I wait until the bread has cooked, thoroughly cooled and then freeze. That way you always have fresh bread if you haven't had time to make it that day. I meant to say once you get the basic recipe as you like you can add seeds, grated cheese, chopped sauted onions,herbs, nuts all sorts of flavourings which can turn a bowl of soup into something really wonderful.

Thanks Kamilla. There are only two of us as well and I usually made a big round loaf, cut into 4 farls and freeze 3. Works well for us too.

Hi Kamilla, so glad it worked for you. Once you get the knack you can try all sorts of variations. If you have a 9" loose bottomed tin (actually you could use any size but the 9" takes 500g of dough) after you have kneaded the dough make about 12 rolls all the same size. Grease and flour the tin and place one or two balls of dough in the middle and arrange all the others around the outside. Put in the fridge overnight to prove and then in the morning take out and prove again for about an hour and bake as usual. Fresh warm rolls for breakfast. Just tear off each roll and serve. You can also use the dough after the first proving to turn into pizza bases. Take off dough as required, and roll on a floured board as thinly as you like and top with tomato sauce and sliced peppers, mushrooms etc. That is probably something that your little girl would love to help with. Good luck and keep baking.

Hi Kamilla, I agree, we never buy bread now - sounds silly but I never lose the thrill of taking the freshly baked bread from the oven. Are you the same? I would be really interested in seeing your sourdough recipe. If you have trouble obtaining bread flour what do you use? Many thanks

Hi Samsung1, do try you wont regret it. I think the most important thing to remember is to ensure that the first kneading is thorough enough. Don't stop until the dough is really elastic ( I have a heart condition and have found my own easy way to knead by hand - as long as it works it can't be wrong) Most recipes indicate tepid water but most of Paul Hollywood's recipes suggest cold water and my reckoning is that if you use tepid water in a bread maker and put on delay by the time the machine starts working the water will be cold anyway. Do let us know how you get on. Home made bread - Magic and a thing of great beauty.

Has anyone successfully frozen un-decorated celebration fruit cake and if so how long did it keep? Many thanks.

Hi my recipe is similar but I can get hold of a wide range of bread flours. Unless I am making a speciality bread I always use the same recipe for all standard breads.
Apologies for mix of metric and imperial but it is easier for me to remember

500g strong white bread flour or a mix of different bread flours,
2 pinches sea salt,
7g sachet of dried yeast or 14g fresh yeast,
1/2pt tap water (from the cold taop,
Either 3 tablespoons of olive oil OR 2ozs butter

Place all ingredients in bowl and either using hands or a food mixer with a dough hook knead until dough is very elastic and silky (about 10-15 mins by hand or 5 mins with a dough hook on a low speed - mark 2 on a Kenwood Chef)
Stand somewhere warm for an 1 - 1.1/2 hours covered with a clean tea towel until doubled in size (or overnight in the fridge) Knock back for a minute or two and either shape as you like or grease and flour 2 x 1lb loaf tins or 1 x 2lb loaf tin. Again cover with the clean dry tea towel.
Leave again for another hour and then cook as directed by your oven guidelines. After 20 - 35 mins depending on your oven tap the bottom of the bread to ensure it is cooked (you will get a hollow sound when tapped.) If not cooked place back in oven and check again in another few minutes. Cool on a cake tray or the bottom will go soggy.
NB: If you do the first proving overnight in the fridge, in the morning take out the dough and knock back and continue as above.
I never use all wholemeal as it tends to be very heavy but would mix with 50/50% strong white bread flour.
Happy baking.

Can anyone please tell me how to use the shortbread mould? Thankyou

I have a recipe that I was going to use when I return from holiday. Being nostalgic also can remember growing up with dad making the "plant" and putting rubber stoppers in the bottles only to hear them all pop during the following months (am probably a lot older than you). He certainly used a few sultanas which I remember distinctly and these are in the recipe - will sort it out as soon as I can and send it...

Cheers Karen, glad it is not just me - perhaps the site organisers ought to take our comments into account!

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I think you are referring to the pane coating that Paul used for the chicken and the aubergine, as a vegetarian alternative. I often use this method for thin pieces of pork, chicken etc but have never tried it with aubergine but will now - looked especially good when the father used slices of tomato and mozzarella on top. Hope this is what you wanted.

I really don't know what I am doing wrong but can someone please tell me how to raise recipes on this site now. I am clicking on "Recipes" and then typing what I want to look for, and on this occasion, French Apple Tart. I have tried so many times without success, for any recipe, that I may have to forsake the site all together, unless you can help me please.....

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This is the link for Delia's recipe. Hope it helps and you don't have to use the prosecco just make a juice to suit.

Hi din-din the most important rule to remember is how much liquid a sachet of gelatine or a leaf of gelatine will set. If my memory serves me it is a sachet for a pint of liquid and 4 leaves of gelatine (soaked in cold water beforehand) for a pint of liquid.
If I want to turn out the jelly I pile berries into a 1lb or 2lb loaf tin (based on a Delia Smith Summer recipe)and make up some juice using home made cordial, water,(or slightly sparkling wine) lime juice, sugar - all to taste. Pour 3/4 of the liquid containing the dissolved gelatine over the fruit, cover with cling film and weight down with another loaf tin the same size until set, then remove clingfilm, reheat the remaining liquid and pour into the tin until it has set. Just place the tin in a couple inches of hot water for a second or two and it should turn out ok. If using individual glasses remember to put a layer of fruit, cover with gelatine mixture and allow to set. Repeat this until the glass is as full as you want it (this just stops all the fruit rising to the top) Hope it works. Would be pleased to know how you get on.

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Whilst experimenting (and up until now failing with pitta bread) with recipes for all types of breads, flat breads, pitta breads including looking for the best dough recipe for my show stopping, top prize Muffuletta Sandwich for our Village Produce Competion in September, I came across this recipe yesterday which actually gives you pockets to fill! I hesitated and thought I should use strong bread flour but resisted and used plain flour as the recipe says but didn't use warm water as I know that cold water works just as well. I think the cake cooling tray worked because it allows the intense heat to hit the bread from top and bottom at the same time, and, I did have a large brown paper bag in the drawer which I just clamped shut with several clothes pegs. The result was soft pockets of dough which really look superb. Ok some might prefer the harder, chewier commercially manufactured pittas but for me these will come out of the oven time and time again. If anyone tries the recipe please let me know what you think - and what bread dough you think would be best for my winning muffuletta sandwich (part of an imaginative picnic plate to be judged on appearance) Cheers.

I have researched and gathered together a range of recipes and have decided that I must make a trip to Morocco especially after watching Nadia cook for Simon Rimmer this morning. The beef tangiers cooked on the bakers floor was amazing as were the spice markets. I was interested to note that in Moroccan cooking the spices are not fried first but all ingredients go into the pot together which I will do next week. If you are all still tuned in to this thread am I right in thinking that I should use gunpowder tea for the mint tea and unlevened bread? Many thanks all. My gastric juices are now in overdrive. What a fabulous cuisine.

Im serving a variety of little dishes mediterranean/middle eastern style i.e. tagine of lamb and chicken, couscous, baba ganoush, flat bread, carrot salad, harissa olives etc. Both my friends husband and my own will not think the meal complete if I don't serve a pud but can't think of anything light. Claudia Rodens orange cake keeps coming to mind but I don't know if that would be light enough. What do you think or any ideas please?

I roasted a small whole wild sea bass last week which I served with some Norfolk samphire (which I washed and washed and washed) and cooked in a couple of inches of plain water for about 8 mins. After straining I served it with a little butter, squeeze of lemon juice and some freshly ground pink and black peppercorns. Nothing else was needed. I don't think that the rocket and/or parmiagiano would complement the scallops and samphire. Perhaps a confusion of flavours there but we all have different tastes. Good luck.

Hi Rich, you've probably already cooked these by now and I hope they were ok but I can't see that cooking in a bain marie in the oven will give your pastry casings the same texture as when simmered or steamed.

Can't remember ever having these but I did see Galton Blackiston form left over cold shrimp risotto into balls, dusting in flour, then beaten egg and breadcrumbs and frying them to serve hot with a spicey tomato sauce. I also remember someone doing similar with cold mushroom risotto but slipping in a small piece of melting cheese (could have been fontina) and then coating and frying as above. They really looked delicious with the cheese oozing out when cut. Think I might actually give it a try myself.

Cooked as above and served hot with a white sauce as a side vegetable. Also goes so well with cheddar cheese in a sandwich and feta cheese in a salad.

I know I have posted this querie on Rachel Allens ? board but I'd rather like a quick answer if anyone has one. I usually use 6,6,6,3 or 8,8,8,4 for the Victoria sponge but have noticed that Rachel only uses 4.1/2oz butter and 1 tbsp milk, can anyone tell me the rationale for this and/or have you tried the recipe with what results. I must admit all of her other cake recipes that I have used are spot on. I have heard that too much sugar can make the sponge hard. Many thanks

Just checked out a "Muffuletta" sandwich and that looks great as well. Thanks for that AnneP

Hi Rosti. The second link is more like that which I saw Lesley Waters make but the first looks tempting as well. I want a quick supper for tonight but am also preparing for our village Summer Garden and Prduce show which requires in one class "An 11" Assorted picnic plate which will be judged on its' attractiveness" I willl try the first link tonight and then the other at a later date. I have also made two recipes from Paul Hollywood (Cypriot and Italian I think) where he bakes the flavours in between layers of dough but they are more of an accompaniment rather than the picnic dish itself. Many thanks for that.

I remember watching Lesley Waters some years ago making the above. I think I remember her slicing through a ciabatta loaf at several levels and in each placing different foods: i.e. roasted peppers in one, salami in another and topped off with mozzarella and then wrapping the whole thing tightly in clingfilm and chilling overnight ready for the picnic the next day when the loaf would be sliced and full of juicy delicious flavours. Does this have a name, does anyone remember it or have a link? Many thanks.

Does anyone have a custard based receipe for rhubarb and ginger ice-cream please?

Have been told that Icewine is worth trying with desserts or spooning over fresh fruit sponges etc but I have never seen it in the shops. I have had other dessert wines but never "Icewine" Any ideas anyone please?

Stuff field mushrooms with fresh white breadcrumbs mixed with pesto and a thin slice of mozarella cheese bake; stuff chicken breasts, poach in cling film and then quickly pan fry until golden; gently pan fry chicken drumsticks and at the end of the cooking time coat in chosen pesto and continue cooking for a few minutes longer. If you have a processor it is so quick to make your own and ring the changes. I actually prefer coriander to basil and will make a salad of penne, cold chicken, a few walnuts, cherry tomatoes, chopped apple or whatever I have to hand. You can use watercress and walnuts in place of basil and pine nuts; spinach and sun dried tomato. People may say it is not proper pesto but hey who cares if you enjoy it and as none160 says hot new potatoes and all sorts of crudities dumked into a big bowl of pesto. Yummy. I agree,experiment.

Hi Snowy, I saw that one thanks. Will start today. Have you used white or brown rye flour with it with success? Will let you know how I get on.

Has anyone a tried and tested recipe for sourdough bread including the basic starter please?

Hi Sue, really pleased that you are going to give them another go. I also prefer them without the S + O stuffing but the inclusion is personal. Don't you find that the hearts themselves have so much flavour? Do let us know how you get on (I do wish I could eat them!)

Hi Sue and Rosti, have just come back from The Heart Hosp., a little painful.. Rosti is right, the raw hearts and onions make their own juice but if you want to make more gravy then add a little wine or whatever, but I really think the juices made from the onions and hearts are great on their own. Thanks Rosti

This is still quite a large pud even though I used the small roasting tin and you can easily halve it. I gave a chunk to my neighbours and have frozen some for the first time as an experiment. It does keep for about a week but gradually the sugar on top will soften. Please do try it as soon as you can after it comes out of the oven - manna from heaven and let me know how you get on with it.

I really hope you enjoy them and do please let me know how you get on.

As promised made yesterday and here are the weighed ingredients.
1lb 2.1/4oz - 800g stale white bread, crusts included;
2lb - 900g sultanas and raisins mixed;
1oz - 28g millstones mixed spice;
1lb 2oz - 510g of granulated sugar;
plus 3 tbls sprinkled over the top;
2oz - 56g trex (only fat I had in the fridge);
plus 1oz - 28g flecked over the top;
4 heaped tablespoons of SR flour;
1 jumbo doubled yolked free range egg (or 2 standard).

I judge the temperature using a thermometer which read between 160 - 170 degrees and cooked for exactly 2 hours turning half way. My husband says it is delicious and I think I might agree.
Good luck and hope this helps

Wash 1 or 2 lambs hearts per person in fresh salted water to get rid of the excess blood. I like to turn them inside out and then I also cut away any tubes etc I don't like the look of at the top. Personal preference. I then would thinly slice lots of onions and pile at the bottom of an old fashioned pyrex dish with a lid. Lay the hearts on the top either as they are or cut in half, add a little olive oil if the hearts are really lean (not too much depending on the fat on the lamb hearts which will melt down) plenty of salt and pepper and if your dish is deep lay a circle of greaseproof paper over the top of the hearts to stop the steam evaporating and cook 160 - 180 for a couple of hours until tender.
Some people stuff them with sage and onion, add red wine and herbs but if you use my recipe as a basic then you can alter to suit. I would, depending on the finished dish, either serve as they are or add a little stock to the onion to develop your gravy and serve with greens and creamy mashed potato. Delicious. Hope this helps.

Kazza, thank you but it is not this one.

Does anyone still have a copy of this recipe featured in the magazine please?
If so can you let me know the name as used so that I can find it on the magazine website? I am trying to ascertain cooking method and timings.
Many thanks

I haven't made a bread pudding for ages and Rosti is right about not confusing this delicious dish with bread and butter pudding. Delicious in it's own right but not the same. In our house this recipe was never written down but the format was always the same. Leftover stale bread which was torn and put into a large pudding basin, covered with cold water and left to soak overnight. Next morning, squeeze out as much moisture as you can, wipe out the bowl and return the bread. Now here comes the important rule. Dad always said that you should not see any white bread when it is cooked but that the mixture should be brown and laden with fruit i.e. currants, sultanas or raisins (but not mixed peel or cherries) spice at least one of those little old fashioned tubs and always Millstones, granulated sugar, 1 or 2 eggs, dripping cut into little flakes and a couple of tablespoons of plain flour just to hold it. Now this seems daft but taste it before putting it into a greased roasting tin and it should be full of fruit, sweet and spicey. Once in the tin dot with more flakes of dripping and strew more white granulated sugar. I hope this helps and I know that I haven't given any quantities but I will make one within the next few days and weight out all quanities and post if this helps. Dad could never wait for it to cool down and was always there with his spoon as soon as it came out of the oven ..."bootiful"

Oh how amazing, one of our favourites which we had last night but with prawns instead of the crab and I also threw in some spinach. I base mine on a Rick Stein recipe with anchovies, olives, toms, chilli and olive oil and lemon juice. Sometimes I will buy the crabs already dressed but bliss for me is sitting and listening to a Saturday afternoon radio 4 play with newspaper, rolling pin and picks over the table. I can remember dad always telling me to whistle whilst dressing the crabs so he knew I wasn't sucking the legs!
The answer to your question is Saturday or Sunday, and thank you Rosti.

Hi Rosti the special occasion is a toast to my new pacemaker. I'll do anything for a celebration meal! Living in North Suffolk Cromer crab is readily available and it is so delicious in it's natural state that brown bread and butter, a little home made curry or mustard mayo and a squeeze of lemon is, for me, perfect in its' natural state. I have, as you say, the classic salmon and cream cheese mousse wrapped in smoked salmon in my mind if I can't find an alternative. I suppose I am really looking for a recommended mousseline type of terrine which I can serve cold with some of my Christmas Bread and Butter pickles aka pickled cucumber, peppers and sliced onion. Gosh I'm really hungry now.

Does anyone have an exciting fish mousse, cream or pate that can be made the previous day ideal for a lightish starter please?

I was given this at the end of a meal last year and remember it was delicious. Has anyone had this or something similar?

Thanks alc28 - I did see the ad in a food magazine and it is British. Many thanks I will definitely give it a try.

can I ask why you don't want a yeast foodlover2? You could use a naan bread base or an unleven dough base. You could use a chick pea base.

Can anyone give me a brief precis or recommendation/comment for this book please? Many thanks.

Oh Goody, perhaps then someone will answer my pathetic questions. I am really glad that I started this link. TerryDox is right, a sense of belonging which enables us to knock ideas back and forth and ask questions that we even sometimes already really know the answer to in a safe and friendly environment.

lovely to hear from you and to know that good things are happening to you Rosti.

I have found a recipe for a Thai curry paste which I am going to do. It called for the addition of shrimp paste which I could not buy locally but posset kindly gave me a link and I am just waiting for its arrival. The recipe says to freeze portions which I shall do. Off to make red chilli jam now and pickled peppers. Isn't cooking great?

Oh posset thank you. Ordered and the black cardamon pods. Perhaps flying the kite was a bit too ambitious. I can walk further now and even ran 3 steps along Southwold Beach just to prove I could but unfortunately the obstructions have returned, but I know how lucky I am. Cooking doesn't keep me sane as I never was even before the illness but it brings me such joy. How are you now. I'm sure you are still grieving but I hope that lovely memories keep you going.

I am usuing some home grown chillies for Thai Green Paste and the recipe that I have downloaded requests Shrimp Paste. I am embarrassed to say, as a confident and experienced (that means old) cook, that, apart from Nam Plas I have not come across this paste. Can anyone enlighten me please? I live in rural Suffolk so cannot access, alas (as I also need some Black Cardamon for Garam Masala) any Asian supermarkets. Cheers

What a brilliant idean ShaneR - how long will the paste keep?

Of course I mean Rosti (too many senior moments) and of course I remember your kind words Mrs Woof Woof. How are you?
I am really pleased that we now have Market Kitchen daily on BBC2.
I was sad when Hugh F-W Autumn series finished and am going to cure my own pork a la HF-W for Xmas. A first for me

I don't have UKTV food so used to love reading all the messages from the stalwarts/dependables like Roxy and all the others. Where have you all gone?
This site is really not the same without you all.
Am I missing something?

can you tell us the name of the programme Were potatoes used? I'm sure if you can give a bit more information someone will come up with the recipe le fay

Baked beans, corn on the cob, fried onions....poached pears

I recently bought a packet of dried fruit, i.e. prunes, rings of apple, pear etc that had to be re-hydrated before use. We left it overnight and had it cold for breakfast with yoghurt and it was delicious and tasted just like Christmas. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I bought it. I have tried Tesco, Morrison, Co-op, Budgen.
It was so delicious and brought back memories when mum served it many, many years ago with hot sweet custard. Any ideas anyone? (I use the packs of ready to eat prunes, figs etc for cooking and snacking but the ones I am looking for HAVE to be re-hydrated) cheers.

I'll work back so that it is ready 2/3 days before needed. I am really looking forward to doing this. Cheers

I have grown my own chilli peppers for the first time this year. They are now indoors and the fruit is currently at the orange stage and the foliage is dying so I am not sure if they will turn red. Is it best to keep them in the fridge or to hang them to dry? I was originally hoping to steep them in olive oil but I received so much conflicting advice from friends on the best way to do this that I think I will abondon that idea. Cheers

That's brilliant thanks. I will use the the amount the butcher did for the larger joint. How long will it keep in the fridge before I cook it ?(this is for Xmas and I would be cooking it in the simmering oven on Christmas morning)
Cheers

Apologies, some type missing. This was the pork being cured on his "AUTUMN" series shown on Channel 4 episode last week.

I was excited watching the pork joint being cured and am determined to try this recipe, which looks very easy, for Christmas. My problem is that I wouldn't need 4 kilo for just the two of us so would you think I would halve the recipe for a 2 kilo joint (but still curing it for the time required per kilo)? but if I did that I would be concerned that half the amount of water wouldn't be sufficient to cover a 2 kilo joint. Any ideas please?

My eye caught this message and I was drawn to it as I love prawn puri. Do you make your own puri if so can I have a recipe please?

What can we use that is gluten free so that we can make a dough at home (either for use in bread or pizza etc) please?

That's interesting Paul. What "flour" would you suggest using for bread please?

Has anyone tried spelt bread?

...with or without feta cheese. Can anyone tell me the best way to do it please?
Cheers

I thought that lobster bisque and coffee dacqouise to follow would be a perfect meal but I cannot find any recipe either in my books or on the web for Coffee Dacqouise as presented. Has anyone a recipe I could use please?

Really pleased it worked out for you bigears4

For my old fashioned custard tart I bake a tart tin lined with shortcrust pastry (I freeze the whole thing and then cook it as it is less fuss than using parchment and beans etc) remove from oven and stand on baking sheet. Lightly whisk 3 whole eggs with 2 - 3oz caster sugar. Scald 1pt of whole milk and pour over the eggs and sugar and stir to combine. Carefully pour into cooked pastry case, grate fresh nutmeg over top and gently put into preheated oven. I use the simmering oven on an aga which is about 120C and it takes about 30 - 40 mins. If ever I have any left over I just pour the mixture into a ramekin etc and cook in the same way. You could reduce and use 1 egg for 1/3rd pint of milk etc. One of my absolutely favourite puddings and a rather neglected one I feel.

brenda46x if you are using the 7g sachets (ie Allinsons or Hovis) then it is equivalent to 15g of fresh yeast i.e. half. If it helps, for my daily bread I use 7g sachet of yeast to 500g bread flour.

Isn't it great to get passionate about food kpp? I have been revisiting some cookery books (I don't know about any of you but I read cookery books in preference to novels etc and you don't have to read from cover to cover but dip in and re-visit whenever you like) and realise just how many british dishes there are that I haven't cooked. We have our local garden and produce show this Saturday and am aiming to enter all classes for preserves and baking etc. I know my marmalade peel is too hard (cooked from frozen fruit and I swear it was soft when I cut it) my beetroot chutney may be a little loose and I am worried that I wont get the appropriate sugar and lemon juice drizzle on my cake. but, and I would be fibbing if I didn't say I would like to be placed, if we don't enter the competition then the whole thing will grind to a halt. As I live in East Anglia kpp I am lucky to be able to source Cromer crabs, which we are buying every week at the moment, and I would love to have a copy of the recipe for crab fritters if you have time.

Sounds as if you really enjoyed yourself kpp but Jessica12 asked for British.

What are Tennis biscuits Graca Queen?

What are Tennis biscuits Graca Queen?

What are Tennis biscuits Graca Queen?

During one of this weeks ITV Daily Cooks Challenge AWT inferred that it is now ok for us to eat beef dripping. Part of me (the greedy part who loves potatoes roasted in beef dripping) wishes there is some truth in this. Can anyone enlighten me please?

This is some information for the spanish produced geese liver. [link]
I haven't seen the product being marketed by Waitrose alc28 and well done the British farmer. I don't suppose the product will please everyone as being quite high in duck/goose fat it will melt when heated but nevertheless I will certainly be giving it a try. Cheers.

I was not wishing to offend in any way bobs baby. I love to eat meat and try to source only that which is ethically and morally reared. I feel that force feeding geese or duck to proudce foie gras is not something that I wish to be connected with and I could certainly not inflict that on any animal that arrived on my table. My family used to keep geese that were allowed to range freely and which were slaughtered and prepared for Christmas. In respect to the birds we used every part of the carcass that we could including the liver but not as foie gras. I hope that answers your question what good is a goose and if you feel comfortable eating foie gras that is your choice and yes, geese also make wonderful guard dogs.

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Serena B - I found this recipe which I thought might be useful to start with. I hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy

Would you make your own dough or do you have a bread machine Serena B as I think that home made dough tastes the nicest? If so use a basic bread recipe or in the machine use the basic dough setting. Remove dough from machine. Take a lump of dough and roll out as thinly as you like on a floured board. Or if you prefer all supermarkets sell packets of pizza dough mix in the flour department and it is still home made .
Place dough on pizza stone, baking tray or whatever you are using and add your favourite toppings usually starting with a simple tomato sauce. Then adding (I always use raw veg thinly sliced) a combination of sliced pepper, mushroom, onion, tomato, slices of salami, and topped with grated or torn cheese of your choice. Top with a drizzle of olive oil. Don't be tempted to put too much topping on the pizza to start of with. Straight into a very hot oven (you'll have to check your oven book for this) for anything from 12 minutes to 20 minutes. Lovely and good luck.

Oh bobs baby I must admit that I do hope that you cannot find it. I used to love foie gras until I realised how it was produced. I understand that in some parts of spain farmers are ethically producing a form of foie gras where the geese gorge naturally on acorns before their winter long haul flight.

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Is this what you are looking for Hammy11?

I'm sure you can't freeze raw potatoes but my husband assures me that they have to be "clamped" and kept in the dark. They have to be piled (blemish free - no bad ones) with a layer of straw underneath them then cover them with a good layer of straw and then cover that with a layer of earth and they will last several months.

Thanks alc29 for all your trouble. I have found a recipe in one of my recipe books for courgette fritters which also contain grated potato, onion, red pepper folded into a thick batter mixture but as the recipe suggests the veggie combination can be altered. Am really looking forward to giving it a try (obviously not with the round courgette which made lots of asian spiced soup) Cheers

ooh that sounds really good cheers

alc28, I rather fancy fritters but as the courgette is a large ball I may have trouble getting the outer peel on each piece would it matter?

[link] terrine
I must admit I have made rather a few of these terrines lately (all for different people) with the strawberry sauce that Genaro Contaldi uses for his limoncello panna cotta instead of cream.
Good old bramley apple pie with cream **or** custard if serving hot.
Bread and butter pudding.
Old fashioned English custard tart
Rice pudding
and as Mrs Woof Woof says Rhubarb crumble and easy to prepare
Treacle tart and custard
Queen of puddings
Trifle....the list is endless. Who says the Brits can't cook?

Stuffed; chopped and sauted for pasta sauce; chutney and soup. What would you do with it please? Cheers

Prawn cocktail and egg mayo would get my vote for this menu every and any day. They appear in Simon Hopkinsons Prawn Cocktail Years along with other foods we (well some of us anyway) ate in the 70's and, made well and served cool and fresh real winners.

I was looking at several of AH cookery books this morning for seafood recipes and in the index was Crab Canape on a spoon page 179 (I think it was the Gourmet Express (2 books in one) but I can't find it. Am I looking at the wrong page please? Cheers

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Here's a recipe for courgette chutney. You could reduce the amount of courgettes and add aubergine and reduce the amount of tomatoes suggested and add some peppers and garlic. Usually as long as the amount of fruit/veg you add is about the same as the original recipe you should be ok to use anything. BUT, do make a note of ingredient and amount you added in case you are delighted and want to replicate it. n.b. I haven't used this recipe myself. I now usually stick to Rick Steins Beetroot Chutney and Spicey Apple and Walnut and/or vary it depending on what I've got. There are lots and lots of recipes on the website. Good luck and let us know how you got on please.

Can you cook home made quiche from frozen? cheers

gerry 20 do you mean Chicken Fillet Steaks with chestnut mushrooms, sage and lemon sauce? It is in New British Classics and I can't find a link, sorry.
This is the recipe with strips and pureed chicken wrapped in caul. It is one of my favourites if I can get the caul.

cheers Mrs Woof Woof and posset. No posset I have run about 3 strides along Southwold Beach but without the kite. I shant give up and WILL get there.

I meant to say that it will be sitting for a few hours before and after judging so things like ice-cream are out.

Local village show at the end of August and one of the classes is for a single dinner party dessert. Every time I decide what to present I change my mind. Can you all tell me please what is your favourite dinner party dessert? Cheers.

All into a non stick frying pan: fresh crab meat brown and white, enough virgin olive oil to slacken everything into a sauce, a few chilli flakes, lemon zest and lemon juice to taste, a few tasty tomatoes chopped into small dice, 1 small garlic clove squashed, s & p and and freshly chopped parsley WARMED through (that's the key and only takes a few minutes) and stirred into cooked linguini. Heaven especially now crabs are in season and at their best. I don't have quantities but never vary the ingredients as this is a real winner. Do not add parmesan you'll ruin it. I have served this after a selection of salami, mozzarella and melon and finished the meal with Genaro Contaldi's lemon panna cotta and the whole meal never fails to please (and takes very little time but lots of love to prepare) There are many variations on crab with linguini. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Sharon I made 12 of these cup cakes today as a try out and they were so easy but more importantly absolutely delicious. I did, however, ruin the first batch of chocolate icing as I added the melted white chocolate to the icing sugar and butter mix before it had cooled and it split. But, I think it would have been too rich and used a dark chocolate instead but you could use any icing of your choice. The cakes need a muffin paper case ( I used 4cm high, top 7cm and bottom dia 4cm) I thought they would be too big but the sponge just melted in the mouth.

I watched one last year that featured an aubergine curry which was absolutely delicious.

I think there may have been an old thread on this, however, can anyone tell me how many eggs, tinned salmon, grated cheese we need for one sliced loaf (i.e. 8 rounds of sandwiches for each filling) Thank you.

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This is the link Sharon K - I was going to do a dummy run on Tuesday. If you are going to make them beforehand can you give me feed-back please?
Cheers

alc28 _ I did post a reply earlier which hasn't been posted. Do you ice this cake with mascarpone, butter cream etc or can it be eaten "naked" oh dear my poor heart! cheers

Dewisant please post outcome. Cheers

alc28 do you use orange juice or milk when youn make it?
Recipe looks good will try it. cheers

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I printed this off last week to give it a try (which I haven't done yet) but it looked rather delicious and easy.

I did post a reply to this Jo112 but it didn't get posted for some reason. Thank you I have found a recipe for wedding cup cakes using yoghurt which I am going to try this week-end. Cheers

What do you do with leftover chicken?
We love roast chicken but as there are only the two of us there is always leftovers. I use the carcass for stock but would like different ways of using up the chicken.

I've offered to make some strawberry flavoured and some chocolate flavoured cupcakes, with buttercream icing, for the children for a friends wedding. I was going to use my basic victoria sponge recipe (with flavours added) but reading The Telegraph Week-End paper (am I allowed to say that?) there is an article about cupcakes being all the rage and suggesting they should be a lot softer and lighter than a usual sponge! Anyone any recipes please? Also what size cup cake case would be most preferential for the children - I rather saw a little jaw clamping down on a huge cupcake but may be wrong?!?! Many thanks

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Does this link help Val79?

Midsman69 I'm having trouble visualising this dish.
Were the potatoes and onion layered as in a dauphinois or just roasted potatoes flecked with red onion and gruyere grated over the top?
Was there any liquid, cream, milk etc. or just roasted in olive oil?

On BBC Saturday Kitchen this morning, Michelle Roux said not to wash the cherries, to keep them dry and to coat them in very light flour. Now I don't want to argue with a 5 michelin star chef, but I always wash the glaze off the cherries, dry them thoroughly and then coat them into a little of the cake flour and my cherries don't usually sink.

I have touble finding fresh horseradish root. The last one I grated and mixed with a small amount of shop bought (you know the one) mayo. I then take it as I need it and mix with a little double cream. Lovely with roast beef and smoked mackerel. Here is a pickle recipe:
Beetroot and Horseradish pickle:
2lb small beetroot cooked, peeled and diced
2oz grated fresh peeled horseradish root
2oz sugar
1 pint red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pickling spice tied in a muslin bag

Mix beetroot and horseradish together and pack into hot sterilized jars.
Put sugar, vinegar, salt and spices in a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 mins, remove muslin and spices and pour hot vinegar over the beetroot and horseradish. Seal and lable.
This keeps as long as any pickle/chutney will.

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There are several recipes here from Delia. I have tried the wild mushroom and must say that some of the others look good too.

Gastroturf it seems that your initial reply to my message has been deleted! Or can you see it and I can't?(the one with the cup measurements) Cheers

The only reason I bought a blow torch is that I cook on an Aga which, although very hot in the roasting oven, does not have an integral grill. I will endeavour to achieve the perfect creme brulee. Thanks

Gastroturf thank you. Is this American or Australian cups or, better still can you give me measurement in metric or imperial measures? thanks

I'm quite a good cook and will tackle anything culinary sweet and savoury but I cannot succeed with Burnt Cream/creme brulee. I have tried on the stove methods, in a double saucepan and in the oven in a bain marie; double cream and single cream but success eludes me. It either curdles or doesn't set. Please can somebody give me a fullproof method? Of course I told my husband, I have to have a blowtorch! Personally I would rather have a cold creamy rice pudding with the crispy topping but I'm not going to let a little cream pot beat me!!!!! Thankyou

Oh Rosti yours is the first message that has found its' way into my inbox for months - great it's working! The odd thing was that the UKTV Magazine/newsletter was getting through to my bulk box. Nevermind. I now wont feel so isolated. Hope you are feeling better and thank you all for your time.

Thank you all for your help - it seems that I may have been wasting your time by NOT knowing my way around my email options! UKTV food was on the "blocked" list. Now removed. Doh..............sorry.

Hello islandgirl, when you go to BBC Saturday Kitchen and choose the relevant programme date they show you repeats of "archived" programmes i.e. at the mo they are showing Rick Stein and the Hairy Bikers.

Thanks Rajvi, I have printed off the recipe and will let you know how I get on. I have a copy of Claire Macdonalds "Seasonal Cooking" which is also good.

The TV chefs say we can buy fre range turkey all the year around does anyone know where please?

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I think this is what the archive recipe for 29th March Islandgirl. If it's not the one you want go to BBC Food Saturday Kitchen and check out past episodes.

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I think this is the archive recipe for 29th March Islandgirl. If it's not the one you want go to BBC Food Saturday Kitchen.

Terrydox thank you I will check this out - I altered my UKTV registration to use my hotmail address yesterday to see if it would make any difference after sitting at my computer for nearly 2 hours yesterday looking intelligent but in actuality feeling quite useless! Thankyou

Sounds delicious Rajvi can you send a link for the recipe please?

Rosti, thankyou. I understand you haven't been well either. Are you on the road to recovery?
I'll keep checking to see if you come back with any suggestions. Cheers.
Gx

Lynne, be brave. Pfffff who needs fat? I'm sure we'll all find some recipes that will tempt. Does anyone remember the Galloping Gourmet? Probably not as old as me. He used to cook his food and invite a member of the audience onto the stage to share the finished dish with him. He used to use lots of cream until his wife had a heart attack and he then reproduced all of his dishes without the fat. Indian dishes with no fat yoghurt, stir fry veggies with lean meat. Are you allowed olive oil or am I being daft? Bread wraps with lots of interesting things inside. Chinese food is very low in fat. Chicken, turkey (can you buy free range turkey during the year?) Rice in all sorts of ways. Lots of salsas and herb oils (if you are allowed olive oil or rape seed oil) You can still have a roast dinner of sorts. In actual fact when you think of it you can eat almost anything. Be positive. God bless.

Is it because so many of us cannot view anything other than that which is offered on freeview or??? Mainstream Tv offers very little in cookery programmes. At the moment I am geared to ITV Cooks Challenge which I think is really worth watching and learning from and of course BBC2 The British Menu. Thomasina Miers (spelling?) I have trouble watching - especially the pig slaughter. I cannot agree that anything she finds in Spain is superior to what we have in GB. Comments please.

Would I mix 1/3rd usual (00) white flour with 2/3rds wholewheat flour? Or is there a specific wholewheat pasta flour?
Or your suggestions please. This would be pasta for spaghetti, and flat sheets ie lasagne and ravioli.
Many thanks.

...is usually very good at computer dilemmas? I am not receiving any email reminders when a new message is added to a topic I am following even though I tick the relevant box. I recently had my Norton updated could this be the case or can anyone offer suggestions? Thanks in anticipation as this is a real pain.

Oh Gosh Lesley it's all trial and error. As I said I never throw anything away and I just happened to have the mash. Thank you anyway.
The idea of the milk, 200ml for a total of 400g of meat (including the livers) added 1 hr before end of cooking time and then 100ml of whipping cream added 30 mins before cooking time, is to make the final dish unctuous and creamy and it does work. This isn't the first recipe I have seen with milk added.
PLEASE can someone help me? ROSTI is usually good at computer dilemmas. I do not now get email reminders when somebody replies to a topic even though I do tick the box. I have had a newer version of Norton installed could this be the problem or can you offer advice? I have to keep checking every conversation again and again. Thankyou

Mahal, I don't know where you live, but, if you ask any of the major supermarkets that bake their own bread, i.e. Tesco and Sainsburys they will give you fresh yeast free of charge. I am sure I will get shouted at but I feel that Paul Hollywood sometimes uses too much yeast and certainly too much salt, so make the recipe if you are serving it to friends for the first time. Sorry Paul. However, if you half the amount of fresh yeast for dried active yeast you will be ok. Each sachet of dried yeast is normally 7g.

yellowcat which recipe is it?

Oh Kyal, how you take me back many years. Coming home from school and seeing the snout poking out from under the saucepan lid. I could never touch the stuff but I understand that my mum made a mean "brawn" All pure ingredients with no preservatives or gelatine. It's a shame because I'm sure that the hock wont be quite the same. Have you, dare I ask, contacted the local abattoir butcher? How wonderful that these traditions are continued.

Swiss roll tin lined with shortcrust pastry, layer of mincemeat topped with pureed bramley apples, topped with another layer of pastry. Baked, shake over caster sugar and serve in wedges hot with custard or cold.
Delias quick Xmas mincemeat cake - suitable for all the year around.
With puff pastry as eccles cakes.
You can't beat using a large enamel plate lined with shortrcust pastry and topped with mincemeat and "garnished" with strips of twisted pastry. Childish? yeah, old fashioned? yeah, but real comfort food and, I agree, lovely all year around and not just at Christmas.

I checked out a recipe using white wine and my calculations made the quantity over 2.1/2 "old" pints! No wonder you ran out of petit pots.

Happy Easter to you also Lesley. Slowly coming on thank you so much. My goodness the recipe for soup is a real conundrum as it changes depending on the stock. For something like cauli I use chicken stock. Last Sunday we had roast chicken and the carcass (less the parsons nose) went into the stock pot together with a couple of leftover roast potatoes, mashed carrot, parsnip and swede and a little white cheese sauce, salt and pepper cover with water and simmer for as long as you can. If it can't stay on top of the hob use your oven as a simmering oven. Strain, cool and skim off the fat. For this soup and as the stock was so tasty I literally brought 2pts of stock to the boil (freeze any left for soup, risotto, paella etc) added a small cauli in florets until tender, blitzed added crumbled stilton (leftover from this Sunday dinner!!) and blitzed again.
The bread was 500g wholewheat and white flour mixed, 7g sachet yeast, 2 large pinches salt, 10fl oz cold water, 3 tablespoons of olive oil kneaded and proved for an hour. Divided into two and 1 half into a lb bread pan and the other half mixed with 2oz chopped walnuts and the same of stilton crumbled and piled into a bread pan. Absolutely lovely. I have to say that now I never waste anything and if in doubt it goes into a stock pot. Tonight we have a piece of boiling ham, the stock of which will turn itself into watercress soup.
Take care and lovely to talk.

I tried Spaghetti Bolognaise from Simon Hopkinson "The Prawn Cocktail Years" (sorry copyright) and must say I would now use this recipe everytime if I have the time. Can I say it includes beef mince, chicken livers and milk. Gorgeous. Otherwise it just changes depending on the store cupboard and just gets renamed accordingly.

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Linda2 check out link for missed bbc programmes. Have not cooked any of the recipes but do have the small kenwood chopper/processor she uses on order and will watch as always ready to listen and learn (although not frozen mash)
Hope this helps

I love to watch Jamie at home and we all know that his "rustic" is a bit of drama but I do cringe when he uses his old chipped bowls and basins for cooking and serving. I'm just afraid that some folk will think this is ok and it isn't.

Like Cum-Cibum I use one 7g sachet for 500g flour. If the recipe calls for 15g fresh yeast, 7g of active will suffice i.e. half.
This morning I worked some crumbled stilton and chopped walnuts into half my bread dough and we had it with home made cauliflower and stilton soup for lunch. It was bootiful.

Cum-Cibum will these be soft enough to fold? Cheers.

I have a bee in my bonnet and am looking for a simple recipe for a basic unlevened "wrap" call it what you will, tortilla, enchilada, flatbread, wrap or flour torilla to encase anything from a stir fry to a salad. I must admit that I haven't yet bought the masa harina flour or the torilla press but am firstly working my way through web search results culminating yesterday in a Paul Bloxham corn tortilla recipe which had the same result as all the others, a hard circle of unpalatable dough which would not wrap around anything without cracking into tiny pieces. Please, has anyone made a successful wrap? Many thanks.

Help please. How would you decorate a lower tier of traditional fruit cake and an upper tier of chocolate wedding cake? Any advice, words of encouragement or offers of help accepted!!!!!

I hate to admit that we don't really like the '07 Xmas cake. It is too moist and too sweet and as I insisted on making a huge one don't really like to throw it in the bin. The blackbirds love it for breakfast along with the daily apple but it will take them at least a year to consume and it is taking up valuable pantry space. I was going to try and steam some tomorrow with custard. Any other ideas please?

Has anyone a recipe for this please? Apparently less acidic than the traditional lemon tart and more custardy. Many thanks.

I bought some buckwheat flour and tried the suggested recipe for wraps i.e. 100g flour, pinch salt, 8 tbls cold water, 2 tbls of olive oil, mix and leave to stand for 10 minutes before cooking. Yuk is all I can say. I then tried the same recipe but using strong white plain flour and they are edible but I'm hoping someone will give me a recipe for a very quick wrap that is yummy. I often pull off a piece of raw dough when making bread and use as a substitute for a naan but I am particularly looking for an un-kneaded version (as, like today I often have a plaster on my finger as I am clumsy)
Thankyou

Dad used to call them rissoles as does Keith Floyd. Left over roast meat preferabley lamb or beef blitzed in the processor added to equal quantity of mashed potato (with or without milk and butter) plenty of salt and pepper and a chopped raw onion. Either fry as small cakes (if chilled in the fridge first) or as one large cake as bubble and squeek. Same meat either cubed or blitzed in the processor again with small diced cooked potato, carrot, swede or parsnip etc again with chopped raw onion and turned into a cornish pasty using short, rough puff or puff pastry. Both recipes are real comfort food especially with a can of classic baked beans.
Bones including beef, lamb or chicken. Bring to the boil and simmer with whatever veg you have to hand as stock for risotto or as the basis for soup.
Prawn or shrimp shells covered with cold water brought to the boil and simmered for no more than 20 mins. Freeze for super stock for rissotto etc. When I was younger I seemed to waste so much but now it seems most food gets used in something shomehow and it can actually be fun if you have the time.

I am using Mary Berry aga recipe and she suggests putting the frozen fruit into the preserving pan and continue cooking as if using fresh fruit. i.e. softening the fruit before cutting the peel. Her preserve recipes are usually spot on. Last year I only made lemon marmalade (a Marguerite Pattern recipe) which is absolutely delicious for supper after herrings, bloaters or kippers and bread and butter for tea. I have only lived in this house in Suffolk for 2 years so all preserves are from that date. Last week I tasted '06 and '07 Beetroot Chutney (Rick Stein) and they seemed completely different, but then each batch has its only little twist don't you think? I made a superb gooseberry jam last year (my husbands favourite) which seemed at first to be
very expensive until the sugar and water was added and then, in fact, it worked out cheaper than any commerically made product. I am passionate about cooking, as it seems is everyone else on this site, and will try my hand at anything but I don't always get it right. At the moment I am battling with flapjacks which seem to be either too hard or too soft and anzac biscuits which are always too soft and am looking forward to trying a new recipe for salt cod. But back to marmalade my sister gave me a jar from her recently made batch and I am going to save it until she visits and use make the 3 Chimneys steamed marmalade pudding which I understand is excellent.
Cheers and good to talk to you.

No offence meant at all David.
I think you have just described most passionate cooks.
I gave some '07 chutney and jam recently as a visiting gift and, indeed, it was very pleasurable. I have put my seville oranges in the freezer (first time I have ever tried this) as I am not up to making the marmalade yet and hope the results are as good as yours.
Control freak? I was watching my non-cook husband making pancakes last night!!!!!!!!
cheers.

I have just bought some salt cod fillets from an Italian Deli (a far cry from the wizened salt cod dad used to cook for our breakfast many years ago which was delicious boiled with a little vinegar and served with melted butter, white pepper and crusty fresh bread) and I have an untried River Cafe recipe for grilled cod (previously soaked for 48hrs)and served with lemon slices and almond aoli. Has anyone tried this recipe please as I really want it to be good the first time around? Many thanks.

But if everybody made it you wouldn't get the pleasure out of giving it that you do

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This is sophie Grigsons recipe as I used Rick Steins recipe from his French Odyssey which is copyright.
Sorry all the links were in different messages but seemed to have a senior moment. Let us know what you decide to do and good luck

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Tamasyn recipe for the apple tart - lovely

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This is a James Martin recipe for the lamb

Off the top of my head Fuss Pot I have made Rick Steins Anchoiade dip with warm new potatoes and raw vegetable florets/batons ie cauli, carrots and blanched beans (or whatever is seasonal) which was really very tasty and can be prepared in advance followed by lamb bolongare which is very forgiving. Then a not too ripe brie with sliced pears, honey and walnuts and ending with tarte tatin. I could actually eat all of that now. And how about a sweet muscat with the cheese/dessert? Good luck

does anyone make their own?

Sorry it hasn't got the cucumber so realise it is not what you want. Ooops.

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Is this what you are looking for. A little late I'm afraid.

Hello Victoria132 and happy new year to you. I'm still pondering the sugar and will of course give it a go. I just don't quite understand what it does and the fresh yeast I use doesn't seem to need any kick start. I never dissolve it in water first and in fact I always use cold water without any problems. Like you I add fat. Sometimes butter but usually olive oil and I am fortunate enough to be able to buy locally milled flours here in East Anglia so even the basic flours have their individual tastes depending on the miller and source of grain. My husband also knocks out super bread now and like you I bake once or twice every week and freeze the spare loaves. One of my favourite picnic foods is layered breads: dough layered with olives, mozzarella and ham or whatever is in store before being cooked. I agree with you about experimenting and will let you know how I get on with the sugar. Has been nice chatting to you.

I don't use sugar in my basic bread mix and I use fresh yeast and the bread always comes out well. My mixtures are based on Paul Hollywood recipes which do not include sugar. Victoria does the addition of sugar improve texture, crust etc? Always keen to learn from others. Cheers

Oh possett I am so sorry you have problems of your own. I do hope everything goes well tomorrow and be strong - I am sure that memories of your mum will be there at everyturn for the rest of your life to comfort you. Take care and I will certainly be thinking of you and your family tomorrow.

Oh posset thank you. So very glad to be home - very sore and tired but have been told the operation was a great success (I have genetic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - or sudden death syndrome as it used to be known - with obstruction, but my heart has been sliced and nipped here and there - and now no obstruction.) My aim is to run along Dunwich beach next year with a kite!!!
I have "others" in my kitchen at the mo. and I am being a model patient but you can imagine how difficult that is! Over the last 7 years my passion for food and cooking has made a valuable contribution to my sanity. I go on.
Thank you so much for asking.

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Have a look at this link HCB

HCB nothing is ever too late. It may well be that you will get a deeper flavour if your xmas goodies are left to mature but everything will still be infinitely better, I am owning this statement, than most mass produced products. I normally make my cakes at end of Oct./beginning of Nov. and the xmas puddings I have made up to a week beforehand. This year I am using a pud I made last year.
BUT have you thought of doing Delias mincemeat christmas cake, which, if my memory serves me, can be made later? If I can find the link I'll post it for you.
Good luck

gosh emmallee1 you were brave putting pectin in - has it gone like a jelly?
My chutney always seems to take a lot longer than stated in the recipe, but I agree with lesley50 1 and the puddle. Not telling my grandmother how to suck eggs but don't forget that it will thicken somewhat after cooling. I have, in the past, cooled the chutney until the following morning, and if it wasn't as desired, just carried on simmering after bringing it up to heat.
Well worth the effort.

Thank you Rosti as always and Posset I can't believe you remembered the date! If the bed is available I shall be first in the theatre on Wednesday a.m. and I know this is a food site but I'm not too proud to ask for a prayer or two please. I shall save these replies and check them out in a couple of weeks time hopefully with a heart that stops obstructing. Thank you for all the replies.

Do I remember that it is unsafe to re-heat rice?
Thankyou

Homebrewer I am so pleased because I now know that I wasn't going to poison anyone by using the japonica (chaenomeles) fruit. Phew....

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules. Some say that chutneys are best left a month before eating. My recipe says a minimum of 2 - 4 weeks maturing is usually recommended and that crisp pickles tend to soften after about 3 months, although I am just coming to the bottom of the last jar of pickled cabbage now made end of 2006. This is really good with leftover cold pork, mashed potatoes and Heinz salad cream.

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lesley50 I use an old Sainsbury Book of Preserves and pickles to make Red cabbage and onion pickle as I wasn't sure about copyright I searched and found this link which is EXACTLY the same as the recipe I use. The addition of the odd onion is a bonus but you could omit them. Hope this helps

My sister is serving a selection of Antipasto for boxing day supper all bought from the deli counter with home made focaccia via the breadmaker. Looks and tastes good.
Love the idea of coconut milk jelly Rosti.

I can remember the days when there weren't any sell by dates on things like jam and pickles. I am using puddings made last year for this Christmas. If your jars were sterilised and well sealed I can't see a problem - the easiest way is to make a mince pie and taste it. If the jar is mould free it shouldn't be a problem. What do others think?

Thank you Possett. Into the UCHL Heart Hosp. on 27th, op on 28th (HOCM a genetic disease) had the symptoms for 6 years only 55, but they say I may run next year!!! So you see that cooking has kept me sane (although I'm as nutty as a fruitcake)
Will let you know about the feta and will try mint and lemon oil.

Are you there Possett? Feta cheese. Re: your link I can see that I can add the mozzarella cubes to the salted roasted pepppers, thyme, garlic etc that I normally do but with your feta cubes and herbs etc. is anything cooked or are all the ingredients just combined please? I would like to take as a dinner guest present on Saturday. I especially like the idea of the lemon peel with the feta et al. cheers. Oh and by the way we are on the last chunk of tiffin - my word it is almost orgasmic and I wouldn't change the salted butter either. Delicious and I believe it IS good for my heart. Thanks Possett

What a good idea critical friend, I'll give that a try.

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a basic shortcrust recipe for you as well. I use all butter instead of half lard and half butter but the choice is yours

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my sister has just made Delia's mincemeat and says it is delicious. If you need a pastry recipe as well I am sure you will find one on the same site.
Good luck and I hope your mum enjoys your efforts.

Posset I have never actually seen them on sale in England although I did see an advertisement several years ago from Borough Market, London. As I mentioned before I always used the japonica fruit but now having moved to North Suffolk there is a tree in a local village selling them on a roadside table. We planted our own quince last year but I think it will be some time before it yields anything substantial.

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is this any good?

Smeg if you make cranberry jelly using the conventional preserving method, i.e. boiling, sterilised jars etc it will keep for up to a year and wont need to be frozen. I use a Sophie Grigson recipe with whole cranberries, roasted with sugar, ginger and orange rind and that keeps in sterilised jars for 6 months.

It's difficult isn't it? We can have almost anything we want all year around which is why turkey and goose spring automatically to mind. If you were going to a restaurant or to someone elses house what would you like to have placed in front of you. Beef wellington? Rib of beef? a lamb guard of honour? sadle of lamb? roast pheasant? lobster? Gosh I could eat them all right now. Let us know what you decide

Oh Lesley what a nice thing to say but most people are nice aren't they? I've got 8 christmas cakes to make next week as well as chutney, pickles and this year (where do I keep my brain?) for the first time ever I've decided to make all the Xmas cards! Someone else will be cooking my dinner this year but if I can't travel it will be my husband who does fabulous eggs and bacon. Would you believe I've ordered 2 turkeys, one for the day (here or at my sisters house) and one for when I am able to cook my own Christmas dinner. Thank you so much for your good wishes.

Possett, I have just cut a thin slice for hubby (!) before dinner. I used 1/2 the link recipe but replaced the suggested fruit and coconut with green raisins, jumbo raisins, sweetened dried cranberries, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecan nuts and sweetened dried blueberries all found in one pack at my local co-op. It is absolutely declicious. I must admit I used salted butter because I didn't have unsalted. Probably wouldn't try any other recipe as this is boot i ful. Thank you. Would be great as gifts in a celophane sweetie bag.

whoops, sorry no offence meant.

No Saturday Morning Kitchen so printing it off whilst listening to Abbey Road on Vinyl and checking out cookery books that have not seen the light of day for yonks i.e. concrete cake, refrigerator cake der....you've guessed my age.
A wonderful morning thankyou. (will try the sainsbury recipe first and the mozarella cubes look good) Cheers

Posset you are wonderful thankyou. Am off to hospital at the end of the month and want to prepare as much as I can before hand. How long do you think the tiffin would last? It looks pretty easy so my husband may "under supervision" cope with it! I have done similar to the mozarella but with peppers, garlic, aubergine but as they were salted, dried and pan roasted beforehand before being steeped in olive oil had a long shelf life. How long do you think the feta and or mozarella would keep for in a sterilised jar with olive oil.

Sorry to disagree Victoria but quince are being harvested soon in my area in time for jelly/paste for Christmas. I used to use the fruit from the chaenomeles japonica shrub without any ill effect. The fruit of the quince cannot be eaten in its raw state but is used in its' entirety for cooking for jelly. The recipe for jelly will normally suggest that you scrub, chop and place the fruit, skin, pips and all into a preserving pan and add water to cover. The whole mess is then drained, and this is important over a muslin/jelly bag and allowed to drip (do not squeeze or the liquid will go cloudy) usually overnight and to each pint of liquid an amount of sugar is added and then boiled as jam until set. The result is a jewel of golden jelly - beautiful with turkey and any game. I bought my own quince tree a few years ago and perhaps next year I will have my own fruit. There is a tree in a village a few miles away and I am hoping to use the real thing this year. Please note the fruit are still on the tree but are not yet being harvested.

I use the same recipe as Suelle but I also use a drop or two of vanilla essence. I find that the butter must be left somewhere warm overnight - it has to be almost runny. Victoria sponge with a little buttercream icing and a spread of say raspberry jam in the middle is one of the best of English cakes. A real gem and not easy but once mastered (and I think we all have to find our own way with this cake) is a class act.

I made potted crab last week and should have clarified the butter. I used unsalted English butter, brought it to the boil and then just poured it through a sieve. I also, on the same day, made Rick Steins food heroes lamb curry recipe from Bradford, I didn't use ghee but half olive oil and half unsalted butter and wonder if anyone who knew ghee would know the difference.

Am I allowed to say Sky "Taste"? If not I'll say that I saw a repeat of an old programme today where an unmade chocolate cake was made using melted butter, syrup and good 70% chocolate mixed with broken biscuit and dried fruits. It was then broken into bite size pieces and put into pretty cellophane bags and tied to be used as gifts. I can't find the recipe and all of those I have found have cocoa mixed or the chocolate melted on the top. Can anyone help? The same visitor to the show also rolled small balls of mozzarella in herbs and chilli and stored in a kilner type jar with olive oil. Nigella Lawsons rocky road is not what I am looking for (sorry don't like her production - neither can I view UKTV food) Thanks anyone for their help.

Can anyone please tell me how many hours UKTV food are now being offered each day on Freeview Top Up?
Many thanks

Sorry to interfere but the bakewell tart I make is completely different to the bakewell pudding I tasted in Bakewell. If my memory serves me it didn't have a frangipan filling and was not so crispy.

Isn't it just? Really glad you liked it.

Hadn't thought of that what a good idea. Do you mix any milk with your water Victoria?

Hear, hear, yes please LOL. I'm making Rick Steins recipe (from the Bradford restaurant) next week which I don't think contains coconut milk. Adore curry. Can you also add some cold side dishes LOL ie cucumber and tomato, sorry that's really cheeky. cheers.

Oh Livewire, you are a brick. Recipe going to several recipients including niece newly at uni. Cheers it looks good.

Found it:
110g/4oz butter
110g/4oz chocolate eclairs (make sure you remove the wrappers before weighing)
110g/4oz pink and white marshmallows
Put above into a heavy based saucepan over low/medium heat and stir constantly until melted. At this stage it will look a mess but keep stirring until it all comes together. Add
175g/6oz cocoa pops
and stir until everything is combined. Pour into a greased shallow tin and even out top until level. Pop into fridge for a couple of hours until set and then cut into squares. It really is delicious. The last time I made it I melted some 70% cocoa choc. (in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water) and poured over. It was better than the bars you buy in the orange wrapper. Let me know if you like it Redfrag.

Does anyone have a good recipe for soft bread rolls.
Cheers

Hello liverbird2, my butcher gets me caul fat (which is attached to the pigs spleen) I often use it to wrap stuffed chicken breasts or pork fillets. It looks a little odd but the fat melts down and gives the finished dish a lovely golden jacket. No-one would know that you have used the caul unless you tell them.
I do understand though that some abbatoirs do not release it. Good luck

Does this help Sher3?
My packet of gelatine states half an ounce of leaf gelatine (about 4 sheets) will set 1 pint of liquid, so 1 sheet will set a quarter of a pint of liquid
and the arrowroot instructions state one and a half rounded teaspoons for every quarter pint of liquid for a flan glaze.
The fruit galze consistency may not be as solid as you need but could you try setting 1/4 pt of fruit juice and if it is not set enough add a little more?
Hope this makes sense and hope it also helps.

I have mislaid a recipe for a toffe crisp bar using cocoa pops, marshmallows, butter, and chocolate toffee eclairs. It sounds disgusting, I know it is very fattening and bad for me but it is incredibily delicious. Does anyone know the recipe please?
Thankyou.

One tip given in a national broadsheet today suggests using the soaking water from dried mushrooms which I am going to try.

How would I incorporate beer into the toad in the hole batter. Would I just substitute my normal liquid with a cold beer, lager etc.??
Would be interested to know if anyone has a recipe.
Many thanks.

Gayle, that is actually a very sensible suggestion and not disgusting at all. My sister has sucked a malteser and I will put your suggestion to her. As she becomes more adept at the new swallowing technique (my sister has been told that she will eventually be able to eat a normal diet) more textures may be introduced. She also says that she is terribly frightened as when she doesn't get the technique right the food goes down her windpipe. Thanks again.

Dear Clum1 and Gayle thank you so much for your responses. I suppose in a way I'm searching for the impossible. The main problem is that because, and I'm sure that there are many people in her position experiencing this problem, her mouth, she says, feels so pappy that putting pureed food into her mouth just seems to worsen that effect. She fancies crisply battered fish with vinegar! Really she just wants to chew on something but that is out of the question at the moment. Thank you again for taking the trouble to respond.

Has anyone any experience of suggesting foods that can be prepared and eaten by someone who has a severe swallowing problem with the added loss of an epiglottis. I'm racking my brains to come up with suggestions that aren't mundane and frankly far from stimulating the palate. No liquids can be taken yet and a new swallowing process has to be learned. At the moment everything has to be mashed or mushy. This is for my sister and she is doing really well. She is a super excperienced cook but needs a bit of "in the right direction" encouragement and is getting fed up with mousse, yoghurt and scrambled egg. She has spoken to the dietician and her main nourishment is taken via a peg feed. Many thanks.

If you are there Geezer72 did you make the toulouse sausages as I am trawling the websites now for a recipe? Any feed back would be good. I'm also going to try some River Cafe with fennel seeds. Cheers

Thankyou Snowlight

I know I'm on the wrong site but knowing your expertise I also knew this was where I should be. My niece is in cumbria and I want to direct her to the little old school house bakery that smells of treacle. Is it Grassmere? Sorry feel so silly that I can't remember. The smell of treacle is so strong. Gingerbread, xmas pudding. yummy Thankyou...

Hello Sue, thanks for that info. As the eggs I buy are straight from the field they don't have any best by date stamp. Some friends are saying they will keep fresh (your stay flat on the bootom of the jug) for 30 days others are saying differently. Any ideas please?

Can anyone tell me please how long free range eggs (bought locally and sold beside the chickens field and not stamped) will keep fresh for? Last year I had to keep a batch for 2 weeks before I was able to peel them for pickling.
Many thanks on your comments.

Suelle - your'e a marvel. I have "At the table" and you have reminded me that Gary Rhodes also has a recipe for Smoked Haddock scotch egg with a curry mayo. I don't know if anyone has tried this? I want to do something different that can be prepared beforehand. My trouble is that there are TOO many options and I am at that age where I have difficulty making up my mind. Cheers

We are going to Bezier, Sth France this year and would love to find the restaurant that Rick Stein went to during his French Odyssey where he had the fixed menu starting with dark brown soup whilst seated at long tables. Was it the Lou Pescadou? Am at Cazouls and would love to hear of any restaurans along the canal du midi or nearby that anyone can recommend. Thank you very much for any info.

I'm looking for a pre-cooked starter using fish as the main ingredient, it needs to be chilled or served at room temperature and I would rather like it to be in a pastry case i.e. crab, saffron and cream etc - I can swap my dessert and not use a pastry based one if anyone has a really good prepared fish starter that is not necessary a mousse, fish cakes or anything that has fish served with any sort of mayonnaise. Anything different and certified as "working". Cheers

Given to me my my brother-in-law after a laden branch snapped of the tree. Any recommendations please. IF I CAN use them I rather fancy a garlicky chilli plum sauce. Many thanks.

Starzone, I know it doesn't help but I have Paul Hollywood "100 great breads" and found that quite a few of the recipes in it seemed to have an excessive amount of salt and/or sugar. I did write to him but didn't receive any response. His recipe for Pitta Bread in this book is not the same as the link you have shown (using a lot more yeast and more oil) but the amount of sugar and salt were the same. I will try another recipe and get back to you.
Try this for a basic naan bread: 500g strong white bread flour, 15g fresh yeast (or 1 x 7g sachet) 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp olive oil and 300ml cold water. Dissolve fresh yeast in water ( no need to dissolve a dried sachet of yeast)and add to the rest of the ingredients. Knead for about 10 mins and cover with a clean t towel and leave in warm place to double in size, about 1 hour. Knock back and knead a little to rid dough of any air and leave to rest for about 5 mins. Take tennis sized balls of dough and on a floured board, roll into a naan shape. Put a little oil in a fry pan (or dry fry) and when hot cook the naan for a minute or so each side. You can add freshly chopped coriander at the final stage or dry fried cumin etc. Really good for mopping up curry juices. In fact I'm going to try this recipe and cook in the oven as for the pitta bread and see if it works.

Delia says to soak shallots in brine for 48 hours prior to pickling, but I think this is too long and the shallots tend to go soft but am worried that 24 hours may not be long enough. I am shortly going to give them as a gift and I wont be there when they are eaten. Am peeling them and putting in the brine tonight so would be pleased if anyone has any comments please? Thankyou

I've done it again. I made another batch of strawberry jam last night and it is still overly set!! Next time I am going to take it to 104C rather 105C. I have never had this problem before using Mary Berry's recipe. I can't blame the pan possett because it's the one I have had success on. The rapsberry jam, gooseberry jam and lemon marmalade are perfect. Rick Steins recipe for Beetroot chutney (used more ginger so has a bit more heat) is really yummy as is his apple and walnut with curry. I must own up that I want to buy the Aga Pan and at £61.00 am going to make some cuts here and there to show willing!!!!!!!!!

The latest batch of strawberry jam, which I used last night for the first time in some jam tarts, made some weeks ago with a proven recipe is overly set! I have used the same recipe, fruit and jam sugar, rolling boil for 4 mins, 105C, knob of butter for scum with both fresh and frozen fruit and it has never failed. This time it did. My husband says it still tastes good but he doesn't quite get it...........

Thanks a lot for the info. I made beetroot chutney yesterday and the pan didn't discolour but I know when I look at it that it is aluminium and I will buy a new one, especially as for the first time ever the raspberry jam caught a little on the bottom. The trouble is that I'm almost as obsessive about good cook shops as I am about food and will have to go in blindfolded with a written note. Possett I worked with elderly people for many years and I can emphathise with the family but as mum is happy in her world then she is blessed. Take care.

Oh dear Posset I feel awful I didn't mean to sound as if I was brushing aside alzheimers disease, I know how dreadful it can be and, as you say for all concerned.
I have never seen a non-stick pan can you provide a source?
Cheers

Does anyone use an aluminium preserving pan for vinegar based preserves?
I have never had a problem but have just read that I should be using stainless steel. I'd really appreciate some feedback please.

anyone please!

Hello peaches, I leave the pot on the stove top whilst testing and as soon as it has reached the required temperature I remove it immediately and then stir the marmalade and let it stand for about 10 minutes before potting.
Today I am making strawberry jam, raspberry jam and Rick Steins beetroot chutney. Good luck.

What a coincidence, I live in North Suffolk and also buy Letheringsett flour from a local farm shop and agree that it is certainly one of the best and they do a good range so that you can ring the changes. I must admit I sometimes just make up 500g from a mixture of their flours and it always turns out ok. There is also a small privately owned mill nearby at Cotton where I have purchased flour but they do not sell on a grand scale - it's just wonderful that people are so dedicated to continuing these old skills. We are extremely lucky here as we have the pick of the crop including meat, game, poultry, fish and of course grain and vegetables. But I suppose there are people throughout the U.K. extolling the virtues of their own producers which I think is great. I will certainly look out for Fermipan and give it a try. Cheers.

Can I have comments please on Aluminium v Stainless Steel preserving pan?
I used to have an antique copper and cast iron pan which got too heavy for me and In now use an aluminium one with no adverse results when using vinegar. A W.I. cookery book says I shouldn't use aluminium for preserves where vinegar is used. I am aware that some believe there is a link between aluminium and alzheimers disease, but that is not the issue here. Many thanks for any replies.

Hello peaches I dip the thermometer in but once I get the rolling boil I must admit I do hover over the pan and keep checking. I have wasted too much jam in the past thinking that another few minutes wont hurt, but it does, and the preserve goes solid and then is only fit for the bin. I made gooseberry jam last week which is excellent and 3lb fruit, with 4lb granulated sugar, plus water yielded about 7lb jam.

apologies, I must had had a senior moment. It IS CITRIC ACID that has been withdrawn, tartaric acid is still readily available.
sorry.
Gill

I made lemon marmalade on Monday using only granulated sugar as directed as lemon has a high pectin content. The result was too runny to serve on bread.
I made another batch today but using jam sugar and the result is perfectly set marmalade. Marguerite Pattern says that marmalade sets between 104 and 105.5 and if you go over it will never set (which I didn't know). My rolling boil was nearly 15 minutes. I think it also depends on the area of the pan base and the hob you are using. Going from a ceramic hob which seemed to switch itself on and off and where the pan was larger than the hobplate seemed to take an age whereas I can bring jam to setting point in 4 minutes once the sugar has dissolved on an aga. I must admit I always use a thermometer. On the subject of preserving pans I use an alumium pan even for chutney and other vinegar preserves with no detrimental effects but my W.I. book says I shouldn't - may I have some comments on what others use please? Many thanks.

My chemists assistant tells me that it is now illegal to sell tartaric acid over the counter as it was being used when cutting cocaine! Now I can only buy citric acid.

I was watching Market Kitchen last week and a 3 tier merinque wedding cake was being made and the cook (sorry but I haven't seen her before) said that 4 week old eggs were best and I was amazed but I can't remember why older eggs are better.
I did waste 18 free range eggs last Xmas as they were too fresh to peel for pickled eggs.

Hello Josephine I have never heard of Fermigan yeast either and checked out their website but it doesn't give details of ingredients. Can you tell me if it has any enhancers etc. of any sort or just natural ingredients. Many thanks.

My sponge cakes are now soft and light since I started using block butter that has been allowed to really, really soften so that it has to be spooned out of the pack rather than cut with a knife. Andi can you tell me where you bought the coconut milk powder please, cheers?

The half grapefruit with the cherry was our starters for Christmas dinner. But then we moved on to tinned Trout Hall and thought we were the bees knees. Is cremola foam a sweetie? If so can we talk about prawns, 4 a penny blackjack and fruit salads, sherbert dip and coconut tobaccy?

Did you read Toast too, wasn't it good?
Strawberry flavoured milk in a plastic strawberry shaped carton and have we had "spag. bol."?

Possett it came to me in a flash this morning at 5.30am.

Shot glass with iced tomato water,
cherry tomato filled with smoked haddock kedgeree
puff pastry tart topped with watercress pesto and tomato
ham hock (great idea) topped with tomato chutney
(and courtesy of Antonio Carluccio)
2 capers, a chip of good green olive, 1/2 an anchovy fillet and a rolled basil leaf placed on a sun dried tomato, rolled up and held with a cocktail stick.

It came from your idea of using the same ingredient and I thought I'd look for a funky green glass plate. The five canapies could also be served as a starter couldn't they? I'll save this link and feed back in September.
Cheers Possett.

Jannymac, dare I say that as a child of the 60s I think it was Instant Whip that came before Angel Delight. The butterscotch flavoured powder mixed with a pint of cold milk, heaven. (that was in 1963 and I was 11!)

Have a look at Simon Hopkinson "The Prawn Cocktail Years"

Hello Posset both the links sent from TV Foodie and your suggestions are all good and give food for thought (sorry) and I will trawl through them all and try some out. I'll be honest these aren't for a dinner party but for the village garden show where entrants have to present a "plate of 5 assorted canapes" so they have to be able to be made ahead of time, look attractive together on the plate and be able to stand for at least 4 hours without coming to any harm. I must admit I like the idea of ham hock and had thought of something in a shot glass (I rather fancied the tomato water as made on one of the latest masterchefts) and a salmon or smoked trout mouse affair could be served on a white china spoon. I don't want to play safe so am really grateful for these ideas. Not for a couple of months yet but want to be prepared as I am presenting an entry for all of the food classes. Great fun and a real hoot. Cheers

Can anyone suggest a site for canapes please? I have to present a plate of 5 assorted and I'm just looking for a bit of a theme or some new ideas and perhaps something served on a small china spoon. They have to be cold and be able to sit on the plate for a minimum of 3 hours. Many thanks.

sorry have just realised that I have used both metric and imperial it's just the way I remember the recipe. Let me know if you want it converted.

Hello Lesley
this is the recipe I use everytime now.
500g flour (white or a combination. If you do use wholemeal flour the bread will be heavier and more dense so try using white first to get used to it)
10fl oz cold water
3 tablespoons olive oil
good pinch of salt flakes
15g of fresh yeast (add to the cold water and give it a good stir)
OR
7g packet of dried yeast, just add do not dissolve
Flour into bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix together to bind all ingredients with one hand.
Onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. The dough is ready when it feels almost wet in your hands and is really pliable
cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave somewhere warm to prove, about an hour, until doubled in size
knock back briefly to expel the air without using any flour (I usually also throw it quite fiercely onto the board a couple of times)
Form into a round ball, put onto a baking sheet and recover with the clean tea towel and leave until doubled in size one more time for about an hour.
If you like cut a cross into the dough + bake in your oven as per manufactures instructions.
You can use a loaf tin if you like but I don't bother now.
You can put the dough in the fridge overnight for either of the proving stages.
The dough will keep in the fridge without coming to any harm for about 3 days just put it in a bowl and cover with cling film
I usually cut the dough before the second proving in half and freeze one loaf.
I also pinch a bit of dough after the first proving and roll out and use immediately as a pizza base.
You can also take pieces of the dough, again after the first proving and knead coriander, cumin etc or just leave it plain and fry in a little olive oil for a sort of naan bread.
Don't give up. From conception to consumption, nothing beats it and at least you know what has gone into your daily bread.
Happy baking.

Gosh a year ago when this thread started. I picked the elderflowers nearly 2 weeks earlier than usual this year. I thought I might try the winning Great British menu pud. with the elderflower cordial ice cream although my phillips ice cream maker isn't always that succesful.

No sarcastic comments please. Am aiming to provide lots of different cakes for the local church fete in June. Am coming to grips with the aga. Meat, fish, bread, stocks etc are wonderful but am having real trouble with some cakes. I'm using Delia scone recipe wth buttermilk cooked in the roasting oven but bottoms are burning. Place scones on aga baking sheet with bake o glide on 3rd shelf. Help please. Thank you

I aim to provide a seafood platter as part of an afternoon tea birthday celebration in mid June. I felt sure that I had a table of seasonal fish and shellfish but can't lay my hands on it. Does anyone have a link for this info. please? Some sites have month by month but I'm looking for something a bit more extensive. Thanks for your help.

I suppose he is saying full fat milk as semi skimmed can often split and I wouldn't want to overheat single cream either for the same reason. Can't you use full fat milk?

Watching Saturday Kitchen and Sarge (?) said that in the restaurants they blanche the risotto rice first by simmering for 5 mins in stock or water, draining and cooling and then using as usual to reduce the cooking time.
Oven rissoto is good but I find you just need to keep an eye on it at the end of the cooking time.

Me too, just butter. I've even started using butter for savoury stew dumplings (I can't cope with suet) and they turn out very light.

Thanks TerryDox, even I managed to do it!

[link]
I don't know if I have done this correctly Scooby but found these for you

please can someone give me a link for the good recipe? (sorry if I sound daft)
cheers Gill

I have been asked for a recipe using a baked pastry case which I cook from from frozen in the aga which then doesn't require the usual lining and makes the whole process much less stressful. Has anyone done this in a conventional oven, if so what temp and timing do you use please? My friend has just started to become interested in cooking (at 54) which is great.
Many thanks

Really glad it was so successful - did you add any dumplings?

I think you need Rosti to explain Eve 07

[link]
I don't know if I've done the link right Fuss Pot but I saw Mary Berry make this and thought what a good idea to add the fish to the sauce and let it cook out under the potatoes as I've always pre-cooked my fish. You could obviously ring the changes with the fish you wanted to use but it looked really good and quite easy. There's always Gary Rhodes Frying Pan fish Cake which is really good but the recipe is copyright so I can't pass it on.

I've just checked out the recipe you used on this website. Funnily enough I made a similar tart last Sunday using Rick Steins recipe (Heroes) and I also had too much mixture, mind you I did use a samller tart tin than the one he suggested so rather than waste the remaining mixture I poured it into some espresso coffee cups and cooked them as if they were in a pastry tart. Chilled after the tart had been eaten, a couple of days later, and they were really delicious and much better than the lemon possett recipe that seems to be going around now. Doos that make sense and help at all?

You said you had enough mixture for 2 pies. Where did you get the recipe from?

Glad they were good - I also think that good old fried mushrooms on hot buttered toast takes a lot of beating.

Not your fault Rosti. I found a Delia recipe for celeriac and chestnut soup with nutmeg. It wasn't awful just very bland and quite sweet and my soups are usually "Old Thatch soup of the day" no recipe just what I have lying around but tasty. But (after watching the recent masterchef at large) I am endeavouring to be as adventurous as possible without going completely off the rail. I tend to think that really good food is best kept quite simple and speaks for itself.

I must say that I don't think I will be in a hurry to make celeriac soup again. Perhaps that's why neither of you said yum, yum !

Sometimes I think that everyones' efforts look better than mine!
Mind you I do have a nice batch of bread dough proving in the kitchen - Don't you get so much pleasure when the food not only looks good but tastes good? I don't have children but sometimes feel like mother earth! How sad.

Mum used hard marg. Stork for pastry, cakes and dumplings (I don't like suet) and summer country if we couldn't afford butter. I still use hard stork for dumplings and steak and kidney pud, but butter for pastry and cakes.

I have fresh chicken stock and I want to make some celeriac soup for lunch. Any ideas and would it suit coriander (I have fresh and seeds) Cheers

Meant to say that I made the 8oz version on Friday and it was better than the 6oz version as it was deeper. Do you think the brand of flour also makes a real difference? I've answered my own question as the different bread flours give different textures and flavours. I was in a teashop in Cromer where the owner served the best victoria sponge I have ever tasted but wouldn't divulge the recipe.

The same here mandy f but (and purists would probably argue) I now also add a heaped teaspoon of baking powder sifted with the flour. I know the soft butter (with added oil) makes a lighter and better textured sponge but I prefer the flavour of pure butter.

I can't eat rabbit now but remember dad often making rabbit stew with a piece of salt pork for added flabour and herb dumplings. It was rib stickingly good and made your nose run!

Chopped bacon fried with a little garlic and shallot or small onion in olive oil until soft and golden. Mixed with some breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and lemon zest pile into the mushrooms and grate the welsh smoked cheese over the top. Pop into the oven - mind you I wouldn't put the cheese on top until the mushrooms are cooked.
Or slice the mushrooms and gently fry with onions, then add a little white wine, loose cream, parsley and walnuts and pile into your favourite pasta dish.

Looks good but what about Step 8. Get on with the peppers?

Hi Rosti, that's me..will check out the link

Thankyou. My local E.H.O has just telephoned - I bow to your superior knowledge. The official gov. guidlelines are 75C or 167F in the thickest part of the leg maintained for 2 mins.

I made Nick Nairns choc. pots yesterday from the website recipe which doesn't contain the zest of an orange as used by Nick on the programme(I briefly saw the programme during broadcast and watched a recording of it later) but using orange flavoured choc. and it was delicious. We didn't have any drambuie in the house so used Grand Marnier. It is one I will definitely be using again. v. quick and tasty and made 6 espresso cups with enough room left for the cream to be poured into. I have a heart condition but choose to eat the eggs in this state.

Rosti (should have read "am glad") sorry but have this bee in my bonnet...will check it out. How do you get the (link) when I copy and paste I send the website address (thankyou)

I for one are glad you are here Rosti!
Nick Nairn (Sat. ITV) said salmonella is killed at 82C which is why some vulnerable people are wise not to eat dishes which contain undercooked egg.
I too like pork pink, moist and tender and my 72C would equate to your 160F.
I also eat pink liver but not pink chicken (I know it's not blood seeping) so feel it should be over the 82C/180F and just feel terribly miffed that I can't find a UK site with the info. I know not everyone uses a meat thermometer but it's just something I've got my teeth into. I'll 'phone my local council. Cheers

What recipe suz.1?

I'm sure someone will direct me as I have spent ages looking for other than American sites to tell me the correct internal temperature for both pork and chicken. I thought 72C for pork and 84C for chicken but can't find confirmation. Wouldn't pink chicken livers (for pate) carry a salmonella risk?
Many thanks Gill

I have TDL tarts book and it is in there but conventional oven only. In the end I cooked the pastry base from frozen on the floor of the roasting oven and then used Rick Steins lemon tart recipe for the filling and cooked the tart on the floor of the simmering oven. It was so very delicious. I had filling left over so cooked it in espresso cups and ate it cold. Like sherbert and less rich than the lemon possett with cream recipe. Both a real winner.

Ok come on, perhaps we ought to swap recipes for a start off! I feel that soft butter/oil produces a better sponge but I prefer the taste of butter so I use
6oz softened butter and 6oz c.sugar beaten with an electic beater until whitened and fluffy. Add 6oz sifted flour, 1 rounded tbls. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and 3 eggs. Divide between 2 x 20cms (8" sandwich tins)
and I'm using an aga so I'm going between the baking oven and roasting oven but I know that Mary Berry is the doyenne of baking so it can't be that difficult. Before I would have used a fan oven at about 180C. for 20 mins and I think I would have added a tablespoon of milk. The recipe I'm now using is Delia's. Perhaps it would be better if I used the 8oz formula and 4 eggs! Come tell me now what you are using, I would so love to produce the perfect victoria sponge. Please. Gill

No-one wanted to listen to me when my TOP UP FREEVIEW service decided to cut the UKTV Food Broadcast in totallity from 3 hrs to 1 hr per day. I decided to stop paying for the top up. I was told that people didn't want to watch food programmes. Has anyone seen the soap stars competition on ITV from 5 - 6pm sorry but it's crap! Even JC couldn't make it better. ITVcooks 3pm - 4pm with AWT allowed me to fall asleep it's so samey..........perhaps we need another format. I compained about BBC1 Sat.Kitchen because the recipe print out was so different to that which James Martin had cooked and really, BBC couldn't really care (they didn't read my complaint) and suggested I just cook the recipe as printed rather than as James had demonstrated.

I don't which lemon tart you made Builder/chef but I made a Rick Stein recipe on Sunday and it was absolutely superb, and yes, I agree, it didn't need anything with it. It was like putting sweet sherbert on your tongue.

nancyblack can you remember the chef?

I ended up marrying two recipes. Lined the tart tin with sweet pastry which I then froze. Onto a baking sheet and cooked from frozen on the floor of the roasting oven for about 12 mins (no need to use baking beans etc) and then added the cream. lemon juice, egg and sugar mixture and cooked on the floor of the simmering oven for about 35 mins. A real success. I must admit I went a bit cheffy and made a blackberry and raspberry couli from fruits in the freezer.

Hello Snowlight. I haven't seen the Edwards and Godding website before and the lime tart would be very good. I am so chuffed with my Aga and really do enjoy cooking with it and it is my lifelong dream come true but I am still coming to terms with some aspects of baking. Cheers.

Does anyone have a recipe for lemon tart using an Aga. I don't mind using the baking oven or the roasting oven. Many thanks.

Does anyone have a recipe for lemon tart cooked in an Aga please. I don't mind using the baking oven or the roasting oven with the cold plain shelf.
Many thanks.

You really must try as many different recipes as you can for white/wholemeal bread and note your preferences with each one. I have found that using oil instead of butter, cold water in place of tepid, different brands of flour, proving for a longer time or first/second prove in the fridge overnight makes such a difference. I know this isn't much help but even individual ovens make a difference. I usually use Allinsons 7g pks of fast action yeast but I can also easily obtain fresh yeast from either Tesco or Sainsbury. Just ask at the bakery and I find it is freely given. There are really so many recipes for a basic white loaf or a basic wholemeal loaf that I fear you must just keep experimenting until you find the right one for you. For a basic white loaf using 500g white flour I would use 7g fast action or 14g fresh yeast, couple pinches of sea salt, 10fl oz of cold water and 3 tbls oil. Knead for about 10 mins. cover with a clean T towel and leave somewhere warm to prove until doubled in size 1 - 1.1/2hrs, knock back to remove the air, shape and leave to prove as before. Bake for about 20-30 mins (I use an Aga so check your receipe book for suggested temp)or until browned to liking and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. This is a Paul Hollywood recipe that works well made by hand or in the breadmaker. Don't give up, you will find your perfect recipe.
(I do use half white and half brown for this recipe as well)

I like to use wild and basmati rice, or red carmargue rice with kiln smoked salmon, fresh salmon, lots of pink and black crushed pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, freshly chopped parsley and finally add some buttered flaked almonds and a little double cream. I know it is now not really "kedgeree" but luxurious and just as tasty at room temperature the next day.

Oh Rosti you've done it again. Exactly what I am looking for - aren't they cheap? I thought that the tomato "water" (a senior moment yesterday + side effects of tablets) would actually go well as part of a combined starter. So will order them and give it a try. Thankyou. Hope the spread sheet is coming along ok.

I saw that one Rosti but wanted it less spicey and more pale and mustardy if you see what I mean to use in home made mustard pickle. I am going to experiment but I don't suspect I'll be much of a challenge to our local Colmans's factory!

Any ideas as to where I could buy similar shot glasses as used by Hannah for her tomato drink (sorry forgotten the recipe name) They were very slim and quite tall.

I usually use olive oil (3 tablespoons to 500g strong white, 10fl oz cold water, 7g sachet Allinsons yeast or 15g fresh yeast) I know it is still calorific but good for you and of course you can determine the amount of salt you put into your bread which is a much better thing to cut down on. From conception to consumption. Lovely.

I too freeze half of the bread when it has cooled. I don't have a microwave so allow a couple of hours to defrost.

Has anyone a recipe for an English style home made mustard, either using crushed white mustard seeds or ground with a pestle please?

Oh Rosti, I have just emailed my sister a "link" Oh how clever am I? Thank you and full marks for your tutoring skills.

I'm always in awe of people who use a "link" I don't think I'm stupid but I don't know how to do it and don't know if I dare ask now as I do like courtesy!

I use a Mary Berry celebration fruit cake recipe for my Christmas cake, which could also be used as a wedding cake with some of the tiers held back to be used as a christening cake, so if you wrap as cranie suggests, it could be kept for several years.

Sorry salt to taste wasn't very helpful. I use 2 small pinches of sea salt as I do find that Paul does use too much salt in some of his recipes for my liking (and heart!)

Thanks Cheese obsessive the second recipe sounds right although our masterchef contestant only had 2hrs. The end result, apparently, was intensly flavourful. I will give it a try although summer toms would probably be best and will use my jelly bag to strain the liquor. It was served in shot glasses. Will let you know how it turns out. Cheers (& apologies for the moan but I hate to see the contestants crying!)

Watched that programme again tonight. It's addictive especially as I can't get UKTV on my Freeview package. Does anyone else want to slap Greg Wallace? (Am I allowed to say that?) Food is so subjective isn't it and who is to say, except current fads and trends, what goes with what except the person eating and enjoying or not enjoying the food? I digress and apologise now if I've upset anyone by my comments. Can anyone provide a recipe for "Tomato Water" please?

Hi both, I have Rosemary's book and the recipe only calls for 3 tablespoons of creme patissiere. She says that the basic cp recipe may be too much for some recipes but that it is very useful and keeps well in the fridge. You don't mind so much once you have an explanation do you? I agree some of the recipes on the food sites are not as accurate as they should be. Hope this helps.

millyb what gives you the right to be so discourteous? I feel ashamed that so many of my countryman have stopped being nice!.

of course, cheers.

Rosti, how do you stop the egg custard leaking out from the rings in the b & b pudding?

Thankyou snowlight, I thought it was you. Cheers

I mentioned filo pastry on the message board some time ago and someone gave me a link. Can anyone tell me how to go back to a previously mentioned subject? Cheers. Gill

I haven't tried any of these yianni but (from Delia online)
1 tablespoon lemon juice OR white vinegar OR cream of tarter to 8fl oz SKIMMED milk
OR use natural runny yoghurt.
Let us know please how you get on.

I taped the programme so have written down the recipe but as it is copyright I don't think I'm able to post it. Sorry

I gave my first JML breadmaker away when I bought my 2nd one for £19.99 at Homebase. It certainly doesn't owe me any money and has been a real friend. . I am lucky enough to have an aga which makes the best bread but without the smell which is so evocative isn't it?

My new butcher got me some pigs caul and I can't understand why it is so difficult to get hold of. I painted the underside of chicken breasts with a little garlic butter and lay on some brie, folded over the chicken breast which I then wrapped in pancetta and covered the whole thing with caul which stops everything falling apart and imparts the most wonderful flavour. Unfortunately all the caul was previously frozen and I didn't have time to use it all. My butcher says it is thrown away so is free. Does anyone else use it? I'd be pleased to hear.

Lovely Baker Cakes. I love home made soups with home made bread. Mushroom strogonoff with brown rice, stuffed red peppers, vegetable rissoto and you DONT need lots of ghee or oil to make scrummy vegetable curries. Rosti is right, but don't think of it as a weight reducing diet just a different way of cooking. No-one says you can't enjoy food and lose weight, I'm half way through my weight loss (and I mean mega weight loss) and the only way I can do it is to enjoy my food and not feel deprived.

I wasn't logging in Snowlight, cheers.
I have fresh filo pastry. I'm doing a (Jamie Oliver, my mate Pete's) beef curry, an aubergine curry, Basmatic Rice and Paul Hollywoods naan bread with a mint and cucumber raita (actually it sounds quite good doesn't it?)and I wanted to have the lamb and potato samasos all ready in the fridge to pop in the oven to serve as an informal starter but filo is something I haven't touched for years and I'm not frightened to ask for help. cheers.

Have found a recipe of Rachel Allens which she says can be made in advance. Can anyone tell me if these are stored in the fridge covered with cling film or a damp tea towel or other?
Since the revamp of the site I seem to have lost my UKTV recipe book (and my brain) help please.

I saw claire McDonald this afternoon preparing (I missed the first part) fresh salmon which had been diced and marinaded to cook, mixed with smoked salmon and a salad of dill, seedless chopped cue. mixed with caster sugar and white wine vinegar, pink peppercorns and with creme fraiche added to the final dish. It looked really good. I have found some of the recipes on site but not this one. Can anyone help please or have I to buy the book. Happy new year everyone.

oh lovely - if you are eating them whole don't take out the roes when you gut them. Soft and hard roe, yummy.
I sometimes make a mustard sauce or a gooseberry chutney (or anything that might cut the fat) Lots and lots of bread and butter to help the bones down

Hello cheers, you could find a recipe for a celebration fruit cake which would give you the ingredients for a range of different sized tins to be used in tiers, but dare I say you are rather late for a xmas cake, or I would go for the 7" tin and cook it for a little longer - if you are scared of it burning cover with a circle of greaseproof paper halfway through cooking.

oh yes please, I'll have all three toppings. I also like parsley/garlic, chive/garlic butters rolled and wrapped in clingfilm and then frozen and just sliced as and when needed. Just imagine the buttery flavours melting over those delicious juicy steaks. Heaven.

My recipe for bread pudding (mum and dad could never quite agree on eggs or dripping or both) was never written down but I know it is not a cheap pudding but made well can't be beaten. I always soak the stale bread in water overnight and squeeze well the next morning. Plenty of fruit, no point being stingy, if you are going to make it at all you might as well have a decent one . Lots of granulated sugar to taste and to my mind it must be Millstones mixed spice (at least one pot for a standard small roasting tin or 1.1/2) Mix with hands and squeeze, there is nothing worse than white bits of bread in the cooked dish. One or two beaten eggs (dip you finger in the raw mixture and taste it) about 4oz of trex or similar cut into small pieces and enough flour to bind it all together. Sorry no exact amounts. Pile it into the tin, sprinkle with lots more granulated sugar and a few small pieces of the chosen lard and bake. I prefer a quick blast, then a slower oven until the top is like a crispy sugary crater. There is nothing quite like the smell of good bread pudding baking.

Elf, perhaps you would have more luck with filo pastry - do you really want to faff about with a deep fat fryer on xmas day........? Enjoy yourself and do something that you know will work.

I've only just made mine even although I'd usually try and make it at least 3 months before needed. I have never known it to ferment if sealed properly and stored in sterilised jars like jam - I've made more this year and I will make a note of how well it keeps. It may be that the flavour will impair if kept too long.

Nipple 1 I tend not to keep any dish made with pastry in the fridge as it always seems to go soft and tastes stale. How do you keep it fresh and crisp for that long please? I use a standard 4 butter > 8 pl. flour > 2 tbs. chilled water. cheers

sorry janrush I didn't read the recipe. I would say she is using a 12 cake bun tin - yes the same as you would use for jam tarts and fairy cakes etc.

I would use any metal/enamel tin that I would use to roast a joint of meat or potatoes. I personally wouldn't use china or ceramic. Make sure your container is well larded or greased and smoking hot before putting in the batter mix.

I would use any metal/enamel tin that I would use to roast a joint of meat or potatoes. I personally wouldn't use china or ceramic. Make sure your container is well larded or greased and smoking hot before putting in the batter mix.

Hi cheese obsessive, we moved into our house exactly a year ago and weren't able to harvest the apples then and then the snow came along with the birds. (the previous owner told us the apples weren't fit for eating but he was obvsiouly not waiting until they were ripe). I have sent some of the fruit and leaves to Brogdale in Kent for identification. It just seems such a shame to waste the windfalls and with just the two of us there is a limit to how much we can drink each day. If I could think of an easy way of pasteurising the juice I'd try that. I have just read the apple juice freezes well. Thanks for your interest

We have collected many windfalls from our late harvesting dessert apple tree and I want to juice them (I have a sturdy attachment to my Kenwood) to be drunk later. I buy apple juice locally and note that there are no additives. Help please - can I just store in airproof sterilised bottles? I do not want to freeze them or chutney/pickle/jam them (my pantry is already fit to burst) and I shall be laying down some of the blemish free apples whilst making sure that the blackbirds and redwings have a "merry" xmas.

Being a traditionalist I love good old
steak and kidney pie,
chicken and mushroom,
chicken, ham, leek and sweetcorn,
egg and bacon,
bacon and onion
sausage, tomato, onion and sage
leftover turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce pie
sausage, blackpudding and mushroom
Very British and very comforting food. Yummy

I'm probably on the wrong site for this request but I'm looking for an out of print M & S Freezer Cookery Book which includes Smoked Haddock Pate, can anyone help or direct me please?

I didn't see the programme but if it wasn't baking parchment or greasproof paper was it bake- o-glide a resuable washable lining that can either be purchased in a roll or in pre-cut shapes? I bought mine when I got my Aga for baking tins and sheets but still use good old baking parchment for all my cakes. Hope this helps

I don't see why not as long as it is "glued" to the cake with some slackened apricot jam or similar. If your daughter can forego the fondant icing you could also try the nut and fruit topping alternative.

Are we allowed to share the butter for the sprouts it sounds really good?

I have just started using Carrs sauce flour after reading about it on a messageboard query for thickening with very good results. Time with the lid off is the only way I think of reducing stock but I agree you have to ensure it doesn't become too salty.

Snowlight, I've never seen Lock and Lock - as you are obviously so enthusiastic where are they sold please?

Have just done a search for flapjacks and saw your message. I should imagine you have already"consumed"them by now! I normally wait until the cooked flapjack is cold, cut into fingers and store in an airtight tin. All flapjacks tend to soften after a few days. Was the recipe any good? cheers (I am a mature woman by the way)

I'm having a senior moment so please excuse me. I want to make museli with oatmeal which I am unable to find locally(I want to replicate a specific recipe) Would I get the same effect by blitzing ordinary oats?

Andi what a bummer, her loss

I've just checked out the recipe Gary and as it is not a cooked chutney preserved in vinegar and sugar which would keep for a year, but a relish, I would have thought only a few days perhaps a week in a clean screw top jar kept in the fridge. I don't always believe in sell by dates (we didn't have such things when I was a girl) so just check it every day. The parsley, which is added afer the cooking will probably be the first to go. Be interested to see what messageboard users think.

What sort of relish are you talking about GJC? Has it been cooked with vinegar, sugar and spices or is it a raw type of salsa? Are the burgers actually packed in the relish?

I had an M & S Freezer Cookery book that contained a recipe for Smoked Haddock Pate. I think I originally purchased the book about 15/20 years ago. Can anyone help with further identification in the hope that I can obtain a copy. Many thanks

Exactly what I was looking for - cheers Little Pud. The variations are endless.

joining in the previous request for light xmas dinner starters has reminded me that I have seen some recipes using prawns/strips of beef/smoked duck etc with thai style spices, basil etc and spoonfuls are piled onto a soft lettuce leaf which is used like a wrap. Can anyone direct me to a site or recipe title? Many thanks

Little Pud has reminded me - I have seen a recipe for prawns with asian flavours/spices thai basil etc when everyone helps themselves to a spoonful and piles it into the centre of a lettuce leaf which is used like a wrap. Can anyone elaborate?

I'm keeping my head lowered on this one Abi because I'm sure you'll get a barrage of responses. I'm owning this statement before anyone moans, but I think that a festive soup is best before the tradional cold meat and bubble + squeek/mashed potato and pickles/Heinz salad cream boxing day dinner. Something lighter like a cold smoked haddock pate or other fish mousse. A proper prawn cocktail. Good smoked salmon with a little salad and light dressing. An assortment of continental meats, salamis, capers and olives.
My husband always likes egg mayonnaise with homemade mayo and anchovies on a crisp lettuce base. Some of these dishes may seem old fashione but good quality never dies.
Be interested to hear what you choose.

I'm keeping my head lowered on this one Abi because I'm sure you'll get a barrage of responses. I'm owning this statement before anyone moans, but I think that a festive soup is best before the tradional cold meat and bubble + squeek/mashed potato and pickles/Heinz salad cream boxing day dinner. Something lighter like a cold smoked haddock pate or other fish mousse. A proper prawn cocktail. Good smoked salmon with a little salad and light dressing. An assortment of continental meats, salamis, capers and olives.
My husband always likes egg mayonnaise with homemade mayo and anchovies on a crisp lettuce base. Some of these dishes may seem old fashione but good quality never dies.
Be interested to hear what you choose.

Agree completely Mrs Woof Woof - I usually try and cook (blanch) leeks a few hours before I want them and then reheat because of the watery problem. Read on another UKTV message board topic about Carrs sauce flour. It works! And you can add it to hot stock wihtout it lumping or tasting of uncooked flour.

mikip I do salute your enthusiasm - are you sure this is all worth the effort - or that at least the people you are cooking for will appreciate your efforts. I have a chopper which my dad gave me and often use it to portion chickens but a shank off a leg with a saw is a differnet matter. I'm with you all the way but please be careful and let us all know how you get on.

Now there's a thing mikip - I have never thought of that before so checked and Hugh FW says the front leg is SHIN (aka FORESHANK) and the rear leg is SHANK. So either will be shank! I agree Iceland must be better value. Good luck.

Recipes4Us beetroot chutney is almost identical Shelz. I peeled and coarsly grated the beetroot, onion and c.apples in the food processor. I used a combination of almost empty vinegar. cheers

No Shelz, Rick Steins Food Heroes (could be "Another Helping") I also entered (blush, blush) a jar of his Spicey Apple and Walnut recipe for our local produce show and it won first prize. Bread and Butter pickles (again R.S but I first used Sophie Grigsons recipe) using thinly sliced cucumber, thinly sliced red onion and green pepper in a sweet/sour/spicey vinegar is really really good. Am going to order my turkey today so it must be xmas.

I'd be interested in your red onion marmalade recipe Nipple 1.
I cooked a shoulder of lamb at the w/e (now in Suffolk but when I was in H'Fordshire we didn't get the fillet attached - would be interested to hear about your area) and I slashed it and worked in lots of slivers of garlic and anchovy fillets. Abs. del. with mashed pots. parsnips and carrots and the juices made an excellent gravy with just the veg. water added.

That must be an expensive way of buying shanks. Don't you have a local butcher you could turn to? If you are buying legs of lamb it's going to cost you an absolute fortune. What do you want to cook? Can't you subsitute the cut of lamb in the recipe?

I have just made some beetroot and apple chutney and it will keep for at least a year unopened in the larder.

Rick Stein uses
amaretti and sage - I keep wanting to try the recipe but can't actually "taste" it in my mind - please let me know how you get on

Definitely cold, it's not a meatloaf which would be served hot (and then perhaps cold the next day)

Definitely cold, it's not a meatloaf which would be served hot (and then perhaps cold the next day)

Much better idea snowlight - haven't made a chocolate log for years, but will now using buttercream icing. Hubby and I are both over our half century (he's well over) but I'll put a robin on and some holly.

Snowlight, no I haven't tried honey on this recipe but it's something I always have in the cupboard and would use if I made a chocolate log instead of buying the jar of apricot jam for one recipe which sits for ages in the cupboard doing nothing until you have a bit of pastry left for some jam tarts. I think it could work though - especially as I don't like black forest gateaux (ie the tart with the chocolate)

I know that Marguerite Patten, in conjunction with an authority on arthritis, wrote a recipe book for same. Followed the recipes and now needs no medication to alliviate the pains from the arthritis

If the chutney is made using vinegar, sugar, spices etc. and boiled until reduced and thickened and potted into sterilised jars it should last for at least a year+ longer. I don't remember any pickles, chutnies etc having sell by dates when I was younger.
How did you make it Lynne?

honey?

Interested, I now make only "Old Thatch soup" I save the stock after cooking a bacon/ham joint, I boil up a roasted chicken carcass with added vegetables and the juices from the roasting pan, in fact anything that can be made into stock I boil, simmer, strain and freeze. Then I look at recipes and get ideas and see what I have available and what is in season. Watercress and potato go very well with ham stock and any veg. finely chopped, sauteed goes well with other stocks. Try different herbs, add and taste. There are lots of recipes in all the w/e papers at the moment. Good luck, make it up as you go along and taste it as you go along. Don;t forget to make a written note in case it is really good and you want to replicate it. NB Only boil and simmer fish bones for about 30/40 minutes as the water goes cloudy and mucky. A pint of shrimps in their shells covered with water makes a delicious fish stock.

Ishka, I do make my own muesli, much as you say with whatever is to hand but it was the "fineness" of the finished dish that appealed to me as a change. Perhaps as you have suggested it was oat bran which I will try and definitely the barley flakes if I can find some. Cheers

Have just returned from a wonderful trip to County Kerry where we had muesli that had obviously been soaked in milk before being served. It was a very fine meal used (not like the porridge oats I use) and seemed to have been mixed with a little dessicated coconut and a few sultanas which plumped up. Any ideas please.........It was so lovely.

Hi Mrs Pea, hope this works for you.
1/2pt (300ml) milk,
3 egg yolks or 2 whole eggs,
1 level tablespoon vanilla caster sugar,
1 level teaspoon cornflour.
(the cornflour SHOULD prevent the custard from curdling). Heat milk in a small pan until it almost boils. Beat egg yolks (or whole eggs) sugar and cornflour together in a small bowl and pour on the hot milk stirring thoroughly the whole time. Return the sauce to the pan and heat gently until it just starts to pucker, for about a minute of two and thinly coats the back of a spoon. If you like you can strain it. For a richer combination use single cream or a combination.
This is how my mum and dad used to make custard, (although dad would have used sterilised milk as a special treat on a Sunday and I've been alive as long as the Queen as been on the throne).
Mrs Pea, I know what you mean about the pans burning or sticking. My tip is to take your time and keep stirring all the time on a more gentle heat until you have mastered it. Please let me know.

I'm a dipstick. Rub spices on meat not skin and leave in a cool/cold place for several hours to marinade.

I have freeview with top up and WAS able to watch UKTV Food for three hours a day only. In October the freeview top up system changed. If I want to watch UKTV Food for one hour only I have to buy a new box and pay an increased monthly rate. I have tried to contact UKTV Food for an explanation but to no avail. I live in a conservation area so am not allowed a sky dish nor is cable available. So that's me and many others like me without UKTV Food now. Any plausible comments please?!

Have you tried spiking the skin with a skewer through the skin but not as far down as the meat and then pouring a kettle of boiling water over (apparently this tightens the skin and helps to make it crispy as chinese crispy duck) drain and dry off well. I try and do this the night before. Then rub the skin with sichuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, salt flakes, chinese spice powder and caster sugar all ground together and as JO405 says roast over a pan of boiling water. I first saw Rick Stein doing this in his Food Heroes but have since seen many different versions. The boiling water poured over the skin really does work. Yummy belly of pork, got to be a real winner

Hi, The blue "The river cafe cook book" published 1995. However, I did a website search and came up with
www.recipezaar.com/74584 and the recipe is exactly the same with the exception of the sugar used for the filling. The recipe you are seeking uses a finer sugar. Does this help? Am I allowed to do this? Good luck. Looks yummy, have tried Pear Bourdaloue but not this one, so will give it a go.

Hi Mrs Pea, I'm afraid I now often cheat and add a little cornflour to the egg mixture as Mary Berry suggests.

Hello Jen i fur, have just checked my River Cafe cookbook and there is a recipe for Pear and Almond tart. If this is what you are looking for I'm not allowed to post it am I? Both the base and the filling contain butter but not as much as you have suggested.

I am pleased to say that I have come a long way with bread making since that first post in March. Am now confident to use either fresh or dried yeast (double the amount for fresh half the amount for dried yeast) but thank you all for your comments. I agree with soupercook that the flour makes a real difference and now source my flour from the nearest mill still milling in Norfolk/Suffolk. You can never learn too much with baking/cooking though can you and it's always great to hear someone elses take on ways of preparing food. Cheers

I am interested in the sauce flour. Are you able to give more details? i.e. does it come in a tub or 3lb bag etc....cheers

I agee Victoria sponge is ideal. I use 6oz flour, 6oz very very soft butter, 6oz SR flour, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder and 3 eggs. Beat everything together and divide between two 8" tins. What type of oven are you using? I'm still getting to grips with my aga but try 170C. I always believed that true sponges were fatless. Genoise has much more egg but much less fat than a Victoria sponge. Good luck

should read....using the delay.....

When I was using the breadmaker to make bread it came with a measuring cup. Unfortunately I gave it away but if you look on the back of the bread flour bags, strong white, malted grain, wholemeal they all give a conventional recipe and a recipe for using in a breadmaker. One tip I would pass on is the books always seemed to call for tepid water but I always used cold straight from the tap with no adverse effects. If you think about it if you are usually the delay timer the water would be cold anyway. Keep using it and very soon you will be able to load the machine without any dread and with your eyes closed. Good luck

Seem to be having a one sided conversation with myself on this one. Have realised the mistake in the recipe - too much liquid. Have just made another batch and they really are crispy and yummy. As I am refusing to buy anymore processed biscuits, cake etc another recipe is always good.
If anyone is interested, here it is.
combine 1 cup porridge oats, 1 cup plain flour, 1 cup caster sugar and 1 cup dessicated cocunut. In a saucepan gently melt 125g butter with 2 tablespoons golden syrup. Set aside to cool slightly. Pour 1 tablepoon boiling water onto 1 teaspoon of bicarb. of soda and add to the butter and syrup. Pour the liquid onto the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Place walnut sized pieces of mixture onto a baking sheet spaced well apart and press down lightly with the back of a fork. Aga baking oven 10/12mins. 180C 12/20 mins. Allow to harden on the tray before placing on a cooling tray. Store in an airtight tin. I don't yet know how long they will keep. They really are yummy though.

I forgot the coconut.

I made some Anzac biscuits last night (oats, flour, caster sugar, syrup, water, butter and bicarb.) for the first time. Apparently they were sent to the Australian and New Zealand troops fighting in Europe during the first world war as they are supposed to keep for weeks. They are quite tasty, like a soft flapjack, but there's the rub they are very soft and do not have the "snap" one associates with a biscuit. Can anyone help please?

This is strange as I was thinking about quince this morning and wondering if, after years of using the fruit from the Chaenomeles Japonica (Japanese Quince) each Xmas for jelly, and I might add giving it to friends, if it is actually safe to eat?! No-one has ever complained. I have now bought a quince which is too young to fruit, so was examining the fruit on my chaenomeles.........any comments please? Good luck haile but I've never seen them for sale.

Going on from the reply from Shelz - why not pot roast a piece of beef (stand on halved onion, salt and pepper, dash of olive oil and 1/4 pt water, lid on and into oven and serve with gravy (most of which is already in your pot roast) and bubble and squeek cooked and prepared the day before. If you want to smarten it all up you could also make a red/white onion marmalade. I had a piece of brisket last w/e and it was delicious. I froze the remaining meat and gravy which I served later in the week in ind. yorkshire puddings with pots and veg.

I am distraught. Before I went on holiday I was able to watch UKTV Food for 3 hours a day using Freeview Top up. On my return I see that it is not broadcast at all on the existing system. If I buy the new box and pay an increased charge for the new and improved top up I will be able to watch UKTV Food for 1 hour a day. Freeview is the only option available to me. As foodies you may appreciate how very unhappy this has made me. Is anybody else in the same boat?

I have a couple of little gem squash which I was going to chop and roast with some very small carrots olive oil, garlic, cumin, black pepper. Some recipes say to leave the skin on when roasting. Do I eat the skin? I always peel butternight squash. Info. please. cheeers

I am going away and don't want to miss the fruit. Can I use defrosted damsons for jam? Should I stone them or not? Any helpful comments would be appreciated. Cheers

Pasta would be my first obvious answer - is that what you mean? topped with freshly grated parmesan, topping for home made pizzas, vegetarian lasagne...spread over a circle of puff pastry topped with rings of courgette, torn basil and mozzarella........

Although I've searched the web I cannot find any local supplier for rose veal. Can anyone help? I'm willing to travel to source this product as I feel so strongly about keeping our calves in Britain. Cheers.

What's authentic anyway, what you buy in the restaurant or what is traditionally made in the home? I made "Peter's lamb curry" but with chicken from Jamies return of the naked chef which was absolutely delicious and certainly as good as anything you would be served in a restaurant and without ghee - which - sorry to disagree - I wouldn't use.

hello chocolate monster - was given a copy of the magazine and yes, am going to make the cake. Cheers. Off to the highlands of Scotland for an injection of heaven!!!!

Sad I know, but I want to make a plum cake to take away on holiday, so it needs to keep.
I was going to adapt Nigel Slaters recipe for blackberry and apple cake (moist as it contains ground almonds) but wondered if anyone has an alternative recipe they can recommend. Many thanks.

Looks good, have you tried it? I mix and knead by hand apart from being very therapeutic, it allows you to get to know the dough. Whatever works for you.

Comments were "nice rustic loaf, would have liked a lump of cheese and a pickled onion.." As a novice I must admit that I do keep trying different recipes and am fast learning what a difference a little more/less water, addition of butter/oil and brand of flour makes. The recipe I used on the day was:
500g strong white flour
2 tsps. salt flakes
30g fresh bakers yeast
50g softened butter
290ml cold tap water
Put flour, salt, yeast and butter into a bowl and gently break down the butter and yeast with your fingers (ie as pastry)
Add water little by little until the mixture is incorporated.
Tip out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 6 minutes. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to rise and double in size for about 1hr.
Oil 2lb loaf tin (or 2 x 1lb loaf tins or free form the dough)
Knock back the dough. (I flatten the dough with my fingers to release the air and then fold into a parcel. I do this about 6 times until making the parcel gets tight.) Shape the dough about the same size as the tin, roll into a swiss roll and place seam side down into the tin. Cover and prove again in a warm place until double in size. Gently slash the top of the loaf several times and sprinkle with flour. Aga 30 mins with grid shelf on floor of roasting oven or preheated oven 230C/450F/mark 8
I have also used 100g strong white and 400g malthouse but using 320ml of cold water which makes a very wet dough so your board needs to be well floured when kneading. Please let me know how you get on and thanks for letting me show off.

Are you adding fat (I make all my own bread and use either butter or olive oil) to your bread - apart from enriching the dough and making a moister loaf it also helps to keep longer. Make sure the bread is quite cold before putting it into your container which must be ventilated. Large loaves keep better than smaller ones, and rolls tend to dry out very quickly. If I bake a crusty loaf I'll just wrap it in muslin. Don't forget commercial bread contains a lot of preservatives. Unrisen dough can be stored for 24 hours in the fridge (although I have left it for several days after the first rising and just knocked it back every so often) Can I boast and tell you that my loaf of bread won first prize at the local village show? Have you also achieved the 2nd rising in the fridge overnight and then straight into the oven, it seems to spread the time element. Hope this helps (sorry realised I have gone on a bit!!)

I understand that this flat fish has a thick skin covered in small scales so is usually filleted and used as you would sole. Why not try frying or grilling (if you prefer) with a little butter, seasoning and lemon juice to ascertain what it tastes like before you mask its' flavour with a sauce etc. Please let us know.

Championi - as you obviously want a "one pot" something what have you got against a "funky" euro pot au feu with ham joint, beans, garlic, macaroni, Italian sausages or similar in cassolet. Phillips paella is a good suggestion, I did a 2 x salmon kedgeree at the weekend which went down really well with some good wine followed by a selection of cheeses. A good red wine casserole (and can be reheated)with some rustic bread never fails. Let us know what you decide to do

Can anybody tell me how I should present an apple pie for judging at a local produce show. It is not the WI and we are not told how to present it. I always use the same tin, an aged brown enamel one, and I don't think I would chance trying to tip it out. Advice please anyone!

Couldn't agree more art, the basic curry sauce is so versatile and the recipe for garam masala is really good. I too, have had the book for years.

I'm glad I have it right rittaa - we come to Glenuig every year and it's like heaven on earth. By the way I use a dry pan, is this right?

Paul Rankin has a recipe for potato bread using hot mashed potato, flour, melted butter and seasoning which he kneads into a dough. I have an old Scottish recipe for scones: 1/2lb boiled mashed potato, 2.1/2oz flour, 3 tablesp. melted butter or bacon fat and 1/2 tsp. salt. Mash pots well and add melted fat and salt, then add as much flour as the potatoes will take without becoming too dry. Turn onto a floured board and roll to 1/4inch thickness, cut into circles then into farls (quarters) prick all over with a fork, and cook, either on a hot girdle, turning once, or in a heavy pan. Serve with butter, honey or syrup. I've had these in Ireland served with egg and bacon.
Hope this is what you are looking for.

I know I can freeze cooked bread but has anyone frozen bread dough successfully and do I do it after the knead and before the first rise? Could I successfully defrost it in the fridge overnight and how long would about 1lb dough take to defrost at room temperature? I know I can freeze freshly baked bread but sometimes it would be nice to have plain dough handy for a variety of recipes. Also how long can I keep unrisen dough in the fridge? Many thanks.

I pickle shallots every Xmas and the recipe varies every year depending on what vinegars/spices I have in store and how much time I have available, but basically 1lb peeled shallots soaked in a solution of brine - 2oz to 1 pint of water into a bowl covered with a cloth and leave for about 48 hours. I usually put a large plate on the top to keep them all immersed (if I don't have time to peel them, I'll leave them for a day, wash them and peel them and then rebrine but you need to remove them from the water if the hearts start to protrude from the centre) Bring approx. 3/4 pint of your favourite vinegar with 3/4 teaspoon of whole mixed pepper berries to simmering point, remove from the heat and allow to go quite cold. Drain peeled shallots and pat dry. Put into sterilised jars, pour cold vinegar plus the spices into the jars, seal and leave for one month. I have used pre-spiced vinegar and then added dried chilles and crushed berries, but whichever way they are always so much better than any bought variety and go down extremely well tied with a pretty bow and given as gifts. Good luck. (3/4 is three quarters)

Hi Bliss 1 - I have only made Tamasin DL recipe and I used freshly brewed esspresso coffee which doesn't really help you does it. The dessert was absolutely delicious though. Good luck

Thank you all so much - they all sound so delicious, welcoming and "homely" We also have famous Orford Kippers very near to where I live - so the difficulty will be choosing - but what a problem. I tried French toast, suffolk dry cured streaky bacon and maple syrup for lunch and that was good too. Many thanks everyone. Gill

Am entertaining next w/e and time is very limited on the Saturday as we'll be busy making competetion "efforts" for the local produce show. Will be cooking traditional full English on the Sunday but would like some ideas for a different and/or delicious breakfast that could be prepared ahead for the Saturday. Many thanks

I know this isn't about recipes and ingredients but can anyone help with the problem of flies? We have recently moved house and are now in rural Suffolk surrounded by brooks and trees. I know that the flies play their part in the scheme of things but I just wish they wouldn't do it in my kitchen. I have a blue electric light (sorry a senior moment) but might have to resort to the old fashioned sticky tape. Don't want to spray insecticide having food, people and a lovely dog in the house. Many thanks

Have just made my first batch of jam - blackcurrant - which I had hoped would be the prize winning recipe for our local show (my first entry being new to the village) I shouldn't have been so cocky it's thick and like glue (I boiled it to 105C.) I had hoped to produce some chutney as well (also prize winning you understand) in all other respects I'm getting on really well with the Aga and normally knock out pretty good preserves. Any tips please, bearing in mind I've only got 1 month. Many thanks.

I've just sorted out my cheese scone recipe but riittaa has beaten me to it with her receipe which is very similar but also v. different: 225g organic plain flour, 1 tbsp. baking powder, pinch sea salt, 40g unsalted butter, 125g mature cheddar grated, 1 tsp dried English mustard, 1 tsp dried thyme and a pinch of cayenne pepper all bound with 125ml semi-skimmed milk. Sometimes I roll and sometimes I pat into shape. Cook as per your oven instructions. Yummy.

The rules for the local produce show state, for hygiene reasons, to wrap entries for "apple pie" and "a loaf of bread" in clingfilm wont this soften the pastry and crust?

I'm testing victoria sponge recipes for an entry into the village produce show and working my way through the standard 6,6,6, and 3 with self raising flour both with and without baking powder. I am using, can I say, soft stork and when I've found the best will try the same recipe but using butter. I'd be interested if anyone has any alternative recipes please.

I use self raising flour and buttermilk I have Paul Hollywoods book hungryman but haven't tried it but will if they as good as you say and compare!!!

I have just used some of my cordial to poach some fresh gooseberries. Delicious. Thought I'd also make a jelly with the cordial - has anyone tried it and have any tips? Cheers Gill

Wheat gluten and dairy free Jay?

Hi Rachael, silly really but just a need/wish to revisit fond memories, food is very evocative isn't it? and because I'm a "bit" bloody minded and am now like a dog with a rag doll. I will continue with my quest and let you know. Thanks Gill

Has anyone a good recipe for pitta bread other than Paul Hollywoods?
Does anyone know of a source for whole grains, malted flakes etc that can be added to standard white and wholemeal bread flours? cheers gill

I know it's all been done, said, told..etc..before but my sister who is 59 and I at 54 grew up with mums gypsy tart being made with condensed milk. Between us we have a library of cookery books but the only book that has the recipe is "Sweet Dreams" by Gary Rhodes. But we don't want to use evaporated milk. We want to use condensed milk and both of us are sure we have seen a recipe very recently, either in a weekend paper or magazine with not only the recipe but a picture. I have been on to (can I say) nestle and butterfly brand website and spent hours searching on the web but to no avail. Are there others out there who remember the condensed milk version?

Have just picked my elderflowers and am waiting for all the bugs to crawl away before I add the cooled boiled water. I too am now using citric acid for all my cordials which is readily available.

realise your first posting was some time ago but have recently made AWT (actually an old Claudia Roden recipe) Almond and Orange cake. No butter or wheat, just eggs, grounds almonds, caster sugar, baking powder and boiled oranges. AWT puts a sliced orange on the top and bottom too. For those who do eat dairy foods served with creme fraiche or fromage frais it is a real party winner. Especially served just warm. Yummy

Cheers Rosti, we have only recently moved to this part of rural Suffolk and my butcher, who is an independant, says he only buys locally reared meat and poultry so presumeably our local farmers have not been producing veal and now the beef export has been lifted will continue not to do so. I'll have to keep badgering him.

Thanks Snowy - Have Paul Hollywoods book but was disturbed by the quantity of salt. I think it was the cob, he used 1 tablespoon of salt and it must have been a mistake - bread was lovely but too salty to eat. Also not sure about his explanation of quantity of instant yeast to use. Although I have been a fan of his for some time I was actually disappointed in the book. Is it me?

Do you know the publishers Trufflebabe as not getting much joy finding this? cheers

Why are we sending our calves abroad? If we are going to drink milk and eat beef shouldn't we be supporting our farmers who demonstrate the best animal husbandry in the world? Our farmers follow all EU initiatives, unlike our EU cousins, why aren't we supporting our veal producers. My local butcher wont buy veal as it is being exported live to the EU and then imported as carcass. Shouldn't we foodies be addressing these issues or am I going to get told off? Do I want to eat veal? Perhaps not if I really think about it, but should we keep closing our eyes and our ears? Apologies if this offends anyone but we need to know what's happening and address the problem. Gill

Have just read this discussion and thought I might throw a spanner in the works. Has anyone tried Rick Stiens Belly of Pork with the kettle of boiling water, skin dried and then spread with the spices before roasting over the pan of water?
The skin must always be top side up to get crsipy result. Am not going to apologise for owning a new Aga, but 1/2 hour roasting in the hotest oven and then as long as you like in the simmering oven (5 - 7hrs) still produces the most succulent, crispy skinned pork ever.

I've tried white, granary and wholemeal, fresh and instant yeast, butter, lard and olive oil and they have all been good but none of the loaves I have made had that certain something that makes you want to stick to the same recipe. Can you give me your own favourite please. Many thanks, Gill

I seem to be having trouble converting my cake recipes to suit the Aga baking oven, can someone please help with a foolproof chocolate cake recipe. Cheers

Can anyone recommend a make and source for either the original enamel stove top coffee pot or similar. This will be used on a regular basis so needs to be sturdy and not just for display. Cheers

I feel terribly cheated. Top Up only have the franchise to air UKTV Food from 9.00am - 12.30pm, that's only 3.1/2 hours!.We have moved to a small Suffolk village where cable is unavailable and as the house is listed, even if we wanted to put up a sky dish, we wouldn't get permission. I have a passion for food and cooking and am so terribly disappointed.

I am desolate. Moving to the countryside at the end of November meant leaving behind our digital supplier. I have missed UKTV Food more than I thought I would and yesterday we set up our Freeview with top up only to find that the food channel shuts down at 12.30pm. Is this a temporary thing for the channel or something I have to put up with? Please somebody tell me there is a way around it - we only got the top up for UKTV Food!!!!!! Here's hoping. Gill

As a student breadmaker (the machine has retired) I have cracked a basic bread recipe from Paul Hollywood using 500g bread flour to 7g (1 packet) of easy blend yeast. I now want to try some of his other recipes on this site but need to know how I convert "fresh yeast" or "fast acting dried yeast" to the correct quantity of easy blend yeast if that's all I have. Can anyone help please? Strangley enough all of his recipes require the same amount of flour i.e. 500g. Cheers

Telman, I like to use shortcrust pastry for a top and bottom pie but if using fruit the bottom pastry can tend to go soggy so I sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of semolina before adding the fruit. It really does work and helps to soak up the extra juice. I usually use a water wash with caster sugar for the fruit pie instead of egg wash and you can't beat an old fahsioned steak and kidney pie. Good luck

I am so very excited as I am today having an Aga installed. We have very recently moved to Suffolk and are surrounded by fresh fish and local meat and vegetables. Like all of you I am passionate and even obsessive about food and have waited (and worked) for many years to realise this dream. I have read Richard Maggs very instructive book but still feel I might need to obtain a degree to operate my beautiful new oven - any hints or helpful advice please from seasoned Aga cooks would be very much appreciated.

Any ideas please for interesting recipes for wholemeal pasta and wholemeal bread please.