Baked Plums & Mascarpone Dessert

Today was exhausting, and I got nothing done apart from some proof reading and a bit of shopping (more cat food).

There are times when I realise I really can't do as much as I used to... and how I wish it was old age.

Today is one of those days.

I did manage to squeeze in a visit to the Ballyvaughan Farmer's Market as usual, and bought some delicious free range hand reared pork chops and sausages. Such a rarity and what taste ! The lady who rears and sells them is as delightful as her product.

OK now to the plums. This is simply divine and so incredibly simple.

Baked Plums with Mascarpone

6 fresh ripe Plums
Mascarpone
Extra virgin Olive Oil
Almond slices to decorate

1. Cut the plums in half and carefully take out the stones.

2. Drizzle olive oil on the base of a baking dish (pie dish, pyrex shallow baking dish or similar).

3. Lay the plum halves on the baking dish, cut side facing upwards.

4. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on the plums.

5. Bake in a medium oven until the plums are gooey (soft and squiggy). Remove from the oven.

6. Generously dollop a large spoonful of the mascarpone onto each plum whilst still warm.

7. Trim each one with 3 almond bits of sliced almonds.

Eat !!! I think these are best whilst still warm.

How To Survive a Bad Day...

It started in the usual way, wake up, get dressed, go downstairs, draw back the curtains and gaze at the lovely wild flower meadow outside the window. Then turn the PC on to start some work...

Stop.

Go back to the window and realise that I am not imagining things.

On my precious wild flower lawn, in amongst the young (precious) raspberry bushes, were 2 donkeys happily munching away.

They looked up at me and smiled. My own donkeys had leapt over their electric fence, trotted down the road, up my drive and decided to mow my precious wild flower lawn.

What joy.

Dashing outside in my sawn off wellies (cleaned) I just look at them from about 6 feet away. They turn around and wander off into their bottom field (not the one they escaped from) by the tunnel, and then look at me again as if to say... "What did we do ?"

I shut the fence and turned the electic fencer on.... until the next time they decide they fancy a stroll...

The day went from bad to worse.

I was throwing up by 2pm and spent the afternoon in bed in agony. Oh the joys of modern medicine ! It was probably caused by the nasty antibiotics I am on...

I also have a dodgy stomach... I have had ulcers on and off since I was 19. Now no-one has ever tested me for H Pylori which could well be causing it and my doc says it needs an endoscopy to find out (at at least a €3,000 cost to the HSE in my case).

I happen to know that you can test for H Pylori with a Urea Breath test costing about €25 ! But surprise surprise, the knowledge hasn't reached the Irish medical profession it seems !

So the HSE are going broke, closing beds and services, charging for medicine for the poorest of the poor, and they spend at least several thousand on every endoscopy to diagnose the presence of H Pylori (and therefore ulcers etc), when they could do it equally as efficiently, at less harm to the client, with a €25 test !!!

Incredible.

I can see myself going to the UK for a €25 test !!!

What joy.

Oven Dried Tomatoes in Basil Oil

I'm assuming many people who grow tomatoes through the summer are still looking for delicious ways to store them for the winter. I know I am.

Now I love sun dried tomatoes, so when I found this recipe in an old Australian Woman's Weekly book I tried it. I have been using it ever since and they are heaven !

Oven Dried Tomatoes in Basil Oil

30 Tomatoes (normal sized ones - not big beef ones and not tiny bite size cherry ones)
4 cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced
12 fresh Basil leaves
500ml (2 cups) Olive Oil

1. Cut the tomatoes in half lengtheways, cutting down from where it was attached to the stalk.

2. Place the tomatoes (cut-side up), garlic cloves and basil leaves on wire racks sat in oven trays.

3. Sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt.

4. Dry inside a very slow oven for 6 to 8 hours. Ensure the oven is on its lowest setting. Dry until the tomatoes are dry to the touch.

5. Take the basil out after about 20 minutes or so, as it should be dry by then. The garlic will take about 30 minutes.
Remove the garlic and basil from the oven seperately when each is crisp in turn.

6. Turn and rearrange the tomatoes several times during the drying process.

7. When all the bits are dry, pack them all into a hot good sized sterilised glass jar or jars.

8. Pour the olive oil over to cover the dried tomatoes completely.

9. Seal immediately.

The White Knight Arrives Bearing Gifts

I forgot to mention - MM aka The White Knight, turned up for the date bearing gifts.

He brought me a sack of turf

and a pot of strawberry jam he had himself made from his own organic strawberries.

So I'm sat here nice and warm tonight with the fire roaring behind me.

Thank you MM.

Life After Monday

I suppose this is the best we can expect from our Irish summer. Grey cloudy sky, little patches of blue here and there, 16C (that's 61F for the non Europeans) and drizzle every 30 minutes like clockwork. Mind you when the sun does come out it's scorching... Oh for big patch of blue...

Still, I do live in a sub tropical jungle (apart from the temps) so I can't really complain about the rain. Can I ?

I spent the morning writing, and then after a lunch of scrambled free range eggs (courtesy of a guy from Kinvara farmer's market), I picked more tomatoes in the tunnel and tied up all the new growth. Loads of cucumbers coming along too (I've already picked and eaten 3).

So now I am going to chill for a while, maybe read, and maybe muse about my day out yesterday...



It all started great. Fantastic even.

I decided to go with the jeans and leather booties, and to sneak the sawn off wellies into the back of the car just in case... It was raining hard on and off and most of my skirts almost drag the ground.

It's a long time since I had a first date, and it shows...

I had to leave at 12.25pm. At 12.10pm I looked for my clean jeans and couldn't find them. At 12.20pm after frantically turning my bedroom upside down, I found them. In the laundry room soaking wet.

Panic. I let MM know I'm going to be late. He replies "No worry, so am I". Hmmmm he was going to be late !!! Grrrrrrr


Plan B

Grab skirt and sandals. Dress fast.

Look for mascara, lipstick and lipgloss. Problem. I haven't used these for probably 8 months. I can't find them.

Dig out old make up and apply mascara (old and non waterproof) and lip stuff.

Hurl myself into car.

Sniff. Sniff again. Something smells dead. Thinks what a waste my perfume will be if all he can smell if Eau De Rotting Something.

Search car and finally the boot. I haul out 2 bunches of rotting rhubarb with leaves. Carefully. As I have on a very white cotton overshirt. Fling remains on the side of the drive. Wow I didn't get any on me.

Drive off.

Phew, now I can slow down and enjoy the day. Everything is cool in my world.

About 3 miles from my house I realise that the engine temperature gauge is rising... too far. I then remembered that I had intended to top up the water in the system. Damn.

I drove from then on with the heater on full, and the fan on full blast, as this was the only way to stop the engine from melting or spontaneously combusting (or whatever it does when it overheats).

About 10 miles down the road I glance in the rear view mirror and see a human strawberry looking back at me. Oh gawd. What an impact I'm going to make. I try turning the heater off but the gauge just starts rising again. So I have to sit and roast and get redder by the minute.

But at least the needle is staying in the correct place. Phew.

I chill again.

I look around me and begin to enjoy the beautiful countryside. The hedgerows are crammed to capacity with wild flowers and ferns. Cottages pass as I drive... then a farm... then a little store I remember...

Oh gawd. That store. It's on the back road to Kilcreest. And I am heading to Craughwell. Who the hell moved the store? Then I realise I'm on the wrong road and heading in almost the opposite direction.



Plan C

Ring MM again. "Er sorry, but I'm going to be a bit late (again). I have gone the wrong way".

The man just laughed! Grrrrr

I arrived at the meeting place 1 hour and 15 minutes late. And very red.

Cue romantic music and people rushing into each others arm across a field of wild flowers.

Not. We met in a car park outside a supermarket so that he could whisk me away in his chariot. So romantic.

The Plan Comes to Fruition

Anyway, now I can chill. I'm being driven to the beautiful village of Cong and its surrounding woodlands, for a romantic lunch, a romantic woodland stroll and then (if all went well) a romantic dinner later. What more could I ask for.

The knight in shining armour managed to go the wrong way, twice. At that point he threw the map at me and suggested I navigate (maybe a response to my mumbled comments about lack of a sense of direction and not noticing road signs).

So now (as I'm navigating) we are on the right road and almost there. I'm terribly smug and MM is laughing at me being terribly smug...

We had lunch first. A basic vegetable soup with toasted ham and cheese sandwiches in an old fashioned bar, perfect for a wee energy boost for our pending gentle stroll. We stroll outside, hand in hand, and the rain has stopped and all is perfect in the world.

By the time we had walked around the corner, it was threatening rain again. So we return to the car to don boots (the sawn off wellingtons in my case) and coats. I had brought a beautiful dark camel full length winter coat and so put this on to keep me dry (it's drizzling by now).

We again stroll off hand in hand, in the romantic light mist (Irish rain), into the woods around the castle. I look incredibly elegant in my full length skirt, long camel coat with black velvet trim, long blonde hair wafting in the light breeze. And my sawn off wellies...

He must be incredibly impressed. Not.

The woodland was absolutely stunning. I loved it and it was well worth the drive (we went in a circle).

Within 5 minutes the romantic Irish mist had turned into a tropical summer downpour... dripping from the trees and creating that kind of grey curtain that only Irish rain on a summer's day can do. MM dragged me through black squishy mud, across stone bridges with flaking stones and rusty rails, dripping in the rain and oozing character.

My beautiful blonde wavy long hair was by now running with water and plastered to my face and head. He laughed. My mascara ran all down my face and gave me panda eyes. He laughed. The sawn off wellies had changed from green to black and I could feel squishy stuff between my toes. He laughed. I had to walk most of the way holding the floor length skirt up to avoid the mud, and showing off my very elegant bare legs in sawn off green wellies. He stared, and laughed.

I'm not sure how far we walked, but it was still beautiful. (I think MM was testing my will power and figured that if I still liked him after this, he'd get away with anything !)

Eventually we arrived back at the ruined abbey near the car. It was still pouring with rain and MM announced that he had his camera and asked, could he take my photo please. I looked at him and said "What. You want my photo with me looking like this ?" He told me I looked lovely and that his Mom and Sister would love the photo.

So I tried to pose elegantly, looking like a cross between a tent, a panda and a totally sodden drowned rat. Oh yes, and the sawn off wellies under the floor length skirt which now had the bottom 6 inches caked in mud and wringing wet, looked ravishing...

As I was posing I opened the sodden wet coat up a bit, as I was warm. I pulled my white shirt around me a bit and noticed that the coat had let the water through in 2 places only. Impressive. I had two wet patches, one on each breast... and to make matters worst, the dye in the coat had run and there were wet and light brown runny patches where my boobs were ! It looked like I was leaking. He laughed.

I hope his Mom and his Sister appreciate that photo, and the ends to which MM had to go to achieve just that 'look'.

After that we drove back to Athenry and had a lovely meal in a local Indian restaurant. The food was beautiful and the conversation easy and interesting. And no, I did not wear the sawn off wellies into the restaurant !

All in all an interesting, if damp, day... I wonder if he will want to see me again. I, for one, certainly really enjoyed myself.

Fast & Easy Cocktail Sauce

My apologies for the early morning post, but I have received an email from a gentleman who was eating his shrimp without cocktail sauce, and he wondered if I knew of a very easy one.

So for all you bachelors out there who are allergic to cooking (and bachelorettes too) (oh and wives too I suppose, allergies don't discriminate do they)(and partners)(and husbands)(did I cover all the bases ?), here is a very simple way to make a great cocktail sauce.

Soph's Fast & Easy Cocktail Sauce

Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup (I make my own but Heinz has a good flavour)
Tabasco Pepper Sauce (I use McIlhenny & Co from the USA)

I just flop all the ingredients into a small bowl and stir fast.

However, at a good guess the proportions I use are say 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise, to 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup, to about 1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce (or less).

In fact I just shake the tabasco bottle over the mayo and ketchup say 5 times... so start with that and add to taste.

Et voila... a great sauce for shrimp and also for dipping anything you care to really.

Happy Sunday ! Fake Strawberry Ice Cream

Welcome to my Sunday !

I have had an extremely lazy day - apart from building a Forum for my other blog www.rheumatoidarthritisireland.blogspot.com , watering the polytunnel and picking more tomatoes, all I did was lie in bed reading until 11am ! I finished the book so I will have to find another for tonight in bed.

One of my kittens (Sooty) decided to figure out the cap flap last night... and he hasn't appeared today... I'm a bit worried, but he has been out overnight before (when he has refused to come in at night), however that wasn't alone, it was with his brother, Sweep.

Tonight I am making more pasta sauce with the tomatoes, cooking roast pork (which I got as a bargain in SuperValu for €2.99 !!) and creating the body beautiful for my date tomorrow.

Hard work that. Lots to do to get it into shape and I only have 15 hours... I've been sidetracked growing veg this summer and things have started to fall apart a tad. I need to make my nails look like nails (rather than garden picks), de fluff my shins (in case the sun is out and I wear a long skirt, and it is also windy), and finally find something to wear.

What to wear... I could definitely do with some help there. Is it possible to make country 'flitting around the garden and picking blackberries in the lanes' clothes look chic, sexy and the kind of thing a guy looks at and says, 'I want that woman', dashing out to buy a bunch of roses, then parachuting down to her and declaring his undying love ?

I don't think so.

Ok so I will go for the 'Summer breeze, wind blown, seeds in the hair, natural earthy look'... and I won't have to bother getting ready even. I like this idea.

Well that being settled, here is a luscious recipe idea for a yummy ice cream.

Fake Strawberry Ice Cream

1 2/3 pints (2 US pints) Strawberries
2 cups Greek Yogurt (plain)
0.5 cup Maple Syrup
1 cup Sour cream

If you can get organic fruit, Greek yogurt and sour cream it would be fantastic. I have a thing about organic food, and always use it when I can.

1. Squish the berries well, into a pulp.

2. Mix the maple syrup into the mushed berries.

3. Next mix in the Greek yogurt and the sour cream.

4. Put the mixture into a shallow pan, and place in the freezer.

5. Stir it every 30 minutes for 2 hours.

6. Eat !

You can easily use raspberries or blueberries instead of the strawberries for this fake ice cream.

News Flash

The wandering kitten has just returned and is sat in front of the oven watching the joint of pork cook.

His sense of smell obviously works.

Onion Marmalade

If, like me, you have a tiny addiction to marmalade, you will love this savoury variation which is fantastic with cheese, as well as with cooked meats etc.

Onions are fit for digging up now, and this is a great way to use some up. I got mine from a friend who grows loads... it's a vegetable I have never grown myself, although I'm not sure why not ! My father and grandfather always grew them.

Onion Marmalade

8 (2.5kg) large Onions, sliced
260g (1 & 1/3 cups for those over the water) brown sugar
4 teaspoons Orange Rind (finely grated)
250ml (1 cup) Orange Juice
250ml (1 cup) Malt Vinegar
750ml (3 cups) Water

1. Mix the onion and water in a big saucepan. Bring it to the boil, uncovered. Stir it now and then.

2. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until the onion is soft and the liquid has evaporated.

3. Add in all the other ingredients.

4. Stir whilst still over the heat, but do not let it boil. Do this until the sugar has dissolved.

5. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

6. Remove the cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring it now and then.

7. When the mixture thickens it is ready.

8. Put the mixture into hot sterilised jam jars and seal them whilst it is still hot. Jars with screw lids are fine, as long as no metal is on the inside as this will corrode with the vinegar.

Mad Cat Lady (or not)

For all those people who do not know me very well, as they obviously do not appreciate the superior intelligence cats have over dogs, and have been known on occasion to call me a cat lady (a dig more at my looming born again spinsterhood, than at my cats I fear) - a link to prove you wrong !

Mad Cat Man

(at long last)

Homemade Tomato Ketchup and a dash of romance

As usual I am realising my excesses... 50+ tomato plants is a wee bit OTT to supply one single female who doesn't even like eating them raw.

I have about 40 Moneymaker plants which are normal size tomatoes, 10 Tumbling Toms which are cherry toms (can't remember the exact name), 5 Gardener's Delight plants (more cherry toms but climbers), 2 plants given to me by a friend who used seeds from the Irish Seed Savers, and a few strays (no idea what kind) which have self seeded into the tunnel's soil from last summer. After an early setback where I unknowingly deprived the poor little dears of nitrogen, they are now rampaging happily around the tunnel reproducing like mad.

Hence, all my friends and relatives are going to be receiving tomato ketchup for xmas this year... with a cute little red bow on each bottle of course.

Lucky I also like pasta sauce... I find I use it for no end of meals, including lasagne and spaghetti bolognaise, as well as those heavenly burrito thingamys they have in southern parts of the states, or is it Mexico ? Yummy.


And of course I also put it on pasta.

Naturally amid all this bounty and frenzied cooking and preserving, I have become rather a recluse, for want of a better word... Who could possibly want a wild social life when she can spend her evenings making jam, preserving various vegetables and writing this blog.

Well into this domestic bliss has snook a white knight in shining armour, who has declared that he's whisking the aforementioned blog writer off for a day of nature appreciation and good food. Will the tomatoes manage without me for a few hours ? Will the donkeys choose this moment to go walkies up the road yet again ? Will I ever be the same again ? Do I wear wellies or high heels ?

For the answers to these questions I am afraid that you will have to wait until next Tuesday... Meanwhile, here is the Tomato Ketchup recipe I promised you.

Sophii's Tomato Ketchup

16 large Tomatoes (about 4kg), chopped
4 Onions (600g), chopped
2 cups (440g) white Sugar
2 tablespoons Tomato Puree (paste)
12 Cloves (whole)
2 teaspoons Black Peppercorns (whole)
2 bay leaves
1 cup (250ml) Red Wine Vinegar
4 teaspoons coarse sea salt

1. Have a small of muslin and pile the peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves in the middle. Tie the ends to make a small herb bag.

2. Put the tomatoes, onions, and the muslin herb bag into a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to the boil.

3. Once boiling, turn down the heat until the mix is just simmering, uncovered, for around 45 minutes. Make sure the onion is soft, if not simmer a bit longer. Remember to stir it now and then.

4. Take out the muslin herb bag. Let the mix cool for about 10 minutes.

5. Use a blender (a hand one will do) to blend the mixture into a smooth consistency.

6. Strain through a fairly fine sieve, and then return the mix to the pan. This part is important.

7. Add the rest of the ingredients.

8. Return to the heat and stir gently, until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT let it boil.

9. Simmer the ketchup, uncovered, for 15 minutes maybe more, until it thickens to the consistency that you like your ketchup. This process is called reducing. Remember to stir it now and then to stop the mix sticking to the bottom of the pan.

10. When thickened, pour the ketchup into pre-sterilised glass bottles or jars, and put the lids on straight away whilst they are very hot.

This should store for at least 6 months in a cool place, maybe more, without light if possible. Once you open a bottle, keep it in the fridge.

Tomorrow - Onion Marmalade (as I have a thing about marmalade...)

Courgette Soup (Zucchini)

If you are anything like me... you are drowning in those deceptively fertile plants that reproduce faster than cute little bunny rabbits. I have more courgettes than slugs and that's saying something !

I am a massive homemade soup fan and this one is a lot tastier than it sounds. After yesterdays excitement I thought that maybe something a little calmer was in order today. So, here is a very discrete little soup, that will freeze well and remind you of all those courgettes all winter long !

Be sure to use fresh herbs if you can, to give it its vibrant summer taste.

Don't forget that you can enter the raffle every day, by leaving relevant comments on the daily post. And please, remember to be sure that I know who leaves the comments if you wish to be entered !

Courgette Soup (Zucchini for some)

2 lbs (900 g) Courgettes
½ lb (225 g) Potatoes
2 cloves Garlic
1 Onion
1½ pints (900 ml) Water or Vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon chopped Basil
1 tablespoon chopped Oregano
1 tablesepoon chopped Chives
2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 oz (56 g) fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Cream (you can also use the AlproSoya cream substitue)

1. Wash the courgettes and chop into chunks. Peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes.

2. Peel and slice the onion. Crush the garlic (peeled first).

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion and garlic. Lightly fry for about 5 minutes to soften.

4. Add the potatoes to the pan, cover with half of the stock or water, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes until half-cooked.

5. Add the courgette chunks, salt and pepper to taste, chopped parsley and basil and the rest of the stock or water.

6. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fully cooked.

7. Either rub the soup through a sieve or put through a blender to make a smooth pureee.

8. Return to a clean pan, re-heat and add the cream, the freshly grated parmesan and the chopped chives, without boiling.
9. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of cheese on the top.

Makes enough for 4.

Blackberry Jam & Messy Kittens

I was really bad this morning. I not only overslept, but I then read in bed until way past 10am... My two kittens finally got me up when they started digging under the bedroom door, obviously hoping to spur me into dishing out their morning Whiskas bikkies. It worked.

When I entered the kitchen to dispense the cat bikkies for my little darlings, I realised what had kept them occupied until 10am. The kitchen floor was littered with the contents of a box left ready for the compost heap ! There were mushroom stalks, bits of onion peel, old tea bags (green of course), strawberry tops, crushed egg shells and various parts of a dismembered butterfly, all over my lovely clean kitchen tiles. Such are the joys of country living with easily bored pets !

That sorted, I made some tea and toast and waded into a morning's proof reading - just to add to the Monday morning excitement...

So now it's lunchtime and I am looking forward to an afternoon calmly making some lush blackberry jam. I will need to pick a few more from the hedges round about so that I can make a good sized batch, but gathering free food is always a joy and I am totally addicted to it.

Talk to you later !

The recipe I use to make Blackberry Jam is below:

Blackberry Jam a la Amanda

Ingredients

6 lb Blackberries
1/4 pint Water
Rind and juice of 2 Lemons
6 lb Sugar

1. Put the cleaned fruit, the water and lemon rind and juice into a large pan.

2. Simmer until the fruit is soft.

3. Stir in the sugar and boil rapidly until setting point is reached.

4. Remove from the heat, skim, pot, cover, and label. (Put the lids on whilst it is hot).

This will make about 10 lbs of jam.See ! It's easy !

Blackberry Cordial and Sunshine !

At last the sun is shining ! Well it did until 5pm, now there are those rather ominous grey puffy jobs floating around above me and threatening to stop me playing in the garden (weeding and strimming).

Free Food
I am going out in a few minutes to pick my first blackberries of the year (assuming it doesn't rain). I have a load growing under one of the bird tables, as well as the millions in the hedges around the place, and it's a race to beat the birds to them ! I will be making some blackberry jam and some blackberry cordial with this batch MMMM.

Blackberry cordial (along with elderberry cordial) is an age old remedy for warding off colds etc through the winter. I always make a few batches and have a warm glass of it every evening through the cold months, and touch wood, rarely get a cold.

I'll post my recipe for blackberry jam tomorrow, but for now here is how I make blackberry cordial...

Blackberry Cordial Recipe

Blackberries
Whole Allspice
Whole Cloves
1 piece of stick Cinnamon
Granulated Sugar
Water

1. Pick the fruit on a dry day and stew in a large stainless steel saucepan, with just enough water to cover.

2. Strain through muslin, squeezing to get all the juice.

3. To each pint of juice add 1 lb of white granulated sugar and 10 cloves. Add the allspice and cinnamon in a muslin bag at this point also.

4. Boil for 10 minutes.

5. Allow to cool just a bit and remove the muslin bag.

6. Whilst still hot, bottle in sterile glass bottles with good quality screw-on tops, making sure you distribute the cloves evenly amongst the bottles (they act as a preservative). I use recycled bottles from a friend's bar and clean them well. Bottling & sealing whilst hot creates a vacuum and helps the cordial to last longer.

The cordial can be used immediately, but will also keep well for a year or two. It's used diluted 1 part cordial to 5-7 parts water, depending on your taste. It's also great when added to vodka or rum...

Taken with hot water it is renowned as a guard against colds, and a glass a day through winter is a very effective precaution.

Chocolate Courgette Cake Recipe (Zucchini to Some)

Well here it is - the day that most of Ireland spends doing fun stuff... and I'm feeling left out !

So, what is required is a little self love and a lot of pandering with lush goodies. I have tomatoes, runner beans and courgettes to spare, which somewhat limits my choice of to die for edibles. So I'm back to an old favourite, Chocolate Courgette Cake.

I know you are going to think YUK and mega YUK, but trust me, this is one moist, chocolatey and delicious cake. And apart from trying to avoid getting blood from your knuckles in the mix, its fun and easy to make...

Besides, with that sexy dark brown chocolate colour a bit of blood will never show...

Chocolate Courgette Cake
(or if you are in the US or Australia - Chocolate Zucchini Cake)

Ingredients:

120g Butter (softened)
125 ml Extra virgin olive oil
100g Castor sugar
200g Demerera sugar
3 Eggs, beaten
130 ml Milk
350g Organic wholemeal spelt flour
2 tsp Baking powder
4 tablespoons Cadbury's drinking chocolate
450 g Courgettes, peeled and grated finely
1 teaspoon organic Vanilla extract
(most of my ingredients are organic)

Instructions:

1. Line a 8" x 13" baking tray with baking (greaseproof) paper and set the oven to 190C or 350F.

2. Mix the butter, olive oil and both sugars together until light and fluffy.

3. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time and then the milk until mixed thoroughly.

4. Throw the dry ingredients in and fold them into the mixture.

5. Stir in the grated courgettes (peeled) and the vanilla extract and then spoon the mixture into the baking tin.

6. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

7. Cut into squares whilst still warm.

I would love to hear from you as to what you think of this recipe so please feel free to send a comment.

Also, if you aren't sure about the measurements or ingredient names ever, the same applies as I am always willing to help a fellow foodie. Alternatively my email is sheeaunmusic@gmail.com

Fresh Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce

I have a tonne of tomatoes ripening in the polytunnel, so now I start making pasta sauces and ketchups etc for the winter. Free food ! I love it.

Here is my recipe for a very simple, basic and easy to make fresh tomato and basil pasta sauce. I made a small batch today and have stashed them away for the cold winters evenings.

Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce

I never measure the ingredients, I just know by memory and what it looks like... so here goes -

15 ripe tomatoes

Basil leaves - fresh - loads !
(if you don't have fresh basil, use about 4 tablespoons of dried basil)

Garlic cloves - use a whole bulb

2 medium onions

1. Chop the onions small. Throw them into a big pan on the stove top with some olive oil in the bottom. Saute lightly for 4 minutes.

2. Chop the tomatoes small too, including the skins. Throw them into the pan too. Keep cooking gently.

3. Chop the garlic cloves and put them through a garlic press if you have one. Otherwise just chop them very finely. Add them to the pan and keep simmering.

4. Chop the basil leaves very finely and also add to the pan.

5. Cook whilst keeping the pan covered, on a gentle heat on the top of the stove/cooker/hob. Stir every few minutes.

6. After about an hour of gentle simmering all will be well infused and the vegetables beautiful and soft.

7. It is now ready to either eat fresh, or to be put into sterilised jars whilst hot (put the lids on fast while very hot to seal and create a vacuum).

If you prefer you can whizz the sauce in a blender to give a smooth sauce, rather than a lumpy textured one.

This will keep in the jars for up to a year. Alternatively you can freeze it.

Happy eating Italian style on our wonderful balmy summers evenings ! Well I can dream can't I...

Courgette and Ginger Jam aka Marrow and Ginger Jam

I always make the mistake of planting too many courgette plants around the place... 2 of them would be more than enough, but no, I have to play safe and plant 7. I'm a fool as now I am over run and can't keep up with making 101 things with courgettes (I could write an entire book of recipes for them).

In case you are in the states or Australia, courgettes are otherwise known as zucchini. Zucchini are originally from South America, and courgette is the French word for them. They are in fact the immature fruits of the marrow, and when left to grow obviously grow into marrows - which adds to the list of things I can make with them ! Oh goodie I can't wait. Well actually I can as I am fast running out of ideas..

One wonderful thing you can make with mature courgettes, which is when they are marrow size, is Marrow and Ginger Jam.

Now I know this sounds disgusting, but in fact it's the most incredibly sublime jam I have ever had, which once in your mouth has the added surprise of a little kick from the ginger. Always stick to the actual fresh ingredients, or else you will not have the delicate wonderful jam I'm raving about.

So here goes:

AMANDA'S MARROW & GINGER JAM

Ingredients

3lbs large Courgettes or Marrow, weighed after peeling, chopping into 1cm thick pieces and de-seeding

4lbs White Granulated Sugar

1oz Fresh Ginger Root

1oz Crystalised Ginger (finely chopped)

Grated rind and juice of 2 Lemons

Rind and juice of 1 Orange

1. Place the peeled & chopped courgettes in a large bowl and sprinkle over about one third of the sugar. Cover. Let this stand and soak through overnight at least (in the fridge in a warm climate).

2. Place the grated ginger root, lemon and orange rind in a piece of muslin and tie up the muslin into a bag. Place the muslin bag in the cooking pan with the courgettes, orange and lemon juices.

3. Simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add 1oz of finely chopped crystalised ginger to the pan.

4. Add the remaining sugar and boil gently until setting point is reached and the courgettes look transparent.

5. Remove and discard the muslin bag.

6. Pot the hot jam into clean, warm, sterilised jars, cover with waxed paper discs, set aside to cool and cover in the usual way. Alternatively you can simply put the normal jar caps on whilst the jam is still very hot, as this will create a sealed sterile vacuum as the air and jam inside cools.

Makes about 6lbs

*Setting Point*
Many people find it hard to know when the setting point has been reached, and there is no hard and fast set period of time for this to happen. It all depends on the fruit used, how it grew and what it contains etc.
To test to see if jam is set, spoon out a small bit onto an already chilled plate or small dish. Place this in the fridge for 15 minutes. If it wrinkles on the surface and appears set after that time - the jam is ready to put in the jars.
Remember - while you are testing the setting point, always take the pan off the heat, otherwise it will go on getting stiffer and set harder than you want.

Great Pig Escape at Show

If you have ever seen baby piglets on the run you will know that there is possibly nothing more entertaining on the planet !

When they escape in the middle of a rural agricultural show you can be sure a crowd will be chasing them with their cameras and plenty of hands and arms will be trying to catch them. Now if you know anything about piglets, you will know that they are uncatchable.

Watching the great pig chase was possibly more entertaining than the sheaf throwing (which in 2007 crushed my car hmm and I had to be towed away by the AA), funnier than watching a pair of very mature gentlemen admire the biggest cock, and possibly better even than watching the local priest enthral the crowd with his harmonica on the stage (he was brilliant by the way).

I was too busy to enter much, but I did manage to win a 2nd for my Strawberry Jam... so I am a happy bunny.

My First Post ! Thoughts on Tea Brack

Well here I am... without a clue as to how all this works, making my very first blog post. I think that's what it's called...

I've been snacking on my Tea Brack today as I need sustenance after a weekend of stress and fun at the local agricultural show... This is a very traditional Irish bread/cake, which you eat sliced like bread and smothered in butter. There is also an English version called Tea Bread, which is very similar.

I have a habit of changing recipes around a bit to make them into exactly my fav food, so here is my version of Irish Tea Brack - which to me is heavenly.

Most Tea Brack recipes have Irish whiskey in them. This is totally unneccessary when you use demerera sugar, as demerera gives it that same taste.

Irish Tea Brack

Ingredients
1 lb Golden raisins (dried)
0.5 lbs Sultanas (dried)
0.5 lbs Currants (dried)
1 lb Demerera sugar
2 Cups of cold milkless strong black tea
1lb Plain flour
3 Eggs - beaten
3 teaspoons Baking powder
5 teaspoons Mixed spice

1. Soak the dried fruit for 3 days in the cold tea. You will need a large bowl for this. Make sure it's covered well to keep out keen and hungry insects. (Most recipes say to soak overnight - but if you want this to be amazing, stick to the 3 days).

2. Then add all the other ingredients and beat it to mix it well.

3. Coat the sides of 2 loaf tins with butter and then shake some plain flour around their insides. This stops the loaves from sticking. Use 2lb loaf tins.

4. Spoon the mixture into the tins, dividing it equally between the 2.

5. Bake for 1.5 hours at 160c, or gas mark 3.

6. When they are cooked and you take them out of the oven, immediately coat the tops with honey and then place them back inside the oven to dry. Remember to turn the oven off first !!

7. When they are dry, take them out and allow to totally cool before trying to remove the loaves from the tins.

Tea Brack is best kept for at least 3 days before eating (wrap it in tin foil). The taste improves in this time, as does the texture.

I hope you love this as much as I do... it is especially incredible with unsalted butter Mmmmmmm...