free raspberries

I'm very excited, on my walk yesterday I found a hord of wild raspberries! bushes and bushes of them. When we moved into the area, a local man explained that the raspberries where originally planted by the railway men at strategic points along the train track (now turned into walking/cycling/horse trail.)

Not only that but the winberries (Bilberry, whinberry) are out (more about them another day) so with a carton of the raspberry beautys, just got to decide whether its going to be Eaton Mess, Raspberry Fool, raspberry pavlova, or raspberry icecream...

Mince n Tatties

A good friend has just emailed me this recipe, which I will be trying out very soon. Thanks again Jenny....

Here's my fave cheap eat. Well, it's not so much cheap, as very easy for the time pressed mum, there's no chopping, browning, sweating or any of that palaver:

Mince n tatties.

This recipe was recounted to me by a mummy chum, and it was passed on to her by her childminder. Whan an excellent provenance.

Ingredients:
Mince (lamb, beef, pork, whatever you have, but I think lamb is best).
A few tablespoons of barley.
Potatoes and carrots, scrubbed.
Some stock cubes.

Method:
Mix the mince and the barley in a big oven proof pot. Pour over hot stock until well covered. Plonk the carrots and potatoes on the top. Bring to the boil on the hob. Stick in the oven (160 degrees) for 1 and a half hours. Check it and stir it every so often, adding more water if required.

Everyone will love this, especially on a dank day.

Jenny

p.s Today’s illustration is a silk painting ‘carrots’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more images.

The best beans

I love my pulse recipes, delicious, filling and a real money saver. This one is an adaptation of the wonderful Gennaro Contaldo’s recipe for Zolfino Beans. I’m afraid I haven’t been able to find Zolfino beans, so used instead Cannellini beans (or failing that haricot beans) using dried pulses, you’ve just got to remember to soak them the night before….

350g Cannellini beans 3tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves 3tbs white wine vinegar
4 sage leaves about 1.4 litres veg stock.

Soak the beans overnight.

Drain and place in a saucepan with the garlic, (I leave them whole, squashing them slightly) sage leaves, olive oil and vinegar. Cover with the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours or until the beans are soft. If you find there’s a lot of liquid left, drain it and reduce it by cooking it in separate pot, then add it back to the beans.

Cannellini beans are an excellent source of Iron, Magnesium and Folate.

Today’s illustration is a monoprint ‘haricot beans’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more images.

The best chocolate cake

I’ve had to think long and hard whether to share this one, as its one of those precious family recipes. My sister Nicky brought it back from school many years ago, since then its been made (and adapted) by every member of the family for every occasion whether: birthdays, celebrations, commiserations or family get together. So I hope I don’t ruffle to many family feathers…

Sieve together 7oz self raising flour, 8oz caster sugar, and 4 tbs coco powder.
Mix with 4oz marg, mix it up in the air to make light mix.
Beat 2 eggs with 5tbs evaporated milk, add to the mixture.
Mix 5tbs water (or less, see the texture of the mixture- you want it quite loose)
Cook in two cake tins, in a medium oven for 35 mins.

Then my favourite bit of the cake, the icing:
Sieve together 3 and a half tbs coco powder with 8oz of icing powder. Mix with 2 and half oz marg. Mix with a little milk that’s been boiled and cooled. (or a little left over evaporated milk) Use the mix immediately otherwise it will set. Expect a fight over whose going to lick the spoon and bowl.

Today’s illustration is a silk painting ‘cocoa’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk for more images.

Liver and Bacon

You maybe put off this one by memories of thick, rubbery slabs of meat, force fed to you as a child. However, when fresh liver is sliced thinly and cooked quickly in butter, served with crispy bacon and its own tasty juices, its truly delicious. I urge you to try it. Plus of course it’s very economical! This version is based on my bible, Mrs Beaton’s Every-day Cooking.

Ingredients: 1lb of liver (I like lambs for this recipe) Half a lb of bacon cut into small pieces, flour, salt and pepper.

Method: put the liver into a basin and cover with boiling water, leave it there for 10 mins. Then drain, dry well and cut into thin slices. Season with 1tbs of flour and 1tsp of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Dip the liver into the mixture. Heat the frying pan, fry the bacon, then remove to a hot dish until required. Fry the liver in the fat of the bacon, but quickly so that its browned on both sides but not over cooked. Transfer to a hot dish. Sprinkle in about a tbs of flour, let it brown, then add about half a pint of water, stir until it boils, thickens and reduces, then strain over the liver. Arrange the bacon on the top and serve hot.

Oh and liver is a fantastic source of Iron, Vitamin A, (essential for healthy skin and eyes) Vitamin B2 (promotes good health and is necessary for maintaining good vision, nails, skin and hair) Vitamin B3 (improves cirulation and reduces high blood pressure) and B12 (prevents anaemia) and of Vitamin D…

Today’s illustration is a monoprint ‘sheep’ © Lois Blackburn. Please visit http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk/ for more images.

hummus or humus

What a necessity! It delicious, cheap and easy to make, it goes with so much (filling for jacket potato, pita bread, sandwhiches, dip for veg, or sauce for falafel… children love it and its very healthy!

Ready made hummus will cost you about £1.00 for 100grams in the shops. To make it yourself, will cost you a fraction of that, and you will feel you can be very generous with it, as you will make a big tub! : Your main ingredients are chickpea’s and tahinni, In Unicorn, http://www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk/ 1kg of organic dried chick peas costs £1.35, Tahini (useful in so many recipes) £2.02 in my local ‘The Organic Shop’. These quantities will make a very healthy amount of hummus) If you decide to buy your chickpeas in a tin, you can still make dramatic savings… plus making it yourself, you will make it to your taste.. a little more garlic? a little more lemon? you decide.

I like to add the ingredients as I blend, tasting as I go, and add more garlic or tahinni or lemon…I can’t say I measure ingredients, but do it by feel, however if your new to making it here is a guide:

250g (9oz) chickpeas, soaked overnight
juice of 2-3 lemons
2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed
6 tablespoons Tahini
4 tbs olive oil
1 tsp paprika (optional) (some people use cumin)

Boil the chickpeas in fresh water until very soft (50mins upwards, depending on the age of them) add a little salt when they begin to soften. Reserve the cooking water and blend the chickpeas with a little of the cooking water. Make a smooth paste. Add two tbs olive oil and the other ingredients (except the paprika) and more cooking water if necessary, to make a soft creamy texture.

To serve, spread the hummus on a plate, sprinkle with remaining oil and the paprika.

And I hope you don’t mind smelling of garlic!

A note about the illustrations, 'chickpeas' mono print please go to http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk/ for more, and 'beer tea trifle bovril' an arthur+martha collaboration. http://www.arthur-and-martha.co.uk/ This is part of a collection called 'scotch terrier, bulldog and a moggy' investigating stereo types of the people British and Israel I hold © to both images.

economical food resources

Ok, where to buy cheap, ethical, seasonal, delicious ingredients and culinary goodies?

Here are some of my favourites…have you any to add?

‘Unicorn’ Manchester’s co-operative grocery. http://www.unicorn-grocery.co.uk/ it offers wholesome and organic (vegan) foods. Its really well priced, and ethical principles remain at the core of the business. Everything from Fruit and Veg to dried foodstuffs, inc pulses, grains, nuts, fruits and spices. I go when I’m in town, and buy in bulk!

‘Eighth Day Co-op’ http://www.eighth-day.co.uk/ as well as a great shop, there’s a wonderful café. Well worth a visit if in Manchester.

For supplies of Chinese and Thai foodstuffs, try any of the groceries in China Town, Manchester http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/shops/chinatown.html Great for large slabs of Tofu, rice, fresh herbs etc.

If your after basmati rice, spices, fantastic Asian vegetables and herbs and much, much more, visit Ayres Road, Old Trafford, or the Curry Mile, Rusholme, Manchester.

For seasonal organic food boxes, delivered to your door, I can recommend http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/Home.aspx

And just down the road from me, my friendly local ‘The Organic Shop’ New Mills, Derbyshire.

For fish, there’s a great fish market in Manchester at The Arndale. www.arndalemarket.co.uk
And if your short of goods to cook all of this in, or need the oven or the kitchen sink… sign up with your local Freecycle Network http://www.freecycle.org/ all for free!! You just need to organise picking the wonders up.

Todays illustration is from an ethical ABC, go to http://www.loisblackburn.co.uk/pages/editorial/ethical%20abc.htm to see more...image © Lois Blackburn