A brief interlude …

… to talk about apples – rumour has it that 2025 has produced the best quality and flavour for a long while. What do you do with a glut, you can only bake so many apple pies?

Whether it's Bramleys or eating apples, I have recipes and ideas for you especially since the Christmas festivities are looming!

First up it's a Bramley apple sauce recipe (you can use other cooking apples if you can't get Bramleys).

MiamMiam

School of Cookery

The best Apple Sauce!

I found this recipe by accident and it is truly the most delicious apple sauce. Even if you decide you haven't the time on this occasion, stick it in your pending tray and try it when you do have time – you won't be sorry.

Eliza Acton's Apple Sauce – with Bramley apples

Pre-heat oven to 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

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 desire – it freezes well!! So, peel, core and slice your apples – if you can slice them a similar size they will cook more evenly.

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 Plant based “butter” if preferred).

Alchemy with apples - enjoy!

P.s. The books … if, like me, you're interested in food history you might like to add the following to your list. Elizabeth David's “An Omelette and a Glass of Wine” which is a compilation of articles and is where I found “Big Bad Bramleys” which in turn lead me to “Eliza Acton Modern Cookery”.

Next up, My Veggie Roast ...

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!

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 ...

Make your own mayo!

The simple things in life – and your kitchen – are the best!

One of the best salady sides has to be mayo – but not any old bottle or jar – a mayo you've made yourself.

A good mayo recipe is pure gold and the following recipe is easy peasy. I cannot take the credit for the recipe – it belongs to Matt Preston late of MasterChef Australia. It never fails!

A small dish served as a side – a central part of sharing plates of mixed meats or fish and seafood – or both - is delicious.

Here goes :

Stick blender mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon – 2 tbsp

350ml of grapeseed oil

Break an egg into the stick blender jug. It's important that the yolk doesn't break. Add the mustard, salt and lemon.

Add the grapeseed oil, again being careful not to break the yolk. Insert the stick blender, be sure that the blades completely cover the yolk.

Blend – after a couple of seconds you'll see white ribbons rising through the oil. Slowly pull the blender up through the oil so it amalgamates and push down again to incorporate all the oil.

Serve!

Stick Blender Mayo is not as stiff as shop bought since it does not contain preservatives so the consistency should be spot on – if you think it's too stiff for your taste then add a drizzle of double cream.

The mayo recipe includes lemon juice and Dijon mustard, an excellent “good to go” base. All that's needed is extra seasonings – celery salt and white pepper as a suggestion.

An added bonus - you get 425g from a batch of mayonnaise and it will keep in the fridge for 3 days, so loads left over for other stuff!

Now for the variations ...

By the way …

… here's a “salady side” that's my absolute favourite – its flavours match either with the Three Cheese Tart or the Homity Pie or for that matter anywhere you want a relish or a side it fits the bill - from baked salmon or honey glazed gammon to plain and simple with bread and cheese.

For those not in the know “bazzin” I associate with Manchester slang, meaning “great”, “fantastic” or particularly in this case “excellent” but any of the above will do!

I've used an organic vac pack of beetroot - it's easily available and ideal for the purpose of this relish and it's quicker!

Bazzin' beetroot relish

300g of cooked beetroot

peeled and cut into small cubes

1 sharp eating apple, peeled, cored and cut

into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

75g soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and black pepper

Don't forget to use gloves when prepping your beetroot!

Mix well and place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan – 16cms in diameter. Simmer on a low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. Box up and fridge until ready to use.

I like the flexibility of this beetroot relish – it's not complicated or fussy and you can make it any time you've got half an hour to spare.

Here's a photo, served with frittata sat on sautéed veggies and topped with the Bazzin' beetroot relish:

I just thought I'd mention it!

Coming next … ideas for more salady sides

Gallimaufry - Hints & Tips

First up, the potatoes. You'll notice that the recipe calls for red new potatoes. Have a look for “Albert Bartlett Apache potatoes – great for roasting or mashing in their skins”. I've found them in 600g bags. The majority of the larger supermarkets carry more varieties these days - another example is Ruby Gem.

Next the tapenade. You can do whatever is more practical – I always have a jar of black olive tapenade in my store cupboard and my favourite is M&S Black Olive Tapenade – it also has an excellent best before date. If you're feeling adventurous have a go at making your own. It's easy.

Coarse Tapenade

1 tbsp drained capers

85g pitted olives

1 tbsp olive oil

Two anchovies, chopped finely

1 roasted garlic clove

1 dessert spoon of lemon juice

Blitz all the ingredients. The trick is to stop pulverising whilst the mixture is coarse – it gives texture to the dish and not mush.

Then there's the stock. You can thicken it if you wish – as it is it's more of a broth. If you are a “gravy” person and prefer a little more substance then mix 1 tsp of cornflour with a drop or two of water and add gradually to the stock as you're warming it through. Note to self – don't be tempted to add anything else – whether to the stock or to the gravy – your stock is already infused with garlic and oregano, not for nothing do I call it liquid gold.

Finally – you still have two chicken legs, wings etc., leftover from the slow cooking. Strip the legs and wings of meat, bag and freeze – don't forget to mark the bag.

Use the chicken in cooked pasta with Alfredo Sauce or as part of a mid week frittata or last but by no means least you have your protein element for your chicken salad wrap – with mango or raita dressing for lunch the next day – there will probably be enough chicken for two wraps – just in case you're feeling generous.

If you have time then tip the remaining chicken bits into a large saucepan, cover with water – bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes strain and boom – chicken stock. Freeze it in small amounts – you'll be pleased you did. If you are short of time then bag the remains and freeze it for making stock for soup whenever the mood takes.

Next up … an Asian version

Orange drizzle ...

This cake is moist – moist is good but, to use the northern vernacular, it can be “claggy”. I would, and do, make extra “drizzle” to serve with a lemon drizzle cake – here's an orange version that is perfect to serve with the Gateau a l'Orange.

Orange Drizzle

200g icing sugar

250ml orange juice – no bits

Put the sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Hey presto, a syrupy drizzle to dress your cake and you've turned a cake into a supper or dinner party dessert – serve with a spoonful of clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.

P.s. I've only ever heard the word “claggy” in the North West of the UK. To set the record straight it means “sticky” and apparently is Scandinavian in origin – you live and learn!

Photo guide up next ...

Orange drizzle to go with the cake

This is so easy and delicious - as I said previously it turns a cake into a supper or dinner party dessert.

Here's the drizzle cooling:

and again with the cake

or, if you'd prefer to give your guests a choice, serve the drizzle in small jugs

I've frozen the syrup and it's great.

I served the cake with the drizzle and vanilla ice cream – another perfect freezer dessert of your own making!

Finally, the ice cream ...

The final fotos …

… and the advantages using the cheats version

Bake for 30 minutes until it looks like this :

after the oven – ready to devour

I'm really sorry you don't get the waft

of cheese and cream!

my favourite comfort bowl

It's a great way to make use of baked jacket potatoes – as I'm fond of saying, if my oven is turned on I make the best use of the space and so always bake at least four potatoes, sometimes six at a time. All you have to do is peel and slice – what's not to love.

The Alfredo sauce can be made ahead and fridged until ready to use.

It's fast and it's easy – it may not be authentic but if you've not got the time it takes to prep and cook the real deal then this is for you.

The perfect antidote to winter!

Now for the real deal ...

The best way …

... to illustrate assembly is with a photo guide :

thinly sliced cooked jackets – baked at your

convenience, then cooled – peeled and sliced at

your convenience too

here's the dish – greased generously with unsalted

butter and then the roasted garlic, dotted around

my dish is cast iron and measures 24cms/9½” x 17cms/6½”

x 5cms/2” deep

Pre-heat the oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 when you are ready to bake.

you'll get two layers of potato, divide in half, place

the first layer in the bottom of the dish, add a sprinkle

of celery salt and black pepper then spread half the

quantity of Alfredo sauce – repeat!

… the final fotos and the advantages

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 – see hints and tips to follow

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!

The result …

The humble spud …

… the holidays are over and winter is here.

We need comfort and warmth at this time of year and so I give you recipes for the humble spud.

From the practical, weekday meals to a treat at the weekend!

Take 5 minutes out of your day, turn on the oven and fill every inch ...

Bake half a dozen jacket potatoes – they don't take up too much space if, for example, you're cooking a roast. Prick them and wrap in foil – bake for an hour – check – depending on the size they make take a little longer. Set them aside to cool and then bag and fridge.

Your filling can be anything you like - salmon, tuna or chicken. There are loads of veggie options too. You could scoop out the potato – be careful of your fingers – add cheese and pop back.

Here's an idea :

Asian Spiced Salmon

Marinade

2 x 4oz Salmon fillets

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so.

When you are ready to cook, pre-heat your oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4 and cook for 15 minutes.

It's equally good hot or cold!

Then there's a salad …

If you don't want to be bothered ...

… making the coleslaw you could buy a good quality alternative, then serve with wedges sprinkled with a seasoning of your choice.

In case you're interested, here's the beetroot relish recipe.

This is definitely a relish and not a chutney since it contains vegetables and fruit - chutney is made from fruit and additional spices et al – just in case you didn't know the difference!

It may not be the most sophisticated relish but then it doesn't mean to be – it's your own and really quick and easy to make.

Bazzin' beetroot relish

300g vac pack of organic cooked beetroot

drained and cut into small cubes

1 sharp eating apple, peeled, cored and cut

into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

75g soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and black pepper

Don't forget to use gloves when prepping your beetroot!

Mix well and place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan – 16cms in diameter. Simmer on a low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. Box up and fridge until ready to use.

The perfect idea for a Saturday night supper – everyone can choose whatever they want – it's a win win. You can delete the takeaway delivery numbers you have on speed dial!

You should be feeling very pleased with yourself – you've used every last morsel of the chicken and it's not taken you three weeks of preparation, cooking and the aftermath.

I say every morsel, what you were left with, literally, was the carcass of the bird. If you have the time and are sufficiently enthusiastic you've made a stock. Making stock from scratch is a worthy but long winded process, but may be not appropriate for the time saving, speedy stuff – see the “Chicken stash” blog.

These recipes are not set in stone – they are only a guide - not a rigid set of rules. I'm just trying to give you an idea or two that might inspire your own creation or an old favourite that you'd forgotten.

If it moves freeze it – in portions that are practical for you – you can always take out more if you need to.

One thing is for sure, slow cooking a whole chicken means you'll get the most from the bird and you'll use every morsel – it's the perfect emergency food!

Fancy something fishy?

The next idea ...

… is “a sandwich for the soul”

It's my take on a “takeaway” chicken idea for the weekend. If there are four in your household then you might want to consider slow cooking a whole chicken just for this purpose, lets be honest, it doesn't take a great deal of effort, nor break the bank either. I'd recommend too that you use the star anise option in the cavity, the flavour is divine. You'll also produce lots of moist chicken which shreds very easily, it almost melts before your eyes.

We've already had chicken soup for the soul – now here's a chicken sandwich for the soul – I have it on good authority that this is the best ever and well worth slow cooking a whole chicken solely for that purpose!

You'll need delicious bread and when I say delicious bread I mean a loaf (or may be two) that can be sliced into doorsteps. You could serve with a side of wedges or fries too!

Who likes what?

It wouldn't be a sandwich without the extras, here are my

suggestions and it is not an exhaustive list!

Avocado, sliced or mashed to suit, with lemon

juice

Crispy bacon – and bits are better!

Good quality mayo

Beef tomatoes, sliced thinly

Beetroot relish or slices if you prefer

Any salad item you love – spring onions, shredded

iceberg lettuce

capers, cornichons

A slaw of your choice – here's an Asian

recipe that will compliment your anise infused

shredded chicken

Asian Coleslaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

if you want to create a basic slaw stash then

double the amounts given above

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp caster sugar

Half tbsp rice wine

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp peanut butter

Half tsp chilli powder

4 tbsp fresh coriander

Combine all the above ingredients except the fresh coriander.

Marinade for at least an hour – 2-3 is better still!

Just before serving strain off the excess liquid, stir in the coriander and serve!

If you don't want to be bothered ...

A few fotos for you …

It does exactly what it says on the tin :

I don't think you'll ever buy mayonnaise again!

Next up, the slaw :

First up slice a “cheek” of cabbage – a sharp paring knife is the best piece of kit – smaller and more easy to control – with care!

Using a julienne peeler you get uniformly sliced strips of carrot

Combine the cabbage, carrot and spring onion, then season and add the drained apricots and sultanas – the mayo, sour cream and curry powder and a final flourish of the lime juice and mango chutney.

Make it the day before you want to serve it – it gives all the different flavours time to infuse – delicious!

Fresh ideas for a fishcake!

If you want a neat idea for an appetizer or a starter, how about a smaller scale of fishcake with a generous drizzle of rendang sauce, topped with mango chutney – a spot of fusion with small tortilla wraps or flatbreads to mop up the leftover sauce and chutney – outside the box I'd say!

There's a foto in the Fishcake foto guide if you wanted inspiration, in the meantime here's the recipe for the rendang curry sauce :

Rendang Curry Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

If you like your curry hotter then you can use a medium or hot version of the curry powder – either way to suit your palate!

A few fotos for you ...

The slaw – but not just any old slaw!

OR you could make a special coleslaw – yum!

Coronation Slaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

salt and black pepper

30g ready to eat apricots, finely diced

30g sultanas soaked in mango and apple juice

50g mayo

50g sour cream

1 tsp mild curry powder

squirt of lime juice

1 tbsp mango chutney

The recipe given will give you a box of slaw – measuring approximately 11cms x 6.5cms x 5cms. One box lasted me a week, a spoonful here and a spoonful there.

You'd be surprised how well it fits as a side to the fishcakes!

Stick blender mayo

This is the most delicious mayo, made easy and simple with a stick blender – it knocks the spots off shop bought!

Stick blender mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon – 2 tbsp

350ml of grapeseed oil

Break an egg into the stick blender jug. It's important that the yolk doesn't break. Add the mustard, salt and lemon.

Add the grapeseed oil again being careful not to break the yolk. Insert the stick blender, be sure that the blades completely cover the yolk.

Blend – after a couple of seconds you'll see white ribbons rising through the oil. Slowly pull the blender up through the oil so it amalgamates and push down again to incorporate all the oil.

Serve!

Variations on a theme :

For a French mayonnaise swap the lemon juice

for white wine vinegar, keep the remaining ingredients

Smoked mayo – stir in a few drops of Liquid 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!

There's Japanese, Salsa verde and Thai -

check out Matt Preston's essential tips for

making mayo at home.

You'll get 425g of mayonnaise and it will keep in the fridge for 3 days or so – if it lasts that long.

As I said – delicious and perfect with the fishcakes!

Roasted Garlic!

Not a lover of garlic because it can be too strong or even bitter?

If you roast garlic it becomes sweet and delicious – here's the science!

It all boils down to the presence of allicin, the sulphur compound responsible for that instantly recognisable garlicky taste. Those all important garlic enzymes are inactivated by heat, and the allicin compound is destroyed during cooking. Garlic mellows as it cooks and is most pungent in its fresh, raw form.

Some may recognise “Allium” a genus of flowering plants which includes the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, leek and chives. Allium is the Latin word for garlic.

Moving on, you might think this recipe is a faff in itself since you have to “pop” the garlic cloves from the bulb and box, preferably in tiny pots – messy I know - I can only say it's worth it.

Roasted Garlic

2 bulbs of garlic

olive oil/rapeseed oil for drizzling

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme - optional

salt and black pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 200c/180f/Gas 6.

Slice the tops off the bulbs or not, as you wish and place in a small ovenproof dish, garlic roaster or foil dish so that they fit snugly. Drizzle with oil and season with thyme, salt and black pepper.

Roast in the oven for about an hour – until the garlic has softened.

Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb. It's a good idea to wear gloves and to have a compostable bag ready for disposal. To store in the fridge, add a little more oil and keep in a screw top jar.

You can use the paste in the same way as you'd use fresh garlic – the difference is that the roasted version is sweeter and ready to use!

The paste will keep in your fridge for one to two weeks or you can freeze in tiny pots.

If, like me, you forget to take stuff out of the freezer another plus here is that because the pots are so tiny they don't take long at all to defrost!

Speaking of freezing and tiny pots ...