Kurly Kale

Kale comes from the cabbage family and is usually found in two forms: kale, which has smooth leaves, and curly kale, which has crinkly leaves. Bizarrely during the middle ages was the most popular vegetable in England. Since then it's popularity has wained but now it is going through some what of a rival and is found on the plate of every gastro pub in London. It is really delicious but it does need a little bit of smartening up during the cooking process.
For a simple side of Kale here is the recipe:


Ingredients:
Kale
Butter
Garlic / garlic puree


Recipe:
1. Break the leaves from the stalk, and trim away the tough centre stalk. Wash in cold water then dry.
2. Strain the Kale really well making sure to get rid of the excess water.  Add some chopped garlic or garlic puree to the saucepan as well as a small knob of butter. 
3. Return the kale to the saucepan and stir, cooking for another couple of minutes to cook out the garlic. 

Lets go Bananas for Black Banana Bread

I always find myself saying, when I look down at a pair of brown, extremely ripe and squidgey bananas, 'I really should turn you into banana bread', then after contemplating for a couple of seconds I usually sigh and move on. Then a couple of hours later end up throwing the bananas out. However this time, when I heard myself reciting the same old familiar thought whilst staring at a pair I thought 'No, actually today I am going to do it'. And I have, and the bread is delicious, chocolatey and oh so nutty and well worth doing on a Saturday afternoon. Using a recipe taken from my favourite Nigel Slater, I have transformed these banana's into a glorious loaf.


Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz unsalted butter softened
• 175g/6oz sugar (half light muscovado, half golden caster)
• 75g/2½oz hazelnuts/walnuts
• 2 free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz self raising-flour
• 2 very ripe bananas (about 250g/9oz total weight)
• drop vanilla extract
• 175g/6oz good-quality dark (cut into small chucks)
  
  

Recipe:

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20cm x 12cm/8in x 5in loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. 2. Beat the butter and sugars in a bowl until the mixture is light and coffee-coloured (make sure the butter is a room temperature then this stage will be much easier - especially if you don't have a mixer!)
3. 3. Toast the nuts (Which ever you are using) then remove their skins with a tea towel. Then grind.
   
   
   Watch technique0:52 mins
4. 4. Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, then mix in the toasted ground hazelnuts and self-raising flour.
5. 4. Peel the bananas and chop them the small pieces. Gently fold the vanilla extract, the chopped bananas and the chocolate chips into the cake mixture, turning gently and taking care not to over mix.
6. 6. Scoop the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin. Dust with a little demerara sugar or chocolate shavings and bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 minutes, covering the cake with foil if the top starts to darken too quickly
   
   
   Serve: Once cooled cut off a big slice and devour with a lovely cup of tea or in the morning at breakfast, or as a lunch time snack. Really just have it and eat it anywhere - you will find it almost impossible to have only the smallest slither.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Serve: Once cooled, cut off a large slice and devour with a cup of tea. Enjoy it as a mid afternoon snack or in the morning at breakfast, or when you have the midnight munchies, or whenever or wherever you like. I guarantee that you will find it almost impossible to have only a tiny slither of this banana bread. 

The Blog is Back

Once again I am returning to my blog and giving it some much needed attention! Since September I have been throwing myself into my third and final year at University, attempting and successfully (thankfully!) producing a West End production, as well as writing my dissertation so unfortunately my blog has taken a back seat - however I am back with more vigour and energy then ever before. I am going to dust off the cobwebs, pull out the pans and get cooking.

The Vintage Tea Party Book: Review

Angel Adorre first appeared on our screens a few years ago when she took her business 'The Vintage Patisserie' (http://www.vintagepatisserie.co.uk/#/home) onto Dragon's Den - she managed to  walk out with a dragon on each arm and since then her business has grown. And now she hass published her first book, cum cookbook, cum 'how to be a vintage goddess' and it is utterly fabulous. Each page is beautifully illustrated with beautiful watercolours by the friend and artist Adele Mildred.

The book, is as much a cookbook, than it is a step-by-step guide into hosting your own vintage tea party as recipes are intertwined with style and decor ideas, to create the perfect setting. Readers can learn how to make hand made bunting and commemorative flags, how to style their own hair and make-up, and what parlour games to play when guests arrive.

The book is full of recipes to help you create a bespoke tea party from a bygone era,  from earl grey truffles, too chocolate and hazelnut toasted brioche, too coddled eggs, too green tea and pear cocktails, it has every aspect of a frivolous tea party covered.

Blackberry Picking

by Seamus Heaney


Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots
Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
We trekked and picked until the cans were full
Until the tinkling bottom had been covered
With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

What better to way to welcome Autumn, than a blackberry and apple crumble? This recipe is a healthy twist on an apple crumble using freshly picked blackberries, and muesli and nuts for an extra crunchy topping!

Ingredients

Filling

1kg cooking apples

400g blackberries

4oz demerara sugar

1 lemon (squeezed)

Topping

6oz plain Flour

5oz butter

2oz demerara sugar

3oz muesli  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C

2. Peel, core and chop the apples into small chunks. Squeeze the lemon juice over the apples and mix

3. Place the apples and blackberries in a large ceramic dish and pour the sugar over the fruit. Mix them all together

4. Place the flour in a large bowl and then rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs

5. Add the muesli and the sugar to the mix and combine

6. Spoon the crumble topping evenly over the fruit 

7. Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and bubbling juices seep through the topping

8. Serve with cream or custard.

Cherry and Ricotta Strudel

Making your own Filo pastry can be fun but for convenience and less effort I suggest buying Filo Pastry sheets. My favourite is the french brand Feuilles De Filo which is really easy to use. You can use which ever cheese you prefer. I tried the recipe out using both cheeses and they both worked just as well as each other - but I would say if I had to have a preference I would use ricotta - as a treat!

Ingredients

Studel

filo pastry (eight sheets)

melted butter

a handful of flaked almonds

Cherry and Cheese Filling

1 x 250g cream cheese 

OR 

1 x 250g Ricotta

55g caster sugar

1 tbs lemon juice

2 tsp lemon rind

250 g pitted cherries (tinned or fresh)

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C, and line a baking tray with grease proof paper/baking parchment.

2.In a large bowl beat together, the cheese, sugar, juice and rind. Once combined, stir in the pitted cherries and leave to one side.

3.Place the first sheet of Filo pastry on a clean surface and brush with melted butter. Place the next sheet of pastry on top and repeat until you have done all eight sheets.

4.Spoon the cream cheese mixture along a long edge, leaving an 8cm border on three sides. Fold in the ends and roll up to enclose the filling. Place on the prepared tray. 

5.Brush some melted butter onto the rolled strudle and sprinkle with almonds.

6.Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until strudel is golden brown and cooked through.

7.Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool to room temperature