Saturday 6 February 2010

Recipes

Firstly, I am delighted to say that my kitchen is featured on Rhonda's wonderful Down to Earth blog today, as part of her series about You, Me and the Kitchen Sink. So if you are at all nosy to what my farmhouse kitchen looks like, take a peep . . .


I kept threatening to add these recipes, and as Sunday is a quiet day for blog-visiting, I can slip the post in now.

I meant to add this one at the beginning of January, which is when I made it, using some carrots I had languishing in the bottom of the fridge, and a large Parsnip, left over from Christmas.

SPICY CARROT SOUP

2 oz (50g) butter
1 lb (450g) onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tblspn plain flour
1 1/2 lb 9700g) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 pints (1.7 litres) stock (I used a couple of veggie stock cubes and a tblspn Bouillon powder)
salt and pepper
2 tsps of curry powder
2 tblspns water
Cauliflower sprigs, blanched, for garnish (didn't bother!)
Croutons for garnish (ditto)

Heat the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan. Dust the onion rings with the flower and cook them gently in the butter, stirring well, until they are soft and golden after 10-15 mins.

Add the onions and stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer with the pan uncovered for about 30 mins, or until the carrots are soft.

Pass the sup through a sieve or food mill and return it to the pan. Mix the curry powder tto a smooth paste with the water. Stir it into the soup and simmer gently for 15 mins. Serve hot, garnished with cauliflower sprigs and croutons.

This was a lovely warming soup for a cold winter's day.

(Slight cheat on the picture, as these aren't Plum Muffins, but they ARE Muffins and I did make them . . . !!!)


PLUM MUFFINS

275g/10 oz plain flour
1 tblspn baking powder
115g/4 oz caster sugar
225ml/8 fl oz milk
2 tspn vanilla essence
3 large eggs, beaten
115g/4 oz butter, melted
5 plums, stoned and cut into chunks
950g/2 oz sugar cubes crushed - I omit this as OH doesn't like sweet things)


Preheat oven to 200 deg. C/400 deg F/Gas mark 6. Line a muffin tin with 10 paper muffin cases. Sift the flour, baking powder and caster sugar into a mixing bowl. In a jug, lightly beat together the milk, vanilla, eggs and melted butter until smooth and creamy. Pour the egg mixture onto the dry ingredients and lightly stir to make a thick batter, then carefully stir in the plums. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (and sprinkle over the crushed sugar if using). Bake for 25 mins or until well-risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.



CHEESE AND MUSTARD SCONES

225g/8 oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
50g/1 3/4 oz butter, cut into small pieces
125g/4 1/2 oz mature (sharp) cheese, grated
1 tsp mustard powder
150 ml/ 1/4 pint buttermilk
grated pepper

Lightly grease a baking tray. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingers until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated cheese, mustard and enough milk to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough very lightly, then flatten it out with the palm of your hand to a depth of about 2.5cm/1 inch.

Cut the dough into 8 wedges with a knife. Brush each one with a little milk and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Bake in a preheated oven, 220 deg. C/425 deg. F/Gas mark 7, for 10-15 minutes until scones are golden brown. Transfer the scones to a wire raack and leave to cool slightly before serving.

Cook's tip: The scones should be eaten on the day they are made as they quickly go stale.

11 comments:

  1. Just came over to visit from Rhoda's, your kitchen looks nice and warm. I'll add you to favourites and visit again.

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  2. Morning, I have a gang arriving at lunch time and was just drinking my coffee and thinking about what to feed them, Soup it is then,
    Just read your kitchen compliments on Down to Earth, you should do guided tours lol,

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  3. I am here through Rhonda's you-me-and-the-kitchen-sink series. I just love your old world kitchen.

    These recipes sound delicious, so I will add them to my files.

    Have a lovely day ~ FlowerLady

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  4. Anne - Hah - someone else said if I were to put my house on the market in Oz, it would sell like a hotcake!!!

    FlowerLady and lusks - lovely to meet you and haste ye back. It's lovely to make new friends.

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  5. Adore your gorgeous kitchen!! It is in my mind how a kitchen should be... the heart of the home!!
    Now about the wee ghostie.... sounds very interesting and would love to know more.....
    Thanks for the recipes will be trying them out next week!!
    Have a great Sunday!!
    Love Jane xxx

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  6. Me again!! Really hope you don't mind but I have tagged you again. Only take part if you want to as it may not be to your liking? Its a tag listing seven things we may not know about you. If you want to take part please see my blog for details!!
    Love Jane xxx

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  7. I'll take part in it for myself, but not pass it on if you don't mind aromatic.

    I will tell the tale of the wee ghostie tomorrow . . . Enjoy the recipes!

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  8. That will be perfectly fine... these taqs can be rather hard work and its not easy passing them on either. Its lovely that you are taking part for yourself!! Look forward to the wee tale of the ghostie tomorrow!! Love Jane xxx

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  9. The soup sounds delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
    I'm another one who found your blog through the posting about your kitchen. Your kitchen was so beautiful and cozy looking that I just had to visit your blog.

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  10. It's a lovely blog you have here, and I've enjoyed it so much since finding you a few days ago. Today I prepared your scone recipe, and it's fabulous beyond belief! Thank you for posting it. Next up will be the plum muffins...

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  11. MTVA - perhaps I should post a few rib-sticking lip-licking cake recipes later in the week too. This winter weather calls for tea and cake around the kitchen table! Glad the scone recipe was successful for you.

    LGGG - welcome to you too and I hope you will enjoy my blog regularly.

    Aromatic - ghostie story coming up.

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