Carrot & coriander soup

This soup turned out very tasty - I added some milk to give a creamy taste instead of the cream

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

450 g carrots, washed and sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

5ml/1 tsp ground coriander

1.2 ltr vegetable stock

3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Squeeze of lemon juice

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.    Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions, carrots and garlic, sauté for 4mins, until they are beginning to soften but not colour. Stir in the ground coriander and plenty of seasoning and cook for one minute.

2.   Add the stock and bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the carrots are really tender. Stir in the fresh coriander.

3.  Whizz the soup with a stick blender or transfer to a food processor. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg to taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Reheat until just hot but not boiling and serve. Garnish with a swirl of cream if liked.

Leek and Potato Soup

Nice soup for entertaining or wintry weather - serves 4

•          50g butter
•          2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
•          1 small onion, cut the same size as the potatoes
•         2 white parts of leeks, sliced (save the green tops for another soup or stock)
•          1½-2pts vegetable stock
•          double cream (optional)
•          125ml full-fat milk

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes, onion and leeks and toss them in the butter until they are well coated. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again. Put a disc of greaseproof paper (called a cartouche by chefs) on top of the vegetables to keep in the steam), then cover the pan with its lid. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850ml/11⁄2 pints of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked – about 5 minutes. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh flavour.

Purée in a blender until silky smooth, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in the milk.

Drizzle the cream over each serving, top with a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once.

Coq Au Vin

Great casserole with mash or boiled potatoes. I added some left-over bacon and frozen peas and boiled the carrots instead of frying.

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 chicken breasts

Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced 

3 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 14-ounce can chicken broth - I use an Oxo

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Place flour in a shallow dish. Cut each chicken breast in 3-4 strips on the diagonal and toss in the flour. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the chicken. Cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan; reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, carrots, onion and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. 

Add broth, wine, tomato paste and the salt and pepper. Stir until the tomato paste is dissolved. Bring to a simmer.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juice to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring once or twice, 20 to 30 minutes. 

Transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Increase the heat under the sauce to medium-high. Add in some thickener and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Serve the chicken with the sauce, sprinkled with parsley.

Serves 4

Italian Apple and Cream Cake

Only had 2 apples to use up and 120 ml of cream so did 2/3 of recipe - probably should have used my small loaf tin not the large one. Did not add the cinnamon. It was cooked in 30 minutes.

·         3 apples

·         270 grams self rising flour

·         3 eggs

·         150 grams sugar

·         200 ml cream

·        lemon juice

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         brown sugar (for sprinkling)

Peel and thinly slice the apples

Cover with lemon juice

Whip the eggs with the sugar

Add cream and cinnamon

Stir the flour into the mixture

Spread mix into a lined cake pan

Lay apples on top and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon

Cook at 180 for 35-40 minutes

Having it with Rum Butterscotch Sauce made as follows:-
2/3 cup cream
5 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Put all ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil; Simmer for 10 minutes;Allow to cool slightly and stir in 2 tbsp of dark rum

Sweet and Sour Mackerel

This should marinate for a minimum of 8 hours but can be up to 48 which does intensify the flavour. I did just for 8 hours today but normally do for 24 - lovely with fresh bread.

4 medium smoked mackerel fillets (peppered is ok)
1 large Spanish onion
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
7 fl oz white vinegar
14 fl oz water
2 bay leaves

Cut fillets into 3-4 diagonal pieces and lay in shallow dish
Top with thinly sliced onion
Sprinkle with brown sugar and tuck in the bay leaves
Mix vinegar and water and pour over fish
Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in cold place

Chocolate Courgette Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

I completely forgot the oil so think my cake may be a little dry although it rose quite well.

230g self-raising flour    

40g cocoa powder           

1 tsp mixed spice

100ml extra-virgin olive oil           

250g golden caster sugar             

2 egg                                                     

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract                         

1 grated courgette (fairly large) grated and squeezed dry

For the Chocolate Butter cream Icing

60 g softened butter

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup whipping cream

100 g white chocolate

For the Ganache

80 g dark chocolate, chopped

40ml double cream

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, mixed spice and 1 tsp salt. In another bowl, combine the olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and grated courgette. Mix the dry and wet mixture until just combined. 

Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper, then pour in your mixture. Bake for about 40-50 mins, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a board and cut in half. 

Melt the white chocolate first and allow to cool. 

Place softened butter in a bowl and sift half the powdered sugar over top. Starting slow, mix until incorporated and then beat until fluffy (about a minute or two). The add the cream and vanilla. At this point you can now stir in the melted, cooled chocolate. Add as much of the other half of icing until a good consistency to spread inside the cake.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a bowl with the cream and microwave on defrost to melt. Stir to mix until completely smooth and melted. Leave the icing to cool slightly and thicken, then spread it over the cake so it’s covered 

Comment after eating: If I do again will leave out mixed spice

Pan Fried Pork with Mushroom and Sherry Sauce

Quite a rich sauce but quite easy to do.

1 pork tenderloin cut into medallions or pork loins

2 -3 tablespoons oil (any vegetable oil is fine)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 -2 garlic clove, minced

salt and fresh black pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoon grainy mustard

3 tbsp crème fraiche

1. Season medallions on one side. Place in pan season side down. Season other side . Brown until golden and turn. When both sides are nice and golden, remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add more oil if needed and onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute until onion is soft and mushrooms are lightly browned.
3. Add sherry, dried thyme and salt and pepper. Cook till sherry is almost evaporated, 2 minutes.
4. Add stock (with cornstarch mixed in), mustard and cream. Bring to a boil.
5. Add meat back to pan.
6. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 -20 minutes.