Peanut, Sweet Potato and Chard Stew

Another recipe from April's BBC Good Food magazine. Riverford had ever so kindly given us an extra 'present' of some chard. One of my most hated vegetables. But I saw this recipe and thought I'd give it a go to use up the interloper in a new way. It worked, sort of. N didn't like it at all, but L ate the sweet potatoes and stew juice. I liked it all, but like so many Good Food recipes it was rather bland. If I make it again I'll add some more flavours to it, and less water.

For 4 generous portions you need:
400g sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into bite sized chunks
1 400g tin chopped toms
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp whole cumin
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp oil
175g roasted, salted peanuts
300ml water (the recipe states 750ml but this was waaaaaay too much imho, you need enough to help the potatoes cook but not enough to drown the flavours...)
250g chard, washed and chopped into 2cms chunks.

Begin by frying the onion over a high heat in the oil for about 10 mins until golden. Add the cumin seeds and chilli and fry for another couple of minutes to release the flavours. Then add the toms and water and sweet potatoes. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 mins. Blitz the peanuts till finely chopped, and add to the pan. After another 10 mins or so add the chard and heat for 5 mins till tender. Keep an eye on the water level to stop the stew from sticking and top up if you need some more liquid. Season to taste and serve with rice. Feel beyond virtuous for eating so healthily.

Pear and Vanilla Microwave Pudding

I was inspired for this by a recipe in BBC Good Food Magazine for a banana and cinnamon microwave cake pudding. I've had a tin of pears lurking at the back of the cupboard since forever and this seemed like a good time to use them us. Also the bananas I had got from the supermarket yesterday were far too green to work properly. The result was a lovely smelling, incredibly quick and easy pudding to make. Yumsome indeed.

For 4 portions you need:
1 tin pears, drained. Leave 4 halves whole and roughly chop the remaining pears into chunks.
100g each of soft brown sugar, butter and self raising flour
2 tbsp pear juice (make sure the pears are tinned in juice and not syrup!)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Begin by melting the butter in the microwave. Once melted add everything else, apart from the reserved whole halves. Mix well and put into a souffle dish. Sit the remaining halves in the batter and then microwave on high for 8 minutes. Serve with custard or ice cream or cream or whatever you fancy. These type of microwave cakes tend to go a bit hard the next day, but it is edible if this happens. Just smother in lots of custard before re-heating.

Pasta with Pesto, Mushrooms, Peas and Broccoli

A friend made something like this for me last week and it was delicious. I hardly ever use pesto as a pasta sauce, wrongly thinking it's not something I like. But I really did like this! The original version used filled tortellini, baby corn and mange tout. But the version below was just as good.

For 2-3 portions you need:
200g pasta (I used spirlli)
1 tub pesto (I used fresh as I think it tastes nicer than a jar)
4-5 mushrooms, stalks chopped in to 2 and the cups cut into 4-6 pieces depending on how big they are
small head broccili, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
watercress salad to serve.

Begin by cooking the pasta. Meanwhile sautee the mushrooms in a lidded pan with the oil for about 5 mins. Then add the broccoli and continue to cook over a fairly high heat, using the lid to retain the steam. Add a little water if you need to create more steam and cook the broccoli. Then add the frozen peas and pesto. Check the pasta is cooked and drain when done. Check the vegetables and pesto for seasoning and then combine the pasta with the sauce. Serve with salad. Yummy. The leftovers are nice cold for a salad lunch the next day.

Spicy Roasted Squash and Chick Peas with Bulgar Wheat

I saw a recipe for something similar to this in a food mag last month. And predictably, when I go to try and make it I can't find the magazine... if anyone knows what it was I would be eternally grateful! It'll either be BBC Good Food or Delicious.

Anyway. This was inspired by the lost recipe. And it was lovely. Lex really liked the spicy butternut squash and I liked the crunchy chickpeas!

For 3-4 portions you need:
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into rough chunks
2 red onions, peeled and cut into sixths
1/2 punnet cherry toms, halved
1 tbsp ras-el-halout
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 cup bulgar wheat
1 tsp stock powder
just under 2 cups boiling water

Begin by placing the onions and squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle over the oil, salt and pepper and ras-el-halout. Roast in a hot oven for about 10 mins. Then add the chickpeas. After another 10 mins add the cherry toms and cook for a final 5-10 mins.

Meanwhile place the bulgar wheat in to a bowl with the stock and boiling water. Cover and leave to absorb for 30 mins.

Serve with chopped corriander and maybe some cooked haloumi if you don't want it vegan. I did think about making a harissa and tahini dressing to go with it but ran out of time so that's for another day!

Chocolate Pudding with Chilli and Cinnamon

A Nigella staple this one, and very quick to throw together to fix that chocolate craving when it strikes. It can also be vegan if you use soya milk. Make sure you use a dish that's deep enough and sit it on a baking tray as the pudding has a tendency to erupt over the sides when it cooks... The recipe is on p229 of her Feast book.

For 4 large portions you need:
150g flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp chilli powder
50g cocoa powder
200g vanilla sugar
125ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
60ml vegetable oil
100g light soft brown sugar
175ml boiling water
60ml dark brandy

Begin by putting all the dry ingredients except for 25g of cocoa and the brown sugar into a bowl. Add the oil, milk and vanilla and mix to a batter. Pour into a 2 litre dish. Mix the remaining 25g cocoa and the brown sugar together and sprinkle over the batter. Pour over the brandy and boiling water and bake for about 25-30 mins. The pudding will cook into a cake on the top with a rich chocolate sauce on the bottom. Delish.

Stuffed, Baked Mushrooms with Basil and Tomato Sauce

I fancied some stuffed mushrooms today, and a rummage through the fridge showed a tub of ricotta that really needed to be used so I created this. N ate it, and he doesn't really like mushrooms so I have to assume it was a success!

For 2 portions you need:
4 large portabello mushrooms, preferably ones that form a saucer to contain the filling
250g ricotta
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bag spinach
salt and pepper
good grating of nutmeg
1 egg
parmesan

For the basil and tomato sauce:
1 tin cherry toms in tom juice
large handful shredded basil leaves
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp stock powder
100ml white wine
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil

Begin by nuking the spinach to wilt it - place in a covered bowl and nuke on high for 2 mins, then leave to stand for 1 min. Chop finely. Place the ricotta in a bowl and add the spinach, seasoning, egg and nutmeg. Add a good grating of parmesan (about 1/3 cup). Mix thoroughly. Place the mushrooms into an oven proof dish (peel if you want and trim the stalks). Spoon the filling on top and then bake at 180 degrees for about 30 mins.

Meanwhile make the sauce. Place all the ingredients in a pan and heat gently. Reduce the sauce by about half until thickened.

Serve with crusty bread to mop up the yummy juices.

Quorn and Vegetable Stew

A last minute throw-it-all-in-the-pan-and-see-what-happens dish this one. And the end result wasn't bad. Lex ate it!

For 3 generous portions you need:
3 carrots, sliced
3 leeks, thinly sliced
2 onions, chopped
1 packet quorn chunks
1 can larger
1 tsp sugar
2 stock cubes
1 tsp dried herbs (I used oregano)
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by frying the veggies in a little olive oil. Then add everything else, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 mins till the carrots are cooked. We served it with giant cous cous which was frankly *bizarre*. I'd recommend mash or pasta or rice next time!

Vegan Chocolate Cookies

Also known as Granny Boyd's biscuits a la Nigella (from Domestic Goddess). I'm not that keen on these but Lex likes them and they store well so they're a great lunchbox staple.

For about 20 cookies you need:
250g vegan marge
300g self raising flour
30g cocoa
125g sugar

Whizz it all together in a food processor and then roll into balls (about the size of walnuts). Squish down with a fork and bake for 15 mins. Cool and store in an airtight container till needed. Sorted.

Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Blondies

Lex and I watched peanut butter being made on How do they do it this morning and decided to have a peanut butter themed food day. I've been meaning to try this recipe for a while and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. It's another Rachel Allen recipe from her Bake cook book.

For about 18 small bite sized portions you need:
125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g soft butter
150g crunchy peanut butter
175g soft brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g chopped white choc or white choc drops

Begin by creaming together the butter, peanut butter and sugar. Then add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour and baking powder (by this time you will have a stiff dough) and then finally add the white chocolate. You can turn the dough into a small, lined and greased baking tin if you want, but I used a mini muffin tin instead to save having to cut it up. Bake for about 25 mins till risen, golden brown and almost firm in the middle. Leave to cool then try and save for the week's lunch boxes. Fail miserably and make another batch mwahh!!

Orange Suprise Pudding

I usually make this with lemons but didn't have any today so substituted oranges instead. Lex declared this nicer than the lemon one as it's less sharp. Personally I thought it was a bit sweet, so have reduced the sugar for the recipe below.

For 3 portions (or 4 if you're not as greedy as us...) you need:
25g butter
75g caster sugar
juice and zest of 1 orange
25g plain flour
2 eggs, separated
100ml milk

Grease a souffle dish. Cream the butter with 25g of the sugar. Then add the egg yolks, orange juice, orange zest, milk and flour. Whisk the egg whites till stiff then fold in. Pour the batter in to the greased dish and bake at 140 degrees for about 30-40 mins. You can use a bain marie if you can be bothered. The mix separates in to a light sponge and a sauce forms at the bottom. Yum yum yum.

Quick Quorn Chilli

A perfect after work meal. And it can be ready in 30 mins from start to finish. Perfeck.

For 4-6 servings you need:
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp oregano, cumin, chilli powder, cocoa powder
2 tins chopped toms
2 tbsp tom puree
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 stock cube
1 tbsp each hendersons relish, soya sauce
1/3 cup red wine or water
2 tbsp oil
1 packet frozen quorn mince
1 bayleaf

Begin by frying the onion and garlic in the oil. Then add the quorn mince and all the other ingredients. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 mins. Once cooked serve with grated cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips blah blah blah all the usual accompaniments!

Cheats Crepes Suzette

It's shrove tuesday so therefore obligatory to have pancakes. Given that we have them Every. Blooming. Sunday. I fancied something different tonight. Lots of my friends seem to be having golden syrup but I don't understand why! So I went for upmarket pancakes and did a cheats crepes suzette. Delicious even if I do say so myself.

For one portion you need:
1 cooked crepe/pancake
1 orange, cut into segments with the juice squeezed from the membranes
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp grand marnier

Place the orange, juice, sugar and grand marnier into a pan and heat to reduce the sauce and burn off the booze. Reduce till sticky but there's still some sauce. Pour into a cooked pancake, fold over and scoff. Repeat until you feel sick. Nom nom nom.

Quinoa and Carrot Pilaf

An nice alternative to rice :)

For 2-3 servings you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 large carrots, diced small
1 large onion, diced small
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp stock powder

Sautee the onion in the oil and after about 5 mins add the carrot. After another 5 mins add the qunoa, fry for a bit and then add the water. Add the stock and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa steam for a further 10 mins. Don't worry if there is some excess liquid in the bottom of the pan. It's also nice cold as a salad.

Tofu Satay

I keep planning to make this and then forget to marinate the tofu early enough. True, it doesn't matter if it's only done 30 mins before hand but it does taste better if it's been done for longer. This is a really luxurious vegan dish as it's really creamy and luscious.

To serve 3-4 with extra satay sauce you need:
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, doesn't matter)
1 chilli, sliced
2 inches ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/8 cup chinese rice vinegar
1 pack plain firm tofu, cubed

Place the tofu, garlic, soya sauce, mirin and vinegar into a bowl and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.

Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients into a pan. Once the tofu has finished marinating then add the liquid from the baste. Heat and bring to the boil. Simmer and then blitz till smooth. Check the taste, adding more soya sauce/chilli as necessary.

Place the cubed, marinated tofu onto a baking dish and roast in a hot oven for about 30 mins till crisped on the outside but tender inside. Serve with the satay sauce poured over. It's nice with steam fried greens and rice or noodles. Tonight we had it with quinoa and carrot pilaf.

Beetroot Cake

I am really not keen on beetroot, but it keeps appearing in the veg box, along with cabbage... So I'm always on the lookout for different things to do with it. I thought I'd give cake a whirl this time in an attempt to disguise it a bit more.

This recipe is based on one from the Riverford website

You need:

250g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g soft brown sugar
100g sultanas
200g beetroot, peeled and grated (or use carrots instead)
150ml vegetable or sunflower oil
2 medium sized eggs, beaten
1 tsp ground mixed spice

Mix together the flour, baking powder, spices and soft brown sugar and add the sultanas and grated beetroot. Mix in the oil and eggs. Combine well. Pour into a prepared tin (I use a loaf tin) and bake for 1-1¼ hours. Cool and top with cream cheese frosting if you want. Scoff. Revel in the fact that you've eaten beetroot and not even know in. Genius.

Creamy Mushroom Curry

I'm bored with jars of curry sauce, and not keen on curry pastes, but just can't seem to create a tasty curry like the ones from a takeaway at home. This one is good but still not quite it. But then again that might be my non-existent taste buds talking!!

For 2-3 generous portions you need:
1 punnet mushrooms (about 450g) left whole or halved if large
1 large onion, diced
2 inches ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tin toms, chopped
1 small carton coconut cream
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
Chopped corriander to garnish

Begin by frying the onion, garlic and ginger in the oil. Add the curry powder and garam masala and fry for a few mins. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and coconut cream and cook gently for about 20 mins. Check the seasoning and serve with rice, naan and the fresh corriander.

Stewed Apples

I was going to make apple charlotte but I ran out of energy, so we ended up with just stewed apples and custard. Perfect comfort food.

It's dead simple but also dead yummy. For each person you need one large bramley apple. Peel and chop then place in a pan with 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp butter per apple. Heat and then simmer till collapsed. Stir well to beat out the lumps and serve as you wish. Hot with custard, cream or ice cream; warm with cereal/granola; pour into a buttered bread mould for a charlotte. Or just eat it a spoonful at a time from the pan till it's all gone!

Baked Eggs with Mash

A leftovers idea this one. Something you can chuck together from bits and bobs in the fridge. I made this on Sunday using extra mash from dinner. Was very yummy, but the eggs were slightly over cooked.

For 2-3 portions you need:
Mashed potato flavoured with whatever you fancy - I used 2 onions sauteed in butter until really crispy; chopped chives; chopped parsley; 1 tsp french mustard and some cheddar.
4 eggs
Grated cheese: cheddar, emmental or gruyere all work well.

Put the mash in an oven proof dish and make 4 wells for the eggs. Crack the eggs in to the hollows and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for 20-30 mins until the cheese is melted, the potato is cooked and the eggs are just done.

It's nice served with peas or salad.

Celeriac and Emmental Soup

I have a cold at the moment. A really bad, horribly stinky rotten streaming cold. And I feel terrible. But at the weekend N found this recipe in a Sarah Brown book on a hunt for something for us to eat that day. We had some left over celeriac and a few jerusalem artichokes so I gave it a whirl today, after advice from a friend recommended nourishing food and steam. I can't say it tastes wonderful as my taste buds are shot. But it felt wonderfully comforting as I ate it. Warming and nourishing and comforting. Just what the Dr ordered...

(adapted from Sarah Brown's Complete Vegetarian Cookbook)

For 6-8 portions you need:
700g celeriac (and other veg if you want).
1 litre stock
2 onions, chopped
2 coves garlic, chopped
50g butter
good handful grated emmental per bowlful

Sweat the onions and garlic in the butter then add the celeriac after about 5 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 30 mins then blend. Season and serve in bowls topped with the cheese. Yum.

Baked Apples

Did you know it's national bramley week this week? No? Well now you do! In honour of this I brought a bag with the intention to do different things with them during the week. Tonight it was the turn of a baked apple. One of my favourite desserts. However because I am dying from the world's worst cold e-v-e-r I cheated and nuked this in the microwave. I shan't be doing that again, it was nowhere near as nice as one done in the oven. You have been warned.

For each apple you need:
1 bramley apple
handful dried fruit e.g. sultanas, raisins, cranberries etc
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp almonds, chopped

Score the apple round the centre and then core it. Place in a baking dish and pack the hollow centre with the fruit, nuts, butter, sugar and honey (in that order). Bake in a medium oven for 30-45 mins till the apple is soft and mushy and there is a sauce from the butter, honey and sugar. Serve as is or with some ice cream, cream, mascapone etc.
If you need one NOW then cover with cling film, nuke on high for 2 mins 30 secs and eat. But like I said, it won't be as nice.

Bruschetta

OK, OK so any real Italian worth their salt is probably shuddering at me calling this recipe bruschetta but it sounds nicer than things on toast!

I vary the toppings depending on what we have and what I fancy. Today it was pesto and emmental and tapanade and feta. I served it on a bed of rocket drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Simply slice some french bread, top with whatever you want to have and bake in a hot oven for about 10 minutes.

Pizza

Whilst I do like a Pizza Express pizza, I also like a home made one from time to time.

Today we made mushroom and blue cheese;


onion relish, goats cheese and pepper pizza



anchovy and olive



along with a plain cheese pizza for Mr Fussy. Oh and some dough balls with garlic butter.



From start to finish it took about 90 mins to make the dough, prove it, top them and cook them.

You need:
700g plain flour
2 sachets easy blend yeast
about 350 ml warm water
3 tbsp olive oil

Mix together and knead for 10 mins (or cheat and use a food mixer) then leave to rest for about 15 mins. Roll out and top.

Toppings:
2 cans Provencal tomatoes (or don't cheat and make a sauce by sauteeing an onion and some garlic in olive oil for 10 mins then adding a tin of chopped toms, some sugar, some balsamic vinegar, a sprig of rosemary, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 mins till thickened then remove the rosemary and blitz to a puree.
Cheese
Vegetables

Bake the pizzas in a hot oven for about 30 mins.

For the dough balls, roll left over dough into balls and bake for about 10 mins. For the garlic butter mix 1 clove crushed garlic into 100g butter. Season to taste.

Ginger and Honey Snaps

I needed something different for Lex's lunchbox next week and fancied giving these a whirl. My mum used to make the most delicious ginger snaps on a sunday and these are pretty close to what she used to make. It's a recipe from Rachel Allen's Bake. If you substitute the butter for vegan marge and the honey for maple syrup or golden syrup then you can make these vegan too. Bonus.

For about 20 cookies you need:
225g self raising flour
2 tsp bicarb
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g caster sugar plus a couple of extra tablespoons for dusting
125g butter, cubed
100g runny honey

Lob everything apart from the honey into a food processor and blitz till combined. Warm the honey then pour into the dry ingredients. Mix, then press into discs, dust with sugar and bake in a hot oven (180 degrees) for no more than 10 mins (if they go too dark they will taste bitter. Eat.
Next time I make these I am going to omit the ground ginger and add some chopped, preserved ginger to dough. I might also use the syrup for the binding agent to give it an extra ginger kick.

Root Vegetable Hot Pot with Pearl Barley, Herbed Dumplings and Mash

A real winter warmer this one, and dead simple to make too. You can use any combination of root veggies you want to. Today the veg box had left us with celeriac, carrots and jerusalem artichokes. So in they went. The dumplings are nicer with dried herbs (I learnt this today after using fresh...). I also made the mash with vegan marge and soya milk to make the whole meal vegan but you could of course use butter.

Hot Pot
For 4-6 portions you need:
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
1 medium celariac, diced
equiv amount of Jerusalem artichokes to the other veggies, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
750ml stock
2 handfuls (1/2 cup?) pearl barley
2 tsp cornflour slackened with cold water

Saute all the veggies in the oil for about 10 mins to release their juices. Then add the stock and pearl barley. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 40 mins till the barley is cooked. Remove the dumplings and add the cornflour, stir through to thicken, return the dumplings and then serve when ready.

Herbed Dumplings
50g vegetable suet
100g self raising flour
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper
cold water to mix to a dough

Mix everything together into a dough, then divide into 8, roll in to balls and place on the top of the stew. Steam for 40 mins till done.

Mash
Yeah yeah I know you don't really need a recipe for this but seeing as I'm here...
Dice potatoes and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 mins till tender. Drain and mash (I like to use a ricer for creamy smooth mash). Add butter, milk and seasoning, mix well and serve.

Mixed Lentil Stew

If, like me, you're a veggie who misses the rich, dark taste of mince and doesn't necessarily want to use a meat substitute to recreate the taste, then this recipe is for you. It's dark and warming and nourishing and filling and just, well, gorgeous!

For 6-8 generous portions you need:
1 tbsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
300g mixed lentils: I use red, green, puy and brown.
1.5 litres of dark stock (vecon is a good one to use)
2 tbsp tom puree
2 tbsp shoyu/soya sauce
1 tsp marmite

Begin by sauteeing the onion and garlic gently. After about 5 mins add the lentils and fry for a further few mins. Then add the stock and everything else and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour or so. You want the red lentils to be completely mushed into the sauce, thickening it. If you want you can also add diced swede, carrot, parsnips, celariac etc to this. But it's equally nice without. It's lovely served with steamed veggies and mash or you can use it as a base for shepherds pie.

Sticky Date Bars

These contain fruit so they're good for you, right?! They're also deliciously sticky and chewy and moreish. They're a bit like fig rolls but in a good way.

For about 16 bars you need:
250ml water
200g chopped, stoned dates
175g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb
175g soft light brown sugar
100g oats
pinch salt
175g butter, diced (or soya marge for a vegan version)

Begin by putting the water and dates into a pan and bringing to the boil. Cook for about 10 minutes and then puree so the mix is very thick and smooth. Blitz the butter and flour till it resembles breadcrumbs and then mix in the bicarb, sugar, salt and oats.
Press half the oat mixture into a lined tin, top with the date puree and then sprinkle over the remaining mixture, pressing down lightly with your fingers.
Bake for about 40 mins till golden brown and set. Allow to cool completely, then turn out of the tin, cut into squares and scoff.

Bananas in Pyjamas

OK OK so this is hardly rocket science but as I've said before this is partly a blog to teach my son to cook. Plus I'm knackered. Rammstein last night was awesome, but at my age it's left me too tired to contemplate much more than comfort nursery food on my return home!

So. For one bowl of yellow nourishment you need a banana and a tub of custard. Chop said banana, cover with custard, nuke till hot and eat. Instant bliss :)

Courgette Loaf Cake

A squidgy, deliciously moreish cake which is a bit like carrot cake, but isn't at the same time. Delicately spiced with a crunchy topping from the demerara sugar it keeps well for lunches and also freezes beautifully allowing you to always have a slice of cake to hand!

For 2 loaves you need:
400g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
300g caster sugar
100g ounces of demerara sugar
3 eggs, beaten
200ml sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
400g courgettes, grated (skin an' all)

Lob everything into a large bowl and mix well. Pour into 2 lined loaf tins and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 mins until risen and done. Slice and scoff!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I really fancied this after a colleague ate some for lunch the other day. I have to say the recipe was a bit disappointing and lacked a really deep mushroom flavour. I think next time I will vary the mushrooms more to add more depth. But it was nice, don't get me wrong!

For 6 servings you need
30g dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 litre of boiling water for 30 mins
400g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 oz butter
300ml milk
200ml double cream
100ml white wine
salt and pepper
chopped parsley to serve.

Begin by sweating the onions and garlic in the butter over a low, gentle heat. Let them get really soft but don't let them colour at all. Add the mushrooms and continue to sweat for another 20 mins or so. Strain off the dried mushrooms (reserving the liquid) and chop before adding to the pan with the onions and fresh mushrooms. Add the mushroom liquid, wine, milk and seasoning and simmer for 30 mins. Add the cream, check the seasoning and serve in hot bowls scattered with the chopped parsley.