Home made granola

DIY granola

Prep 10-15 min
Cook 30-35 min
Makes 1 large jar

Ingredients (a guide)

170g jumbo rolled oats
170g grain of your choice (e.g., spelt, barley or rye flakes), or double the amount of oats
250g mixed nuts and coconut shavings, roughly chopped
50g pumpkin seeds (or seeds of your choice)
40g coconut oil
120ml honey
½-1½ tsp flaked salt (optional)
1 generous pinch ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger or cardamom (optional)
1 large egg white
80-100g mixed dried fruit of your choice

Method

1. Tip your base grains into a large bowl
   Rolled oats are the classic choice here, and tend to work out cheapest, but I like to mix in other grains, too, to make the texture and taste more interesting. Feel free to experiment with whatever you find in the health food shop: rye, buckwheat, barley, even quinoa will all work well.
2. Mix in the seeds and nuts. Stir to spread out — again, use your own choice of seeds, nuts and coconut shavings, but make sure you roughly chop any large nuts or you’ll end up with a few very nutty clusters. If you’d prefer to keep your granola nut-free, just skip this stage.
3. Melt together the coconut oil and honey. Put the fat (you could also use olive or sunflower oil, or nut butter) in a small pan over a low heat with the honey (or golden, maple or any other syrup) and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’ve melted together. Don’t be tempted to cut out this stage; without sugar or fat, this won’t be granola, but muesli.
4. Stir together Pour the warm oil and honey into the bowl with the grains, nuts and seeds, and stir to combine. I also like to add a little salt at this stage, although this is entirely optional, as is a generous pinch of a sweet, warming spice such as ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.
5. Beat an egg white until frothy Separate an egg and put the white in a medium bowl (keep the yolk for mayo). Beat it with a whisk until frothy, then toss with the grains and seeds until they’re well coated. This step is optional, but it will make the granola extra crunchy. And it won’t taste of egg, I promise.
6. Line a tray. Heat the oven to 170C (150C fan)/335F/gas mark 3½. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper, sticking it down at the corners with a blob of oil or honey. Tip the granola mixture on to the paper and spread it out well, making sure the nuts and seeds are evenly distributed.
7. Bake until golden. Put the tray in the oven for 30-35 minutes in total. While the granola is cooking, stir it now and then, so it cooks evenly and to break up any large clumps. If you’d prefer a more free-pouring texture, break them all up regularly.
8. Cool. Don’t worry if the granola seems very soft when it comes out of the oven it will crisp up as it comes down to room temperature. Use all your self-control to leave it to cool undisturbed on the baking tray  ingredients.
9. Mix. Scatter over some dried fruit (I like a mix of sweet stuff such as chopped dates and apricots, and sour cherries and cranberries) and any toffee chunks, chocolate chips or other indulgences that help ease you into your morning. Pour the granola into an airtight container to store. Serve with yoghurt, fruit or milk – or in handfuls straight from the jar.

Sausage and Prune Casserole

I was so pleased with the recipe I came up with for supper tonight that I thought I would share it with you

Sausage and Prune Casserole

Ingredients:

100g pancetta

1 onion roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

25g butter

8 pork sausages

10-12 prunes (pitted)

Bottle (500ml) Cider

1Tbs dried Mixed Herbs (optional)

Method:

Put the oven on to 180°C

Using an oven proof casserole dish, cook the pancetta till the fat runs

Add the onion and garlic (and some butter if your pancetta wasn’t fatty enough) and cook gently until translucent. Meanwhile brown the sausages in the butter a separate pan.

When the onions are ready add the sausages, prunes and the cider. You will probably only need about 350-400ml – ensure that any left over is disposed of in an appropriate and environmentally friendly manner. Bring to the boil and add the herbs( if you are using them). Simmer for a few minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning if required, then transfer to the oven for about 30 minutes.

The sauce will probably be thick enough but if you need to return to the hob and reduce to the required constituency (or thicken it using cornflour paste.

Serve with mashed potatoes peas and carrots.

I suppose it should be accompanied by a cider but I found that Young’s Special London Ale went really well.

 

Crispy potato roast

Crispy potato
If you like a traditional potato bake, but don’t like the heavy cream and cheese that go along with that, you might want to try this crispy spin on that classic dish.

Ingredients:

1kg russet potatoes, peeled
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground pepper (or red pepper flakes)
50g diced bacon
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Method:

Preheat oven to 190°C.
Combine the oil and melted butter in a small dish, and brush a little around a round baking dish.
Slice potatoes thinly and arrange vertically in the baking dish.
Insert the shallots between sections of potato, distributing evenly throughout the dish.
Sprinkle with the pepper and salt to taste, and brush with the remaining butter and oil mixture.
Bake for about one-hour-and-a-half.
Cook the diced bacon in a small pan and drain on a paper towel.
Remove potatoes from oven and scatter over the potatoes.
Bake for a further 35 minutes.

Mum’s Apricot (Cinnamon) Tart.

Preparation Time approx 15 min
Cooking Time 25 min
Serves 16 portions

Ingredients
6oz self-raising flour
4oz margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon mixed spice
3oz caster sugar
1 egg
Apricot jam

Method
Rub margarine into flour, add sugar and spice, some beaten egg ( you probably won’t need all of it) until mixture becomes a dough. Divide into 4, grease and flour two sandwich tins. Line each tin with 1/4 mixture, spread with jam, cover with another 1/4 of mixture. Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 25 mins. Cool before turning out, dust with icing sugar.

A Perfect Fried Egg

I used to think that i knew how to fry an egg. I mean every one knows how to fry an egg. For Pete’s sake a fried egg was just about the only thing that my dad could cook for himself. Then I read Felicity Cloake’s article in the Guardian. I decided to try her method last weekend and discovered that until now, I didn’t actually know how to fry an egg.

Here is how to do it.

1 fresh egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper

1. Crack the egg on to a saucer to make it easier to slide into the pan. Heat the butter in a heavy-based frying pan over a low heat, and find a slightly domed saucepan lid, ideally slightly smaller than the pan itself, so you can place it over the cooking eggs.

2. Once the butter has melted, but not begun to foam, swirl it around the pan to coat, then slide in the egg. If you’re cooking more than one, be careful not to crowd the pan.

3. Cover and leave for 3½ minutes, then check the white is cooked, lift out, season gently, and serve immediately
I served my eggs on a round of sourdough toast.
Try it, it does make a difference.

Strawberry Rosé Jellies

This is a lovely light, slightly boozy summer dessert.

Serves 4
Preparation 15 min (plus overnight chilling)
Cooking time 8 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 sheets of fine-leaf gelatine
• 500 ml of rosé wine (reserve the rest of the bottle for the cook)
• 75g caster sugar
• 400g strawberries hulled and halved. (try to get smallish ones)

You will also need:

• 4 sundae cups or large wine glasses

Method

Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water and leave to soften for about ten minutes.
Pour 100ml of the wine into a small pan with the sugar, stir gently until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring the liquid up to simmering point and whisk in the gelatine and stir off the heat until the gelatine has completely dissolved.
Pour the liquid into a jug, add the remaining wine and leave to cool.
In the meantime arrange the strawberries in the glasses.
When the liquid has completely cooled pour it over the fruit, then put the jellies into the fridge overnight to set.

Dispose of the remaining wine in an appropriate environmentally friendly way.

This recipe with minor alterations comes from The Sainsbury’s Magazine Calender 2007

Maisie’s Baby Courgette Chutney

The original recipe comes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. He calls it “River Cottage Chutney” but we adapted it a bit and renamed it.

Maisie’s “Baby” Courgette Chutney

Serves Thousands depending on the size of the baby courgette
Cooking time don’t know – my sister made it

Ingredients

1kg Marrow or overgrown *baby* courgettes diced
1kg tomatoes (ripe or unripe)
500g sultanas
500g soft brown sugar
500g apples (either cooking or not too sweet)
400ml white wine vinegar
500g Onions chopped
3 finger chillies chopped finely(optional)
pinch of salt (to taste)

For the spice bag

12 cloves
2 tsp coriander
fresh ginger couple of pieces.

Method

First make up the spice bag by placing the ingredients in an old piece of tea towel or cotton and tying the top with string.
Place all the other ingredients prepared as stated in a large pan or preserving pan.
Bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar and once boiling reduce to a simmer
Continue to simmer till the vinegar is pretty much absorbed and the veg is tender
approx 3 hours stirring occasionally
While the chutney is cooking warm some clean jars in a hot oven to sterilise
Once cooked,discard the spice bag and place the chutney in the jars and cover with lids
Label and date once cooled.
Leave to mature in a dark cool place for 2-3 months.

The full story of the origin of Maisie’s “Baby” Courgette Chutney and why it was given that name is on my main blog.

Goat’s Cheese Salad

A simple but very enjoyable light lunch.

Serves 1
Preparation time 5 min (unless you decide to make your croutons from scratch)

Ingredients
A good handful of salad leaves
Half a dozen cherry tomatoes
Half a Kidderton Ash Goats Cheese (sliced into rounds)
A small handful of croutons
Olive oil (Extra Virgin for preference)
Balsamic Vinegar
A little Parmigiano Cheese (grated or shaved)

Method

Rinse and dry the salad leaves
Toss the leaves, tomatoes and croutons together with the oil and vinegar
Arrange the slices of goat’s cheese in an aesthetic way
Grate the Parmigiano over the salad and serve

I served the salad with a chilled Hoegaarden

A lower fat pasta sauce

To appease my sister who seemed to think that my earlier pasta sauce recipe would quadruple the incidence of heart disease in the United Kingdom.

This is the classic ‘Pomodoro e Basilico’. (Tomato and Basil if you don’t speak Italian), traditionally served with spaghetti or tagliatelle, but it goes with almost any pasta you can think of.

The chilli is optional, but it does give the sauce a bit of a lift, the sugar is there to counterbalance the acidity in the tomatoes.

Serves 6
Cooking time  45 minutes -1 hour

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
¼ – ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 large handful basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan and/or Pecorino cheese, to serve

Preparation method

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion and garlic until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, chilli flakes, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 45 minutes-1 hour. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. This can be left chunky or blended in a food processor for a smooth sauce.

Serve spooned over cooked pasta with plenty of Parmesan/Pecorino cheese

My Favorite Pasta Sauce – Pancetta & Blue Cheese

This is my favourite, at the moment, recipe for a pasta sauce. I think that it works best with Penne or Fusilli but try it with any other pasta other than possibly the stuffed pastas like Tortellini or Ravioli and it will probably be fine.

I use Dolcelatte cheese but Gorgonzola is equally good. Vegetarians can leave out the pancetta and possibly up the cheese slightly.

It is dead simple to make and can be knocked up not much more than ten minutes
Ingredients (for 2 to 3 servings)

Serves 2 to 3
Cooking time 10 min.

about 100 g pasta per person
100g cubed pancetta
100ml double cream
30 g Dolcelatte cheese

Method

Cook the pasta until it is al dente. The cooking instructions should give you a clue about the length of time that will take, normally about 10 to 15 minutes for dried pasta. Ignore any instructions written in German.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the pancetta in its own fat, add the cream and the cheese stir until the cheese melts. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, then toss the pasta in it.

Serve with good bread and a cheap Italian red.