vegetarian

Blackberry and Apple Almond Crumble

Blackberry and Apple Crumble on table with purple blackberry juices running down side of serving dish

Blackberry and Apple Almond Crumble is surely one of the best puddings going!   Early in the season when the blackberries are at their plumpest is the time to pick, cook, pickle, freeze as many as you can.   These are the heady days of foraging and harvesting from the garden when you just want to make the most of everything and prepare for the colder and leaner months ahead.    But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a treat and to miss out now – and this comforting, homely crumble is just that, taken to a whole new level with the addition of almonds to the crumble.
Continue reading →

Garden Sauce

We call this “Garden Sauce” because we use it to accompany so much of our food from the veggie garden.   Here you see it with glorious artichokes   It also goes well with asparagus, sprouting broccoli, courgettes, green beans etc.    Its made with boiled eggs and lots of herbs and is kind of a riff on the classic Sauce Gribeche     I usually replace the anchovies with olives to make it vegetarian but it tastes good with either and with both too!

Continue reading →

Little Almond Biscuits

I do love a biscuit and these tick all the boxes for me.  If you made the Blackcurrant Fro-Yo they are a perfect accompaniment to that or any other ice-cream for that matter, great with a raspberries or strawberries, stewed plums or damsons, or just with a cuppa. You can’t go wrong.

How would I describe these biscuits?  Buttery and crisp, crumbly and almond-y.  They are just perfect and keep well in the tin if they get a chance!   As easy to make as they are to eat!!
Continue reading →

Blackcurrant Fro-Yo

So you’ve got blackcurrants in the freezer, you’ve made blackcurrant jam (yum) and you have started to make cassis,  but there are still blackcurrants on the bushes in the garden only now they are beginning to fall off because it’s late in the season and there has been loads of rain!  HELP!

Well that’s my story anyway and that’s why I made this fro-yo inspired pud  You need an icecream maker and a blender or food processor but the payoff if it’s a ONE (everything blitzed in blender) TWO (chuck in icecream maker to churn) THREE (transfer to freezer) type of recipe.  I was going to say “easy pleased, lemon squeezy” but no lemons are involved.

Continue reading →

Quick Homemade Lemonade

As the temperatures rise you really can’t beat a jug of cold, homemade lemonade in the garden.  As children one of our greatest treats on hot summer days was to be allowed to sit on the swing seat with its shady canopy, and drink this cold lemonade.  Nowadays I always picture southern belles (???) in elegant long white summer dresses on a veranda offering their guests a glass of this from a jug that is frosted cold and has slices of lemon and ice cubes in it.   I can almost hear the ice chinking as it is being poured.   Delicious.  Refreshing.
 Continue reading →

Asparagus Tart

This recipe is a bit of a cheat. It uses 6 ingredients – if you don’t count salt and pepper – is incredibly easy and I think looks quite impressive.   Also, from my point of view, it uses, and showcases, asparagus and when you’ve got a glut of it growing in the garden you need ideas as to how to use it!  Do be warned a big fat bunch of asparagus recipes will be coming your way.  You can scale this up or down quite easily.  Just bake more or less.  I like it in two person sized tarts aesthetically, and so that’s the recipe I’ve given here,  but it’s up to you. Continue reading →

Parmesan and Herb Shortbread Nibbles

Every so often it is good to look at a loved recipe with new eyes and adapt it to suit you.   I had been looking at a clump of lovage that was growing happily away in my garden and wondering what I could do with it.   You may feel the same about those chives, parsley, dill, fennel etc you have in your fridge or growing in your garden.  All would work in this recipe.

I decided to try lovage in these light, cheesy, herby, buttery little biscuits that are ever so moor-ish and perfect with a glass of wine or whatever before you eat your meal.   I often serve them with radishes dipped in butter and salt and marinated olives (the list is endless) and don’t bother with a starter, but the truth is I could eat them at anytime and, because you keep the dough rolled and in the fridge ready for slicing and baking, I often do!  Continue reading →

Sourdough

With COVID-19 still imposing restrictions on movement, many people have had the time to try new things.   Sourdough seems to be having a moment with lots of you making (or getting hold of) a starter.  As someone who has been making sourdough for more years than I care to remember,  I have been asked by a few people just how to keep a starter going once past the initial week of growing it.

Despite the rumours, sourdough is not difficult.   When you are used to it it fits around you.   It is a different process from other bread and I think that is why people are a bit confused. Continue reading →

Rhubarb and Raspberry Crumble with Oats and Hazelnuts

Another crumble recipe? Really?  Well, yes!    I just couldn’t resist the wonderful combination of the first of the forced pink rhubarb and some of the last of the frozen autumn raspberries.  That and a topping of an oaty and nutty biscuity crumble, well, who could resist?
I am a recent convert to crumble as too often I find the topping a bit too claggy and the fruit underneath sparse.

With a husband who simply loves crumble it took years for me to get the balance right so we could both enjoy what seems like the quintessential classic British pudding.
What’s more this is an adaptable recipe.  It can be vegan by using a butter replacement (I used the vegan flora) and there are such good vegan cream/custard/icecream available that no one need miss out.  If you have someone who has a nut allergy up the flour and oats to replace that 100g of hazelnuts or add some mixed seeds instead.  Gluten free flour can be easily substituted for those with an intolerance or coeliac.  Everyone gets a look in.

Cut rhubarb

Continue reading →

1 2 … 6
Blog at WordPress.com.
%d bloggers like this: