Apple, chilli and rosemary chutney

My wonderful sister sent me a huge bagful of apples which were picked from her father in laws tree...... they are both eaters and cooking apples which are perfect for this recipe, so i decided to make some chutney :-)

What you need....
8 eating apples peeled cored and chopped into chunks
1 good sized onion, diced
2 birdseye chillies, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons of cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of sugar
approx 100ml of water
2 big sprigs of fresh rosemary

What you do......


Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy based pan and gently cook the onions and chillies,(come on...with the seeds!!!!) for about 15 minutes until translucent.
Add the apples, sugar, vinegar and water and cook on a medium heat until the apples are really soft.
Finely chop the rosemary and add to the pan. Mix well and season.
As soon as your chutney has a nice thick consistency its ready!
I like to leave it a little chunky rather than blend it up.
This goes so well with white meats or some lush crackers and cheeeese! Enjoy :-)

Home Sweet Home

Our lovely new home!!!
Finally we have found a place that we love and are having the bestest time gathering bits of furniture to fill it with! Thank goodness for Freecycle....amazing! Since these photos were taken we have managed to get a double bed, fridge, freezer, washing machine, sofa(very ugly may i add!!) and a table all completely free!!
Steve has been amazing ....he is a boot sale addict!! He got me a food processor, La Crueset oven dish,(my absolute favourite cookware label), an wonderful Pyrex dish...still in its original box, it was the old lady's wedding present years ago, never been used!!! He also found a great standard lamp which looks lovely in our front room.
The most beautiful feature in the cottage is the stable door! I have always wanted a stable door!And its so nice just cooking away in the kitchen with it open, i love it. :-)
So as from tomorrow the baking begins! As full as an egg will be famous, woohooo! well.....lets just say a local celebrity, haha. I will be baking cakes to supply to a local restaurant and a deli...how exciting!
I will show my progress on here, all the ups and downs of my new adventure!
But for now...i must go to bed! Thankyou for following, more recipes soon! goodnight :-) x

Vanilla sponge with forest fruit glaze

• • • 

      serves 12........preheat oven....fan assisted 180 c, 350 f, gas 4.
      
      What you need........
      
      1 pot natural yoghurt(i use Activia) 290g
      ...3-4 free range eggs, depending on the size
      2 pots sugar(granulated or caster is fine)
      3/4 of a pot of vegetable or sunflower oil
      3 pots of self raising flour
      pinch of baking powder, not too much!
      1 vanilla pod,use the seeds only
      
      For the glaze......
      
      300g icing sugar
      150g frozen berries
      2 tbsp sugar
      little cold water
      
      What you do........
      
      Pour the yoghurt into a big baking bowl then use the empty pot to measure out the oil, flour and sugar. Add all the other ingredients and mix very very well with an electric whisk. If it feels too thick add a little cold water or milk. Pour into a cake tin, i use silicone,and bake in the preheated the oven for approx 45 mins until the knife comes out completely clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.
      When its ready leave to cool a little in the silicone then carefully remove the cake and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
      
      Meanwhile make a berry coulis ......first of all put the berries together in a small pan with the granulated sugar and heat until piping hot and bubbling away! Leave to cool.
      
      When cold blitz up with a hand blender and make your icing.......
      
      Put the icing sugar, coulis and a little cold water in a small bowl, mix well until you have the consistency of a nice runny glaze. Taste!! If its not sweet enough, add a little more icing sugar....if too sweet add a little lemon juice.
      
      Pour over the cold vanilla sponge and scoff with a nice cup of tea......aaaaaah bliss! :-)See More

victoria sponge, fresh raspberries and double cream

This cake was absolutely soooo yummy! Im really not into eating cakes but this one i loved! I made it for two friends who i hadnt seen for a few years, they came to visit, and they are total cake fiends! haha


Its actually a Delia recipe, her classic victoria sponge. You cant go wrong with a bit of Delia!

What you need......serves 6-8(apparently!) I doubled the recipes because there just wasnt enough cake!!
110grams of butter, room temperature
110grams of caster sugar
2 large free range eggs
110 grams of self raising flour
To tart it up.....
1 tub of low fat double cream...i used Elmlea, much nicer flavour
1 tub of fresh raspberries
140grams soft butter
280grams of seived icing sugar
a few drops of cold water
half vanilla pod, just the seeds

What you do......
In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until really pale. Now, i dont have an electric whisk so i was absolutely knackered by the time i had done this stage! It took about 20 minutes of constant beating...but it was sooooo worth it, the cake was really light and fluffy.
Next, put the eggs in a seperate bowl and beat them together well then add them to the butter and sugar a little at a time, beating really really well after each addition. Literally add just over a teaspoon at a time. I know this sounds a bit mad but you dont want the cake to curdle, it will become heavy in texture.
If it starts to curdle add a little bit of flour to stop this.
Once all the eggs are added fold in the flour with a big metal spoon. Sieve it into the bowl, a bit at a time, holding the sieve really high to get loads of air into it.
Dont beat the flour in, you will beat all that lovely air out of it that you spent so long putting in!
Now you should have a yummy cake mix that will drop easily off the back of the spoon...if this doesnt happen, add a little warm water until you get the right consistency.
Grease your cake tin and pour the mixture in, tapping the cake tin on the worktop to get the mixture to settle evenly.
Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 40 minutes....but i find this time varies quite a bit so when you think they look cooked, insert a knife into the centre of the sponge...if it comes out clean, its done! Dont open the oven until you think its done though, the air will make the cake go flat!
remove it from the tin and leave it to cool on a wire rack. When its almost cooled take a bread knife and cut it in half straight through the middle, so you have two layers. Leave to cool completely.
Sieve the icing sugar and mix well with the butter, vanilla pod seeds and enough water to make a firm icing consistency. Spread this over the botto, layer of the cake and sandwich together.
On the top of this delicious creation i just spread the cream all over and placed lovely fresh raspberries all over.
Now we enjoyed this sponge with big glasses of ice cold wine but im sure it would taste good with anything!!

Cottage found!!!!!!! Yippeeeeeeee :-)

We have found our cottage in Cornwall that we sooo wanted to find. We almost didnt spot it in the local paper...then called up and begged for a viewing! I am extremely happy to report...they chose us!!
It is a beautiful 2 bed cottage with a lovely wee garden, a roof terrace, a big attic space which can be slept in, a brand new gas oven(Yay!) and a bath!!!!! That was a major requirement for me, you cant beat lying in a lovely bubbly bath after a long day with a good book and a glass(ahem bottle) of cold wine! Heaven!
So....from Saturday i will be back to my food blog....cooking in my new kitchen :-) I can hardly wait, just 2 more sleeps!!!
My lovely sister bought me a ticket to the Real Food Fayre in Earls Court tomorrow!!! Too excited for words! So i will take loads of pics and show you when i get back, really hoping i spot Valentine Warner!!! One of my favourite! Hes yummy!


Right....packing awaits....booooring :-(  Next time i write i will be in my new home, yippeeeeee!
Ciao for now xx

Moving house.......... :-/

Hi everyone....im so sorry i havent written anything for ages! Steve and i have been relocating to Cornwall and everything has been a bit mental! But we are in the process of finding a new home and once we do i will be adding regular recipes! Please bear with me, thanks :-* xx

Loin of pork with blueberry and red onion marmalade

This is such a lovely combination of flavours and goes really well the a good pile of garlicky, creamy dauphinoise potatoes.  I used to think pork was quite gross actually but after living with Steve for 6 years(he adores the stuff!) i kinda had to get used to it! I like pork loin too because its lovely and lean which allows you to pile on the really indulgent dauphinoise! I will post the potato recipe soon....

Oven 200c/gas 6.....Serves 4....
What you need........
Good quality pork loin, about 800grams, i have the fat removed but if you want you can leave it on, salt it loads and have nice crackling...up to you
Sea salt
For the marmalade...
4 red onions, halved and sliced thinly
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes


4 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
250ml of red wine
3 tablespoons of good quality blueberry jam
What you do......
First of all make the marmalade. You can always double this recipe and eat it cold with cheese, its lush!
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed small pan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes.
Cook gently for 5 mins to release the lovely flavours then add the paprika.
Mix well and put the onions in the pan,
Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are all caramelised and soft and see through. You may need to add a little wine during this time if the onions start to stick.
Add the sugar, vinegar, wine, jam, and mix well.
Carry on cooking until the everything is reduced and the onions are completely cooked. You will need to add a few tablespoons of water during this stage, about 3 or 4 tablespoons.
Taste and season with salt, no pepper.
Turn off the heat and next cook the pork.
Preheat the oven!
Place the lovely loin into a nice big oven dish and salt it well, all over the top.
Put into the hot oven on the centre shelf and cook for about 25 minutes until the middle of the loin is just pink and juicy.
Loosely cover with foil and leave to stand for 5 minutes to rest while you gently warm the marmalade through.
To serve, slice the pork into inch thick slices and arrange on the plate with a ruddy great dollop of sticky marmalade on the top! Yum yum piggy heaven :-)