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Bolognese sauce
Sorting out bits of paper to send to my accountant before the end of January, I am finding much more tempting reminders of events during the last tax year. The Times from March 2017 carries the headline, The Great Bolognese Battle which all started with Mary Berry admitting she added cream and white wine to…
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Spicy Fish and Tomato Pie
New Year’s Eve supper with our friends Penny and Peter had to be cancelled. Instead we had an Epiphany Lunch. Cooking for lunch is always much more relaxed and this was no exception. 750g tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes,skinned and chopped Olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1½ tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp kaloonji seeds (optional)…
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Bergen Fish Soup (Bergensk Fiskesuppe)
An exciting Christmas for us this year, spending two days in Bergen and then heading north on a Hurtigruten cruise to Tromsø. Bergen is famous for its rain which didn’t disappoint. The weather was mild until we crossed the Arctic Circle. Then it was cold and Northern Lights appeared dancing around in the night sky.…
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Waffles
We haven’t had waffles for some time but they are the perfect pudding for a cold evening when family visit. Everyone was relaxed and snug around the table in the kitchen. Our waffles were served with a choice of Shropshire prune purée, apple purée, maple syrup or ice cream. I find making waffles a good…
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Mr Guinness’s Cake
A newspaper cutting, ‘How to make Mr. Guinness’s cake’ was the first entry in what had once been my recipe scrapbook with a wonderful jungle scene on the cover. Now just a loose page, the cutting has to be 40 years old. The recipe still holds good and the cake gets made at least twice…
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Red Cabbage and Pears
Getting ready for a week of Christmas parties and celebrations. The main feast is for the family next weekend. Red cabbage is on the menu and I’m always glad to make this robust dish. It’s big, bold and generous. It is also better made a day in advance which is a great bonus when there…
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Indian Spinach with Dill
Dill transforms the taste of spinach. They can be cooked together melted in butter but better still when spices are added. 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 onion finely chopped 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 green chilli 300g spinach handful of dill, chopped salt To make the ginger garlic paste, peel a…
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Pumpkin Tart
Pumpkin Tart (Tourte de Citrouille) – a new take on pumpkin pie and a curious find in Elizabeth David’s French Country Cooking. I have no idea of its region of origin. I first made this recipe years ago and will make it again today for Thanksgiving. 500g pumpkin, diced 60g sugar 1 teacup fresh cream…
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Onion Bhajias
I am so glad I bought a copy of Monisha Bharadwaj’s latest book, The Indian Cookery Course – a truly comprehensive guide to Indian cooking. Onion bhajias are fun and easy. We made them on the Indian Street Food course I did with Monisha in September. Gram flour, made from chickpeas, is available at Harvest,…
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Goulash
The transformation of paprika into this vital element of Hungarian cuisine is a curious and fascinating story. Like the meeting of two people who seemed fated to fall in love, the marriage of paprika and Hungarian cooking was almost predestined. (George Lang The Cuisine of Hungary, 1985) A bottle of Hungarian wine made me promise…