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Try her latest meal ideas.

JULY:

Cheesecake

Delicatessen shops were little known in the 60's but there was one I frequented regularly in Earls Court and from where I bought 'cheesecake' - another little known delicacy in those days.  Unlike today's many sweet varieties, this was a savoury slice of a dry texture and dotted with sultanas - the flavour remains with me to this day.  Unable to find such a cheesecake nowadays I have created my own recipe which is the nearest reminder to me of the flavours from those far gone days. 

WARM SAVOURY CHEESECAKE WITH GOATS CHEESE TOPPING - 6 slices

100g (4oz) self-raising flour
1 teas. caster sugar
3 large eggs
100g (4oz) full fat cream or curd cheese
1 jar sundried tomatoes in oil
50g (2oz) pitted black olives
freshly ground white pepper
300g (12oz) goats cheese - for topping

Set oven at gas 4/180ºc/160ºfan/Aga baking oven
Put a paper cake-baking case into an 18cm (7") round loose-based cake tin (or line with oiled greaseproof).  Put the flour, sugar, eggs and cream cheese into a food processor and process for a few seconds to mix together.  Add 6 sundried tomatoes, the olives and pepper and process again for a few seconds.  Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the pre-set oven for 25-30mins. or until set.  Allow to cool a little before topping with the remaining tomatoes and covering with rings of goats cheese.  Put back into the oven, or under a grill, until the goats cheese has browned on top.  Remove from the tin and slice to serve with salad.

MAY:

Pears poached in honey and cinnamon served with a calvados syrup and a scattering of walnuts and chocolate

The autumn brings new seasons pears and following the amazing spring blossom the quality and price should be especially good this year.  This unique fruit with its pearly-white flesh and a nutty flavour dictates just when it is ready for eating. While waiting for them to ripen to perfection take a handful and poach them in a honey and cinnamon stock.  Serve them with a calvados syrup and combine another autumn flavour, that of walnuts, with Fairtrade chocolate and enjoy the first tastes of our very own English autumn flavours.

Peel 4 whole pears, cut each in half and remove and discard the centre core.   Put 10fl.oz (½pt) water, one cinnamon stick and one tablespoon runny honey in a pan large enough to fit all the pear halves into, and bring to a simmer.   Add the prepared pear halves, cut side down, bring back to simmer, place lid on pan and simmer for 10-15mins. or until the pears are beginning to soften but still have a crispness.  Remove the pears on to a plate and while they are cooling make the syrup - remove the cinnamon stick then add 4-6tbls. Calvados to the cooking stock and boil rapidly until it is reduced to about 4tbls. and is of a sticky consistency, remove from heat.  Place the pear halves on individual serving plates, one half cut side down and the second half leaning against it.   Using a spoon drizzle the syrup around and over the pears (use all the syrup), then from your fingers drop a mixture of chopped walnut halves (6-8) and a similar quantity of chocolate shavings, on to the top pear from where it will scatter naturally over the plate.  Serve warm or cold.

Lazy Cook tips - the simmering of the pears can be done on top of or in a simmering oven.  While the pears are simmering the walnut and chocolate topping can be prepared.  Bitter chocolate taken from the fridge is easily shaved into strands using a sharp knife, if you are really pressed for time use Charbonnel et Walker ready grated chocolate.  Watch the syrup carefully towards the end of the reduction process, if neglected you can be left with a sticky-based pan only!

Roast Chicken for One

I am regularly asked for recipes and advice on cooking for one.  The boring sameness of ingredients can cloud mealtimes and finding inspiration is not always easy. I can understand this, just as I can understand the temptation to buy ready-made meals when time or energy are against you. "What is the point of cooking a roast for one, I get tired of eating the leftovers",  I so often hear.  Well, help is at hand in the shape of my recipe for this month.  I do hope it will encourage more home cooking about which I am passionate whether cooking for one or for a crowd.

Buy a chicken weighing not less than 1½kg (3lbs). Set oven at gas 6/200c/180fan/Aga roasting oven.   Cut through the skin of the chicken following the line of the breast bone.  Loosen the skin and peel back then remove each breast  Fill the cavities with parsley and thyme stuffing and sausagemeat (or fillings of your choice).  Bring the skin back to cover the fillings and secure with a metal skewer or  by sewing with strong thread or fine string.  Weigh the chicken and assess the roasting time allowing 20mins. per 450g/1 lb and 15mins. resting time after cooking.  Spread butter over the skin, including the legs (or brush with oil), and place the chicken on a trivet in a roasting tin. Pour approx. 300ml.(10fl.oz) hot water into the tin.   Roast in the pre-set oven for 15mins. then reduce the temperature to gas. 4/180c/160fan/Aga baking oven for the remainder of the assessed roasting time - test by piercing the thickest part of the leg with a cocktail stick or skewer and if the juices run clear the chicken is cooked.  Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and leave for 15mins. before carving.

Lazy Cook tips - this recipe enables those catering for one, or couples, to enjoy a roast without feeling they will be eating cold chicken for days afterwards.   The removing of the breasts is easily done and these can be frozen individually or together for future use.  Use the carcase to make stock.

APRIL:

Chunky Chocolate Truffles

These home made chocolates are so easy to make using off the shelf ingredients and are far superior in quality and flavour to anything you can buy.

Makes 12 large truffles

1  x 200g bar of bitter, milk or white chocolate
40g unsalted butter
2 generous teaspoons Creme de Cacao liqueur (or a sweet sherry)
40g Rich Tea biscuits - crushed to a fine powder

Melt 50g of the chocolate with the butter.  Stir in the liqueur and biscuit crumbs and leave until cool.

Roughly cut 50g of the remaining chocolate into chunks and stir into the mixture.

Shape into 12 balls.  Place on foil and put into a refrigerator to harden.

Melt the remaining chocolate and dip each ball into the melted chocolate to coat all over (it helps to use 2 forks to do this.  Place on foil to set, and store in a box or tin in a cool place - if they last long enough to store!

MARCH:

Fish Chowder

serves 6
1 large onion – skin and chop
100gms (4ozs) unsmoked bacon – cut into pieces
2 sticks celery – slice
100gms (4ozs) mushrooms – wipe and slice
900gms (2lbs) potatoes – peel and cut into mouthsized pieces
1 x 400gm tin sweetcorn – drain off juices
900gms (2lbs) white fish– cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbps flour seasoned with freshly ground white pepper
150ml (¼pt) thick single cream - optional
2 tsp Dijon mustard
freshly chopped parsley – lots

Soften the onion, bacon, celery and mushrooms in a little boiling water with lid on pan.  Add the potatoes and sufficient cold water to cover.  

Bring to a simmer and simmer, with lid on pan, until the potatoes are almost cooked before adding the sweetcorn.   Coat the fish pieces in the seasoned flour and place on top of the pan ingredients.  

Bring back to a simmer and continue simmering with lid on pan for 10mins or until the fish has cooked.   Stir in the cream, mustard and parsley and bring back to a simmer before serving with warm rolls or chunks of bread.

Lazy Cook tip  – cod cheeks, if available, are excellent for this recipe.   If you cook by Aga the simmering process should be done in the simmering oven.   Serve this recipe for lunch or supper.

FEBRUARY:

Spinach Crêpes

to make 4
4 crêpes (recipe below)
250gms (8ozs) spinach
4 desst single cream
freshly ground nutmeg

Wash the spinach leaves.  Add just enough water to cover the base of a pan, add the spinach, place lid on pan, and cook over a gentle heat until the spinach has softened and reduced considerably.

Strain off any cooking liquid, add a nut of butter and stir over a gentle heat to dry off any excess liquid before serving.  To puree, put into a food processor, or liquidiser, and process for a few seconds.

Put a tablespoon of cooked spinach to one side of each crêpe, top with a dessertspoon of cream and a little freshly ground nutmeg before covering with the other half to form a crescent shape.   Place on a lightly oiled baking tray (or swiss roll tin), or ovenproof plate, and heat in a hot oven (gas 6/450ºf/220ºc/Aga roasting oven) or under a hot grill for 5-6mins.   Serve as a starter.

These make a good starter, or two or more can be served as a light lunch.  Arranged on an ovenproof plate they can be served direct from the oven.  

This is just one of many ways I serve crêpes. Crêpes are another useful ingredient to have in store, especially for ‘Lazy Cooks’ - they can be served with  savoury or sweet fillings.

Crêpes

Tto make approximately 24
300ml (½pt) full cream milk
100gms (4ozs) plain flour
2 large eggs
2 tbls sunflower oil
2 tbls cold water
butter for cooking

Put the milk into a food processor or liquidiser, add the flour, eggs and oil and process for a few seconds until smooth.  

Pour into a jug, cover and put in a fridge or cold larder for 30mins. to 1 hour.  

Take from the fridge and whisk in 2 tbls. cold water.  

Heat a 15cm (6”) pan, smear the base with butter and pour in just enough batter to lightly coat the base (approx. 2 tbls.)   When set turn it over using a wooden spatula and cook for a few seconds more before turning on to a wire tray.

Lazy Cook tips - A crêpe pan should have a heavy base which must be hot before the batter is added otherwise you will end up with a soggy mess. 

Spike a lump of fridge-hard butter on to a knife and use this to wipe over the base of the pan between cooking each crepe, it will give just the right amount of butter without burning fingers.  

Store or freeze the cold crêpes in stacks of 10 or 12 interleaving each with a piece of greaseproof.   Wrap in clingfilm and use within 5 days or put into freezer bags and freeze.  

Defrost, or use directly from the freezer easing between the layers with a palette knife. 

Spinach can be cooked and stored, covered, in a refrigerator or cold larder until it is needed