A Wee Pinch of Sugar

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Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook – Review

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Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook.

Cook books from Scottish chefs are currently somewhat of a rarity  – only a handful have been released in the past few years. The latest being an impressive book – Gamba – ‘A Seafood Cookbook’ by Derek Marshall, Chef Patron of Glasgow’s top seafood restaurant, Gamba.

Gamba Cookbook

Gamba Cookbook

The award winning, two AA rosette restaurant has remained popular with diners since it opened in 1998 and the new book reflects Derek’s passion for cooking with sustainable Scottish seafood.

Gamba Seafood Restaurant

The recipes capture the Gamba ethos – ‘Using fresh, well sourced fish and seafood makes it easy to create a wonderful meal, ‘and the book represents the best of Gamba with the recipes showcasing dishes featuring fish and seafood that are perfect for simple suppers as well as special occasions.

It’s a book for anyone interested in cooking seafood and it’s one you’ll reach for time and time again. “All the recipes are essentially quite simple because my philosophy in the kitchen has always been to let the ingredients do the talking,” explains Derek. “Many can be found on our menus in Gamba while others are brand new and yet to be featured,” Each recipe calls for fresh, seasonal ingredients and Is easy to make at home in your own kitchen.”

Recipes

In addition to chapters on starters and mains, the book offers hints and tips on how to get the best out of great ingredients as well as providing foolproof methods for preparing essential recipe components such as stock and salad dressing.

The recipes for Gamba’s famous Fish Soup – known as ‘Foup is featured along with one of Derek’s long time favourites, Whole Lemon Sole Meunière a classic Gamba dish that has graced the menu since the day he restaurant opened.

Gamba Cookbook

Gamba’s famous fish soup – Foup

 

Gamba Cookbook

Whole Lemon Sole Meuniere

Tempting and mouthwatering starters include

Gamba Cookbook

Sardine Pate, Sundried Tomato, lemon and Tartare

 

Gamba Cookbook

Tartare of Seabass, Goats Cheese,Sesame, Chives, Red Pepper & Caviar

 

Gamba Cookbook

Lobster, Smoked Salmon & Mango Salad, Smoked Caviar

Gamba is all about sustainability and recipes for main dishes include widely available seafood favourites including halibut, monkfish, hake, cod and john dory.

Gamba Cookbook

Roast Shetland Cod, Lobster, Asparagus, Bitter Orange & Thyme.

 

Gamba Cookbook

King Prawn & Scallop Kebabs, Crispy Seaweed, Spiced Garlic & Lemon Dressing

Of course no cook book would be complete without a chapter on stunning desserts,  and the Gamba Cookbook excels with favourites like, Gamba’s Bitter Chocolate Tart and Liquorice Creme Brûlée. And cooks who like to cook with a glass of something to hand will be impressed with the the recipes for a selection of Gamba’s Signature Cocktails.

Gamba Cookbook

Liquorice Creme Brulee

“It’s been a labour of love collating all the recipes for this book,” says Derek. “Customers often ask us for advice on cooking fish and seafood, and ‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook’ shows them that cooking our delicious recipes at home isn’t complicated if you choose your ingredients well and cook them simply. Scotland has some of the best produce in the world and I hope my new cookbook goes some way to showcasing the fruits of the sea.”

And a final word from Derek, “A simple twist on a traditional recipe can turn something good into something great.”

‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook’, priced at £25, is Derek Marshall’s second cookbook. Copies are available now directly from the restaurant.

Thanks to Derek Marshall for providing the copy of ‘Gamba – A Seafood Cookbook for Review.

Image Credits
Mark K Seater, Simple Photography, Glasgow.
www.simplephotography.co.uk

Vegan Haggis Roulade with Whisky Cream Sauce

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VEGAN HAGGIS ROULADE with VEGAN WHISKY CREAM SAUCE

One wonders what Robert Burns would have thought of vegetarian haggis – If he were around today I’m not sure he would pen another 8 verses of the ‘Address to a Haggis, but he would have surely delivered some worthy light hearted ditty in honour of this much in demand 21st century dish. It’s become so popular that well know Scottish haggis producer – MacSween’s say it accounts for one in four of all haggis sales.

Nourished by Nature

I invited my friend  Janice Clyne, to come up with a vegan recipe for Burn’s night and she created this delicious feast that both vegans and non vegans will not only hearty and satifying but packed full of flavour. Janice is a Glasgow based Food Scientist, health educator, plant based blogger and an outstanding advocate for real food. Her blog, Nourished by Nature  is well worth a look and is full of healthy vegan recipes. Janice used vegetarian haggis from Simon Howie for her recipe.

Vegan Haggis Roulade

This is a fantastic vegan dish to celebrate Burns Night! Wrapping the haggis filling in puff pastry makes for a rather delicious and impressive main course! The filling has plenty of texture and flavour with the addition of pine nuts, mushrooms, spinach, herbs and balsamic vinegar.

Vegan Haggis
Pre- scoring the pastry makes this a doddle to cut and serve and all the prep can be done in advance, leaving you free to enjoy the evening with a wee dram or two!

Vegan Haggis Roulade
This is fantastic served with potatoes and a big pile of steamed spring greens or the more traditional bashed neeps! We serve this with a delicious whisky cream sauce!

Ingredients – serves 6
1 pack of shop bought puff pastry
1 pack of Vegetarian haggis (450g)1 250g pack of mushrooms, chestnut, or any mixture you like1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 250g pack of mushrooms, chestnut, or any mixture you likefew tablespoons fresh herbs, thyme, sage or rosemary, or a teaspoon dried herbs
½ cup (50g) pine nuts
good few handfuls of spinach, washed and chopped
1 or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar½ cup (50g) pine nuts
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
soya or other plant based milk for brushing the pastry

Method
1. First take your puff pastry out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature.
2. Cook the haggis. The easiest way is to unwrap it, cut it into slices and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Alternatively you can cook it in a pan of boiling water or in the oven following the instructions on the pack.
3. Wipe and chop the mushrooms into small pieces or slices, add them to a large pan with 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil with the herbs and cook for 5 to 10 minutes with a pinch of sea salt. Add a few handfuls of washed spinach and stir until it wilts down. Drain off any liquid then add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar. Add the pine nuts, mix well, taste and adjust the seasoning. Mix with the cooked haggis and leave to cool.
4. Unroll the puff pastry onto a non stick baking tray. I always buy the kind which is already rolled into a sheet. Jus Roll do a good one, it comes in a green cardboard box. If you buy the small square one then you will have to roll it out into a rectangle shape about 14 by 10 inches. Keep the greaseproof paper the pastry is wrapped in underneath the pastry sheet, it makes it easier to fold.
5. With the long side facing you, layer your filling in the middle of the pastry sheet. Shape it with your hands into a long fat sausage shape.
6. Lightly brush all the edges with some soya milk.
7. Fold both the long edges of the pastry to cover the filling and press down firmly to seal the edges. Fold the edges in and pinch them together. You should now have a long sausage shaped pastry with a fold along the middle. Carefully flip the pastry roll over so that the join is on the bottom. It’s much easier to do this if you keep the greaseproof paper underneath. Just use the paper to carefully roll the pastry over, then remove the paper.
8. Cut slices into the top of the roulade and brush with soya milk. I cut mine into 10 slices but you could make it 12 if you have smaller appetites or more people to feed!
9. Bake in a hot oven at 220 or 200 or a fan oven for around 30 to 35 minutes until nicely browned and crisp!
10. Slice and serve with potatoes and greens and whisky cream sauce!

VEGAN WHISKY CREAM SAUCE

This is a delicious dairy free sauce, it’s a fairly thin pouring sauce which is perfect served in a gravy boat at the table! Feel free to add more whisky! We made this with an Islay malt whisky which imparted a lovely peaty, smoky flavour!

Whisky Sauce

Ingredients Serves 4 to 6
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 glug rapeseed oil
250 ml carton of Alpro Soya Cream or Oatly Cream
1 teaspoon dried herbs
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
2 teaspoons malt whisky
Sea salt and pepper
1 or 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Method
1. Heat the oil in a small pan, add the crushed garlic and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Add the herbs, a pinch of salt, the soya cream, mustard, whisky, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.
3. Cook over a gentle heat for five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more whisky/mustard/maple syrup to get a flavour to your liking.

 

Salmon with Miso Broth and Noodles

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Salmon with Miso Broth and Noodles

Cooking for one is something I enjoy doing as it gives me the chance to experiment with a few ingredients or even some leftovers. It also helps use up any small leftovers that might otherwise go to waste.

Leftovers

Salmon

This salmon with miso broth and noodles is the result of one such cook up. One tiny piece of salmon from the freezer and a few bits of leftover vegetables. This is an updated recipe from the original post when I first made this dish. I’ve added in a few extra ingredients – rice wine, garlic and fresh ginger.

Salmon with miso broth and noodles

Miso

Miso soup has become a real favourite of mine – it was a real saviour for me on a  sailing trip in New Zealand.  It’s the perfect antidote for a queasy stomach on a cold windy day with rough seas.  It’s since become a store cupboard staple and is a perfect partner for the salmon.

I used udon noodles as that’s what I had in the cupboard but the dish will work well with any noodles. The recipe gives quantities for one although it can be easily scaled up.  If you’re not keen on miso then chicken stock or vegetable stock will also work well.

I like to pan fry the salmon with the ginger, garlic and spring onion before adding to the broth but you make this a one pan dish by adding all the ingredients to the miso.

salmon with miso broth

Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Print Recipe
I love a fish soup or chowder and this Asian inspiredsalmon and miso broth is one of the easiest to make. It's an ideal quick meal for one and also makes good use of a few leftovers.
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Print Recipe
I love a fish soup or chowder and this Asian inspiredsalmon and miso broth is one of the easiest to make. It's an ideal quick meal for one and also makes good use of a few leftovers.
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Add 200 ml of boiling water to a pan and add the miso paste. Heat over a gentle heat to dissolve and add the soy sauce, rice wine, honey and lime juice. Add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Udon noodles normally take around 7 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. add the salmon, soy sauce, spring onion, chilli and ginger - cook for 4-5 minutes or until salmon is cooked.
  2. In a separate frying pan, heat a tsp oil over a medium heat, add the salmon and cook for 5-6 mins, turning once. The ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onion can be added for 1-2 minutes - otherwise add straight into the miso broth with the other ingredients.
  3. Add the cooked noodle broth to a bowl, place the cooked the salmon on top sprinkle on the remaining spring onion Season with black pepper serve with additional lime wedges.
Recipe Notes

Check the finished dish before adding salt as the miso broth and soy sauce are both salty.

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For further information on using up leftovers see the Zero Waste Scotland website

I’ve added this recipe to the Recipe of the Week link on Emily Leary’s blog,  A Mummy Too.

Salmon with miso broth and noodles

Turkey Leftovers – Christmas Turkey Biryani

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Turkey leftovers are well loved in our house and with Christmas dinner over for another year, it’s time to make sure that all the meat is used up. Leftovers are one the things I love about Christmas food and there is something quite satisfying about stripping down the carcass and gathering any other little jewels that survived the festivities.

Turkey Biryani

One of my favourite ways to use up some of the turkey is to make a biryani. I’m not particularly keen on adding cooked meat to a curry but but I do like adding it to rice dishes. And, of course, don’t forget to boil up the carcass to make some comforting turkey broth.

Turkey Leftovers

I’ve listed the spices needed for the recipe but you could easily adapt by using curry powder or curry paste. Just go with what you’ve got available rather than buying extra.

I Like to serve this with some spicy chutney and a raita.

Turkey Leftovers

Turkey Biryani
Print Recipe
This turkey biryani is perfect for using up leftover turkey from the Christmas dinner or any chicken from the Sunday roast. It also works well with other cooked meats such as lamb or beef.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Turkey Biryani
Print Recipe
This turkey biryani is perfect for using up leftover turkey from the Christmas dinner or any chicken from the Sunday roast. It also works well with other cooked meats such as lamb or beef.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Wash the rice in several changes of water then put the rice in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water, season with salt and set aside.
  2. Add the butter and the vegetable oil to a large saute pan and when the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Add the ginger and garlic and chilli to the pan along with the spices and continue cooking for for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of water if the ingredients start to dry out.
  4. Drain the rice, run under cold water then add to the pan along with the stock and dried cranberries. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Scatter the turkey over the top of the rice, replace the lid and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed.
  6. Remove from the heat, add half the coriander to the pan and using a fork, mix the turkey and the coriander through the rice. check seasoning and serve.
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Food Waste

Food waste is such a huge problem all year round and during the festive period  50,375 tonnes of food and drink is expected to be binned in Scotland alone.  We’re all being enouraged to shop smart and save money simply by avoiding food waste.

Further information with recipes and tips on preventing food waste can be found at Love Food Hate Waste Scotland

Food Waste

 

Christmas Food Waste

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Let’s prevent over £90 million worth of food waste this Christmas

 

Food Waste

Food Waste

Food waste will be huge problem this Christmas and now is the time to start thinking ahead and have some ideas for using up the Christmas leftovers.
Collectively, people living in Scotland could save more than £90 million¹ by not wasting food this festive season. That’s a saving of £38 for every household in Scotland.
With 50,375² tonnes of food and drink expected to be binned in December, Scots are being encouraged to shop smart and save money simply by avoiding food waste.
According to figures from Zero Waste Scotland the equivalent of over 700,000 wheelie bins full of food is expected to be thrown away this month.
In December alone Scots are expected to throw away over 3.5 million mince pies, more than 240,000 Christmas puddings, and the equivalent of over 100,000 turkeys³. Using these items up – or not over-buying them in the first place – represents a potential saving of over £3 million.
Action to tackle household food waste has already seen the amount generated drop by 6% (between 2009 and 2014), resulting in a saving to household budgets of £92 million.
Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, said: “At Christmas it can be tempting to buy – and therefore waste – more food. But with a little preparation people can save money and be kinder to the environment. In Scotland we are working towards a 33% reduction in food waste by 2025. That’s the most ambitious target in Europe, and everyone in Scotland has an important part to play in helping the country achieve that goal.”
Ylva Haglund, Food Waste Campaigns Manager at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “With all the food most of us buy in the run up to Christmas, this can be a difficult time of year to avoid throwing food out. But taking a little bit of time to check your fridge and cupboards and make use of what you already have can save you a lot of money.
“The average household could save £460 a year by putting food to better use – simply by thinking ahead when shopping for meals, freezing extra portions and following recipes to use up any ingredients instead of just buying more.
For inspiration on cutting down food and drink waste this Christmas and saving money, see the top tips below:

Leftover Tips

· Keep your festive leftovers aside to make some quick and easy recipes – great for a head start on Boxing Day dinner.
· To use up any uneaten Christmas meal staples, curries, stews and soups are tasty and hassle-free to make. And who doesn’t love a classic turkey sandwich with leftover cranberry sauce? Easy recipes using leftovers can be found on the Zero Waste Scotland website
· To use up your Christmas pudding, create a really easy and delicious dessert of Christmas pudding ice cream. Just mix custard and whipped cream together then stir in the crumbled Christmas pudding, perhaps adding a little leftover rum, whisky or Baileys, and then freeze.
· Believe it or not, mince pies work really well as a base for another cake. Add in chocolate, orange or nuts, or use in trifle.
Freezing and storing
· Freezing the food you have left from your Christmas feast could save you cash. Freeze as soon as you can – within two days – and eat within three months if possible.
· You can freeze just about anything. Cream (whip it a little beforehand) and cheeses like Stilton freeze really well, just put them in an airtight bag or container and store in the freezer.
· If you have leftover salad or lettuce leaves put a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom of a pot, add the leaves and then seal. This will keep them fresh for much longer than leaving them in the bag.
New Year’s resolutions – how to cut down on food waste next year
· Only attempt a big food shop if you’ve prepared a shopping list to avoid buying food you won’t use.
· Remember to check your cupboards first before you go shopping, as you may already have a lot of the ingredients you need.
· By washing, chopping, bagging and freezing your veg in advance you can save a lot of time, and they will retain the same nutritional value as if you prepared them from fresh.
Anyone wishing to find out more about food waste, including easy and tasty recipes, should visit the Love Food Hate Waste website at  Zero Waste Scotland is also encouraging Scots to share their own festive recipes on Twitter and Facebook.

 

St Andrew’s Day – Healthy Salmon Bake

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St Andrew’s day is a wonderful day to celebrate our Scottish culture and central to many of Scotland’s and indeed worldwide celebrations will be the food.

St Andrew’s Day Food

Unlike Burns night where haggis is the star of the show; St Andrew’s day isn’t associated with any particular food, but, there’s no shortage of fresh seasonal produce to chose from. Alongside many of Scotland’s traditional offerings like Scotch beef and lamb, there’s a magnificent selection of fresh seasonal produce to chose from. Game is plentiful and I recently heard legendary chef, Albert Roux encourage young chefs to make more use of this including Scotland’s mountain hare.

With St Andrew being a fisherman it seems appropriate to celebrate the day with seafood and one of the nations finest foods – Scotland’s king of fish – Scottish salmon.

But, if like me, your day is busy, then a healthy meal that can be on the table in a very short time is ideal. This simple smoked salmon bake is packed full of flavour and some of the prep can be done in advance. The recipe will also work well with salmon fillets or hot smoked salmon.

Smoked Salmon Bake

St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake

 

Perfect after a busy day.

St Andrews Day. Smoked salmon bake

St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake
Smoked salmon bake
Print Recipe
This all in one salmon bake is quick and easy and a great way of getting the family to eat more fish and vegetables.
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake
Smoked salmon bake
Print Recipe
This all in one salmon bake is quick and easy and a great way of getting the family to eat more fish and vegetables.
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 190C/ 170 fan Gas 5. Par boil the diced potato in salted water until it is soft but not completely cooked. Drain and leave to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, gently mix together the salmon, cooked potatoes, spring onions, peas, parsley or dill, creme fraiche and milk.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a medium sized oven proof dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together and sprinkle across the top to cover the fish mixture.
  4. Cook in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes until piping hot and the topping is golden brown.
  5. If you want to serve some extra vegetables, broccoli works well as a side.
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Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo

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Pumpkin is one of vegetables that signals a change of season in the kitchen. As the clocks move and we leave the lighter nights behind, the light and fresh dishes we’ve become accustomed to over the summer months are replaced with more hearty and robust meals.

It also means an abundance of home grown seasonal vegetables – along with the appearance of colourful beetroots, swiss chard, and kale and parsnips,  pumpkins bring some much needed brightness to darker days.

Pumpkin is one of my regulars in these hearty and satisfying meals as it’s so versatile and nourishing and I love to roast it with other ingredients or use it in soups and casseroles.

Great selection of pumpkin available

Types of Pumpkin

There’s such a great selection available at this time time of year and they all have great flavour. Don’t be put off by the tough skin, pumpkin can be roasted with the skin on and then it’s easily removed once cooked.

This sausage and pumpkin recipe is one of my favourite autumn comfort food meals and is great for limiting the amount of washing up as it’s all cooked in one pan. I used Red Kuri pumpkin for this recipe but any squash or pumpkin will work and it’s also a good way to use up any leftover Halloween pumpkin.

A great one pan supper

Pumpkin and sausages

Made with a few key ingredients

Pumpkin and sausages

Sausage and pumpkin with orzo
Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo
Print Recipe
This one pan dish is a real winner and lets face who doesn't like sausages. In this recipe I used spicy Italian sausages but any pork sausage will be perfect. If using pork sausages a good pinch of chilli flakes will add a welcome kick to the dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Sausage and pumpkin with orzo
Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo
Print Recipe
This one pan dish is a real winner and lets face who doesn't like sausages. In this recipe I used spicy Italian sausages but any pork sausage will be perfect. If using pork sausages a good pinch of chilli flakes will add a welcome kick to the dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in roasting tin and brown the sausages. Set aside.
  2. Add the pumpkin and the red pepper to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  3. Return the sausages to the pan, add the cider and the stock, season well and add the sprig of sage to the pan.
  4. Transfer the roasting ton to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Add the orzo, stir to mix well, adding more stock if required. Retrn to the oven and continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes until the orzo is cooked. Add the chopped parsely and sage
  5. Add the chopped parsley and sage. To save on washing up, serve the dish up at the table in the dish it was cooked in.
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Sausage and pumpkin with orzo

Halloween Recipes

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Halloween  is next week and for many the appearance of the bright orange pumpkin in the shops usually means it’s time to get carving the lantern.

Pumpkin recipes

Halloween Food

However, the pumpkin is a great fruit, yes it is a fruit, not a vegetable and an extremely versatile one at that. For me it  signals that not only is Halloween around the corner but that Autumn has arrived and it’s  time for a change of flavours in the kitchen. Different seasons bring new colours, new aromas, and the pumpkin denotes warm, spicy earthy tones that add comfort to food as we move away from salads and the lightness and freshness of summer food. One thing to bear in mind is that the large pumpkins are usually grown with Halloween in mind and can be a bit bland. Flavour can be added with herbs and spices and rather than waste the flesh and seeds from a carved pumpkin, it can be cooked up into some delicous treats.

Pumpkin works well in casseroles and curries, as a soup, in risotto and as a stuffing for certain pasta, a roasted veg and even in a cake or a dessert. When I mentioned that I was making a selection of cakes and desserts with my pumpkin haul, there were a few raised eyebrows in the house,  not surprising as my boys would never eat it as a savoury dish, preferring to carve it in to a lantern to go trick or treating or to adorn the doorstep on Halloween. However, like other fruit or vegetable cakes it makes a lovely addition as it lends a nice subtle sweetness and moistness to a sponge cake and it’s also a nice change for a cheesecake or pie. Warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger and chilli compliment the flavour of pumpkin as do sweet flavours such as orange and surprisingly for some chocolate. These recipes make a nice change from the soups and savoury dishes and where possible I have reduced the calorie content by using oil or ‘lighter’ ingredients.

Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Ginger Sauce

Pumpkin recipes

 

Ingredients

225g digestive biscuits

60g butter

Juice and zest of 1 orange

340g cooked pumpkin. Either roast or steam

25g fresh ginger grated

225g golden caster sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs

Sauce

175g Plain chocolate

50g butter

1 tbsp ginger wine or a tbsp of the syrup from the preserved ginger.

2 pieces of preserved ginger (from a jar) chopped

Place the chocolate,  butter and milk in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water, stir until melted and creamy. Stir in the ginger and set aside until needed.

Cheesecake

Heat the oven to 170oc /. Fan Gas 3

Grease and line a 10 in/25cm loose bottomed cake tin.

Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs.

Melt the butter over a low heat, stir in the biscuit crumbs along with the orange zest Press the biscuit crumb mix into the base of the tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pumpkin, grated ginger, sugar, and cinnamon until the mixture is smooth. A food mixer will make this much easier.

Beat the eggs and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for approximately 90 mins until set and a skewer comes out clean. Once cool,turn onto a serving plate, cover and chill overnight. To serve, dust lightly with icing sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin and apple samosas

Makes 12

1 packet of Filo pastry

Filling Ingredients

225g pumpkin chopped into a small dice

110g apples chopped into a small dice

25g sultanas

25g grated ginger

1 tbsp plain flour

Light muscovada sugar   Combine the filling ingredients together. Unroll the Filo, and cover with a damp tea towel.

Take one sheet of pastry and brush with melted butter or oil, fold one third, brush again and fold I the final third to make one long strip of pastry.

Place a spoonful of the filling at one corner end of the Filo and fold diagonally to make a triangle. Continue folding until you reach the end of the pastry strip and have formed a triangle parcel. Brush with melted butter or oil, place on a baking sheet and bake, 200C/ 180c fan Gas 6 for 20 – 30 mins until crisp and golden.

Allow to cool slightly,  dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with low fat creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt.

My next healthier Halloween offering is my Chocolate & Orange Pumpkin cake and although it contains sugar , there’s no artificial colourings.

Pumpkin recipes

 

This is a recipe I have adapted from my Mother in laws chocolate cake and the various carrot cakes I have made over the years. It’s made with fresh pumpkin and rapeseed oil as I find using oil makes for a more moist cake and much lower in saturated fat than butter.

The frosting is made with light cream cheese, icing sugar and grated orange rind,  although a lighter option is an orange drizzle icing.

Ingredients

Cake

300g self raising flour

300g light muscovada sugar

1tbsp ginger

2.5 tsp cinnamon

60g cocoa powder (Green and Blacks gives the best flavour)

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs beaten

140 ml rapeseed oil

30 ml natural yoghurt

Zest of 1 orange

650g pumpkin grated.

Frosting

200g light cream cheese

85g butter

100g icing sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Approx 2 tbsp orange juice.

Oven Temp 180oc/ fan 160oc gas 4

30×20 cm loose bottomed cake tin – greased and lined with baking parchment

Put the dry ingredients, flour,sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and salt in to a large mixing bowl.

Beat the eggs, add the oil and yoghurt and orange zest and mix well. Fold in to the dry ingredients and then stir in the grated pumpkin ensuring that it is mixed well.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35 – 40 mins or until springy to touch.

Frosting

Beat the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the orange zest / juice until you achieve the desired flavour.

I find too much zest and juice makes the finished flavour to orangey and can be overpowering for the flavour of the cake. Using a palette knife to spread and swirl the frosting over the cake. Decorate as required.

Notes. Once frosted the cake keep well for a few days in the fridge. Lower the calorie count by using an orange drizzle icing.

Orange Drizzle Icing

Juice of 1 orange and zest of 1/2. 100g granulated sugar Mix ingredients together and drizzle over cake.

 

 

My thanks to Debra at Gardens Inspired Blogspot  for the pumpkin garden pictures.

 

Stellar Cookware Copper Kitchen Gadgets

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 Stellar Cookware Copper Kitchen Gadgets

Copper kitchen gadgets and accessories are on trend at the moment and Stellar Cookware’s new stylish collection will be a popular addition to any kitchen.

Copper kitchen gadgets

 

Exceptional Quality

I’m a regular reviewer for Stellar and these are exceptional quality and of course come with the Stellar lifetime guarantee. The attractive collection combines the attraction of copper with the unsurpassed functionality needed by today’s cooks. The collection is also dishwasher safe.

Essential Pieces of Kit

A reliable peeler and garlic crusher are essential pieces of kit in any kitchen  The copper finish and soft touch handles gives this gorgeous collection a smart trendy look that doesn’t detract from the durability of the gadgets.

Both gadgets performed well and are now used regularly in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen. I really like the soft touch curved handles which provides for a very comfortable grip,  a necessary feature in my opinion, especially when prepping larger quantities of fruit and vegetables.

Copper kitchen gadgets

 

The classic style peeler has a sturdy blade and tackled the chore of removing the peel of potatoes, root vegetables and fruit with ease.

The garlic crusher is robust and I like the fact that there is no real overflow from the garlic cloves when pressure is applied. It produces a finely crushed garlic and unlike many crushers I have owned, it is easy to clean.

Copper kitchen gadgets

The remainder of the collection includes, a y shaped peeler, nut cracker, pizza cutter and and an ice cream scoop.

Copper kitchen gadgets

Copper kitchen gadgets

 

Copper kitchen gadgetsPrices start at £4.50 for the copper peeler with the most expensive being the the corkscrew at just over £9. Further information on the Copper Kitchen Gadgets collection and other products from Stellar Cookware.

Product Code Stellar Copper Gadgets Prices ASP
SE05 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Corkscrew 9.38
SE08 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Garlic Press 9.00
SE09 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Y Shaped Peeler 4.50
SE11 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Nut Cracker 7.88
SE16 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Pizza Cutter 5.38
SE21 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Peeler 4.50
SE25 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Ice Cream Scoop 5.00

Stellar cookware supplied the gadgets for review in this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Salmon with salsa verde & roast vegetables

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Salmon is a fantastic fish at any time of the year and in summer it’s delicious eaten hot or cold and any leftovers can be used up in sandwiches or salads.  For family meals it’s an outstanding healthy option, packed full of nutrition and is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids.

Salmon

During the summer months when vegetables are plentiful I like to include as many as possible in dishes and using a bright rainbow of colourful seasonal produce really does bring a bit of sunshine to a meal. Peppers, courgettes and tomatoes are in abundance and are perfect for roasting with olive or rapeseed oil and herbs to serve with salmon.

Al fresco dining

This dish is a great time saver as all the ingredients can be cooked in one pan and served straight to the table. Ideal, as we enjoyed this dish outside during the recent hot weather and having it all on the one tray made serving much easier.

 

Salmon

A half side of Scottish salmon works well in this recipe and will easily serve 4 and any leftovers make a very tasty salad for lunch the following day.

Salmon

 

Recipe

Salmon with salsa verde and summer roast vegetables
Print Recipe
If the weather is warm and sunny, this easy traybake makes an perfect dish for some lazy al fresco dining.
Servings
4 People
Servings
4 People
Salmon with salsa verde and summer roast vegetables
Print Recipe
If the weather is warm and sunny, this easy traybake makes an perfect dish for some lazy al fresco dining.
Servings
4 People
Servings
4 People
Ingredients
Vegetables
Servings: People
Instructions
  1. Add the herbs, lemon zest, and capers to a food processor and blitz. Add the oil and lemon juice and blitz again. Season as required and if the mixture is too thick add extra oil.
  2. Spread the mixture of the salmon and set aside.
  3. Place the potatoes, on an oven tray, pour over 2 tbsp of the oil, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes. Add the courgettes, cherry tomatoes, pepper and herbs along with the remainder of the olive oil and mix well to ensure that all the vegetables are well coated.
  4. Nestle the salmon on top of the vegetables and return to the oven for a final 15 minutes until the salmon and vegetables are cooked.
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Salmon

 

Salmon

Cooks tip

Instead of coating the salmon with salsa verde serve separately on the side. Just ensure the salmon is well seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper before cooking.

Scottish salmon

I always use Scottish farmed salmon as it’s undoubtedly the best farm raised salmon available.  It’s sustainable and always delivers on quality,  flavour and texture. For further information see Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation 

Link Up

I’m entering this post into the following blog link ups :

Simple and in Season  by Katie Bryson at Feeding Boys

Simple and in Season

 

Eating Al Fresco by Munchies and Munchkins.

Recipe of the Week by Emily Leary at A Mummy Too.

Recipe of the Week