Bara Brith

 Very nice with butter

Ingredients

·         400 g Dried Mixed Fruit

·         300 ml Hot Tea

·         100 g Soft Dark Brown Sugar

·         2 tsp Mixed Spice

·         1 tbsp Black Treacle

·         250 g Self-raising Flour

·         1 Free-range Egg (beaten)

Instructions

1.             In a large bowl, place your dried mixed fruit, hot tea and sugar. Once the tea cools, cover and leave the fruit to soak up the tea and sugar over night.

2.             The next day, pre-heat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan assisted ovens or Gas Mark 4). Line a 2lb loaf tin with grease proof paper and set aside.

3.             Sift the flour and mixed spice into the bowl of soaked mixed fruit. Add the [beaten] egg, treacle and mix everything together until well combined.

4.             Pour the mixture into your lined loaf tin, spreading to the corners. Bake in your pre-heated oven for about 50 minutes - 1 hour, until dry on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5.             Once cool, remove from the tin but keep the greaseproof paper lining on. Bara Brith is best enjoyed after a couple of days kept in an air tight container, sliced with a spread of butter/margarine.

 

Salmon Chowder

 A nice change for eating salmon (serves 2)

unsalted butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 corn on  the cob (cooked and shredded)

1 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes (about 400 g) (14 oz)

1 litres fish stock

1 salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1-inch cubes

double cream (heavy cream)

Tbsp dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and saute the onion for 7-8 minutes over medium heat until it softens.

Add the carrot and potatoes to the pot, then cover them with the fish stock. Continue to cook for 10 minutes until the potatoes are almost fork-tender.

Add the corn, salmon chunks and double cream to the pot and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through.

Stir in the dill and simmer for another minute.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

 Very tasty - I made half this amount for 2 servings

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion chopped

2 lbs. cremini or white button mushrooms sliced (save a few for later)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill

1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika

3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium

1 cup milk (preferably whole milk at room temperature

sour cream for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Melt the butter in a Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are soft and the mushrooms are browned.

Reduce the heat to low.  Add the dill and paprika cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.

Slowly stir in the vegetable broth and soy sauce. Simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the milk. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Whizz to a smooth consistency.

Add in some chopped mushrooms and reheat for 5 minutes.

Serve promptly garnished with chopped fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

Smoked haddock dauphinoise

 A very tasty dish, this amount serves 2

2 Baking potatoes, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible

200ml double cream / Milk

1 tsp thyme leaves

Spinach

1/2 chopped onion

15g parmesan, finely grated

2 skinless smoked haddock, cut into thin pieces

small knob of butter, for the dish

 

STEP 1

Put the potatoes and onion in a pan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Drain well. Tip the potatoes back into the pan and pour over the cream/milk, then add the thyme, spinach, parmesan and the haddock. Season and gently mix everything together.

STEP 2

Butter a medium-sized gratin dish, then tip in the potato mixture. Scatter with more parmesan or cheddar.

STEP 3

Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden and bubbling around the edges.

Kcal    545     carbs  39g