Celebrate... Burns Night

Well tonight is Burns Night, a night that celebrates the life and works of Scottish poet Robert Burns. I grew up not that far from the Scottish borders, and my family has Scottish heritage, so I guess that's why we often celebrated the night when I was younger - my sister and I even kept up the tradition ourselves after leaving home. There are a few variations on what is eaten for Burns Supper, but it almost always includes a Haggis, served with tatties and neeps. Here however, I'm sharing a traditional boarder region side dish that was a favourite of mine when I was younger. It has a great name and is also a great way of using up left overs. The below instructions are non portion specific, just a rough guide to preparation - you can play about with it to suit you.


Rumbledethumps: Mix cooked shredded onion and cabbage with mashed potato, and plenty of salt, pepper and butter. Place in an oven proof dish with a quality hard cheese (Mull of Kintyre Cheddar is excellent) on top and heat in the oven on 200C until cheese is golden and bubbly.

And that's it. Serve as a side, along with the best Scotch you can get your hands on (my tipple of choice, Glen Morangie). Failing that, go all Glasgow and hoof a bottle of Buckfast into you.

And for an added blend of Scottish Culture, here's a wee video from You Tube of the classic Still Game




Image: Darren Robertson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Courgette Cupcakes with Pistachio and Lime

Adapted from an existing recipe in the Susannah Blake's Cupcake Heaven (see below) I have made a few adjustments to ensure that this is a full vegan recipe, yet still holds together without the addition of an egg. The tangy lime topping is what really makes this an usual cupcake variation.

Image: zmkstudio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Oven 160C, makes 12

Seeds from 3 cardamom pods, crushed
70ml of ground nut oil
50g of caster sugar and 50 g of dark brown sugar
100g of courgette, coarsely grated
50g of chopped pistachio nuts (I do these until a fine, almost breadcrumb like texture in the blender, but chopping will suffice)
120g of self raising flour
Half a teaspoon of baking powder

Mix together crushed seeds, oil and sugar until thick and sandy in texture. Add the courgette and nuts, then sift in the flour and baking powder.

Spoon into paper cases and cook for 20 minutes, checking after 15. Skewer centre of cake to ensure it's done, turn out onto wire rack to cool.

To decorate:

Finely grated zest and juice of two limes
85g of caste sugar
50g of shelled pistachio chopped (more coarsely than for the cupcake mix)

Gradually heat the zest, juice and sugar in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved (rolling the lime under hand for a few seconds before cutting and squeezing makes juicing easier).

Whack the heat right up and boil rapidly for about a minute, before removing from the heat. Allow to cool slightly, stir in the nuts than as it begins to thicken, spool onto the cupcakes.

The original version and other great cupcake recipes can be found in Cupcake Heaven, available via Amazon.

Mushroom and Kale Grain combo.

This vegan recipe is very similar to risotto, but uses Soya milk instead of cows milk, cream or cheese. The key in bringing out the flavours is in the limited selection of ingredients and this needs very little seasoning other than salt and black pepper - so no onion, lemon or vinegar (soy milk tends to have a sharpness that doesn't need these additions). You can use rice, barley or almost any grain cooked to instruction, but for this quick version I've used bulgar wheat, which is generally lower in calories and relatively inexpensive too. You could also serve this as a side dish

Serves 4 as a starter or light lunch

150g of Bulgar Wheat
200g of woodland or chestnut mushrooms, whole or halved.
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed/chopped
300ml unsweetened soya milk
Half a courgette (medium) grated.
Aubergine pesto, two heaped tablespoons (if buying store bought pest, check that it is egg free)

Two large handfuls of kale, chopped
Toasted Sesame Seed or Ground Nut Oil
A sprinkling of mixed sesame and linseed to finish each plate.

In a large pan heat up your oil on moderate heat, add your mushrooms and garlic and stir gently until the mushrooms are soft and browning. At this point you may want to add a little more oil as most of it will have been soaked up.

Rinse your bulgar wheat in a sieve until the water runs clear then add it or partially cooked rice/grain to the pan and stir rapidly for a few minutes, making sure it is fully coated with oil and not sticking to the pan. Add your pesto, courgette and milk, gradually. At this point it will probably look a little greyish, but don't worry, it'll brighten up as the excess oil is combined.

Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, but continue to stir and add the Kale, making sure first that any tough stalks have been trimmed. Keep stirring until the kale is well mixed, shrunken and the mixture is soft and lighter, porridge-like colour. If it seems dry, you can add a little more water or soy milk. Cooking time will vary depending on grain used, but in this case it takes around 7-10 minutes.

Serve in bowls, drizzled with a little oil and sprinkled with the sesame and linseed. Season to taste.

Image: Graham Maddrell / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Which is better pollock or cod? There's only one way to find out...FIGHT!!!

I like Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. Yes he's a bit posh, and some of his rhetoric and ideas can be interpreted as somewhat elitist, but I always get the feeling that he is a genuine, passionate man, who cares about the food issues he champions, albeit with a certain air of naivety (his complete dismay at a mother's insistence on prioritizing low cost over animal welfare in his Chicken Run a few years back did demonstrate more than a little blind spot when relating to people of a limited income).

But he really is at his best when he is pointing out the all round benefits of a sensible relationship between legislators, industry and consumer, which he managed perfectly in last nights Fish Fight on Channel 4. Taking a look at the laws and culture in place with regards to fishing and our appetite for fish, major umbrage was take with the quite frankly shocking amount 'throw back' that current EU species quota results in. 'Throw back' is the return of perfectly consumable dead fish into the sea, that it is illegal to retain and sell once fishermen have reached their monthly limit.

Many fisherman argue that net/haul quotas and limited fishing days would be more effective, meaning that they can keep everything caught, and reduce the amount of time and money spent trawling for allowed species, especially as each trawl results in the capture and waste of the fish that quotas were originally intended to protect. Of course if this was to be applied there may be some danger of overfishing, with fishermen directly targeting waters where more popular and profitable fish are found, but that is where consumer responsibility comes into play.

Cod is a hugely popular fish in restaurants and chippies, and of course supermarkets across the country. However, more responsible selection from consumers, extending their pallet to include other, more sustainable fish, would ensure that the pressure on Cod supplies would be alleviated. It was with mixed feelings that I watched the attempts of River Cottage chef Tim as he tried to introduce oily fish to the chippie menu in the form of a Mackerel Bap. While some costumers were eventually coerced into going against the grain and trying the alternative combo, many were still unswerving in their craving for the traditional dish - this despite a Seafood Choices Alliance study reporting that 79% of European fish consumers state environmental factors in choosing their fishy dish. A change in attitude it seems, may be almost as time consuming as a change in EU law.

There are ways to help though, as always by making an effort at home or when dining out. If you are a fish lover who'd like to adopt a more sustainable and varied diet, Greenpeace UK have an guide that can be obtained either via download or by post by clicking on http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/oceans/forms/order-your-free-fish-guide

If you missed last night's opening episode of the Hugh's Fish Fight is available on 4OD and future episodes will be looking at the global effects of fishing.

Join the fight
http://www.fishfight.net/sign-up


Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Festive Veg

So whether you're a veggie looking for something special for Christmas lunch, or simply want your side dishes to be as interesting as your meat, chances are you'll be looking beyond the bog standard boiled method when it comes to seasonal veg. So I've been having a think about some of the best vegetable dishes in my recipe collection and hopefully some of these will come in handy. Obviously you'll need to measure serving portions to accommodate how many guests you have, but most of these guidelines will suit dishes for 6-10 people. Oven temperatures may also vary depending on what else you have cooking on the day.

Butter steamed carrots with cardamom: Because carrots contain a lot of water, you can easily slow cook them on the hob with a little butter and not much else. If you are slicing your carrots, I'd give them around 45mins on the lowest heat, but if you're using them whole it will take a little longer.

Peel your carrots and chop if preferred. Place them in a non stick pan with a generous knob of butter (or oil if you want), with around 3 cardamom pods per carrot, on the lowest setting. Secure the lid and leave to cook. Every so often stir to ensure that the carrots are well coated and if you are noticing any burning or sticking, add a touch of cold water or more butter. After 40-45 minutes, prick with a knife to ensure they are tender (leave to cook a little longer if not), remove the pods and serve drizzled with the remaining butter.

Braised Red Cabbage with Medjool Dates: The addition of sweet dates to this oven cooked cabbage means that there is no need for any additional sugars. This normally requires slower cooking on a lower heat, but if you have your oven on for other things, you can cook this on the bottom for around 1hour/90 mins.

Thinly slice your red cabbage (around one small cabbage will do, or 3/4 of a large one), stone and slice around 12 dates. Add to a oven proof dish with the rind of one orange, a large cinnamon stick (or one heaped teaspoon of ground cinnamon) and one teaspoon of allspice. Finally add around 50ml of apple juice, or if you prefer apple brandy and one or two knobs or unsalted butter. Mix with your hands to ensure everything is combined, cover and place in the oven. Check after 1 hour that cabbage is soft and fragrant, remove cinnamon stick and serve if done.

Four Cheese Macaroni and Cauliflower Bake: My sister often uses Macaroni to pad out her cauliflower cheese dish when there are a lot of people to cater for, so this can do as a side, or a main. You don't have to use four different cheeses though, so long as you have one soft and one hard cheese you'll be fine. You can also cook this on the hob if you don't have space in the oven.

Cook your cauliflower (one head's worth) and around 150g of macaroni, for ten minutes in salted boiling water. Remove from the heat and drain. Melt around 50g of butter or oil in a pan on medium heat and add 100g or ricotta cheese, 100g of cream cheese and beat quickly with a spoon for a couple of minutes until blended. You may have some lumps but this doesn't matter to much. Add a tablespoon of  cornflower until mixture stiffens, then slowly add some milk (500ml, gradually) to form a roux. Continue to stir until sauce starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and add 100g of crumbly cheese such as Caerphilly or Wensleydale and still. If you find your sauce too thick at this stage add a little more milk or even single cream. Place cauliflower and macaroni in an oven proof dish, poor over sauce, then top with grated cheddar. Cook for 20 mins to half an hour until thick, gooey and bubbling on top. Additional chopped leek added at the oven stage also tastes great.


In a couple of days I'll be posting my tips for some of the best potato dishes

<p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net">Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a></p>

Sugar and Spice and all things nice

If they haven't done so already, bakers around the country will be preparing to make their Christmas Cakes and Pudding in the next week or so (I actually started writing this post about 10 days ago, so most people will have done so by now). Fruit Cakes don't have the appeal they once did, more and more people are replacing traditional wedding cakes for more popular options such as chocolate and carrot cake, while pre-bought puddings and desserts are more likely to appear on the average dining table come Christmas day. But I do like to make my own cake most years, using a recipe my mum's used since the 1970s (I'll admit I've never attempted a pudding myself). However, after the cake is made, I always find myself with a store cupboard full of dry spices that would sit there until the next year, which is silly really, as they can be applied to all sorts of foods and drinks, especially in the run up to Christmas.

Quick Jerk Rub for Chicken and Pork: This speedy blend of Carribean flavours should be rubbed over meat or poultry before going under the grill. You can adjust heat to taste adjusting number of chillies or by choosing to omit the seeds. This is a semi dry rub as it uses mostly powered ingredients, but the addition of scallions, scotch bonnet chillies and fresh garlic gives it a certain level of moisture. The addition of a good glug of sunflower or groundnut oil, and tablespoon of each of tomato puree and dark rum, turns this into good marinade. The marinade should be smeared over the meat at least 4-6 hours before cooking, preferably overnight.

Mix the following together in a pestle and mortar or food processor:

6 scallions, chopped
2-3 Scotch bonnets chillies, seeds inclused
2 garlic gloves chopped
1 table spoon of brown or demerara sugar
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Rub over meat before grilling as directed.


Extra Creamy Eggnog with Irish Mist: A great use of nutmeg and other store spices. Warning: not for kids (makes around 10 glasses, depending on serving).


1 litre of gold top milk
5 whole eggs and 5 yolks
1 vanilla pod
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 stick of cinnamon
5 cloves
500ml of double cream
200 grams of golden caster sugar
600ml of Irish Mist

Gently heat the milk and spices on a low setting in a large pan. In a bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until fluffy, then gradually add to the pan, and turning up the heat to medium, stir briskly for five minutes. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and sieve the mixture to remove the cinnamon, vanilla and cloves.  Stir in the Irish mist and cream. Serve warm in Irish Coffee glasses, garnished with additional nutmeg and some orange rind.

Mulled Lurgan Champagne: Again, not for kids, or for the faint hearted.

2 bottles of Buckfast Tonic Wine
700ml bottle of brandy
700ml of apple juice
300g of brown sugar
1 large orange, halved and pierced generously with cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
15 Cardamom Pods
Contents of 5 capsules of ginseng (optional)
5 Star Anise
Couple of twists of lemon peel

Fire everything into a large pan and heat very slowly on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Ladle out into mugs or glasses over a sieve to avoid bits. Hide car keys, breakables and make sure any outstanding grudges have been settled long in advance.


Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Pumpkin Pie

I've never made pumpkin pie before, but I'll be trying it this year. I've been looking about on the interweb and thought I'd post a few handy links for the basic recipe and variations on the theme, I'll update and let you know when I've actually tried it. Most of the recipes out there come from the US or Canada, so UK/ROI users will need to convert measurements and oven settings. You can do this via this handy tool on food.com

Basic Recipe: Using fresh pumpkin as opposed to mix or canned, from the good people at Pick Your Own.

You'll might also find it handy to check out this step by step Betty's Kitchen video via YouTube, where the comments section includes plenty of tips and answered queries.





Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie from the Baking Pan: Uses canned pumpkin, which I haven't seen in the UK, but should be available from specialist stockists. I love the addition of maple and pecan, which lets face it are a match made in food heaven.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, Cooks.com: For those chocoholics out there, this recipe adds what you surely feel has been missing all the long...chocolate!!!!!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake: For those who aren't pastry lovers, a cheesecake alternative from All Recipes.com, that comes with a high user rating. Bare in mind though that it assumes you have a ready made cheesecake base, so if you're making from scratch you'll have to look up a recipe for that too.