Recipes

Coleslaw

Several  members complimented the coleslaw at the recent Winter Lunch so here is the recipe.

Serves 8 as a side

Ingredients

1 small white cabbage or ½ large or half red half white

4 carrots peeled

1 large red onion

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

50g mayonnaise

50g yoghurt, soured cream or more mayo

1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Sugar to taste

Seasoning

Paprika

Method

Shred cabbage thinly and place in bowl.

Grate the carrots and add to the bowl. Finely slice the onion, as thin as you can, and add to the bowl with the other veg. Stir.

In a jug, whisk the mustard, mayo, yoghurt, sugar and vinegar. Season well, and taste.

Tip the dressing into the veg bowl and mix everything together well with a large spoon. Stir so all the veg gets coated lightly in the dressing. Sprinkle with a few pinches of paprika and serve straight away.

Can be covered and chilled for up to 2 days.

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Mulled Gin

Serves  4

Ingredients 100ml gin 500ml apple juice

1 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 lemon quartered plus 1 for serving sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp. coriander seeds

Method In a large pan, pour in apple juice add all other ingredients (except gin) and warm for 30 minutes on a very low heat or even better in a slow cooker. This is your alcohol-free version. Now this is when it gets interesting – Either pour 25ml gin into each glass, stir, and serve with slice of lemon or as I do glug in the gin!

Elaine Bailey  (Catering Co-ordinator)

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Non-Alcoholic Pimms

Following the success of the non-alcoholic Pimms at our recent Combined Activities Summer Lunch, here is the recipe in perfect time for any event.

Ingredients

1 cup ice

6-8  strawberries

1/3 cucumber

1  lime or lemon

1 litre diet lemonade

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

handful fresh mint

Instructions

1. Wash and cut and dice or slice the fruit. Put in large jug.
2. Add balsamic vinegar and leave for about ½ hour.
3. Add lemonade, ice  and stir.
4. Add fresh mint leaves and serve immediately.

Note

For 1 serving (300ml glass)

⅓ cup ice cubes 2 strawberries 2 slices cucumber 2 slices lime or lemon 200 ml lemonade ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Enjoy!

Elaine Bailey  (Catering Co-ordinator)

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Spicy Tomato Jam

This makes a small batch to keep in the fridge. Reduce the cayenne if you don’t want it too spicy.

Makes about 320g

Prepare 5 minutes

Cook approximately 30 minutes

500g ripe tomatoes, cherry ones are ideal as they are cooked whole but if using larger tomatoes, core and roughly chop but leave the skins on

70g dark brown sugar

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp cayenne powder

Add all the ingredients to a saucepan with heavy base and bring to the boil stirring occasionally.

Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until it reaches the consistency of jam. Remove from the heat and cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight sterilised jar in the fridge for 2 weeks.

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Family Recipe from Sallie Dixon

Date and Walnut Bread

I usually make half this mixture and use a 1lb tin

Three cups of wholemeal flour

One cup of white flour

Two lbs. of dates - chopped (not too fine)

One quarter lb. of shelled walnuts (chopped)

One cup of brown sugar

Four tablespoons of dark treacle

Two cups pf milk (Four all the better)

One teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda

Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl, pour in the treacle into the centre add the milk

Mix to a sloppy paste (that is important)

Pour into a loaf 2lb tin.

Bake one and a half hours in a slow oven.

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Churchill’s Fruit Cake

This cake was one of Winston Churchill’s favourites. It originates from Churchill’s long-standing cook, Georgina Landemare who catered for Winston throughout the war at Downing Street and then at his family home, Chartwell in Kent, until she retired in 1954. During the war period, meals were often created using the most basic of ingredients as part of the rationing era. According to Mrs Landemare, Churchill was an incredibly fussy eater but she was often able to produce something delicious that satisfied his appetite for ‘simple British food’. Such was the impact of her cooking, on VE night Churchill actually thanked Mrs Landemare for her efforts by saying that he “could not have managed throughout the war without her cooking”. The National Trust has created their version of the fruit cake recipe below, inspired by Mrs Landmare’s original recipe, which Churchill would have enjoyed.

Ingredients

225g butter

170g dark brown sugar

285g SR flour

280g dried mixed fruit

2 cups strong black tea

5 eggs

110g glace cherries, halved or dried apricots or mixed nuts

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp black treacle (optional but is used to add a rich darkness and flavour to the cake)

Method

1. Soak the dried fruit in tea, preferably overnight.

2. Oven temperature 150°C

3. Line and grease a cake tin.

4. Cream together the butter and sugar until almost white.

5. Gradually beat in the eggs.

6. Fold in the flour and mixed spice.

7. Add the mixed fruit, glace cherries and black treacle and mix well.

8. Transfer to cake tin and bake for 2 hours,

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Orange & white chocolate cookies; makes 24

Ingredients

300g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

250g butter, softened

125g caster sugar

125g light brown sugar

1 large egg

Zest of 1 orange

250g white chocolate chips or white chocolate roughly chopped

Method

1. Oven temperature 180°C

2. Grease two baking trays.

3. Cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.

4. Add the egg and beat until well combined.

5. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest and chocolate.

6. Roll dough into balls or spoon equal quantities of the dough onto a greased baking tray, leaving at least 3cms between each one.

7. Bake for 8 – 10 mins until golden.

8. Remove from oven, leave 2 – 3 mins, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

This mixture can be prepared well in advance. Roll the dough into biscuit sized sausages, put in freezer bag and freeze. When needed, slice into discs and bake as above.

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