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Tasty Treats for May

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BEEF ENCHALADAS

Ingredients

  • 500g minced beef

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 400g chopped tomatoes

  • 3 tbsp tomato purée

  • ½ tsp dried oregano

  • ½ tsp ground cumin

  • 1 red chilli

  • 8 flour tortillas

  • 50g Cheddar, grated

  • 1 jalapeño pepper in brine, sliced, plus extra to serve

  • guacamole, to serve

Method

  1. Dry-fry the minced beef and onion in a medium pan for about 5 minutes until browned. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, cumin, and season.

  2. Slice and deseed the chilli. Reserve a few slices for garnish, then finely chop the remainder and add to the minced beef. Bring the pan to the boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

  3. Spread a little mince in the centre of each tortilla, roll up and place in a baking dish. Top with the grated cheese, chilli and jalapeño peppers and bake for 10 minutes until golden. Serve with extra jalapeños and guacamole.

RFO-1400x919-MushroomSoup-53f74338-aa39-

EASY MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 750g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 500ml vegetable stock

  • 100ml milk

  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until starting to soften. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to high and cook for 10 mins until tender and golden, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Remove a large spoonful of the mushrooms and set aside on a plate as garnish.

  2. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth using a stick blender.

  3. Return the soup to the saucepan, add the milk and heat through. Add more water or stock if your soup is very thick. Season to taste and serve in bowls garnished with the reserved mushrooms, a sprinkling of parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. 

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SAUSAGE AND CIDER STEW

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 12 British free-range or organic pork sausages

  • 1 large onion, sliced

  • 2 leeks, sliced

  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 500ml dry cider

  • 250ml chicken stock

  • 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

  • 200g young leaf spinach

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, lidded flameproof casserole or heavy based pan over a medium-high heat. Add the sausages and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning every few minutes, until browned. Transfer
    to a plate and set aside.

  2. Add the remaining oil to the pan with the onion and leeks. Stir in a pinch of salt and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelise.

  3. Add the garlic, cook for another minute, then pour in the cider. Bubble for 2-3 minutes over a high heat, then add the stock to the pan along with the sausages. Bring everything up to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce is rich and thickened.

  4. Stir in the mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Add the spinach and cover with a lid for 2-3 minutes until wilted, then stir it in. Serve two-thirds of the casserole with mash, rice or crusty bread.

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Cream Buns, a Scottish Favourite

Ingredients

  • 1 egg, slightly beaten

  • 2 tsp dry yeast

  • 1/3 cup (2.5 oz) + 1/2 tsp sugar, divided

  • 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) warm milk

  • 1/3 cup (2.5 oz) butter, melted (weigh first, then melt)

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) lukewarm water

  • 4 cups (20 oz) all purpose or bread flour, or more if needed

Glaze

  • 1 oz sugar

  • 1 oz water

.

  • Powdered/confectioner's sugar

  • Freshly whipped cream (unsweetened)

Instructions

  1. In bread machine or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Allow to rest for a few minutes, until the yeast begins to grow.

  2. Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture.

  3. Add the flour, 1/3 cup (2.5 oz) of sugar and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix by hand if you aren't using a machine.

  4. Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting; with stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.

  5. After it's risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut small pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or Silpat sheet.) I weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, but it's really uneccessary unless you are a Type A personality, like me. :) Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don't get a hard crust.)

  6. Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven. Preheat the oven to 350º F (175ºC) then cook the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. While they are baking, prepare the glaze a few minutes before the buns are ready by combining equal amounts (I just did 1 oz each) of sugar and water in a tiny pot (if you have one) and cook just until it starts to boil-remove from heat. Brush the buns with the glaze while they are still hot. Place on a cooling rack after glazing.

  7. When cool, cut bun almost all the way through at an angle (see photo below), fill with whipped cream and dust with confectioner's sugar.

RFO-1400x919-BlueberryCake-mini-b3b8f97b

Blueberry, lemon and thyme poke cake recipe

Ingredients

  • 200g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

  • 200g caster sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 200g self-raising flour

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced

  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves

  • 50g ground almonds

  • 75g Greek-style natural yogurt

For the blueberry compote

  • 250g blueberries

  • 1 lemon, juiced

  • 1 tbsp caster sugar

  • 2 tsp corn flour

For the icing

100g unsalted butter

2 tbsp maple syrup

200g icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin with non-stick baking paper.

  2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, until soft and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, along with 1 tbsp flour per egg, beating well between each addition. Fold in the remaining flour and the baking powder. Stir through the lemon zest and juice, thyme leaves, almonds and yogurt. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for 60-75 mins, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, make the compote. Put all the ingredients, except the cornflour, into a pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly covered, and cook for 4 mins. Mix a little water with the cornflour, then whisk into the compote, and continue to cook for 2 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

  4. Poke holes into the cake while it’s still warm and in the tin, using the handle of a wooden spoon to go three-quarters of the way down into the sponge. Pour two-thirds of the compote over the top, making sure it goes into all the holes. Cool in the tin for a further 1 hr, then remove and allow to cool completely.

  5. Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter until softened, then add in the icing sugar and whisk until smooth and thick. Stir in the maple syrup. Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with the remaining compote.

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