This is a quick and easy curry which makes an ideal midweek family meal.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 1 onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 large potato, halved lengthways and cut into slices crossways
- 450g minced lamb
- 4tbsp mild curry paste
- 1 tbsp sweet chutney, such as peach or mango
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 100g frozen peas
- 350g long grain rice, boiled to serve
- 150ml water
Heat the oil in a pan, then fry the onion and garlic until they start to turn golden. Add the potato and fry for a further 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the mince to the pan and stir until it loses its pink colour, then stir in the curry paste, chutney, tomato puree and 150ml water. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the potatoes are almost tender. Add the peas, cook for a further 5 minutes and serve with plain boiled rice.
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A great recipe for using up the windfalls that may still be lying in your garden at this time of year and something different to the usual apple crumble.
Ingredients:
- 450g cooking apples
- 50g soft brown sugar
- 100g butter at room temperature
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 100g ground almonds
Heat oven to 350F/180C (gas mark 4).
Peel and slice the apples, place in a saucepan with the brown sugar and approximately 1tbsp (15ml) water and simmer gently until soft. Then arrange them in the bottom of a 1.5 pint buttered pie dish.
Cream the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, a little at a time. When both the eggs are in, carefully and lightly fold in the ground almonds. Now spread this mixture over the apples, levelling out the surface with the back of a spoon. Then bake on a high shelf in the oven for exactly 1 hour.
This pudding can be served either warm or cold and is delicious with single cream, custard or ice cream. It will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days so you can make it well in advance and then just warm it up before serving.
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Portobello Mushrooms are pretty much available all year round in the supermarkets, but if you can find some that have been locally picked at this time of year then they have an extra autumnal character, making a humble soup into a special seasonal treat.
Serves 6
- 50g butter
- ½ a medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 40g plain flour
- 900ml hot chicken stock
- 450g Portobello Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 100ml single cream
- salt and pepper
Melt a large knob of butter in a frying pan and gently cook the onion and garlic until softened, covering the pan so they don’t brown. Add the flour and cook gently for a minute or so, stirring all the time. Add the stock gradually, continuing to stir. Add all but a large handful of the mushrooms, and parsley and cover. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms and onions are tender. Leave to cool a bit and then liquidise.
Fry the remaining mushrooms in another knob of butter until they start to brown and add them to the soup. Cook gently for another 5 minutes. Add the cream and season to taste.
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Fruit Cheeses are closely related to jams and jellies but have a firmer texture and are usually served moulded and cut into chunks as an accompaniment to roast or cold meats. Quince really makes the best cheese and is a wonderful rich amber colour. It is a particular speciality of Spain and is traditionally eaten as a sweet snack. This recipe will keep for 2 years and makes a wonderful and unusual gift.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg ripe quinces
- 2 litres water or dry cider
- 2-3 strips of lemon rind
- juice of ½ lemon
- preserving or granulated sugar
- groundnut oil, for brushing
- caster sugar, for dusting
Wash the quinces well to remove the fluff and chop coarsely. Place in a preserving pan and cover with water or cider, adding the lemon rind and juice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes until very soft.
Either press the mixture through a sieve or pass through a food mill. Measure the puree and allow 400g of sugar for every 500ml of puree.
Clean the pan and put in the puree and sugar. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours until the mixture becomes very thick. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Brush a baking or roasting tin with oil and pour the cooled cheese into it, smoothing to a layer about 3-4cm thick. Cool completely, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 24 hours in a warm dry place.
Loosen the cheese from the tin with a knife and turn out onto greaseproof paper. Cut into squares or diamonds and dust with caster sugar. Arrange on a baking try and leave to dry, loosely covered with baking parchment.
Store in an airtight container with layers of waxed paper between the layers.
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