Recipes

Slice Of Upper Crust Anyone?

Until this last year I had not been an enthusiastic bread maker. But then with lockdown, needs must, and so kneading it was. Also during the warm summer weather the over-heating conservatory was an ideal spot for dough proving.

I was surprised at how well my wholemeal, spelt and kamut loaves turned out.

But with the cooler days, proving was taking longer and the bread never seemed to be ready when I wanted it. Enthusiasm waned. And then I remembered soda bread. Or rather I happened to see an old episode of Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage wherein Ruby Wax, celebrity comedian but non-cook, had been charged to make soda bread. It looked so easy. And so quick. And even through the screen you knew the bread was delicious.

Next came some research. One stumbling block was obtaining a seeming key ingredient – butter milk. It was not to be found in Much Wenlock. Then I discovered natural live yogurt would do instead. Or even milk (dairy or non-dairy) plus a tablespoon of lemon juice or cider vinegar to activate the soda.

Some of the recipes seemed to have too much bicarb. I did not want to be able to taste it. And so here is the recipe I’ve come up with. It takes a few minutes to throw together, and a little over 30 minutes in the oven.

Oven (fan-assisted) 200 C

400 gms of flour: I use 260 gm wholemeal spelt flour and 140 gm of strong white bread flour;

1 very slightly rounded teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda;

1 level teaspoon of sea salt;

300 ml liquid: natural live yogurt:

OR milk (dairy or plant-based) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice/cider vinegar; or a mixture of yogurt and milk and a good squeeze of lemon juice. I’ve also used slightly ‘gone off’ milk.

Mix it all together with a spatula, then shape into a round (not too much fiddling);

Place on floured baking sheet.

THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT:

Slice a deep cross across the top of the loaf.

This may serve 3 purposes:

A) Let out the fairies;

B) Give protection from the devil:

C) Help the loaf to cook evenly.

Cook in a hot oven and check at around 30 mins. The bread is done when a knock on the bottom produces a good hollow sound.

Soda bread is best eaten fresh, but it will keep a couple of days in a cake tin, and it does make the most excellent toast. Delicious with homemade Seville marmalade or wild honey.

For a savoury version: 125 gms of grated strong cheese can be added to this recipe plus some herbs of choice.

Square Up #21

Having My Cake And Eating It ~ That Would Be Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Cake

This year I seem to have started off the zucchini aka courgette season with a glut. I anyway usually slice them into spaghetti strips or noodles to use, seasoned, sprinkled with fresh chopped oregano or coriander, and warmed through with a little oil or butter, instead of pasta. They go well with either tomato or meat based sauces.

But then as the harvest began to multiply beyond the sensible, including exceeding neighbour capacity, my mind wended towards cake. I remembered having a delicious slice of lemon courgette cake last year in a museum cafe. So I did a trawl of recipes on the internet, and adapted a gluten free flour one found at The Pink Rose Bakery into a ground almond-polenta version. In fact I’ve been using ground almonds (and or polenta flour) in most of my cake recipes these days. They give much lighter, moister results.

So this is what I did:

Lemon Zucchini Cake

20 cm/8” deep cake tin, oiled

oven 180 C/160 C fan/350 F

Ingredients

250 gm/ good 8 oz of coarsely grated zucchini/courgette placed in sieve over sink to drain

2 large eggs

125ml/4 fl oz vegetable oil. I used groundnut

150gm/5 oz sugar. I used coconut flower sugar for its slight toffee flavour

112 gm/4 oz polenta flour

112 gm/4oz ground almonds

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence

zest of one unwaxed lemon, though zest of two would not hurt if you like lemon

Method

1. In large bowl beat eggs, oil and sugar together until smooth;

2. Stir into the batter all the other ingredients except the zucchini;

3. Gently squeeze any excess moisture from zucchini and add to the mix, distributing well;

4. Pour into tin and bake for around 45 mins until lightly browned and firm to the touch. I was using a fan oven. Probably wise to check after 30 mins.

5. Cool in tin for 10 mins. Turn out onto rack and sprinkle with coconut flower sugar.

Options: You could drizzle it with icing made with lemon juice and icing sugar, or maybe add a carrot cake topping, although we found the cake sweet enough without. I’m also thinking you could swap the lemon zest for orange zest, and use half a teaspoon of cinnamon in place of the vanilla essence. And I think the cake would be good served with fresh raspberries and creme fraiche. Unfortunately we have now eaten it before I could try out this last suggestion. But never mind. There are plenty more essential ingredients growing at the allotment.

Daily Post Photo Challenge: Satisfaction

Stinking Nanny Anyone?

The shadowy margins of the Linden Walk near my house and the old railway line that runs alongside are presently lit by white-star carpets. Ramsons. Stink Bombs. Stinking Nanny. Londoner’s Lilies. Thank you, Richard Mabey and your Flora Britannica for all these country names for wild garlic.

I know many people loathe the smell of this plant, and it can indeed be overpowering on warm days, but whenever I catch a whiff, it simply inspires me to cook. You can eat the leaves and flowers. On Friday I used them to make a pesto sauce to go with steamed carrots, assorted allotment greens and braised salmon.

This is what I did to make it:

Took a good handful of broken walnuts and lightly toasted them in a little olive oil
Roughly chopped a dozen flower heads and a small bunch of garlic leaves
Tipped all with the walnuts into a food processer
Added more olive oil to cover, salt, black pepper and squeeze of fresh lemon juice and blitzed. More oil can be added according to taste and requirements.

This is good with pasta, or spooned on the top of fresh-made soup, especially broad bean, or the classic pistou. In his Food for Free book Richard Mabey also quotes the sixteenth century writer, John Gerard, who writing in The Herbal (1597) says that in Europe the leaves are used to make a sauce to go with fish, and adds that these may:

very well be eaten in April and May with butter, of such as are of strong constitution, and labouring men.

And what about labouring women, good sir? This particular one has great liking for ramsons. In fact I’m thinking now of using them to lace a homemade tomato sauce. Bon Appétit , and happy foraging.

And please pop over to Jude’s Garden Challenge. This month she wants to see our wild flower photos.

Strawberry & Rhubarb Cordial

This photo did not involve much travel on my part, only a tramp across the field to my allotment where the juicy, chin dribbling strawberry season has just begun. Nor am I being very original since I posted this recipe this time last year. But on the basis that many of you may have missed it, or forgotten it – here it is again. Also since the previous posting I have indeed tested it (several times) with prosecco and can thus confirm that it does beat a bellini hands down. I froze some of the cordial too, and it was still just as delicious in our Christmas cocktails. I also think you could churn it in an ice cream maker and make a delicious sorbet, or turn it into ice lollies or lovely pink ice cubes to drop into champagne. Here it is then:

Strawberry and Rhubarb Cordial

4 sticks of rhubarb chopped

300 gm/10 oz ripe strawberries, hulled and cut in half

320gm/11oz caster sugar

1 litre/1.75 water

juice of 2 lemons

Place the fruit in a heavy based pan, add sugar and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until the fruit begins to soften. Add water and increase the heat slightly. Cook gently for a further 15 minutes until the fruit is completely soft.

Leave to cool then strain through a sieve, pressing the pulp into the syrup. Add lemon juice and store in the fridge. For non-alcoholic moments, dilute with chilled sparkling water, and add a sprig of mint.

Enjoy…

Ailsa’s Travel Challenge: Fresh

Tish Farrell

Writer on the Edge