Damson Jam

I love foraging for berries this time of year - blackberries for pies and crumbles, sloes sooth the winter blues with Sloe Gin, and damsons for tangy damson jam!

Damsons were introduced to Britain by the Romans but goodness knows what they did with them, they're so tart that only tons of refined sugar can tame them! Fortunately I love the sharp plummy flavour of damson jam, and it's very easy to make, particularly with a good jam or sugar thermometer. Damson jam is lovely on toast or hot crumpets - for carnivores it also goes well with rich game meats.

Use whatever quantity you can forage, it's actually easier to boil up smaller quantities of jam than large, particularly if you're a beginner. Make sure they're ripe, they should be juicy and slightly yielding, not too hard but not too soft. Make sure you wash the fruits thoroughly to remove bits of grit, bugs and stray leaves!

1. Weigh the damsons, and measure out an equal weight of white sugar.
2. Clean some jam jars thoroughly either in a dishwasher on a hot cycle, or with hot soapy water and dry them in a 150C oven for 10 minutes.
3. In a pan, add the damsons plus about a cupful of water, depending on quantity, and gently stew the damsons for 5-10 minutes until they're very soft.
4. When the fruits are cooked, place a sieve over a bowl and pour the damsons into the sieve. The fruit should be soft enough to push out the stones - a fiddly process but make sure you get them all, you don't want crunch in your jam!
5. Return the fruit and liquid to the pan, pour in the sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. It should be liquid at this stage so add a splash more water if there's not enough for the sugar to dissolve.
6. Turn up the heat and boil til the mixture reaches the "setting point" of 105C, making sure to stir occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn.
7. When it hits 105C, remove from the heat. Leave to cool slightly, then pour into your prepared jars, close the lid and leave to cool.

Variations

Plums and almonds go wonderfully together, so try Damson and Amaretto Jam! When the jam is cooling in the pan, add a tablespoon or three of Amaretto liqueur. Or for a non-alcoholic version, a teaspoon of almond extract.

Creamy mushroom pasta

I love autumn food - it's my favourite time of year in the kitchen, with mushrooms being one of my favourite things! I've been so busy over the summer I've a few recipes to catch up on, but I had this last night which is simple but a real treat.

A thick flat pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle is best for mopping up the lovely creamy sauce, I used rigatoni as it was all I had.

Fresh mushrooms are wonderful this time of year - use the best you have available. I used some large meaty portobello mushrooms. Adding dried (or fresh, if you're lucky) porcini mushrooms makes it even more luxurious.

(serves two)

• 100 g mushrooms, sliced
• 100 g double cream
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 220 g pasta
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Roughly half a glass white wine or light sherry

1. Put on the water for the pasta - by the time the water is heated and the pasta is cooked, your sauce will be ready.
2. Add oil and a knob of butter to a pan and fry the mushrooms for about five minutes until they've slightly browned, darkened and reduced.
3. Stir in the garlic for a minute or so,
4. Pour in the wine, deglazing the pan and getting up any mushroomy juices stuck to the bottom.
5. Turn down the heat and let the wine reduce for a couple of minutes.
6. Add the cream, leaving it on the hob just long enough to heat through, then stir in about half of the parsley and take off the heat.
7. When the pasta is done, strain (saving some of the cooking water), mix the pasta and sauce, adding a little cooking water if it's a little dry.
8. Serve in bowls sprinkled with fresh parsley, black pepper (or paprika) and a generous grating of parmesan. Lovely!

Roasted Carrot and Cumin Soup

With an early British spring there's a glut of carrots here - so, carrot soup! Roasting root vegetables brings out a sumptuous sweetness and depth of flavour, and pairing it with warm spices like ginger, cumin and paprika makes a luscious warming soup.

Makes about 6-8 bowls, depending on greed levels.

• 1 kg carrots, quartered lengthways
• 2 onions, cut into wedges
• 2 parsnips, quartered lengthways
• 2 medium potato, quartered
• 3 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp paprika
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 8 dates, stoned and chopped (optional)
• 1 litre vegetable stock (Swiss Marigold)
• 4 dried birdseye chillies, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Chop the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Pour in a splash of olive oil and mix with your hands until they're all coated.
3. Spread on a baking tray, or probably two trays, and pop into the hot oven for about half an hour until they're roasted and slightly caramelised.
4. Meanwhile, heat a small dry frying pan on the hob and toast the coriander seeds for a few minutes, remove, and then do the same with the cumin. (The cumin seeds toast quicker, so do them separately.)
5. Put in a pestle and mortar and grind.
6. Remove the veg from the oven, tip into a
   
   large saucepan with all the remaining ingredients, and cover with the stock. Add extra stock or water if they're not quite covered.
7. Bring up to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft
8. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand blender or liquidiser.
9. Check the seasoning and add more salt, pepper and chilli as you like.
10. Serve in bowls with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream, a sprinkling of paprika and maybe a dash of chilli oil.

Variations

The parsnips and dates aren't essential but they bring out the sweetness of the carrots.

Grated fresh ginger adds an extra dimension but ground is more likely to be in your cupboards.

Personally I loathe green coriander leaves, to me they turn a lovely soup into foul bath water. But carrot and coriander seems a popular combination, add a sprig of chopped leaves if you insist :)

Sweet Potato Muffins

I had some sweet potatoes that needed using up so, I totally winged this recipe and I'm amazed how they turned out! I've never had much luck with muffins recipes, but these turned out light, fluffy and delicious! They're accidentally vegan, if only because I didn't have any butter or eggs so I used vegetable oil and tofu! Tofu, in a cake you say? Madness! But they turned out great, you'd never know!

Makes 10

• 250 g sweet potato, finely grated
• 250 g self raising flour
• 2 tbsp rye flour (or wholemeal, optional)
• 120 ml vegetable oil
• 100 g tofu, mashed
• 50 g golden raisins or sultanas
• 170 g sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger

1. Mix everything up in a big bowl to a smooth consistency.
2. Preheat your oven to 190C.
3. Spoon into muffin cases (I use silicone ones, much easier). The mixture should come to the top of the casing so it bulges outward in the classic muffin-top shape.
4. Pop into the hot oven for 25-30 minutes.
5. Leave to cool, pop on the kettle, and enjoy!

Variations

For that extra bit of indulgence and style give them a cream cheese icing, like a carrot cake. They're quite delicious by themselves.

Orange zest would also be a good touch, I didn't have any! For a nutty crunch add a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans or sunflower seeds.

Bhindi Masala (Curried Okra)

It's been a while since I made anything Indian but in the supermarket I spotted frozen okra, and decided to experiment with something spicy to chase away the winter chill!

I've hardly every cooked okra, or bhindi as it's called in the Subcontinent. Bhindi Masala is a classic Punjabi dish that's flavoursome but without much heat. Apologies to purists but I added Quorn to give it texture and protein: leave it out if it offends you! I used frozen okra/bhindi which seems quite widely available and is simpler to deal with for novices like myself.

Either make the spice paste with dry spices, or substitute a mild curry paste like a Rogan Josh - it will say on the jar how much to use. Don't overcook okra as they can get a slimy if overdone.

• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small thumb gingeer
• 2 tsp paprika or medium chilli powder
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp ground coriander or whole seeds
• 300g frozen chopped okra/bhindi
• 4 Quorn fillets, defrosted (omit for a vegan version)

1. Put all the ingredients except the okra and Quorn in a blender with a splash of vegetable oil and whiz till a smooth paste.
2. Fry the Quorn fillets on both sides in a frying pan for a few minutes until browned. Remove and chop into chunks.
3. In the hot pan, fry the spice mixture for five minutes or so until the onions have lost their pungency. I recommend turning your extractor fan to maximum!
4. Add the frozen okra along with the chopped Quorn and stir in, making sure everything is well coated. Add about a cupful of water to make a thick sauce.
5. Cook for about ten minutes on a moderate heat until the okra cooks through and everything comes together, 
6. At the end, take off the heat and stir in a tablespoon of natural yoghurt. Serve on a plate with a spoon of yoghurt on top and a sprinkle of paprika for garnish.

Serve with rice and/or flatbreads - my next post will show you how simple it is to make quick flatbreads from scratch!

Lentil and Green Vegetable Wholewheat Lasagna

After gorging on unhealthy things over the festive season, now's the time to get healthy with low-fat, high fibre recipes. But they really don't have to be boring! This lasagna is filling and tasty.

Here I made my own wholewheat pasta (largely because I'd run out!). It's really easy to make and it's a good way to try making pasta for the first time because if you make a mess, it's all hidden by sauce so it doesn't matter! If not just use whatever dried lasagna you have available.

In winter, frozen spinach is far better for you, your wallet and for the environment.

• 1 head of spring greens, finely sliced and chopped
• 275g brown lentils, rinsed
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tsp vegetable stock powder
• 10 chunks defrosted frozen spinach
• 6 flat mushrooms (or equivalent button)
• 250 ml milk (skimmed or semi)
• 4 tbsp white flour
• Small chunk of cheddar cheese, grated
• Nutmeg

Lasagna with Spicy Red Cabbage

1. Start by boiling the lentils in plain water for about 20 minutes, until tender.
2. Meanwhile roast the mushrooms in a hot oven (180C) for 15-20 minutes.
3. Add oil to a large pan or wok and stir-fry the onion and cabbage for about five minutes, then add the spinach along with any juices from defrosting. Turn down to a low heat, cover and continue to cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
4. When the lentils are done, drain, and return to the pan along with the tin of tomatoes, garlic, stock powder and the chopped roast mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Make a fat free white sauce by mixing a bit of the milk in the flour to make a paste, while the rest of the milk heats in a pan. Stir in the flour paste and keep stirring til it cooks and thickens. 
6. Stir in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. It should be the thickness of custard, pourable but coats the back of a spoon.
7. Pour a little bit of the white sauce into the green vegetable mixture, enough to coat it all and make it stick together.
8. To construct the lasagna, take a large baking dish and fill the bottom with about half the green vegetable mix.
9. Top with a layer of lasagna, making sure to fill in any holes. If using dried pasta, dunking sheets in a bowl of boiling water first helps the construction and cooking.
10. Next add half the lentil mix, then cover with lasagna. Repeat with a layer of cabbage, lasagna, another layer of lentils and the top layer of pasta.
11. Pour the remaining white sauce over the top, sprinkle with a little bit of cheese and finish with a generous sprinkling of nutmeg and pepper.
12. Bake in a 180C oven for 30-40 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the top is brown. Dried pasta will take 40-45 minutes, fresh pasta 30ish minutes.
13. Leave a few minutes to settle before serving.

To make wholewheat  lasagne:
275g strong wholewheat bread flour
3-4 eggs
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt

1. Mix the ingredients together to form a dough, then knead as you would bread, for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. About 3 minutes in a mixer on medium speed. If it's too dry add a splash of water.
2. Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece out thinly until big enough to fill the dish.

Variations

Fat free

To make a fat-free version, use Nutritional Yeast instead of cheese. It's available in health food shops and makes a tasty cheese sauce without the calories. Alternatively, use fat free natural yoghurt instead of a white sauce.

Vegan

To make a vegan version, use soy yoghurt and nutritional yeast.

Carb Free & Wheatfree

Wheatfree pasta is available, but for a virtuous lasagna, instead of pasta try whole cabbage leaves with the stalks trimmed, blanched in boiling water for a few minutes. Layer them like pasta and top with yoghurt. Virtuous, but still good!

Spicy Red Cabbage with Dates

I made this spicy red cabbage for Christmas dinner, it's great served with anything rich and hearty like roast vegetables or a nut roast!

It actually improves if it's made in advance. Cook until slightly underdone, then reheat a day or so later and it'll be even better! Also freezes well, add a portion to any dinner to liven up a winter meal.

Not my picture but looks similar!

• 1 medium/large red cabbage
• 1 white or red onion, chopped
• 250 ml red wine (1 large glass)
• 1 apple, grated or finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon or 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 10-12 dried dates, cut in half
• 1 Cinammon stick (or 2 tsp ground)
• 3 cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg, grated
• 1 tsp paprika or cayenne
• Knob of butter

1. Prepare the cabbage by first cutting it in half or quarters, lengthways. Cut out the white stalk, then slice finely.
2. In a large pan add a splash of oil and a generous knob of but, on a moderate heat.
3. Add the onion and stir for a few minutes til soft.
4. Add the cabbage and sauté on a moderate to high heat for five minutes until they're completely coated in the oil and butter and start to cook down a little.
5. Add the spices, dates, apple, lemon/vinegar, sugar and red wine.
6. Taste the liquid and season with salt as you like. Add more spices if you think it needs it!
7. Bring up to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, til the cabbage is tender but still has bite.

Variations

Many recipes use red onion but given that everything ends up red anyway, it doesn't really makes a difference. Leeks are a nice alternative to onion, slice them thinly and cook them gently at the start.

The dates here give an extra sweetness and richness but leave them out if you're not keen. Balsamic vinegar is also gorgeous in this recipe but is also very sweet, reduce the amount of sugar if using.

I've recently discovered the Turkish herb sumac, which gives a citric zing to so many Middle Eastern dishes. Adding a tablespoon of this gorgeous purple-red dried herb adds a nice edge to the dish.

If you have any cranberry sauce leftover from Christmas, adding a tablespoon or two will only help.

The zest and juice of an orange is also a good variation!