experiment: growing figs

Well, if this is anything to go by, there will be some fig recipes later in the year! Top tips . . . a touch of lemon and sugar whilst pan frying, will bring out the colour and really highlights the flavour of a fig

experimental recipe: pepper & serrano ham mini calzone

pepper & serrano calzone

experiment w/ dough for calzone - serrano ham, peppers, 2 cheeses & onions

IngredientsMakes: 520g (4)

330g		new york pizza dough	(recipe below)
20g		plain flour
80g		tomato rosemary & garlic sauce	(recipe below)
40g		orange pepper
18g	(2)	double stuffed olives
30g		sbs red leicester cheese
20g		red onions
1g		black pepper
52g	(4)	serrano
50g		mozzarella

Method

Small calzone using a domestic oven . . . experiment.

Turn the oven on to 225C with the thick metal baking sheet inside on a high shelf.

There should be at least 3 inches of clearance from the top!

Dice the pepper, olives, onions, and add the grated red leicester & freshly ground black pepper mix together.

Roll each slice of ham and slice into rounds - 1 slice per calzone.

Cut mozzarella into sticks.

Cut dough into 4, form into balls & roll out into a 10 inch round.

Spread a generous tbsp of sauce on the front half, top w/ tbsp of veg mix, then serrano & mozza.

Fold over & seal.

Use a peel or dough blade to transfer it to a cold flat bake sheet dusted w/ ground rice or semolina to stop it sticking.

Repeat for the second one then load them onto the hot tray - only opening the oven to remove and return the tray.

Bake 225C / 7m.

Make the other two while they cook and repeat.

~130g 360kcals each - 180kcals / half.

new york pizza dough

minimal effort pizza dough

IngredientsMakes: 1115g (4)

15g		sugar
10g		dried yeast
30g		olive oil
420g		water
630g		00 flour
10g		salt

Method

Makes enough for 4 pizzaa ~280g per pizza.

Mix the sugar, dried yeast, olive oil & water and leave for 15mins to activate the yeast.

Add the salt to the flour, then add the wet ingredients combine into a smooth dough.

Place into a sealed plastic container and leave in the fridge for 72 hours.

BTW you can get very passable results after 24 hours!

Turn the dough out onto a flourless surface, and knock back until smooth & silky, form into a tight ball.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces and make a ball of each.

Place on a plastic tray & cover w/ cling film then leave for an hour to prove.

Once risen, the dough balls shouldn't really be touching!

tomato rosemary & garlic sauce

rich fried tomato sauce flavoured w/ rosemary & garlic confit

IngredientsMakes: 854g

100g		extra virgin olive oil
10g		rosemary
140g		onions
520g		tomatoes
80g		confit garlic	(recipe below)
15g		tomato puree
10g		chicken stock cube
300g		water

Method

Peel & chop the onions & tomatoes.

Add the picked and chopped rosemary to the olive oil and let it sizzle for 1 min then add the onions and cook until soft.

Squeeze the garlic out of casing and add it and the tomatoes and cook for another 5mins.

Finally add the puree & chicken stock & simmer for 20mins.

Blend with a stick blender until smooth and use as needed.

confit garlic

slowly confit garlic bulbs & rosemary & thyme infused olive oil

IngredientsMakes: 200g

320g		garlic
10g		rosemary
10g		thyme
20g		olive oil

Method

To cover the garlic you'll probably need 300g of olive oil. Use a container in which the garlic fit as snugly as possible.

Bruise the rosemary & thyme w/ the back of a knife & place it in the bottom of ovenproof saucepan.

Add the whole garlic bulbs and pour in olive oil until they are completely covered.

Bake 150C / 3h

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

Burns Night recipe: haggis croquettes w/ salad & coriander & apple dip

haggis croquettes w salad & coriander & apple dip

haggis & leek croquettes w/ mild pea shoot salad dressed w/ lemon vinaigrette served w/ coriander & apple yogurt dip w/ green tabasco

IngredientsMakes: 226g (1)

141g	(3)	haggis & leek croquettes	(recipe below)
40g		coriander & apple yogurt dip	(recipe below)
10g		lemon vinaigrette	(recipe below)
5g		olive oil
30g		asd mild pea shoot salad

Method

Make the croquettes first or break them out of the freezer . . . defrost . . . crisp up under the grill.

Once they're ready, make the dip & dressing, dress & season the salad & assemble!

haggis & leek croquettes

haggis, leek, extra mature cheddar cheese & mozzarella coated in bread crumbs & fired into gorgeous croquettes

IngredientsMakes: 710g (15)

255g		cooked haggis
50g		hm tomato sauce	(recipe below)
26g		butter
8g		cardamom powder
340g		leeks
45g		mozzarella
50g		extra mature cheddar cheese
35g		plain flour
50g		egg wash	(recipe below)
45g		bread crumbs

Method

The plain flour, egg wash & breadcrumb quantities listed are just what was used up in the recipe.

Makes 15 croquettes ~47g each.

Clean & small dice the leeks.

Melt the butter in a high sided non stick sauce pan & add the cardamom or cumin powder, letting it sizzle until aromatic.

Add the leeks & cook until soft.

Grate of the cheddar & grate or cut the mozzarella into fine strips.

Add the tomato sauce to the haggis & microwave until it's steaming hot then add it & the cheese to the saucepan w/ the stil hot leeks.

Mix vigorously w/ a wooden spoon until the mozzarella has gone stringy.

Turn the mix out into a takeout box, allow to cool then refrigerate until set. Couple of hours / overnight.

Spoon the mix out into a bowl of flour & shaped into croquettes, coat in egg wash & bread crumbs & deep fry 170C / 1-2m if they're bursting before they're brown turn the heat down.

Place on kitchen towel to draw out the excess oil.

hm tomato sauce

home made tomato sauce w/ fresh garlic, rosemary, thyme, onions & of course tomatoes

IngredientsMakes: 1100g

100g		olive oil
40g	(10)	garlic cloves
10g		rosemary
250g	(2)	onions
500g		tomatoes
400g		tinned chopped tomatoes
10g		chicken stock cube
400g		boiling water

Method

I make this when I have tomatoes that are past putting in a salad but not yet moldy.

Peel & chop the onions & tomatoes.

Add the peeled & sliced garlic to the olive oil and let it sizzle for 1 min, then add picked and chopped rosemary and let it sizzle for 1 min then add the onions and cook with the lid on until soft and just starting to brown.

Next add the tomatoes and mix them in well on a high heat boiling until they've started to break down.

Finally add the chicken stock & boiling water & the tinned tomatoes & bring to the boil.

Simmer for 30mins or more until the volume has reduced by a quarter to a third.

Blend with a stick blender until smooth and use as needed.

If I make a lot I store it in a 1L squeazy in the fridge.

coriander & apple yogurt dip

chunky coriander & apple yogurt dip w/ green tabasco

IngredientsMakes: 254g

10g		coriander
20g		lime juice
110g		greek yogurt
110g		apple sauce
3g		green tabasco
1g		salt

lemon vinaigrette

IngredientsMakes: 300g

100g		white wine vinegar
100g		sugar
100g		lemon juice

Method

Juice the lemon and match weight w/ white wine vinegar & sugar.

Shake until fully dissolved.

More Burns Night Supper Alternatives to Haggis Neeps & Tatties

Burns Night recipe: Haggis w/ Apple Chilli Humous (Houmous / Hummus) & Poached Egg

Haggis Duck & Apple Special Fried Rice

Vegetarian Recipe: Vegetable Soup w/ Haggis & Poached Egg Topped w/ Black Sesame & Sesame Oil

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: christmas bakewell tart

christmas bakewell tart

traybake mince pie / bakewell tart fusion bliss!

IngredientsMakes: 2600g (24)

450g		sweet short pastry	(recipe below)
820g		sbs mincemeat
1420g		frangipane mix	(recipe below)
90g		flaked almonds

Method

Using a 25cm x 35cm baking tray.

-

Rather than making 24 separate mince pies I thought I'd make one big one and lean it in the direction of a bakewell tart!

Easy to slice up in 24 pieces and offer to Christmas visitors, or break out after Christmass dinner / Boxing day!

It will keep in the fridge for a week no problem, and it freezes well too - slice it up before freezing it!

-

Roll pastry until it's large enough to fit the tray.

Cover w/ baking paper & fill w/ baking beans / balls / coins / foodsafe filler. . .

Blind bake pastry 180C / 15m w/ baking beans + 5m w/o beans.

Spread the mincemeat onto the tart case w/ the back of a spoon.

Make the frangipane imx & spread over the mincemeat.

Dust w/ flaked almonds & bake 150C / 40-45m.

Check it's cooked by popping a knife ito the centre - it should come out clean if it's cooked.

sweet short pastry

IngredientsMakes: 1400g

750g		plain flour
30g		caster sugar
450g		butter
110g	(2)	large eggs
60g		ice cold water

Method

Flour, sugar, butter > crumb texture.

Add water & eggs bring together into pastry.

Portion off remains into 400g planes 1cm thick - so they defrost quickly!

Wrap in cling film & freeze them for later.

frangipane mix

frangipane tart mix

IngredientsMakes: 1420g

400g		butter
400g		caster sugar
220g	(4)	eggs
400g		ground almonds

Method

Cream the butter & sugar in a standing mixer w/ a paddle attachment.

Add eggs one at a time incorporating each fully before the next.

Add the ground almonds . . . mix until homogenous & smooth.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: venison wellington - Christmas bliss - next level beef wellington

venison wellington

venison wellington for 2

IngredientsMakes: 850g (2)

300g		mums flaky pastry	(recipe below)
380g		seared venison tenderloin	(recipe below)
3g		salt
2g		black pepper
20g		olive oil
200g		duxelles	(recipe below)
172g	(3)	fine pancake	(recipe below)
52g	(4)	parma ham
40g		egg wash

Method

This recipe is for two people, quite small but rather special!

I make sausage rolls w/ any leftover pastry . . these are good [https://www.ferdiesfoodlab.co.uk/2024/12/recipe-fast-mini-sausage-rolls.html]

-

Make the pastry 1st thing - or the night before - and put it in the fridge until needed.

Remove any silverskin from the fillet season it w/ salt & pepper & sear until brown all over, and put it aside.

Next make the duxelles & the pancakes.

Roll the pastry to twice the length of the seared fillet and place it on top of a large piece of clingfilm - big enough to completely wrap the wellington.

Place the pancake - it should over hang the meat by about an inch - it protects the pastry from moisture.

After that all manner of things get put in - pate, nuts, squash, mushroom all sort!

I'm keeping it simple, parma ham - which I forgot this time oops, mushroom duxelles, fillet and wrap!

Use the cling film to help rol the wellington then once rolled, keep rolling & use the cling film to pinch the ends off.

Cut off the excess pastry, rmove the cling film, lightly score & egg wash the pastry.

Put a probe into the centre bake @ 175C / until probe reaches 45C ~20mins

Leave it to rest for 15mins while plating up everythings else!!

For more well done bake @ 170C / until probe reaches 50C

For more still bake @ 165C / until probe reaches 55C

Don't forget it carries on cooking while it rests - leave the probe in and you'll see it rise as the heat re-distributes to the centre of the meat from th pastry outer case.

mums flaky pastry - first published March 2010

seared venison tenderloin

IngredientsMakes: 380g

400g		venison tenderloin
3g		salt
2g		black pepper
20g		olive oil

Method

Remove any silverskin from the fillet season it w/ salt & pepper & sear until brown all over, and put it aside.

After that you can roast it directly, use it for a wellington, wrap it pancetta & roast it which is one of my favourites!

Or . . . you can slice it up super thin and serve it as venison tataki

duxelles

heavily seasoned fine diced mushrooms cooked down w/ fish sauce

IngredientsMakes: 160g

20g		olive oil
300g		chestnut mushrooms
4g		salt
15g		fish sauce

Method

Duxelles often uses butter - it is French after all - and contains onions & herbs & sometimes cream, madeira or sherry.

I'm using a faster version that builds in a tone of umami seasoning to anything you add it too!

Fine dice the mushrooms.

Heat a pan with the oil & add the mushrooms, season generously & toss them to coat in oil.

Cook with the lid on for 10mins, tossing occasionally so they cook evenly.

Then take the lid off and cook until the last of the liquid completely evaporates.

Finally add the fish sauce, keep the mushrooms moving so it's evenly distributed, cook until there is no liquid left and the mushrrom have a nice sheen. Use as needed.

I often use these in stir fries, broths, fried rice, wraps, burger mix, kofte that kind of thing and for sauces.

fine pancake

fine pancake for maki rolls

IngredientsMakes: 172g (3)

110g		eggs
20g		cornflour
110g		milk
4g		aromat

Method

Mix w/ a blender.

Pour a third onto 12 inch crepe skillet, roll the liquid around until it coats the surface evenly.

Use thin spatula to separate it from surface then use fingers to turn the pancake over.

Repeat. Makes 3 thin pancakes.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.