Welcome

Hi

 

Welcome to Crafty Cookies Kitchen blog.

 

I am 50 and not a chef but a keen cook and have been for 40 years.

 

All the modern day recipies have been tried and tested by me and are structured to my tastes, taste being a personal choice it is up to you to add or take away ingredients except in standard recipes for pastry and sponges which are scientifically devised.

 

Along with cookery my interests include gardening, knitting, reading and genealagy which has led to my interest in the food which my earlier relatives ate down the centuries.  I have seperated the 2 blogs now please have a look at http://www.oldeworldekitchen.wordpress.com/  Any comments please do let me know.

 

I love to eat by the seasons, so I am devising a seasonal produce section and love to buy some of my food from local farms and farmers markets, here I need help if you know of any reputable farms or markets please do let me know and I will include them.

 

Please note that all of the cooking times are approximate only, variables will always have to be factored in ie. the heat of the kitchen, the shelf, the amount of foodstuff being cooked, etc.  No two ovens are the same so the temperature will vary slightly form oven to oven.

           

All the eggs used are medium sized unless otherwise stated.

              

All the spoon measurements are level unless stated.

                                       

If you have any comments, please do let me know.

 

Many thanks for reading this blog and I do hope that you will come back from time to time.

 

Happy Cooking

 

Crafty Cookie

Farmers Markets

These are the most wonderful places to visit.  The variety of the produce is immense.  It is so wonderful to see so many odd shapes, dirt still on the vegetables and everything so fresh.

 

I am devising a list of tried and tested farmers markets, please any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hertfordshire

1st Saturday of the month – Hatfield 

2nd Sunday of the month - St Albans

4th Sunday of the month – Harpenden

 

Northamptonshire

Every Friday – Towcester

 

Somerset

Every Thursday – Taunton

 

Staffordshire

1st Thursday of the month – Market Square, Lichfield.

2nd Saturday of the month – Stafford

 

West Midlands

1st Wednesday of the month – New Street, Birmingham City Centre.

2nd Friday of the month – outside Marks and Spencers, The Parade, Sutton Coldfield.

3rd Wednesday of the month – New Street, Birmingham City Centre.

Celebrational Days

January

1st - New Year 

      – First Footing in Scotland

     – Baa – Kirkwall, Orkney Islands 

    – Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

    – Holy Obligation Day

       – Saint Alamachus Day, Saint Basil Day, Saint Eugendus Day, Saint Faine Day, Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe Day, Saint Medina say, Saint Mochina Day, Saint Odilo Day, Telemachus.

First Monday of the New Year – Handsel Monday – Scotland

2nd to 8th – Epiphany

2nd – Saint Macarius Day

3rd – Saint Genevieves Day

4th – Saint Gregory Day, Saint Ramon Day, Saint Rigobert Day, and Saint Titus Day.

5th – Old Christmas Eve

6th – Twelfth Night

11th – Burning of the Clavie – Morayshire, Scotland

19th – Southland and Wellington Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

25th – Burns Night – Scotland

26th – Australia Day

          – Auckland Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

          -  Conversion of Saint Paul Feast

 Last Tuesday of January – Up Helly- aa – Lerwick,  Shetland Islands

 

February

2nd – Candlemass 

         – Nelson Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

        – Presentation of the Lord Feast

6th – Waitang Day (New Zealand)

11th – Our Lady of Lourdes Feast

14th – Saint Valentine

22nd – Chair of Apostle Peter Feast

 

March

1st – Whooppity Scoorie – Lanark, Scotland

9th – Taranaki Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

16th - Canberra Day (Australia)

23rd – Otago Anniversary Day (New Zealand) 

25th – Lady Day – Quarter Day – England

          – Old New Years Day – Scotland

Last Tuesday before Lent – Fasterns Een – Scotland

 

April

1st – Hunt The Gowk – Scotland

2nd – Tailie Day – Scotland

1st or 3rd Saturday – Glen Saturday – Ayrshire, Scotland

10th – Good Friday

12th – Easter Sunday

13th – Easter Monday

14th – Easter Tuesday (New Zealand)

16th – Saint Magnus

23rd – Saint Georges Day

25th Anzac Day (Australia and New Zealand)

                                      

May

1st – May Day

      – Beltane’s Day – Scotland

10th – Mothering Sunday (Australia and New Zealand)

24th – Empire Day/Victoria Day/Commonwealth Day

Last Monday – The Bower – Lichfield, England

           

June

Mid June – Guid Nychburris – Dumfries – Scotland

1st June – Foundation Day – Western Australia

                 – Queens Birthday (New Zealand)

17th – Lanimer Day – Lanark, Scotland

18th – Selkirk Common Riding – Selkirk, Scotland

24th – Midsummer Quarterday – England

30th – First Martyrs of the Church of Rome Feast

 

July

2 Weeks – Taste of Chicago – Chicago, America

16th – Our Lady of Carmel Feast

Last 2 weeks – Glasgow Fair – Glasgow, Scotland

Last Weekend – Gilroy Garlic Festival - California, America

 

August

3 Days – Taste of the Danforth, Toronto, Canada

1st – Lammas

5th – Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major Feast

6th – Transfiguration of the Lord Feast

15th – Assumption of Mary into Heaven Feast

          – Marymas

18th – Saint Helenas Feast

22nd – Queenship of the Virgin Mary Feast

August – Gaubodenvolkfest – Bavaria, Germany

                                  

September

First Saturday - Braemar Gathering – Braemar, Scotland 

6th -Fathers Day (Australia  and New Zealand)

7th – Our Lady of the Sorrows Feast

8th – Birth of Mary Feast

13th – Sign of the Cross

14th – Holy Cross Feast

21st – Nativity of the Theotokos

28th – Queens Biethday (Western Australia)

           – Canterbury (South) Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

 29th – Michaelmas Day

last few days – Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany

last few days – Volksfest – Canstatter Wasen, Germany

 

October

First few days – Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany

First few days – Volksfest – Canstatter Wasen, Germany

2nd – Guardian Angels Feast

7th – Our Lady of the Rosary Feast

23rd – Hawke’s Bay Anniversard Day (New Zealand)

31st – Halloween

 

November

1st – All Saints Day Feast

2nd – All Souls Day Feast

        -  Marlborough Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

5th – Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night)

9th – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome Feast

11th - Remembrance Day

13th – Canterbury Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

21st – Presentation of Mary Feast

22nd – Saint Cecilia

25th – Saint Katherines Day

30th – Saint Andrew

          – Chatham Islands Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

 

December

7th – Westland Anniversary Day (New Zealand)

13th – Saint Lucy Day

25th - Christmas Day

          – Baa - Kirkwall, Orkney Islands

26th – Saint Stephen Day

27th – Saint John Day

28th – Proclomation Day (South Australia)

          – Childermas – Holy Inocents Day

29th – Saint Thomas A Beckets Day

30th – Saint Anysia Day, Saint Maximus Day, Saint Sabinus Day

31st – Hogmanay – New Years Eve – Saint Columba Day, Saint Melania the Younger Day, Saint Sylvester.

This page has the following sub pages.

5 A Day Portions Guide

Note that 1 portion is approximately 80g/3oz   Fruit Apples (dried) – 4 rings Apples (fresh) – 1 medium Apples (puree) – 2 tablespoons Apricots (canned) – 6 pieces Apricots (dried) – 3 whole Apricots (fresh) – 3 whole   Banana (chips) – handful  Banana (fresh) - 1 medium Blackberries (fresh) – 10 medium Blackcurrants (fresh) – 4 heaped tablespoons Blueberries (fresh) – 4 heaped tablespoons   Cherries (canned) - 3 heaped tablespoons  Cherries (dried) – 1 heaped tablespoon Cherries (fresh) – 14 Clementines (fresh) – 2 Currants (dried) – 1 tablespoon   Damsons (fresh) – 5 large Dates (fresh) – 3 large   Figs (dries) – 2 Figs (fresh) – 2 Fruit Cocktail (canned) 3 heaped tablespoons Fruit Juice – 150ml Fruit Salad (fresh) – 3 heaped tablespoons Fruit Smoothie – 150ml   Gooseberries – 1 large handful Grapefruit (canned) – 8 segments Grapefruit (fresh) – 1/2 Grapes (fresh) – good handful   Kiwi Fruit (fresh) – 2 Kumquats (fresh) - 6 large   Lychees (canned) - 5 Lychees (fresh) – 5   Mandarins (canned) – 3 heaped tablespoons Mandarins (fresh) - 1 Mango (fresh) – 2 x 2 inches pieces Melon (fresh) – 1 x 2 inches pieces Mixed dried fruit – 1 heaped tablespoon   Orange (fresh) – 1   Papaya (fresh) – 1 large slice Passionfruit (fresh) – 5 large Peach Halves (canned) – 2 halves Peach Slices (canned) – 7 segments Peach (Whole – fresh) – 1 Pear (canned) – 2 halves Pear (canned) – 7 slices Pear (fresh) – 1  Pineapple Rings (canned) – 2 rings Pineapple Chunks (canned) – 12 chunks Pineapple Crushed (canned) – 1 heaped tablespoon Pineapple (Fresh) – 1 large slice Plums – 2 medium Prunes (canned) – 6 Punes (dried) – 3 Prunes (ready to eat) – 3   Raisins – 1 heaped tablespoon Raspberries (canned) – 12 Raspberries (fresh) – 2 large handfulls   Satsumas (fresh) - 2 Sharon Fruit (fresh) -  1 Strawberries – 7 medium Sultananas – 1 heaped tablespoon   Tangerines – 2 small Tomato – 1 medium Vegetables   Note that potatoes, beans and pulses do NOT count as part of fruit and vegetables.   Asparagus (fresh/frozen) – 5 spears Avocado (fresh) – half   Baby Sweetcorn (fresh/frozen) – 6 Broccoli Florets (fresh/frozen) – 4   Cabbage (fresh) – 4 heaped tablespoons Carrots (canned/fresh/frozen) – 3 heaped tablespoons Cauliflower Florets (fresh/frozen) – 8 Celery (fresh) – 3 medium sticks Cucumber (fresh) – 2 inches piece   French/Green Beans (fresh/frozen) – 4 heaped tablespoons   Kale (fresh) – 4 heaped tablespoons   Onion (fresh) – 1 medium   Peas (canned/fresh/frozen) - 3 heaped tablespoons    Red pepper (fresh) - half   Spinach (fresh/frozen) – 4 heaped tablespoons Spring Greens (fresh) – 4 heaped tablespoons Sweetcorn (canned/fresh/frozen) – 3 heaped tablespoons

August – Seasonal Produce

Cheeses – Farmhouse Cheddar, goats milk cheeses.

 

Fish – Brill, cod, coley, Dover sole, grey mullet, gurnard, haddock, halibut, John Dory, lemon sole, monkfish, plaice, red mullet, sea bass, sea bream, skate, squid.

 

Fruit – Apples (Discovery), apricots, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, damsons, figs, gooseberries, grapes, greengages, Japanese wineberries, limes, loganberries, mangoes, melons (Ambrosia, Canary, Charentais, Galaxy, Galia and watermelons), mirabelles, nectarines, papaya, peaches, pears (Bartlet), plums, raspberries, redcurrants, scottish raspberries, sloes, strawberries (scottish and wild)sunberries, tayberries, tomatoes (plum, salad), tummelberries, whitecurrants.

 

Game – Grouse (from the 12th), hare, rabbit, woodpigeon

 

Herbs – Basil, coriander, fennel, mint, parsley, rocket, sorrel.

 

Meat – Lamb

 

Nuts – Cobnuts

         

Oily Fish – Herring, Mackeral, pilchards, salmon (farmed and wild), sea trout

 

Shellfish – Crab, crayfish, lobster, prawns, scallops

 

Vegetables – Artichokes, asparagus peas, aubergines, beans (broad, dwarf, French – purple and yellow and runner),  beetroot (golden and red), broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cavalo nero, celery, chinese leaves, courgettes, cucumber, fennel bulb, garlic, globe artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce (iceburg, lambs leaf, lollo rosso and red oak leaf),  marrow, mushrooms (chantrelle and girolle), mustard leaves, onion, peas, pea shoots, peppers, potatoes (Maris Peer, new Scottish, Pink Fir Apple and Ratte new,), radishes,  samphire,  sorrell, spinach (perpetual and summer), squash, sweetcorn, Swiss chard, watercress.

September Seasonal Produce

Fish – Cod, coley, Dover Sole, gurnard, haddock, halibut, plaice, sea bass, sea bream, sprats, turbot.

 

Fruit -  Apples (Bramley, Discovery and Worcester Pearmain), berries (blackberries, gooseberries, raspberries), figs, grapes, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, persimon,  plums (damsons, plums), pomegranates, quinces, raspberries, red currants, star fruit. tomatoes (ordinary and plum).

 

Game – Grouse, guinea fowl, hare, partridge, pheasants, quail, rabbit, teal, venison, wood pigeon.

 

Herbs – Basil, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, mint, parsley, rocket, sorrel.

 

Meat – Autumn lamb.

 

Nuts – Almonds, cobnuts, pistachios, walnuts.

             

Oily Fish – Brown Trout, herring,  mackeral, pilchards, salmon, sardines, tuna.

 

Poultry – Duck, goose, mallard.

 

Shellfish – Clams, crab, crayfish, Morecambe Bay Shrimps, mussels, oysters, scallops.

 

Vegetables – Asparagus peas, aubergine, beans (bobby, borlotti, broad, cannelini, dwarf, French – purple and yellow and runner), beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cavalo nero, celeriac, celery, chillies, fennel bulb, garlic, globe artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce (lambs lettuce), mushrooms (chantrelle and wild), mustard leaves, okra, onions (shallots), pak choi, parsnip, pea shoots, peas, peppers, potaoes (Belle de Fontanay, la Ratte potatoes, maincrop, new, pink fir apple and Roseval), radishes, rhubarb, salsify, samphire, spinach, squashes (courgette, cucumber, marrow, pumpkin), swede, sweet potato, sweetcorn, Swiss chard, turnip, watercress.

 

October Seasonal Produce

Fish – Brill, cod, coley, Dover sole, eels, grey mullet, gurnard, haddock, hake, monkfish, plaice, squid, turbot.

 

Fruit – Apples (cooking, Bramleys, Cox’s Orange Pippins, crab and eating), berries (autumn raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, rowanberries), bullaces, citrus (clementines, kumquats, lemons, Valencia Oranges) damsons, dates, elderberries, figs, kiwi fruit, pears (conference), persimmon, plums, pineapples, pomegranates, quinces, sloes, starfruit, tomatoes (beef, cherry and plum).

 

 

Game – Grouse, guinea fowl, hare, partridge, pheasant, rabbit, teal, venison, woodcock.

 

 

Herbs – Basil, chives, coriander, dill, garlic, Hamburg parsley.

 

 

Meat – Autumn lamb.

 

 

Nuts – Almonds, chestnuts, cobnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, sweet chestnuts, walnuts.

          

                            

Oily Fish – Herring, mackeral, salmon, sardines, tuna.

 

 

Poultry – Duck, goose.

 

 

Shellfish – Brown crab, clams, crab, lobster, mussels, native oysters.

 

 

Spices – Galangal, ginger.

 

 

Vegetables – Artichokes (globe and Jerusalem), aubergines, beans (flat and runner), beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages (celtic, pointed, prima, red, Savoy and white), cauliflower, cardoons, carrots (Chantenay), cauliflower, cavalo nero, celariac, celery, chicory, chilli peppers, Chinese leaves, cress, fennel, galangal, kale, leeks (baby and ordinary), lettuce (lambs and radicchio), mushrooms (black trompette, cep, chantrelle, closed cup, field blewit, girole, oyester, shitake, wild and yellow tip), onions (red, salad, shallots and white), pak choi, parsnips, pea shoots, peppers, potatoes (Cara, Desiree, King Edward, Maris Piper, Shitake and Wilja), radish, salsify, spinach, squashes (acorn, butternut, courgettes, cucumber, marrow, pumpkin and winter), swede, sweetcorn, sweet potatoes, Swiss Chard, watercress, yams, young turnips.

July Seasonal Produce

Cheeses – Feta, Goats milk cheeses.

 

 

Fish – Cod, halibut, John Dory, monkfish, plaice, scottish squid, sea bass, sea bream, sole (Dover and lemon), turbot, whiting.

 

            

Fresh Water Fish – Pike.

             

 

Fruit – Apricots, berries (blackberries (garden and wild), blueberries, boysenberries, gooseberries, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, tayberries, tummelberries), cherries, currants (blackcurrants, redcurrants and whitecurrants), figs, grapes, greengages, lime, mangos, melons (Ambrosia, galia, galaxy and watermelons), mirabelles, nectarines, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears (Bartlets), plums, tomatoes (baby plum and plum).

 

 

Flowers – Courgette flowers, elderflowers.

 

 

Game – Venison, wood pigeon.

 

 

Herbs – Basil, chives, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, mint, parsley, sage, thyme.

 

 

Meat – New season lamb.

                  

           

Nuts – Cashews.

              

                      

Oily Fish – Herring, mackeral, pilchards, salmon (farmed and wild), sardines, trout (rainbow and sea), tuna.

 

 

Shellfish – Clams, crab, crayfish, lobster, prawns, scallops, shrimps.

 

 

Vegetables – Artihokes, aubergines, beans (broad, French and runner) beetroot (golden and red), broccoli, cabbage, cape broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers, cavalo nero, celery, chiilies, curly endive, endive, fennel bulb, garlic, globe artichokes, lettuce (butterhead, iceburg, lambs, lollo rosso and oakleaf), mushrooms (oyster), mustard leaves, onions (salad (scallions/spring), shallots), pak choi, peas (mangetout, peas, pea shoots, petite pois, sugar snap peas), peppers, potatoes (main crop, new potatoes), radishes, rhubarb, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring greens, squashes (courgettes, cucumbers (rigid and smooth), petty pan), sweetcorn, sweet peppers, Swiss chard, watercress.

Mums Tomato Trotters

I adore pigs trotters, always have and hopefully always will.  Get your friendly butcher to chop them in half lengthways for you.  This is an ideal meal on nasty wet and dingy winters day.  The idea of putting a little sugar into a savoury meal sounds revolting, but it really does bring out the taste of the tomatoes brilliantly.  Serve in large bowls with loads of hot creamy mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

6 medium pigs trotters

little lemon juice
3  chopped onions
6 fresh bay leaves
125ml white vinegar
2 diced large carrots
3 diced celery sticks
1 small tin tomato puree

1 small tin chopped tomatoes, sieved

paprika to taste

1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar

Method

1 Coat the trotters in a little lemon juice.

2 Place in a large pan.

3 Cover the trotters amply with cold water.

4 Bring to the boil.

5 Skim the scum off the surface.

6 Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for an hour.

7 Add the remaining ingredients.

8 Bring the liquid back to the boil.

9 Skim the surface again.

10 Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for at least an hour, 2 are much better.

Serves 4 people

Cut pigs feet in half, coat with lemon juice, place in water. Cook 1/2 hour. Add pepper, onions, garlic, celery, vinegar and seasonings. When the water boils add the tomato puree.

Parsnip Cake

Don’t let the name put you off, this is a deliciously moist cake.  Many yearas ago parsnips were used as a natural sweetener.
 
Ingredients
180g SR flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
180 grated parsnip
120g soft margarine
80g caster sugar
2 large beaten eggs
zest and juice 1 lemon 

Method
1 Sieve together the flour and the bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.
2 Stir in the parsnip.
3 Place the margarine and the sugar in large mixing bowl.
4 Beat together until pale, light and fluffy.
5 Add the eggs, a little at a time, beat well after each addition. If the mixture curdles add a tablespoon of flour and beat well, continue to add the eggs.
6 Fold in the flour and parsnip mix and also the lemon zest.
7 If necessary, add lemon juice to make a dropping consistency.
8 Turn into a 20cm round cake tin and bake at 180 degrees centigrade/gas 4 for 30-40 minutes or until pale golden brown.
9 Cool on a wire cooling rack and drizzle over lemon water icing.

Store in an airtight container

Herbed Butter

It is great to have flavoured butters in the freezer frozen down in small amounts and then use as a butter for giving a sandwich a bit of a kick, a jacket potato or anything you need to give a lift to. Note that dried herbs do not tend to make good herbed butter.

 

Ingredients

125g softened unsalted butter

4 heaped tablespoons of fresh herbs (either a mixture to taste or a single herb)

 

Method

1 Place all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl.

2 Beat well.

3 Scrape the butter out onto a square of cling film.

4 Work the butter into a long sausage shape.

5 Wrap the butter with the cling film.

6 Chill in the fridge.

7 Unroll the cling film.

8 Cut the butter into rings.

 

Either serve or freeze down for use within a month.

 

Serves 6 to 8 people

Ve’s Slo Cooked Venison

Ve’s slo cooked venison

 

I adore a slo cooked joint of venison rather than roasting in the oven. I find it more tender and succulent slowly cooked.

Juniper berries and venison are a match made in heaven and are well seeking out.

 

Ingredients
1kg joint of venison
1 halved onion
2 large thickly sliced carrots
1 pint vegetable stock
few celery leaves
few parsley stalks
1 cracked bay leaf
few black peppercorns
few juniper berries

 

Method
1 Put the slo cooker on to heat at low.
2 Heat a frying pan on the hob.
3 Add a little veggie oil to the frying pan.
4 Seal the outside of the meat on all sides.
5 Place the venison into the warmed slo cooker.
6 Into the frying pan add the onion and carrot allow to soften and go slightly brown.
7 Place the celery leaves, a cracked bayleaf, parsley stalks, peppercorns juniper berries into the slo cooker.
8 Add enough vegetable stock in the frying pan to deglaze the pan.
9 Completely cover the meat.
10 Cook on low for about 6 hours.
11 Leave to rest in aluminium foil for 20 minutes, inverting it several times to stop the juices running out.
12 Carve the venison and serve.

 

Serve with game chips, the carrots and gravy.

Or

Buttery mashed potatoes, parsnip game chips, carrots and gravy

Serves 4 people

Note
Discard the parsley stalks, celery leaves, peppercorns and juniper berries before serving.

Butter Bean Burgers

Butter beans tend to be much maligned but to me they are wonderful (and they are excedingly good for you). They do make an exceedingly good savoury burger and if you do not believe me try for yourself.  I like to serve them with cold or hot meat and hot potatoes.

 

Ingredients

400g tin butter beans

a few chopped chives

 

Method

1 Place the butter beans and chives into a food processor.

2 Blitz, adding a little oilve or vegetable oil as necessary.

3 Check for seasoning and adjust to taste.

4 Transfer the mixture onto a clean surface.

5 Divide the mixture into 4 equal sized pieces.

6 Shape each piece into 4 burger shaped pieces.

7 Cover and chill and store in the fridge for an hour.

8 Heat a frying pan over a medium heat.

9 Add a thin layer of olive or vegetable oil.

10 Fry each burger until they are golden brown on both sides.

 

Serve immediately on hot plates.

 

Makes 4 cakes

Treacle Toffee

Treacle toffee

 

This is a wonderful traditional English dark toffee with a rich almost burned flavour that used to be popular around the 5th November, Guy Falkes Night..

 

Ingredients
1lb/500g brown cane sugar
1lb/500g black treacle
1oz/28g butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Method

Put the treacle into a saucepan with the sugar and butter, and heat gently until melted. Then bring to the boil and stir until it breaks crisp when tested in cold water. (drop a small piece into the water and if it holds its shape completely then it is ready).

Flavour with the vanilla, pour into a greased tin and break into pieces when cold.

 

Roast Turkey

Christmas dinner used to be a goose, now it is the American turkey that is the choice bird for the annual celebration.  Here is how I prepare mine.

 

Ingredients

5.4kg/12lb turkey (reserve the giblets for stock and gravy)
1 halved lemon
 6 bay leaves

salt

pepper
10 rashers of streaky bacon

 

Method

1 Remove the turkey from the fridge at least an hour before cooking to take the chill off it.

2 Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade/gas mark 4.
3 Place the lemon and bay leaves inside the cavity.

4 Place the turkey onto a large roasting tin.

5 Season if required. 

6 Secure the legs with string.

7 Place the bacon rashers over the breast.

8 Roast for 3½ hours, shielding the turkey with aluminium foil if browning too quickly.

9 Test with a skewer, insert the skewer into the thigh and the thickest part of the breast, if the juices run clear the turkey is cooked, if not roast for a little longer.

10 Remove from oven.

11 Remove from the tin and place in aluminium foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes on a warmed plate..

12 Tip any juices back into a saucepan to make the gravy.

13 Carve.

 

Serves 8 people

Owl Cakes

These little cup cakes make a great addition to the Halloween tea time table as a treat for the children (and slightly older ones too well my husband loved them as much as my son and his friends did!).

 

Ingredients

 

For the cakes

5oz/140g butter at room temperature

5oz/140g caster sugar

3 medium beaten eggs

4oz/110g self raising flour

1oz/28g cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

 

For the icing

5oz/140g softened butter at room temperature

5oz/140g icing sugar

1 tube of ready made orage icing

36 malteeser sweets

36 milk chocolate button sweets

16 orange jelly diamonds

 

Method

1 Into a large mixing bowl place the butter, sugar and eggs.

2 Place a sieve over the bowl.

3 Into the sieve place the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, push these ingredients through the sieve into the mixing bowl.

4 Beat all the ingredients together with a hand mixer for 2 – 3 minutes or until the mixture is paler and exctreemly smooth.

5 Place a tablespoon of the mixture until the cake cases are 2/3 full, repeat until all of the mixture is used up.

6 Bake immediately at 190 degrees centigrade/gas mark 5 for 10 – 14 minutes or until well risen and when pressed lightly the sponge should spring back up.

7 Place the baking sheets on wire cooling racks and leave for a couple of minutes.

8 Place the cupcakes onto the wire cooling rack to cool completely.

9 In a medium sized bowl add the softenend butter

10 Place a seive over the bowl and spoon in the sugar, push the sicing sugar through the sieve with a wooden spoon.

11 Beat these together well until pale and fluffy.

12 Slice the risen top off the top of the cupcakes.

13 Cut the tops into 2 and reserve to one side.

14 Using a pallette knife spread some of the icing onto each of the cupcakes.

15 Place a small blob of orange icing onto a malteser.

16 Place a chocolate button on top of the orange icing.

17 Repeat stages 15 and 16 until all the maleteesers and chocolate buttons are used up.

18 Take 2 of the cut halves of sponge cake tops and place on top of the cake about 1/3 from the top.

19 Place a decorated malteeser underneath the sponge cake half.

20 Finally place a jellied diamond half way between the malteesers.

21 Repeat stages 19 and 20 until all the cakes are decorated.

 

Makes 14 – 16 cakes

 

Notes

Using margarine is ok, but beware, margarine has more water in it than butter, so the taste and the texture will be altered.

Golden caster sugar or soft brown sugar may be used instead.

Plain flour maybe used but increase the amount of baking powder to a heaped teaspoon

Salmon Burgers

There are fishcakes and there are fishcakes if you know what I mean. A fantastic friend gave me this recipe to try out and I found them just sublime.

         

Ingredients

1 lb salmon fillets

2 handfulls chopped baby spinach

3 diced green onions (or a handful of chives)

1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 lightly beaten egg white

1 tablespoon soy sauce

salt to taste ground

white pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

     

Method

1 Cut the salmon fillets in half lengthwise.

2 Cut the salmon fillets into quarter inch wide strips.

3 Cut the salmon strips into quarter inch dice.

4 Beat the egg white and the soy sauce together.

5 In a large mixing bowl, mix together the salmon, spinach, onion, ginger, salt and pepper.

6 Add the egg white and soy sauce until the mixture is sticky but not gloopy.

7 Heat a solid non-stick frying pan.

8 Add the vegetable oil.

9 While the vegetable oil is heatingstart forming burgers using a quarter of the mixture for each one with wet hands making them half an inch thick.

10 When the oil is hot enough carefully place the burgers into the frying pan, cooking only 2 burgers at a time.

11 Cook each burger for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, or until the burger is a beautiful golden brown colour.

12 Carefully flip over the burger and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the second side is a beautiful golden brown too.

13 Place the cooked burgerss onto a sheet of kitchen paper to drain.

14 Transfer the burgers onto a warmed plate and keep warm whilst you cook the next batch.

     

Notes

Serve hot with potatoes and a green vegetable of your choice or between your favourite savoury roll with salad.

These burgers can also be served with a tomato chutney, pickled ginger, wasabi mayo or good old tartare sauce.

The raw salmon fishcakes can be frozen for about a month, but do defrost them thoroughly before cooking.

Makes 4 good sized burgers.

Banana Scones

A wierd scone which I must admit I have not tasted as I cannot bear the taste of bananas, but son loved them tremendously.  He reckoned they tasted great warm with butter but even better with warm with chocolate spread on!!!   Ingredients 8oz/250g plain flour 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder 1oz/28g diced butter at room temperature 2oz/55g castor sugar 1 large peeled and mashed banana 1 beaten medium egg a little buttermilk   Method 1 Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl. 2 Spoon in the flour and the baking powder into the sieve. 3 Shake the flour and baking powder into the mixing bowl. 4 Add the diced butter. 6 Using the fingertips only, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.. 7 Add the castor sugar. 8 Stir the sugar into the mixture thoroughly with a metal spoon. 9 Make a well in the centre. 10 Add the mashed banana. 11 Mix the banana into the mixture. 12 Make another well in the centre of the mixture. 13 Add the beaten egg. 14 Mix the egg into the breadcrumbs. 15 If the mixture is dry add a little buttermilk (the mixture should not be sticky). 16 Sprinkle a work surface with a little flour. 17 Place the ball of dough on the work surface. 18 Using the palm of the hand gently pat the dough until the dough is 1″ thick. 19 Dip a cutter in the flour. 20 Stamp out as many scones out of the dough as possible. 21 Gently roll up the dough. 22 Pat the dough to 1″ thick. 23 Stamp out more scones. 24 Gather up the final scraps of dough and make 1 more scone. 25 Place all of the scones on an oiled baking tray upside down. 26 Brush the top of the scones with a little milk. 27 Bake immediately at 210 degrees centigrade/gas mark 8 for 10 to 12 minutes or until a pale golden brown and slightly risen. 28 Place the baking tray onto a wire cooling rack for a couple of minutes. 29 Transfer the scones onto the cooling rack.   Serve hot, warm or cold, well buttered.   Makes 8 to 10 scones   Notes The scones do not rise well so the dough has to be thick.   The scones maybe frozen at -18 degrees centigrade. To defrost pop in the microwave for a few seconds or leave in the fridge for a couple of hours.    Milk, soured milk or yogurt can be added instead of buttermilk.