May No Waste Food Challenge Round Up

Labels: Banana and Chocolate Chip Cookies, chicken stock, No Waste Food Challenge, Pesto, Pizza, raspberries, Tarte au Framboise

posted by Janice @ 21:55 4 Comments

Escape for the Night - My Dream Wedding Menu

I don't do a lot of competition posts but I've been tempted by the prospect of a night in at Stanley House, a luxury hotel in the North West of England, with breakfast, dinner and spa treatments included.  Anyone who knows me, knows I love an overnight in a hotel with spa treatments. 
Brian and I have been married for 32 years, the photo above is from 2011 which was our 30th Wedding Anniversary and is taken outside the hotel where we had our wedding reception.

To enter this competition you have to write about your dream wedding menu which really got me thinking.  At our wedding, so long ago, I went for simplicity.  As it was June, I chose traditional Scottish summer dishes: a whole side of poached salmon served cold with a buffet, followed by Scottish strawberries and cream, to be honest I can't remember much else about the food.  I didn't want a big wedding, just family and a few close friends, it was all very informal.


For my Dream Wedding Menu, I would still choose beautiful fresh Scottish produce, but this time it would be a slightly more formal dinner, for a slightly different group of family and friends as many of those invited to our wedding are no longer with us. 

Labels: Iced Cranachan, langoustines, Menu, raspberries, Scotland, Scottish, Sirloin Steak, Spa, Stanley House Hotel, Tablet, wedding

posted by Janice @ 21:29 5 Comments

Summer Falls into Autumn Pudding

9. Cut into slices and serve with the remaining sauce and some pouring cream.  I was really pleased with the way the pudding cut and held together, it may have been the pear which helped to hold it all together.


I am entering this for Four Seasons Food   a  blog event featuring seasonal ingredients like the blackberries and pears that I have used here. This month the theme is 'Sliding into Autumn'. Four Seasons Food is run by Delicieux and Eat your Veg



I'm also adding my Summer Falls into Autumn Pudding for  Shop Local a new blogging challenge from Elizabeth's Kitchen as it features Chilli Raspberry Jam from local producer Galloway Chillies.
Galloway Chillies produce a range of delicious chilli jams and the Hot Chilli lemon Citrus has recently been awarded a gold star by the Guild of Fine Food at the Great Taste Awards.

Labels: Autumn Pudding, blackberries, blackcurrants, Brambles, chilli jam, Four Seasons Food, Galloway Chillies, Pears, raspberries, Raspberry Chilli Jam, Shop Local, summer pudding

posted by Janice @ 20:41 5 Comments

Peach Melba - a Retro Tea Time Treat

Peach Melba is a simple dish of fresh peach served on icecream with a raspberry sauce. But famous French Chef, Auguste Escoffier knew what he was doing when he created this dish for Australian Opera Singer Dame Nellie Melba, because the ingredients complement each other perfectly.
I halved the peaches and took out the stones, then poached them gently in a sugar syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water) for about 5 minutes on a low heat, slip off the skin and chill. If you have really fresh peaches you can just pour boiling water over and slip off the skin.
I always feel it's a bit of a shame to push the fresh raspberries through a sieve, I don't mind the seeds and like the fleshy pulp, so I just crushed my rasps with a fork and added a teaspoon of icing sugar.
Serve the peaches on a scoop of vanilla ice cream and spoon over the raspberry crush or sauce.
I'm entering this for Tea Time Treats, the challenge run by Kate of What Kate Baked and Karen at Lavender and Lovage. This month's theme is Ice Creams, Jellies and Chilled Desserts
This dessert also fits the theme of Summer Puds for Four Season Food run by Anneli at Delicieux and Louisa at Chez Foti

Labels: Ice Cream. Dessert, Peach Melba, Peaches, raspberries, Tea Time Treats

posted by Janice @ 12:25 7 Comments

Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

Doesn't that look fabulous?  I can confirm that not only was it totally delicious, it wasn't difficult to make.  The recipe comes from a new book 'Make it Easy' by Jane Lovett published by New Holland Publishers.

Jane describes Make it Easy as "A book for the home cook with the emphasis on get-ahead, easy, seasonal recipes with a contemporary twist"  The  book starts with useful top tips, notes on presentation, do's and don'ts and some general notes.

There are nine chapters: soups and starters, fish & shellfish, meat, poultry, weekend lunches, vegetables and salads, desserts, quick nibbles & drinks, bits, bobs & basics.  There are so many great dishes in this book and they come with 'Get Ahead' tips showing you how far you can prepare before the meal.  This is an ideal book for anyone who new to  entertaining or is concerned about which dishes to make and getting their dishes to the table on time!  You can wow your guests with Vietnamese Herby Chicken with Nutty Green Rice Salad or Salmon en Croute with Lime and Coriander Sauce

Even if you don't do much entertaining, there are some great recipes to eat with the family, like the Quick Creamy Smoked Haddock Saffron and Chive Risotto and Spicy Sausage, Lamb and Bean Bake.


However, I was drawn to one particular dessert, not only because it contains some of my favourite flavours, but also because it fits perfectly with the July 'We should Cocoa' challenge which requires a combination of Blackcurrants and Chocolate.

Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

Serves 8-10

4 egg whites
a pinch of salt
280g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp cocoa powder plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp white wine vinegar
500g frozen mixed berries (I used frozen blackcurrants and redcurrants and fresh raspberries)
50g good quality plain or white chocolate
425ml double cream
Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 140C (275F), gas 1 and line a flat baking sheet with foil or baking parchment.  Whisk the eff whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then add 225g of the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking it in well between each addition.  The mixture will be very thick and shiny.  When all the sugar is incorporated add the cornflour, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and vinegar and whisk well again.


Pile the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and mould it into a flattish round shape, roughly 20-25cm across and 4cm deep.  Make a dip in the middle using a metal spoon.  Cook for 45 minutes, then turn the oven off leaving the pavlova inside until cold, without opening the door.   Carefully peel off the foil.


Put the frozen berries into a non-reactive pan with the rest of the sugar.  Warm gently over a low heat, just until the fruit has thawed, trying not to break it up.  Tip into a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain for 15 minutes or so.  Pour the juice back into the pan and boil fast, giving it the odd stir, until it has reduced to a syrupy consistency and just coats the back of the wooden spoon.  Leave to cool.  It will thicken up much more when cold.


Melt the chocolate in a small bowl suspended over a pan of hot water or in a microwave and carefully brush over the inside of the pavlova.  Dust the outside with cocoa powder, then icing sugar (I forgot to do this!)

Whip the cream lightly into soft peaks and spoon into the centre of the pavlova.  Mix the berries and the sauce together (this is when I added the fresh raspberries) and spoon over the top.



Get Ahead

The pavlova can be made several weeks in advance,wrapped tightly in clingfilm and kept somewhere cool and dry.  The chocolate can be brushed over a few days in advance.  Make the fruit compote several days in advance and keep the fruit and sauce covered separately in the fridge, or freeze.  Only mix together just before using.  The cream can be whipped as early as you like on the day but should be under whipped as it will thicken up whist in the fridge. 

Hints and Tips
Leave out the cocoa if you prefer and the chocolate too.
Cracks don't matter at all and most of them can be concealed by the filling if you so wish

I've never brushed chocolate on my pavlovas before, but it is absolutely brilliant and really adds to the rich, earthy flavours of the berries without overpowering them.  I would highly recommend this recipe and will be bookmarking more recipes in Make it Easy  which is available through a popular on line bookshop for £14.99.

As I said earlier, this is my entry for the July 'We should Cocoa':   Chocolate and Blackcurrants which is hosted this month by Choclette at Chocolate Log Blog

 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was not required to write a positive review and any opinion expressed is my own.

Labels: blackcurrants, chocolate, dessert, Entertaining, Jane Lovett, Make it Easy, meringue, pavlova, raspberries

posted by Janice @ 20:15 21 Comments

Iced Cranachan for Best of British

Best of British - The Scottish Challenge!

We are lucky that New World Appliances as proud BRITISH manufacturers of kitchen appliances are sponsoring this event for the first six months.  Each month, one entrant will be picked AT RANDOM to receive a £50 Amazon voucher.  And, at the end of the six month period we will have a regional showdown, with a judge to pick the best entry (we are still working on who that will be and should be able to announce it shortly).  New World Appliances have kindly offered £300 of Amazon vouchers for the overall winner, so if you enter every month you have 6 chances to win the grand prize!
We’ll be showcasing the entries both on the Face of New World blog and on host blogs and promoting the recipes through Facebook and Twitter, with all your entries fully credited back to your blogs.
So, why not show what you think is the Best of British and join our challenge.
Rules:
 The full rules are posted on The Face of New World Appliances. However, here is a summary of what you have to do to enter:

• Post your recipe on your blog with a link back to The Face of New World Appliances AND to this post.
• Add the Best of British badge to your post.
• Add "Best of British" to your post or as a tag.
• E-mail bestofbritishchallenge@gmail.com with your recipe title, a link to your post and a photograph by Midnight of 15th July.
• If you post on Twitter, you can use #BestofBritish and if you mention @fionamaclean or @serialcrafter or @newworldapps, we will try and retweet.
• The round-up of entries will be posted on or before the 20th July on The Face of New World Appliances and here on my blog too.

The Best of British Challenge has been organised by Karen Burns Booth of Lavender and Lovage and Fiona McLean of London Unattached.  Many thanks to them both for all their hard work and to Choclette at Chocolate Log Blog for hosting the first month featuring recipes from Cornwall. Remember to check the round up on the 20th June.

Scotland's Food

There are so many fantastic food producers in Scotland.  We have high quality beef and lamb and game, incredible seafood and delicious dairy produce.  The varied landscape of Scotland has the right conditions to for all of these products and, despite some of the 'deep fried Mars Bar' anti-food propaganda, Scotland has an excellent reputation for good food. 

I thought long and hard about what I should showcase for Best of British and toyed with a smoked venison salad or maybe some traditional baking.  In the end I decided to put a bit of a twist on a dish that is full of Scottish products and is popular in restaurants and at home for entertaining:  Cranachan.

I'm not sure what that bottle says about us, there doesn't seem to be much Auchentoshan malt whisky left!  In my defence, we have had that bottle for quite a while... oh yes and some lovely Scottish Heather Honey, thick and fragrant.

It's also the start of the Scottish soft fruit season.  I visited a fruit farm in Fife last weekend, no raspberries there, but plenty of strawberries.  These raspberries come from Perthshire, the cooler summers in Scotland are ideal for raspberry growing.

Iced Cranachan with Raspberries (serves 4)

For the ice-cream
300ml milk
1tsp vanilla extract
 3 egg yolks
25g caster sugar
1 tbsp Scottish Heather Honey
1tbsp Scottish Malt Whisky
300ml 1/2 Fat Creme Fraiche

For the Oat Crumble
100g Scottish medium oatmeal (I used Hamlyns Oatmeal suitable for baking)
30g Scottish butter
50g demerara sugar

200g Scottish Raspberries

To make the ice cream
1. Pour milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the honey and heat until almost boiling.
2. Take off the heat and let it cool slightly.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until thick and creamy.  Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then strain back into the pan.
4. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Do not allow to boil!
6. Pour into a chilled bowl and leave to cool in the fridge
7. Whisk the Creme Fraiche into the cold custard until evenly blended.
8. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until frozen, alternatively freeze in a shallow container, whisking 2 or 3 times during freezing to break down the ice crystals and ensure an even-textured ice-cream.
9.  When the ice-cream is still soft, add half the oat crumble and mix well.

To make the oat crumble
1. Rub together the medium oatmeal and the butter until combined and resembling rough breadcrumbs.
2. Add the demerara sugar and stir through.
3. Heat the oven to 180C and spread the mixture on a baking tray.
4. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
5. Let the crumble cool.

For the Raspberry Coulis
100g Scottish Raspberries
25g icing sugar, sieved
1. Push 100g of raspberries through a sieve, collecting the juice in a bowl.
2. Stir in the icing sugar until dissolved.
3. Chill until ready to use.



I used some old fashioned Tala Castle Cake tins, lined with clingfilm, to make my little ices, but you could use a small glass or just add a scoop of ice cream to your plate.  You need to take the ice-cream out of the freezer about half an hour before eating.  Place the ice cream on the plate, using a dessert spoon add a pool of raspberry coulis on one side and place three raspberries in the coulis.  Add a little 'stream' of oat crumble on the opposite side of the plate.

This is not an over sweet dessert, there is only a very subtle taste of whisky, but you could leave it out if you don't have it or don't like it.  They honey taste is to the fore and the different textures of the crunchy oat crumble and smooth raspberry coulis are delicious with the ice-cream.

I hope you will join us in the Best of British Challenge and make something from Scotland, it can be a traditional Scottish dish or a dish using Scottish produce.  I look forward to seeing what you make and good luck with the prize draw.



Scottish Cooking
Scottish Recipes
STV Scotland Food and Drink
Scottish Recipes Food and Culture

Labels: Best of British, Cranachan, Heather Honey, honey, ice cream, oat crumble, oats, raspberries, Scotland, Scottish, whisky

posted by Janice @ 07:30 17 Comments