Apple, Parsnip and Ginger Beer Cake

This is both a birthday cake to myself and a blog anniversary cake albeit a slightly late one. Thanks to everyone who has visited this site and taken the time to post comments (not that being a lurker is a bad thing- I am a natural lurker myself).

I am hoping that as my commuting time is about to halve that I will soon be back to blogging again on a regular basis. For the time being though here is a lovely cake that is adapted from Harry Eastwood's Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache. It is gluten free, dairy free and virtually fat free but serve it to guests and they will never guess. This is what I class as a pudding cake in that it can also be used as a dessert with soya custard or cream. The original recipe calls for cider but I switched this for ginger beer as it is something that I definitely associate with summer days plus almost everybody in my family is a bit of a ginger fiend. Although this picture makes the cake look elegant it also managed to carry off the animal shaped candles I had later in the day!

Parsnip & Potato Rosti with Spinach, Asparagus, Poached Egg and Foaming Hollandaise

Wow. Life has really been getting in the way of stuff lately. I recently started a new job with a pretty long commute that has been leaving me rather zombie like in the evenings. Cooking has become a little bit of a chore which is never good. But with Valentines Day on the way it has reminded me how I enjoy cooking yummy things for the people I love. Here is my first Valentines recipe that is ideal for breakfast/brunch in bed or as an appetizer or light supper.

Sunchoke (Jerusalem Artichoke) Soup with Thyme and Balsamic Onions

Happy New Year and best wishes for 2012. Sorry it is a bit late but hopefully everybody has enjoyed the holidays. I thought I would kick the year off with a rich, velvety vegetable soup that is perfect for a warming lunch but low calorie, dairy free, gluten free and vegan for anyone with good intentions for the new year. If you haven't tried Jerusalem artichokes before then I really do urge you to try them as they add a really nice nutty flavor to mashed potato or can be roasted or even eaten raw in salads. They do, however, have a bad reputation for making things a bit windy so I don't recommend eating them before a job interview, hot date, or anytime you need to sit quietly! By mixing them with potatoes helps to reduce the amount you eat and hence the after effects. Hopefully this won't put you all off this recipe as I admit that I haven't exactly sold this one to you. But trust me this really is a tasty, hearty and seasonal soup.

Christmas Menu of Wild Rice Stuffed Squash, Cider Braised Red Cabbage & Gluten and Dairy Free Bread Sauce

I know it is a bit late in the day but I thought I would finally get around to posting about our Christmas dinner dishes. This is more of a theoretical exercise as we are going to my other half's family on Christmas day. So here is my virtual Christmas day menu.  Below are links to recipes I would use followed by my recipes for wild rice stuffing for the squash, braised red cabbage and bread sauce.

Maple Glazed Turkey for the meat eaters

Stuffed Squash for the veggies or Parsnip, Cranberry & Chestnut Loaf

Wild Rice Stuffing

Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasted Green Beans with Lemon & Garlic

Cider Braised Red Cabbage

Gravy, Cranberry Sauce & Bread Sauce 

Followed by 

Christmas Pudding & Brandy Butter

Quite a bit of it could be made in advance and reheated on the day for an easy relaxed Christmas morning in the kitchen. The day before I would make the wild rice stuffing up until the point where you put it in the oven, I would also make the red cabbage to be reheated in a crockpot or in a pan the next day. I would also steep the milk with the onion, bay leaves and cloves overnight. A family tradition is to all help to peel and cut up our root vegetables the night before which are then left in cold water overnight until needed the next day. Yes you will lose some of the water soluble vitamins but for one day does it really matter? If you do all this the hopefully, apart from the turkey cooking in the oven, everything else can be done in the hour leading up to serving.

 Merry Christmas everybody!

Dairy Free Brandy 'Butter'

Brandy butter is great on warm mince pies and is must for melting over you Christmas pudding, well this is all true if you are my other half who spoons bucket loads of the stuff over any Christmas dessert and, annoyingly never puts on a pound. As he cannot be trusted to leave well alone from dairy if it is in the form of brandy butter or cheese I decided to make a dairy free version in an attempt to save him from himself. It works really well with the vegan and dairy free sunflower oil based margarine I use. If you can have butter then just substitute in unsalted butter and make sure it is at room temperature so that the sugar and brandy can easily be combined with it. 

Pan Veggity

Pan Haggerty is a classic north of England dish, a rich layered potato, onion and cheese gratin style dish that is cooked on the top of the stove rather than in the oven. The potatoes and onion absorb the stock and become wonderfully rich and tasty. It is amazing how such simple ingredients come together to make a great dish. This version of the dish came about following a glut of veggies from my mum and dad's allotment. It has a variety of root vegetables and some runner beans which all help towards your 5 a day. It is great sprinkled with some cheese, particularly a strong cheddar or goats cheese or, for any meat eaters, crispy bacon but to be honest I mostly make it vegan and dairy free to fully appreciate all the different vegetable tastes. This can be the main attraction in a meal or used as an all in one side dish. 

Gluten Free Christmas Pudding

My other half is a big fan of Christmas pudding and after two years in Singapore with not a pudding in sight, not that you want to eat something so heavy in the hot weather, I thought it was time to rectify the issue for this coming Christmas. Traditionally Christmas pudding and mincemeat is made on the last Sunday before advent so that there is time to feed the pudding and allow the flavors to develop. As next Sunday is Stir Up Sunday I thought I would post this potentially gluten and dairy free and vegetarian recipe so that anyone who wants to can have a go at making it. Just don't forget to get everyone in the family have a go stirring the pudding and making a wish as is traditional. The recipe I have used is a Rachel Allen recipe that I have amended slightly. As with all Christmas puddings this is time intensive but apart from making sure the pudding doesn't boil dry then it easy and doesn't need you to watch it constantly. Serve with brandy 'butter'.

Baked Apple with Tea Infused Dried Fruit

I had been making bara brith, a welsh tea bread for my partner's snack lunches when I found myself with too much dried fruit soaked in tea so I decided to stuff it into an apple and bake it with some brown sugar and nuts. An easy peasy autumnal dessert which is also very quick to make in the microwave  Cooked in the microwave they aren't as pretty and are more inclined to slump like the one below though but hey dessert doesn't always have to be pretty.

Spiced Pickled Onion and Beetroot in Vinaigrette

My mum and dad have had a very productive summer in the allotment and my mum has been busy preserving some of their produce. These yummy spiced red onions are made from a Use Real Butter recipe which is amazing. They have a much more interesting taste than the often ridiculously sharp large pickled onions you get in store. I think jars of this would make a wonderful present and it is a great way to use up a glut of red onions. I also made some 'pickled beetroots' which are marinaded in a sweet spicy vinaigrette as I didn't want to just repost someone elses recipe although if just one more person tries these onions because of me it will definitely be worth my time posting this. Both these recipes are great for impatient people like myself as both can be eaten as soon as they are made. These recipes are wonderful with bread and cheese or cold meat. 

 

Vegan Chocolate Fork Cookies

Having posted a number of gluten free desserts I have realised that most of them are not suitable for vegans. I thought it was time that I rectified this by providing a recipe that is yummy and vegan. I haven't been able to make a satisfactory vegan and gluten free recipe as I find an egg very helpful to bind it altogether. I am going to have a go with egg replacer and hopefully I will be able to post a vegan and gluten free cookie recipe in the near future.

This is a great basic cookie recipe (or biscuit as we call them in the UK) which can be whipped up in a jiffy for any unexpected guests or just to help cure midnight munchies. However, I should probably warn everyone that once you have learnt how easy and quick it is to make these biscuits from store cupboard standbys there will be nothing to stop you fulfilling your cravings within half an hour. Consider yourself warned and I accept no responsibilty for the impact this may have on your waistline!

Parsnip and Apple Slaw

I can honestly say that I didn't think that I liked coleslaw until my mum made homemade coleslaw when we first bought a food processor. Homemade coleslaw really tastes so much better than the insipid and soggy vegetables swamped in mayo that you often get in stores. If you have a food processor it really is so easy and quick to make coleslaw and you can vary the flavor any way you like really. Some of my favorite versions include thinnly sliced kohl rabi instead of cabbage, using lots of carrots and adding a good dash of curry powder in the mayo or how about chopped jalapeno peppers, fresh cilantro and a squeeze lime for a spicy version. I often make a big batch to take to a bbq or picnic and I have never had to take any home with me afterwards. You can use a vegan mayo for this recipe if you require it to be dairy or egg free and as not much mayo is needed for this recipe it makes little different to the texture or flavor of this coleslaw.

Dairy Free Sweet Potato Topped Fish Pie

Ok so this is my first purely non vegetarian recipe where I am not providing a meatless version. However, I promise that the next recipe that I do will be vegan just to make up for this one. Non meat eaters should look away now!

I made this fish pie for J as he used to love a classic fish pie when he could eat dairy but a rich white sauce with a cheesy potato topping really isn't going to cut it in these dairy free days. So I made this fish pie with a veggie packed wine and herb sauce and topped it with sweet potato instead which really isn't too bad and J never feels like he is missing out. Well it isn't as rich as a classic fish pie but is a little bit healthier and lighter. 

Spiced Elderberry Cordial

The season seems to be turning now with the occasional nip in the air and the trees and hedgerows are laden with autumn fruit. This drink is most definitely an autumn delight which is packed with vitamin C to help fight off the colds that are so often rife as this time of year.

This recipe is based on one I found in this months Country File magazine with some extra spices and less sugar added than the original. Don't be surprised if it smells like Christmas in your house after making this. It is very easy to make and you can also pick a double batch and freeze half the elderberries to make a second batch later in the year, just remember to leave plenty of fruit on the trees for all the local birds and animals. I foraged for these elderberries from some local hedgerows. In the UK elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are common all over on scrubby areas and in hedges. If you cannot get elderberries you could always try this recipe with blackcurrants or blackberries instead.

Calm Down London- Gluten Free Camomile & Courgette Cake

Well, it has been a crazy month but we are now back in London just in time for some riots and looting! No one here can quite believe the anarchy that our beloved city descended into. Not sure what the future holds for the UK at the moment but we definitely know that we are not in safe and comfortable Singapore anymore. I am definitely regretting my occasional rants that Singapore didn't have enough edge to it. Now London has so much edge that people are hurting themselves and others.

With so much stress and angst I thought it might be nice to make Harry Eastwood's Courgette and Camomile cupcakes from her Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache book. What could be more summery and calming than these little lovelies. Unfortunately, as we are staying in temporary accommodation with a lovely but not well equipped kitchen, I have no muffin or cupcake tins. I thought that I would break one of Harry's cardinal sins and make the recipe as a cake instead as I figured that even if the texture wasn't as good as her cupcakes, a half decent cake is better than no cake at all! And the texture was great, well risen and moist but I guess the cupcakes would be even lighter and fluffier. You could do either I guess but the book advises that this recipe makes 12 cupcakes. I have only given weight measurements rather than cups to ensure a good texture as this isn't your normal kind of cake recipe as it has no oil or margarine in it which makes it more important to get measurements right.

I am proud of all the Londoners out there who came together to help clean up the mess left and who are trying to work together help protect their communities. So lets all sit back, make a cup of tea and enjoy these soothing little cakes and for hope for a return to little normality in the world.

Raspberry & Almond Sponge Cake and other ideas for using up almond meal

This recipe is otherwise known as- what to do with all the almond meal that you have left over after making almond milk. This recipe is supposedly from a country living magazine but I cannot find the official recipe. This recipe was made for my mum by the owner of Huntinghall when my parents stayed in their eco-friendly self catering cottages and the recipe has since been passed around. If you ever need somewhere to stay in Northumberland you couldn't pick a better place. 

This recipe makes a kind of fluffy gluten free victoria sponge cake. The recipe is for a 20cm cake but I decided to make miniature versions. Unfortunately as you can see from the photos these did not turn out so well as they refused to come out of the muffin tins cleanly. I would recommend making this in a greased and lined cake tin instead or in individual muffin/cupcake cases.  I almost didn't post these cakes as they were decidedly unphotogenic but as they taste pretty good I thought I should show some love to they little uglies. As Eeyore says "Weeds are flowers too once you get to know them." The cake has a bad habit of sinking a little in the middle. If this happens don't despair just fill the dip with fresh fruit and no one will be any the wiser! If you want to make a larger cake for entertaining, double the ingredients, split between two 20cm cake tins and use the filling between the two cakes.

What else have I been using my almond meal for? Here are some ideas, some my own and some which I have found and linked to. The almond meal freezes well in sealed freezer bags and can be defrosted before use so there is no panic on using it up. If you are not freezing make sure to keep sealed and labeled in the refrigerator.  You can add a spoonful to smoothies, add to banana bread and cakes, use as a topping for baked pasta dishes instead of breadcrumbs, use in a gluten free bakewell tart, as a body or face scrub,  add it to curries such as this korma recipe, make into cereal or pancakes or use when making pesto. Hopefully this gives you some ideas as to what to do with all the fluffy goodness that get left after making almond milk.

Potato, Pea and Rosemary Soup

I love frozen peas. I regularly eat them straight from the freezer as a snack. Slightly weird, I know, but don't knock it until you try it. The thing that I really like about this soup is that it reminds me of a roast dinner but is a lighter and summery way to get these flavors. I picked rosemary as the herb for this purely because I had it in my fridge but you could use a handful of mint, add at the end of cooking for a fresher and zesty soup. This soup has only a subtle pea taste that adds a sweetness to the soup. If you would rather have a stronger pea taste then reduce the potatoes by 100g and replace with 150g peas.

Gluten Free Lemon Pudding with Black Pepper Strawberries

This pudding is basically strawberries marinated with sugar and black pepper and sandwiched between two thin lemony sponges. This is a real summery dish which makes me think of bbqs and sunny afternoons in the park. Serve with cream or a dairy free cream substitute. If you have a thick cream you could mix the strawberries with it before sandwiching between the sponges. Now all you need is a sunny day with beautiful blue skies and a gentle breeze to chase the clouds and mental cobwebs away.In fact I think I have posted this a month too early and I should have waited for Wimbledon to start before sharing this recipe. 

Vegetarian Scotch Eggs

The scotch egg, for those who haven't grown up with this snack, is a hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, breadcrumbed and then deep fried. It is traditionally eaten cold at picnics, in a packed lunch or as finger food at parties and I think it is delicious with Heinz salad cream.

In recent history the scotch egg had become a sad orange-crumbed shadow of its former self that could be found in supermarkets, motorway service stations and corner shops to satisfy the hungry & desperate. However, I am glad to report that over the last couple of years there has been something of a renaissance for the lowly scotch egg with artisan varieties to be found at delicatessens, country fairs and food shows. Yippee, is all I can say. It is about time that this dish got a makeover.

This recipe is a basic vegetarian version made with beans instead of sausage meat but once you have mastered the basic technique you can have a go at making some different flavoured ones. How about adding hoisin sauce and spring onions or curry paste and fresh coriander or sundried tomatos and thyme. Or how about changing the standard chicken egg for duck eggs for a real yolky treat or quails eggs for hors d'oeuvre sized scotch eggs. There really is no end to the possibilities for homemade scotch eggs.

This dish can be gluten free by ensuring the seasonings (e.g. stock/boulion & mustard) are gluten free and that the flour and breadcrumbs are substituted for gluten free versions. If you cannot get hold of  gluten free breadcrumbs you can make your own with gluten free bread or rolls blitzed in the food processor and gently baked in the oven until crisp.

Vegetarian Beer Battered 'Fish' & Chips

With the Royal Wedding putting the UK into the spotlight as well as a reminder of our recent trip to New Zealand where fish and chips is a considered a national dish I thought I would have a go at a vegetarian version of this traditional dish. I used slices of Halloumi cheese as an alternative to fish although you could use tofu instead as a vegan/dairy free alternative and use vegan mayo for the aioli. I made halloumi fish for me and beer battered snapper for my OH so if you can eat fish feel free to use this recipe with any chunky white fish. You can also make a gluten free batter with sparkling water or a gluten free beer and substitute plain flour for a gluten free one. I have included variations of the recipe in italics next to the recipe where the recipe need changing to accommodate gluten free 

I served this dish with simple sweet potato chips, herby peas and lemon aioli -yummy. Just makes sure you leave enough space for this filling dish!