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 | Fried "Sea Weed," Crambe Maritima- Crispy Stir Fry
Crispy Fried Crambe
Crambe maritima is a native plant of beaches and dry areas- although it grows easily in our garden
The leaves can easily swamp other plants, but fortunately they can be eaten -and this still leaves the flowers to be enjoyed later. This will use up a lot of leaves and make a delicious Chinese style dish
1. Set the oven to 130°C/gas 3. Separate the stalks from the stem of the Crambe maritima.
2. Roll the leaves up tightly, a few at a time, and finely shred them into strips 5mm wide.
3. Spread them out on a baking sheet and dry them out in the oven for 15 minutes or so. Check they don't dry too much or they'll burn when fried. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. This can be done the day before.
4. Heat a wok over a high heat, and then add the oil. When the oil is hot and slightly smoking deep-fry the greens in three or four batches. After about 30-40 seconds, when they turn crisp and green, remove them immediately from the wok and drain well on kitchen paper. Leave to cool.
5. Toss the crispy greens with the salt and sugar, garnish with the pine kernels, and serve.
Soy sauce is great with this too as an accompaniment.
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![Baked Quince & Apple Crumble]() | Baked Quince & Apple Crumble
Baked Quince & Apple Crumble - Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1kg quinces (alternatively you could use pears)
300g sugar
180ml water
750g apples any will do as the quinces will improve the flavour
120g plain flour
150g sugar
100 g butter, cut into cubes
Method:
Peel and core the quinces and cut them into wedges. Place the quinces in a pot with sugar and water and simmer until they are just tender (Add lemon juice to the water to prevent the quince from discolouring).
Peel and core the apples and cut into wedges. Add to the quinces and mix together. Simmer without a lid for another 10 minutes until the apples are just tender.
Preheat the oven to 180. Mix together the flour and castor sugar; rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, use a food processor if you don't like the texture on your fingers.
Place fruit into a medium-sized baking dish and spread the crumbed mixture evenly over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown, serve warm with custard or cream.
The quince in history and legend
The prize that Paris awarded Aphrodite (thus indirectly sparking off the Trojan Wars) was probably a quince and "golden apples" in the Song of Solomon was probably a quince. It is a fruit widely used in the Middle East especially with pork and as Membrillo it is eaten with manchengo cheese in Spain.
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![Sweet Treats - Baked Alaska]() | Sweet Treats - Baked Alaska
It's National Baking Week 17-23 October so get baking and serve up those sweet delights.
Why not try this Baked Alaska for a completely different dessert idea?
This spectacular dessert dates from 1876 when it was created in honour of the
American acquisition of it's new territory from Russia. Its inspiration is attribute to the snowy landscape.
Brilliantly simple and a real talking point you can make this many different ways. Essentially it is just cake with ice cream over the top smothered in a light meringue and then flashed into the oven just long enough for the meringue to begin to cook and before the ice cream melts.
Method and ingredients
Use any decent cake (bought or homemade, even using a left over sponge)
Good quality vanilla ice cream and egg whites and sugar
Preheat the oven to 230°C, gas mark 8.
Whisk 4 medium egg whites until stiff, then add 225g caster sugar, a little at a time, still whisking, until all the sugar has been added and you have a thick, glossy meringue.
If you are feeling really indulgent you could add some marsala wine to the cake just before you top it with ice cream.
You could either use a whole cake or for individual baked Alaskas slice you cake into 4-6 individual portions, place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Top with the ice cream, sufficient to cover the cake, and then ladle over the meringue, making sure that the whole cake and ice cream are covered.
If you flick the meringue into peaks they will brown deliciously. Bake for 3-4 minutes or until well browned. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Yumm!
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 | Lemon Curd
Make your own zesty lemon curd and then use it in these easy to follow recipes.
Absolutley sensational if you can use your own fresh chicken eggs...
For 2 lbs (900 g) of Lemon Curd you will need;-
4 large lemons
1 lb (450 g) caster sugar
6 eggs
4 ozs (112 g) butter
1.Wash the lemons and finely grate the rind don't get any of the pith in as this will make it bitter
2.Cut in half and squeeze out the juice, removing any pips.
3.Put the juice and rind, beaten eggs and other ingredients into a double saucepan (or heatproof-bowl over a hot pan of water) on low heat and heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved.
4.Continue cooking until the mixture thickens.
5.Remove the rind.
6.Turn into hot clean jars and seal at once.
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Lemon curd ice cream - with meringue
Ingredients:
300ml double cream
300g Greek yoghurt
{or you can use all cream- depends how decadent you feel}
Jar good lemon curd {see above}
6 meringue nests {this is good to use up those sad little broken bits}
Now
Whisk the double cream to the soft peak stage, and carefuly fold in the Greek Yoghurt if using and lemon curd. Continue whisking until you get full peaks. Stir in the broken meringues. Transfer into a shallow freeze-proof plastic container cover and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove the ice cream from the freezer 15-20 minutes before serving and leave in the fridge to soften slightly.
{If you are using an icecream maker don't add the meringues untill nearly set or you will lose the crunchy texture}.
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 | Sloe, Sloe-Quick, quick Sloe
OK they look really good, plump like tiny plums with that lovely bloom, but they taste awful unless....
You turn them into:
1 Sloe Gin
2 Sloe Chocolates
3 Sloe and Apple jelly
1 Sloe Gin
This is sloe easy you'll be amazed - however you do need the patience to wait - but it is worth it. You'll need one empty 1 litre bottle:
1) add approx 400g sloes (fill about half the bottle). Remember to cut or prick the sloes before bottling.( this is not absolutely necessary but if you intend to go on to make the chocs it may be just a bit easier to slit them).
2) add approx 150g ordinary white sugar (this is about a wine goblet in volume).
3) top-up with gin, don't be fussy about the quality (about 500ml).
If you leave a small space for air in the neck of the bottle you'll find mixing the contents, to dissolve the sugar, easier! Just turn the bottle occasionally for the first few days, whenever you're passing. Then leave in a cool cupboard for a few months (still with the occasional mixing of the contents). You can pick sloes any time from September till the frosts. Keeping the sloe gin till next year is a challenge but can be done, or just make double the quantity and you could enjoy some this Christmas too.
2 Sloe Chocolates
Mmmn.
1) OK eventually you need to decant the sloes from the gin, be careful, and use a funnel and a strainer.
2) Collect the sloes nicely flavoured with the gin. If they have been steeping for a while then you may be able to just slip the stones out of the flesh.
3) Chop finely.
4) Melt good quality plain choc pour a layer into an ice cube tray (those silicone ones are the best because they flex easily).
5) Plonk (ha ha) a little of the chopped sloes on top then cover with another layer of choc.
6) Leave to set,
7) Enjoy.
3 Sloe and Apple jelly
All you need is:
900g (2lb) Sloes
1.8kg (4lb) Cooking apples or crab apples-they don't have to be perfect, but do pick over to make sure you don't use any blemished bits.
Juice and peel of one Lemon
Sugar
1) Wash and drain the sloes and prick them.
2) Put them in a pan with the lemon juice, peel and just enough water to cover.
3) Simmer until pulpy.
4) Wash and chop the apples, then
5) simmer in a separate pan, with water to cover - again until soft and pulpy.
6) Strain the two pulps through scalded jelly bags or fine muslin hung overnight over bowls to catch the juice - do not squeeze the bags, which will result in cloudy jelly.
7) Mix and then measure the juices, bring to the boil, add sugar at the rate of 450g to 570ml (1lb to 1 pint) and stir until dissolved.
8) Boil until setting point is reached.
9) Remove any scum, using a heated stainless-steel spoon.
This is great with cold meats at Christmas and the colour is very festive - dark and ruby rich. If you do have a bit of a squeeze and the resulting jelly is opaque then to add to gravy for a rich flavour - this is the perfect way to use it up and adds a great depth of flavour and colour!
Great with turkey, venison, game pie, beef, lamb, why not just experiment and let us know? We'd love to add your experiences.
Fancy making sloe wine? check our this recipe from Bernadette Smoczynska.
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 | Croissant and date pudding
Use leftover croissants for this; they certainly don't need to be fresh. The dates likewise do not need to be first quality. To feed 4 people generously you will need approx
3-4 croissants broken roughly
2 handfuls of roughly chopped dates, de stoned
1/2 pint of milk/cream and one egg lightly mixed.
Rub a deep pie dish with butter to prevent sticking.
Simply layer the croissant and the dates, making sure they are fairly evenly distributed. Pour over the mixed cream/milk egg and cook in a medium oven for approx 20 minutes, or until the liquid has set.
There is usually no need to add sugar as the dates are sufficiently sweet. I have often used cream mixed with white chocolate left over from another pudding and that is sensational and incredibly indulgent!
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 | Roast Turks Turban Pumpkin
In this recipe we feature Turks Turban Squash.
Perhaps one of the really tastiest squash varieties with a dry almost nutty flavour. Great simply roasted with your roasted potatoes.
Cut into chunky slices and remove seeds and any pithy bits and add to the roasted meat and potatoes in the pan about forty minutes before serving.
Vegetarians could just roast with root veg. like parsnips (with which the Tuks Turbans have a great affinity) just coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add a sprinkle of herbs de provence, dried marjoram or whatever you prefer.
Vegtables look great in a vintage basket
Also try:
Roast Pumpkin Soup below:
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| Roast Turks Turban Pumpkin Soup
This is an easy and adaptable soup that can be made with most squash or pumpkins.
Roughly chunk a medium size squash (about1kilo should be ok for 4) cut into large cubes or wedges whichever is convenient.
Put on a lightly oiled roasting tin with some crushed garlic cloves (4-5) and season well with salt and pepper. (There is no need to skin either of them at this stage).
You can flavour the cooking oil with coriander, or use a ready-flavoured oil like chilli, or walnut. Be sparing with these oils as they could easily over power the squashes own flavour.
Place them into a pre-heated oven at 190/ gas 5 for about ½ hour or until tender and coloured.
Cool sufficiently so you can scrape the flesh from the skin.
Pop the flesh of the garlic out of its skin and place the squash and garlic together in a blender.
Add either 1 litre of vegetable stock, or chicken stock, or stock and milk. You are aiming for a thick creamy consistency.
Blitz till smooth - you may have to do this in batches depending on the capacity of your blender.
Return to a saucepan and heat gently, taste and season. The soup should be a creamy consistency.
Add flavourings like;-
Grated nutmeg - good with butternut squash,
Swirl of soured cream
Lightly fried garlic slivers
Good flavours to add to stock are rosemary or thyme (remove before liquidising).
Taste for seasoning and add more stock if it's too thick. You're aiming for a fairly thick and creamy consistency. Return to the pan and heat gently, don't let it boil.
Serve with some chunks of fresh bread - poppy seed is fabulous, or try ciabattta or crusty wholemeal bread.
Enjoy!
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 | Sue's Basil Pesto
Gather as much Basil as you can (at least a handful).
Rip the leaves - do it by hand and release that fantastic smell.
Add to them pine nuts, olive oil, and garlic to taste. This recipe is infinitely adjustable and forgiving. If you don't like pine nuts or they are not available, leave 'em out.
Place the basil in a pestle and mortar or food processor and add other ingredients slowly. Blend to a thickish paste. Keep on tasting, you can add lemon juice or salt if you wish. This will keep for several days in the fridge or you can freeze it in ice cube trays and add directly to sauces.
This recipe is also good for herb rocket- great as a salad dressing!
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 | Basic Chili Pepper Sauce
1 or 2 hot chili peppers
1 large can tomato sauce passata
1 small can of diced tomatoes
salt, pepper
Dice the chilies into small pieces avoiding the membranes and seeds on the hotter varieties of chiles. Cook the chilies, the tomato sauce, and the tomatoes for twenty minutes on medium high or until it just starts to boil. Turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.
You can either remove the chillis for a milder flavour or keep them in small pieces to add chunkiness to the sauce. Once everything cools,place in a food processor or blender and pulse the sauce to incorporate the chiles.
This makes enough sauce for a chilli, salsa or enough sauce for about six people.
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 | Rocket and Hazelnut Pesto
This pesto is a bit more peppery, toasty and nutty - pesto. It's lovely with white fish -
4 tbsp whole hazelnuts
100g rocket, washed
1 large or 2 medium-sized garlic clove(s), peeled
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Dry roast the hazelnuts in a frying pan until the skins start to loosen - 7-10 minutes over medium-to-high heat. Watch them like a hawk- they can easily over cook Cool for a minute for two and then rub the skins off, as best as you can, using a clean tea towel.
Place the nuts in a food processor and whizz until ground up quite fine. Add the Rocket and garlic adding the olive oil as you go (add extra oil if you prefer a thinner texture). Stir in the Parmesan and season.
You can store the finished pesto in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 days - drizzle a bit of oil over to the top to keep it fresh.
You can also freeze it in an ice tray; then defrost small amounts as you need it
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 | Fresh Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
500g/1lb 2oz ripe, full-flavoured tomatoes
2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion or medium shallot, finely chopped
1 table spoon white wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon
salt, fresh ground black pepper
basil leaves, torn
For serving:
ciabatta, French bread, or
garlic
olive oil
black olives
anchovies
basil leaves
- Skin the tomatoes (Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove them after 30 seconds. Peel and cut into quarters, scoop out the seeds.)
- You are left with skinless, seedless, delectably sweet tomato flesh. Use in quarters or chop more finely (depends whether you want a chunky salad or more of a salsa).
- Either way, toss with the remaining ingredients and it's ready to serve.
For serving:
Grill slices of ciabatta or French bread, rub with garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Mix the tomato salsa with a few chopped black olives, and/or a couple of chopped anchovies and/or a few torn fresh basil leaves. Pile on to the bread and serve as a starter, either on its own or with other anti-pasti.
Fancy growing your own salads and veg? |
 | Lavender meringues
Melt-in-the-Mouth Summer Recipe
Lavender meringues
For the floral sugar (takes about a week):
1. 350g/¾lb granulated or caster sugar
2. 8-16tbsp chopped flower petals.
3. Just mix the flower with the sugar and leave to infuse the fragrance for a week or more.
(Use our garden-in-a-bag lavender)
4. Sift the sugar before use to remove the flowers.
For the meringues (make the day before):
1. 175g/6oz lavender sugar
2. 3 large egg whites
Method:
1. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks that slightly tip over when you lift the whisk.
2. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to whisk until all of the sugar has been used.
3. Place a dessertspoon of meringue mix onto a lined baking tray
4. Cook for 1 hour on the centre shelf, heated at 140C/275F/Gas 1
5. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven to dry out overnight, or until the oven is completely cold.
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 | Carrot and Coriander Soup
Ingredients:
1. 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2. 1 onion, chopped
3. 450g/1lb carrots, chopped
4. 1 tsp. ground coriander
5. 1.2 litresl/2 pints vegetable stock
6. Large bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
7. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions /carrots Soften for 3-4 minutes
2. Stir in the ground coriander and season well. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the vegetable stock and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
4. Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the fresh coriander and serve.
Keep your supermaket herbs in a pretty pot on your windowsill |
 | Parsley salad
Ingredients:
1. 175g) Bulgar wheat
2. 60g) roughly chopped Parsley
3. 80ml olive oil60ml lemon juice
4. 1½ tsp ground cumin
5. 1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
6. Sea salt
7. Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Place the Bulgar wheat in a fine sieve over the sink
2. Soak with lots of water and let stand for 30 minutes
3. Squeeze out any remaining water; place in a bowl with the remaining ingredients
4. Season to taste, and then stir to combine
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 | Blackcurrant Leaf Sorbet
We also use this recipe to make an elderflower sorbet - substitute 4 or 5 elderflower heads in full bloom.
2 large handfuls of young blackcurrant leaves
8 ozs (225g /1 cup) sugar
1 pint (600ml /2½ cups) cold water
Juice of 3 lemons
1 egg white (optional)
Crush the blackcurrant (or the elder flower heads) leaves tightly in your hand, put into a stainless steel saucepan with the cold water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Add the juice of 3 freshly squeezed lemons. Strain.
Make the sorbet in one of the following ways.
Pour the juice into a stainless steel or plastic container and freeze for about 4-5 hours or until semi-frozen. Remove from the freezer and whisk until smooth, then return to the freezer. Whisk again when almost frozen and fold in one stiffly beaten egg white. Keep in the freezer until needed.
If you have a food processor simply freeze the sorbet completely in a stainless steel or plastic bowl, then break into large pieces and whizz up in the food processor for a few seconds. Add one slightly beaten egg white, whizz again for another few seconds, then return to the bowl and freeze again until needed.
Serve in chilled glasses or chilled white china bowls or on pretty plates lined with fresh blackcurrant leaves.
This sorbet is naturally very pale but you could introduce some colour with a few crushed blackberries if you like.
Elder flowers also make a delicious flavouring for gooseberries a bit like adding some Frontignan wine. Try it next time you make a gooseberry fool.
Gather your fruits and vegetables in useful and pretty trugs and baskets
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 | Cooking with Achocha
Achocha may be eaten raw in salads. Best used when young; very small fruit can be eaten whole, but when larger split, de-seed and slice directly into the bowl. They are a bit like green peppers.
Curry
Large achocha - about 2-3" long can be split de-seeded and used to make a vegetable curry.
The quantity is up to you but about 14 will make enough for 2 if you are having a daal, rice and/or other curry.
1 onion - peel, chop and gently fry in oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds if you like about ½ teaspoon.
1lb potatoes peel, chop and add to onion.
1tsp chilli powder, coriander, turmeric.
(Better still use your own Grow your own hot peppers
Add achocha. Stir to mix all vegetables together. Add 8oz of chopped tomatoes (Tinned is fine) or enough tomato puree and water to just cover. Simmer gently till potatoes are cooked through.
Serve with some chopped fresh coriander.
Achocha Pickle
Prepare as above. Chop small. Place equal quantities of diced achocha, onions, swede in a large pot. Cover with vinegar. Stir in turmeric, coriander, and mustard seeds. Add sugar- about the same weight as the swede.
Bring to boil and cook slowly till the swede is soft. You can add caramel or use brown sugar to enrich the colour or a few drops of gravy browning if you want a really rich colour.
Ladle in to clean jars - use a slotted spoon if your pickle is too runny. Cover, label and store for 2 weeks or so to let the flavours develop before using. Once open use up quickly and always store in the fridge.
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 | Eggy Bread
Simple and delicious.
Use the freshest eggs you can find, organic free range are best.
Use at least one egg per serving.
Break eggs into a dish and stir to break yolks.
Season to taste with freshly ground rock salt and black pepper.
Dip fresh, preferably white, farmhouse style bread sliced thickly into the eggs so they are coated both sides.
Fry gently in good quality unsalted butter until golden on both sides.
Serve at once.
Scrummy!
Find the perfect egg basket right here |
 | Savoury sablés Valentines biscuits
100g plain flour
Pinch each of salt, black pepper and cayenne
1/2 tsp. Of dry mustard powder
90g unsalted butter
90g finely grated Parmesan or Gruyere
1 egg beaten to glaze
Small handful of poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Sift flour into a bowl or food processor and add the salt, pepper, cayenne and mustard powder. Add the butter and rub in or whiz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the cheese and mix the dough together until smooth. If should be soft and pliable.
Chill for 30 minutes, and then turn out onto a floured surface.
Pre-heat the oven to 190C/385F/Gas 5. Gently roll out to a thickness of 1cm. Using a round or heart-shaped cutter, press out the shapes and brush with the egg glaze.
(You can also make open hearts if you don't have the right shape.
Roll into strips about ½" wide and about 6" long. Join the strip ends together, just press them with your fingers so they make a circular shape and then gently ease them into a heart shape straight onto a flat baking sheet. Sprinkle with the seeds).
Bake for approx. 12-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown, and cool on a wire rack.
Note: These can be kept for a week in an airtight container, or frozen for 1-2 months.
Heart shaped message boards here! |
 | Valentines Passion fruit meringue
Ingredients
4 meringues ( you can make your own but shop ones are pretty good or follow our recipe below)
For the filling and garnish
4 passion fruits
100ml/3½fl oz well-chilled whipped double cream
1½ tsp sugar
1 small pomegranate (optional)
Method
1. For the filling, cut three passion fruits in half and scoop out the pulp (including the seeds and juice) into a sieve set over a bowl. Put the skins in the compost bin)
2 Fold the passion fruit and sugar into the cream until just combined.
3To make the garnish, cut the remaining passion fruit in half and scoop out the seeds, reserving them.
4 Cut the pomegranate in half then, bending back the rinds, dislodge some seeds from the membranes.You can also bash the pomegranite cut side down to release some seeds.
5 Arrange a meringue on each of two plates.
6 Top the meringues with the whipped cream mixture and garnish with some reserved passion fruit and pomegranate seeds.
7 Top each pudding with one more meringue.
8 These can be made two hours ahead and chilled, loosely covered. Bring them to room temperature before serving.Don't leave it any longer though, or the meringues may go mushy
9.Serve, garnishing each plate with some more passion fruit, some pomegranate seeds and some reserved juice.
Heart shaped gifts here |
 | Tea Loaf
Tea Time Treat
Ingredients
250gr SR flour
500 g dried sultanas or mixed cake fruit
400 ml strained strong tea
200 g moist brown sugar (preferably muscavado)
1 egg
½ tsp mixed spice
Method
Soak the fruit in the strained tea over-night.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to a greased lined cake tin and bake at175°C. for about 1 ½ hrs.
Remove from the tin and leave to cool. Store covered in an airtight tin for a day or two. The flavour improves with keeping although it's so delicious we predict you won't be able to keep it for long
Teapot watering cans make a novel gift |
 | Rhubarb and Ginger Jam
This makes a delicious alternative to marmalade at our breakfast table and Sue always has to do extra to give away to family and friends.
1kg (2lb 4oz) trimmed rhubarb, chopped
1kg (2lb 4oz) sugar
juice of two small lemons
25g (1oz) root ginger
100g (4oz) crystallised ginger, chopped
Mix the chopped rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl and leave overnight.
Bash the root ginger to break the root up a bit and tie in a muslin bag.
Put the rhubarb mixture and the ginger muslin bag in a heavy pan and boil rapidly for 15 minutes.
Remove the ginger bag and boil again until the rhubarb is clear.
Test for a set (the easiest way to do this is to put a little jam on a cold plate and leave it to cool, if the surface wrinkles when you push it is ready to pot into sterilised jars).
Keep recipe cards in a simple wire card holder
Top Tip
If your jam has a scum on the surface or looks a bit bubbly just add a teaspoon of butter as it cools, stir and problem solved.
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