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Wild Garlic Soup
In late April the air in the top of Wilson’s wood is heavy with the smell of wild garlic. The pretty white flowers mix with the bluebells and primroses. Both the bulbs and leaves of wild garlic are used in this soup and the pretty flowers are divine sprinkled over the top of each soup bowl.
Both the bulbs and leaves of wild garlic or Ransomes are used to flavour this soup with delicious results.
1 1/2 ozs (45g) butter
5 ozs (150g) peeled and chopped potatoes
4 ozs (110g) peeled and chopped onion
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pint (900ml) water or home-made chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 pint (300ml) creamy milk
5 ozs (150g) chopped wild garlic leaves
Garnish: Wild garlic flowers
Melt the butter in heavy bottomed saucepan, when it foams, add the potatoes and onions and toss them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the wild garlic leaves. When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured add the stock and milk, bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the wild garlic and boil with the lid off for 4-5 minutes approx. until the wild garlic is cooked. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Puree the soup in a liquidiser or food processor. Taste and correct seasoning. Serve sprinkled with a few wild garlic flowers.
21/03/2008 (SH)
Cullohill Rhubarb Pie
The pastry is made by the creaming method so people who are convinced that they suffer from 'hot hands' don't have to worry about rubbing in the butter.
Serves 8-12
Pastry
8 ozs (225g) butter
2 ozs (50g) castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free range
12 ozs (300g) white flour, preferably unbleached
Filling
2 lbs (900g)of Rhubarb (or Bramley Seedling cooking apples)
13-14oz (375-400g) sugar
2-3 cloves
egg wash-made with one beaten egg and a dash of milk
castor sugar for sprinkling
To Serve
softly whipped cream
Barbados sugar
Tin, 7 inches (18cm) x 12 inches (30.5cm) x 1 inch (2.5cm) deep
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/regulo 4.
First make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food mixer (no need to over cream). Add the eggs and beat for several minutes. Reduce speed and mix in the flour. Turn out onto a piece of floured greaseproof paper, flatten into a round wrap and chill. This pastry needs to be chilled for at least 2 hours otherwise it is difficult to handle.
To make the tart
Roll out the pastry 1/8 inch (3mm) thick approx., and use about 2/3 of it to line a suitable tin. Slice the rhubarb into 1/2 inch (1cm) pieces. Fill the tart with the rhubarb, sprinkle with sugar and add the cloves. Cover with a lid of pastry, seal edges, decorate with pastry leaves, egg wash and bake in the preheated oven until the apples are tender, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour. When cooked cut into squares, sprinkle lightly with castor sugar and serve with softly whipped cream and barbados sugar.
03/02/2009 (SH) (5841)
Easter Lamb with Roast Spring Onions and Mint Sauce
Young Spring Lamb is sweet and succulent and needs absolutely no embellishment apart from a dusting of salt and pepper and a little fresh Mint Sauce - made from the first tender sprigs of mint from the cold frame in the Kitchen garden.
For me this is the quintessential taste of Easter.
Serves 6-8
1 leg of spring lamb
salt and freshly ground pepper
Gravy
600ml (1 pint) lamb or chicken stock
a little roux (see recipe)
salt and freshly ground pepper
Roast Spring Onions (see recipe)
Garnish
Sprigs of fresh mint and parsley
Mint Sauce (see recipe)
If possible ask your butcher to remove the aitch bone from the top of the leg of lamb so that it will be easier to carve later, then trim the knuckle end of the leg. Season the skin with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put into a roasting tin.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4. Roast for 1-1 1/4 hours approx. for rare, 1¼ -1 1/2 hours for medium and 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours for well done, depending on size. When the lamb is cooked to your taste, remove the joint to a carving dish. Rest the lamb for 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile make the gravy. Degrease the juices in the roasting tin, add stock. Bring to the boil and whisk in a little roux to thicken slightly. Taste and allow to bubble up until the flavour is concentrated enough. Correct the seasoning and serve hot with the lamb, roast spring onions and lots of crusty roast potatoes.
Mint Sauce
Traditional Mint Sauce made with tender young shoots of fresh mint takes only minutes to make. It’s the perfect accompaniment to Spring lamb but for those who are expecting a bright green jelly, the slightly dull colour and watery texture comes as a surprise. That’s how it ought to be, try it.
Makes 180ml/6 fl ozs approx.
25g (1oz) finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons sugar
110ml (4fl oz) boiling water
25ml (1fl oz) white wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
Put the sugar and freshly-chopped mint into a sauce boat. Add the boiling water and vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to infuse for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Roast Onions
Serves 6-8
450g (1lb) small or medium onions
butter
Sea salt
I’m always surprised that so few people cook onions in this ultra simple way.
Choose small or medium-sized onions. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F/regulo 6.
Cook the unpeeled onions on a baking tray until soft; this can take anything from 10 to 30 minutes depending on size.
Serve in their jackets. To eat, cut off the root end, squeeze out the onion and enjoy with butter and sea salt.
Roux
110g (4oz) butter
110g (4oz) flour
Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.