Recipes 2018

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				FROM OUR COUNTRY KITCHEN For some time now, Pauline Austerfield has been publishing recipes in the Village Voices magazine, under the heading 'From Our Country Kitchen'. This is a chance to see them all. They are shown below in date order - the most recent first. Click on the month of the recipe that you require, or here for an alphabetical index. Artwork by Pauline as well.
		2018 December Mincemeat and Almond Tart November Partridge and Quince October Fig Chutney September Cucumber & Celery Salad and Cucumber Raita August Summer Fruit and Almond Cake July Chard and Cheese Tarts June Pea and Pancetta Farfalle May Fried Red or Yellow Peppers (Capsicum) April Red Onion Marmalade March Colcannon February Celeriac, Apple and Walnut Salad January Lemon Polenta Cake 2017 December Chestnut, Apple and Onion Pie November Parkin and Toffee Apples October Courgette Soup with Boursin September Fig and Goats Cheese Focaccia August Raspberry and Amaretti Cake July Watercress Soup Watercress and Orange Salad June Gooseberry & Elderflower Pastries Gooseberry Sauce May Asparagus, Potato and Feta Salad April Rhubarb Syllabub March Linseed and Treacle Bread February Chicken Marengo January Gratin of Pumpkin and Barlotti Beans 2016 December Chocolate Crunch Torte with Stem Ginger and Figs November Cinnamon Apple Cake October Piccalilli September Plum and Almond Pasties August Spinach Tart July Strawberry Cream Dessert June Cromer Crab Cakes April Double Ginger Cake March Blackberry and Apple Tarts February Moules Marinière January Tarte Tatin 2015 December Beetroot Fritters with Gravlax November Stuffed Peppers October Aubergines - Baba Ghanoush - Aubergine Chips September Peperonata August Peach Melba July Onion Tart June Strawberry and Cucumber Salad May Cauliflower Cheese with Leek Cauliflower with Creme Fraiche. April Hot Cross Bun, Toffee and Banana Pudding March Macaroons February Lamb Hotpot January Marmalade 2014 December Pumpkin and Chicken November Broccoli Soup with Cheese October Harissa paste (chillies) September Courgette Frittata August Gooseberry Fool July Blackcurrant Cup Cakes and Jam. June Lebanese Beetroot Salad May Almond Biscuits April Spring Vegetable Risotto February Vanilla Cheesecake January A Comforting Soup (poultry & veg.) 2013 December (Windfall) Apple and Quince Cake November Rice Pudding October Pumpkin with Coconut Peppers and Prawns September Courgette, Tomato and Ricotta Bake July Russian Redcurrant and Raspberry Pudding. June Meringues. + Lemon Curd & Orange Parfait May Banana and Carrot Cake April Rhubarb Muscovado Sponge March Coq au Vin February Celeriac and Walnut Remoulade + Caramelised Celeriac with Pancetta January Candied Citrus Peel			2012 December Pumpkins and Squashes 2 November Bramley Apple Gingerbread October Chicken Thighs with Sweet Chestnut Stuffing September Tomato with Goat's Cheese and Rosemary August Plum Tart July Elderflower and Gooseberry Jam June Broad Bean Hummus and Broad Bean Soup.. May Asparagus with Almonds + Asparagus Pasta with Lemon April Chocolate Orange Cake + Marmalade Ice Cream February Gratin of Beans and Bacon + Baked Onions with Parmesan and Cream 2011 December Pumpkins and Squashes November Bolotti Beans with Sage and Borlotti Hummus October Chaffcombe Apple Pudding and Peperoni alla Piemontese September Greek Courgette Pie and a Courgette Side Dish August Pastry with Quark and Vegetable & Blue Cheese Tart July Clafoutis June Wimbledon Cake May Pork with Rhubarb April Nettle Rarebit March Rocket and Potato Soup January Pheasant with Apples 2010 December Roasted Pumpkin Soup November Hotpot of Sausages and Apples October Poached Pears September (i) Half Tomatoes and (ii) Courgette Cake August Greek Salad and Feta, Potato & Rosemary Bread June Elderflower Cordial May Rhubarb and 'Heaven and Earth' April Lemon Curd March Rabbit and Apple Casserole January Vegetable Soup 2009 December Focaccia Bread November French Onion Soup and Shallot Tart October Baking Potatoes September Damson Compote, Baked Figs, Blackberries & Apple August Summer Fruit Trifle July Lettuce Soup June Samphire May A Garden Salad (with Asparagus) April Vegetable Shepherd's Pie March Nettle Soup and Winter Carrots 2008 November Pumpkin Stuff October Cooking Apples September Courgette and Mint Soup August Tomato Soup and Parsley Butter July Mint Sauce and Pesto Sauce June Asparagus Spears May Ice Cream April Leek and Potato Pies February Cabbage Stuff 2007 December Red Cabbage October Pickled Pears or Quinces August Courgettes July Potato and Broad Bean Salad June Strawberries May Potatoes Lyonnaise

		January 2018. Lemon polenta cake. Pauline Austerfield asked me to provide a recipe for the start of the new year and as your local cooking councillor. I am pleased so share my favourite cake based on a Nigel Slater recipe. Not only a taste of summer for the middle of winter but it has the added bonus of being gluten free. I like to serve this with creme fraiche which balances the lemon perfectly. Ingredients 210 g soft salted butter 175 g caster sugar (I use golden) 125 g ground almonds 150 g fine polenta 100 g whole blanched almonds 1 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder 3 large eggs Zest of two lemons (save juice for the syrup) Ingredients for syrup Juice of two lemons 125 g icing sugar Method First line a 20 cm. loose bottom cake tin and grease the sides lightly with butter. Put the oven on to warm to 180 Deg c/gas mark 4. Cream the butter and sugar until light and whipped. In a separate bowl mix the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder. Beat one third of this dry mixture with the creamed butter/sugar mixture. Break an egg into a cup and lightly mix and then pour into the creamed butter/sugar mixture. Continue in this pattern until you have used all the eggs and dry ingredients. Now beat in the lemon zest. Finely chop the whole almonds (by hand or with a food processor) and stir into the mixture. If you feel the mixture is too dry add a dessert spoon of milk. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. The best way to see if the cake is cooked is the amazing aroma filling your kitchen, the cake will feel springy and be a golden brown. Most importantly, it will have shrunk in the tin moving away from the cake tin sides. You may also wish to use a cake tester which should come out cleanish. This is important - leave the cake in the tin and place the tin on a plate or wire cooling rack. Now make the lemon syrup. Simply place the lemon juice and icing sugar together in a sauce pan (a milk pan is best as it easier to pour) and boil, Once the icing sugar has dissolved this is then ready. Prick the top of the cake with a tooth pick then slowly pour the syrup over the cake making sure you do this slowly so it is absorbed. Once cooled remove from the tin and serve Enjoy! James Mallinder

	February 2018. Celeriac, Apple and Walnut Salad (for 2). Many thanks to Bridget and James for their December and January recipes. I've come home to find that all my stored fruit and vegetables have survived the winter and the salad leaves (rocket, mizuna, land cress, mustard etc.) are doing well. The following recipe combines these into tasty and nutritious salad. Ingredients 1 heaped tbls creme fraiche 1 dsp virgin olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp horseradish sauce 3 oz celeriac 1 small eating apple 6 walnut halves. Salad leaves Mix the creme fraiche, olive oil, mustard and horseradish sauce together. Season with salt and pepper. Peel the celeriac and coarsely grate into a bowl. Peel and finely slice the apple, chop the walnuts and add to the bowl. Spoon in the dressing and mix well. Wash and dry the leaves and put on plates. Divide the celeriac salad between the two. I served it with smoked ham.

March 2018. Colcannon (serves 4). Here's a recipe for St Patrick's Day on 17th March. As with many classic recipes there are many different versions, but I used the vegetables I still had in the garden. You can substitute kale for the cabbage and spring onions for the leeks and also change their proportions .If you want a lower fat version, then steam the leeks and cabbage and omit the melted butter. 1 1/2 lb floury potatoes 6 oz Savoy cabbage 6 oz prepared leeks 3 oz butter 150ml milk Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain well. Melt 1 oz of the butter in a pan, add the finely sliced leeks, saute gently with the lid on for 10 minutes, then add the sliced cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes. Heat the milk, add to the potatoes with 1oz of the butter and mash until smooth. Fold in the leeks and cabbage, mix well and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a heated serving dish, make a well in the centre and pour in the remaining melted butter. Serve.

April 2018. Red Onion Marmalade (for 3/4 small jars). I've still got plenty of onions left over from last year so I decided to make red onion marmalade. It goes very well with cheese, ham and pate. This version is from Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook. 2 garlic cloves Sea salt and black pepper 4 tbls olive oil 450 g red onions, finely sliced 4 tbls red wine 4 tbls balsamic vinegar 1 tbls soft brown sugar A few sprigs of thyme Crush the garlic with some sea salt and heat the olive oil in a heavy based saucepan. Add the onions and garlic, cover and sweat gently, without allowing them to brown for 20 minutes. Stir every now and then. Remove the pan lid, add the red wine, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, and simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated, which will take about 15 - 20 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, season to taste and cook for a further 5 minutes. Put into warm, sterilised jars and cover. Will keep in the fridge for a few weeks.

May 2018. Fried Red or Yellow Peppers (Capsicum) An Italian friend showed me how to make this simple dish. It makes a change from the usual vegetables and is a great accompaniment for meat or fish. The quantity is enough for 2. If you want to make more, either use a larger frying pan or cook it in batches as it's important that the onions and pepper are browning in the oil in the pan. I used a 9 inch non stick pan. Remove the outer skin from a medium onion, top and tail, halve and cut in thin slices, lengthwise. Halve the pepper, cut off the stem and remove the seeds and ribs. Slice lengthwise in 1 cm strips. Halve a garlic clove. Over a medium heat, warm up 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic clove and cook until golden. Remove the clove and discard. Add the onions to the pan and fry until they are beginning to brown at the edges. Don't let them burn. Push to one side of the pan and add the sliced pepper. You will probably need more olive oil. Carry on frying, ensuring that the peppers are cooked on both sides. After 10 to 15 minutes they should have softened. Mix the onions in with the peppers, season with salt and pepper and a few basil leaves. Serve.

June 2018. Pea and Pancetta Farfalle (for 4) I always grow three varieties of peas as home grown are so much sweeter than shop bought. Sugar snap and mangetouts are perfect as side vegetables and the traditional pea can be used for lots of dishes. I also grew some in the greenhouse over winter and picked the pea shoots for salad. This recipe is from Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook. 10 rashers of smoked, streaky bacon or pancetta 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 tbls olive oil 30 g butter 350 g farfalle (bow tie pasta) 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 400 g fresh shelled peas, cooked for 2 minutes in boiling water 250 g creme fraiche Salt and pepper Freshly grated nutmeg Handful of grated Parmesan cheese Fry the bacon/ pancetta until crisp. Put onto kitchen paper and then cut into 2 inch lengths. Warm the olive oil and butter in a pan, add the onion and cook gently until soft. Cook the farfalle in boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Add the garlic to the onion and cook for another couple of minutes , then add the bacon/ pancetta and peas. Stir in the creme fraiche, seasoning and nutmeg ( to taste) . Combine the sauce and the pasta. Add plenty of Parmesan.

July 2018. Chard. I've grown rainbow chard for years, but just used the young leaves in salad. However, the larger leaves also make a tasty side dish and filling for tarts. To prepare as a side dish, allow 4 oz per person. Wash thoroughly, remove the stems and tear the leaves into smaller pieces. Heat butter, or olive oil in a frying pan with a halved clove of garlic and cook the stems on a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic. Add the leaves, turning them over in the pan until wilted. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Chard and Cheese Tarts. This is a recipe from Nigel Slater that I've adapted. For each individual tart allow: 2 oz chard 2 oz Reblochon cheese, cut into small pieces 1 sheet Jus Rol filo pastry Olive oil or melted butter I specify Jus Rol pastry as it's thicker than the supermarket brands and doesn't break up. Nigel used Waterloo cheese but I couldn't find that. I think that goats cheese or feta would work well too. He also uses melted butter, but I prefer olive oil. Heat the oven to 200 C. Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Wash the chard. Remove the stems and chop into 1 inch pieces. Heat a small amount of water in a pan and cook the stems for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook until wilted. Pour into a sieve, press out the water and then dry on kitchen paper. Chop and season with salt and pepper. Cool. Halve the filo sheet and brush one piece on both sides with oil. Repeat with the second and place it on top of the first . Put thechard on top and add the cheese. Bring the pastry up and scrunch it together at the top so you make a parcel . Put on the baking tray and cook for 15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and brown. Serve with a green salad.

August 2018. Summer Fruit and Almond Cake (6 portions) You can make this cake with any jam, as long as it's not runny, but the summer fruits have a good, strong flavour, which is delicious. 75 g self-raising flour 50 g ground almonds 85 g butter, softened 75 g caster sugar A few drops of almond essence 1 egg 2 tbsp milk 75 g summer fruit jam 25 g flaked almonds Preheat the oven to 160C, Gas3 . Grease and line a small loaf tin with baking parchment. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almond essence and beat in the egg. Fold in the flour and ground almonds, add the milk and mix well. Spoon half the mixture into the tin and top with the jam. Cover with the remaining cake mixture and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden and the cake is firm to the touch. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

September 2018. Cucumber. The cucumber plants in my greenhouse have been very prolific this year so I've been looking for new ways to use them up. Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook has several good recipes and here are a couple of them I like. Cucumber and Celery Salad in mustard dressing (for 6) 1 cucumber Salt and pepper 1 celery head 1 tbls Dijon mustard 1 tsp English mustard 1 tbls red wine vinegar Juice of 1 lemon 4 tbls sunflower oil Chopped parsley or winter savoury Peel and de seed the cucumber. Slice the halves into 1 cm thick half moons, put in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave to drain for 30 minutes. Wash and prepare the celery, then slice it into similar sized chunks. Put the mustards in a bowl. Add the vinegar and lemon juice , and then slowly add the oil to make a thick mustard dressing. Pour the dressing over the cucumber and celery, season with salt, pepper and finely chopped herbs. Cucumber Raita (for 4-6) This is perfect to serve with anything spicy as it alleviates the effect of chillies. 1/2 cucumber Salt 200 g Greek yoghurt Small bunch of mint, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped Small pinch of ground turmeric Deseed the cucumber and chop finely. Mix with the yogurt, mint and garlic. Season with salt and turmeric.

October 2018. Fig Chutney (from Nigel Slater) This quantity makes 2 large jars. I've made this chutney for a couple of years. It keeps very well and is good with cheese. I used pickling vinegar instead of malt and cider, which worked just as well. 250 g soft brown sugar 1 kg figs 150 ml malt vinegar 150 ml cider vinegar 250 g onions, finely chopped 250 g sultanas 1 tsp salt 1 tsp allspice 1/2 black peppercorns, cracked 1 tsp coriander seeds, cracked Chop the figs, removing any tough stalks, then put them in a large stainless steel or enamelled pan. Add the vinegars, onions, sultanas, salt and spices, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes until the onions and figs are soft. Stir in the sugar. Place over a low heat, bring slowly to the boil, then turn the heat down so the chutney bubbles gently. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes, with the occasional stir to stop it sticking, until the mixture is thick and jam like. Bottle while hot and seal.

November 2018. Pan Fried Partridge and Quince. (for 2). I was given a brace of partridge and decided to just use the breast and legs. We've had a glut of quinces this year so I've been looking for new ways to use them and I thought they would go well with the partridge. If you don't have quince then pears will do. Take a medium size quince. Peel, slice lengthways into eight and remove the core. Put in a pan with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and the peeled zest of an orange. Cover with water and cook until the fruit has softened (approx 10 minutes). Drain the fruit, reserving half a cup of liquid. Put your plates in to warm. Season the partridge. Cut two rashers of streaky bacon into thin slices . In a large frying pan, on high heat, add olive oil and cook the bacon until crispy. Push to one side of the pan and then add the partridge. Brown on both sides, then reduce the heat and cook for another 3 minutes on each side. Remove the bacon and partridge from the pan, put on the warmed plate, cover with foil and rest. Melt butter in the pan and add the quince slices. Brown on both sides and cook for a couple of minutes until heated through. Remove from pan. Deglaze the pan with half a glass of red wine, add the reserved quince juice and reduce until slightly thicker. Season to taste. Divide the partridge, bacon and quince between the two plates and pour the juice over the meat. I served it with sautéed potatoes and broccoli from the garden .

			December 2018. Mincemeat and Almond Tart. A recipe from Bridget Farrar. Few things are more iconic than a mince pie at Christmas , however I sometimes find there is just too much pastry going on and this frangipani alternative is equally if not more delicious. It is a winner served with warm cream or brandy flavoured custard and of course a tipple of your choice ! Use a 28cm loose bottomed Tart tin or bun tray (12 individual tarts) Ingredients for Pastry 225g plain flour 110g butter 25g caster sugar 1 egg 1 tablespoon cold water Grated zest of an orange Filling 175g caster sugar 175g softened butter 175g ground almonds or 85g each of self-raining flour and ground almonds 4 eggs 1 teaspoon almond essence 400g jar of good quality mincemeat 1 small cooking apple finely chopped 2 tablespoons of brandy or orange liqueur 25g flaked almonds Method 1. Make the pastry. Place the plain flour in a mixing bowl, cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and orange zest. 2. Beat the egg and add to the breadcrumbs using a knife and add just enough water to bring together into a dough. 3. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30mins. 4. Once chilled place pastry onto a floured surface and roll out to approximately 3mm thick and line the tin carefully pressing into the edges. Prick the base lightly with a fork and return to the fridge while you prepare the filling. 5. In a small bowl mix together the mincemeat, chopped apple and brandy/ liqueur and set aside. 6. In a mixing bowl place the softened butter, sugar, eggs, ground almonds and almond essence. Using an electric hand whisk combine ingredients together until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes). 7. Spread the mincemeat mixture evenly over the base of the pastry case, cover with the almond topping and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. 8. Bake in the oven pre-heated to 160 degrees C for 35-40 minutes until the pastry and top are golden brown and a knife comes out clean when inserted into tart. 9. Dust with icing sugar and serv warm with cream or custard.