Cosy Country Evenings

Snow in the countryside is lovely, very picturesque, even my limited photographic skills can turn up some pretty little snaps. The downside of the snow in the country however, is you realise just how rural it is because they don't send gritter trucks down insignificant little country lanes, so they rapidly turn into ice rinks. In the midst of the snow the whole place ground to a complete halt at one point all the roads out were blocked by broken down or abandoned cars and even the very smug four by four owners were finding it a challenge (it got easier when some kindly soul told them they would fair better if the turned the traction control off , I know I should have but it was fun to watch them turn purple as they wheel spinned - naughty me).

Still I had the essentials in luckily (coal, wood, cheese, wine, chocolate and pet food) so pretty much no major problem. As you can see Scruffbag was happy with her spot by the roaring fire, something very cosy about a coal fire especially one with a handful of lovely pine cones burning on it, all dancing orange flames and crackling as it devours the logs. Scruffbag as you can see loves her place by the fire though she doesn't mind sharing with Cooper or indeed me, just so long as she gets the best spot!.

So fire sorted,and warmed through by a gooey mug of hot chocolate (drop in a chunk of chilli chocolate for a spicy kick is my tip) thoughts turn to the perfect winter comfort food. Unsurprisngly for me this is of course of cheesy origins, Welsh Rarebit (posh cheese on toast basically) and I though I'd share my favourite recipe for it, just in case anyone feels the need for a cosy country evening of their own (recipe below). It might not be exactly up there on any "most sophosticated things in the world to eat ever" but I must admit I think it's quite often the simplest things that are the tastiest. As for the perfect accompaniement well a nice large glass of red wine for me every time, I love red wine, sadly it doesn't like me, but hey not likely to stop me enjoying it is it so long as I remember to take anti histamines beforehand!. My favourites are a nice Montepulciano or a fruity Rioja which always seem to be the perfect accompaniements to milder cheeses, delectably fruity without being overpowering. It's best eaten huddled round the fire, watching the flames, usually best to shut Cooper out though he can be as ruthless in the pursuit of cheese as he is in pursuit of sparrow).

So there we go, a cosy country evening, away from the snow and the cold. Not very exciting I know, but very me.


Welsh Rarebit



Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
4 Fl oz Milk
2oz Plain Flour
400g grated Farmhouse Cheddar
6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
120ml Ale, Guinness or Cider (personally the Irish in me screams Guiness every time, but OP works OK too)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 heaped teaspoon dry English mustard powder
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1.Heat the milk, add the flour and bring to the boil and allow to slightly thicken.

2.Over a low heat add grated cheese. Stir until melted, then add breadcrumbs, mustard powder, Worcestershire Sauce and beer. Cook until the mixture starts to leave the side of the saucepan.
Note: The rarebit mixture should retain its shape and not run too much

3.Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool

4.Put in food processor (or just give it a good old beat with a whisk it won’t know) and add the eggs with the motor running – for about 1 minute. Add pepper to taste

5. Allow the mixture to cool

6. Slice and put on toasted foccacia (or a good thick chunk of crusty white bread) and place under hot grill until browned and golden

7. I like mine with some roasted vine tomatoes on top and some pickle or brown sauce. Its also nice with some pan fried field mushrooms especially those you’ve picked yourself.


Hope some of you try it and like it and think hey life's good xx

Feeling cheesey

Cheese for me has always been a very special thing. Let's face it as a vegetarian there are few culinary joys in life (in the minds of meat eaters anyway). For me though cheese has always been a source of comfort. My dad used to make me cheese and pickle sandwiches (with the crusts cut off) when I was little, (not a big cook my dad but most engineering types aren't as a rule). He also introduced me to the chip and cheese butty of course which in the true spirit of pushing the boundaries I evolved to include chilli sauce and mayonnaise. As an aside which just popped into my head I also discovered that the best vinegar for application to homecooked chips is that taken out of the pickled onion jar (Mamma Clowes got me into that one).

Macaroni cheese I remember being a massive revelation, (the Midlands during my childhood were not exactly a hotbed of cosmopolitan eating you see) but I remember being truly happy with my first one, eaten at a Bernie Steakhouse if I recall correctly. To this day it is still my comfort food of choice for those rubbish days when its dark and grey and the coal man hasn't delivered and the dog's decided to investigate the dirtiest ditch in the dale and the cat of course has decided to bring me a semi dead sparrow as a special present).

I could go on forever about cheesey oatcakes (a Staffordshire delicacy) of oozing cheese and onion loveliness which never fails to conjour up home, scuffed knees and scratches from tree climbing and wanting to dash out again to make a den with childhood chums. Listen to Kate Nash's Pistacchio Nut poem and you'll get the same vibe.

Cheese scones (another recipe from the ever fabulous and sorely missed Miss B). Cheese fondue with the girlies after far too much chardonnay and cabernet, those fondue forks can be slightly tricky when a little too much vino has been inbibed.

More recently happy memories of Borough Market perusing a yummy selection and thinking its nice to know there are other people as nutty about cheese as me.

Lincoln I must admit is a hotbed of cheesy loveliness with its Farmers markets, numerous purveyors of cheese and the fabulous Cheese Society which is a wonderful place to people watch and wonder about what people do.

Before I run the risk of driving evryone nuts on the subject of cheese it may be best to end this post, especially as I am now pondering cheese and trucklement combos, a debate that could go on for hours. Here however is my favourite recipe for a particularly lovely cheese souffle. I like it with watercress salad drizzled with a balsamic dressing (sorry if that makes me sound pretentious I'm not) and buttery new potatoes on the side.

I'm off shortly as I have a sudden craving for cheese on toast, with brown sauce on the side. Even the though of it makes my mouth water.

So here is the recipe, for Double Baked gruyere cheese souffle
Double Baked Gruyere Cheese Souffle

Makes 10 (approximately) depending on the size of the ramekins – but they freeze really well

Ingredients:
8 fl oz full fat milk
8 fl oz double cream
4 oz cornflour
3 oz butter
4 eggs whole
4 eggs – separated/whites whipped
500g Gruyere cheese - grated
2 heaped tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter to grease ramekins

For Sauce per soufflé

2 fl oz double cream
Dessertspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
•Butter the ramekins and sprinkle the insides with grated Parmesan. Put a baking dish filled with hot water in the oven at 180oC ready to cook the soufflés in a hot water bath (bain marie)
•Gently melt butter in large non- stick pan and stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually add the milk & cream mixture until you have a thick sauce.
•Add grated cheese to mixture and stir over gentle heat until the sauce is smooth. Put to one side and cool slightly.
•Stir in beaten whole eggs and extra egg yolks. It may look like it has separated at this stage but keep going!
•Whisk up egg whites and gradually fold into the mixture.
•Season to taste.
•Finally add chopped parsley and stir through gently.
•Gently fill ramekins to the top with the soufflé mixture and bake for 20 minutes at 180oC until brown and well risen.
•Allow to cool and then turn out onto a tray. The soufflés can be frozen at this stage or kept in a fridge for 2 days.

To Double bake:
•Turn the soufflé out into an ear dish, the brown top on the base of the dish.
•Pour enough double cream over the soufflé to come to about ½” up the soufflé.
•Sprinkle the whole dish thickly with grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 180oC for about 10-15mins or until the cream thickens and the soufflé is nicely glazed.
•The soufflés can be cooked from frozen, but allow an additional 15-20 minutes in the oven to ensure that the soufflé is completely hot.
•Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the sauce.


I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and maybe raise a toast to me, your absent friend as you enjoy this little dish one winters eve