06/03/2012 by D.

These are adapted from the Peyton & Byrne British Baking cookbook.

240g self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
40g caster sugar
pinch salt
60g chilled unsalted butter
175ml buttermilk (or 90ml milk, 90ml plain yoghurt)
60g sultanas (optional)
milk for glaze

Preheat oven to 170c.  Line or grease a baking tray. 

Blitz flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter in food processor for 30 seconds until fine.  (or gently cut up butter into everything else, then blend with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs).  Add sultanas if using.

Carefully stir in buttermilk or milk/yoghurt combo with a knife until it comes together as a dough.

Flour a surface and pat the dough into an oblong which is about 2cm thick.  Cut into even sized squares - 8 or 12, and brush with milk.  Bake for 15-25 mins until light brown on top.

Serve with jam & cream.

Posted in Sugar, Raisins, Milk, Yoghurt, Vegetarian, Butter, Recipe | Print | Comments Off

07/06/2010 by D.

For the shortbread:
1oz icing sugar
2oz salted butter (room temperature soft)
3oz plain flour

1 punnet strawberries
1 tub greek yoghurt

Heat the oven to 180c.  Mix together the icing sugar and the butter, then stir in the flour.  Roll out the pastry to 1/2 cm thickness, then cut out circles with a cutter or water glass.  Reform left over pastry and cut more.  Place on a greased tray and bake for 10 mins, then leave to cool.

Hull the strawberries, and quarter.

On plates, build small towers of biscuit, yoghurt then strawberries, then biscuit, yoghurt and strawberries.  Sprinkle a little icing sugar over the top and serve immediately.

I often make just the shortbread biscuits with my toddlers, and ice them with icing sugar mixed with a few drops of lemon juice.

Posted in Strawberry, Biscuits, Flour, Yoghurt, Vegetarian, Butter, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

15/03/2010 by D.

This filling salad is one of my favourites and comes from the Reader’s Digest ‘Complete Vegetarian Cookbook’.

500g waxy potatoes
4oz broad beans
3 spring onions, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into 8ths
1 tin artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Dressing
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp marjoram
1 tbsp plain yoghurt
pinch of sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until just tender, meanwhile make the dressing by whisking the lemon juice and oil, then working in the other ingredients. 

Drain the spuds, then roughly chop.  You can add the beans to the potatoes toward the end of their cooking time, or cook them separately in the boiling potato water for 5 minutes.  Drain and refresh in cold water. 

Mix all the ingredients together and toss well with the dressing.  Season to taste.

This salad is lovely and creamy, with the different flavours coming through distinctly, yet working well together.  It is very good with grilled meats.

Posted in Artichoke, Broad Beans, Marjoram, Spring Onions, Yoghurt, Salad, Potato, Lemon, Garlic, Eggs, Recipe | Print | No Comments »

25/02/2010 by D.

This is one of Orla Broderick’s 100 Great Soups.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek (or onion)
bunch fresh watercress, carefully washed
2 apples
1/2 lemon (juiced)
2 potatoes
1 pint chicken or veg stock
1 tbsp greek yoghurt (optional).

Finely chop leek and watercress stalks (I just cut off the top 1/3 and put aside).  Peel and cube the potatoes.  Cube the apples.  Fry the leek, potatoes and stalks in the oil for a few minutes, then add the apples, stock and lemon juice.  Simmer for 15 mins.

Chop the watercress leaves finely and add to the pan.  You can save a handful for garnishing if you wish.  Simmer for a further 10 mins.  Blend and season.  Stir in the yoghurt and check for seasoning again.  Serve with some crusty bread.

The sweetness of the apple works very well against the peppery watercress and the lemon.  A lovely starter or light lunch.

Posted in Stock, Yoghurt, Watercress, Apple, Soup, Potato, Lemon, Leek, Recipe | Print | 2 Comments »