Here's another …

... cheap and cheerful recipe, using your slow cooker and, other than minimum prep, the rest is done by magic!

Steak Pie Filling

Serves 4/6

1kg/2.2lbs braising steak or stewing steak, cubed

glug of rapeseed or Canola oil

2 x Knorr beef stock pots

2 heaped tbsp tomato paste

2 heaped tbsp small chunk Branston pickle

Brown the meat in a frying pan, using a drop of rapeseed oil – do this in small batches – if you don't you'll get grey looking meat - it'll take ages and will stew. Using a slotted spoon pop the browned meat into the slow cooker.

Dissolve the stock pots in the residual pan juices, then add the tomato paste – make sure the paste is properly melted and “cooked out” - if you don't do this you'll get a bitter taste. Add your Branston, then add 250ml water, bring to the boil and tip over your meat. Slow cook on low for 4 hours. If your gravy is too thin then add a little slaked cornflour and thicken to taste.

You can make this filling ahead and freeze it, should you have a spare 30 minutes.

All that remains is your choice of lid – you could cheat and use a puff pastry sheet or create a “hot-pot” style, sliced potato lid from your ready-baked potato stash or leave as is and serve with potatoes and other veggies of your choice.

By adding the tomato paste it enriches the gravy. By adding the Branston Pickle it gives a zingy flavour – ordinary it is not.

Life is so much easier with a slow cooker, especially in the Autumn and Winter months – the ultimate in comfort!

There's a Spie for everyone!

 

Quorn, chicken or turkey Spie

Serves 4

500g Quorn, chicken or turkey breast mince

1 medium onion, finely chopped

glug of rapeseed oil

2 chicken stock pots

1 tsp garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 dessertspoons small chunk Branston

glug of Worcestershire Sauce

celery salt and black pepper

250g passata

2/3 jacket potatoes, baked, peeled

if you wish, sliced thinly

50g each of Mature Cheddar and Red Leicester cheese

grated and mixed together

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Heat the rapeseed oil gently in a large frying pan. Add the chicken or turkey mince ensuring that you break it up – fry for 2/3 minutes to seal properly and then turn it, repeat. Add salt and black pepper.

Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2/3 minutes, stirring to combine.

Add the tomato paste and the chicken stock pots, followed by the Worcestershire Sauce, stirring to combine. Finally add the Branston and stir well and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave, covered until you're ready to roll.

If you're using a hob to oven frying pan then arrange the sliced potato over the base and then sprinkle with cheese. Cook for 30 minutes.

If you are using an ovenproof casserole or a foil tray then transfer the base and finish as above.

The Quorn, chicken and turkey breast mince are all low in fat.

A WARNING – if you are using a frying pan that is suitable to transfer from the hob to the oven please be careful when removing the pan and remember to wear oven gloves! If you'd prefer to use a foil tray, they measure 23x23 cms approximately so perfect to serve four - if you want to know where to get them, try Amazon or any larger discount store.

A tip - you could decant into smaller foil “takeaway” type trays (with lids) and then freeze in portions if you don't need the whole batch.

Something to suit everyone!

The Spie

The Spie is just a nickname which evolved for variations of a basic recipe and also because I was fed up with labelling containers with the full title and it stuck!

What follows is the original, “no frills” recipe for “the Spie”

Here it is :

Spie

Serves 4

500g minced steak

Celery salt and black pepper

Drop of rapeseed oil

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 Knorr beef stock pots

2 tbsp small chunk Branston pickle

or Branston sauce

2/3 cooked Jacket potatoes, sliced thinly

or leftover mashed potato

Two handfuls of grated cheese – whatever you've

got in your fridge, Mature Cheddar, Red Leicester or

Gruyere work well – or even a little of each

Using a large frying pan, brown the minced steak thoroughly in a drop of rapeseed oil and season with salt and black pepper. Add the tomato paste and stock pots, when cooked through and melted, add the Branston. If the mixture is too stiff add a drop of water. It should not be sloppy. Cook on a low heat for 10/15 minutes and set aside.

Take your potatoes from your baked stash, slice thinly (or add leftover mash) and arrange on top of the mince mixture. If you haven't any ready to use baked potatoes you can always microwave them although the flavour is not as good as oven baked. Finish off with grated cheese.

To serve pre-heat your oven to 180fan/200/Gas6 and bake for 30 minutes.

Serve on its own, with steamed vegetables or, if you like hot with cold, try my personal favourite, bazzin' beetroot relish (mentioned in the blog on 27^th July … “By the way ...”) and or a coleslaw! (mentioned in the blog on Friday 8^th August … When you're ready to serve).

This is an everyday, speedy recipe and more to the point it's easy peasy. Perfect fork food served in large bowls of comfort and joy!

If you'd like a veggie version you can use Quorn mince - or a version that doesn't use red meat but poultry, you could use chicken or turkey mince.

The recipe's coming up ...

To mash or not to mash!

Toppings on pies are a serious business - shall it be mash - if not then what?

Two of the fundamentals that I still use are baking jacket potatoes (usually six - large) in foil whilst my oven is already on. The other is grating a large box/bag of mature cheddar cheese and fridge it. You create a very useful stash!

It may seem trivial but I have found these two “bits” invaluable – for example, with the potatoes, the principle is if your oven is on, with a roast chicken, roast spuds and parsnips, stuffing et al, you can always find space for jacket potatoes. Bake for an hour and a half then test – you want your paring knife to move firmly through the potatoes. Remove them and set aside to cool – bear in mind they will continue cooking because they are insulated by the foil. When cool they can be bagged and fridged.

Which brings me to the title of this piece. You don't have to have a mashed potato topping for your Snug Shepherd or your Cosy Cottage – you can slice a couple of jackets from your stash, peeled or not for a “top” and then use some of your grated cheese to complete!

If you choose a mashed potato topping and you want it lump free then put the pototoes through a ricer – don't add milk or butter. Set aside to cool.

You can add grated mature cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and black pepper to the riced potato before you complete your pie. If you want added flavour to zhuzh the mash you could add a finely diced onion softened in a little unsalted butter and a tiny drop of rapeseed oil.

Mashed potato seems to be on “the definite list” - definitely yes you love it or definitely no you hate it! If you're in the no camp then try the sliced baked potatoes.

This is my favourite method of Autumn cooking especially when you want a meal as quickly as possible when you arrive home – turn on your oven to pre-heat when you've taken off your coat and by the time you've juggled a few more balls or spun a few more plates your shepherd or cottage – posh or not - is in the oven - ready for the hungry hordes.

Whether mashed or baked the beauty of this dish is it can be made and assembled ahead and then baked in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 25 mins.

Simple stuff but it hits the spot for those autumnal chilly nights – a hug in a bowl!

The Autumn leaves …

… are beginning to fall - is it Snug or Cosy?

Depending on what you fancy, the following recipe is for either a “Snug Shepherd” or a “Cosy Cottage” – minced lamb for the shepherd and minced beef for the cottage – pie that is!

A Shepherd or a Cottage

700g minced lamb or beef

1 tbsp rapeseed oil (Canola USA)

2 tbsps Madeira

2 tbsps Ruby Port

2 tsps Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsps tomato paste

2 lamb, beef or veggie stock pots

50-100 ml water

Using a large frying pan and preferably one that is suitable for transfer to the oven. Heat the oil and then add the mince and brown, turning until thoroughly browned. Add the Madeira and the Port and bring to the boil for 2/3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and the stock pots and mix well until absorbed and melted.

Your filling should not be too dry but not too wet either. You should be able to see tiny puddles of liquid. If you need to add water then add it gradually – you can add more you can't remove it!

It's difficult to predict how much fat there'll be in minced meat. Lamb, generally speaking, will have more than beef.

You can transfer the filling into a foil tray or, as I did, leave it in the frying pan.

As a guide, my frying pan that is suitable for hob and oven is 28cms in diameter – 3 very large appetites or 4 normal.

I feel the need to describe the “puddles” :

See them glistening – not too wet but definitely not too dry.

Next up - to mash or not to mash, that is the question!

but before I go … Plant your Sticky Toffee Sauce!

For those who want a plant based Sticky Toffee Sauce here's a recipe that'll do the trick. It's quick and easy and a perfect combination with strawberries and Swedish Glacé – the vegan and dairy free ice cream alternative.

Sticky Toffee Sauce

200ml Elmlea Plant Double Vegan

Alternative cream

40g Flora unsalted plant butter

100g dark soft brown sugar

Mix the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then reducing to a medium heat, stirring until thickened – 2 minutes!

It freezes well.

You don't have to use the sauces or praline as an ingredient in the ice cream – any of them are scrumptious as an extra – poured or sprinkled.

By the way … for the freezer store cupboard Swedish Glacé is easily obtainable from supermarkets and in a choice of flavours – vanilla, raspberry and chocolate to name but three. The perfect “go to” dessert product for emergencies!

If you want help identifying here's a photo :

Phew, I hope I've given you some ideas!

Never let it be said ...

... that I don't try to think of everyone and cover every base.

One of my favourite additions to the standard vanilla ice cream is to add salted caramel sauce. Some may say it might be a step too far and they may be right, however I think it's personal choice and after all, it is meant to be a summer treat!

The fast option - use a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.

The “fastish” option. If you'd like to make your own salted caramel sauce here's my recipe :

Salted Caramel Sauce

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

275ml/10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

1½ tsp salt

Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the salt and whisk in the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce and you can portion and freeze for convenience. Yippee – more for another time!

Then there's the sprinkles.

My favourite home-made sprinkle is praline – used largely for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy. You can use it in large pieces or shards or blitzed into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you it can even be blitzed into a paste.

Praline

75g/3oz almonds, unblanched

75g/3oz caster sugar

Place the sugar into a frying pan (I used a pan measuring 28cms/11” in diameter) and then the almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with! Patience is eventually rewarded the sugar begins to melt and when the almonds begin to “pop”, and your sugar is a good colour - turn it out onto a non-stick sheet (or oiled slab if you want to be posh). The melting of the sugar takes approximately 20 minutes.

Leave the praline sheet where it is until it is well and truly set. You can then break it up and blitz into a coarse powder or as you wish. It's stating the obvious I know – you'll get 150g/6oz of praline.

Please note that when blitzing you will need ear plugs and warn anyone nearby that isn't totally deaf they soon will be – it's worth the noise – the result - tiny bits of twinkling toffee – the ultimate sprinkle.

Have fun!

The basic ice cream recipe ...

For ease of reference, here's the basic recipe again :

Vanilla ice cream

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

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, like pipeable whipped cream.

You will need 260g of fudge cut into tiny irregular pieces

including the cocoa dust too

Fold the tiny pieces of fudge and the cocoa dust gently through the ice cream so that you achieve a ripple effect with a hidden surprise of fudge!

Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof containers and freeze for at least 6-8 hours or until firm. You might also want to consider freezing individual portions as well as larger pots, just in case you need an ice cream fix for yourself – as the cook you need to taste!

Bear in mind that you need to take the ice cream out of the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften.

Here are the photos :

Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream fotos

the tiny pieces of fudge and cocoa

dust, ready to incorporate

the ice cream base and folding in

the fudge and cocoa dust

tiny pots of ice cream – ready for the

freezer

Ta dah!

Never let it be said ...

Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream

Here's the result of messing about and creating a new, no churn ice cream.

It's in two parts, here's the first, the recipe for the fudge – I'd make it ahead :

Chocolate Fudge Squares

Takes 1½ hours/ make 50 pieces

400g dark or milk chocolate, broken into small

even sized pieces

25g butter

397 can condensed milk

100g icing sugar

30g cocoa powder, sifted

Line a 20cm square shallow tin with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. In a non-stick saucepan melt the butter and gently warm the condensed milk, then add the melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar until blended and smooth.

Put the mixture into the prepared tin, spread evenly into the corners, smooth over the top and place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour. Remove and cut into small squares and dust with cocoa.

Coming next - a photo or two and a few hints and tips …

Tray of block of choc

choc cubes in cocoa

The ice cream on its own is very easy, the only extra prep is to cut your fudge into tiny pieces. Your fudge is already in 2x2cm pieces, cut each piece into four again, preferably on kitchen roll so that you preserve any cocoa dust and you're ready to roll!

Next, the basic ice cream recipe ...

A double hit!

Now for the second recipe – Miso Caramel Sauce!

You might think that there's too much miso going on here but I can assure you it works. Just think salted caramel. This recipe isn't mine but it rang a bell because of the miso ice cream I'd made back in 2019. I like recipes that fit together but that play well with other ingredients too!

Here it is :

Miso Caramel Sauce

260g dark brown sugar

250ml double cream

100g unsalted butter

2 tsp sweet white miso – saikyo

Heat the sugar, cream and butter in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2/3 minutes until slightly thickened. Take off the heat then stir in the miso.

Make the miso caramel up to a week in advance, chill until needed, then gently warm to a pouring consistency.

I've frozen this sauce too so another candidate for your emergency dessert stash, what's not to love.

Served with fresh seasonal fruit it's a win win!

Anyone for chocolate?

Definitely something different ...

If you've never used sweet white miso before and want to have a go the following two recipes are a great place to start – they are both easy.

To begin, a no-churn ice cream – using sweet white miso paste – to explain, it's a Japanese seasoning – fermented soybeans with salt and koji, the resulting paste is used in savoury and sweet dishes. There are different types of miso the sweeter white version includes rice, barley and a smaller quantity of soybeans.

Here goes :

Sweet white miso ice cream

Makes 1 litre of ice cream

100g sweet white miso paste

397g tin condensed milk

300ml double cream

Combine the miso paste and condensed milk in a bowl, mix well so that it loosens. A tip – put the paste in the bowl first and then add the condensed milk gradually. If it doesn't comply then use your hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken.

Decant into suitable containers – I'd suggest you decide on portion control that suits you, so a mixture of small and medium pots. Remember you can always take out more if you need it! Freeze overnight.

Allow the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

If you're a fan of the salted caramel flavour you'll like that sweet and salty “hit” the miso gives.

Moving on to the second recipe ...

Rocky Road - Bits and pieces …

... & hints and tips!

If you're using Sundae pots you want a size of 150ml approximately.

You might think it'll be fiddly filling them – I have a plan!

The neatest and least messy way of decanting the ice cream is to use a disposable piping bag – don't snip the end until it's full. Fold the edge of the bag back over your hand and spoon in the ice cream, when it's full then you can snip the end – it needs to be wide enough to allow the mixture to pass through the opening and then pipe into the Sundae pots!

Alternatively spoon into suitably sized containers with lids of say 4-6 scoops.

Here's a few photos that will help :

I love it when a plan comes together!

P.s. If you're interested, the origin of Rocky Road ice cream is said to have been created in March 1929 by William Dreyer … and his partner Joseph Edy with many variations along the way. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929 Dreyer and Edy gave the flavour its current name “to give folks something to smile about in the midst of the Great Depression”. Alternatively Fentons Creamery claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky Road-style ice cream flavour invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren.

Food for thought – there's a certain symmetry me thinks

Next up … something different?

Before the summer's done …

… let's have some fun and do some more “no churn” ice creams!

First up, the ultimate in ice cream – it needs no introduction :

Rocky Road ice cream

100g salted, toasted pecans, finely chopped

50g cocoa powder, sieved

50g mini marshmallows

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

8 x Sundae pots with lids

or suitably sized containers to split

the ice cream into say 4 – 6 scoops

It's a good idea to salt and toast the pecans the day before – they need to cool!

Heat a small knob of butter, gently, in a pan and when foaming tip in the pecans with a good pinch of sea salt flakes. Stir over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until toasted – the delicious aroma will tell you when they are ready – don't leave them! Tip the nuts into a bowl and leave to cool.

On the day – empty the condensed milk into a large mixing bowl and gradually sieve in the cocoa – I use a tiny sieve, tapping the side with a spoon – you have more control (the size of a tea strainer) - use a manual whisk to combine.

Then add the cream and vanilla bean paste and use an electric hand whisk until you get stiff peaks – i.e. stand on their own when lifting the mixing blades from the mixture.

Combine the pecans thoroughly.

Fold in the mini marshmallows gently so that they are covered in the ice cream.

Bits and pieces & hints and tips coming up!

The GTSB photos – Part 2

 

The bread on the baking sheet – see the dusting

of flour underneath

The loaf marked into quarters – the long

handle of a wooden spoon works beautifully

Ta dah – fresh from the oven

Sliced in half – looks good enough to eat

A quarter, ready with a pot of butter

it would be rude not to!

Personally I wouldn't mess with either of these breads – apart from the butter.

The ultimate in decadence and comfort food – I think you can combine the two!

The GTSB photos – Part 1

Here they are :

The dry ingredients

The jugs – Guinness and yogurt

The bowl of black treacle

Slowly add the Guinness to the treacle

to loosen

Add the yogurt to the Guinness

and treacle and whisk together

The dry combined with the wet ingredients

The GTSB Photos – Part 2 coming up ...

Guinness and Treacle Soda Bread … GTSB method

Here's the method and hints and tips.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Grease a large baking tray or line with baking parchment. Put the flours, oats, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl and toss together. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. In a jug or second mixing bowl, stir together the Guinness, yogurt and treacle, until the treacle more or less dissolves – this will take a little while, but stir patiently and it will come together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and, with a spatula, wooden spoon or firm hand, bring everything together into a rough dough. Knead for a moment on a worktop, just until the dough has come together, then shape into a rough ball and put on the prepared baking tray. Dust the ball of dough liberally with flour, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to press a deep cross into the dough, ensuring you don't go all the way through the dough, so all 4 quarters are still connected. Bake for 50 minutes until golden, crispy and steaming.

This is the recipe taken directly from the magazine. I've a few suggestions that will make life easier.

It mentions “grease a large baking tray or line with baking parchment”. In all my bread making I've never greased or lined a baking tray. I sprinkle a non-stick baking tray with flour and “swirl” so it covers the tray. The bread doesn't stick – ever.

If you take your butter straight from the fridge as you begin, weigh and cut it into small cubes and place on a piece of cling film by the time you've weighed the remainder of your ingredients your butter will be soft enough to rub into the dry ingredients.

With regard to the “wet” ingredients you'll find life much easier if you begin by weighing the black treacle directly into a small mixing bowl. Weigh your Guinness and yogurt in separate jugs. Make sure your mixing bowl is set on a non slip mat – if you don't have one then use a dampened j cloth.

Gradually drizzle the Guinness into the treacle, stirring all the time and it will loosen, continue until combined. Use a small whisk when adding the yogurt to prevent it splitting. The process takes no time at all.

There's photos!

Guinness and Treacle Soda Bread - “GTSB”

Here's the second bread recipe and it's divine!

I have always had a weakness for good bread. There's nothing like home-made bread – the only problem is that it's a bit of a faff and it takes too long … unless you're making soda bread – no yeast and little or no kneading needed – what's not to love.

Not surprising then that this caught my attention. The recipe looks easy and this is genuine research – so many recipes are a let down mainly because they are inaccurate – you're drawn in by the clever photography and the Food Stylist.

It's a little more long winded but well worth the effort!

What follows is the exact recipe, then some hints and tips from me and finally a photo-guide.

“Wholesome, rustic soda bread looks and tastes like something that hours of love and care have gone into. In reality, it's wonderfully simple and with no yeast or kneading required, a warm loaf can be out of the oven in about an hour”.

Guinness and Treacle Soda Bread

400g strong white bread flour

extra for dusting

100g strong wholemeal flour

50g jumbo oats

10g fine salt

1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

40g unsalted butter, cubed

150g Guinness

175g natural yogurt

60g black treacle

You can see why I fancied this loaf!

Before I go on with the next bread idea …

… a quick reminder of what there is to choose from for your summer gathering!

Whether it's a Mezze, a Thali, a Get together, a party or a “Do” - call it what you will – what's better than sharing plates!

It can be whatever you want it to be, to suit the taste of your friends and family from antipasti, fish and seafood, cold meats, slaw and relish – not to mention the bread, you can mix and match.

You can add Homity Pie, a Three Cheese Tart and a Gallimaufry.

All you need to do is decide on a menu which can be planned ahead - and to be organised with your prep and cooking.

I've given you the ideas and you don't have to stick to them – they are just ideas, albeit tried and tested – now it's over to you.

Enjoy your (Bank) Holiday weekend – here in the UK at least!

Now back to the bread …

Now for the photos!

If you want to keep it simple add a sprinkle of celery salt and/or garlic granules and a sprinkle of grated cheese – any cheese that melts will do!

Have a look :

I sprinkled mine with extra semolina and

Nigella seeds

More sprinkles – this time grated cheese

For extra zhuzh serve with bowls of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dunking – a glug of each – a glug = 2 tablespoons.

Make sure you've got serviettes!

Perfect for tearing and sharing … how about another bread idea?

You'll need bread!

Every summer party or just a smaller get together for that matter, needs good bread!

I've chosen two recipes both of which are delicious, it's purely a matter of choice.

This recipe is not difficult. All you have to think about is are you around the house in a morning or an afternoon, to be able to complete the stages, none of which are long winded, it's perfect to slot in around the chores you know you've got to tackle so why not get home-made bread as a bonus!

Here goes :

You can choose whether you use the salt, oil and sesame seeds as a topping or roll in semolina and sprinkle with Nigella seeds before baking.

Pide

one sachet of easy-blend yeast – 7g

pinch of salt

700g plain white flour

plus extra

1 egg, beaten

100ml olive oil

400ml lukewarm water

30g sesame seeds and coarse sea salt

2 tbsp semolina

or extra semolina and Nigella seeds to sprinkle

Put the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast and the olive oil reserving a little to brush over the bread prior to proving, add the water.

Mix until the dough forms into a firm ball, leaving the sides of the bowl. Cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 1 – 1½ hours.

Lightly flour two baking sheets.

Knock down the dough - divide into two, shape each into a round ball and then roll each in 1 tbsp of semolina . Roll out and shape into two ovals and place on the baking sheets. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with sea salt, the reserved oil and sesame seeds. Alternatively you can sprinkle with additional semolina and Nigella seeds. Leave to prove for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Pre-heat your oven 210c/190fan/Gas 7.

Make dimples all over the surface of the bread – use your index finger vertically into the bread and you'll achieve the same size.

Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and when the base is tapped the bread sounds hollow.

From the recipe given you'll get two pide – 30x20cms or 12x8” in old money.

You don't have to be an accomplished bread maker – it's easy. There are variations on the theme of pide in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In Turkey there are pide street food shops called “pideci”.

You can top pide with your favourite ingredients – feta, mozzarella, cheese with leek and potato – break an egg in the middle and bake with the bread.

The choice is yours!

Now for the photos ...

When you're ready to serve …

The result of all your hard work look like this :-

To complete, add :

100g of your home-made mayo and combine

or you can split

50g mayo

50g sour cream

To turn the slaw into a “Coronation Slaw” add :-

1 tsp mild curry powder

a squirt of lime juice

1 tbsp mango chutney

Optional extras anyone?

Add any of the following for a fruit and nut hit :

30g ready to eat apricots, finely diced

30g sultanas soaked in mango and apple juice

1 eating apple of your choice – quartered and

chopped

30g of chopped nuts – walnuts or brazils

This is not just any old slaw, whichever combination you choose – the home-made mayo makes all the difference and takes it to another level, well worth it!

Hmm, what's next … it has to be the bread!

The raw slaw

Time is our greatest enemy – or rather lack of it - whether its a commute, long hours, collecting and ferrying children, there's very little left to think about food and meals - here's my antidote which does require some prep but it's well worth the effort.

The basic raw slaw

It's much better to prep the slaw in separate food bags – it lasts longer.

How much you prep is up to you – as a guide :

110g white or red cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage – a “cheek”

use a paring knife – see hints and tips to follow

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

salt and black pepper

Slice your cheek of cabbage as finely as you can using a sharp paring knife – bag, clip and fridge. 

Next up the carrots – they bleed if you grate them – not to mention pebble dashing every nook and cranny in your kitchen – how is it possible that grated carrot can jettison so far?

Ta dah – enter the julienne peeler.

Here it is, along with the uniformly sliced strips of carrot it produces :

Bag, clip and fridge.

A neat piece of kit and inexpensive too.

Finally, spring onions are mild, you could use a Spanish onion if you prefer or a red version. You can get a sweet, mild variety too. Slice, bag, clip and fridge.

The ingredients are deliberately bagged separately – they keep fresh longer!

When you're ready to serve …

Variations on a theme!

If you wanted to change the mood depending on what you're serving then why not try these ideas!

For a French mayonnaise swap the lemon juice

for white wine vinegar, keep the remaining ingredients

Smoked mayo – stir in a few drops of smoke flavouring

to the mayo – substitute 1 tbsp of cider vinegar for the

white wine vinegar. Add a few drops of maple syrup

on each dollop of mayo. Fab on fries!

It does exactly what it says on the tin, here's a photo of the original :

What's not to love!

It's really useful – so many other recipes contain mayo, the most obvious being coleslaw – with the home-made mayo it takes it to the next level.

I don't think you'll ever buy mayonnaise again – goodbye shop bought.

If ever there was a recipe “for keeps” this is it!

Speaking of coleslaw ...