Home Made Lemonade

This is a cinch to make and is perfect for a hot day like today.

For 4-6 glasses take:
2-4 lemons, quartered (skin and all...)
1 litre water
sugar to taste (add 1 tbsp at a time)

Lob everything in to a blender goblet and BLITZ BLTIZ BLITZ till mixed. Strain into a jug and discard the pulpy bits. Check the sugar and add more if needed. Drink with ice cubes and instantly feel better.

Vanilla Shortbread

This is unashamedly Nigella's recipe from Forever Summer. It's the best I have ever made. MIL asked where it was from and nearly fell of her chair when I said I had made it, it was so good. Make it. You won't be disappointed.

For about 24 squares you need:
100g icing sugar
100g cornflour
200g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla paste
2 tbsp vanilla sugar
200g very soft butter

Blitz the icing sugar and flours together in a food processor till combined. Then add the butter and vanilla paste. Combine into a dough and then press into a lined swiss roll tin. Score into squares and then prick the tops. Bake at 160 degrees for about 25 mins till light brown. Leave to cool then sprinkle with vanilla sugar and break into the squares you scored earlier. Try not eat it all yourself on the day you make it...

Ricotta Pancakes with Blackcurrants and Macerated Strawberries

Waitrose had a too good to pass up stupid offer on ricotta last week - they were flogging tubs of it, well within their use by date, for 29p per 250g! So naturally I brought loads, not knowing what I would be doing with it... Today I used up 1 tub by making these pancakes. They're an adaptation of a Nigella recipe. And delectable they are too :)

For 16 pancakes you need:
250g ricotta
100g flour
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp vanilla sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder
100g blackcurrants (frozen are fine)
125ml milk

Begin by mixing together the egg yolks, milk and ricotta. Once smooth add the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Mix again. Whisk the egg whites till light and frothy and then fold into the rest of the batter. Fold in the blackcurrants. Heat a flat griddle pan and drop dollops of the mix onto the pan. Cook gently for a few mins until bubbles appear on the top and then carefully flip over to cook the other side. Serve with macerated strawberries and maple syrup. A breakfast fit for a king :)

Rhubarb Fool Pavlova

A veritable 2for1 feast this as it's basically 2 desserts in one! But it's luscious summer treat, perfect for the glorious weather we have had recently :)

For 10-12 portions you need:
500g trimmed rhubarb, cut into 1 cm chunks
150g vanilla sugar
600ml double cream
6 egg whites
200g caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp vanilla paste

Begin by making the meringue base. Whisk the egg whites till they form soft peaks, then add the vanilla sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk well to mix. Once all the sugar has been added you should have a mound of shiny, soft, stiff eggs. Add the cornflour and vinegar and vanilla extract and combine well.

Scrape on to a lined baking sheet (top tip, use a little of the meringue to stick the baking paper on to the baking sheet) and form into a circle. Make a little well in the middle which will help to hold the filling once it's cooked. Place in a 150 degree oven and cook for 60-90 mins. You want a well risen, golden brown shell which is crispy on the outside and foamy, chewy and marshmallowey on the inside. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Meanwhile stew the rhubarb by placing the chopped rhubarb in a pan with the vanilla sugar. Add 1-2 tbsp of water and cook gently for about 15-30 mins till all the rhubarb is soft and sweet. Leave to cool.

Whip the cream to soft peaks, adding the vanilla paste. Gently fold 2/3 of the rhubarb into the cream to make it ripple. Pour the fool into the pavlova case and top with the remaining rhubarb. Serve, sitting outside in the late afternoon sunshine with a glass of something bubbly :)

Haloumi and Vegetable Kebabs

I get so frustrated and fed up with the usual veggie fare on a BBQ. If you're lucky you might get a veggie sausage or burger. If you're unlucky you might get a tired, soggy selection of overcooked and bland vegetables. This recipe however shows how veggie kebabs *should* taste like.

For 4 portions you need
1 pack haloumi, cut into chunks
1 red and 1 orange pepper, cut into chunks
1-2 red onions, cut into chunks (what else...)
1/2 punnet button mushrooms
1-2 courgettes
olive oil
moroccan seasoning
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water or metal skewers

Begin by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and adding 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Toss gently to coat. Then thread onto the skewers, using a good mix of everything. Lay the loaded skewers on the BBQ (towards the edge where it's a bit cooler) and BBQ till done. This should take between 5-10 mins depending on the heat. Turn carefully to ensure everything is evenly cooked.

Potato Salad

Ahhh it's BBQ time! So the theme for the next few recipes will be al fresco dining...! This potato salad recipe is a quick and easy one to throw together and goes well with BBQ'd food :)

For 4-6 portions you need
250g new potatoes
3-4 tbsp mayonaisse
1-2 tbsp salad cream
1/2 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
2 good handfuls chives, finely chopped along with some chive flowers if you have them
salt and pepper

Cook the potatoes, cutting them into bite sized chunks if you want to. Once cooked, drain and whilst still hot toss in the mayo, salad cream, onions and chives. Season to taste and garnish with chive flowers.

Creamy Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry (v)

Yes I like curry. I like it a lot. Especially when it's creamy and unctuous and spicy. Which this one is...

For 4-6 portions you need:
1 butternut squash, cut into a 1.5cm dice
1 large onion, chopped
3 tbsp korma curry paste
1 tin coconut milk
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 chilli, sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
large handful roughly chopped corriander

Fry the onion for a few mins and then add the squash and curry paste. Cook out for 2-3 mins. Add everything else aside from the corriander and cook for 15-30 mins till the squash is tender. Serve with paratha and topped with the corriander.

Quick Malaysian Laksa

This is a variation on a previous laksa recipe but sufficiently tweaked to warrant its own entry...

For 4 portions you need:
1 can coconut milk
1 pack marinated tofu pieces
2 bundles thin rice noodles
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp curry paste
1 tomato, cut into 6 wedges
1 lime, quartered
4 spring onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup fresh corriander, roughly chopped
1/5 cucumber, thinly sliced into sticks
2 carrots, sliced
1/2 pack baby sweetcorn and sugar snap peas, cut into bite sized chunks
1/2 pack bean sprouts
2 tbsp soya sauce, plus more for serving.
1/2 tbsp oil
500ml veg stock

Fry the onion in the oil for a few mins then add the curry paste. Cook for 2-3 mins and then add the coconut milk and stock. Add the carrots and cook for 1 min. Add the noodles, sweetcorn and peas and cook for 2 mins. Season with soya sauce and add more curry paste if you want it more strongly flavoured.

Serve in large bowls topped with the beansprouts, cucumber, tomato, spring onions, mint and corriander and seasoned with a little more soya sauce.

Pasta Bake with Cauliflower

Apparently the cauliflower is in danger of dying out because we don't eat enough of it. Bonkers! I love cauli, and it works especially well with cheese. This recipe brings together the best of macaroni cheese and cauliflower cheese by combining cauli with pasta in a rich cheese sauce. Perfect comfort food. Love your cauli!

For 4-6 portions you need:
250g pasta
1 large cauli, cut into florets
1 pint milk
2 oz butter
2 oz plain flour
150ml single cream
1 cup grated strong cheddar
1/2 cup mixed grated gruyere and parmesan
1 tsp french mustard
1 tsp english mustard

Begin by making a mornay sauce: melt the butter in a pan and then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook out for a few mins before adding the milk. Stir well to avoid lumps and then heat to boiling, reduce the heat and simmer till thickened. Add seasoning, the mustards and take off the heat. Add the cream and 3/4 of the cheddar and half of the gruyere and parmesan mixture. Stir well. Meanwhile cook the pasta and steam the cauli. Drain and tumble into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and top with more cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 30 mins till crispy, bubbling and perfect. Eat more cauli!

Lentil Savoury (v)

This is an old recipe but a favourite. Inspired by a follower making recipes with lentils in, this is for her! (omit the baking and cheese/cream for a vegan version)

For 4 people you need:
250g green lentils (or brown or a mixture of the two)
2 tins chopped toms
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp dried herbs
small pot soured cream (or use yogurt)
1 cup grated cheese
2 tbsp olive oil

Begin by cooking the lentils: put them in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 mins then reduce the heat and cook till al dente. This will vary depending on how old the lentils are but should take between 15-45 mins. Drain.

Meanwhile make the tomato sauce. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5-10 mins till soft. Don't let them colour. Add the tomatoes, seasoning and herbs. Simmer over a medium heat to reduce a little. Taste. They might need a little stock powder or more sugar or vinegar depending on how sweet they are. Once the lentils are cooked, mix into the tomato mixture and then pour into a baking dish (or save on washing up by using an ovenproof pan to cook the toms in!). Dollop the soured cream/yogurt on top and then sprinkle over the cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 20 mins till the cheese is bubbling and browned. Scoff with a green salad and some crusty bread. Leave out the cream and cheese for a vegan version.

Sautee Potatoes with Onions and Rosemary

This is a great way to serve potatoes, and makes a fab side dish to many different things. Any leftovers make a good base for bubble and squeak the next day.

For 8 portions you need
500g - 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into a 1cm dice (depending on how much you want for leftovers)
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, diced
generous handful of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
salt and pepper

Soak the prepared potatoes in cold water for 30 mins to draw out the starch. Toss together with the onions, oil, seasoning and rosemary then tip out on to a large baking sheet and cook in a hot (200 degrees) oven for 30-45 mins.

Savoury Mince

I know it's passe to admit this, but I actually really miss not eating meat. I don't eat it cos I don't agree we need to kill animals in order to survive. But that doesn't mean that I don't have pangs for some of my childhood favourites sometimes. This recipe is an attempt to recreate the delicious savoury mince my mum would make when I was little. She would serve it with home made chips, triple cooked to crispy and golden perfection, and peas. And I would sigh in contentment as I tucked in. Of course this can't taste the same, but it comes pretty close. I guess it could also be called unami mince as it contains so many different things with unami...!

For 4-6 people you need:
1 packet quorn mince
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
350ml boiling water
1 tsp dark veg stock paste (e.g. vecon)
1 tsp veg stock powder
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp each hendersons relish and mushroom ketchup
1/2 tsp marmite
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp brandy
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
pepper (NO salt!)

Begin by sauteeing the onion in the oil for about 10 mins until golden. Add the flour and garlic and cook out the flour for a few mins. Add the quorn mince and the water and stir thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients, checking carefully for taste and adjusting as necessary. Cook for about 20 mins till thickened and tasty. Serve with sautee potatoes and some vegetables. Feel nostalgic...

Raspberry Chocolate Torte

Yes, highly original this recipe, but I think it's actually better than it's plain and purer sister. The addition of raspberries gives you something to contrast the rich chocolate with and the creme de cassis adds a different dimension to the rum.

As before, to serve 10 or more people you need:
5 tbsp creme de cassis
2 tbsp brandy
450g plain chocolate
75g liquid glucose
75g crushed amoretti biscuits
600ml double cream
200g raspberries
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Melt the chocolate, glucose and booze together in a double boiler. Meanwhile sprinkle the ammoreti crumbs over the base of a springform tin lined with clingfilm. Lay about 15 raspberries on to the base of the tin, on top of the crumbs. Whip the cream till flopped and then fold into the chocolate mixture. Add the rest of the raspberries, saving 12 for decoration, and fold gently to mix. Pour in to the tin, smooth the top, dust with cocoa and decorate with the reserved raspberries. Leave to chill for at least a couple of hours, if not overnight. Serve in modest slices and let out a deep sigh of contentment. Someone tasting this yesterday said "do you always eat like this" to my husband and looked very jealous at the positive reply!!

Chocolate Truffle Torte

It's Christmas all over again ;-) We're off to a party later today and it's just not right to arrive empty handed so I decided to make this as (a) it's delicious and (b) I had some double cream that needed to be used up. It's Delia's famous recipe. The only tweak I have made is to triple the amount of amoretti biscuits as I like way more in the base.

For 10 people you need:
450g plain chocolate
75g liquid glucose
75ml rum
500ml double cream
150g amoretti biscuits

Line a springform tin with clingfilm. Smash the biscuits to smithereens and scatter them over the base of the tin. Melt the choc, rum and glucose in a double boiler till smooth and glossy. Meanwhile whip the cream to the floppy stage. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and then pour into the tin. Leave to chill and serve, in thin slices, with more cream. Reap in the praise smugly knowing it was a piece of p*ss to make, mwahahaha!

Puy Lentil, Spinach and Pepper Salad with Baked Goats Cheese and Asparagus

A veritable feast of flavours this. I adore lentils, especially the tiny, chewy texture of puy lentils. Add goats cheese, sitting on a bed of sticky onion marmalade to it and some salty, crispy roasted asparagus and I am in food heaven!

For 2 people you need:

200g puy lentils
2 tsp veg stock powder
400ml water
1 pepper, diced
1 red onion, finely diced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic syrup
1 bag spinach, washed and shredded

2 goats cheese circles
2 slices bread
2 generous spoonfuls of onion marmalade
1 tbsp pine nuts

1 bunch asparagus
salt and pepper

Begin by preparing the lentils: place the lentils, stock powder and water in a pan with a lid. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 mins. Then add the pepper, onion and spinach. Cook for 5-10 mins longer before seasoning, adding the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Spread the bread with the onion marmalade and top with the goats cheese. Season with pepper and then drizzle with some olive oil and top with some pine nuts. Bake in a medium oven for about 20 mins till the cheese is oozing and golden brown.

Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil and season. Roast in a medium oven for about 8 mins.

Plate up with the lentils topped with the goats cheese and the asparagus on the side. Drizzle over some balsamic syrup and scoff. Utter foodie bliss. The lentil mixture is vegan on its own and makes a nice lunch dish. Obviously the asparagus vegan is too!

Aubergine, Pepper and Red Lentil Curry (v)

This was featured in a top 10 veggie recipes list compiled by @deliciousmag And truly delicious it is too. The original recipe is available on their website. I've made a few tweaks, and think the lentil base will form a good basis for many a curry to come!

For 4 portions you need:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp black onion seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2/3 tube of Asda Balti curry paste
150g red lentils
600ml veggie stock
1 aubergine, cubed
1 green pepper, roughly diced
1/2 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp veg oil for the aubergines and 1 tbsp oil for the curry

Begin by tossing the aubergine and pepper in the oil and chilli powder then roast in a hot oven for 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile sautee the onion in the oil for 10 mins. Add the mustard and black onion seeds and cook till the seeds pop. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Add the curry paste and cook out. Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add in the peppers and aubergines, and cook for 20-30 mins. I like the lentils mushy but if you like them firmer then err on the shorter cooking side.

Serve with paratha, rice and tandoori quorn/tofu.

Lime Drizzle Cake with Blackcurrants and Raspberries

This is based on a recipe in Good Foods 101 Cakes and Bakes.

For about 20 slices you need:
225g soft butter
225g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
25g ground almonds
100g blackcurrants
100g raspberries
juice and rind of 2 limes
4 eggs
50g flaked almonds

For the syrup:
140g caster sugar
juice of 2 limes and 2 lemons

Begin by making the cake. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, lime juice and rind, flour, ground almonds and a little milk if necessary to make a smooth but thick batter. Fold in 2/3 of the fruit and scrape into 2 lined loaf tins. Scatter over the rest of the fruit and the flaked almonds. Bake in a moderate (150 degrees) oven for about 45 mins.

Meanwhile make the syrup - gently heat the juice and sugar til the sugar has dissolved. Once the cakes are cooked, prick with a cocktail stick and pour over the syrup. Allow the cakes to cool completely before cutting into slices and enjoying.

Spiced Rice (v)

A lovely accompaniment to curry.

For 4 portions you need:
225g basmati rice, rinsed till the water runs clear
500ml water
1 onion
50g butter/vegan marge
1 tbsp oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and tumeric
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cms grated ginger

Begin by sauteeing the onion in the butter/oil for 15 mins till golden. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook out for 5 mins or so. Add the rinsed rice and water. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and cook gently for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and leave to steam to finish cooking the rice.

Nachos

A great standby lunch or snack.

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 can refried beans
1 packet salted tortilla chips
1 jar salsa
Yogurt/soured cream
Grated cheddar
Pickled chillies

Scoop the refried beans into a flat dish (a flan dish is perfect for this). Lay tortilla chips on the top. Add yogurt/soured cream and salsa in dollops on top of the chips. Cover with grated cheese and a few chillies on the top. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or so till the beans are hot, and the cheese is melted. Eat.

Gulab Jamens (v)

This is a cheat recipe really given that it's a packet of stuff you mix, but it's so totally amazing you need to rush out and buy a packet and then make them (and gain 6 stone but that's another story...)!

For 10-12 portions you need:
1 packet gulab jamen mix (I am going to try this another weekend with real ingredients)
About 1/4 cup milk to make the dough (use water or soya milk for a vegan version)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
600g caster sugar
6 cardamon pods, crushed
Good pinch saffron strands
1 tbsp rose water

Make the gulab dough by mixing the dry ingredients with enough milk to make a thick dough/paste. Oil your hands, and a plate to lay the balls on, and then take small pinches (think size of a gooseberry) and roll into balls. Place on the plate whilst you make the rest. You should get between 20-40.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a wok/deep pan. Fry batches of the balls in the oil till dark golden brown, taking care not to let them sit on the bottom or they will catch and turning them in the oil so they colour and cook evenly. Drain on kitchen paper.

Make the syrup by slowly heating the sugar with 600ml water. Once all the sugar has dissolved, boil for 5 mins. Take off the heat and add the cardamon, saffron and rose water. Place the fried balls into the syrup and weight down to keep them submerged. They will swell in size as they absorb the syrup. Leave to cool and scoff and scoff and scoff. Delicious.

Chunky Vegetable and Pearl Barley Broth

It might be May but imho it's still freeeeeeeezing cold! This bowl of nourishing loveliness will soon warm the cockles of your heart tho :)

For 4 portions you need:
1 onion, chopped
3 leeks, finely sliced
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
3 sticks celery, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup pearl barley
1.5 litres veggie stock
2 tbsp oil

Sautee the veggies in the oil for 10 mins. Add the stock and barley. Simmer for 20-30 mins till everything is cooked. Serve with bread. Simples.

Labour (well OK then, tomato) Soup

Apparently the finished article looks a bit too LibDem, but I blame my crappy iPhone camera for that. And the carrots. It tastes lovely tho :)



For 4 portions you need:
3 sticks celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 tins plum tomatoes
1 litre veg stock
2 tbsp hendersons relish
2 tsp rice vinegar
salt and pepper
1-2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
Bread to serve it with

Begin by sauteeing the celery, onion and carrots in the oil. After about 5 mins add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10-15 mins till the carrots are cooked and then blitz. Reheat and serve with bread. Scrummy.

Asparagus with Poached Egg

Spring is finally sprung! The first of the new season British asparagus was delivered in our riverford veg box today and never having been someone to resist temptation it was scoffed in this simple recipe as a starter. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough!!

For 2 people as a starter you need:
1 bunch asparagus
2 eggs
bread and butter
salt and pepper

Snap the asparagus and wash. Lay in a steamer and steam for 2-3 mins till tender. Meanwhile poach 2 eggs (you do know how to do that don't you??!). Lay the asparagus on a plate, top with the egg and season. Serve with buttered toast on the side. Glorious!

Quinoa Salad with Greens (v)

A variation on the puy lentil and quinoa salad, but different enough to warrant its own entry. This is another vegan salad that makes a perfect lunch :)

For 2 portions you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 leek, finely shredded
2 tsp vegan stock powder
2 tbsp each of mirin and soya sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 packet purple sprouting broccoli
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 pack marinated tofu chunks/ 1/2 pack marinated tofu block

Begin by placing the leek, quinoa, stock and water in a pan and bringing to the boil. Cook, covered, for 10mins, add the broccoli and then turn off the heat and leave to steam for 20 mins. Add the remaining ingredients before placing into tubs for lunch the next day.

Watermelon and Haloumi Salad

A lovely summer lunch or supper dish which is really refreshing on a hot day. Alternatively crank up the heating and shut all the windows and you might be able to recreate the temperatures needed in the UK to make this work as it should...

For 3-4 portions you need:
1/4 watermelon, deseeded and cut into rough chunks
1 packet haloumi, patted dry and cut into thickish slices
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
juice 1 lemon
handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
Salad leaves

Cook the haloumi until softened and nicely browned. Meanwhile place the lemon, mint and onions into a bowl to allow the onion flavour to be mellowed by the juice. Add the melon and oil and mix gently. Place the salad leaves on a plate, arrange the watermelon and onion salad on top and finish with slices of the hot, browned haloumi. Delicious!

Puy Lentil and Quinoa Salad with Semi Dried Tomatoes (v)

A vegan powerhouse of a lunch this. And mighty tasty too ;-)

For 2 generous lunch portions you need:
1/2 cup puy lentils
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 tub semi dried tomatoes
2 tsp vegan stock powder
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
juice 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbsp balsamic syrup
1/2 bag purple sprouting broccoli

Place the garlic, onion, lentils and quinoa in a pan with 2 1/2 cups water and the stock powder. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 mins till the lentils are tender but still have bite and the quinoa is cooked.

Meanwhile roughly chop the broccoli, stalks, leaves and all. Once the lentils and quinoa are nearly done (so after about 10-15 mins) add the broccoli to the pan with a lid and steam cook until everything is tender. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Place in a tub and leave to marinate overnight before scoffing at work the next day and making all your work colleagues green with envy mwahahaha...

Buttermilk Scones

After a disastrous batch of scones using a Rose Elliott recipe a few weeks back, I have returned to my favourite recipe; Nigella's Lily's scones. But I used buttermilk this time for the first time. I was a bit suprised by the consistency of this as it's like thin yougurt. I'd expected something thinner. But it worked, and the scones were amazingly light. They needed longer than normal to cook (40 mins for some of them) but they were the best I have ever made. In my humble opinion ;-)

For about 20 scones you need:
325ml buttermilk
500g plain flour
2 tsp baking soda
4.5 tsp cream of tartar
75g butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten (for the egg wash)
1 spoon sugar (to sprinkle on the top before baking).

Place the flour, soda, tartar and butter in to a food processor and blitz till combined. Add the buttermilk and form it into a dough. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about an inch and cut into scones. Place on a flour dusted baking sheet and brush with egg wash and then sprinkle over with sugar. Nigella says to squish them together but she's wrong as they don't cook evenly so make sure you spread them out. Bake for 15-40 mins (keep an eye on them) till risen, golden brown and cooked. Eat with lashings of clotted cream and strawberry jam. Feel very very fat.

Creamy, Garlicky Mushroom Pasta

An odds and sods meal using up the last of the veg box on a Friday...

For 2 portions you need:
200g pasta
250g mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 pack boursin cheese
100ml white wine
2 leeks, finely shredded
Olive oil
Parmesan to serve

Saute the leeks and garlic and mushrooms in the oil for about 15 mins till tender. Deglaze the pan with the wine and then add the boursin. Heat through to melt. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Drain the pasta, and toss through the sauce. Serve topped with some fresh parmesan.

Vegetable Paella (v)

Well not really paella I guess if you're a purist, but certainly a tasty rice and vegetable dish which Lex scoffs down!

For 4 portions you need:
200g white rice (I used a mix of long grain and basmati)
800ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine (I used cava)
salt and pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small leeks, finely sliced
1 can sweetcorn, drained
2 carrots, finely diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
pinch saffron
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

Begin by sauteeing the carrots, onion and leeks in the oil. After about 10 mins add the paprika and rice and coat in the oil. Add the wine and garlic and reduce the wine till it's all bubbled away. Add the saffron to the stock and then add this to the pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 mins until the rice is cooked. About 10 mins before the end of the cooking time, add the remaining veggies and season well. Serve garnished with tomatoes and lemon.

Cherry and Almond Cake

This is a Nigella recipe from Domestic Goddess. It's a cynch to make, but tastes SO divine, travels well and lasts well too. You can also freeze it and defrost a slice at a time for lunchboxes.

For about 10-12 slices you need:
225g butter, softened
250g self raising flour
200g glace cherries, washed, dried and cut in half
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 tsp almond essence
100g ground almonds
6tbsp milk
4 tbsp flaked almonds

Begin by creaming together the butter and sugar. When fluffy add the eggs, almond essence and milk and mix thoroughly. Add the flour and almonds. Finally add the cherries and mix well. Scrape the thick batter into 2 lined 2lb loaf tins. Scatter each loaf with 2 tbsp of flaked almonds. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 40 mins or so until the cake is cooked, risen and golden brown on the top. Slice and enjoy.

Vegetable Soup a la Neil (v)

A bottom of the fridge recipe, created by Neil which was very yummy :)

For 2-3 portions you need:
2 leeks, sliced finely
3 spring onions, sliced finely
3 carrots, sliced finely
1 litre veggie stock
1 tbsp oil

Saute the leeks and onions in the oil. Add the stock and carrots. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 mins. Serve with bread.