Mushroom Stroganoff

There are a million and one recipes for mushroon strog on the 'net, so why post another? Because out of all the ones I've used, this is the one I've adapted that works for me, and I'm going to forget it or lose the scrap of paper I've scribbled it on unless I post it up here.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and sliced
• olive oil
• butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 200g chestnut mushrooms
• small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tbsp brandy or splash of wine
• 150g creme fraiche, or 4fl oz double cream & a squirt of lemon juice

Method:

1. Cook the onions slowly in a half-tablespoon of olive oil and a thin slice of butter over a moderate heat, until soft, pale gold and translucent.
2. Peel and chop the garlic and stir in, together with the paprika, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Tip the onion into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cut the mushrooms into manageable sizes. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan. Add the mushrooms and let them brown.
4. When the mushrooms are soft and browned, return the cooked onions to the pan and add the parsley, roughly chopped, the brandy or wine, and a decent grinding of both sea salt and black pepper.
5. Let it all bubble together for a minute, then stir in the creme fraiche or cream. Let the sauce bubble gently until the mixture is hot all the way through.

I like to serve this on grilled slices of parmesan polenta, rather than the usual boring bed of rice.

Serves 2.

Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients:

• 110g Blue poppy seeds
• 225 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 225g butter
• 225g demerara sugar
• 3 eggs separated
• 225g plain wholemeal flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C). Line & grease an 8 inch round tin.
2. Bring the poppy seed to a boil in the milk, then turn off the heat and leave to soak for 25 minutes.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time and beat in thoroughly.
4. Fold in the flour and baking powder. Stir in poppy seeds and milk.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the mixture.
6. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes,until the skewer becomes clean and the centre feels firm.

Courgette Cake

This recipe came to me on a scribbled bit of paper from the friend who'd made it for my birthday. She tells me a Nigella Lawson recipe - it's certainly good!

For the cakes:

• large handful sultanas
• 2 medium - large courgettes, grated using course side of box grater
• 2 large eggs
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 150g caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sandwich tins, greased & lined

For the filling:

• good quality lemon curd with some lime juice to taste

For the icing:

• 200g tub organic cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar, sieved
• juice of 1 lime

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C
2. Grate courgettes.
3. Combine eggs, oil and sugar in bowl.
4. Sieve in flour, bicarb and baking powder and beat until well combined.
5. Stir in courgette and sultanas.
6. Pour into tins and bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and firm to touch.
7. Once cool, sandwich with lemon curd in middle.
8. Spread cream cheese icing on top and firm in fridge if necessary

Cauliflower with Saffron, Pinenuts and Raisins

This recipe is from Moro, The Cookbook. I have it as a main dish; my carnivorous partner likes it as an accompaniment to sausages, meatballs or somethink of that ilk.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• pinch of saffron, infused in - 4 tbsp boiling water
• 3 tbsp pinenuts, lightly toasted
• 75g raisins, soaked in warm water
• sea salt & black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the cauliflower florets in a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil and blanch for 1 min then drain.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook on a low heat, stirring regularly, then drain the onion and keep the oil.
3. In the saucepan reheat the oil and add the florets and the smallest leaves from the cauliflower. Fry until the cauliflower begins to colour, then add the onion, saffron water, pinenuts and drained raisins.
4. Cook for 5 minutes until the water has evaporated then season and serve.

Serves: 4

Honey Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
• 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups wildflower or other medium-colored honey
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Sliced almonds for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or 10-inch tube pan, tapping out the excess flour, and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, spices, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter, oil, and both sugars in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the honey and sour cream all at once and beat until you have a smooth batter. Beat in the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
3. Bake the cake until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool. As soon as the cake is cool enough to handle, press the flaked almonds into the top. Place the cooled cake in an airtight container to ripen for 2 days before serving.

Recipe from Esurientes

Green Omelette with Feta

This is a lovely light snack for two people.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of kale, swiss chard or spring greens, stalks removed and finely shredded
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 150-200g feta cheese, diced
• 100g flour, sieved
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the chopped greens, feta and flour. Season and mix well.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan pour in the mixture. Cook the omlette until both sides are golden brown.

Potato, Leek & Wild Garlic Gratin

I'm fortunately enough to live in an area where wild garlic grows in mad profusion, and am always looking for ways to use it! This is an excellent recipe, and if you don't have access to wild garlic leaves, you can add some chopped cooked bacon to the gratin before you put it in the oven instead.

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 300g leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 50g butter
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large handful wild garlic leaves, sliced (optional)
• 100ml double cream
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the leeks and cook gently until soft. Add the garlic and wild garlic leaves and cook for 5 mins.
2. Season well, add the cream and milk and bring to the boil. Add half the parmesan and check the seasoning. Mix in a bowl with the potato slices, then arrange in an ovenproof dish.
3. Cover with foil and bake at 180ºC for 1 hour, until the potatoes are just cooked. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and return to the oven until browned on the top.

Serves: 4

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables