The soft fruit is perfectly ripe and needs to be eaten today and tomorrow any left  I will freeze for smoothies and purees.     I am delighted that the beetroot comes from the UK.     In an ideal world as far as possible I would choose to buy food that was British, organic and sustainable.     However I think that it is far more important that good food should be affordable and thus available to all.  By supporting my co-op I am increasing their buying power which will help those that need affordable food the most.   If enough people support co-ops – or maybe set one up it could eventually put enough pressure on the supermarkets to make their fresh produce more affordable; whilst paying the farmers a fair price, and that has to be a good thing for everyone.   Then we can focus more about food miles and sustainability.

What could be more English than a glass of  homemade elderflower cordial drunk in an English garden in the evening of Midsummer’s Day?

I picked the elderflowers on Midsummer’s eve and bottled them on Midsummer’s day.

Today is Midsummer’s day and for those of us in the Northern hemisphere the longest day of the year, for those in the Southern hemisphere it is the shortest day, and they now have the pleasure of looking forward to longer days and the coming of spring.   Such are the vagaries of English weather the middle of June often feels like late spring and although the today middle of that day was baking hot there distinct chill at either end; at 10pm I am sitting in a fleece at my computer.

The delicate spring like elderflower abounds during June, seemingly in every hedgerow and garden.     I love the idea of foraging from the countryside and cooking with my bounty.  Elderflower cordial is the obvious thing to make with my flowers.  I also was thinking of a delicate jam or jelly – perhaps pairing them with rhubarb or gooseberries, but in my limited time the cordial won.  Naturally the best blooms were situated over a bed of nettles, so I dressed in my best protective clothing of wellies, jeans and a long sleeved top and waded in; brandishing my secateurs!  I am delighted to have discovered a simple way to preserve my cordial; seemingly indefinately so it no longer needs to be kept in the fridge.

When the elderflowers start to come into bloom start to save your screw top wine and spirit bottles to decant your cordial into.

Elderflower Cordial (makes about 3 wine bottles full)

20 heads of elderflower
1 kg sugar
1.5l water
4 lemons (or 2 lemons and 2 oranges)
55g citric acid

(Campden tablets to preserve your cordial)

Pick your elderflower heads and give them a very good shake as they will be full of bugs.   Place in a bowl, slice the lemons (or oranges) and add to the elderflower blooms.

Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil stirring until the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat, add the citric acid and stir to dissolve it.  Pour the sugar syrup over the elderflower and citrus mix and leave for 24 hours.

Sterilise your bottles by placing them in a cold oven,  turn the temperature to (150C / 300F / GM 2) then after 15 minutes turn off.   Decant the cordial by staining through a layer of cheesecloth or muslin into the warm bottles.    If you want to preserve your cordial leave a gap at the top of each bottle.   Seal the bottles and keep in the fridge,  dilute 1 part to 5 with still of fizzy water.    Alternatively decant the cordial into plastic bottles so you can freeze it.

To preserve add one Campden Tablet per gallon of cordial, these should be available in any hardware store – or shop that sells wine and beer making supplies.    These tablets contain potassium or sodium metabisulphite which will kill or inhibit the growth of the bacteria and yeast that will cause your cordial to go off.   As an extra precaution you can also add a fermentation inhibitor at the same time.    I had 10 wine bottles of cordial, which is about 7.5 litres.   At 4.5 litres to an imperial gallon I needed just over 1.5 Campden tablets to add to my cordial so I dissolved 1 and a half tablets and some dust into 250ml water and added 25ml of the resulting mix to each bottle, shook each well and resealed.   The sulphites in my cordial should greatly reduce with time as they do their work, so I left a few bottles untreated to be stored in the fridge and used over the next few weeks.

This is my second recipe written for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.   I made this a couple of weeks ago with onions, leeks and potatos from my first “bag” from the co-op.  Again I have tried to use a minimum of ingredients that were not included in my vegetable bag.

I had an enormous leek and stacks of potatoes and onions.   It was an overcast damp day so leek and potato soup seemed a perfect use of my vegetables.   I wanted to make a soup that was slightly different from a traditional vichyssoise and so decided to roast the leek.   This both sweetened and tenderised it; greatly intensifying the flavour.      I  did not peel my potatoes, the skin contains lots of nutrients, most of the taste and why make extra work for yourself?      The combination of the intensity of the roast leek and the earthiness of the potato peel made a delicious and satisfying soup, far more interesting than the usual vichyssoise.   As I live in a flat with no outside space or compost bin I was also very pleased that the only parts of my vegetables in the bin were the onion skins.

I use an Argos Value handblender to blitz, a bargain at less than £5.   I have had it several years.   It does a fantastic job, better then previous blenders at several times the price.

This soup freezes well and is also delicious served chilled.   Quantities are approximate – use the vegtables that you have.

Roasted Leek Vichyssoise (Serves 4)

1 large leek  – roasted
2 medium onions
glug oil – olive or sunflower
2 medium potatoes
1 pint stock – I use Marigold
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the leek in half and place in an oven proof pan or dish, add a glug of oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven (190C / 375F / Gas 5) for about 45 minutes until starting to brown (see photo).

Peel and roughly chop the onions and fry in a little oil with a sprinkle of salt in a saucepan for about 5 minutes until translucent.

Scrub the potatoes and cut into approximately 1″ cubes, add to the pan, stir and cook for a minute.

Pour in the stock, adding more water if needed so the potatoes and onions are covered.     Simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.    Add the roasted leek (I kept a little back to for garnish) and cook for a few more minutes.

Blitz the soup to your desired consistency, add more pepper and salt to taste.    Serve hot, warm or cold as preferred,  I added a swirl of milk.

The host for next friday’s Presto Pasta Night #163 is Chaya The Comfy Cook.        I was up half of last Thursday night watching the UK election results.  Consequently on Friday I was shattered, but greatly enjoying watching the sleep starved, over caffeinated presenters battle on – at one point one told the nation that the “UK now has a well hung Parliament” and in a similar vein the exchange between Jeremy Paxman and Boris Johnson about the Conservative sausage being a chipolata or Cumberland provided a great deal of amusement to my sleep deprived brain.

For our lunch I used the remains of the spicy tomato lentils with cabbage with a good glug of olive oil mixed into some spaghetti.   It was an excellent pasta sauce and reconfirmed the cabbage lentils will become a regular.

This week Ruth’s Presto Pasta Nights is hosted by Katie at Thyme for Cooking. Ever since I made  my five greens pasta last week I have become mildly obsessed with greens and my fridge is bursting at the seams with them.

My submission this week is a frittata; using pasta in place of the more traditional potatoes, with purple sprouting broccoli, spring greens and soft goat’s cheese.  I used fusilli in my frittata.  Liking alliteration I really wanted to make the Fuss Free Flavour’s Fusilli & Farfalle Frittata, which I imagine would be interesting to try and say after a few glasses of wine!

The amounts are a guideline only – just use whatever ingredients you have;  my 6 egg mix filled my 8″ frying pan.   Remember to use a pan with a heat proof handle as it will be going under the grill.    This was delicious freshly cooked and warm, but unlike a potato based frittata not so good cold the next day.

Greens, Goat’s Cheese and Pasta Frittata (serves 4)

3oz / 75g Pasta (I used fusilli)
6 Free Range Eggs
Handful of spring greens and purple sprouting broccoli
3 – 4 oz / 75 – 100g soft goat’s cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put the pasta on to cook.   Meanwhile prepare the greens by shredding the leaves and cutting the broccoli stalks lengthwise.    Place in a colander and rinse, then wilt by pouring a kettle of boiling water over them.    Crack the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk, add pepper and salt to taste.    When the pasta is cooked drain, cool by rinsing in water, return to the saucepan and add a little oil and stir well (this prevents it sticking together).   Add the pasta, greens (reserving some broccoli stalks), 2/3 of the cheese to the eggs and stir well.

Warm a frying pan,  add a glug of olive oil,  pour in the egg mixture and cook slowly over a low heat without stirring.   Arrange the remaining broccoli and goat’s cheese on top of the egg mix.     Leave to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until the eggs start to solidify.   Finish cooking under the grill.    When cooked the fritatta will have puffed up and have started to brown.

Leave to set for a few minutes and then carefully slide onto a plate.    Serve warm.

I have not seen my friend Sue for seemingly eons, so I texted her yesterday and asked her over for brunch.   She is having a work crisis but said she would love to pop by for an hour.   As she is a self confessed chocoholic I designed these muffins just for her.

These follow my usual muffin recipe;  but in these the orange zest reacts with the baking powder when you mix the wet and dry ingredients together giving the batter a fluffy almost moussy consistency.     We scoffed these when they were still warm, enjoying the still molten chocolate chips.   The photos are not going to win me any prizes, obviously we were keen to eat them as soon as possible.

Double Chocolate Cranberry and Orange Muffins (makes 4 medium muffins)

“Dry” Ingredients
4.5oz plain flour
1.5oz  sugar
0.5oz cocoa powder
Finely Grated zest of one small orange
1 Large tbs chocolate chips
1 tbs cranberries (I snipped the larger ones in half)
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
4.5oz  milk (I use soy)
1.5oz  sunflower oil

Whisk the oil and milk mixture with a fork.   Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen.

Ever since Kathryn wrote about her Greens with Tahini I have been craving some greens  (as well as being jealous of the greens she has been getting in her veggie box).

On Sunday a friend and I went to Osterley Park and had a picnic, long walk and enjoyed the sun.  It really was surprisingly warm for mid April.    Osterley is situated on the Heathrow approach path anddue to the volcanic ash cloud it was very very odd indeed not to hear any planes.    I have woken up early the last few days because there is no noise and its absence does feel quite strange, even though I live far enough East of Heathrow not to be disturbed by the planes.    My first flat in London was above the circle line and the only time I ever really noticed the tubes was by their absence on strike days.

However there is a farm shop at Osterley which had a vast array of greens and more types of cabbages that I have ever seen.  I bought a beautiful purple tinged January King cabbage along with a pointed hispi, large bags of purple sprouting broccoli and spring greens and 3 leeks for £4.40.   I was utterly delighted with my greens and was keen to get home and cook them.

This is also my submission for Ruth’s ever popular Presto Pasta Night #160 hosted by Cynthia from The Kitchen Slave.

5 Greens Pasta Inspired by Kathryn Elliott

2 large handfuls of mixed shredded greens per person.   I used a mix of:
January King Cabbage
Hispi Cabbage
Spring Greens
Purple sprouting broccoli
Spinach

Good glug olive oil
Smaller glug sesame oil
1 heaped tsp tahini
1 clove garlic – finely chopped
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs soy sauce

However much pasta you usually eat.

Mixed seeds to serve

Start cooking the pasta, once it is cooking wash all your shredded greens well, pour a kettle of boiling water over them to wilt them.   Put both oils, tahini and garlic in a large frying pan or wok and gently cook the garlic.  When the pasta is about 1 minute off being done turn the heat under the wok right up and add the greens and cook for about a minute.    Drain the pasta and add it to the wok along with the soy sauce and lemon juice.   Sprinkle the seeds over and add salt and pepper to taste.

This was so so good and impossibly healthy too.

Madhuram of Egg Less Cooking is challenging us to “Bake anything egg less using one or more of the whole grain forms of quinoa (whole quinoa, whole grain quinoa flour, quinoa flakes, quinoa cereal, etc).“  As I have  a) not taken part in a foodblogging event for ages and b) bake almost everything without eggs  I was keen to take part.   The obvious thing for me to make was, of course, muffins!      Muffins are one of my favourite things to bake and are a weekend breakfast tradition.

I used whole quinoa which I soaked overnight in apple juice then followed my usual vegan muffin recipe.   When baked the quinoa retained a some texture and crunch, the muffins were OK – far better with some jam and I want to try them again with some modifications.

Quinoa and Banana Muffins (makes 6)

“Dry” Ingredients
1 oz / 25g quinoa – soaked overnight in 3fl oz / 75ml apple juice
4.5oz / 110g plain flour
1.5oz / 35g sugar
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
5oz / 125ml apple juice and milk*
1oz / 25ml sunflower oil
1 banana

Whizz the wet ingredients together using a stick blender.  Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen and dark golden.

These were far better with some fig jam.

* I used the remainder of the apple juice that the quinoa had been soaking in, made up to volume with soy milk.

Notes: I was not ecstatic with these.   I think that next time they need a little more oil, a different sugar to plain granulated and would benefit with some dried fruit or nuts.   I really liked the texture of the quinoa which I think would be lost if I used it pre cooked rather than soaked.

Many thanks to Madhuram for hosting and I am looking forward to seeing the round up!

This is a very delicious but deceptively simple pudding using only 4 ingredients and taking 5 minutes to put together, they really need to be mini as they are so rich.     I have had a set of these French Shoes espresso cups for some time and wanted to make a pudding to serve in them for some time.

I have now made these twice in the last 4 days when people have been for supper, the first time I made them I had about 15 mins to tidy the flat and make a pudding so I threw everything together with no measuring and they came out perfectly, my sort of fuss free recipe.   Here is a more scientific version for those who prefer not to bung it in and hope for the best.

Mini Chocolate Orange Pots (Serves 4)

300ml pot double cream
30ml orange liqueur
finely grated zest of one large orange
100g plain chocolate

Pour 2/3 of the cream into a small saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer, whilst the cream is heating add the liqueur and orange zest.   Break up the chocolate (I chopped each piece into quarters so it melts quicker).

Let the cream simmer for a minute, stirring all the time so it does not boil over.  Take off the heat and add the chocolate and stir until it is all melted.  Pour into the espresso cups.    Put in the fridge until chilled and serve with the remainder of the cream.

Enjoy and think of lovely shoes!    And I have decided that I need better photos of this so will have to endure the hardship of making and eating more of them!

Thanks to the awesome Sheri at Green and Crunchy I have a new favourite breakfast, it is quick to throw together and utterly delicious. This really is a non recipe as it is so easy, but an inspired idea and so quick as the tortillas defrost so fast you do not even need to remember to get them out of the freezer more than a few minutes before you need them.

I spread my tortilla with peanut butter, and added a good sprinkle of sunflower, pumpkin & hemp seeds then added a finely chopped apricot and topped with a ripe banana and rolled and ate.   Absolutely yummy and so easy.

Thanks Sheri!