Halloween Recipes

October 26, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

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.

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

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 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.

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.

Pancake Day – Crepes with Potted Salmon

February 9, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Pancake Day

Pancake day – a day to use up the fatty food, eggs, milk and sugar before lent. Religion aside, the day is a day of fun for many with pancake tossing races taking place throughout the country. This year, I decided to ring the changes and make savoury pancakes although I’ve no doubt that the sweeter version will feature at some point during the day.

Dulse and herb crepes with potted smoked salmon.

These savoury crepes are incredibly easy to make and will make an ideal lunch. The potted salmon can be made ahead using either smoked salmon or the more robust hot smoked salmon.

Pancake Recipe

2 large eggs. handful of parsley (as an lternative use a mix of herbs such as chives, dill, chervill). 110g plain flour. 1tbsp Mara Seaweed Dulse flakes. 275ml milk. 2 tbsp melted butter. Freshly ground black pepper.

Method. I used a food processor although the ingredients can easily be mixed together with a food mixer. Add the eggs and parsley to the food processor and whizz to mix and chop the parsley. Gradually add the remaining ingredients and process to ensure all the ingredients are mixed. Heat a small amount of butter in a crepe pan, then pour in about 3-4 tbsp of the batter, swirling the mixture around to ensure the base of the pan is covered.

Cook for about 30 secs and then flip over and cook for a further 30 secs.

Repeat until all the batter has been used. Stack using baking parchment between each crepe to prevent sticking together and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

Potted salmon recipe

1 tbsp melted butter

250g hot smoked salmon

100g smoked salmon

2 tbsp creme fraiche

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp dill

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For Serving.

Spinach leaves

Chopped spring onion

Method. Melt the butter in a small pan and set aside to cool. Add the hot smoked salmon, smoked salmon, creme fraiche, lemon juice, dill, 1 tbsp of the melted butter & seasoning to a food processor. Process on pulse mode until mixed but not completely smooth. Spoon into a serving dish and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve. Fold each crepe in half and top one quarter with spinach leaves. Add a generous spoonful of the potted salmon and some chopped spring onion and fold to a quarter. Serve sprinkled with extra seaweed flakes and spring onions.

Thank you to Loch Fyne for supplying the Bradan Orach smoked salmon used in this recipe. Further information on Scottish Salmon can be found on the Scottish Salmon Producers Website.

Haggis and Burns Night – Haggis with leeks and Scallops, neeps & tattie chips, whisky & ginger sauce

January 23, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Haggis with leeks, scallops, neeps and tattie chips with a whisky and ginger wine sauce.

Haggis and Burns Night – a celebration of the life of Robert Burns and there must be few foods that bring people together to celebrate, share food and enjoy an entertaining night like haggis does. Thanks to the Bard penning ‘To a Haggis’ over the years it has become a much loved dish at home and abroad.

One wonders what Burns himself would make of the worldwide celebrations and the iconic status that haggis enjoys as Scotland’s national dish. Of course when Rabbie ate his haggis back in 1786 it would not have been served in the style it enjoys today.

Haggis and Burns Suppers

Haggis is synonymous with Burns suppers but as a food, how we eat haggis has undergone some change in recent years. No longer just served in traditional way with neeps and tatties on the side, haggis is up there as the star attraction in many recipes. Indeed, so much so that it has it’s own bible written by Scotland’s own queen of haggis, Jo Macsween, a second generation Edinburgh haggis producer.

There are endless possibilities to use it as an ingredient and perusing through some popular recipes it is obviously an alternative to another Scottish favourite – mince.

When I was asked by About Scotland and Scotmid to come up with a recipe using haggis, I wanted it to be a twist on the usual haggis meal but still using the traditional ingredients. This recipe uses neeps and tatties but also includes some other Scottish favourites, scallops and whisky.

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 220C/180 Fan Gas 7

Ingredients

2 large potatoes and half a small swede – sliced into equal length chips. Rapeseed or olive oil. 1 small leek – finely chopped. Approx 50g butter. 4 slices of haggis. 4 scallops – scallops are usually available shucked, trimmed and ready to cook. 30ml Scotch Whisky. 75ml Ginger wine ( I used Crabbies Green Ginger) 1 tsp coarsley crushed green or black peppercorns. 75ml double cream

Tatties and swede chips. Par boil the potatoes and swede for 5 mins, drain and dry. Transfer to an oven tray, add 1-2 tbsp of oil and mix to ensure the chips are well coated. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and cook for 20 minutes or until chips are crisp and slightly golden.

Leek. Heat the butter in a medium size pan, add the leek and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Keep the pan for making the sauce.

Haggis. Cook the haggis according to the instructions on the pack.

Scallops – I coated the scallops in oil and cooked on a griddle pan, over a medium to high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side. If using a frying pan, heat 1-2 tbsp oil and cook the scallops for the same time.

Sauce -Add the whisky to the pan and set alight. Add the ginger wine and crushed peppercorns. Reheat, stir in the cream and heat gently for 1 minute.

Serve

Top the slices of haggis with a spoonful of leeks and place a scallop on top. drizzle over the whisky and ginger wine sauce and serve with the tatties and neeps chips on the side.

Find out more about Scottish food and drink and the history of Robert Burns at www.scotland.org

This post was sponsored by Scotmid and About Scotland

Images- Whisky and Haggis. Thanks to Andrew Ramsay of Ramsay of Carluke for permission to use this image.

Griddle Pan – The griddle pan featured in this post was provided by Stellar Cookware.

Scotland’s Salmon Festival

August 26, 2015 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Scottish salmon will be in the spotlight next week when the first Scotland’s Salmon Festival takes place in Inverness. Running from 2nd – 5th September, the festival will bring together many of the key organisations from the aquaculture sector and wild fisheries in Scotland.

In addition to the scientific lectures and a student workshop, a wide range of activities are planned including Scotland’s Salmon Festival Fair at Bught Park, Inverness on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September 2015.

The fair will include chef demonstrations in the Marine Harvest Theatre Kitchen on both days at 11.00, 12.30, 2pm and 3.15 and I’ll be on hand chatting to local chef’s Rayne Mulller of Muckrach Country House Hotel, Martin Ewart of Glen Mhor Hotel and Alfie Little from River House Restaurant as they demonstrate a delicious range of salmon recipes. We’ll have lots of tips and encouragement to get more people cooking and eating Scottish salmon.

Scottish Salmon – healthy, versatile and easy to cook

The recipes will include dishes from the Marine Harvest App and Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation – Essential Scottish Salmon Recipes

The recipes will include dishes from the Marine Harvest App.

Essential Scottish Salmon Recipes from Scottish Salmon Producers organisation

If you’ve never cooked fish on a BBQ, there will also be a Marine Harvest salmon barbecue where you can see at first hand how easy it is to cook and of course there will be delicious tasters of Scottish salmon to sample.

Barbecued Scottish Salmon With Noodles

Scottish salmon is such a versatile fish to cook with and all the recipes and demonstrations will show that it’s definitely a fish for everyday cooking and not only does it taste good, it is good for your health. Did you know?

Scottish salmon is a rich source of long chain Omega 3 fatty acids (EHA and DPA) not to mention protein and vitamins. All great news for a healthy diet from babyhood to senior years.
Omega 3s (EPA and DHA) have anti inflammatory properties that may reduce joint stiffness and pain caused by arthritis
Fish gives you brains. Exciting research suggests that Omega 3s are important for children’s improved learning and concentration.

Scotland’s Salmon Festival Fair will be a day out for all the family and alongside the food and cooking demonstrations, you’ll find exhibitions with interactive displays, casting lessons, fly-tying demonstrations, face painting, a patrol boat and a bouncy castle – definitely something for everyone.

Craigies Farm

July 15, 2014 By Rachel Leave a Comment

With the school holidays well underway, keeping the kids amused and entertained for several weeks can become a frustrating and exhausting challenge for any parent. I know when my two were younger, keeping up the momentum of interesting daily activities that would help them burn off some energy was sometimes difficult.

Earlier this year I was invited along to Craigie’s Farm Deli and Cafe on the outskirts of Edinburgh and if my two were still young, this is a place I would be heading for during school breaks. Situated in beautiful countryside between South Queensferry and Edinburgh, owners John and Kirsteen Sinclair have transformed the family’s former 260 acre dairy farm into a family friendly arable farm complete with cafe, deli and butchery. It’s a place that really has something for everyone with lot’s of outdoor space and activities that will be sure to keep the kids happy and entertained. Although an arable farm, there are some animals, pigs, lambs and chickens, all close at hand for the kids to visit. The day I visited there was a litter of newborn piglets, and the chickens were doing what chickens love, free ranging, pecking and scratching around the farm. Outside the cafe you’ll find a play area and a classic tractor and a selection of tractor tyres that seem to be a great attraction for kids.

As well as the animals, the main part of the farm at Craigie’s is given over to growing fruit and vegetables with the big seasonal activity of the moment being ‘Pick you Own‘. At this time of year there’s a plentiful range of fruit, including strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants. This is an excellent way to get kids involved, learning about, growing food, local produce and where their food comes from. It’s also worth checking Craigie’s website for regular updates as new fruit ripens for picking. And if you’re stuck for ideas for using the fruit, then you might want to sign up to the jam making classes that are organised throughout July. Choose from a masterclass for adults and a kids fun class.

Craigie’s Farm, situated in beautiful countryside.

Around the farm, a number of trails and paths have been developed and kids can put their investigative skills to good use on the ‘Nature Detective Trail’. And for parents whose nature skills are a bit on the rusty side, there’s plenty of clues to help on the interpretation boards. For kids aged 5-9 with an interest in food, farming and getting outside there’s a Farm Club on the last Sunday of every month. The club is affiliated with the Royal Highland Education Trust, (RHET), and is sure to provide a good understanding of issues such as farming and food production.

Once you’ve exhausted the kids outside, you can move inside to the cafe and enjoy some some of the outstanding freshly cooked food. There’s a super tasty menu offering a great selection, from breakfast to lunch and afternoon tea, including some gluten free options. The ‘Laird’s Breakfast‘, daily hot specials made using seasonal ingredients from the farm and the onsite butcher. You’ll also find a variety of salads, quiche, frittata and cold cuts, just some of the delicious food on offer. The cafe, like the rest of Craigie’s is exceptionally child friendly with smaller portions available for kids. As a special treat, you won’t want to leave without trying some of the wonderful homebaking, all made on the premises by Craigie’s in house baker. During my visit I was lucky enough to spend some time in the bakery and watch while the most delicious rhubarb crumble cake was being baked. We’re talking real homemade cakes here, all handmade daily, using fruit and jams from the farm. Definitely worth burning some calories outside to enjoy a treat with a relaxing cup of coffee.

You’ll find all the cakes are homemade at Craigie’s. Freshly made every day by the in house baker.

With large part of the farm given over to growing fruit and vegetables, it was no surprise to learn that Craigie’s have a jam making kitchen where they produce their own brand of products. Under the watchful eye of owner John’s mother Anne, they produce over 40 varieties of jams, and chutney’s in the onsite jam kitchen. It was great to see the kitchen and again, like the baking, everything is done in the traditional way, just as you would make jam at home.

Craigie’s make a range of over 40 jams, chutney’s and vinegars in the farms jam kitchen

Any visit would not be complete without a visit to the deli and butchery counter which stocks an impressive array of Scottish and local produce. During my visit I was able to meet some of the suppliers and had the chance to taste their products. Scottish cheese specialist, Tanny Gill shared his knowledge on a range of Scottish cheeses, including ‘Paddy’s Milestone‘ from Ayrshire’s Dunlop Dairy, along with ‘Jezebel ‘ and ‘Fearn Abbey Ewe’s’ Brie’ from Highland Fine cheese. Scottish wine was also on offer and it was extremely interesting to speak to Perthshire wine producer Cairn O’Mohr and taste a selection of their wines all of which had distinctive Scottish flavours and links with the area’s soft fruit industry. Their berry flavoured wines and cider made from soft fruit and apples grown in and around Perthshire were incredibly refreshing and delicious. Scottish Rapeseed oil is a real favourite of mine for cooking with and it was great to find more about Supernature Cold Pressed Rapeseed oil from nearby Carrington Barns Farm in Midlothian. Owner Lynn had brought a range of the oils for tasting and in addition to the original rapeseed oil, there was a selection of the company’s infused oils such as garlic, basil and corriander. These are superb oils, healthy delicious and great for cooking with.

Scottish cheese specialist, Tanny Gill with just some of the cheeses on sale at Craigie’s Deli

The deli at Craigie’s is packed with Scottish produce, a real testimony to John and Kirsteen’s commitment to supporting local and seasonal producers. The butchery counter has a fantastic selection of local meat and poultry and the skilled butcher is on hand with advice on different cuts and to answer any questions.

Craigie’s Farm, Cafe and Deli is open 7 days a week from 9am until 5pm. The kids will love it and there’s a guarantee that parents will too.

My thanks to John and Kirsteen Sinclair and Anna at Scene & Herd PR for the invitation to Craigie’s Farm.

TRICK or TREAT

October 30, 2012 By Rachel Leave a Comment

‘Add a Pinch of Salt’

For many the appearance of the bright orange pumpkin in the shops usually means Halloween is on its way and images of lanterns are the first thought. However, the pumpkin is a great fruit, yes it is a fruit, not a vegetable and a 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.

Pumpkin works well in casseroles and curries, as a soup, in risotto 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

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.

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.

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. 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.

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 Alice Strange at www.potiki.com for permission to use the ‘Add a Pinch of Salt’ print and to Debra at www.gardensinspiredblogspot.com for allowing use of the pumpkin and garden pictures.