Sultana Scones

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For a perfect afternoon tea. These scones served while still warm with strawberry jam & clotted cream cannot be beaten. Omit the sultanas if you prefer a plain scone or add any other dried fruit that you prefer to the basic scone dough .

to make about 20 2" scones

400g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
(sift these dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl)
3 tbsp caster sugar
80g soft butter
2 beaten eggs
80 gms sultanas
enough milk to form a soft but not wet dough
an egg yolk with a tbsp water whisked in for the egg wash glaze

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, mix in the sugar
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and enough milk to make a soft but not wet dough
Handle it as lightly as you can or it can become rubbery if overworked and bring together to form a ball.
Roll lightly to about 1" thick and cut into rounds using a 2" cutter.
Place on a greased oven tray
Brush with a little egg wash
Bake in a hot oven 220c/ 425f/gas 7 for around 12-15 mins until they are well risen & golden brown
Leave to cool on a wire rack
Best eaten when still warm with strawberry jam & clotted cream

Scone (Cobbler) Ring

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This is a savoury version of my Scone Ring. I suppose you could call it an upside-down Cobbler where the base is baked first and then topped with what ever takes your fancy. It can be used for hot & cold fillings. A sweet version filled with lemon curd & raspberries with swirls of lightly whipped cream would be fabulous for a dessert. My friend Jo Wheatley suggested that it could be filled with a ploughman's lunch, ham, cheese & pickles now wouldn't that be fabulous.

I filled this one with sauteed leeks & mushrooms, strips of seasoned chicken that I quickly fried until almost cooked, and  sweet baby tomatoes. I sprinkled over lots of Parmesan and popped it back into a hot oven for 5 minutes until everything was piping hot.

Here's how I made it

For the savoury scone mix

400g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
(sift these dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl)
80g soft butter
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
enough milk to form a soft but not wet dough
an egg yolk with a tbsp water whisked in for the egg wash glaze

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, mix in the chives
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and enough milk to make a soft but not wet dough
Handle it as lightly as you can or it can become rubbery if overworked and bring together to form a ball.

Half the dough

form the first half into a disc around 8/9" round and place on a greased oven tray
roll out the other half to about the thickness of a £1 coin and cut into 2" rounds.
I made around 14 .
Wet the edge of the ring with the egg wash
Place slightly overlapping rounds of scone equally around the edge
Brush the top with egg wash
Bake near the top a hot oven 220c/425f/gas 7 for around 12 minutes until cooked through & golden brown.
Remove from the oven and either leave it to cool completely or fill it straight away if serving hot and pop back in the oven until everything is piping hot and serve immediately.

If you want to make a sweet version.
omit the salt, pepper and chives
add 3 tbsp caster sugar to the mix after you've rubbed in the butter.

I will make a sweet version and add it to this post soon.

Sweet Potato Curry with Nigella Seeds

Perfect for Vegetarian alternative for a curry night. This sweet potato curry is also a great side dish for your Indian Banquet as an alternative to Bombay Potatoes.  We had this lovely dish with a really hot & spicy Beef Madras, steamed rice, lime pickle & lots of Naan to mop up all the sauces.

Ingredients to serve 3/4 portions or more  as a side dish

1lb/ 450g of sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into large dice
2  onions diced
2 chillies red or green (De seeded) finely chopped
Fresh Coriander (cilantro) around 2tbsp chopped
a spring onion to garnish chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
lemon juice to finish

The spices

5 curry leaves

½ tsp of each of the following spices
dried red chilli flakes (optional)
powdered cumin
turmeric
black onion seeds
fennel seeds
mustard seeds
Nigella seeds ( toasted & reserved to sprinkle over)

Par boil the sweet potatoes in salted water for around 8 mins until starting to go tender
Add the oil to a frying pan, heat till very hot add the curry leaves & chilli flakes and cook very quickly to a golden brown, turn down the heat  
Add the chopped onions, fresh chillies, fresh coriander and all the other spices.
Cook on a medium heat until the onions are soft
Add the par boiled sweet potatoes with a 3/4 tbsp of water
Turn the heat to it's lowest setting and continue cooking for around 10 minutes.
Turn out onto a serving dish, squeeze a little lemon juice over & scatter over the spring onions & toasted Nigella seeds.









 

Chocolate Gypsy Creams

Now here's a recipe that takes me straight back to the 1970's when I just couldn't get enough of the damn things. Perfect biccie to dunk in your tea, crumbly, oatie and that lovely buttercream that would melt as it warmed up in your cuppa. Hope you try them and enjoy them as much as we have. Really easy to make as the biscuits are prepared in a saucepan. The recipe will make around 12. I'd double it if I were you as they won't last long, these disappeared within a couple of hours.

If you prefer to measure rather than weigh click here Easy Conversion Chart

biscuit ingredients to make 12

100g/ 4 oz butter
3 level tbsp golden syrup ( use dark corn syrup if not available)
50g/2oz sugar
50g/2oz porridge oats
10g/½oz cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate)
175g/6oz flour

buttercream ingredients

150g/5oz icing sugar
50g/2oz softened butter
1tbsp milk or cream
50g/2oz melted dark chocolate

method

Pre-heat the oven to 170c/325f/gas3
brush oil onto 3 baking trays

In a large saucepan place the butter, syrup & sugar and gently melt them together
Sift the flour with the cocoa
Add the oats & flour mix to the pan and mix well together
Leave to cool slightly
Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls with your hands,
you will need 24 for 12 biscuits
Place on the oiled baking sheets leaving lots of room between each biscuit
Flatten the balls slightly with the back of a fork.
Bake for approximately 20 mins until baked through.
Leave on the trays until completely cold before removing with a pallette knife.

While they are baking make the filling

just beat all the ingredients together using a hand held electric whisk

Sandwich two biscuits together, dust with a little icing sugar and enjoy.

Stir Fry Chicken with Pineapple, Peppers & Courgettes, Basmati Rice & Black Onion Seeds

A great recipe to use up that left over chicken, pork or beef.

To serve 2
250g cooked chicken breast diced
a quarter of a fresh pineapple, peeled & woody stem removed. Diced

1 medium sized red pepper deseeded & sliced
1 " " yellow " " "
1 medium onion finely sliced
1 inch fresh ginger grated
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 medium courgette (Zucchini) sliced into fingers
half a bunch of spring onions sliced on the diagonal. (including the green parts)
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2 tsps good oil (I use cold pressed rapeseed)
1.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 heaped teaspoon 5 spice seasoning
half a cup of chicken stock
1tbsp Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing) or dry sherry (optional)
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp tomato puree or even ketchup
seasoning if needed
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1 cup Basmati Rice soaked in cold water then rinsed
2 cups of boiling water
1 tsp salt
Kalongi Black Onion seeds to sprinkle (optional)
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In a pan cover the rice with the boiling water & salt
Cover, bring to the boil, cook for 1 minute only & turn off the heat.
Do not remove the lid.
Leave to stand for around 10 mins
Drain & fluff the rice before serving
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in a small dish mix together the cornflour, soy, 5 spice, tomato puree & stock & rice wine if using.
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Heat the oil in a hot wok or frying pan. Keep the heat on high throughout.
Add the sliced onions & peppers toss around
add the garlic & ginger
Add the courgettes " "
add the pineapple " "
Add the chicken & spring onions then immediately add the cornflour/stock mix
Quickly bring to the boil and it's ready to serve.
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The whole process should only take a matter of around 5-7 minutes. Quick cooking is essential to keep everything crisp & fresh.
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Serve the Rice sprinkled with a few Kalongi Seeds to add a tasty crunch to it.