I've never made sausage rolls before, I'd always thought they would be tricky and fiddly. These ones aren't however, but they are divine. St Delia comes up trumps as per usual!
The original recipe can be found on St Delia's site.
But in case it gets moved you need:
1 block ready made puff pastry
275g fresh breadcrumbs
225g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
1 large onion, grated
3 tablespoons double cream
1 level tablespoon fresh chopped herbs (chives, parsley, thyme, etc)
1½ level teaspoons mustard powder
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Make up the filling by mixing everything aside from the pastry together. Add some more cream if it doesn't bind well enough. Roll out the pastry then decide if you want dainty or chunder rolls. Place the filling in the middle of the pastry strips, brush beaten egg round the sides, roll over and then cut into slices. Brush with egg glaze and the snip the tops a couple of times. Bake in a hot oven for about 25 mins.
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Florentines
I absolutely adore the Florentines that Betty's sells. OMG they are seriously divine, but seriously expensive! So when I found a recipe for florentines in Good Food this month I thought I'd give them a go. I couldn't believe how easy they were, or how good they taste.
The original recipe can be found on the BBC Good Food website but in case they remove it it's below too...
You need
* 140g light muscovado sugar
* 100g clear honey
* 200g salted butter
* 100g desiccated coconut
* 140g flaked almonds
* 300g glacé cherries , sliced
* 4 tbsp plain flour
* 250g dark, milk or white chocolate , or a mix
Melt the sugar, honey and butter in a pan. Meanwhile slice the cherries. Once the butter mix has melted, add everything other than the chocolate to it and then pour into a lined tin (30x40cms) and bake at 180 for 12 mins (it needs to be golden and bubbly all over). Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Whilst it's cooling melt the chocolate. Turn the cooked and cooled florentines on to a board lined with more baking paper and then spread the melted chocolate on the back. Leave to set. Then cut into shapes and scoff. Then go to the gym. Lots.
Next time I make them I will omit the coconut I think and add some peel to make them more like Bettys ones. But these are pretty good!
Thai Tofu 'fish'cakes
Ever since I saw the F Word a few weeks ago where two Thai restaurants took each other on I have been craving thai fish cakes. This is somewhat of a problem given that I don't really eat fish anymore... So I invented these. They're nothing like real Thai fishcakes of course but they hit the spot and even better everyone ate them. They're nice hot and cold.
For about 12 patties you need:
1 packet firm tofu
2 stalks lemongrass
4 fat cloves garlic
1 egg
about a cup of fresh breadcrumbs (depends on how sloppy the mix is)
1 fat chilli
2 inch piece of ginger
2 large handfuls fresh corriander
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp mirin
Lob everything into a food processor and blitz till mushy. Don't over process or it'll go too sloppy. Once it's done, place in the fridge for a bit to firm up. After at least 15 mins, heat some oil in a frying pan and then form patties about the size of an egg. Put these in the oil and lightly fry until crispy and golden brown. Turn over half way through cooking. Serve with a corriander salad and sweet chilli sauce/soya sauce to dip.
For about 12 patties you need:
1 packet firm tofu
2 stalks lemongrass
4 fat cloves garlic
1 egg
about a cup of fresh breadcrumbs (depends on how sloppy the mix is)
1 fat chilli
2 inch piece of ginger
2 large handfuls fresh corriander
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp mirin
Lob everything into a food processor and blitz till mushy. Don't over process or it'll go too sloppy. Once it's done, place in the fridge for a bit to firm up. After at least 15 mins, heat some oil in a frying pan and then form patties about the size of an egg. Put these in the oil and lightly fry until crispy and golden brown. Turn over half way through cooking. Serve with a corriander salad and sweet chilli sauce/soya sauce to dip.
Friday, 11 December 2009
Vegan Club
Created this today so I could use up some avocados and also enjoy some more yummy chilli jam.
Take 3 thin slices of bread, and lightly toast them.
On the bottom one spread a generous dollop of chilli jam and then top with half an avocado cut into thin slices. Top this with a large handful of alfafa sprouts.
Place a 2nd piece of bread on the top of this and spread with vegan mayo. Add sliced tomatoes, and then hot vegan bacon. Top with the third slice of bread, cut in half and scoff. Want another one now...
Take 3 thin slices of bread, and lightly toast them.
On the bottom one spread a generous dollop of chilli jam and then top with half an avocado cut into thin slices. Top this with a large handful of alfafa sprouts.
Place a 2nd piece of bread on the top of this and spread with vegan mayo. Add sliced tomatoes, and then hot vegan bacon. Top with the third slice of bread, cut in half and scoff. Want another one now...
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Minestrone Soup
Or Mr. Strone as we know it (gro-o-o-an). My better half doesn't really like this so I didn't make it yesterday when I was trying to use up the last of the veg box. However the new veg box came today full of perfect ingredients for this recipe and he's out so L and I tucked in.
I used:
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 large leaves of calvero nero, cores removed and roughly shredded
1/2 large red pepper, roughly chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 can toms
1 can butter beans
about 1 litre of stock
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
handful fresh basil, roughly shredded
2 large handfuls soup pasta
Start by sweating the onions in some olive oil. Then add the carrots and garlic and continue to sweat with the lid on over a gentle heat for about 10 mins. Then add everything apart from the basil and mushrooms. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 mins or so until the pasta is done. About 3 mins before the pasta is cooked add the mushrooms. When it's ready, stir through the basil and serve in large bowls with lots of crusty bread. It's nice to add a generous shaving of fresh Parmesan over the top too. Perfect winter central heating!
I used:
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 large leaves of calvero nero, cores removed and roughly shredded
1/2 large red pepper, roughly chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 can toms
1 can butter beans
about 1 litre of stock
1/2 tsp of sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
handful fresh basil, roughly shredded
2 large handfuls soup pasta
Start by sweating the onions in some olive oil. Then add the carrots and garlic and continue to sweat with the lid on over a gentle heat for about 10 mins. Then add everything apart from the basil and mushrooms. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 mins or so until the pasta is done. About 3 mins before the pasta is cooked add the mushrooms. When it's ready, stir through the basil and serve in large bowls with lots of crusty bread. It's nice to add a generous shaving of fresh Parmesan over the top too. Perfect winter central heating!
Chestnut Roast
I adore nut roast and think it should be obligatory for veggies to have one at Xmas. None of that soggy filo pastry and goats cheese nonsense for me! A roast is all about a roast. And a good nutty one at that. This recipe is from my mum and it's delicious :) Amounts are loose as it depends on what you like in terms of balance.
You need:
6oz dried chestnuts, soaked overnight and cooked for 30 mins (am not sure on equiv amounts for vacuum packed ones, but I'd guess about 3-4 tins/packs)
8oz breadcrumbs
250g mushrooms, chopped small and sauteed in butter
1 onion, chopped small and sauteed with the mushrooms
Lob everything into a food processor and blitz roughly along with dried herbs, 1tbsp tom puree, a couple of cloves of garlic some stock powder and an egg.
Pop into a lined loaf tin and bake for about an hour at 180 degrees. Can be made up to 3 days before hand and kept in the fridge. Also works as a nice stuffing for meat eaters. If you're vegan then ditch the egg and maybe add some stock/wine/water to get it to the right consistency.
Yum yum.
You need:
6oz dried chestnuts, soaked overnight and cooked for 30 mins (am not sure on equiv amounts for vacuum packed ones, but I'd guess about 3-4 tins/packs)
8oz breadcrumbs
250g mushrooms, chopped small and sauteed in butter
1 onion, chopped small and sauteed with the mushrooms
Lob everything into a food processor and blitz roughly along with dried herbs, 1tbsp tom puree, a couple of cloves of garlic some stock powder and an egg.
Pop into a lined loaf tin and bake for about an hour at 180 degrees. Can be made up to 3 days before hand and kept in the fridge. Also works as a nice stuffing for meat eaters. If you're vegan then ditch the egg and maybe add some stock/wine/water to get it to the right consistency.
Yum yum.
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Pancakes I didn't make today
But I have done in the past! Blogging this to avoid a repeat of this morning: flicking through umpteen magazines trying to find a recipe and then giving up!!
Oaty Hotcakes (Bill Granger)
You need:
* 185g plain flour
* 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
* 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
* pinches freshly grated Nutmeg, (optional)
* pinch sea salt
* 1 tbsp caster sugar
* 25g oats
* 375ml Buttermilk
* 1 medium Egg
* 35g Butter, plus extra for greasing
Mix all together and then pour, a ladle at a time on to a hot griddle pan or frying pan. Cook till bubbles appear on one side (about 30-60 secs) then flip over for another 30 secs or so. Serve with maple syrup. Yummy.
Oaty Hotcakes (Bill Granger)
You need:
* 185g plain flour
* 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
* 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
* pinches freshly grated Nutmeg, (optional)
* pinch sea salt
* 1 tbsp caster sugar
* 25g oats
* 375ml Buttermilk
* 1 medium Egg
* 35g Butter, plus extra for greasing
Mix all together and then pour, a ladle at a time on to a hot griddle pan or frying pan. Cook till bubbles appear on one side (about 30-60 secs) then flip over for another 30 secs or so. Serve with maple syrup. Yummy.
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