Recipe Book

Parsnip and walnut cake with citrus icing

2010-02-28T16:14:00.000Z

Parsnip and walnut cake
175 g plain flour
5 g baking powder
5 g bicarbonate of soda
5 g ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
300 ml sunflower oil
350 g caster sugar
3 large eggs
225 g grated raw parsnip
60 g chopped walnuts
zest of one lemon

Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt together.
Place the oil and sugar in a large bowl, beat with an electric whisk then add the eggs one at a time until all are combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients, then the parsnip, the walnuts and the lemon zest.
Grease and flour a 25 cm diameter cake tin, pour in the mixture and cook in the over at 180C / gas mark 4 for 45 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170C / gas mark 3 and cook for another 20 minutes.
It may be necessary to cover the tin with baking paper if it appears to be cooking too fast
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove from the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Citrus icing
150 g unsalted butter at room temperature
300 g icing sugar
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
juice of half a lemon
25 ml milk

Place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and cream together, then add the zests and lemon juice.
Add the milk until you achieve a spreadable consistency, then spread evenly over the cooled parsnip and walnut cake.

Haggis

2008-01-25T12:51:00.000Z

Ingredients
1 sheep's stomach bag and pluck (heart, liver, lungs and windpipe)
250g-1kg/½lb-2lb pinhead oatmeal, or a mixture of medium and pinhead
125g-500g/4oz-1lb suet, finely chopped
4 onions, finely chopped
2-4 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried mixed herbs, or 2 tsp chopped fresh herbs

Method

1. Begin the day before you want to cook the haggis. Wash the stomachbag in cold water, scrape and clean well. Place into a large bowl ofclean, cold water.

2.Wash the pluck and place it into a pan of boiling water. Let thewindpipe lie over the side of the pan and place a small jar underneathto catch the drips. Simmer gently until all parts are tender - thisdepends on the age of the animal but is usually between one and twohours.

3. Place the cooked pluck into a large basin, cover with the cooking liquid and leave overnight.

4. The next day, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

5.For the stuffing, spread the oatmeal out on a baking sheet. Transfer tothe oven and toast for around ten minutes, or until thoroughly driedout but not browned.

6. Drain the pluck, reserving the cookingliquid. Cut the windpipe off and discard, along with any skin and blackparts. Chop or mince the heart and lungs and grate the liver. Placeinto a large bowl and mix well.

7. Add the toasted oatmeal, suet,onions, salt, pepper, herbs and about 570ml/1 pint of the liquid thepluck was boiled in and mix well.

8. Drain the stomach bag. Fillthe bag to just over half full with the stuffing mixture. Press out theair, sew up the top of the bag and prick with a long needle.

9.Place the haggis into boiling water and simmer for three hours,pricking with aneedle again when it swells. Alternatively, the bag maybe cut into several pieces to make smaller haggis, in which case cookfor only 1½-2 hours.

10. Serve hot with 'neeps', 'tatties' and a glass of good blended whisky.

New Year buns

2007-12-31T22:15:00.000Z

For about 20 - 30 buns

500 g / 1 lb wheat flour
500 ml / 1 pint water
1 oz / 30 g sugar
40 g / 1½ oz yeast
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a few drops of lemon juice
100 g raisins
50 g freshly and finely chopped apple

Dissolve the yeast in the water and briefly mix. Add flour and gently mix with the mixer at the lowest possible power. Mix the raisins, apple, sugar and condiments and allow to rise for 45 minutes. Scoop the mixture with a large spoon, and slide it into hot oil (180C), allow to bake for 6 minutes, or until brown. You need to turn the bun in the oil half way through the baking process.

Serve with icing sugar sprinkled on top.

Ceann Cropaig

2007-07-18T20:30:00.000+01:00

Had another addition to my Recipe Book journal:

Ceann Cropaig

Ingredients
1 medium / large cod
Cod is not easily available these days; 2small haddocks or ling will do as well
liver of the same fish, chopped finely
enough fine oatmeal to make a binding mixture
rough salt to taste

Required utensils
one large pan
a pudding bowl
grease proof paper / aluminium foil
string

Method
Clean the head of the cod
Stuff the mixture of liver, oatmeal and rough salt into the head.
Sprinkle with flour or dry oatmeal to seal
Cover with grease-proof paper and tie with cotton or string
Place the remainder of the fish in a large pan and add water until it just covers the fish. Bring the water to the boil
When boiling point is reached, place the prepared head in the pan. The water should come halfway up the head
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 or 30 minutes depending on the size of the fish
Any surplus of the liver/oatmeal mixture can be placed in a pudding bowl in the water alongside the boiling fish and head, allowing water to come halfway up the side of the bowl

Local variations
Finely chopped onions are added to the liver/oatmeal mixturein some districts

Fresh fruit salad

2006-09-04T20:42:00.000+01:00

3 oz / 80 g sugar
juice of half a lemon
selection of 4 to 6 fruits, e.g:

apples
pears
oranges
bananas
grapes (green or black)
melon
peach

Dissolve the sugar in 300 ml of water over a gentle heat, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes. Cool, and add the lemon juice.

Prepare the fruits:
quarter, core and slice the apples
peel and segment the oranges
slice the bananas
halve and seed the grapes
peel and segment the peaches
scoop orbs out of the lemon with a small scoop (1 in)

Put each fruit into the syrup as it is ready

Mix them all together and if possible leave to stand for 2-3 hours to allow the flavours to blend.

The fruitsalad will keep up to 3 days, but the banana needs replacing every day.

Cranachan

2006-05-16T20:44:00.000+01:00

For 2 people

1 tablespoon of fine oatmeal
150 g raspberries
140 g double cream
1 dessert spoon of thick honey
1 tablespoon of whisky

Under a moderate grill, gently toast the oatmeal in a small baking tin for a few minutes, until crisp (but not burnt).

Whisk the cream, honey, whisky and the toasted oatmeal. Add a third of the raspberries.

In a large goblet, place another third of the raspberries at the bottom. Layer on the cream mixture and top off with the final third of the raspberries. Dust with icing sugar.

Take a leek

2006-05-01T23:05:00.000+01:00

Ingredients

500 g of raw leeks per person
potatoes
powdered thickening agent
vinegar

Cut the dark green leaves from the leeks, as well as the root part. If the leek has a hard (opaque white) or hollow core, remove that part. Wash thoroughly.

Chop the leeks into slices 5- 10 mm (1/3 - 2/3 inches) thick and place in a large pan with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes.;
Boil the potatoes simultaneously.
Prepare a mixture of 1 - 2 teaspoons of thickening agent (e.g.: arrowroot) with 30 ml of vinegar.

After draining off excess water from the leeks, stir in the mixture, which should thicken.

Serve leeks and potatoes, with fried minced meat balls or other suitable meat.

Hotchpotch

2006-05-01T23:01:00.000+01:00

Carrots, onions and potato mash

Ingredients

carrots
onions
potatoes
stock(cube)
vinegar

Dice the carrots and add to the boiling stock. Five minutes after this has come back to the boil, add the peeled and sliced potatoes as well as the sliced onions to the same pan. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are done.

Pour off excess liquid, using a colander if necessary. Mash everything together, seasoning with vinegar.

Serve with fried minced meat balls

Savoy Cabbage Special

2006-05-01T22:58:00.000+01:00

This is one of my specialities.

Ingredients

1 savoy cabbage
potatoes
2 apples, medium hardness
1 medium-sized onion
curry powder
butter

Remove the outer green leaves from the cabbage. Slice up the core, but do not include the very centre. Unravel the slices and place in a large pan with plenty of boiling water. Boil until soft and tender, 15 - 20 minutes.

Simultaneously boil the potatoes. Once done, mash them to a smooth texture - adding some butter and/or milk should help.

Fry the sliced onion(s) in a little oil until glazed. Remove the peel and core from the apples. Cut into rings, and the rings in turn into pieces of about 3/4 inch. Fry in a little oil, adding some mild curry powder.

Drain the cabbage and place in a large ovendish. Spread the apple and onion evenly over the cabbage. In turn, cover everything with the potato mash. Put some butter in dabs over the mash and brown under the grill for 5, max 10 minutes.

Serve with braised steak or similar

Greek lamb dish with tomato and pasta

2006-04-28T23:07:00.000+01:00

Greek lamb dish with tomato and pasta

4-5 people

Preparation: 50 minutes

Oven time: 30 minutes

400 g leg of lamb without bone

2 onions

4 cloves of garlic

2 green peppers

2 spoonfuls of olive oil

1 spoonful of dried oregano

1 ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder

2 teaspoons of ginger powder

nutmeg

1 bayleaf

200 ml dry white wine

1 can (800 g) skinned tomatoes

salt

freshly ground epper

300 g penne or macaroni

2 eggs

125 ml crème fraîche

100 g grated old Gouda cheese

* Cube the meat. Peal and shred the onions and the garlic. Wash and halve the peppers, remove the core and cube the rest of the fruit.

* Heat the oil in a wok or casserole and stirfry the meat, onion and garlic shreds and the pieces of peppers for about 5 minutes. Add all the herbs and stir in the wine and skinned tomatoes, with juice. Bring it all to the boil and allow to simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the juice has thickened to the consistency of a sauce. Spice the meat generously with salt and pepper.

* Boil the pasta in plenty of water with salt, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Strain the pasta and stir it through the meat mixture. Spoon everything into a shallow ovendish.

* Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.

* Beat the eggs with the crème fraîche into a smooth mixture and stir in the cheese. Pour this mixture over the meat and pasta mixture.

* Bake the dish in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown and done. In a fan assisted oven, bake at 200 C for 15 minutes

* Nice with a tomato salad.

Bacon and Courgette Carbonara Bake

2006-04-28T21:42:00.000+01:00

Bacon and Courgette Carbonara Bake

Serves 2

6 oz / 175 g pasta bows (farfalli)

15 ml olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

4 oz / 100 g lean bacon, cut into strips

2 medium courgettes, thinly sliced

100 ml tub crème fraiche

2 eggs beaten

2 oz / 60 g mature cheddar cheese, grated

1 tsp dried oregano or fresh herbs

salt

pepper

Roughly double quantities for 4 people.

Cook pasta bows. Drain and reserve.

Heat the oil and garlic together in a large pan over a moderate heat. Add the bacon strips and courgettes and fry gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring continually. Stir in the crème fraiche, beaten eggs, pasta, half the cheese and the oregano. Season to taste. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F, gasmark 6. Reduce heat if using a fan-heated oven (180°C/350°F, gasmark 5). Bake for 20 minutes.

Mary's Fruit Loaf

2006-04-28T13:30:00.000+01:00

Mrs B asked me to put this in.

In memory of Mary MacLeod

Ingredients
4 oz / 100 g soft margarine
1 cupful sugar
3/4 cupful sultanas
3/4 cupful currants or mixed fruit
1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cupful cold water
2 cupfuls self-raising flour
1 egg

Put the margarine, sugar, fruit, bicarb and cold water into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5-8 minutes.
Leave to cool.
Sieve into mixture the self-raising flour and add one beaten egg.
Put this mixture into a 1lb [500 g] loaf tin and bake in gas oven mark 4 / 180 C / 350 F for about an hour. Some times it may be ready a few minutes early; test with a skewer, knitting needle of knife.
Leave in the tin to cool, which makes it easier to cut the next day

Granny's Quick Chocolate Cake

2006-04-28T13:26:00.000+01:00

Ingredients:

CAKE
4 oz / 125 g soft margarine
4 oz / 125 g castor sugar
3½ oz / 100 g self-raising flour
1 oz / 30 g cocoa powder
2 beaten eggs
½ level teaspoon baking powder can be added if necessary

FILLING & TOPPING (butter icing)
4 oz / 125 g butter
3½ oz / 100 g icing sugar
1 oz / 30 g drinking chocolate powder (e.g. Cadbury's), not cocoa powder
a few drops of vanilla essence
chocolate (dark / milk / buttons &c)

PREPARATION OF CAKE
Cream the margarine, sugar together
Add the eggs and flour / cocoa mixture alternatively
Bake in an 8" / 20 cm round baking tin at 160 C / 320 F for about 25 minutes
When cool, cut cake horizontally and fill with half of the butter icing (see filling & topping). Spread the other half of the butter icing over the top of the cake and sprinkle with grated chocolate or similar

From the land of the rising scone

2006-04-28T13:24:00.000+01:00

Rich Tea Scones
225 g / 8 oz self-raising flour
half a level teaspoon salt
one level teaspoon of baking powder
25 - 50 g / 1-2 oz butter
1 - 2 level tablespoons castor sugar
1 beaten egg
milk
50 g dried fruit (sultanas, optional)

Preheat the oven to 230 C

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder together with the sugar
Rub in the butter until it resembles fine bread crumbs
Make a hollow in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg and sufficient milk to 150 ml in volume.
Using a knife, mix into a fairly soft dough, working quickly
Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a thickness of about 2 cm and cut into 5 cm rounds
Put on a baking sheet [tray]; if desired brush with beaten egg or milk (supplementary to above ingredients)
Bake towards the top of the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until golden brown and well risen.
Cool on wire rack and serve the scones split and buttered