Ingredients
To feed 4 people I used:
Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Bacon Pasta
Chicken Liver Pâté
Pesto, hummus and bread are just a few examples of things that if you make yourself, couldn’t be further from the shop bought version. Chicken liver pâté is another. I have long had an affection for this most accepted of offal and I felt it was about time I got myself some to see how a homemade one compares. I couldn’t have asked for better livers. They were free range, organic and fresh as you could ask for. I never eat supermarket chicken and so the money I would have spent on that I spend on farmers’ market chicken and just eat it less often.
This recipe took me about 10 minutes to make so if you find yourself with the opportunity to buy livers, do so.
Chocolate Concrete
Ingredients
For enough to last less greedy families than mine you’ll need:
- 12oz/300g Margarine
- 120z/300g Sugar
- 2oz/50g Cocoa
- 16oz/400g Plain flour
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Method
All you need do is to melt the margarine and add the vanilla extract to it. Sieve all the other ingredients into a bowl and mix them up. Mix the melted margarine into this.
When you do this you’ll be convinced that it’ll never mix and there’s far too much flour and cocoa and that I’m a fool. Just keep on going and soon it’ll look like the above.
Put this into a tin, brush the top with water and then sprinkle with sugar – this gives it a nice crust on top. Bake at about 150C for 15-20 minutes or until firm when pressed.
Jerusalem Artichoke and Leek Soup with Collar bacon
I can see how some might think I’ve recently become obsessed with soup. This is not true but it seems the most appropriate thing to slurp in January. One thing I am obsessed with is Jerusalem artichokes.
Despite their unsociable side effects they are one of my absolute favourite vegetables. Unfortunately I can never seem to get my hands on them or they all get snaffled up by abdominally superior individuals before I can get to them. When I can get them though I always do.
I wrestled for my ugly roots knowing full well they were going to be blended with some leeks. I managed to get 400g of artichokes and 2 leeks. It cost me £1.50. This dish ended up serving four people a light lunch. Bargain.
Celeriac, Leek and Apple soup
A new year and many resolutions to break. I decided to start with good intentions however with a fresh, earthy and filling soup.
It had three main ingredients; celeriac, leek and apple. To be frank and somewhat rude, the celeriac is not a looker. If you’ve been through life without the celeriac, please overlook its brutal looks in favour of its wonderful flavour. My apple was half a Russet and half a Kentish somethingorother and rather strikingly large. My leeks were still covered in mud and had a little frost still left from picking in the green ends.
The Farmers’ Market can offer these things in a way that nothing else can. It is for vegetables like this and a hundred other reasons why I love it so much.
Sage and Onion Stuffing with Pigs in Blankets
This is a classic stuffing and I got the recipe from my Granny. She copied it out for me a few years ago, so when I was down at the Farmers’ Market and I saw some sausage meat I knew it was that time again.
This is such a simple recipe with great results. I have recently become a little more friendly with my blender. Some might say too friendly. I just can’t believe how much easier it makes things. When you have poor circulation in the extremities, the thought of chopping an onion into a billion pieces is not enticing.
Using up jars in the cupboard – Rich Shortcrust Pastry Tarts
Where a few months ago a slice of lemon drizzle cake or a blueberry muffin would have cheered up my lunchbox I needed something more substantial, more buttery and more comforting. All this snow has meant I’ve been raiding the cupboards and I found jars and bottles full of stuff that really I’m never going to use. I also figured if any of my nearest and dearest know me, I’ll be getting many more jars of treats on the 25th.
I managed to find some raspberry jam, golden syrup, lime curd, greengage jam, pecans in honey and some quince jelly. All lovely on toast or scones or crumpets but also all nearing their ends. I needed to use them up and make the most of them.
Purple Carrot Soup
Ingredients
What you will need (for two bowls):
- 2 large carrots (2 purple if you can get them)
- Butter
- Chicken or vegetable stock 400ml
- Garlic clove
- Coriander seeds 1tsp
- Fresh coriander
- Creme fraiche
- Seasoning
Method
If you ever manage to get hold of these little beauties, my advice would be to never boil them. Not only does it turn everything else a strange browny purple colour it also takes all the colour out of the carrots.
As I only had change for the one purple carrot I added an orange one too. For the soup, fry the carrots and garlic in a nice hearty sized knob of butter. Put the lid on them and let them soften.
While they do this, dry fry a teaspoon of coriander seeds until they jump around the frying pan and are good and toasted.
Beef, Vegetable and Red Wine stew
Ingredients
What you will need (for four to six portions):
- Braising steak (at least 500-750g)
- Seasoned flour
- Vegetables of your choice – carrots, swede, onions, leeks, pasnips – a few good handfuls of each
- Potatoes – 4-6 medium
- Red wine (1 small glass)
- Stock (750ml)
- Oil and seasoning
Method
Cut up the steaks and roll them in seasoned flour. Fry them in a pan that you can also then put in the oven. Keep all the goodness in one place. I am not fortunate to own one of these modern day contraptions.
Get chopping! It’s not that bad once you get going and you get lots of goodies to go straight into the compost bin. It’s true when they say you don’t get something for nothing.
Into my cauldron of lusciousness I added a healthy (large) glass of red wine, a stock cube (I know, I’m sorry) and some water. I threw in a bay leaf for good measure and a load of seasoning. I find when I think I’ve seasoned enough, I season some more.
Quince and Apple Crumble – adventures with the quince
Ingredients
What you will need (for four large servings):- Quinces – I had 2
- Apples – I had 1 big one
- Knob of butter
- Good portion of caster sugar
- Bowl of water with lemon juice in
- 175g flour
- 75g butter
- 50g light muscavado sugar
- Almonds and oats for the top
Method
I have never come across anything that will brown as quickly as a quince. It’s quite impressive. You will need to super speed peel the quinces and put them in the lemon infused water. Even then don’t be surprised at how quickly they change colour. When chopped, put them in a pan with the butter and the sugar.
I would say don’t go too sweet as some of the charm of the quince is in its astringency. I added the frozen apples right at the end so they didn’t turn to a mush.
I put this in a small dish so that when it was served, everyone got a good dose of quince. I then crumbled. Rub the butter into the flour and then stir in the sugar. By putting it into a small dish it ensures no one will be short of crumble either.
I put some crushed almonds and oats on the top too.