Baked Fish Fillets In A Tomato & Basil Sauce

This is a recipe for fish fillets in a tomato sauce flavoured with basil with added tang from the pepperdews, jalapenos and olives. It makes quite a yummy meal altogether, served with crusty bread, or plain boiled rice. Go easy on the pepper when seasoning the fish fillets, (although I'm sure you don't need to be reminded) (I do need to be reminded) I added far too much pepper to the fish fillets, so overall the dish packed quite a punch, runny noses and all!
You can use fresh or frozen fish fillets. Fresh is better, and better tasting too, but I had to make do with frozen. It still tasted wonderful, though!

BAKED FISH FILLETS IN A TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
2 Large fish fillets (cod or haddock)
2-4 Cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 Medium red chilli
1 Tin chopped tomatoes, plus 2 fresh tomatoes, pureed
1 Green pepper
4 Pepperdews, chopped
4 Sundried tomatoes, chopped
Handful jalapenos, chopped
2 large bunches fresh basil
Crushed sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Generous amount green or black olives.

METHOD:

1. Heat a little olive oil in a pot. Add in garlic and red chilli, slit so it does not pop, and cook until garlic has softened, but not browned.
2. Pour in the pureed tomato. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly. Chop the green pepper into large squares, add into the sauce, and simmer until the sauce is mostly reduced and the peppers are slightly softened.
3. Add in the sundried tomatoes, jalapenos, pepperdews. Roughly tear up the basil, and add into the sauce, retaining some to sprinkle on top.
4. Simmer until the sauce is completely reduced. add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Wash and pat dry fish fillets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Pour the sauce into an ovenproof dish. place the fish fillets on top. Sprinkle with sliced olives, then scatter the torn retained basil leaves on top.
7. Bake in a moderate oven until the fish is cooked through and breaks easily, but is not dried out.
8. Serve with crusty bread, or salted boiled rice.

Done!

Paprika, Parsley & Cheese Chilli Plaited Loaf

 

There it is, all finished now.

I love bread. Whenever I go to the supermarket, I always spend ages at the bread counter, looking at, and gaining inspiration from all the flavours of the rolls and twists and buns. Mmm. More than that, I love making bread at home, experimenting with sweet and savoury flavours. The only thing about bread is that it is quite time consuming; not the individual parts of the process, but the process as a whole, the waiting, mainly. So I don't make it as often as I'd like. But after all the hype about bread this week, yes, I am talking about Bake-off, I really wanted to make bread. And so I did. Paprika, parsley and cheese chilli bread. The lovely smell permeates the house, and it tastes absolutely wonderful. I realised, when I was watching Bake-off, that I do the exact thing I accuse my mother of doing, which is just throwing in amounts of ingredients, seemingly at random. It's like those old fashioned cookbooks, before the concept of standardised measuring cups and spoons was brought about courtesy of Fannie Farmer (yes, I watch far too many repeats of QI); 'take a goodly pinch of spice...', But I do the exact same thing when I'm cooking or baking a recipe I am familiar with. So today, when making this bread, I endeavoured to measure the amounts of ingredients so that I may write up this recipe accurately.  I ran out of parsley though, fresh and dried, which was irksome. And then there wasn't enough mature cheddar, so I used some Red Leicester as well. And also, I think it still needed more chilli, although last time I made it, it was far too chilli, (and the taste of chilli develops with each passing day) to the point that on the third day, you could not warm it without the scent of chilli permeating the air, making your throat itch and your eyes sting, and giving you a raw cough for the rest of the day... anyway. I use Paul Hollywood's basic bloomer recipe (I always feel a bit weird typing 'Paul Hollywood's Bloomer' into Google...), adjusting it to suit whichever bread I want to make. So here we go: (The name's a bit of a mouthful, sorry, I'm working on it) (or not. It's going to stick once this thing is published...)

PAPRIKA, PARSLEY AND CHEESE CHILLI PLAITED LOAF:

Mise.

(Makes two loaves)
INGREDIENTS
500g Strong white bread flour
7g Instant yeast
10g Crushed sea salt
320ml Warm water
40ml Olive oil
150g Grated mature cheddar
2tsp Paprika
1tsp Ground red chilli flakes, or alternatively, 2tsp chilli grind
1tsp Freshly ground black pepper
Large handful fresh cleaned parsley, chopped

METHOD

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 4tsp sugar. Cover and set aside until doubled in size.
2. Mix together the rest of the ingredients. Pour in the water/yeast mixture and mix until you get a soft, sticky dough.
3. Flour a clean work surface. Tip out dough and knead until it becomes stretchy, smooth, and elastic. Alternatively, you can place all the ingredients in an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment, and let it do for 7-10 minutes on a medium speed. (That's what I did. I'm lazy.)
4. Place in a well oiled bowl, Clingfilm, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Once doubled, knock back, tip onto a floured surface, and split into two. Split each half into three. Roll the pieces of dough to make plait strands, then plait, and place onto an oiled and floured baking tray, making sure to tuck both ends underneath. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sea salt and chilli flakes, then cover lightly and leave to prove once again until doubled in size.
6. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. Place a tray filled with boiling water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake bread on the middle shelf of the oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until almost done, then turn up the heat, and bake until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly before cutting.

Slightly messy plaiting, but that's allowed when its just for
home, right?

Proved and ready to bake.

 (Sorry for the messy layout. The editing on this thing, plus sketchy wifi, is driving me crazy.)

Vegetable Soup With Spinach

It's so cold today. I'm currently sat huddled up under blankets, my fingers and the tip of my nose are icy cold. I don't know if its the weather, or just my piss poor circulation.  What I do know is that the perfect thing for cold days is lots of hot drinks. Soup counts as a hot drink. Mmm. Soup. Vats of vegetable soup and lots of lapsang, and that's me set for the winter!
This recipe for veg soup is one of the best yet, quick and easy, thick and smooth, and tasty. It's simple, and rewarding. You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian option. The choice of spices is up to you, I usually add in an OXO Italian spice cube, salt, and pepper, and nothing else. Here's how to do it:

Topped with croutons, served with herby garlic flatbread.

VEGETABLE SOUP
YOU WILL NEED:
500g chicken breast, cubed
1 Tomato
1 Pepper
1 Carrot
1 Potato
2 Medium onions
1 Chicken/ vegetable stock cube
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 Inch piece ginger, finely diced.
1-2 Green Chillies, diced finely.
Salt and pepper, and your choice of spices (e.g. OXO Italian Spice cube) to taste.
Handful spinach, chopped.

METHOD:

1. Roughly chop the tomato, carrot. pepper, potato and one onion. Boil until softened and cooked, then add in the stock cube and liquidise.
2. Meanwhile, dice the other onion finely. Braise in butter until soft. Add in the ginger, garlic and green chilli. 
3. Add in the chicken and spices, and let it cook until the chicken is cooked through and the water has burnt away.
4. Add the liquidised mixture to the chicken, adding in more water if needed.
5. For a vegetarian option: Boil the vegetables, then add in the stock cube and liquidise. Lightly cook the ginger, garlic and chilli in a little oil, then add in the liquidised mixture. Add in the spices, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for five-ten minutes, adding more water if needed.
6. Lightly braise the spinach in butter until just wilted and warmed through. add into the soup, pour into bowls (or cups!) and serve, alone or with crusty, or flat bread.

On a side note, the best thing to do with stale bread is turn it into croutons. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a choice of dried hers, and slow bake or grill on low heat, tossing occasionally, until crisp. They taste really good with soups and salads, or even on their own as a snack!

Three Ways With Afghani Pilau

This is a recipe for Afghani pilau. It's sweet, fragrant, spicy, and absolutely delicious, and the best thing is, it tastes even better the next day. I've made this three times in the past month and a half, and it tastes incredible every time. The rice is originally a completely vegetarian dish, and I've made it as such, alone, but I've also made it with chicken, and with lamb mince stuffed peppers (yesterday). The recipe of the rice does not vary, but when I made it with the chicken, I cooked the rice in the chicken stock, and it was delicious with the added flavours of the ginger and garlic from the stock. You absolutely have to try this dish. It's incredibly good, I promise. I will put up the original recipe first, and then add the variations with the chicken, and the lamb stuffed peppers. The pilau, the recipe of which is a mix of the three pilau recipes I originally found here, is a rice dish with julienned carrots, almonds and raisins, flavoured with orange, and a dash of salt. I (naturally) tweaked the recipe to add a bit of extra oomph, so you can check out the original recipes, or use my modified version.

AFGHANI PILAU
INGREDIENTS:
50g butter
1 & 1/2 cups rice
3 Carrots, julienned
1/2 cup raisins/ sultanas (I used green raisins, because I prefer the taste of those)
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
Zest and juice of one orange
1/2tsp turmeric powder
3tsp dark brown sugar
2 dried red chillies, or alternately, 1/2tsp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste (approximately 1 & 1/2tsp)
1 pint chicken or vegetable stock (optional)

METHOD:

1. Melt butter in a heavy based pan. Add carrots and cook for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add in the orange zest, orange juice, almonds and raisins, and cook for a further two minutes. Add in the

   

   Carrots, almonds, raisins, and orange.

   turmeric.
3. Rinse and drain rice. Add into the pot with the chilli, and cook for a further two minutes until the rice has taken on the colour of the turmeric.
4. Pour over stock (if using) and pour over enough water until it covers the rice completely. Add in salt and sugar, stir gently. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, and the rice is almost done. Place the rice in an oven proof dish, fluff gently with a fork, cover with foil, and bake until completely done, approximately 25-30 minutes, at Gas Mark 4. Remove from oven, plate, and serve.

AFGHANI PILAU WITH CHICKEN


Afghani pilau with spiced chicken,
& sweet roasted potato & butternut.

This is my favourite version. It's absolutely delicious; sweet, with the spicy warmth from the chilli and cinnamon. Using the stock from the chicken gives the rice extra flavour, and ties the dish together nicely. As always, this recipe is tweaked according to my preferences. you can experiments with flavours, and increase and lessen amounts of spices and ingredients to suit your tastes. You can use boneless chicken (I prefer that), but using a whole chicken, pieced, will give the stock extra flavour. I made this with a side of butternut and potato, sliced, partly boiled, then roasted with butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and garlic, which tasted wonderful too.

INGREDIENTS:
500g chicken
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
3 cloves garlic,  peeled and crushed
1 large onion, cubed
2 pints water
2oz ginger powder
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/2tsp nutmeg
5-6 cloves, crushed
5-6 cardamom pods, crushed
1tsp chilli flakes.

METHOD:

1. Cook onion, garlic, and ginger in a little butter until the onion is softened and slightly browned
2. Dip the chicken pieces in a mixture of ginger powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Add to the onions, and cook until almost cooked through.
4. Pour in water, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through. 
5. Drain the chicken, and retain the stock. Return the onion to the chicken. You can discard the ginger pieces if you wish. 
6. Cook the rice as per above ingredients, adding in the retained chicken stock, and extra water if needed.
7. Place the rice in an ovenproof dish. top with chicken pieces.
8. Combine the cinnamon, nutmeg, crushed cloves, crushed cardamom, and chilli flakes. Sprinkle liberally over the chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake until the rice is completely done, and the flavours have infused.
9. Remove from oven, plate, and serve.

AFGHANI PILAU WITH LAMB-STUFFED PEPPERS
This is a... well, almost an Indian-middle-eastern fusion sort of dish. The lamb was courtesy of my mother. I made the rice and finished putting together the separate compartments of the dish. The lamb is very fragrant and flavourful, and goes well with the sweetness of the carrots and the orange in the rice. As always, feel free to increase/decrease/omit ingredients according to your preferences. I know I can never stick to original recipes!
INGREDIENTS

Yes, that's a chemical burn on the wood...

500g Lamb mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2inch piece of ginger, finely diced.
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp cumin, ground
1tsp black peppercorn, ground
1tsp paprika
1tsp turmeric
1tsp red chilli powder
2 cinnamon sticks
2-3 cloves
Salt, to taste
Small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
2 potatoes, cubed
3 fresh tomatoes, blended to a puree
3 whole peppers, halved lengthways, and deseeded.

METHOD:

1. Cook onions, ginger, and garlic in oil until browned. Add in the mince.
2. Add in all the spices (ground coriander, cinnamon sticks, cumin, pepper, paprika, turmeric, cloves and salt), and the cubed potatoes. Lower the heat, cover, and cook until the lamb is cooked through and the water has burned away.
3. Pour in the tomato puree, and let it do until it had reduced.

   

   Time to layer up.

4. Remove from heat, and stir in the chopped coriander.
5.  Boil the halved and deseeded peppers in salted water for approximately 5 minutes, until they have softened slightly, but still hold their shape.
6. Drain, and then stuff generously with lamb mince.
7. Cook rice as per above ingredients, adding extra chilli if you wish. (Using lamb or vegetable stock for the rice will give it added flavour, which is always good.)
8. Place the rice in an oven proof dish, place the stuffed peppers on top. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until rice is cooked, and mince has browned slightly.

Time to plate up...

Spiced Vanilla Apple Jam & A Chocolate Vanilla Traybake

In terms of creativity in the kitchen, today was definitely a successful day. There were wonderful smells seeping from the cracks under the kitchen door, through the gaps of the passing window, circling out through the back door and in through the front windows: cooking apples heavy with cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon, sweet spicy flavours of almonds and carrots from an Afghani pilau, the rich smells of flavourful lamb and peppers, and then, for a special, simple, and tasty tea time treat, the heavenly smells of chocolate melting and sugar cooking... yep, it was quite a day.
Upon entering the kitchen today, I saw a packet of lamb mince defrosting in a bowl on the worktop. I gave it a passing glance and headed straight out of the back door to collect a small box of garden apples, intending to make a warming, deliciously comforting apple crumble. It really was the day for it, frightfully nippy, with a bitingly cold wind that seeped through the cracks and through the walls, under your skin and through your bones, as though by osmosis. Unfortunately, I was to be deprived of my small bit of comfort; almost all the apples were rotten through! Crawling with those tiny worms, or completely and terribly bruised, one even had a layer of fungi. After salvaging what I could, I ended up with a woefully small amount of apples. I decided to turn them into a jam, and so the vanilla apple jam was born. It's quite delicious too.

Mine is quite dark because I added a lot of cinnamon.

 Spiced with star anise, cloves, and cinnamon, flavoured with lemon and orange and vanilla, it'll go wonderfully with a number of desserts and sweet treats, and also, as I've mentioned before, taste wonderful with battered, ovened prawns...
I've put rather a lot of cinnamon in mine, because I absolutely love cinnamon, so mine is quite dark in colour. I also used dark sugar because I was too lazy to dig the caster sugar out of the pantry. (I had to anyway, because it ran out...)
 Anyway, here's the recipe: (I'll put the savoury recipes in a separate post, and add the sweet ones here.)

SPICED VANILLA APPLE JAM
INGREDIENTS
5-6 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2tsp ground cinnamon (or alternately, you could use 2 cinnamon sticks)
1 Star anise
5-6 Cloves
Seeds from one vanilla pod (or alternately, 1tsp vanilla essence)
Juice and rind of one orange
Juice and rind of one lemon
Caster sugar

METHOD

1. Place apples in a heavy based pot with the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and juice and rind of orange and lemon.
2. Add in enough water to cover the apples, bring to boil until the apples are completely soft, cooked through, and mushy.
3. Sieve (strain) through a meshed sieve. Discard the pulp. Weigh the amount of sieved mixture, and for every pound, add 300g of caster sugar.
4. Place in pot with the caster sugar and vanilla, and cook on low heat until it reaches setting point. You can test this by putting a thin layer on a chilled plate/saucer, and pulling your finger through it. If the jam runs, its not ready. If it stays, its ready. Alternately, put a spoonful on a chilled plate, and leave for a minute or so to set. Lightly poke the jam, If the top wrinkles, its ready.
5. Place in a sterilised jar, Clingfilm, and cover with lid. Leave in a cool place to set completely before serving. Refrigerate once the jam has cooled.

I'll also add the other sweet recipe over here. This was courtesy of my mother, who was craving 'plain and simple' cake. So plain and simple cake it was. I was lingering in the kitchen whilst she was making this, complaining about boring flavours, and offering outrageous suggestions. She did, simply put, swat me and tell me to get lost. Tasting it, I had to admit, she had the right idea. Sometimes simple treats are the best. So here it is, chocolate vanilla tray bake.

CHOCOLATE VANILLA TRAYBAKE
INGREDIENTS
4oz butter, softened
4oz caster sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
4oz plain flour
1tsp vanilla essence/extract
2oz dark chocolate chips
1tsp baking powder

METHOD

1. Beat butter, vanilla and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
2. Add in eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of flour.
3. Fold in flour and baking powder. do not over beat.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spoon into a lined baking tray. Bake at Gas Mark 4 for approximately 15-20 minutes until golden, and pulling away at the sides.
6. Cut into slices, and enjoy warm with a cuppa.

I've been making this cake ever since I can remember. The amounts of ingredients are easy to remember, and you can substitute the chocolate drops for whatever you wish. Maybe almonds, or chopped dates? What about walnuts, or candied peel? Maybe glace cherries? You can also experiments with adding cocoa powder, or stirring in melted chocolate, or substituting sugar with honey, and chocolate for pine nuts, and add a bit of orange zest for a lovely tasting, healthier alternative? It's up to you really, don't stop at the simple flavours!

Chicken Pot Pie With Herb Scone Topping

Fragrant, warming, and flavoursome.

Cold days demand warm and hearty dishes, such as this one; a chicken pot pie with a herby scone topping. The filling is made of chunks of vegetables and chicken pieces smothered with a fragrant cream sauce, covered with a delicious scone topping flavoured with herbs. Its relatively simple, albeit a slightly lengthy process, so maybe it would be best not to make it when one is in a rush, such as I did. The recipe can be originally found in the DK step-by-step baking book, although I changed it slightly, as is my wont. I cannot stop tampering with things, it is my one weakness...
If you want a vegetarian version of this recipe, simply omit the chicken. You can also experiment with herbs and spices that you prefer. The original recipe calls for parsley, but I found that I had run out, so I used basil instead, and it still tasted lovely.
As always, this recipe serves approximately 6-8, so if you're cooking for less, simply cut down the ingredients. This recipe can be made in individual ramekins if one so wishes. I used a casserole dish, because with a large family, that is easier. If you do decide to use ramekins, simply mix the chicken, vegetables, and cream sauce in a separate mixing bowl, and then spoon into ramekin dishes before topping with scones. I cooked the chicken in crushed ginger and garlic, and green chillies before adding it to the vegetables. You can cook it however you wish.

CHICKEN POT PIE WITH HERB SCONE TOPPING
INGREDIENTS
1 litre chicken/ vegetable stock
3 Carrots, sliced into thick chunks
4-5 large potatoes, diced into large chunks
3 celery sticks, diced
175g peas
500g cooked boneless chicken, diced.
60g butter
1 onion, diced finely
30g Plain flour
175ml Double cream
Whole nutmeg, for grating
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
Leaves from one small bunch parsley, chopped

METHOD:

1. Bring stock to boil in a pot. Add the vegetables, and simmer until tender. Drain vegetables, and retain the stock.
2. Place the vegetables in an oven proof casserole dish. (Alternatively, if making  in individual ramekins, place the vegetables and chicken in a large mixing bowl or dish.)
3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, add onion and cook over medium heat until tender. Stir in the flour and let do for two minutes. Add in the retained stock, stir, and bring to boil. Simmer gently until thickened, then stir in cream, and bring to boil again, and let thicken. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

   

   My star cutter was the closest on
   hand, so stars it was!

   remove from heat and stir in the fresh chopped parsley, or herb of your choice. Combine with the vegetable mixture.
4. Top with scones, then bake at gas mark 7 in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to gas mark 4, and bake for a further 10 minutes until the scones are golden and the mixture is bubbling. Serve immediately.

HERB SCONE TOPPING
INGREDIENTS:
250g Plain flour
1tbsp Baking powder
1tsp Salt
60g butter
parsley, chopped
150ml milk.

METHOD:

1. Mix plain flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs in a bowl.
2. Rub in butter, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in milk until it comes together. The mixture will be quite sticky.
4. Turn onto a floured surface ands knead until smooth. Pat dough out to a thickness of 1cm. Cut out circles (or shape of your choice) and place on top of the filling.
5. Brush scones with milk.

Warm and hearty chicken pot pie.

Smoked Salmon & Horseradish Ciabatta Bites

Aesthetically pleasing; smoked salmon on ciabatta with
 horseradish, dill, and paprika

Feeling rather peckish today afternoon, I went into the kitchen with the intention of making a cup of tea and maybe snacking on some chilli crackers. Upon opening the fridge, however, a packet of Scottish smoked salmon
promptly fell out onto my fuzzy polka dotted socked feet. It was almost like fate telling me I would snack on smoked salmon and horseradish ciabatta instead of chilli crackers. And I certainly wasn't complaining! The smokey-salted taste of salmon, combined with the lemony tangy horseradish mixture on crunchy ciabatta, with a sprinkling of fresh dill and paprika is truly a treat for the taste buds. It's incredibly simple and quick to make, and the pale pink of the salmon on a white paste, combined with the green and red of dill and paprika makes it an aesthetically pleasing dish to look at.
I used olive ciabatta, because that is what I had on hand at the time. However you can use plain, olive, or whatever flavour you desire. Take care not to make the horseradish mixture too strong, as it will overpower the wonderful smokey taste of the salmon. Because you need quite a small amount of philadelphia, I buy the mini tubs, that contain 35g each. They're SO much handier! I prefer the smoked salmon lightly grilled, however you can use it straight from the packet if you prefer.

SMOKED SALMON AND HORSERADISH CIABATTA BITES
INGREDIENTS:
120g smoked salmon
55g light Philadelphia
3/4tsp horseradish
1tsp fresh lemon juice
Dill and paprika to garnish
3 mini ciabatta loaves, halved and quartered.

METHOD:

1. Lightly grill smoked salmon under a medium grill for two minutes. It should not go dry. Remove from heat immediately, and tear into pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine philadelphia, horseradish, and lemon juice.
3. Grill cut ciabatta under a medium grill on both sides until crispy. Place on a serving board.
4. Spread horseradish mixture on each ciabatta slice.
5. Top with shredded smoked salmon, sprinkle with dill and paprika, and serve.

Delicious, quick, and easy afternoon snack.



Grilled Steak with a Mushroom Sauce & Avocado Pasta Salad

Dinner today is grilled steak with a mushroom sauce, avocado and pasta salad, and chips. This sounds like quite a

Grilled steak with mushroom sauce, salad, & 'healthy' chips.

lengthy process, however, it is not. In fact, it was chosen because I felt particularly lazy, and so I didn't bother cooking earlier, and therefore needed to throw together something quick and delicious for dinner. The steak should be marinated one hour prior to cooking time to allow the flavours to infuse. (My mother always tells me that when making a marinade for steak, vinegar and pepper are essential.) Grilling the steak rather than frying, and cooking the chips in a health fryer ensures that this recipe makes for a somewhat healthy meal (discounting the sauce). On a side note, Aromat is a season-all that is incredibly salty. if you do not own it, simply replace Aromat with salt. you may need slightly more salt though, because, as I have mentioned, Aromat is incredibly salty. The chipotle spice mix can be brought at your local Asda store.

INGREDIENTS


L-R: Vinegar, Aromat, Chipotle,
Mixed peppercorns, Worcester sauce

500g Steak fillet, thinly sliced

FOR THE STEAK MARINADE:
3-4 Cloves garlic, crushed with a garlic crush
3tbsp Malt Vinegar
1tsp Chipotle chilli spice mix, finely ground
1tsp Aromat
1tsp Freshly ground peppercorns
Olive oil
Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Marinate the steak in a marinade of the above ingredients for at least 1 hour.
2. Grill until done to your preferred level.
3. Serve with mushroom sauce, grilled chips, and avocado and pasta salad.
4. For the avocado and pasta salad, simply add approximately 85g pasta, (cooked to al-dente in salted water) to the salad (recipe here), and omit the dressing.

FOR THE MUSHROOM SAUCE
1 1/2tbsp plain flour
1 1/2tbsp butter
100ml water
284ml/10floz single cream
1 1/2tbsp Worcester sauce/Soy sauce (Optional)
2tsp freshly ground black pepper
Aromat, or salt to taste.
300g fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced.

METHOD

1. In a heavy-based saucepan, cook the flour over a low heat until browned slightly.
2. Add in the butter, and stir thoroughly. the mixture may form lumps.
3. Whisk in water until the lumps break up and the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
4. Add in the cream, salt, pepper and Worcester sauce, and cook until the sauce thickens.
5. Remove from heat and stir in chopped mushrooms. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply add more water.
6. Serve with the steak.

Here you go! Quick, easy, flavourful, and appetizing! The steak can also be used as sandwich filling, which too is very tasty. On a side note, did you know that 'marinade' technically means 'a mixture of oil, wine, spices, or similar ingredients, in which meat, fish, or other food is soaked before cooking in order to flavour or soften it', whilst 'marinate' means 'soak (meat, fish, or other food) in a marinade.' So technically, you would say 'marinate the steak in the marinade.' Well. I learnt something new today. Or well, clarified something I was unsure about but lets not be picky about details.

Vanilla...

An incredible spice called Vanilla...
Vanilla is plain. Vanilla is boring. Nobody wants just plain vanilla. If you were out of time for dessert at a dinner

Vanilla: Plain and boring,
Or wonderfully intriguing?

party you were hosting, and all you had was vanilla ice-cream, you'd run for something to serve it with. Maybe strawberries or raspberries? Maybe some white chocolate curls, or dark chocolate sprinkles. Maybe you'd grab some butter, sugar, and cream and whip up a deliciously thick and rich caramel toffee sauce? Maybe candied apple slices, pretty and crisp with red outer skins, or a sprig of mint to garnish? Nobody wants plain vanilla. Not special enough, not tasty enough, nothing catches ones attention. Certainly nothing, that holds ones attention firmly in its grasp, nothing that compels you to sit up and take notice. No one describes the flavour as a 'burst of vanilla', or calls out its richness, or its warmth. It is just there, plain, simple, basic, the base, a background flavour that quietly complements all other flavours, boosting them, emphasising them. The truth is, Vanilla IS the base, it's all-important in its lovely rich subtlety. It is needed to complete a dish, to complement it, to embellish it, or even to offer a comparison against. Truth is, Vanilla is all-important, because without it, we would be deprived of the notability of all the rest. 

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE VANILLA

1.       Vanilla is tropical orchid.

2.       Vanilla is native to Mexico and Central America. The interdependent nature of vanilla and its natural pollinator, the Melipona bee, which is native to Mexico, so it was difficult to cultivate it outside of its native places until hand pollination was discovered.

3.       The process of the cultivation to the harvest of vanilla is long and labour intensive. It must be hand-pollinated and nurtured, and needs a long drying time. That's why it's so highly prized- and highly priced!

4.       It is the second most expensive spice after saffron.

5.       Vanilla is widely used: in commercial and domestic baking, in manufacturing perfumes and oils, and in aromatherapy.

6.       The first cultivators of vanilla were the Totonac people. According to Totonac mythology, the tropical orchid was born when Princess Xanat, who was forbidden by her father from marrying a mortal, fled to the forest with her lover, where they were captured and beheaded. The places where their blood touched the ground, the vine of the tropical orchid grew.

7.       The selling price of vanilla rose in the 1970's after a tropical cyclone destroyed main croplands, and remained high through the early 1980's before dropping 70% until April 2000.

8.       After tropical cyclone Hudah struck Mexico in April 2000, prices rose from US$20 per kilo to US$500 per kilo in 2004. A good crop, coupled with decreased demand caused by the production of imitation vanilla, pushed the market price down to the US$40 per kilogram range in the middle of 2005. By 2010, prices were down to US$20/per kilo.

9.       The vanilla flower only lasts about one day, sometimes less! Therefore, farmers have to inspect their plantations every day for open flowers on the vanilla plants.

10.   Vanilla has always incredibly valuable, so naturally it has a long history of robbery.In Madagascar, vanilla rustling was a major problem for many years. Growers branded the individual beans when they were green and the markings remained after they were dried. Whenever someone suspected their beans were stolen, they could determine by their distinctive tattoo whether or not the beans were theirs.

11.   As I mentioned before, vanilla is the world's most labour-intensive agricultural crop. It takes up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear. The fruits, which resemble big green beans, must remain on the vine for nine months in order to completely develop their signature aroma. However, when the beans are harvested, they have neither flavour nor fragrance. They develop these distinctive properties during the curing process.

The history and production of vanilla is incredibly interesting. It becomes apparent that vanilla is, indeed, not plain and boring, but a mysterious, delicate and intriguing little plant with a long history. In fact, it’s obvious to see the reason why vanilla is so expensive! I own a bottle of vanilla beans that's resting somewhere in the dark recesses of my pantry shelves, not even realising what a treasure I possess. Author Frederic Rosengarten Jr. describes it in The Book of Spices as "pure, spicy, and delicate"; he called its complex floral aroma a "peculiar bouquet". And he's right. Vanilla is an underappreciated spice, easily dismissed for other flavours and flavour combinations we deem more exotic or original or strange. The next time I go to get a gelato or sorbetto, I'll go for vanilla, if only to appreciate the complexity and intrigue of this wonderful tropical cactus (providing I don't get distracted by something sharp and zingy! What can I say? I love lemon!) So here's to Vanilla, The wonderful, under appreciated flavour of it, the amount of toil that goes into it, and the beautiful warmth and richness of it. Lets never call it 'plain' again! 

For more interesting facts or information, or to learn how to prepare vanilla, visit these sites:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/vanilla
http://vanilla.servolux.nl/vanilla_facts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla

Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia

Finally got round to the focaccia recipe I mentioned earlier. So, here it is! Have at it!

ROSEMARY & SEASALT FOCACCIA
INGREDIENTS:
1tbsp dried yeast
425g/ 15oz Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting
2tsp finely crushed Sea Salt
Leaves from 5-7 Rosemary sprigs, two-thirds finely chopped
90ml/ 3floz Olive Oil, plus extra for greasing
1/4tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sea Salt, to sprinkle

METHOD:

1. Sprinkle yeast over 4tbsp warm water. Leave for 5 minutes, stirring once.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt and make a well in the centre.
3. Add the rosemary, 4tbsp olive oil, yeast, pepper, and 240ml/ 8floz lukewarm water.
4. Gradually draw in the flour and work it into the other ingredients to form a smooth dough. The dough should be soft and sticky. do not be tempted to add more flour to dry it out.
5. Sprinkle the dough with flour and knead for 5-7 minutes on a floured surface. When ready, the dough will be very smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl.
6. Cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for for one- one and a half hours until doubled in size.

   

   Ready for the oven!

7. Place the dough on a floured work surface and knock out the air. Cover with a dry tea towel and let it rest for 5 minutes. Brush a 38x23cm tin with oil.
8. Transfer the dough to the tin. With your hands, flatten the dough to fill the tin evenly.
9. Cover with a tea towel and  leave to rise in a warm place for 35-40 minutes until puffed. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 6 (200C/400F). Scatter the reserved rosemary leaves on top.
10. With your fingers, poke the dough all over to make deep dimples. Pour spoonfuls of the remaining oil all over the dough and sprinkle with Sea Salt.
11. Bake on the top shelf for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool slightly, cut and enjoy.

The smell of freshly baked bread is one of the best in the world!

This recipe is courtesy of the DK Step-By-Step Baking recipe book, an amazing book by Caroline Bretherton, which consists of hundreds of easy recipes. Do yourself a favour and purchase it. I swear you wont regret it!

Blackberry & Chocolate Pudding

The blackberry bushes in the alleyways around our home grow blackberries in abundance, fresh and ripe and free for picking. Having been blackberry picking a few days ago, a bowl was languishing in our kitchen, in need of consuming. After eating a fair share fresh off the bushes, staining fingers mouths and clothes in the process, I wanted something different with these, so I decided to stick these into some yummy chocolatey goodness. so here it is, Blackberry and chocolate pudding!
This recipe is from Super Cookery's Chocolate & Baking recipe book, which is absolutely fantastic. You can omit the cocoa powder in step 3 if you want a non-chocolatey version of this dessert. I was being lazy (and I was also a bit short of time) so I served it with Ambrosia custard, instead of making my own. After all, it tastes delicious, and shortcuts sometimes are perfectly acceptable!

BLACKBERRY & CHOCOLATE PUDDING


Toss blackberries and sugar gently.

INGREDIENTS:
450g Blackberries
75g Caster Sugar
1 Egg
75g Soft Brown Sugar
75g Butter, melted
125g Self-raising Flour

METHOD:

1. Grease an 850ml ovenproof dish
2. In a large bowl, toss the blackberries and caster sugar together gently, then transfer to the ovenproof dish.
3. Beat together egg and brown sugar, then stir in the melted butter and milk.
4. Fold in flour and cocoa powder lightly to form a smooth batter.
5. Spread batter carefully over the blackberries, then bake in a preheated oven at Gas Mark 4 (180C/350F) for 25-30 minutes until the topping is firm.
6. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, or dust with icing powder and serve warm with custard, cream or plain.

Afternoon tea treat: Blackberry Pudding with Custard.



Spaghetti & Meatballs with Crispy Garlic & Herb Potato Wedges

Lunch, spaghetti and meatballs with garlic and herb roast potato
wedges and a rosemary and sea salt focaccia.

Hmm. Lunches and dinners. Quick and tasty main meals. Thinking of something to cook each day is pretty stressful. Searching for a recipe that is quick and tasty is even more difficult. Today morning I was given the choice of one of two chores; cooking, or ironing. Well, that one's a no brainer. As I've often mentioned before, ironing is tedious and dull, and leaves the mind to wander down paths one would rather not revisit. So, cooking it is!
I decided to make spaghetti and meatballs; quick, filling, and satisfyingly scrumptious, with garlic and herb roast potato wedges (because I was craving garlicky potato wedges), and to go with it was an (extremely easy) rosemary and sea salt focaccia, courtesy of my sibling. The most satisfying thing about this dinner was that it was all home made, from the meatballs to the accompanying bread, yet quick, simple, and delicious all the same.
I used home made meat balls, but you can use any you like in this recipe. This recipe is enough for eight (with leftovers) so feel free to cut down on the amounts if cooking for less people. I used red wine vinegar infused with honey and chilli, so I added slightly less sugar. Feel free to increase the amount slightly after tasting.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Prepping my recipe mise.

INGREDIENTS:
8oz spaghetti
15-20 meatballs of your choice
Juice of half lemon
Fresh thyme

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
2 cans chopped tomatoes
3 fresh tomatoes
1tsp chilli flakes
4-5 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 generous tsp dark brown sugar
3tbsp red or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste.

METHOD:

1. Blend chopped tin tomatoes and fresh tomatoes to a fine puree.
2. Heat olive oil in pan and add in the chilli and garlic, cook until the chilli starts to smell quite strongly, then add in the pureed tomato.

   

   Quick and flavourful, perfect for spaghetti.

3. Bring to boil, simmer for approximately 15 minutes until thickened slightly. Add in the vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar, stir thoroughly and then bring to boil again. Simmer for a further ten minutes. Add seasoning and/or sugar according to taste.
4. Meanwhile fry the meatballs in a little oil until golden and well done. remove from pan, squeeze over juice of half a lemon, and set aside.
5. Cook the spaghetti as per instructions until it reaches al-dente, remove from water and place in serving dish.
6. Pour the thickened sauce over the spaghetti, toss well, and add the meatballs. Garnish with a generous amount of fresh thyme. Serve with garlic and herb potato wedges and focaccia, or alone if one so wishes.

Delicious, quick, and satisfying.

GARLIC AND HERB ROAST POTATO WEDGES
This recipe for potato wedges is my version of an original found a while ago, from a source I've completely forgotten. The original recipe had 20 garlic cloves in it, an amount I found astonishing. I cut down the amount to something slightly more reasonable, and added some of my own ingredients. The resultant wedges are delightfully lemony, garlicky, and herby mouthfuls with crisp salty skins. Mmmm.

INGREDIENTS:
8-9 medium sized potatoes, cut into wedges with skins on
8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
Juice of one lemon
Three sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
Handful of fresh chives, chopped
Butter
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt and crushed black pepper to taste.

METHOD:

1. Boil potatoes for fifteen minutes on high heat, then drain and tip into a roasting tray. Squeeze over lemon juice, add blobs of butter, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and toss gently.
2. Place in pre heated oven (approximately gas mark 6) for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked and the skin is crispy.
3. Remove from oven, add in the garlic, herbs, and pepper, toss, then replace in the oven for a further 15 minutes, until the garlic is roasted slightly and the flavours infuse.
4. Serve immediately as a side to any dish.

Crispy and flavoursome, as all good potatoes should be.

Sweets? Hmmm

Confectionary...? My thoughts on 'Sweets Made Simple'
In all my years of cooking and baking (since I was seven), I have rarely attempted sweets. In fact, it was only once, when I made sticky chocolate fudge. Sticky, even though it wasn't meant to be, because I used milk chocolate instead of dark. In all fairness, I was nine years old. Sweets have never appealed to me. Even now, sugary penny sweets and jelly Haribo cola bottles make me cringe. So when 'The Biscuit Tin' told me to watch 'Sweets Made Simple', I made a half-assed intention to watch it later. Having got a chance about a week later, I watched it. It was what I expected, big pretty kitchen done up in twee pastels (imagine Morticia Addams going 'Pastellsss? with that eyebrow raise), little round man with a fancy moustache, pretty lady wearing polka dots melting chocolate, making lots of 'mmm' noises and calling each other cute names such as 'Mr. Gee' and 'Miss H'... I was surprised to find, in this instance, that it worked. Boy did it just. The episode is studded with random and interesting bits of trivia, and contains recipes and ideas that are certainly intriguing.
First up was 'English Almond Butter Toffee'. This recipe certainly sounds and looks delicious, if a bit generic. After all, who hasn't made toffee? Sugar, butter, chocolate, almonds... pretty generic right? But by no means should it be dismissed. However, I wanted to discover something more interesting. And interesting it did get. The second recipe featured beautiful 'Seashell Caramels', rich dark chocolate, creamy looking salted caramel, and white chocolate to complete them. I'll certainly be trying them out! The third recipe, though, is one that really intrigued me: 'Popcorn Espresso Macchiato Balls'. Although it irks me to say this, I've never thought of putting coffee with popcorn! Honey and chilli, certainly, maple and cinnamon, butter, vanilla syrup, toffee, salted popcorn... I've made and eaten and definitely enjoyed them all... but coffee? No, never. So that struck me as particularly interesting. And the part of the programme I absolutely loved (although it wasn't directly related to sweets) was the coffee brewery, Volcano coffee situated in South East London, one of UK's top artisan coffee makers. When they started talking about coffee tasting, I wanted to tumble headlong through the screen and join in. Sadly, technology hasn't made it that far yet, but I have high hopes... Anyway, buttery popcorn balls with white chocolate and melted marshmallows, and a sprinkle of ground coffee? That certainly looks and sounds fantastic. I'm itching to give these a go! 
The fourth recipe was one for 'Gin and Lime Truffles', made with dark chocolate. As a person who does not drink or ingest alcohol at all, the intricacies of the flavours of this recipe were lost on me. For those of you who do ingest alcohol, I'll just leave the link here for you to try.
The fifth and final recipe looked delightful: 'Raspberry Marshmallows' I can just imagine how it tastes, the sweet marshmallows with wonderful bursts of tangy fresh raspberries... mmm. The one thing I wondered at was, by serving marshmallow slices with a white chocolate sauce, wouldn't it all be overwhelmingly, sickeningly sweet? Well, I'll just have to try it and see.
Overall, I was surprised by how much I actually  enjoyed the pastel shaded vintage 'twee-ness' of this programme, from the lovely fairy-tale like kitchen, to the lovely couple's outfits, and of course, not forgetting the brilliant recipes. I eagerly await the second episode. It certainly promises to be something!
It is definitely time to invest in a sugar thermometer...

Tuna & Sweet Corn Jacket Potatoes

The Jacket Potato.
Who doesn't love a good jacket potato? Crispy, salted skin, fluffy, buttery potato, delicious filling, oozy melted cheese... A good jacket potato makes a truly delicious meal. However, after having the same generic toppings of baked beans and cheese on potato repeatedly, it gets a tad boring. I for one do NOT like baked beans on jacket potato, so I decided to try other toppings. Therefore, after a shopping trip, I decided to go to spud-u-like, and try a tuna jacket potato. It was nice, but I thought it could do with a little improving. The tuna filling was cold, for one, which tasted odd on the hot potato. The skin was not crispy (which is vital for a good potato) and it was lacking general seasoning. This recipe for a tuna filling that I came up with is delicious, hot, and well seasoned with salt, pepper, and chopped jalapeños in brine, has a creamy tuna topping, and lovely oozy melted cheese. Of course, the crispy skins were very much there too. As an accompaniment, I made my avocado salad, and a coleslaw. The resultant meal was tasty and satisfying, the way all good home-made meals always are.


TUNA JACKET POTATO
This recipe makes enough for four potatoes. Amounts of sweet corn, jalapeños, and mayonnaise can be adjusted according to personal preferences.

INGREDIENTS:
4 large Potatoes

1 tin Tuna in brine
1/2 tin of Sweet corn
Handful of Jalapeños in brine, drained and diced
2-3tbsp of Mayonnaise, according to your preference
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper to taste
Grated cheese

METHOD:

1. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes. Drain and remove from pan.
2. Place in a baking tray and drizzle generously with olive oil until the potatoes are evenly coated. Season with coarse sea salt.
3. Cover with foil and bake on medium heat, for approximately 1- 1&1/2 hour until done, turning midway. Remove from the oven, take off foil, and place in oven again until skin crispens, turning midway so both sides crispen.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Drain tuna and place in a bowl with sweet corn, jalapeños, mayonnaise salt and pepper, and stir thoroughly with a fork so the tuna chunks break and separate.
5. Cut each potato in half and spread the flesh generously with butter. Heap each half with the tuna filling, and top generously with grated cheese.
6. Replace in baking tray and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the filling is heated and the cheese melts and browns slightly.
7. Serve immediately with avocado salad and coleslaw, or accompaniments of your choice.

Avocado Salad with Zingy Lemon Dressing

For now though, all plums aside, lets talk about salads! Salads are wonderful, are they not? Fresh crispy and delicious, they make a wonderful accompaniments to almost all dishes, from grilled chickens, meats and veg to lasagnes and rice dishes. They can also be a whole meal of their own, with shredded grilled chicken pieces, chunks of tomato, pasta, and crunchy croutons, flavoured with a zingy dressing. This salad, however, is a personal (and family) favourite, and can be eaten as a side with almost anything (try it with tuna jacket potatoes!), although it makes a perfectly filling and healthy meal with fresh crusty bread. So here it is, give it a try, you'll be hooked!

AVOCADO SALAD WITH ZINGY LEMON DRESSING:
The avocados go wonderfully with the cheese. Using only slightly ripe avocados is preferred, although you can make do with ripe. Although it can be missed out, I strongly recommend adding the basil, as it makes it tasted fresher and altogether more delicious.

So incredibly healthy, is it not?

2 fresh Avocados, peeled and cubed
1 large Tomato, cubed
1/2 Cucumber, cut into medium sized cubes.
1/2 head Lettuce, sliced
50g Cheese, cut into cubes
Handful of fresh, rinsed Basil leaves, shredded.

FOR THE DRESSING:
2tbsp olive oil.
Juice of half lemon
2tsp sugar
1tsp salt
Pepper to taste.

METHOD:

1. Toss all the ingredients of the salad together.
2. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, then drizzle over the salad.
3. Serve as a side to a main meal, or with crusty bread for a quick and satisfying meal.

Salad for breakfast? Whyever not?

NB: This will serve approximately seven people as a side. To make a lesser quantity, simply reduce the amounts.

The Science (Or Not) of Plums

Green plums, anybody?

GOING ON ABOUT PLUMS.
Our plum tree grows green plums. I think they're supposed to be yellow, but they never do turn yellow, they're green and ripe and fresh and deliciously juicy. It's the end of summer, which means it's time to pick them off the tree, which means lots of plum recipes. I've tried a plum, coffee, and almond Swiss roll, and I'd like to try a plum clafoutis, which is a French dessert of halved plums baked in a custard batter, and served warm with ice cream or custard, and a plum jam, which I have made before, and it turned out absolutely delicious. Although better than plum jam is home made apple jam, which tastes fantastic with grilled or oven cooked battered prawns, as strange as that sounds!


Picked a few (of the many hundreds) of plums.

Update: Ah no, I recently found out that they're called 'Greengages', a 'green plum with a yellow-green, sweetly-scented flesh', which originate from Portugal.


Coffee, Almond & Plum Swiss Roll

Coffee, almond and plum... What are your opinions on this flavour combination?
It is strange, I grant you. Strange, but by no means unheard of, although all the recipes I stumbled across during my (very) brief Google search seem to be of German origin. Of course, it being a strange combination, I had to try it. Luckily, we have, at the moment, an abundance of plums.
I decided to make a coffee and almond flavoured Swiss roll with a whipped cream and plum filling. The responses were... well, varied, to say the least. My mother outright rebelled at the idea of putting anything fruit in a coffee sponge, but she quite enjoyed the result. My brother pronounced it 'yuck' at first bite, although I’m still not sure whether it was him 'rebelling' at the lack of butter cream or genuine dislike. Others pronounced it delicious. My sister, upon taking the first mouthful, immediately put down her fork, pronouncing it was 'not for me!' And I? Well, I quite liked it. I loved the sweetness of the sponge and the contrasting bitter coffee, the slight crunch of almonds, the smooth sweetened  fresh cream, and the sharp notes of plum cutting through it all, leaving you wanting to taste it all over again... but then, I’ve always liked strange flavours. I’ll just throw the recipe out here, and leave it up to you to decide, if you do feel intrigued enough to attempt it. It’s rather simple, made with minimal ingredients and with a minimal cooking time.

COFFEE, ALMOND AND PLUM SWISS ROLL:

SPONGE:
3 eggs
3oz (75g) Caster Sugar
3oz (75g) Self-Raising Flour
2oz (50g) Ground Almonds
2tbsp Coffee granules dissolved in 1tbsp boiling water

FILLING:
Whipping Cream (About one small tub)
Approximately 2tbsp Icing sugar, according to one's taste.
4-5 Plums, chopped. (The plums I used were quite small, being garden plums. If the plums you use are bigger, simply reduce the amount.)

METHOD

1. Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and frothy.
2. Add in the coffee, making sure its cooled.
3. Gently stir in flour and ground almonds, taking care not to knock all the air out of the mixture.
4. Pour into a lined Swiss roll tin.
5. Bake at Gas Mark 6 for 7-9 minutes, no more otherwise it will be dry and crack when rolling.
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
7. To make the filling, whip the cream with the sugar until it just about holds its shape. Retain a little to decorate, fold chopped plums  into the rest.
8. Spread onto the Swiss roll sponge, and then roll up gently.
9. Decorate with cream rosettes and flaked almonds if one so wishes, or simply dust with icing sugar.

Best of luck, and DO let me know your opinions!