Creamed spinach

 Ingredients 

25g butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons plain flour

200 ml full-fat milk

2 x 200 bags spinach

100 ml single cream

fresh nutmeg, for grating

Method

1. Heat the butter in a saucepan
2. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened
3. Stir in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes
4. Slowly whisk in the milk
5. Once all is incorporated, gently cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened
6. Meanwhile, place the spinach in a large colander
7. Pour a kettle of boiling water over the spinach, until the leaves have wilted
1. You may need to do this twice
8. Place the spinach in a clean dishcloth and squeeze out any excess liquid
9. Chop finely
10. Stir into the sauce with the single cream, gently heat
11. Finely grate some fresh nutmeg and season well
    

Chocolate cake

 Ingredients
250 g / 9 oz butter
1 bar dark chocolate
5 eggs
5 heaped tablespoons plain flour
150 g / 6 oz brown caster surgar

Separate the eggs, into two bowls
Put a pinch of salt into the egg whites and whip into soft
Add sugar to the yolks
Melt butter and chocolate in a pan on a soft heat
Remove from heat when melted
Add yolks and sugar mixture
Mix with handmixer
Fold in egg whites with wooden spoon
Gently fold in the flour and mix with handmixer
Put into caketin
Bake in oven at 170C for 40 minutes
Knifetest: still a little soft in middle

Chocolate butter icing
4 oz butter
2½ oz icing sugar
1 oz drinking chocolate (cocoa powder)
grated chocolate or similar decoration

Rub the butter, sugar and chocolate powder together
Spread over the cake.

Leek & potato soup

 Ingredients 

50 g butter

450 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces

1 small onion, cut into 1 cm pieces

450 g white parts of leeks, sliced

850 - 1200 ml (1.5-2 pts) light chicken or vegetable stock

142 ml carton whipping cream

125 ml full fat milk

To finish 

the white part of 1 leek

a small knob of butter

finely chopped chives

 

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. When it foams, add the potatoes, onion and leeks as prepared above. Toss in the butter until all well covered 
2. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss again
3. Put a dish of greaseproof paper (aka a cartouche) on top of the vegetables, to keep in the steam. Cover the pan with its lid
4. Cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured
5. Uncover the pan and discard the paper. Pour in 850 ml of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are just cooked - for about 5 minutes. Do not overcook, or the soup will lose its fresh flavour
6. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the soup to a clean pan and stir in three quarters of the cream as well as the milk 
7. To finish the soup, finely shred the remaining leek and gently cook it in a small knob of butter for a few minutes until it is softened but not coloured
8. Reheat the soup to a gentle simmer, adding some extra stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. 
9. Drizzle the remaining cream over each serving, top with a little pile of buttered leeks and a scattering of chives and black pepper and serve at once. 
   
10. 
    

Carrot & Coriander Soup

Ingredients
1½ oz butter
6 oz trimmed and sliced leeks
1 lb sliced carrots
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp plain flour
2 pints vegetable stock
¼ pint single cream
salt and ground black pepper
a few coriander leaves, roughly torn (optional)

1. Melt butter in a large pan. Add leeks and carrots, stir then cover pan and cook gently for 7-10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften but not colour
2. Stir in the ground coriander and flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute
3. Add the stock, and bring to the boil, stirring. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender
4. Leave the soup to cool a little, then puree in a blender until quite smooth. A blend-stick can be used alternatively
5. Stir in the cream. Re-heat gently, but do not boil. Adjust seasoning. Serve after placing torn coriander leaves in bowl. 

In memory of Barbara, RIP 6 October 2020

Chicken soup

Ingredients
3 chicken thighs
2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes
Large stick of celery
Carrots
Onions
Turnip
Pearl barley
Lentils
Savoy cabbage leaves
Large potato
Salt & pepper
Parsley

Put 3 chicken thighs into large pan

Add the stock cubes and cover with water

Add a coarsely chopped stick of celery

Large chunks of carrots

A large or two small onions, chopped in large chunks

Bring to the boil and simmer for one hour

Leave to cool

Strain

Remove the vegetables

Remove the chicken

Heat up the stock

Add finely chopped carrot, onion, turnip &c

Add 2 tablespoons of pearl barley

Add 2 tablespoons of lentils

Simmer gently until vegetables are cooked

Add 4 finely chopped leaves of (savoy) cabbage

Add one potato, chopped into large chunks
Season with salt and pepper 

Boil for another ten minutes

Add chopped chicken

and parsley

Potato salad, egg mayo and spring onions

Boil 5 eggs from cold water for at least 15 minutes, simmering gently.
Run them under the cold tap until completely cold.

Boil a potato, big enough to dice when cool.

Mix mayonnaise and cream or crème fraîche to taste

Chop up spring onions, removing outer layer of skin if necessary

Macaroni & cheese

6 ounces of macaroni
1½ oz butter
1½ oz plain flour
1 pint milk
1 full teaspoon of mustard
6 oz grated cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

1. Boil the macaroni in a large pan according to pack instructions; commonly for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute
Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk.
Bring to the boil and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens
Remove from heat.
Season to taste
Add nutmeg or mustard

3. Drain the macaroni and add to the sauce, together with ¾ of the cheese. 
Mix well and put into an ovenproof dish

4. Place on a baking tray and into a hot oven, pre-heated to 200°C / 400°F, for 20 minutes.