Sausages with Boulangere Potatoes and Apples

Sitting in church, whilst (naturally) listening intently to the sermon, an image of meltingly delicious slow roasted pork shoulder with boulangere potatoes kept tantalising me.   I invited Mr Wobbly, our regular Sunday lunch companion, to join us at 5pm.  I had arranged to walk with a friend at 1pm, so planned a quick trip to the supermarket (not, of course that I go shopping on a Sunday as a matter of course...) and to put the joint into roast slowly in a moderate oven whilst we were out.

However, a search for my keys revealed that I had packed them in the neighbour's baby's suitcase when he stayed over last night.  The neighbours were out.. no trip to the supermarket for me.

So instead I searched for inspiration in the freezer.  Boil in the bag cod with Boulangere potatoes?  Perhaps not.  Chicken soup?  2 chops?  But there were 4 of us.  Ah - sausages.  Well, they're pork aren't they?

So here it is - Sausages with Boulangere Potatoes and Apples

In the food processor, thinly slice 2 onions and about 5 large potatoes.  Core but don't peel 2 cooking apples and slice into 1/2 centimetre rounds.

Mix the onions and potatoes with your hands, and layer into a baking dish with the apple slices.  As you layer it up, add some chopped garlic, fresh chopped sage leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.  Pour over 1/2 pint of vegetable or chicken stock and lay 12 pork sausages on the top of this.  Cover with foil and bake slowly for 2-3 hours at 140c.  Remove the foil, turn the sausages and cook at 180c for the last 30 mins.

Serve with fresh runner beans (Mr. Wobbly arrived with a pan of the same - ready prepared) and good company.

Poached pears with chocolate sauce makes a good - a seasonal - pudding to follow.

Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup with Red Lentils

It's a welcome day off and, though I have been up since 6, I have spent the morning in PJs doing things around the house and chatting - to family, to friends on the phone, to the dog - and often to myself!  Over a breakfast chat, the daughter requested soup for supper tonight, so I waved her off at 7 and rummaged through the kitchen cupboards for inspiration.   I happened upon a butternut squash bought for £1 and then forgotten.  I chopped a bit and stirred a bit - and the result was so delicious I had 2 bowls for breakfast and the daughter may be getting sausages for tea instead...

Here is the recipe.  I hope you like it :)

Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup with Red Lentils

Boil the kettle.  Make a cup of tea, and keep the rest of the hot water to add to the soup.  Drink the tea whilst pottering in your kitchen (listening to Radio 4 is optional but recommended).

Melt 1-2 tbsp butter (or dairy-free margerine) in a heavy casserole or saucepan.  Add:

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped (I don't bother to peel them)
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• 1 peeled and diced butternut squash, seeds and stringy bits removed

Saute over a medium heat until soft and just beginning to caramelise on the bottom of the pan.  Add 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste from a jar (or chop some fresh root ginger and garlic) and 1 tbsp curry powder (I used Madras).  Stir through the veg and cook for a further few minutes.  Add 2 handfuls of red lentils and again, cook for a further few minutes.

Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme (I tie the ends with a rubber band to make it easier to remove the stalks later), salt and pepper.

Pour over enough water to cover the veg generously.  Add a couple of veggie or chicken stock cubes, crushed, or 1 tbsp of gluten&dairy free stock powder (I used Marigold).  Bring to the boil and simmer for about 1/2 hour or until everything is soft.  Blitz (or leave chunky if you like) and heat through before serving.

Chef's recommendation: Eat 2 bowls for breakfast and try to keep the rest for supper - or serve them something else and pretend the soup never existed.

Special Birth Centre Lemon Drizzle Cake

Last year I was part of the local birth centre planning group at the invitation of the local consultant midwife.  As chair of the local RCM I wanted to ensure the midwives wishes were being heard and that the new midwife-led service would serve the needs of local women.  As a midwifery lecturer I wanted to ensure it would be a supportive and nuturing environment for students.  As a midwife I wanted to work clinically there.  As a friend, I wanted to support Sarah, the consultant midwife, who felt like she was swimming in treacle trying to move the plans forward in the face of strong opposition.

Several unproductive meetings left us all disheartened - NHS red tape is well renowned.  Another meeting was scheduled and I felt some cake might be welcome.  I made Mary Berry's Lemon Drizzle Traybake and went along with my Tupperware box, a knife and some napkins.

I had COMPLETELY misjudged the occasion.  Unlike other meetings, this was a formal elite gathering in a remote trust office with executive directors and heads of departments all in suits.    They looked aghast at the midwife in denim carrying her cake tin and a dangerous knife.  The Senior Midwife cast a glance that spoke a thousand words - I was a typical midwife, representing the profession badly again, reinforcing the sterotype of a lentil eating do-gooder wearing inappropriate comfortable shoes and clothes.

The meeting began.  I hid the cake tin under the table and tried to regain some sense of equlibrium, resisting the urge to run away and attempting to find some credible insights to disarm their first impressions of me.  However, we were soon swimming in treacle again.  Stalemate.  Getting nowhere.  Our scheduled meeting time was nearly over.  Sarah looked close to tears with frustration.

I took a deep breath and said 'Would anyone like some cake?'  Another disapproving glance from The Senior Midwife.  Oh well, I thought - in for a penny, in for a pound.  'It's lemon drizzle and one of my favourites'.  Frank - the suit from estates - was the first to say yes please.  Then the blonde with kitten heels.  Then they all couldn't get a piece quick enough.

'Look', said someone, enobled by a lemony sugar-rush.  'Let's make this happen'.  10 minutes of brainstorming and bullet pointing was all it took. Afterwards Gill and I took Sarah to lunch, gave her tissues and more cake and  encouraged her to be strong, to 'hold the faith'.

Next week, our brand new purpose-built free-standing midwife-led birth centre opens to the Public.  It is everything we have dreamed of.  Sarah remains convinced it was the lemon drizzle cake that made it happen.

In case you have the chance to change your world through the power of cake, here is the recipe:

Mary Berry's Lemon Drizzle Traybake
Preheat the oven to 160c.  Grease and line a traybake tin.

Mix together for 2 mins with electric mixer:

225g softened butter or margerine
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
Zest of 2 lemons
275g self-raising flour
4 tbsp milk

Bake for 45 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. 

Whilst the cake is baking, prepare the drizzle mix:

175g granulated sugar
Juice of 2 lemons

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins then pour over the drizzle mixture whilst warm.

Rhubarb and Ginger Chutney

When we moved into this house, our good friend and neighbour Simon Webley (an elderly statesman of the village) gave us a Rhubarb plant that had been divided from one in his own magnificient kitchen garden.  The rhubarb has flourised in a reasonably sunny spot despite no attention whatsover (though I think the dog has fertilised it from time to time, it being placed relatively near the back door...)

I harvested some Rhubarb in the early summer and ate it lightly stewed with orange zest for breakfast with oats and yogurt.  Yum.  Today I had a pleasing second harvest of over 4lbs, so am cooking up a large batch of Rhubarb and Ginger chutney.

I share the recipe with you (I got it from an allottment website).

Rhubarb and Ginger Chutney

4 lb rhubarb, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
6 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
6 large onions, peeled and chopped (I used the processor)
1 head of garlic peeled and chopped with 1 large piece of peeled fresh ginger root (I do these both in the food processor)
3 pints malt vinegar (I used Tesco value for 13p per bottle!)
2lb 4oz demerara sugar (though I didn't have any so I used a mix of half granulated and half dark-brown-soft)
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp curry powder (I used Madras)
2lb 4oz sultanas and/or currants

Mix all the ingredients together in a large preserving pan, bring slowly to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours or until thick. 

Pour into heated sterlised jars and seal.

Leave to mature for 3 months before eating (so make it now and it will be perfect at Christmas!)

It should keep for at least 1 year on the shelf.

Wild Plum Jam

Wild Plums make the most amazing jam.  I picked mine from an abandoned orchard behind the Wheatsheaf Pub in  Leybourne/West Malling  (ME19 5AT).  It's worth a visit as there are loads of apple and plum trees with the fruit just going to waste.  I think these are Mirabelles - though some pictures show Mirabelles as Yellow.  Whatever they are, they're delicious - and they make great Wild Plum Gin too!

Wash and weigh the fruit, removing any stalks, leaves or bruised fruit.  I leave the stones in and remove them during the cooking process - but you could take them out before if you like.

This picture shows 4lb plums.  Add about 1 pint water and bring to the boil, simmering slowly until the fruit is soft but not mushy.  As the plums get warm and slightly softer I remove the stones at this point - just with my bare hands, squashing the fruit and taking out the stone - but you could do it later if you like.  It's a pain in the neck but also therapeutic at the same time!

Once the fruit is soft add 1lb of granulated sugar for every 1lb of fruit (so I used 4lb sugar) and heat slowly to dissolve the sugar.  If you boil it before the sugar disolves it will crystalise.  My Granny used to heat up bags of sugar in the oven to avoid this happening but I just leave it on a very gentle heat, stiring from time to time, until all the sugar has dissolved.

Then, bring it to the boil and heat rapidly (it should be furiously bubbling) for about 10 mins or until setting point is reached (104c).  I have tried various methods to determine this, including a jam thermometer, but the best one is my Mum's trick of holding the wooden spoon up high above the jam.  If the juice just runs off it's not ready yet, but if it forms a slow drop that looks sryupy then it's done.  Very technical!  I think slightly runny jam is better than a solid brick so don't boil it too long.

Pour into sterilised jars, seal and label.  Perfect!

Everyday Curry - Veggie, Fish or Chicken

This is not an authentic curry from any particular region.  It's a store cupboard and fridge curry that you can rustle up after work in the time it takes to cook the rice.  I make it quite mild as Hannah is more 'Korma' than 'Vindaloo' - but you can add more spice to taste!

Peel and chop 1 large or 2 small onions.  Sweat with some vegetable oil in a large-ish saute pan (or wok).  Add equal quantities of chopped fresh ginger and garlic, or just spoon some garlic ginger paste from a jar (I keep one in my fridge).  Add 1-2 tbsp of curry paste or curry powder (I used Madras curry powder as I didn't have any paste open).  Technically this is a South-Asian-ish curry so Indian curry paste would be good but I often use Thai and get away with it.  The point is that this is everyday curry - so it's made with what you have in the cupboards and the fridge so you don't have to go shopping.

Roughly chop some veg, whatever you have in the fridge, to bulk up the curry, add goodness and niceness.  Tonight I used 3 carrots, 1/2 a small butternut squash and some green and yellow peppers.  I have added potatoes before - especially good if it's a veggie curry.  Green beans and frozen peas work well too, but add them later on so they don't get overcooked.

Pour in 1 tin of coconut milk, fill the empty tin with water and add that too.  Add a tbsp of tomato puree, or a large squeeze of tomato ketchup.  Trust me,  it works.  Season to taste.

Add some protein here if you're using it - chunks of skinless, boneless chicken thighs are our favourite, but breasts are OK.  Turkey chunks is good.  Fish works - tonight we had frozen coley fillets (el cheapo) dropped in whole from frozen and just flaked through at the end (salmon too, but I prefer that in parcels).

Simmer everything until the veg and the meat/fish is cooked, and serve with steamed basmati rice (or value long grain) and chopped coriander.  Mango chutney is essential.

Enjoy.

Autumn Foraging

Well, it's my favourite time of year for foraging.  It's all begging to be picked, and I don't have enough time to gather what I need.  Small handfuls of blackberries have fortified my morning dog-walks for the past month - with the occasional doggy bag (literally!) full of berries brought home when I couldn't resist it.  But I have had a couple of serious foraging mornings, one in the quarry and one in Leybourne Woods that have yielded huge bags of apples and mirbelle plums, some bullaces, blackberries and rosehips.  I just love these 'me-times', soaking in the peace in the woods and  countryside and thinking about the happy hours I will spend pottering in the kitchen putting them to good use.

I was also given 3 tubs of Damsons by my neighbours - and various friends and neighbours have left empty jars on my doorstep over the past few months.  People are kind - and they always get a full jar in return!

Produce so far has included Damson Jam, Hedgerow Jam and Pickled Plums.  There was wild cherry and apple jam earlier in the season.  Lots of Blackberry Cakes too.

Here's a recipe for Blackberry and Apple Crumble Cake:

Preheat oven to 180c and grease and line a small traybake tin.

Mix together for 2 mins in electric mixer:
4 oz softened butter or margerine
4 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
5 oz self raising flour

Pour into the prepared tin.  Scatter over 2 generous handfuls of blackberries and 1 large Bramely Apple, peeled, cored and sliced.

Rub together 2oz plain flour and 1 oz softened butter or margerine.  Add 1 oz caster sugar.  Add this crumble mixture to the cake, on top of the fruit.  Sprinkle with demerera sugar and bake for approx 40 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool for a while in the tin. 

Have some friends over, make a big pot of coffee or tea and eat the cake whilst slightly warm - with cream if you are feeling naughty.