Chorizo Skillet Supper

This recipe showcases Capellini pasta.    Capellini is not something which I have had a very easy time finding here in the UK actually.

Capellini, or angel hair pasta traditionally cooks in a fraction of the time as regular pastas.  I decided to do an all in one pan dish, with the pasta actually cooking in the sauce.  I thought Capellini would be perfect for this because of it's shorter cooking time.

I used fresh chorizo sausage, which was easily crumbled and gave the sauce a bit of a kick.  Feel free to use the dried version as well.  Both are good.

Some tinned chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained borlotti beans, some frozen peas along with onion, garlic and stock and I had a very delicious entree indeed, and all in one pan.

I like it when I can cut back on the washing up don't you???   All in all it made for a lovely and fairly quick supper.  A scattering of grated cheddar on top and we were good to go.  The pasta worked very well and the whole dish was very tasty and colourful.  A pleaser all round!

*Chorizo Skillet Supper*

Serves 6 to 8

Printable Recipe 

A quick and simple supper that is not only easy to make but quite, quite delicious! 

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces if it is the dried chorizo, skins removed and crumbled if it is the raw sausage like chorizo

1 TBS olive oil

340g of capellini pasta (12 ounces angel hair) or thin spaghetti, broken in half

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped (or to taste)

1 (400g) tin of beans (black bean preferred, or your favourite will do) drained and rinsed.  (15 1/2ounces)

1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes in juice, undrained (14.5 ounces)

675ml of chicken stock (3 cups)

1 TBS dried oregano

a coffee mug of frozen petit pois

120g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil.  Heat and then crumble in the chorizo.  Cook for 3 to five minutes, until golden Scoop out and set aside.  Reduce the heat to medium.   Add the pasta and cook in the drippings for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta begins to toast.   Remove and set aside with the sausage.  Add the onions and garlic to the drippings.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to soften and very fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano.  Return the  pasta and sausage to the pan.   Stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 to ten minutes, until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Stir in the frozen peas and heat through.   Season to taste.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

Award Nomination

I am dead chuffed to report that my blog has been nominated for a Best Blog from Abroad award on  The Kitchn.   I wasn't going to say anything, but then I thought I should be happy about that and anyone who was nominated would be asking people to vote for them, so here's my begging bowl being put out there.  If you like what you see here, please vote for me!  Thank you so very much.  Not quite the Academy Awards, but it will have to do!

Now THAT'S what I call a Baked Potato!

It's no secret.  I love, LOVE potatoes.  Low carb doesn't work for me.  I cannot live without potatoes.  It's as simple as that.  They are my favourite vegetable.   I love them any way I can get them . . . boiled, mashed, steamed, fried . . . but my favourite of all is BAKED!  I just adore baked, or jacket potatoes as they are sometimes called.  In fact my very first meal here in the UK back in 2000 was a jacket potato topped with cheese at a little cafe in Euston station whilst we were waiting to catch our train up here to Chester.  

So as you can imagine I was thrilled when the Bannisters' Farm people asked me if I would like to try some of their frozen potato products.  I am no stranger to the 4 ready baked potatoes packet.  I've been buying them regularly since I first spied them in the shops a couple of years ago.  I just adore them.   You can have one baked and on the table in 6 minutes, which is pretty handy, but if you are like me, you wil love, LOVE them baked in the oven until the skin gets all crispy (the skin is the best part of a baked potato in my opinion).

From their page:

 4 Ready Baked Potatoes

Cross cut and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

A perfectly baked potato which can be taken out of the freezer and microwaved in a few minutes to give that deliciously traditional baked potato taste.
Our Baked Potatoes are the perfect staple for your freezer – fabulous for a meal for one with some beans, some chilli left over from entertaining friends at the weekend or as an accompaniment to a good old roast chicken and some steamed vegetables to ensure that your family have had a great hearty meal, rich in fibre, low in fat and highly nutritious.

• Traditionally Oven baked
• No nasties added
• Gluten Free
• No added Salt
• Suitable for vegetarians

You can have them on the table in six minutes if you use the microwave and 35 if you use the oven.

 

Fresh out of the oven . . . looking so tasty.  I can't wait to dig my fork in . . . .



Just perfect.  Nice and fluffy inside.   Nice and crisp on the outside.  To me that is the perfect canvas.   One that you can paint on with whatever your little heart desires.    Baked beans . . . cheese . . . baked beans and cheese . . . tuna mayonnaise . . . chili con carne,  curry chicken . . . I can't think of anything savoury that would not go on a baked potato.   Heck, even just sour cream, chopped chives and a bit of salt and pepper is fab . . . add crumbled bacon and I am in heaven!



The other day I had some leftover baked ham and so I used my mom's barbeque sauce recipe, added a tin of pineapple chunks and we had that ladled over the potatoes . . .

 

A bit of grated cheddar and it was just gorgeous . . . fluffy potatoes, crisp skins . . . salty ham . . .



that tangy spicy sauce, with a hint of sweet from the pineapple . . . that gooey rich cheese, melting down into all of that tastiness . . .

What's not to love about that????   (This sauce recipe is one of THE many recipes included in my Recipes to Keep Cookbooklet.  Check it out under the Cookbooklets heading above.)

 

*Mom's Barbeque Sauce*

makes about 3 cups

Printable Recipe    

This is the barbeque sauce my mom has always made.  We always loved it when she would cut up leftover ham into cubes and then bake them in this sauce in the oven.   We would have it with rice and it was really, really good.  You can also add a tin of pineapple chunks, replacing some of the water in the sauce with the juice from the pineapple  That's really good too!  If you do the ham thing, it's really tasty spooned onto a baked potato.  Hot dogs are good in this as well, ,chicke, pork.  It's good with most things! 

225ml tomato ketchup (1 cup)
450ml water (2 cups)
(I used less than that most times, about 1 1/2 cups)
60ml cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
60ml Worcestershire sauce (1/4 cup)
50g of soft light brown sugar
(1/4 cup packed)
(I like a bit more than this.  taste and adjust as desired)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp salt few drops Tabasco sauce
Mom's notes:  I add some soy sauce, chopped or minced onion, chopped celery and a bit of oregano 

 

Basically you just mix together all of the ingredients and pour them over some spareribs, chicken, ham, or whatever in a casserole with a lid, cover tighty and bake in a slow oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  (160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3)


They also sent me a package of their Littl'uns, same as the bigger ones, except smaller, just right for pint sized appetites.  Only 88 calories a piece, they're great for when you want just a taste of potato and don't want to go whole hog!  Or for those wee ones in the house who aren't quite up to eating a large baked potato.   Just perfect in only 3 minutes in the microwave.



Also included were these tasty Potato Skins, baked and filled with Cheese and Jalapeno

From their page:

Our baked potato skins are best cooked in the oven. But if you can't wait for 20 minutes, then you can use your microwave instead. They'll be a little less crispy, but still equally tasty. These are simply fantastic cooked on your barbeque too, particularly as a starter while your friends wait for the rest to cook! 

I confess I am no stranger to these either.  LLLLLUVERLY.  Not too spicy.  Just right.

To find out more about the Banister's Farm potato products check out their page.

Follow them on Facebook
Check out their tasty recipes. 

The Bannister's Farm potatoe products are available at most of the main supermarkets here in the UK.. 

In all honesty, I feel they are superior to the other frozen ones on offer in the shops.  Seriously.  Two thumbs up from the Rayner Family.  Closest to homemade you can find, in a fraction of the time that it would take to do from scratch.  Many thanks for sending me these to review.

Note - Although I was sent products free of charge to try out, my opinions are honest and my own.

Itty Bitty Raspberry Tartlettes

We hold a special fondness in this house for anything with jam in it.  We both love jam and one can often find us  on lazy days having nothing but bread and jam for our supper.   We are happy with that.  

 
"I wish I was a poet like the men that write in books
The poems that we have to learn on valleys, hills an' brooks;
I'd write of things that children like an' know an' understand,
An' when the kids recited them the folks would call them grand.
If I'd been born a Whittier, instead of what I am,
I'd write a poem now about a piece of bread an' jam."
~Edgar Guest



I know, the recipe below says Raspberry Jam Bars, and you can certainly cut them into bars if you wish . . .  but . . . if you cut them with a little round cutter, they become tartlettes. I think tartlettes look much tastier than squares, don't you?



Perfect little buttery bites, filled with crunchy oats and toasted almonds, and sweet raspberry jam. A delicious two bite snack, perfection . . . in every way.



Incredibly moreishly scrummy . . . almost too dangerous to be around. Trust me on this . . . but go ahead . . . you know you want to . . . lick the screen . .

Resistance is . . . futile.




*Raspberry Jam Bars*
Makes 16 squares, or 10 tarts
Printable Recipe

140g (1 cup) flour
pinch salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 ounces (8 TBS) unsalted butter at room temperature
85g (1/2 cup) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
50g (1/2 cup) oats
(not instant oats)
50g (1/2 cup) sliced almonds
4 heaped dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Line an 8 inch square baking tin with aluminium foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir this mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in the oats and sliced almonds. Reserve 1.2 cup of this mixture and set it aside. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Dollop the raspberry jam over top and spread it out with a rubber spatula to within 1/2 inch of the sides of the pan all around. Crumble the reserved oat mixture evenly over top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the dough is golden brown and the jam is lightly bubbling. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Use the foil overhang to lift the baked mixture out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife, or using a sharp two inch round cutter, cut it into small round tartlettes.

Triple Chocolate Muffins

 

I confess.  I love chocolate and it doesn't matter what kind of chocolate it is.  Dark, milk . . .   in cakes and cookies . . .  good candy bars, good chocolates . . . pies and puddings.   The only kind I am not fond of is chocolate milk or chocolate ice cream.  I'm not even really fussy on hot chocolate drinks.  I don't know why that is. It is a mystery to me too.



The Toddster of course, he doesn't like chocolate in any form other than chocolate candies or hot chocolate.   I know!  It just ain't human, but I'm not complaining as that always means more brownies for me!!

 

Chocolate Baked goods are notoriously difficult to get a good photograph of.  I don't know why that is.   I apologize for a lack of tasty photos of these fabulously delicious muffins.   No matter how I tried, they just did not want to come out right.  Nevermind . . .



You will just have to take my word for it that they are tasty.  Moist.   Chocolaty.   Stogged full of three kinds of chocolate.  Hard to resist . . . and . . . mine, all . . . mine.   I ain't complaining!

*Triple Chocolate Muffins*

Makes 8 extra large muffins, or 12 regular 

Printable Recipe  

I have just one word for these . . . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . Warm they are divine.  Cold they are bliss.  Maybe a bit too much like dessert to be a muffin, but why quibble.  A rose by any other name and all that.  

6 TBS unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (115g)

2 cups plain flour (280g)

2/3 cup granulated sugar (126.5g)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (37g)

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (296ml)

1 large free range egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks (90g)

1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks (90g)  

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 4.   Butter a muffin tin really well, or line with paper liners.  Set aside. (Don't forget to butter the top of the tin too!)  

Place the butter and one half of the  bittersweet chocolate into a saucepan.   Melt over very low heat, whisking to blend. (Alternately do in a bowl set over simmering water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl not touch the water.)  Remove from the heat and set aside. 

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl.   Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla.  Pour this along with the melted chocolate/butter mixture over top of the dry ingredients.  Stir just to combine.  Fold in all of the chocolates.  Divide the batter evenly amongst the muffin cups.  They should be at least 2/3 full.    

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean.  Don't over-bake.  You want them a bit squidgy not dry.  Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

A Valentines Day Feast

Happy Valentines Day to all you lovers out there. I thought it would be fun to show you what my Valentines menu will be for today.  Yes, I do like to spoil my honey on this special day of the year.  There are those who would rather be taken out for a meal, but I am not one of them.  Nothing beats anything I can cook for myself, seriously.  I am not being bold in saying that.   I am not able to afford to go to a really good restaurant, so I make do at home and in all truth we have a much nicer meal than we could buy out.    We would rather spend any extra cash on going to a film or something like that.

So here you go . . . my Valentines Menu for February 14th, 2014.

Breakfast will be Sweetheart's French Vanilla Eggy Bread.   Heart shaped French Toast, served with crisp bacon and real Maple syrup.  I don't think he will complain! 

 

*Sweetheart's French Vanilla Eggy Bread*

Serves 4 

Printable Recipe

This is a real favourite for kids and lovers and friends . . . You can leave the slices of bread whole if you wish, but I like to cut out heart shapes for special loved ones. Served in bed on a tray it's a really wonderful way to show someone that you truly care.

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla paste

8 slices of good quality firm white bread

a couple of knobs of unsalted butter as needed

Icing sugar to dust

Syrup to serve

Beat the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla paste together in a large shallow bowl. If you are cutting the bread into shapes do it now.

Heat a large skillet with a heavy bottom over medium high heat. Add a knob of butter and let it melt until it begins to foam. Then reduce the heat to medium. You do not want the butter to burn.

Dip the slices or pieces of bread into the egg mixture coating both sides, and allowing it to soak in a bit. (Not too much or it will be hard to lift without tearing) Place the soaked bread into the heated skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side, only turning once. Remove and keep warm on a plate in a slow oven until you are finished browning each piece.

Serve hot on heated plates with a light dusting of icing sugar and some syrup on the side for pouring. A few rashers of streaky bacon are also good "go withs". 

It will probably be near noon by the time he finishes this so I doubt I will make him any lunch, but I will have something on hand that he can use to hold away the hunger pangs until dinner is served.    I think some of these tasty Ginger Scones will go down a real treat.   I know that they are a particular favourite with him, and with me as they are quick and easy to make, and we both love ginger.

 




  *Gingerbread Scones with a Lemon Glaze*
Makes about 16
Printable Recipe


Delicious scones, with a tender crumb, and a bit of a snap!  The raisins are optional.  So is the chopped candied ginger on top.  Fabulous!

1 ounce butter, softened
55g of soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, firmly packed)
1 large free range egg yolk
375g self raising flour (2 1/2 cups)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
250ml of buttermilk (1 cup)
2 TBS treacle or golden syrup (can use molasses)
a handful of raisins (optional)
Additional buttermilk for tops

For the Lemon Glaze:
160g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
1/2 ounce of butter, melted
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (more if needed)
To decorate some chopped candied ginger or lemon zest(optional)

Preheat the oven to 220*C.425*F/ gas mark 7.  Butter a 9 inch square cake tin.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and egg yolk until light and fluffy, in a large bowl.  Sift the dry ingredients together.  Mix together the buttermilk and the syrup.  Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ,mixture along with the buttermilk mixture.  Use a knife to cut the buttermilk mixture through the flour to make a soft and sticky dough.  (If using raisins add them now.)  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.  Pat out into a 3/4 inch thick round.  Cut with a sharp round 2 inch cutter, tapping straight down and up.  Place the rounds into the baking pan, just barely touching.  Gently knead the scraps and repeat until all are used.  Brush the scones with some additonal buttermilk.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until risen and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Whisk together the ingredients for the lemon glaze until you have a smooth drizzable icing.  You may need more lemon juice to give you the right consistency.  Spoon this glaze over the warm scones and decorate the tops with some candied ginger or lemon zest. 

These scones are best made on the day of serving, although they can be frozen for up to 3 months, unglazed.  Thaw in an oven, wrapped in foil, before glazing.




A romantic Dinner for Two in the early evening prior to show time.   These are my picks for the main and for dessert.  Since the main is a couple of nice steaks, I will be serving some salad and a baked potato on the side.   But first up a delicious soup . . .

This cauliflower soup is a real favourite of the Toddsters.  The simple garnish of sauteed mushrooms and chopped chives makes it look really elegant.

 

*Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

A deliciously rich and creamy soup topped with a beautiful garnish of sliced mushrooms sauteed until golden brown.

1 large cauliflower, about 3 pounds, trimmed and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
fine seasalt and ground white pepper
2 TBS butter
4 TBS olive oil
1 1/4 litre of chicken stock (5 cups)
600ml of full fat milk (2 1/2 cups)
142ml carton of double cream (a very generous 1/2 cup)
250g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (about 1 pound)
freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 TBS chopped fresh chives

Heat the butter and half of the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the cauliflower, potato and onions.  Stir to coat then reduce the heat to low and cover.  Allow to sweat for about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes or so to prevent them from catching and colouring.  Pour in the stock and bring it up to the boil.  Add the milk and gently return to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for a firtjer 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.  Add the cream.   Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and ground white pepper.  Keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet, until very hot.  Add the mushrooms and flash fry until golden brown.  Season with some salt and black pepper to taste. 

Ladle the hot soup into heated soup bowls.  Top each with some of the fried mushrooms and a sprinkle of chives.  Delicious!   



I will cook my steaks according to my most excellent instructions which you can find here.  This is what works for me.  We like our steaks medium rare.  I think it is a sin to cook any steak worth grilling to well done.  In my honest opinion . . . you are ruining it,but to each their own.

I love this stilton butter on steaks.  It's simple to make and yet it melts over the steaks in a delicious sauce that everyone loves.  Steak and stilton are a marriage made in heaven to be sure . . .



*Stilton Butter*
Makes 8 servings
Printable Recipe

This is excellent shaped into logs, chilled and then sliced and serve atop hot grilled steaks!

3 1/2 ounces butter (scant 1/2 cup) at room temp
6 ounces Stilton cheese (11 1/2 TBS), at room temp
4 TBS finely chopped flat leaf parsley
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed (can use less if you prefer not so strong a flavour)
coarse sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients with the exception of the seasoning into a bowl and mash together until well combined.  I like to use a fork for this.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Shape into a log and wrap in wax paper or plastic cling film, twisting the ends to secure.   Chill for at least an hour before use.  Can also be frozen.  Because of the fresh parsley and garlic you cannot keep this much longer than a few days.  Alternately you can use freeze dried parsley and leave out the garlic.



The Toddster is a great lover of old fashioned puddings.  He's not one to drool over a stylish pannacotta or chocolate mousse!  He hates chocolate desserts.  I always cave quite happily to his desires though, as I love a good old fashioned pudding as well.  In this case a delicious Gingered Raspberry and Pear Cobbler.  Served  up with lashings of custard . . .  it's Valentines, why not splurge!  (Note, you can easily cut the recipe in half)



*Gingered Raspberry & Pear Cobbler*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

A delicious combination that will have them coming back for seconds!

1 TBS butter to butter the pan

For the filling:
95g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
2 TBS plus 1 tsp cornflour
pinch of fine seasalt
4 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh or frozen raspberries (2 cups)
1 TBS cold butter, cut into small bits

For the topping:
245g  of plain flour (1 3/4 cup)
4 TBS granulated sugar, divided
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine seasalt
10 TBS cold butter, cut into small bits (5 ounces)
2 ounces candied ginger, chopped (1/3 cup)
165ml plus 1 TBS cold buttermilk, divided  (5.5 fluid ounces plus 1 TBS)

To serve:
Pouring Cream, Custard or Vanilla Bean Ice cream

First make the topping.  Whisk the flour, 3 TBS of the sugar, the baking powder and salt together in a bowl.  Add the butter, and toss to eavenly coat.  Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you get crumbs the size of peas.  Stir in the candied ginger, then pour in the 5.5 fluid ounces of buttermilk, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  The dough should be crumbly with visible pieces of butter.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a 9 inch deep dish pie pan.  Set aside.

Rub the sugar, cornflour and salt (for the filling)  together in a large bowl.  Add the pears and lemon juice.  Toss until evenly coated.  Gently fold in the raspberries.  Transfer to the prepared pan.  Dot with the 1 TBS of butter.

Turn the dough for the topping out onto a lightly floured surface.  Gently press together into a 9 inch circle.  Place carefully on top of the fruit.  Brush with the  1 TBS of buttermilk and sprinkle with the remaining 1 TBS of sugar.

Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 30 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the juices are bubbly and thick.  Allow to cool for half an hour before serving.  Serve with pouring cream, custard or ice cream.  Delicious!

I think that after all that spoiling, the Toddster will be a very happy man and in all truth, when he's happy I am happy too!

Happy Valentines Day to you all!

Cheese and Caraway Sables

 

A few weeks back the people from Barber's 1833 Vintage Cheddar sent me a pack which included everything in it to make Spinach and Cheese Souffles.   I love it when that happens.   I made the soufflees the very next day.  I just could not wait to make them.  Everything was so fresh and looked so good.



I am a very experienced cook as you know.   As I was making them I queried a part of the recipe, which didn't quite look right and I almost  went with my gut feelings and did it the way I thought it should be done . . . but then I thought  to myself, no . . . you need to do this the way "their" recipe says to do it and so that is what I did.



What I ended up with was some very tasty failures as soufflees. They were more like omelettes, and they took twice as long as the recipe stated to bake . . . they were not soufflees.  We ate them anyways, and they were good, but not near what they should have been.

 

I should have gone with my gut instincts and done what I thought in the first place, but live and learn.  I will not give you their recipe as it is in error.  I didn't have any spinach left to do more and had in mind to  buy some more and try again, but I just haven't gotten around to that, so today I picked another recipe from out of their booklet and made these . . .



Cheddar Cheese and Caraway Sables from on the Barber's 1833 Vintage site.   I thought they would make the perfect pre-dinner nibble for Valentine's Dinner.



They turned out beautifully.   The dough was quite sticky.  I ended up freezing it prior to slicing it for baking and that worked perfectly.  I used a very sharp knife.

 

They were crisp, and buttery and filled with lots of beautiful cheese flavours.  Success!   The caraway went very well with the cheddar.   We love these.

*Cheddar Cheese and Caraway Sables*

Makes about 4 dozen

Printable Recipe

A recipe adapted from the Barber's 1933 Vintage Reserve Cheddar site.

100g Barber's 1833 Vintage Reserve Cheddar, grated (3 1/2 ounces)

100g butter, softened (scant 7 TBS)

100g plain flour (16 TBS)

1 medium egg yolk, beaten with 2 TBS cold water

caraway seeds to garnish  

Place the cheese, butter and flour into a food processor and blitz until it forms a dough.  Shape into a roll about 1 1/2inches in diameter. 

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.   Line several baking sheets with baking paper.   Slice the well chilled roll into very thin discs.   Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets.

Brush the tops of each with some of the egg wash and sprinkle with a few caraway seeds.

Bakein the heated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until pale golden brown and slightly puffed.  Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Note:  You can also freeze the dough, wrapped tightly in freezer proof paper.  I was able to cut it quite easily with a sharp knife from a frozen state, and they baked in the same amount of time.   They are so thin that the dough was completely thawed by the time I had sliced, brushed and sprinkled.



The Barber family have been farming and making cheese at Maryland Farm in Somerset since 1833.   It is always matured for a minimum of 24 months.  I do so hope that they are ok with all the flooding that's been going on in Somerset.

I found the  Barber's 1833 Cheddar   to be an exemplar product.It had a lovely flavour, intense, with a delicious depth to it.  It is kind of brittle with a somewhat crunchy texture from little crystals which are scattered throughout.  These are a result of it's long slow aging and only added to this lovely cheese's charm.



I would buy this cheese in a heartbeat!   It was easily one of the best cheddar's I have eaten since coming to the UK, and I have been able to try quite a few different ones.     This was to be perfectly honest . . . simply beautiful.

Honey and Five Spice Chops

   

If there is one thing that the Toddster really loves, it's a good pork chop.  I think out of all the meat on earth he could choose . . . a chop would win for him.  

I admit to not being opposed to eating a nice, tender and juicy pork chop myself.  I prefer the ones on the bone over the boneless ones, with a nice band of fat on the edge.  These are tastier and more tender than the others.  Trust me on this.    

  

These are delightfully moist and spicy . . . and sticky sweet . . . being flavoured with a five spice and honey rub which they marinate in for several hours.   Then they are baked on top of a bed of delicious butternut squash and sweet potatoes.  The two together are bliss.  Seriously scrummy.  

*Honey and Five Spice Chops*
Serves 4

Printable Recipe 

These are moist and sticky and spicy and oh so good.   Seriously scrumdiddlyumptious!  Plan ahead as these need to marinate for a couple of hours before cooking.

3 tsp five spice powder

salt and black pepper

6 TBS clear honey

8 single rib pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)

1 small butternut squash, cut in half,
deseeded, and cut into cubes

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes

a drizzle of olive oil
   

Trim any rind off the chops and slash the fat at half inch intervals with a sharp pair of kitchen scissors. Season the chops lightly with salt and pepper.  Mix together the spice powder and the honey.  Rub this mixture all over the chops.  Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Spray a large baking dish with some cooking spray.  Scatter the cubes of sweet potato and butternut squash on the bottom of the baking dish.   Lay the chops over top.  Roast them in the heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chops are cooked through and golden brown and sticky, and the vegetables are fork tender.  Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.  Divide the vegetables amongst 4 heated plates, placing two chops on top of each serving.