Archive for September, 2008

Banana and blueberry muffins

September 7, 2008 at 12:19 pm · Filed under Baking, Cake, Vegan

I hold my hands up here and admit immediately that this is Wifeshui’s recipe, not mine, but she made these this evening and they were sooooo good that I had to put the method up here.

Ingredients

150g plain white flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
25g light brown sugar
1 egg
150ml milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 banana
a few ounces of blueberry conserve (try to avoid jam, it’s a bit sweet – if you use it, I suggest reducing the sugar content of the muffins slightly)

1. Sieve together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

2. Beat the egg, milk and oil together and fold into the dry ingredients.

3. Mash the banana into the batter as well (if you freeze the banana first and let it thaw overnight, it will mash very easily – it’s a good idea to freeze spare bananas before they go brown, as they can always be used in recipes like this.)

4. Half-fill six muffin cases with the mixture. Place a teaspoon of blueberry conserve on top, then cover with a little more of the batter. Put in a preheated oven at Mk 4 (180 degrees) on the middle shelf, and bake for 30 minutes.

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Broccoli Frittata

September 7, 2008 at 12:17 pm · Filed under Leftovers, Light Lunch

Very, very simple, this one – essentially it’s just a posh omlette. It takes ten minutes and is ideal if you need a quick supper.

Ingredients:

head of broccoli
3-4 waxy potatoes
4 large eggs, beaten
small onion
50g grated cheddar cheese
vegetable oil (for frying)

1. Cut the potatoes into small chunks and boil for three minutes.

2. Drain the potatoes and set aside. Cut the broccoli into florets and blanch in simmering water for about a minute. Drain and set aside.

3. In a deep frying pan, fry the potatoes until golden. Add the onion and the broccoli, and stir to mix. pour the beaten eggs over the top and reduce the heat.

4. Scatter the grated cheese over the top and cook slowly for five or ten minutes until the eggs have set and the cheese has melted. Serve with a bit of salad and maybe some crusty bread.

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Apple, mint and chilli chutney

September 7, 2008 at 12:15 pm · Filed under Preserves, Vegan

Great as an accompaniment to a curry, or with a bit of really strong cheese, this is a simple chutney to create. There’s a lot to be said for the slow, tantalising process of chutney-making, witnessing the lovely tangy, spicy smell infusing the kitchen and stirring the dark and mysterious liquids in the saucepan. It’s a sort of alchemy, whereby perfectly ordinary fruit and veg is converted to delicious preserves, and is best experienced wearing a wizard’s outfit and false beard…

Ingredients:

1 kilo cooking apples, cored, peeled and chopped
400ml white wine vinegar
200ml pickling vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
small piece of root ginger (about 1 cubic centimetre), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
350g brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
bunch of fresh mint, chopped very finely

1. Sterilise your chutney jar by rinsing it in boiling water, then drying it in the oven at Gas Mark 1.

2. Put the apples and vinegar in a saucepan, and bring slowly to the boil.

3. In a dry frying pan, toast the coriander, cumin and peppercorns. Crush them very slightly in a mortar and pestle, but don’t grind them to a powder. Put them into a spice infuser (alternatively you can wrap them in a small muslin bag) with the ginger and chilli flakes.

4. Add the salt and sugar to the pan, along with the infuser. Stir, then simmer (uncovered) until the chutney is thick and gooey, stirry occasionally.

5. Take out the infuser and turn off the heat. Stir in the mint and pour the mixture into your sterilised jar(s). Once cooled somewhat, seal the jars and label them with the date (and also the type of chutney, this can be important if you make other jams and preserves… discovering that you’ve accidently spread your toast with chilli chutney rather than rasperry jam can liven up breakfast considerably.) This will keep for about six months. Once opened, keep in the fridge, and eat it up within two weeks – this will not, I assure you, be very difficult.

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