mush, garlic, herbs, seasoning and sauté a minute or two more. Mix cornflour in a glass with a little milk until creamy, pour into mixture, heat slowly stirring, add more milk a little at a time as it thickens until whole is thick boiling consistency (i.e. not runny).
   
3. Put marrow halves on a baking dish, pat flesh with kitchen paper to remove any excess water, and fill void generously with mixture but not overflowing sides. Sprinkle cheese over and bake for 30mins at 160c. Finish with a quick grilling if cheese is not browned, and serve whole.
   
4. Serve any unused sauce with pasta or rice on the side.

(*When cooked for daughter’s French exchange friend, she said we “cook like a dream”!)

Variations: other sauces such as Bolognese can be used to fill spaghetti marrow halves, topped with cheese and baked in the oven. Voila – a complete meal in a boat!

Contributed by Janet King.

1½ lbs gooseberries
1 pint thick custard; or 1 pint double cream; or ½ pint thick custard and ½ pint double cream
1 dessertspoon of runny honey or sugar if required according to taste and sweetness of fruit

There are two methods depending on whether you like smooth or slightly lumpy fool.

Smooth:

Top and tail the fruit.
Cook the gooseberries in 1 tbsp water until the fruit is soft.
Sieve the fruit.
Allow to cool and then blend with the custard and/or cream.
Depending on taste sweeten with honey / sugar.
Chill and serve (approx. 4 generous helpings).

Lumpy:

Top and tail the fruit.
Cook the gooseberries in 1 tbsp water until the fruit is soft.
Puree in a blender.
Allow to cool and then blend with the custard and/or cream.
Depending on taste sweeten with honey / sugar.
Chill and serve (approx. 4 generous helpings).

Green Bean Timbales

Contributed by Joan Brightwell.

You can use fresh runner or French beans, or this is a good use of frozen ones when they are past their best and need using up!

For 2:

8oz green beans, trimmed                       1 large egg
2 shallots chopped                                 50ml thick cream or crème fraîche
25g butter                                            grated nutmeg to taste, s & p.

Method:

Cook the beans for 6 minutes, drain and chop coarsely.

Saute the shallots gently in a frying pan until softened, then add the beans for 2 minutes.

Puree the mixture in a food processor, with the cream, nutmeg and seasoning. With the motor running add the egg and stop.

Divide the mixture between 2 buttered timbale moulds (any container pudding basin or ramekin shaped) and cover with pieces of foil.

Place the moulds in a deep baking/roasting dish and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the moulds and bake in a preheated 160C oven for 25-30 minutes.

Remove moulds from the water, let them stand for 5 minutes and invert onto a serving platter.

Jerusalem Artichokes Fried with Bacon, Onion and Garlic

Contributed by Chris Parnell.

For 6 people:

1 tablespoon oil
4oz (100g) bacon, derinded and diced
4oz (100g) onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
12oz (350g) Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and diced

Bring the oil to smoking point in the frying pan and add the finely diced bacon and onion along with the crushed garlic.

Cook for 4 minutes until slightly golden and the flavours have blended.

Add the Jerusalem Artichokes and stir-fry for:

8 minutes - crisp
10 minutes - firm
12 minutes – soft.

Minty Broad Beans with Lemon

Contributed by Lisa Offord

Contributed by Pat Bond.

Pastry:           6 oz plain flour
                   1 oz icing sugar
                   3 oz butter
                   pinch of salt
                   cold water to mix

Make up the pastry in the usual way and chill for a little while

Filling:            1 lb Rhubarb
                   6 oz sugar
                   1 beaten egg
                   1 lemon – grated rind + 2 tablespoons juice
                   1 tablespoon cornflour

Line an 8" tart tin with the pastry, reserving some for the lattice top.

Wipe the rhubarb and cut into 1" lengths.  Arrange the pieces in the pastry case cut side up.

Blend together the cornflour, sugar, lemon rind and the beaten egg.  Add the lemon juice and sufficient water to make the liquid up to ¼ pint.

Heat the mixture in a saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon and bring to the boil.

Pour the sauce over the rhubarb and cover with a lattice work of strips of pastry.

Bake the tart in a hot oven Gas 7 - 425°F - 220°C for about 40 minutes.

Serve warm with cream.

Rhubarb & Orange Cake

Contributed by Helen Knight (from a Waitrose recipe).

400g Rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
200g golden caster sugar
150g butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
75g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds
Grated zest of a small orange plus 2tbsp of juice
25g flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 190C (gas mark 5). Grease a round 23cm springform cake tin and line its base with baking parchment. Place the rhubarb in a bowl, and cover with 50g of the sugar. Leave for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the cake.

With an electric whisk, beat together the remainder of the sugar and the butter, and then whisk in the eggs. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds, and then stir in the orange zest and juice.

Stir the rhubarb and its sugary juices into the cake mixture and then spoon it into the prepared tin. Place on a baking tray, sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180C (gas mark 4) and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until firm. Allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

Serve hot or cold with softly whipped cream or custard.

Salad or Juice-a-Tonic

Contributed by Linda Mayne.

This recipe is from a book “Healing Foods” by Miriam Polunin.

2 medium raw beetroot peeled & grated
3 medium carrots peeled & grated
2 apples grated
½ cucumber sliced thinly
2 tbls parsley chopped
1tbl mint chopped
Grated zest of 1 large orange

Combine the above in a salad bowl and serve.

Top with the ingredients below if wish or juice to drink immediately.

1 tsp runny honey, walnut oil, soy sauce (all optional)
½ tsp pepper                                              
2 tbls toasted walnuts chopped.  

(Easy) Strawberry and Raspberry Dessert (ideal for using up less than perfect fruits)