IT'S BETTER WITH FETA

 

Have tried out several savoury muffin recipes in a quest to use up some of the courgettes from the garden.  This is one of the nicest I've tried for a while.  Salty feta, offset by the richness of oily sundried tomatoes, is complimented by several good handfuls of basil - giving them an almost Mediterranean feel.  Looking forward to enjoying them with some soup:)

To make 12 small muffins combine 150 grams of self raising flour with one small courgette, 75 grams of crumbled feta and a good handful of basil leaves chopped.  Melt 25 grams of butter (I used margarine).  Add that to a whisked egg and 90mls of milk and fold gently into the flour.

Spoon into cake cases and top each muffin with some more crumbled feta and chopped sundried tomatoes (about a tablespoons worth).  The recipe actually uses semi dried tomatoes if that's what you prefer  but I think the sundried ones worked perfectly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 160 degrees (fan oven temperature)

A SEASONAL SONG (BLACKBERRY WAY TWO!)

 

As Autumn approaches we traditionally forage for blackberries and as a matter of course we always have a blackberry and apple crumble.   Hot on the heels of that comes this greatly anticipated delight. Blackberries crushed gently with crunchy golden caster sugar and a thick layer of devilishly sinful clotted cream, sandwiched between two layers of  shortcake, given an exceptional lightness by the buttermilk you add to bring the dough together.  It doesn't look that fancy but for me this is a true star of the season.

 

 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2857/blackberry-and-clotted-cream-shortcake-

SIMPLE SUPPER

Bouncing with taste, Sichuan noodles with minced pork, another recipe from the Waitrose kitchen, comes highly recommended.

Miso and chilli paste don't come cheap but the outlay is worth it to make this straightforward stir fry.

Can't find a link to the recipe so will have to fill you in with the instructions for the recipe.

 

• Mix 200mls of fresh chicken stock with 2tbsp of soy sauce, 1tbsp of white miso paste, 1 tsp of cornflour mixed into 1tbsp of water and a tablespoon of chilli paste.

 

• Brown  a large pack of minced pork for about 6-8 minutes and set aside.

 

• Then fry two garlic cloves and a little chopped ginger before adding two large carrots finely sliced or julienned.

 

• Pop the pork back in the pan add some straight to wok noodles, four chopped spring onions, 100 grams of spinach leaves and the sauce.

• Cook for a few minutes and then add a good sprinkling of coriander ( I use the Waitrose frozen coriander for recipes like these as it gives a big hit of flavour).

A TASTE OF SUMMER

 

So satisfying to sit and enjoy the rewards of our labours.

 

Plump chicken breasts stuffed with goats cheese and thyme leaves, wrapped in crispy bacon, perch on top of sweet cherry tomatoes and a pile of sliced courgettes - a taste to remind us of summer as the autumnal days approach.

 

 Cubes of bonnie potatoes crisped up in oil are a perfect accompaniment.

 

 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3925/goats-cheese-and-thyme-stuffed-chicken

USE YOUR LOAF!

So we are still using our supply of onions tucked away in the shed down the garden.  Buttery, earthy new potatoes and a plentiful supply of delicious dwarf beans are a great accompaniment to this sausagemeat loaf wrapped in salty bacon.  Add a fiery salsa and it lifts things to another level.

 

The recipe is no longer on the BBC Good Food website so here are the simple instructions.

• Mix a large pack of sausagemeat with 2tbsp of tomato puree, one chopped fried onion , four ounces of fresh breadcrumbs and a beaten egg.
• Shape  into a loaf and wrap four rashers of streaky bacon around it.
• Pop into a loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes at 170 degrees (fan oven) until the bacon is crispy.