Author: Notnick

Old Edinburgh Tart

I found this recipe as a hand-written note in my Mum’s cookbook. She’s never made it, but had copied it from somewhere a long time ago. I’ve not made it yet either, but as I now live in Edinburgh, I thought I’d save the recipe for posterity.

Pastry-
8oz plain flour,
5oz butter,
pinch of salt
cold water to mix

filling –
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
4oz raisins
4oz mixed chopped peel
2oz glacé cherries
3 eggs
1-2 tblspn whisky

Breadcrumb the butter into the flour and add the salt. Add enough water to the crumb to make a firm pastry (takes 4-5tblspn of water).
Line a 9″ flan tin.

Place butter, sugar, raisins, minced peel, and cherries and heat until butter has melted and sugar dissolved. Leave to cool.

beat eggs and whisky together. Mix into main mixture and put into the lined tin. If there is spare pastry, decorate the top with a lattice.

Bake in a hot oven (400f) for 25 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chestnut Terrine

Every year my Mum makes one of these. It’s incredibly rich, and guarded by my Dad through Christmas. It’s not offered to everyone!

One thin slice will go great with a little cream for a desert. It can be prepared days ahead, and lasts well.

1 tin unsweetened chestnut purée
6oz unsalted butter
6 oz caster sugar
10oz plain chocolate
1 orange
2 tblspn grand marnier
9″x4″ bread tin (lined)

beat pure till light and soft
beat butter to a soft cream then add sugar and beat again.
gradually beat melted chocolate with everything
fine grate the orange peel into the mix, along with the orange’s juice
add grand marnier
put into a lined tin and allow to set in the fridge over night

Coffee liquor

750 ml white rum
1  1/4 cups dark rum
1  1/2 cups sugar
3/4 pound whole coffee beans
a vanilla pod
cinnamon stick, slice of orange peel (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a sealable container. Shake hard to combine. Label with the date and let sit in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Shake or stir the mixture several times of week. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a clean vessel. Use like you would Kahlua or any other coffee liquor.

    chinese Barbecue chicken wings

    • 1kg  chicken wings
    • 1/2 cup soy sauce
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 3 star anise
    • 3 cloves of garlic
    • 1/4 cup szechuan peppercorns

    Take a bunch of chicken wings. Remove the tiniest end and bin. cut the remainder into 2 pieces at the joint.

    Pack them into the bottom of a saucepan, as tightly as they will fit in. Keep to a single layer on the bottom if you can. Into the pan put all of the other ingredients, and a little water so that the wings are just about covered.  Simmer the pan for about 90 minutes.

    Remove the wings from the stock, and cool. Once cool, cover with honey and bbq for a few minutes until tanned and crispy.

    You can prepare these the day before, and as they’re already cooked they only take a minute or two on the hottest bbq.

    Deird’s Smoked Haddock Chowder

    25g butter

    4 rashers bacon- diced

    1 large leek, trimmed & sliced

    1 tblspn plain flour

    850ml semi-skimmed milk

    800g peeled diced potatoe

    200g skinless, boneless smoked haddock

    2 tblspn chopped chives

    fry the bacon and leek, add the potatoes & milk. Simmer till the potatoes are cooked, then add the fish for the last few minutes, so that it’s perfectly poached. add the chives and serve.

    Corn muffins (sweet)

    • 1 cup fine polenta/ cornmeal
    • 1 cup plain flour
    • 1/3 cup  sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg, beaten
    • 1/4 cup veg oil
    • 1 cup milk
    1. Preheat oven  (200 degrees C).
    2. In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add egg, oil and milk; stir gently to combine. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
    3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes