Toad in the Hole

This is Toad in the Hole with root vegetables.
It is a great way to use up vegetables, any combination will work.

 Heat the oven to 200C fan

Peel and cut into chunks the root vegetables of your choice. In here I have carrot, parsnip, baby potatoes and onion. Mix 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 clove of chopped garlic, a good grating of black pepper and salt.
Toss the vegetables in the oil mix and put into an ovenproof dish and roast in the oven for about 35 minutes until golden.

Batter
110g plain flour
2 eggs
300ml milk
15g melted butter.
salt and pepper.

Put the flour into a bowl.
Mix the milk eggs, melted butter, salt and pepper in a jug.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and gradually whisk in the wet mixture. whisking all the time until you have a smooth batter.
Set aside to rest while the vegetables are cooking,

When the Vegetables are cooked turn the oven up to 220C Fan and quickly pour the batter over the veg. You need to do this as quick as possible so the dish doesn't cool down.

Return to the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes until all puffed up and golden.
Don't open the oven door until the 25 minutes are up or the batter could sink.

 If you like you can make some onion gravy to serve with it

Rich onion Gravy

2 tbsp of olive oil
2 large onions peeled and thinly  sliced
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
1-2 tsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
600mls of good vegetable stock.

Heat the oil in a pot and gently fry the onions until soft and golden.
Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, then take out about a quarter of the liquid and blend with a stick blender to make a thick puree.
Add the puree back into the pot, bring to the boil, add the red current jelly and the vinegar. season to taste.

Gala Night.

Monday 21st of  November was Gala Night in the Flower Club. It is a fund raiser for the hospice.
The Demonstrators were Marie Laird and Roisin Graham.

We raised 2,700 Euro. Not a bad nights work

Chickpea Burgers and Cornflake Wedges.

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 carrot.
1clove garlic
50g sunflower seeds.
1tbsp vegetable bouillon paste.
parsley.
2-3 tbsp tahini paste

The easy way to chop everything.

Chop the chickpeas

chop the carrot, garlic, parsley and pulse the sunflower seeds

Stir in the bouillon powder and add the tahini paste

Mix it all together. It is easier to do this bit by hand. Divide in four and shape into patties. Chill for 30 minutes if you have the time.

While they are chilling you can make Potato Wedges in Cornflakes. This is a way to use up the crumbs left in the bottom of the packet.
Cut a couple of potatoes into wedges and dry in a tea towel.
Malt some butter in a bowl, 1 minute in the microwave works.
Toss the potato in the butter and then toss in the cornflakes. This can be done in a bowl or in the cereal bag

Place on a baking sheet and cook in a preheated oven fan 200C for 25 -40 minutes depending on how thick you cut your wedges.

Add the burgers after 15 minutes and cook until heated through and lightly golden 15-20 minutes.

Tahini paste can be got in Holland and Barrett's

Flower Pot Bread

 This is soda bread baked in a flower pot. It has taken me a awhile to get it right. The first couple I made looked lovely but were not cooked in the middle. I have got it sorted now


You will need a 13cm unglazed terracotta pot and you have to temper it. It takes awhile but it only needs to be done once.

To temper Pot.
Give the pot a good wash in hot soapy water or put it in the dishwasher. Leave to dry overnight.
Brush the pot with tasteless vegetable oil all around the inside, especially around the lip.The pot is very absorbent so you will have to do this a couple of times until the oil stops being absorbed.
Put the pot on a foil- lined baking tray and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6 and let the pot heat with the oven. When the oven reaches the  temperature turn it off and leave the pot there to cool down.
Your pot is now ready for use


To make the Bread.

Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C or gas 6
Oil the flower pot. I found it helped to put a strip of baking parchment into the pot as it helped cover the hole at the bottom.

450g plain white flour.
1 tsp cagter sugar.
pinch of salt.
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
350-400ml buttermilk

If you haven't got buttermilk add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to ordinary milk and leave it aside for 10 minutes.

Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl. and mix together.
Make a well in the centre and add most of the buttermilk, add more until you end up with a soft dough.
Turn out onto a  floured surface and  knead lightly.
Put into the flower pot it.
You can add a egg wash if you want to and sprinkel on seeds of your choice.

Place the flower pot on a baking sheet that has been lined with baking parchment and bake in the oven for
40-45 minutes or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Lovely with soup or a stew.


P.S.......I need a bit of help. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong with my photos. I edit them, rotate them to the right way up, save the chances but when I try to add them to the blog they revert back.

A Recipe Shared.

On Monday Shaheen over on A2K posted a recipe for Spiced root vegetable stew with lentils. I made it for dinner on Tuesday and it was fantastic. I would strongly recommend it if you are looking for a good tasty vegetable stew to have in your Winter cookbook.

I left out the dumpling as I wasn't sure when dinner was going to happen. I served it up with seeded scones.

Pop over to http://allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com for this great recipe.

Putting it to Rest

I spent the day in the garden putting it to rest for the winter. I have gathered my pots in the corner to protect them and if the weather gets bad I can cover them up with fleece.

The herbs have moved into my plastic green house. I know there has been very little frost but I dug up my dahlias and out them in pots. They are in there as well. I lost a lot of them last year so I don't want to take any chances.

I was trying to grow potatoes for Christmas, But the foliage was gone so I dug them up and cooked them for dinner.

Hidden under some of the plants I found 1 lovely carnation with a beautiful smell of cloves. I think I am meant to call them pinks now, but they will always be carnations to me.

 There is still some more work to do,but it will have to wait until after the brown bin collection as I have no where to put the foliage that has to be cut down and there is a mountain of flower pots to be washed.


To go with the potatoes I had a go at the Sesame-crusted chicken from Rachel Allen's  Easy Meals

It is gorgeous. My fussy Son wants to know when I will be making it again.
I had some of the crumb mix left over so I coated some parsnips in it. That was a big hit too.

And yes these are Daffodils They are my all time favourite flower..My Husband found them in the garden center on Saturday. When they are finished they will go outside to join the rest of the daffs

And now for a bit of showing off, Meringue's From Rachel Allen's Bake. It is the first time I managed to make them without them cracking.

Colcannon

As I was`growing up my Mam always made Calcannon for dinner on Halloween. It is mashed potatoes with kale mixed through. You also had to have onions on top. But the big secret ingredient to this dish was the money my Mam wrapped up and hid in your dinner.One  way to get your kids to eat their greens.

As I had Kale growing on the allotment. I decided to make it for dinner last night. I had forgotten how good it was.

I did add the money .

Inflation

Depending on where you live and what you add this can be called Champ or Bubble and Squeak. Bet there is another dozen names out there for it.