It’s always nice to see some bright pink rhubarb poking its head out at the market but as it’s the first of the season it can be quite pricey. So when you have only £1.80, what can you do with two rhubarb sticks? Make a lovely, vibrant rhubarb compote/jam to sandwich in the middle of two fat slices of cake of course. Other things that you can do with two sticks of rhubarb include: jousting, a spot of relay running or making a parasol (if you have the leaves left on) but none of those would be anywhere near as good as this cake.
A Belgian Croque
ingredients
You will need (per croque):
- 2 slices thick white bread
- 2 slices Emmental cheese
- 2 slices smoked ham (not wafer thin)
- A few slices tomato
- Cream cheese with herbs
method
Preheat a grill and toast the bread. Spread a nice thick layer of cream cheese on one slice.
Put the Emmental on the other slice.
Top the cream cheese with the ham then the tomatoes and place both slices under the grill.
Keep the toast under the grill until the tomatoes are hot and the cheese has melted and started to bubble.
Stick the slices together, cut up and serve.
If you have a sandwich toaster you can of course use that but sadly I don’t have one of these handy contraptions. A Corby trouser press would work equally well.
Malted Chocolate Biscuits
ingredients
This recipe is on page 122 of the book.
You will need (I made 8 slices):
- 100g butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 2 tbsp malted chocolate drink (I used just malted i.e. Horlicks)
- 225g malted milk biscuits
- 75g milk chocolate (you can also use dark)
- 25g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
Method
Grease and line a cake tin; mine was an 18cm loose bottomed one.
Put the butter, golden syrup and malted drink into a saucepan and heat gently until the mixture is well combined. I find when the butter melts at first it looks a bit separated but keep stirring and it will come together and be thick and glossy.
Bash up the malted milk biscuits until you have crumbs then mix these into the butter mixture.
Press the mixture down well in the cake tin.
Luxury Leek and Potato Soup with Homemade Soda Bread
Ingredients
| You will need (for two big bowls of soup): | |
|
1 medium onion, sliced
|
£ 0.10
|
|
2 large leeks
|
£ 0.90
|
|
Large knob of butter
|
£ 0.15
|
|
2 large potatoes (around 500g)
|
£ 0.50
|
|
100ml double cream
|
£ 0.40
|
|
850ml vegetable stock
|
£ 0.10
|
|
Small handful chives
|
£ 0.25
|
|
Salt and pepper
|
£ 0.02
|
|
For the soda bread:
|
|
|
300g spelt flour
|
£ 0.66
|
|
10g baking powder
|
£ 0.06
|
|
5g salt
|
£ 0.01
|
|
230ml buttermilk
|
£ 0.75
|
|
Total
|
£ 3.90
|
method
Wash the leeks and then slice them thinly. Heat the butter in a saucepan on a low to medium heat and fry the onion and leeks for around 15 minutes until softened but not brown. Peel and dice the potato then add this to the leeks and put the lid on the pan. Leave the potatoes to soften for around 10 minutes.
Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Boil with the lid on until the potatoes are tender then add the cream and some salt and pepper. Let the soup cool down before blending the soup until smooth. Return to the pan to warm through and then chop up the chives and use them to top the soup.
Christmas Trifle
Ingredients
You will need (for 6-8 portions): 400ml mulled wine 5 sheets gelatine 100g sugar 160ml waterFew slices panettone
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
150ml double cream
Method
Make the jelly by dissolving the sugar in the water on a low heat. Put the gelatine into some cold water. Bring the sugar syrup to a boil then remove from the heat, squeeze out the gelatine and then stir it in to the sugar syrup. Add the mulled wine and stir well. Pour into the dish you’ll be serving the trifle in then refrigerate until set.
When set, lay the slices of panettone on top of the jelly and drizzle over the orange juice. Whip the cream until firm and then smooth over the top of the panettone. Decorate however you like.
Stilton Scones with Sloe Port Jelly
Ingredients
You will need (for 10-12 scones):
240g self raising flour
Pinch of salt
Black pepper
50g butter
60g Stilton
130ml milk plus extra for brushing
For the sloe port jelly:
100ml sloe port (any other port would be good too)
60ml water
30g sugar
2 sheets gelatine
Method
Make the jelly first.
Put the gelatine into some cold water to soften.
Get a small saucepan on a low heat and add the sugar and water. Once the sugar has dissolved squeeze out any excess water from the gelatine and stir the gelatine into the hot sugar syrup.
Cinnamon Spiced Stained Glass Window Biscuits
Ingredients
You will need (for around 24 biscuits):
180g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
110g butter
50g caster sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
Boiled sweets, different colours and flavours
Greaseproof paper
Ribbon, string or other hanging devices
Method
Preheat an oven to 180C and line two baking trays with grease proof paper.
Rub together the flour, cinnamon and butter until you have a breadcrumb texture. Stir through the sugar and then bring the mixture together with drops of milk until it forms a ball.
Knead the mix lightly then chill for 30 minutes.
Granny’s Sage, Chestnut, Apple and Onion Stuffing for Sausage Rolls
Ingredients
You will need for 16 sausage rolls:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small apple, peeled and finely chopped
80g cooked and peeled chestnuts, finely chopped
400g good quality sausages
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
Butter or oil for frying
Salt and pepper
1 pack readymade and rolled puff pastry
Milk or egg for brushing
Method
Melt a large knob of butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, apple and sage and fry for 5-6 minutes or until softened.
Add the chestnuts, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes longer. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Outrageously Orange Mince Pies
Ingredients
You will need (for 12 mince pies):
225g plain flour
120g butter
Zest of one orange
Cold water
130g mince meat
130g marmalade (all the better if it’s a whisky marmalade)
Milk or egg for brushing
Method
Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour until you have a breadcrumb texture.
Stir through the orange zest.
Bring the mixture together with little drops of cold water until it forms a ball. Knead quickly on a floured surface then wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface until just less than the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 12 rounds (fluted or plain) with a cutter that will fit your tin and then 12 smaller rounds for the lids. I used an 8.5cm and 6.5cm cutter.
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Use the larger rounds to line bun tins.
Baked Vacherin Mont D’or with Rosemary Flatbreads
Ingredients
You will need (for two):
1 Vacherin Mont D’or (or Camembert)
1 clove garlic
250g strong white bread flour
1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
60ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml water
Method
Mix together the flour, salt and rosemary. Mix in the olive oil and water. Using your hands, bring it all together into a ball then knead on a floured surface for a few minutes. Set it to one side for a few minutes more.
Preheat an oven to 200C. Slice the garlic and then cut slits in the top of the cheese. Put the slices of garlic into the cheese and then put into the oven for around 10 minutes.
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