Little bit of a confession. I completely forgot about this month's Bookmarked Recipes. Whoops!
Oh well, as they say "better late than never".
Bookmarked Recipes Bookmarked Recipes: a monthly event to encourage food bloggers to revisit the recipes they have bookmarked from magazines, newspapers, cookbooks. websites, blogs, to try them out and post about them.
We had a really great round-up of soups and salads for February's No Croutons Required. The topic was fresh herbs and this coincided with the publication of a new handbook from River Cottage called Herbs (published 1 March 2012). So I teamed up with them and was able to offer a copy to my winner.
Rather than open the vote to everyone, I decided to ask River Cottage HQ if they could choose a winner.
I thought the name of this recipe might grab your attention, it certainly called out to me. What a great combination of flavours.
This recipe comes from River Cottage Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I have had this book for a few months and used it a few times, but this is the first time I have written about it. I don't know what took me so long.
I am a great fan of River Cottage and Hugh. I used to avoid all things River Cottage, thinking it to meaty to contemplate, but I have learned the error of my ways. Hugh and his team certainly have a way with vegetables, baking and desserts.
You can read my review of The River Cottage Baby and Toddler Cookbook along with a recipe for Lentils with Onions & Watercress, My review of The Herbs Handbook, which is out next month and a recipe for Greedy Pudding Pear Cake which may not be exact, as I scribbled down notes for it while I was watching Hugh make it on tv, but is still rather special.
There is a mouth-watering selection of vegetarian soups and salads from around the world for you to drool over and this month I have a special prize for the winner too. The winner will be sent a copy of Herbs (River Cottage Handbook) by Nikki Duffy, which is published next month.
I don't know if you have any of the River Cottage handbooks, but they are great resources. They really go in depth into their chosen subject and include some great recipes too. They are a great wee size as well (A5), just perfect for carrying around in your bag for a quick look at when you are travelling or just in a quiet moment.
With Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday coming up this week, my mind has been on pancakes. I also have a new copper pan, that I wanted to try out. I can report it kept it's heat well and the pancakes lifted easily from it.
The pancakes I make are Scottish pancakes or drop scones (they were called this because of the dropping of the mixture onto the girdle). Sometimes they are known as Scotch pancakes. They are quite similar to American pancakes, they have the same rise, but they are smaller. However, lets not get into an argument about where they originated.
I don't often post a sandwich recipe, but sometimes a sandwich is too good not to share and this is one of those.
Creamy and crunchy, garlicky and sweet, with a little tang of lemon and such beautiful colours. How can you resist?
I made my sandwiches with shop bought hummus this week, but it is even better with homemade hummus. You can find my recipe for homemade hummus here.
What is your favourite sandwich?
We headed up to Aviemore for a midweek break for Graham's birthday. I thought you might like to hear a bit about our trip, the hotel we stayed in, the food and have a look at a few photos.
I am about to head off to bed for the night, but before I do, it is time to announce the winner of a chocolate hamper from Hotel Chocolat. I was lucky enough to chomp my way through the Be Mine Collection.
I had a notion to make quiche after drooling over Janice's quiche. Well, actually it is a Flemish Leek Tart. Much fancier, but it still made me crave quiche.
I usually buy shortcrust pastry. I feel no shame in that. It is pretty good quality and as a working mum, I don't always have time to make my own. Today is one of those days when I had the time, so homemade it is.
The pastry was flaky and the mushrooms and spinach go so well together. Add in the salty feta cheese and you have a pretty fabulous quiche.
An easy shortcrust pastry. All the ingredients should be cold and make sure you don't put too much water in or the pastry will be tough. Add a little water at a time until the dough comes together.
Ingredients
200g cold butter
100g plain flour
a pinch of salt
2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
1. Sieve the flour into a bowl before transferring into a food processor along with the salt. Add the cubes of cold butter.2. Whizz gently for a couple of minutes until the mixture gets crumbly.3. Pour into a bowl and rub with your fingers briefly to make sure it is the right texture.4. Drizzle over 1 tsp of really cold water, cutting through with a knife to combine. Start adding the second spoonful gradually, until there is just enough enough water in the mixture to bring it together.5. Bring it together with your hands. Shape into a ball and wrap in clingfilm. Pop it into the fridge until you are ready to use it. It should be in the fridge for at least half an hour.
I used half of a butternut squash to make a creamy pasta sauce for Cooper, which by the way, I urge you to try as it's yummy. The other half of the squash I used to make this easy soup.
I teamed up the roasted squash with sage for an earthy flavour and then added some zing with a swirl of lemony herb dressing. The combination was outstanding. I don't think the soup would have been half as good without that contrast. It really turned the soup into something special.
I am entering my soup into this month's No Croutons Required, which I am hosting this month. If you would like to enter a soup or salad suitable for vegetarians, you have until the 20th of February 2012. The topic this month is fresh herbs.
This a a flavourful and easy soup. I topped my soup with a swirl of citrusy herb dressing, which was a lovely contrast to the earthiness of the soup.
Ingredients
½ butternut squash
a splosh of olive oil
a grinding of black pepper
a few fresh sage leaves
1 pint vegetable stock
a seasoning of salt and pepper
another splosh olive oil
a good handful of fresh herbs, I used parsley & basil
a squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 200c/180c fan/400f/gas 6.2. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Cut into half moon shapes about 2 cm. Toss in olive oil and season with black pepper.3. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until soft and starting to brown at edges. Remove from the tray and leave to cool.4. Once cool pop the squash into a food processor with the sage and the vegetable stock. Pour into a pot to warm through and season.5. Whizz up the fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon juice, then drizzle over each bowl of soup.
Details
Total time: Yield: serves 3 - 4
A few more butternut squash recipes for you to drool over:
Written by Jacqueline Meldrum. The original recipe was vegan, you can find it over at Diet, Dessert & Dogs. Ricki kindly gave me permission to publish a vegetarian version.
February 5, 2012
Really easy maple flavoured cupcakes. There is no butter in this recipe, so there is no beating until your arm wants to drop off. This is leisurely baking. I filled my cupcakes with nutella and piped nutella buttercream on top, but this is purely optional.
Ingredients
½ cup milk
½ cup pure maple syrup
1⁄3 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp cider vinegar
1 1⁄3 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
8 tsp nutella (optional filling)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas 4 or preheat a cupcake maker (rub the wells lightly with oil).2. I made mini cupcakes in my cupcake maker, but you can bake these in cases. If so, pop the cases into a 12 cup muffin tray.3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, maple syrup, oil and vanilla until well combined. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, for at least 2 minutes.4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and whisk just until combined (do not over mix). 5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups or 2⁄3 fill each well of your cupcake maker.6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until a tester inserted in one of the cupcakes comes out clean. If you are using a mini cupcake maker, give the cakes between 8 and 10 minutes until lightly golden and springy.7. Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack. If you are filling them, cut a cone shape out of the top of each cake. Fill with ½ tsp of nutella, remove some of the cake underneath the lid and pop the lid back on. Drizzle with icing or frost with buttercream.8. Enjoy
Details
Total time: Yield:16 mini cupcakes or 12 standard cupcakes
A smooth chocolately buttercream. Great for piping onto cupcakes.
Ingredients
½ cup/1 stick/125g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup Nutella
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk, a little more if needed
Instructions
1. Cream the butter until it is smooth. 2. Add the nutella and beat until well combined.3. Add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, whilst still mixing. 4. Add the milk and whisk in. Add a little more if you think it needs it.
Details
Total time: Yield:enough for 12 cupcakes or 16 mini cucakes
Teatime Treats - Romance (until 28 February 2012) Chocolate Lover - Valentine's Day (until 15 February 2012) Sweet Luv - Sweet Dishes for Valentine's Day (until 29 February 2012)
I had a notion to bake a cake and I have been meaning to make a victoria sponge for a while. I have also been craving lemon curd recently, so I decided to mix it with the cream. Oh my goodness, it is so good. I could have eaten the lot until I felt quite sick. Luckily I was able to restrain myself, but only just. It was a close thing.
I was really pleased with the finished cake, although it had risen quite a lot, so it was a challenge eating it, a plate and fork really need to be employed.
Such an easy cake and easy quantities to remember too. 225g of everything seemed to be the rule of thumb, as I browsed across the internet. Most recipes call for 4 medium eggs, but I like to use large eggs when I bake and the results are always good.
I spread the cake with my Carmelised Nectarine & Apricot Jam, but you could use your own favourite jam and I mixed the cream with a good quality shop bought curd, but I do have a good recipe for Lemon Curd with Nutmeg. It would be especially good mixed with the cream or as a layer under the cream instead of jam. It really is worth making your own curd and jam if you have the time.
I am afraid they are not the best photos, as I was blighted by the darkness, morning and night that is winter, but the photos were much better than they might have been thanks to the light box I made. Thanks again to Sarah over at Simply Cooked for showing us how. And..... now on to the victoria sponge recipe.
This lovely light cake is especially good with a layer of tangy lemon curd cream and sweet jam, but you can fill it with whatever you like.
Ingredients
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour, sieved
a little milk to loosen the cake batter
150ml double cream
4 tbsp good quality lemon curd
4 tbsp jam
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/350F/gas 4.2. Rub a little softened butter around two x 18cm/7in sandwich tins. Then place a circle of greaseproof paper on the base of each tin. I used the base of the tin to draw around to get the correct size.3. Cream the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. I used a electric hand whisk, but you could do this by hand or use a stand mixer.4. Add and beat in the eggs, one at a time.5. Start gradually adding the flour a heaped spoonful at a time and folding in with a cutting motion, using a metal spoon, so you don't loose all the air you have added.6. Divide your mixture between the two sandwich tins. Smooth the top and pop both tins in the oven. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until the cakes are golden and a skewer comes out clean. 7. Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack. Remove the greaseproof circles from the bottom of each cake.8. Whip the cream, then mix in the lemon curd. You can add more curd until it tastes just right. Top the first sponge with jam, then cream. Top with the second cake and dust with icing sugar.
For this month's challenge I would like you to make the most of fresh herbs. I always think they bring such a lovely flavour to soup and change the tone of the soup completely. Now, they don't have to be the main ingredient in your soup or salad, but they do have to play an important role.
Post your vegetarian soup or salad featuring fresh herbs by end of day on the 20 February 2012. Link here and email me at nocroutonsrequired@googlemail.com :
* your name * your location * name of your blog * blog url * name or your dish * post url * a photo of your dish
I can't wait to see all your entries.
UPDATE: The winner of this month's No Croutons Required will win a copy of the new River Cottage Herbs handbook, which is published in March 2012. This is open to all entrants worldwide.
A big congratulations goes out to Susan who won the first NCR of 2012 with her gorgeous Turkish Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Pomegranate, Walnuts and Zahtar Dressing. I will leave you to drool over the photo and remind you to keep reading on to the previous post for a chance to win a chocolate hamper from Hotel Chocolat.
