This is a seasonal win for me and went down a treat at home. Pre-warning, it is a bit of a faff, so perhaps not your usual run of the mill weeknight meal, but it is a great one for guests or a weekend when you have a little more time. This meal really needs ALL the components though. The koftas are nothing without the tomato sauce, and the sauce is bland on it’s own. Served with delicious focaccia and this will be a winner with everyone. Continue reading Pumpkin koftas with smoky tomato sauce
The flavours in this carrot dahl are as bright and fresh as the colours and it has proved a hit with adults and children. Plus, it is really quick to make and full of nutrients 😊 Continue reading Dazzling Dahl
Anyone else get biscuit cravings? But they’re always wrapped in pesky plastic. Well it turns out it is pretty easy to make digestive biscuits at home, and you can dip them in chocolate too :).
Continue reading Homemade Digestive Biscuits
The weather is all a bit cold and grey at the moment and this pasta bake is something we ALL need in our lives right now. Comforting, filling and using lots of seasonal British goodies it is a winning meal for all the family. And, for those taking part in Veganuary, it is vegan too :). Continue reading Winter Vegetable Pasta Bake
I’ve made candied orange peel a few years running and, while they do take a bit of time, they are very low cost and make some beautiful gifts. Using up the orange peel this way is also incredibly satisfying and people are always so grateful for a gift that has been homemade. My main problem, is keeping them away from Rob long enough to give them away! I haven’t included quantities because it is really up to you how much you make 🙂
Ingredients:
Orange peel
Method
Cut your orange into quarters and remove (and eat) the flesh. Cut as much of the pith away as you can without damaging the skin. You’re aiming for about 5mm of orange skin when you’re done. Cut each quarter into 3 (giving you 12 strips of peel from one orange)
Put the peel in a saucepan with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then drain and replace the water. Only use enough water to cover the peel. Boil again then simmer for 30 minutes.
Drain the peel but this time keep the cooking liquid. Add 100g of sugar to each 100ml of cooking liquid you have. Heat in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved then add the peel and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Leave to cool then remove the peel and place on a wire rack.
Put the peel in the oven on its lowest setting and leave to dry out. This can take quite a long time. I tend to leave the peel in the top oven for a good few hours while I’m using the main oven.
Sprinkle a reusable baking sheet with sugar and toss your peel in it to coat them. They still need to dry so spread them out and leave out for another few hours.
Once your candied peel has dried out, store in an airtight container.
These taste delicious dipped in chocolate!
This date and cardamom cake is our take on the Waitrose date, toffee and cardamom cake and I’ve got to say, it is goooooooodd. Kind of like a mix between sticky toffee pudding and a cake. Not too faffy either and uses pretty much all ingredients we have in the house all the time. Which is great, because it looks and tastes impressive without actually requiring much effort.
Continue reading Date & Cardamom Cake