Sumptuous Summer Pudding

This is a different version of the classic, using Madeira cake instead of bread.

It is flexible in that you can use soft fruits that are in season or frozen fruits

if you'd prefer.

Ingredients

Frozen fruits/berries – 400g bag (14oz) or similar quantity of fresh soft fruit

1 tbsp sugar

1 can or carton of fruit pie filling – blackcurrant or fruits of the forest

Madeira cake – I use a cheap shop bought cake (265g) – sliced lengthways into quarter inch slices and neatened. Here's where it's difficult to predict whether you'd need one cake or two – cake size varies depending which supermarket you use. I'd err on the side of caution and opt for two. For the size of basin stated, it takes approximately 10 slices of cake.

You will need :

1 litre (1 & ¾ pt) basin.

A plain sided cutter slightly larger than the base of the basin.

Cling film

Method

If using fresh fruit, bring it to the boil with the sugar in a medium saucepan over a medium heat – you could even add a drop of your favourite liqueur – cassis, frambois, kirsch. Simmer for 5 minutes until the fruit releases its juices. Cool. If using frozen fruit, defrost it and then add the sugar.

Line the basin with cling film ensuring that it overlaps the basin. (Tip – wipe the bowl with a drop of vegetable oil before lining – the cling film will stay where it's put.) Cut out a circle of cake for the base and place it in the basin. Line the rest of the basin – I overlap each piece of cake – but it's whatever you'd prefer.

Add half the can of fruit pie filling to the cooled/defrosted fruit and then pour the mixture into the cake-lined bowl. Top with slices of cake to cover completely. Fold the cling film over the pudding to seal.

Place a slightly smaller plate or saucer on top of the basin and weigh down with a can. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

To serve, remove the can and plate, unseal the cling film, cover the bowl with a large plate. Invert the pudding onto the plate and remove the cling film.

With the remaining pie filling, warm it through, gently in a microwave. Pour over the top of the pudding to serve, adding cream, ice cream or custard.

Personally I've an aversion to the thought of soggy bread – it's up there with the wet mash thing – I'm hoping I'm not on my own here and that you'll like this alternative – it's been very well received.

Note to self - you need to think ahead in that the pudding needs 24 hours to absorb all that fruitiness.

GOM 11: Salsa and Tanger (as opposed to tango)

Busy day today, friend's daughter and son-in-law arrive this evening. A busy week at work and then they drive 3 hours in rush hour traffic. Priority is supper for the weary travellers when they arrive. Out of the freezer comes the cheese, potato and onion pie prepared earlier this week. I hadn't forgotten that, although I'd mentioned the pie, I hadn't mentioned the recipe. Here it is, the fastest pie ever. Use baked jacket potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks, 2 large onions, chopped and soften gently for 5 minutes with a knob of butter and a drop of Canola oil. Quick onion sauce, double the quantity, salt and black pepper and 12oz of strong cheddar cheese, grated. Mix it all together, place into a foil tray, add a puff pastry lid and egg wash. Bake in a medium oven for 40 minutes until golden brown, check after 30.

I'm serving this pie because I know it's a favourite – unpretentious comfort food. In times gone by I've seen the “young adults” demolish this pie for breakfast, having had, shall we say a great night out. May be I should market it as an aid to recovery after a heavy night.

Moving on, off we go to the Fred Astaire Dance Studio (established 1947) – I kid you not. Hey, whilst I may never aspire to the dizzy heights of Strictly Come Dancing (aka Dancing with the Stars in the USA) I'll give it my best shot. 45 minutes later and we are completely exhausted – I'm not sure whether it's the dancing or the potential stress of looking a complete klutz – appropriate US slang for clumsy or a dull-witted person – in this case probably both would apply! Great fun nevertheless and I look forward to the next one. P.S. Shoes were amazing.

It's weekend, and we girls are off for a spot of retail therapy. GOM and son-in-law settled in for soccer (from the UK) everyone's happy.

We begin at Town Centre, which is not a town centre, but the name of a small shopping area with good quality shops, ranging from Barnes & Noble (bookshop) to Victoria's Secret, famous for fantastic ladies underwear, leisurewear et al.

I have to collect a book I've ordered from Barnes & Noble but first breakfast in Starbucks – so civilised – it's inside the store and, confession time, my indulgence, a chocolate chip cookie – it's the size of a frisbee. My book will be cherished, “Gullah Cuisine By Land and By Sea” by Gullah Chef Charlotte Jenkins. More about Ms. Jenkins and Gullah cuisine later.

Onward to Tanger Outlet – this place is similar to Bicester Shopping Village in the UK, with Designer outlets like Ralph Lauren and a new edition since my last visit, a Michael Kors handbag shop. Second only to food is my passion for bags of all shapes and sizes. My purchase today is small, but perfectly formed, a wallet in gold leather – hey, a girls gotta do.

Back to food! I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm a fan of Australian Masterchef - one of the celebrity chef contributors is native Curtis Stone. Mr. Stone is very popular in the US and imagine my surprise to find him, giving a cookery demonstration at Tanger Outlet, perfect combination – two passions for the price of one. So much better “in the flesh”.

Takeaway Chinese this evening – please note, anyone reading a Chinese Takeaway menu in the US should be aware (as in Crispgate!) that you have to be specific when ordering noodles – you have to ask for soft noodles, if you don't you'll get the crispy version. The food is also produced in pints, as in the cartons we all know from watching the US police dramas. Can't say that the quality is that much different to the UK, just lots more of it.

A lovely day with a lovely young lady as my retail partner – perfect symmetry.

Signature Salads

There's lots of variety out there.

What follows in a list of ingredients that falls into three categories, your existing store cupboard and the freezer and then fresh produce in season. It's not meant to be exhaustive merely to illustrate what you can produce with a little forethought. Some of the ingredients you may have already, others you might like to add.

Extend your store cupboard ingredients to include, jars of black olives – sliced or whole, pitted. Tinned chickpeas and cannellini beans. Bags of croutons, walnuts and pistachios, sultanas and cranberries. Chorizo sausage in loops or ready diced – check out the cheaper supermarkets for good deals. Pomegranate molasses, sweet chilli sauce, sumac and nigella seeds. Cheeses like feta, Wensleydale, and halloumi generally have good use by dates too.

Staples in your freezer, chicken fillet, petit pois and salmon steaks.

Fresh and fabulous at the moment, broad beans, Jersey Royals/Cornish new potatoes, avocado, green beans, asparagus (tail end of season) smaller stems, Little Gem/Romaine lettuce. Little Gem lettuce makes perfect “boats”. Serve a bowl of the boats alongside your huge salad so you can load them with your favourite stuff.

Are you with me so far. What follows are suggestions for suppers as small or as large as you wish adding whatever ingredients you love.

Add toasted pistachios (toast them in a dry frying pan until golden) and toasted pitta bread cut into strips to lend a “Lebanese Fattoush” style flavour to your salad.

Broad beans – you'll hate me for this but it's vital that you blanch them – i.e. bring water to the boil, add the beans, bring back to the boil – 2 minutes only then drain and run cold water to refresh, leave to cool. Peel the outer skin to reveal the bright green bean.

To achieve “smoked chicken” poach chicken fillets in chicken stock for 6/7 minutes. Allow them to cool in the stock. This is an inexpensive way of smoking chicken and if you check out the cost in the supermarket you'll find it's eye watering. Thank you for this fantastic tip found in The Ivy The Restaurant and its Recipes.

Remember the recipe for honey roast beetroot served hot back in the Kitchen investments and Wednesday supper – serve it cold in your salad. The Asian Spiced Salmon recipe works equally well.

To help you on your quest I'm attaching four recipes you may find useful, Pomegranate Dressing, Chicken Rub, Chicken with Pomegranate and Walnut Sauce and Smoked chicken salad. I appreciate they are all chicken – they don't have to be!

And finally, a smidge of information for those who might not be aware. Sumac is a dried ground fruit – it has a sour flavour, lemony. It forms part of the Zaatar spice blend used all over the Middle East. Nigella seeds – also known as black cumin or onion seeds. The seeds have an oregano like taste, used in Indian/Middle Eastern cooking and can be used without dry roasting although the roasting does enhance the flavour. 

Have fun!

MMQs

I think the time has come to say thank you for reading my blog – I hope you'll continue to find it interesting and entertaining.

It occurs that you might have questions or suggestions (polite ones please) – if you do and would like to get in touch email me on emejay57@googlemail.com

The Humble Crumble

I hope that the recent postings covering store cupboard desserts have given you ideas and even inspiration, at least to be able to produce minor miracles at the speed of light. Before we move on to other stuff I couldn't leave without mentioning the humble crumble. There are many recipes out there but here's one built for speed that can be produced in an instant requiring no expertise at all.

On your store cupboard shopping list you already have frozen fruits – you can still get great deals on summer fruits – 500g per pack – 2 packs for £4.

Check out offers on fruit conserve, as an example “Bonne Maman” has a great range to suit what matches your “base” fruits and comes in 370g jars.

Defrost your fruit in a large bowl. When defrosted add a jar of conserve and mix together gently.

This quantity of fruit and conserve is sufficient to part fill 7 large ramekins. Add crumble topping and bake for 25 minutes on 180 fan/200/Gas 6.

You can buy ready to use crumble in packets – family size 450g (mixed with oats too if you'd prefer) – handy for emergencies or if you just don't want to bother making it. I know it might sound odd but I buy store cupboard ingredients that I use frequently x 2 – where the “use by” dates are good, why not have a stock.

As scs (store cupboard speed) goes it's hard to beat.

Remember “recipes are a guide only, not set in stone”. Taking bits from one recipe and melding with another works well – you can create your own version. Here's a goodie. I should say that this is not a quick recipe but it's worth the effort

Toffee Apple Crumble

Pre-heat oven 180 fan/200/Gas 6

For the toffee apple base

6-8 large Cox's apples, peeled, cored and sliced

115g unsalted butter

125g soft dark brown sugar

1 orange, zest and juice

Optional: drop of Amaretto liqueur

Place the apples and all the above ingredients (with Amaretto if you wish) into a large frying pan and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

For the crumble topping

150g cold unsalted butter, diced

250g self-raising flour

150g demerara sugar

200g pecans chopped finely

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, add the sugar and the pecans. You can use a processor if you wish but it really isn't worth the washing up – magic box or not.

Assemble in individual ramekins or make one large crumble. Bake for 25/30 minutes.

The crumble topping is from Nigella “How to be a Domestic Goddess” – and the base is from memory I think, Tom Kerridge.

Another twist. Melt a knob of unsalted butter in a pan, when it foams add 100g of the pecans from the recipe before chopping and add a pinch of sea salt flakes. Stir the pecans for 3-4 minutes until they are toasted – you'll know when they are ready, the aroma will make your mouth water. Leave to cool, then chop with remaining 100g of pecans.

Big tip – split the work. If you know that you've a house full of visitors in three weeks prepare each element when you have the time and freeze as you go. When your visitors are due pull out of the freezer and assemble – either individually or as a whole. The crumble mix can be frozen as soon as you've prepared it.

This recipe will give you a large quantity but it's worth it because you can freeze to suit your own requirements and avoid waste. I know I've mentioned this before but a reminder - be aware how you freeze in terms of portions – in this case you could bag the crumble and the apples in small bags – you could use the pour and store bags for the apples. The visitors might cancel!

You will not be disappointed.

GOM: Chapter 10 - Pork tenderloin and Salsa

Supper at home tonight so it's early morning prep. Menu today, pork tenderloin, with peppers and mushrooms, Dijon mustard and heavy cream (double in English) with Tartiflette using the Douceur du Jura, the alternative for the traditional Reblochon cheese, acquired from Goat.Sheep.Cow. Tartiflette is my favourite potato dish – French, as you may have guessed - usually you would include bacon (dry cured if possible) but I am the spanner in the works and don't eat meat and so I'll make it without - the boys will be more than happy with their pork tenderloin. My friend hit 70 recently and is a keen cook and student and he's asked to observe today.

Tartiflette

1.5kg all purpose potatoes e.g. desiree, peeled and cut to

a similar size

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 thick dry cured smoked streaky bacon rashers, finely chopped

50g butter

1 garlic clove

250g reblochon cheese, rind trimmed and removed

(US Douceur du Jura alternative)

Pre-heat oven 180c/160 fan/gas 4 (UK)

for US see below

Boil the potatoes until cooked, cool, then slice.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and bacon

until softened.

Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the inside of an

ovenproof dish.

Place some of the potatoe slices in the bottom and

season with salt and black pepper, then layer with the

onion and bacon, repeat until all the potato slices have

been used, seasoning between each layer.

Chop the cheese and scatter over the potatoes and cover with foil.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour, remove foil for remaining 15 minutes

so that the tartiflette crisps around the edges.

This can be prepared ahead and feel free to use 2 tsps of garlic paste

when cooking the onions and bacon – rules are made to be broken.

For the pork tenderloin, prep ahead by inspecting the loin and removing any pieces of sinew by using a sharp paring knife, slipping the knife just under the sinew so that you have an edge to hold onto, lift the edge with your thumb and index finger and then gently run the knife away from your fingers and the sinew will come away easily – if you leave the sinew on the loin it will contract when you cook it and will be tough and not good to eat. Slice the loin into similar sized portions – medallions. You can use any vegetable you like, today it's thinly sliced peppers, red and yellow, and sliced portobellini (smaller version of portobello) mushrooms. All ziplocked (every kitchen should have them, an essential piece of kit) and refrigerated, ready to roll when the mood takes.

Now I am excited, tomorrow is my first (together with my friend) Salsa dancing class. A girl needs the proper footwear and guess who left her dancing shoes at home. Not a problem, off we go to Mister Don's shoe shop in Folly Road and I am now the proud owner of some seriously beautiful navy leather dance shoes – don't ask how much they were – the shoes come in their own soft cotton bag - advertising the shop of course, there's no show without punch and the salsa in the title is the dance!

Back home to the Hide – breaking news. For some days now I've been watching swifts - they seemed to be concentrating on a particular area under the dock and, as time passes, it becomes apparent that they are actually nesting. They work so hard backwards and forwards, their display is very much appreciated and I am grateful that they chose their nesting site conveniently for me. Their nest is tucked right underneath the bottom right-hand corner near the lawn. Perfectly safe for them against predators and thieves!

Supper at 7pm – preheat oven 325 degrees (170c). It's strange when at my age it has taken me ages to teach myself centigrade and metric weights and measures. I've now got to reverse because in the USA everything is Fahrenheit and imperial – keeps you on your toes. Pop your tartiflette in the oven at 6pm and set your kitchen timer for 30 minutes – your tartiflette needs 1 hour.

Heat a heavy bottomed frying pay with a little Canola oil (the nearest product I could find to rapeseed oil) add a generous knob of butter. Seal the medallions, season with sea salt and black pepper, set aside in my favourite cooking utensil – an appropriately sized foil tray – saute the portobellinis and then the peppers. Add two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, gradually add approximately half a pint of heavy cream, tip over the pork – pop into the oven when your timer sounds, for 30 minutes, after 15 minutes remove the foil from the tartiflette.

Serve with green salad.

Happy days.

In the continuing spirit of the Store Cupboard: Luscious Lemons

Making lemon curd is up there with stirring therapy. However we don't always have the time to stand and stir, so here's a microwave version. It's really quick and very useful.

Making Microwave Lemon Curd

115g/4oz butter, cubed

Finely grated rind and juice

of three large lemons**

225g/8oz caster sugar

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

Put the butter, lemon rind and juice in a large microwave-proof bowl. Cook on high for 3 minutes.

Add the sugar to the bowl and stir for 1 minute until it has almost dissolved. Return to the microwave and cook on 100% power for 2 minutes, stirring every 1 minute.

Beat the eggs and the yolk together, then whisk into the lemon mixture, a little at a time.

Cook on medium (40% power), for 10-12 minutes, whisking every 2 minutes, until the curd thickens. Strain the curd through a sieve to remove the milky white cords from the eggs - they become chewy and unpleasant.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, cover and seal. When cool, store in the refrigerator. Use within 2 months.

N.B. Microwaves vary.

This recipe is based on an 800 watt version. For microwaves with a different wattage, adjust cooking times as follows, 900 watt – subtract 10 seconds per minute. 850 watt, subtract 5 seconds per minute. 750 watt, add 5 seconds per minute. 700 watt, add 10 seconds per minute.

**If you don't have fresh lemons you can use lemon juice and omit the rind. As a guide for juice 4 tbsp of juice is equivalent to 1 and a half lemons.

I have to confess that most of the time I make this curd using lemon juice because it's in my fridge.

There are many uses for the curd – but here's a recipe you might like and I think is perfect for the store cupboard. If, like me, you dislike traditional tiramisu because of the coffee, this is a great alternative.

Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon syrup

(4 tbsp lemon juice, 100g icing sugar)

20 fl oz whipping cream

4 tbsp Limoncello liqueur

20 sponge fingers or Madeira cake

4 tbsp caster sugar

8oz Mascarpone

Lemon curd to fold into Mascarpone mixture

plus more to decorate

To make the syrup put the lemon juice and the icing sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

Mix the syrup with the Limoncello liqueur.

Mix the cream carefully with the caster sugar and mascarpone, gently fold lemon curd through the mixture.

Cut up/slice the sponge fingers/cake into shapes that suit the bowl(s) you are using and dip into the lemon juice/liqueur.

Layer the sponge fingers/cake and then the mascarpone mixture, repeat. Decorate the top of the tiramisu with piped lemon curd.

Lush!

Saluting the Sandwich

We have of course the Earl of Sandwich to thank for the original idea – circa 1762.

Sandwiches can and should be memorable – I'm sure we can all remember both the best and the worst we've eaten. Sandwich making is an art form and should be revered.

I was delighted that the students chose Croque Monsieur for the class in the USA – in truth it was chosen because the students didn't know that it was. Croque Monsieur first made an appearance in Paris just before World War I. There are many variations - I could go on ad nauseum but to name just a few, Croque Madame tops with an egg (fried or poached), Provencal tomato and Tartiflette sliced potatoes and reblochon cheese.

American sandwich history is formidable, right back to The Sloppy Joe, The Club to The Sub(way) and I couldn't leave out pastrami on rye from the deli.

Back in the UK, surely our most famous sandwich is the bacon butty – smoked or unsmoked bacon – bread toasted or not, buttered or not – tomato ketchup or HP – serious decisions. Not for the faint-hearted I've introduced both family and friends to the art of fishfinger butty making. Popular with university students - as part of a hangover cure or as a midnight snack. There are many different variations, – do you use a microwave or the oven for the fishfingers – the microwave is quicker - do you use salt and vinegar, tomato sauce, tartare sauce, and the ultimate addition - a cheese slice. Choice of bread is crucial – thick white sliced (it has to be fresh) or a submarine roll are favourites. Similarly the bread choice is important for the star of the comfort eating zone, the chip butty. This delicacy began life in the North and is most certainly up there in my top ten.

I think the sandwich is best described as mood food – there's one out there to suit every occasion and weather for that matter – how wonderful is that. Sandwich I salute you!

GOM: Chapter 9 Class day – no pressure.

Before we begin I would like it known that I remain vigilant on hummingbird watch.

Okey dokey, a lot to get through today. First priority – give the GOM a task for the afternoon. It's easy when they have a mission and today it's car related – one of their favourite hobbies is getting the best deal possible when wanting to change a car. The GOM may not be in the first flush of youth if you know what I mean, but nobody plays “good cop, bad cop” better than they do – essential qualities during negotiations.

First up “mise en place” - in English translates to “put in place”, or, get all your ducks in a row. If there is preparation you can do ahead of the game whether it's for a Class or generally at home you will save so much time and effort by weighing ingredients, grating cheese etc., and for today I'm making a batch of chocolate mousse so it will be set when required later. The funky containers will be perfect.

Wave goodbye to the GOM and on goes the white jacket – a few minutes later my two students arrive and off we go.

They are impressed with the Croque Monsieur, served with a sweetcorn relish, it's a winner.

Croque Monsieur

4 slices of medium sliced wholemeal bread

2 tsp Dijon mustard

75g (3oz) Gruyere cheese (grated)

2 slices of ham

30g (1½oz) unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350f/180c/160fan

Spread ½ tsp of mustard over each slice of bread. Spread half the cheese on two slices of bread followed by the ham, remaining cheese on top. Sandwich together with the other two slices of bread and cut into triangles.

Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming – fry your festive croque monsieur for 1-2 minutes on each side. If your frying pan is suitable for the oven then pop in for 4-5 minutes. If not then pop the croque onto a baking sheet.

Now for the mousse. I know this appears to be out of flunter but my students have an appetizer and a glass of wine or beer to enjoy so they can watch me work, relax and enjoy.

I make no apology for singing Nigella's praises – this is her recipe. The purists will poo poo the use of condensed milk, however for those of us who have to exercise caution with uncooked eggs (the traditional way of mousse making) it's brilliant. You can also omit the alcohol and increase the orange juice if you prefer. My personal preference too is not to top the mousse with whipped cream – it's rich enough for me without - it's personal taste. Childhood habits die hard, no matter what part of the world, and the mousse bowl is taken to be scraped out with spoons – apparently it would be rude not to.

Nigella's Instant Chocolate-Orange Mousse

(Taken from Nigellisima – page 148)

Recipe serves 6

150g dark chocolate – minimum 70% cocoa solids, finely chopped

175g condensed milk

500ml double cream (heavy USA)

pinch of salt

2 x 15ml tbsps Aperol, Triple Sec, Cointreau, Grand

Marnier or other orange liqueur

2 x 15ml tbsps orange juice and the zext of half an orange

Melt the chocolate carefully either in a microwave (following instructions) or over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water). When almost melted stir with a rubber spatula to scrape down and to help the last bits of chocolate to melt. Take off the heat and leave to cool a little. Pour the condensed milk and 250ml of the double (heavy) cream into a bowl, add the salt and whisk until thickened but only just – the beaters should leave a trail of ribbons. Stir a third of the whipped cream mixture into the cooled melted chocolate – “you can be fairly brutal about this”. Now, slowly in 2/3 batches, fold the lightened chocolate mixture back into the rest of the whipped cream mixture. Then gently stir in the liqueur and orange juice. When combined fill 6 glasses of 150ml leaving space below the rim. Place the mousses in the fridge for 1 hour – you could serve sooner as they are edible straight away. Whip the remaining 250ml of cream until thickened but still floppy, before peaks begin to form (refrigerate too). When ready to serve divide the cream between the glasses of mousse and top with the orange zest.

Now for the Fish Pie. I've been asked to demonstrate a mornay sauce (cheese sauce) and a perfect showcase for a mornay sauce is as part of a Fish Pie. Instead of the traditional pastry top I'm using baked potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly.

Sauce making is a form of therapy and students enjoy watching the process, truly a labour of love. It's worth all the time and effort. The recipe below is scaled down – for a giant size double the quantities.

500g fish fillets of your choice

(would recommend mixing smoked and unsmoked fish)

30g unsalted butter

1 tbsp plain flour

black pepper

500ml milk (or a mixture of milk and cream

if you'd prefer a richer sauce)

150g cheddar cheese, grated – reserve

50g to sprinkle over your potato topping

Poaching the fish. Warm the milk in a large frying pan and then add the fish fillets and poach for 5-7 minutes. Remove the fillets and drain on kitchen paper (placed on a tray). Strain the milk to remove any pieces of skin etc., from the fish.

Use a medium size saucepan, melt the butter and then add the flour making a roux. Gradually add the liquor from poaching the fish until you have a stiff sauce. Add the cheeses and add black pepper. ** Taste. There is no salt in the recipe – if some of your fish is smoked and there is salt in the cheeses there should be sufficient - however tastes differ, you may feel you need a sprinkle.

Gently remove any skin from your fish fillets and break into large pieces and transfer to an oven-proof dish. Combine the sauce with the fish and top with the sliced potatoes. A sprinkle of salt and pepper, a knob of butter and a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese to finish off. I baked the potatoes this morning and poached the fish too.

All your ingredients are cooked, so 30 minutes in the oven will be perfect.

Options

If you are using plain milk in your sauce, you could enrich by adding 2 egg yolks and 2 tbsp cream, beaten together, off the heat at ** above.

You could use a mixture of Cheddar and Gruyere and sprinkle the top with Parmesan.

The students enjoyed their pie, taking some home for supper, along with the mousse I prepared earlier (sorry for the pun). Two happy bunnies and we had the best time.

Just in time the GOM return - “what's for supper?”

Fancy, schmancy and fast

Here's another edition to your store cupboard - Amaretti biscuits – usually found in 250g bags. A word to the wise, they can be expensive so check out the cheaper supermarkets where deals are available.

Another smart investment is a set of shot glasses. These are not expensive if you shop around. In the past I've got good deals from John Lewis and TK Maxx. Sizes vary from 40ml to 160ml – choose what size best suits your purpose.

Crumble Amaretti biscuits – 150g gives you a base for 6 x 160ml. The easiest and cleanest way to crumb your biscuits, without creating washing up, is to place them in a strong food bag and secure the end with a klippit. Bash the biscuits gently with the end of a rolling pin to break them up, then continue, gently, rolling the biscuits until you have the required consistency of crumb. Some like rubble, some like finer, purely a matter of choice. If you don't mind the washing up or have a magic box (dish washer) then blitz in a food processor.

Sprinkle your crumb into the shot glasses, forming a base. Layer the mascarpone mixture mentioned in the post Store Cupboard and desserts – the beginning. You could pipe the mixture using a disposable bag – no need for a nozzle, just snip the end so that it's wide enough for the mixture to pass through easily – approximately 3cms. You don't have to be a piping genius, the trick is to hold the bag in one hand and fold it over your hand – this makes it easy to fill. Spoon the mixture into the bag. When the bag is full twist the top to force the mixture to the bottom to prevent any air pockets. Hold the bag vertically over your glass to fill – no messy blobs on the side of the glass. Alternatively use a spoon – it's not compulsory.

Your top layer is a fruit coulis, another useful addition to your fridge store cupboard.

Strawberry Coulis

(Fresh or frozen fruit)

200g Strawberries, hulled and halved

200g Raspberries

75g icing sugar, sifted

Heat the fruit in a large pan for 4-5 minutes or until the fruit starts to break down. Add the icing sugar and continue to cook the fruit for a further 2-3 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth, add a splash of water if necessary to loosen. Strain the coulis through a sieve and set aside to cool. Chill in the fridge until needed.

I decant the coulis into a plastic squeeze bottle – you can get either 225 or 400ml and they usually come in packs of two. If you want to source, they are described as sauce/salad dressing bottles.

Cover your shot glasses with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve. Don't add the coulis top until serving if you do it will “bleed” into the mascarpone mixture – not a good look. Sprinkle with praline. Texture, sweet cream, zing and toffee – I think you'll find it fits the bill.

Sublime to the ridiculous – Elizabeth David and the guilty pleasures of television.

Elizabeth David.

I would have to describe myself as a bibliophile and, like many of us who are interested in food, have more than my fair share of cookery books.

Elizabeth David probably made the biggest contribution (post World War II) to the way we eat and for bringing to our attention Mediterranean ingredients that we take for granted today and we owe her so much. We have her to thank for bringing us olive oil, vegetables like peppers, courgettes, Parmesan cheese - I could drone on but will resist the urge. There are two books that I would recommend. The first is her authorised biography “Writing at the Kitchen Table” by Artemis Cooper. This book does what is says on the tin and is a comprehensive and compelling read. The second is “An Omelette and a Glass of Wine” (Omelette) by the lady herself, helped by Jill Norman. It's a collection of all sorts of bits and pieces from her articles and experiences. Elizabeth wrote for many prestigious publications - Vogue and The Spectator to name but two.

Here's how my history trail unfolds. Page 34 of Omelette is entitled “Big Bad Bramleys”. This article talks about (as you may have guessed) the Bramley apple but it also talks about Eliza Acton and her recipe for apple sauce. This recipe is a must for anyone who wants a serious apple sauce whether for use in sweet or savoury dishes. There's no big secret other than the key is in the preparation of the apples. To give perspective, Eliza Acton's book “Modern Cookery for private families” was first published in 1845.

I suppose my conclusion is that if you like history too then it's a double whammy and both Elizabeth David books mentioned should, in my view, form part of your library.

Apple Sauce

Eliza Acton via Elizabeth David

Pre-heat oven to 160 fan. Grease a glass dish with butter.

This sauce is so easy – the only emphasis is on the preparation of the apples. All the peel and core must be removed. There are no amounts here, you can cook as much sauce as you like and it freezes well. Peel, core and slice your apples as thinly and evenly as possible.

Place your apples in your dish and cover with a lid or foil – NO WATER, SUGAR OR ANYTHING ELSE.

Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check after 20. Apples should be soft. Here's the satisfying bit – whisk the apples until they begin to break up, sprinkle with caster sugar plus a generous knob of unsalted butter, whisk again – enjoy.

You can use this sauce for loads of recipes – I use it as an addition to my vegetarian stuffing at Christmas.

Apples sauce, like chicken soup, has an age old reputation for comfort.

The guilty pleasure of television.

In this day and age we are swamped, nay drowning in cookery programmes. Back in the day I watched the original Masterchef when Loyd Grossman hosted and would even confess to catching the odd episode of Ready Steady Cook. These days my guilty pleasure is limited to three shows, The Great British Bake-off and the other two are Australian. Masterchef Australia which began in 2009. This show is compulsive cooking entertainment. It's a knock-out competition with increasingly difficult challenges along the way, for ordinary home cooks. What sets it apart is the hosts who are excellent. It's an exciting journey with bumps along the way – some of the contestants you'll warm to, others not - yet again it's personal. More recently and by accident I came across My Kitchen Rules (MKR). The format is different from Masterchef in that it is teams of two, competing from different states in Australia and begins with an instant restaurant in the respective teams' homes. Masterchef Australia begins around August/September until Christmas. MKR is running as we speak. There's nothing wrong with a little light relief.

Whether it's reading serious books or watching frivolous tv programmes, a little bit of what you fancy does you good.

Sweet Surprises for Summer

As we are now officially in the summer season I thought you'd like an idea to enhance whatever entertaining plans you might have, without breaking the bank and with very little time and effort and no time at all in the kitchen.

At the moment there's heaps of “outside” stuff to choose from in all the stores and on-line. I sourced clear plastic wine/champagne bottle coolers. The coolers I found are shaped and have an easy “hand hold”. I wanted something new and fun for my daughter-in-law's birthday party, hence the ribbon and then chose giant marshmallows, mixed wrapped sweets of various shapes and sizes, wrapped Italian hazelnut and chocolate cookies and flying saucers (aka fizzing whizbees). The contents of the coolers not wrapped were decanted at the last minute and here are photographs of the finished prototype.

The surprise (this was an al fresco occasion) was the outside wood burning stove (or chiminea, firepit etc) that came into its own to toast the marshmallows – obviously supervised and with appropriate skewers for toasting. A huge hit, with children and adults alike. Some may say why use old fashioned sweets – it's my experience that the adults enjoyed this idea probably more than the children. A dessert (or part of) with a difference and the coolers can be customised to suit whatever the occasion and can be used afterwards for your fizz.

Store Cupboard desserts and puds – uber-useful extras

Vanilla ice cream.

These days you don't need an ice cream maker and there are many “no churn” recipes out there. This option came, I think, from Sainsbury's Magazine and it is excellent. I've tweaked along the way as you would expect.

My first tip here is rather than freeze in one container, use 500g pots with lids. This ice cream needs to be removed from the freezer 20 minutes or so before you want to serve so it's more practical to have frozen in smaller amounts. This recipe gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream - equal

to 18 scoops.

You'll need 1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk, 1 x 600ml double cream and 2tsp vanilla bean paste.

1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff. **

2. Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.

Here's my tweak. You can buy jars of salted caramel sauce – easily available at most large supermarkets – usually 260g. Fold the sauce into the ice cream, at ** above. Hey presto salted caramel ice cream. What I have found though is that it may be a little too sweet – it's the personal taste thing again.

What does work very well is to make your own sticky toffee sauce. One batch of the recipe given below produces approximately 539g of the sauce, or, just over two batches to fold through the ice cream. It can be frozen for convenience – don't forget to halve the sauce and freeze in two separate containers. I think you'll find that making your own sauce it is less sweet and really enhances the vanilla ice cream.

I can hear your waistline expanding as I type.

Praline

Praline is largely used for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy.

Place 3oz caster sugar into a frying pan and 3oz unblanched almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with and don't walk away. The sugar begins to melt and when it is a pale golden colour and the almonds make a popping sound, turn it out onto a non-stick sheet.

Leave the praline to cool and set. You can then break up and blitz in a food processor to a consistency of your choice. If you're feeling cheffy you can use it in large pieces, as a decorative upright shard or blitz into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you you can even blitz it into a paste. Whatever your choice you'll have toffee shards/crunch or crumb that smells and tastes wonderful.

Sticky Toffee Sauce

Again there are many recipes available for sticky toffee sauce with lots of variations - this is the one I use all the time, 4oz unsalted butter, 8oz soft dark brown sugar and 10 fl oz double cream. Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the cream. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring. The best 15 minutes ever.

All three recipes are perfect additions to your store cupboard, to mix, match, sprinkle and drizzle to your heart's content.