Sweet & Spicy Popcorn

Here's another warming autumn snack for y'all... Sweet and spicy popcorn. I found the recipe here but increased the measures of spices slightly and used maple syrup as a substitute to agave.

You will need:

Sunflower oil
Corn kernels
1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon
Good drizzling of maple syrup

Method:

Heat the oil. Pop the corn. Sprinkle over the spices. Drizzle over the syrup. Eat the delicious popcorn.

Cheddars

These little rich cheesy biscuits with their kick of red chilli are perfect for autumnal comfort snacking. I enjoyed them dipped in a home made cauliflower soup but they would also be a great accompaniment to a nice real ale or a cocktail. Here's how to make them.

You will need:

200g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
150g extra mature Cheddar cheese, grate
1 whole medium free-range egg, plus 1 egg yolk

NB The mixture is very dense so these little babies are best made in a food processor.

Put the flour, salt, chilli flakes and cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until just combined. 

Add the diced butter and run the machine until the ingredients look like coarse sand. 

Add the whole egg and the yolk and run the processor again until the ingredients come together to form a firm dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a log shape with your hands. Bang the roll down on the work surface a few times to expel any air pockets that may have formed.  With your hands, roll the dough until it forms an even cylinder roughly 50cm long. Cut into 3 equal pieces, then wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. (The dough can be stored for up to 3 days).

When ready to bake, heat your oven to 200c.

Cut the dough into 1cm thick discs and place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

And proceed to devour.

Lunch breaks in Lewes Part 1...

Hastings, here I come!

A fishing boat on The Stade. Watercolour by my good mate, Alan Rafter-Phillips. Thanks Al!

Ahoy me shipmates! Yep that's right, I've decided to trade life in the Big Smoke for a tranquil one by the sea, to Hastings! (Although looking at my ever expanding diary of upcoming events in the town; Hammer Horror movie festivals, Bonfire processions, Storytelling Festivals, I have a feeling that tranquil won't really be the case!) Seaside living posts to follow...Yay!!

Madeleines

It was that time again... recipe here. Mmm.

Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival 2012

This weekend the 15th/16th September was the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival. The festival is now in its seventh year, however it was our first time to visit and I have to say we got rather over excited about all the delicious fresh locally caught seafood, locally made wines and locally brewed ales and ciders on offer and wanted to try everything! 

We managed a rather decadent 4 delectable lunches; fish soup with bread, hot smoked salmon with bread and salad, Pollock goujons with samphire and home made chilli jam and Caribbean barbecue jerk fish with jollof rice each washed down with tasty local tipples from Battle Cider, F.I.L.O, Dark Star and Sedlescombe Wine. Simon then got hungry again later on and finished up with one of Tush & Pat's Famous Fishermen's Rolls.

Phwoar. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year!

Crunchy Marrow Pickle

My friend kindly gave me this HUGE yellow marrow that she'd grown in her allotment, which was just too big for one meal, so I had a look and found this recipe for crunchy courgette pickle and substituted the courgettes with half of my marrow - I then stuffed the other half with a tasty veggie chilli sprinkled with lots of cheese and baked it in the oven! It was delicious!

Here's what you will need for the pickle:

500g marrow
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp salt

500ml cider vinegar
140g golden caster sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp dried chillies
1 tsp ground turmeric 

Cut the marrow in half length ways and scoop out the seeds then very thinly slice, I used my new mandolin! Put in a bowl with the shallots and sprinkle over the salt. Cover with ice-cold water, stir to dissolve the salt and leave for 1 hour. Drain the courgettes thoroughly and pat dry using kitchen paper or tea towels.

Meanwhile, put the pickling ingredients into a pan and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 3 minutes, making sure the sugar has dissolved, then leave to cool. Add the courgettes and stir.

Scoop the mixture into 2 x 500ml sterilised jars and seal. Allow them to sit and 'mature' for a couple of weeks before enjoying.