Leftover Roast Dinner Soup (v)

This is a cinch to make and tastes lovely. All you need to do is make extra of the veggies and potatoes, lob them into a pan with some stock and blitz. See, told you it was easy.

For 4 or so portions you need:
Leftover veggies (I used roast spuds, cauli, broccoli and carrots)
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp oil
1 litre vegetable stock

Begin by sauteeing the onion in the oil for about 5 mins. Then add the veggies and stock. Bring to the boil, cook out for 2-3 mins to heat everything through, then blitz to a smooth puree with a stick blender. Add some more stock/soya milk if it's too thick. Serve with nutritional yeast. Feel frugal.

Proper English Trifle

Proper as in it has custard and cream and jelly and cake and fruit and sherry. Lots and lots of sherry :)

For 10-12 portions you need:
1 pack trifle sponges (or left over cake, or sliced up swiss roll)
1 pack veggie jelly crystals
2 cans fruit (I used black currants and raspberries)
1 carton custard
1 large pot double cream
handful flaked almonds
4 tbsp sherry

Begin by placing the trifle sponges in the bottom of a glass bowl and pouring over the drained fruit (reserve a little of the juice) and the sherry. Make up the jelly and pour over the fruit and sherry soaked sponges. Leave to set. Once set, add the custard layer. Whip the cream to soft peaks and layer on to the custard. Top with flaked almonds and play Rule Britannia...

Redcurrant Jelly

I have never made jelly before. Well, not the type you bottle and keep that is. I have a jelly bag, purchased some time ago and then lost in the loft! But the decluttering for the move found it, and our red currant bushes have gone into overdrive this year so we attempted our first ever batch of red currant jelly a la River Cottage.

For 2 (yes TWO!!) small jars you need:
800g redcurrants
400ml water

Pick over the redcurrants and wash them. Place in a pan with the water and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for about 45 mins till the juices have run out and then strain through a jelly bag for about 3-4 hours. Reboil the currants with another 400ml water and repeat the straining.

For every 600ml juice, add 450g preserving sugar. Place the strained juice in a preserving pan and bring to the boil. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Once it's all dissolved boil RAPIDLY for about 8 mins and then pour into sterilised jars. Weep that you only managed to get 2 and a bit jars worth of jelly from all that effort...