Author: Notnick

Vintage Cheddar Biscuits. 

My mum makes these every Christmas – a big box of them that comes out for nibbles with drinks. Pretty good with a glass of red.

or beer

or G&T.

or on their own.

Makes about 40.

4ozs butter at room temperature
2ozs semolina
4ozs self raising flour
3ozs vintage cheddar cheese (grated)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of dry mustard
about 40 halved salted cashew nuts

 

cream together all ingredients except nuts
form into small balls put onto baking sheet
press down to flatten slightly –  top biscuit with nut

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes until pale golden.

 

chilli con carne

500g minced beef
2 large onions, fine dice
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can passatta
1 can kidney beans
1 can black eye beans
1 can borlotti beans
1 tsp ground cumin
1tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
beef stock cube/ 1 tsp celery salt
4 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic- minced
chilli to taste
50go  dark chocolate

brown the beef and onions
add the tomatoes and beans and a little water if needed.
add the other ingredients and cook for 20-30 mins

 

Current Squares

Pastry-
12oz plain flour
6oz butter
pinch salt
Cold water

filling-
6oz currents
2oz peel
2oz brown sugar
1 grated apple
1/2tsp mixed spice
1 lemon rind
1-2tsp lemon juice
1oz butter

Make a short crust pastry, and roll 1/2 into a 12″x8″ swiss roll tin

mix filling and spread evenly on the pastry

cover with other 1/2 of pastry & prick with fork

bake in a moderate oven for 25-35mins, dust with castor sugar and cut into squares whilst still hot.  allow to cool before removing from tin.

Sweetcorn relish

1 shallot chopped (plus a spot of oil to fry)
200g fresh corn kernals – (about 2 cobs)
1 red mild chilli, chopped, seeds out
75ml cider vinegar
30g sugar
½ tsp dry mustard powder

soft fry the shallot, then add all of the other ingredients and simmer till the corn is cooked, and the sauce coats the corn nucely. bottle in a kilner jar and store in the fridge

Tomato Relish

A quick and easy burger relish

1kg ripe red tomatoes
2 cloves garlic (crushed/minced)
10g grated ginger
2 long red mild chillis, chpped, seeds out.
130ml cider vinegar
175g white sugar
30g salt

skin, core and rough chop the tomatoes. add to a saucepan and boil/reduce over about 1 hr to the right consistancy.(remember it will be thickr when cold).

Bottle in a clean kilner jar, keep in fridge.