Scones

June 26th was National Cream Tea day, so in honour of all things British and my fondness for baked goods, I tried Paul Hollywood’s scone recipe.  I loved it! It was super quick to make and fortunately I had some white bread flour in stock to use. The clotted cream is a must with these, and nothing else will suffice I’m sorry to say.

15 ½ oz strong white flour (white bread flour)

3oz butter, softened

3oz sugar

2 eggs

5 tsp baking powder

½ C milk (divided)

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

unsalted butter

raspberry preserves
Devon clotted cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Rub the flour and butter together into a large bowl until you get a texture that feels like breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar, eggs and baking powder and gently mix. 

Add ¼ cup of milk and continue to fold in the ingredients until everything is combined. Gradually drizzle in the rest of the milk to form a soft, wet dough. It should be on the sticky side.

Put the dough ball onto a floured table top and dust a little flour on top.

Begin to roll the dough by hand, folding it over in half and turning it 90 degrees.

Do this several times until you’ve formed a smooth dough. 

With a rolling pin roll the dough from the middle away from you, and then from the middle towards you. Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll again until the dough is about 1 inch thick.

Cut out the scones using a round pastry cutter and place them onto a silicone mat on top of a cookie sheet. 

Brush only the tops with the egg mixture and bake for 15 minutes, or until the scones have risen and have a delicious golden color.
Let them cool for a little while, then cut in half, butter, and serve with preserves and a generous dollop of clotted cream.
I think a little high tea is just the thing to have this week, considering Wimbledon has just started!

Fresh from the Garden

There's nothing like picking your own fruit and vegetables. This morning we had a bumper crop of radish, rhubarb, lettuce and asparagus. I've been trying out different asparagus recipes. This asparagus soup was lovely, although I think next time instead of using a stick blender in the cooking pot, I'll blend the soup thoroughly so that it has a gorgeous velvety smooth texture.
I'm looking forward to making another strawberry and rhubarb pie later, and perhaps tomorrow I'll make a rhubarb fool.

Lentil and Tomato Soup

A dear friend of mine prepared this soup for us when we decided to have a quick lunch.
It was super easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. I think the lemon juice it the secret ingredient which brings all the flavors together.
This is a Rose Elliot recipe and has been around for a long time. I have just ordered her book "The New Complete Vegetarian", and I can't wait for it to arrive next week!

1 large onion

2 sticks celery, chopped

2 Tbspn olive oil

1 C (heaping) split red lentils, thoroughly washed and rinsed

14 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 pts vegetable stock

2 Tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 C cheddar or Parmesan, grated (to serve)

fresh parsley or basil, finely chopped to garnish (optional)

Gently cook the onion and celery in olive oil, on a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the lentils and then add the tomatoes and stock. 
Bring the soup to a boil, partially cover with a lid, and gently simmer for 30 minutes. 
Blitz with a stick blender and check the seasoning. 
Finally add the lemon juice. Stir well and serve with some grated cheddar and a garnish of parsley. 
Enjoy with some fresh bread and butter.

Roast Chicken with Garlic and Lemons

This is one of my mother's favorite dishes. How can you beat a meal like this. Just heavenly!

8 organic chickens thighs (2 per person)

1 lb new potatoes, washed and cut into quarters

1 lemon (unwaxed), cut into quarters

6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into strips

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

6 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb mushrooms

fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a frying pan gently cook the mushrooms in some olive oil for 5-10 minutes. Keep the heat low to medium and cover with a lid. Set aside while you prepare the chicken.

Place the chicken thighs in a lightly greased baking dish. Put a little butter under each chicken thigh, and tuck 3 or 4 slivers of garlic under the skin. Dot the tops of the thighs with some more butter.

Add the mushrooms and the cooking juice.

Divide the potatoes and lemon quarters between the chicken, and season with salt and pepper and some fresh thyme to taste.

Cook for about 45 minutes, and then gently stir the chicken before returning to the oven for another 30 minutes or so until it has cooked through.

As there is quite a lot of liquid the chicken and potatoes will not roast, but they will turn golden brown and be assured they will be totally scrumptious!

This is a super tasty meal and is particularly delicious served with broccoli and some butternut squash.