Serve up with additional seasonal vegetables. Recipe serves up to six.

Ingredients:

Method:

Peel and dice the onions (not too small), peel and slice the carrots, place in a a pressure cooker with the minced meat and a little water. Cook under pressure for 6 minutes and allow to cool and depressurise before removing lid.

While the meat is cooking peel the potatoes, cut them into small chunks and cook in boiling water until soft, then mash with a knob of butter and some milk to make a creamy mash.

When the meat is cooked remove the lid and bring back to the boil. Put a little water in a cup and mix with corn flour to make a runny paste and brown with gravy browning. Stir this mixture in to the meat to thicken it. Tip the meat mixture into a suitable casserole or oven proof container and level off. Top off with the mashed potatoes and fork over to create a spikey texture. 

Cook for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200C ,400F, Gas Mark  6 until hot and the potato is slightly browned.  

Ingredients:
450 g (1 lb) spinach leaves
900 ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
salt and pepper.
few drops of Tabasco
450 ml (¾ pint) buttermilk
To Serve:
60 ml (4 tbsp) double cream
croutons (page 97)

Method:
Place the spinach, stock and lemon juice in a large saucepan.

Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Pass through a sieve and return to the pan.

Reheat gently with the Tabasco and buttermilk.

Serve hot with a little cream swirled in and accompanied by croutons.

Ingredients:

Method:

Grease two 2lb loaf tins.

Mix the flour, the salt and sugar together and then rub in the margarine until the mixture is like bread crumbs. 

Add the sachet of yeast and mix in to the flour.

Mix by hand adding enough water to give a fairly soft dough. Add more water if necessary.

Turn the dough on to a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes firm and elastic. I can usually feel this change in the dough.

Divide the dough into two and shape each part to fit into a loaf tin. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to rise until it has doubled in size.

When the dough is nearly fully risen, preheat the oven to 230°C ( 450°F, gas mark 8 ).

Place the loaf tins in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 230°C, then reduce the temperature to 200°C ( 400°F, gas mark 6 ) and bake for a further 20 - 30 minutes.

After about 20 minutes in the oven take the loaf tins out of the oven, tip each loaf out on to a wire rack and tap the bottom of the loaf. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped with your knuckle. If it doesn’t, put it back into the oven in the loaf tin for another 5 minutes and then check again.

Ingredients:

Filleted Rainbow Trout - 1 fish for two servings

Egg - 1 or 2 should make enough egg wash for up to six fillets
Milk - 50ml per egg

Flour - as needed
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Oil - as needed

Method:

Thaw the trout fillets if frozen, wash and pat dry.
To prepare the egg wash, beat the egg and milk together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To prepare the flour, season well with salt and pepper.
Dip each fillet into the egg wash, making sure it is well covered, then coat well with the flour.

Pan fry each fillet in hot vegetable oil for about 2 minutes on each side or until the fish flakes easily with fork.

Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve immediately with seasonal vegetables.

 
Ingredients:

600 g Carrots
140 g Split Red Lentils
1 litre hot Vegetable Stock
2 tbsp Olive Oil
125 ml Milk

To Serve:
Plain Yogurt
Bread Rolls

Method: 

Peel, wash and coarsely grate the carrots and put in a pan. Add the oil, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.

Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer).

Season to taste and finish with a dessert spoonfull  of yogurt.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with warmed bread rolls or wholemeal bread of choice.
 

Ingredients
185g (6oz) can tuna fish in vegetable oil
1 tbsp malt vinegar
2 tsp coarse-grain mustard
½ tsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
mixed salad leaves
50g (2oz) button mushrooms, halved
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
¼ cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced
½ avocado, peeled and sliced
seasoning to taste

Method
Drain the oil from the can of tuna fish into a bowl and mix with the vinegar, mustard and sugar to make the dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in 1 tbsp of the chopped chives.

Flake the tuna fish.

Arrange the salad leaves on two serving plates.

Arrange the tuna fish, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in the centre.

Spoon the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve at once.

Ingredients
100g (4oz) butter or margarine
175g (6oz) black treacle
50g (2oz) golden syrup
225g/8oz plain flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150ml (¼ pint) milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
25g/1oz caster sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
8 pieces stem ginger, thinly sliced
25g (1oz) angelica, cut into sticks
100g (4oz) glace icing to decorate

Method
Preheat the oven to 160 °C (325 °F, Gas Mark 3).

Grease an 18-20cm (7-8in) square cake tin with melted butter or margarine.

Line the base and sides with greaseproof paper and brush the paper with more melted butter.

Place the butter (or margarine) and black treacle and golden syrup in a small pan and heat gently until just melted then stir the milk into the melted mixture.

Sift the plain flour, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add the two eggs and caster sugar to the dry ingredients, then gradually pour the melted mixture into the bowl, stirring very carefully with a wooden spoon.

Beat thoroughly (still using the wooden spoon) until any lumps in the mixture are smoothed out.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and set it on a baking sheet.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-60 minutes until firm and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Carefully arrange the stem ginger and sticks of angelica in the centre of the cooled cake.

To make the glace icing; mix the icing sugar with enough water to give it a thin pouring consistency.

Pour the glace icing into a small piping bag and drizzle it over the top of the gingerbread for decoration.

Ingredients

100g/4oz butter or margarine
225g/8oz golden syrup
225g/8oz plain flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150ml/1/4 pint milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
25g/1oz caster sugar
handful of chopped glace cherries or dried fruit (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 °C (325 °F, Gas Mark 3).

Grease an 18-20cm (7-8in) square cake tin with melted butter or margarine. Line the base and sides with greaseproof paper and brush the paper with more butter.

Place the butter (or margarine) and syrup in a small pan and heat gently until just melted then stir the milk into the melted mixture.

Sift the plain flour, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add the two eggs and caster sugar to the dry ingredients, then gradually pour the melted mixture into the bowl, stirring very carefully with a wooden spoon.

Beat thoroughly (still using the wooden spoon) until any lumps in the mixture are smoothed out.

You can also add a handful of chopped glace cherries or dried fruit at this stage (optional) and stir in.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and set it on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-60 minutes until firm and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Transfer to a rack to cool then turn out.

Ingredients:
225g / 8oz pasta twists
175g / 6oz broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
400g / 14oz can tuna fish in brine, drained
50g / 2oz sunflower margarine
50g / 2oz wholemeal or plain white flour
600ml / 1 pint skimmed milk
75g / 3oz low fat Cheddar type cheese, grated
½ tsp English mustard powder (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
25g / 1oz fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 °C/ 400 °F / Gas Mark 6.

Cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes, add the broccoli then return to the boil and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until just tender then drain.

Flake the tuna into an ovenproof dish.

Place the margarine, flour and milk in a pan, heat gently until the margarine has melted.

Increase the heat and stir continuously until the sauce boils and thickens.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes, remove from the heat and add half of the cheese and the mustard powder (if used).

Season with pepper.

Spoon the pasta and broccoli over the tuna and cover with the sauce.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining cheese and then sprinkle over the mixture.

Bake for about 25 minutes until golden and crisp on top.

Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6. 

Cook the macaroni or pasta in salted boiling water for 10 minutes until just tender. Drain thoroughly and place in a large oven proof dish. 

While the macaroni is cooking melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and fry the chopped onion until soft.

Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk making sure there are no lumps. Bring back to the boil and simmer, stirring until the mixture thickens.  

Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.  Add the nutmeg (or mustard) and stir in most of the grated cheese.

Pour the mixture over the cooked macaroni or pasta in the oven proof dish. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Garnish with the parsley (optional) and serve immediately.

Ingredients

15g (0.5oz) butter or margarine
85g (3oz) flour
salt and pepper
30g (1oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
55g (2oz) grated cheese
1 level teasp mixed herbs
450g (1 lb) cod or haddock fillet (skinned)
225g (8oz) can tomatoes

Method

Preheat the oven 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

To make the crumble, rub the butter into the flour and season, then add the breadcrumbs, cheese and mixed herbs and mix these in well.

Cut the fish into chunks, place in a pie dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spoon the canned tomatoes and their juices over the fish, then spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top.

Bake for about 40 minutes on the centre shelf, until the crumble is browning and the fish is cooked.

Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

125g (4oz) S.R. flour
1 tsp baking powder
125g (4oz) rolled oats
50g (2oz) sugar
85g (3oz) treacle
125g (4oz) margarine

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl then mix in the oats.

Put the sugar, treacle and margarine in a pan and heat until just melted, then cool slightly.

Mix warm liquid into the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Press into a greased, 18cm (7 inch) sandwich tin.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until cooked.

Tip out on to a tray and cut into squares and allow to cool. 

Ingredients
12oz (350g) ripe bananas
7oz (200g) self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
2oz (50g) butter or sunflower margarine
6oz (175g) light soft brown sugar
2 eggs
3oz (75g) marzipan

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4)

Grease a 2 lb (900g) loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper.

Peel and mash the bananas.

Sieve the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and salt.

Beat the butter with the sugar until they form alight and fluffy cream.

Lightly beat the eggs, then gradually whisk them in with the butter and sugar mixture.

Beat in the bananas and fold in to the flour mixture.

Roughly chop and stir in the marzipan.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level.

Bake for 1¼ hours until risen and golden.

Turn out to cool on a rack and serve plain or with butter.

Suggestion: If you pack this delicious banana loaf in kitchen foil, it will keep moist for up to a week. 
 

225 g (8 oz) Flaky Pastry

Filling:
50g   (2 oz) butter or margarine
100g  (4 oz) currants
25g   (1 oz) brown sugar
25g  (1 oz) mixed peel
a little milk
caster sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 230°C, 450°F, Gas Mark 8.

Melt butter in a saucepan, add the fruit, sugar and peel. Mix together.

Turn mixture into a basin and allow to cool.

Roll out pastry 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thick, cut into large rounds with a plain cutter.

Place a spoonful of filling on each round, dampen the edges of pastry and draw them together to enclose filling.

Turn smooth side up and roll lightly to flatten.

Cut tops to show filling, brush with milk and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes.
 

Ingredients:

225g (8 oz) Self Raising Flour
100g (4 oz) Margarine
75g (3 oz) Mixed Dried Fruit
25g (1 oz) Mixed Peel
50g (2 oz) Caster Sugar
1 Medium Egg
Seasoning - pinch of Salt
A little Milk to mix

Method:

Heat oven to 200°C. 400°F, Gas Mark 6.

Grease two baking trays.

Mix the flour and salt, rub in me margarine.

Stir in the dried fruit, mixed peel and sugar.

Mix to a stiff dough with egg and a little milk.

Place in rough heaps on the baking trays leaving plenty of space between.

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6.

Wash the potatoe(s) - one or two per person depending upon size etc- and clean out any “eyes” or dirt. Prick each potatoe in several places.

The family like oven baked potatoes but to reduce the time they take to cook I microwave them for a few minutes (4 or 5 minutes for each potatoe) and then cook them in the oven at 200°C (gas mark 6) for about 15 minutes or until the jacket is nicely crisp. 

Place the potatoes on a baking tray and place in the oven to cook.

When cooked remove the potatoes from the oven. Slice the potato crossways about halfway through each potato. Press the sides in with thumb and first finger (with paper towel as insulation) to open up. Melt on a knob of butter or add a preferred topping of choice.

Serving Suggestion:

There are many serving options. This shows one of our favourites - warmed smoked mackerel and diced carrot with plenty of butter and seasoned with ground pepper to taste.

Baked Potato - Topping Suggestions:

Grated or sliced Cheese and Coleslaw or Pickle.

Hot Baked Beans.

Cold Tuna and sweetcorn in Mayonaise.

Searching for a light fruit cake then this fruit cake is just like it says in the title - light! It’s a delight to eat fresh and goes down really well with your favourite hot or cold drink.

Ingredients:

Method:

Preheat the oven at 170°C, 325 °F, Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a deep 18cm /17 inch round cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 

To combine the flour, cherries and mixed fruit, fold into the creamed mixture alternately with the lemon rind and juice.

Turn the mixture into the cake tin and level the surface. Top with walnut halves and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 40 minutes until firm to the touch.

Ingredients: 

Method: 

Place the sugar, water, fruit (I use a mixture of currants and sultanas) and bicarbonate of soda in a pan and boil for 3 minutes then leave to cool.

Pre heat the oven to 170°C,  (325°F, Gas Mark 3).

With the mixture cooled, add the flour and then the egg to the pan, mixing together well.  Pour the mixture into a 2 lb loaf tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, until a scewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool and then store in an air tight container.

Ingredients :

Method for the pastry case:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F gas mark 6) 

Make the shortcrust pastry (follow link for method) and roll out and fit into a 20cm (8 inch) loose-based flan tin, trimming the pastry as necessary. 

Put in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.  and bake blind for about 15 minutes then remove the baking beans and paper and return to the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes until the base is cooked. Allow to cool and spread the base with raspberry jam (or jam of your choice).

You will need a thick custard for this recipe.

Pour the milk into a pan, reserving some to mix with the custard powder and sugar making a runny paste. Bring the milk in the pan to the boil.

Pour the custard powder mixture into the pan and mix in well. It should thicken up quickly. Bring back to the boil and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time. 

Allow the custard to cool. To prevent a skin forming while cooling, place a circle of wet greaseproof paper over the top. When cool pour into the tart case. Sprinkle over a little coconut or grated chocolate to decorate.

Ingredients:

Method:

Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together  until pale and fluffy.

Separate the eggs. Beat egg yolks then stir in the orange rind and 15ml (3 tsp) of the lemon juice.

Sift the flour and baking powder, then stir in the ground almond and 125g (4 oz) of the chopped walnut.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in to the mixture with the carrots.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and hollow the centre slightly.

Preheat the oven and bake at 180C (350F, Gas Mark 4) for about 1½hours. Check after and hour and cover with foil if it is starting to brown.  

Leave to cool slightly, then turn out on to a wire rack and remove lining paper. Leave to cool.

To make the topping, beat together the cream cheese, honey, and the remaining lemon juice.  Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with the remaining walnuts.