Lincolnshire Sausage Paprika

This is a wonderful easy to make family recipe!

Serves 4

450g/1lb Lincolnshire Sausages
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, peeled & sliced
1 tbsp paprika
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
150g/6oz button mushrooms
300ml/ ½ pt stock
freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Dry fry the sausages until browned on all sides remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the oil and onions to the pan and fry until browned.  Add the paprika and cook for a further minute, then add the tomatoes to the pan with the puree. Stir well then add the mushrooms and stock.

3. Bring the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat then return the sausages to the pan and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

4. Serve with fresh seasonal vegetables.

Smoked Haddock & Leek Bake

Smoked haddock really is the tastiest fish - look for the uncoloured variety.  The breadcrumb and cheese topping makes a pleasant change to the usual mashed potato.  This can be made in advance and frozen until needed.

450g/1lb smoked haddock
570ml/1pt milk
1 slice onion
1 bay leaf
25g/1oz butter
2 leeks, finely sliced
25g/1oz plain flour
freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING
175g/6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
75g/3oz Lincolnshire Poacher cheese, grated

Method:

1. Place the fish in a large saucepan with the milk, onion and bay leaf.  Bring to the boil and poach until just cooked - this will only take 2-3 minutes, then allow to cool. Remove from the liquid, strain and reserve the milk then remove the skin from the haddock.  Gently flake the fish and lay in an ovenproof dish.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and sweat until soft.  Remove from the heat and add the flour, mixing well.

3. Gradually add the reserved milk, stirring well between each addition.  Return the pan to the heat and gradually bring to the boil - stirring all the time until the sauce has thickend.  Simmer for 2 minutes, season with pepper.

4. Pour the sauce over the fish.  Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together and sprinkle over the sauce.  Place the dish on a baking tray then cook at Gas 5/180C for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

5. Serve with green vegetables or a crispy salad.
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Sweet Potato & Roast Garlic Soup

Today's recipe in celebration of British Food Fortnight is a lovely warming autumn/winter treat. Perfect for a cosy lunch or wholesome starter.

Don’t be put off by the amount of garlic in this recipe, by roasting the garlic it gives the soup the most amazing flavour. Wonderful served with hunks of warm crusty bread.

SERVES 4-6

1 tbsp oil

2 large sweet potatoes

1 bulb garlic (the whole thing)

1 onion. chopped

1 head celery washed and sliced

1 leek, sliced

2 pts/ 1.2 litres well flavoured chicken or vegetable stock

seasoning

splash of cream to serve


Method:

1. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil place on a baking tray with the whole garlic bulb. Place in a hot oven for about 15 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Remove the garlic and leave to cool, continue to cook the sweet potatoes until tender.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, celery and leek cook over a gentle heat until soft.
3. When cooked remove the sweet potatoes from the oven, allow to cool slightly then remove the skin and add the flesh to the pan. Remove the skin from the garlic and add the flesh to the pan.

4. Add the stock and heat until the vegetables are tender. Blend the soup, season to taste - and just before serving add a swirl of cream.

Baked Plums with Honey Oat Topping

Our first in a series of recipes from Sally Elkington at Lincs FM Farming Programme to celebrate British Food Fortnight - look out for more every day this week and next.

British Plums are such a treat when they are in season so make the most of them. This recipe is a tasty variation of a crumble.

750g/1 ½ lbs Victoria plums

50g/2oz soft brown sugar

75g/3oz butter

3 tbs runny honey

175g/6oz oats



1. Wash and remove the stones from the plums. Layer them in a shallow ovenproof dish, a flan dish is ideal.



2. Gently melt the butter with the honey, remove from the heat and stir in the oats. Sprinkle the mixture over the plums and bake in the oven Gas 4/180C for 30 –35 minutes.



3. Serve warm or cold with cream, custard or ice cream.

Ukrainian Honey Cake

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
150g/5oz Sugar
225g/8oz Honey
125ml/4fl oz Sunflower oil
1/2 Orange, juice and zest of
2 tbsp Plain yoghurt
450g/1lb Plain flour
1 level tsp Baking powder
1 level tsp Baking soda
1 level tsp Ground cinnamon
2 level tsp Ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, honey, oil, orange juice, zest and finally the yoghurt. Using a hand mixer on a low speed, beat together until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinammon and ginger, beat slowly until they form a creamy batter. Pour the batter equally into two 900g/2lbs load tins lined with greaseproof cases and place in the centre of the oven.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until well risen. Press the top of the cakes, if firm the cakes are cooked, if not turn down the temperature to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 1 or until the top feels firm when gently pressed. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool.

Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad with a Chilli & Rosemary Dressing

Serves 4-6

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 Sprig of fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 Clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
120ml Rapeseed oil
55ml Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Runny Lincolnshire honey
Sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE SALAD:
4 tbsp Rapeseed oil
2 Courgettes, cut lengthways into 2mm thick slices
2 Red peppers, deseeded and cut into large chunks
2 Yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into large chunks
2 Red onions, peeled and sliced
1 Bunch of spring onions, trimmed and cut in half
200g Small broccoli florets
Sea salt and black pepper

Prepare the dressing by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste. For the salad, heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle pan with half the rapeseed oil and sear the courgettes on both sides until well charred and slightly soft. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl to cool then repeat with the red onion, red and yellow peppers and then again with the broccoli and spring onions. Season the vegetables as you cook them and add the rest of the oil to the pan as you need it.

Leave the vegetables to cool, then toss the cooked vegetables with a little of the dressing and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Transfer to a salad bowl and drizzle with the remaining dressing, garnish with a spring of fresh rosemary. Ideally served with BBQ meats on a sunny evening!

Black Forest Chocolate Roulade

A spectacular alternative to Xmas Pud, this roulade is full of flavour and will wow your dinner guests...

You'll need to leave the roulade in the fridge overnight to allow it to rest, so make sure you have this worked into your Christmas schedule.

5 Eggs

225g/8oz Caster sugar

180g/6oz Plain chocolate

3-4 tbsp Water

FOR THE FILLING

575ml/1pt Double cream, lightly whipped with 2tsp vanilla essence

2 tins Black cherries, drained and stoned

3tbsp Kirsch or Cointreau

Icing sugar for dusting

CHOCOLATE SCROLLS

100g/4oz Plain chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/350F/Gas 4. Line a swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper and set aside. Seperate the eggs, beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is lemon coloured.

Melt the chocolate in the water over a gentle heat and when it is a thick cream draw the pan aside. Whip the egg whites into a firm snow and then add the chocolate to the egg yolk mixture.

Cut and fold the egg whites into the  mixture and turn it into the prepared tin. Place in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Have a clean tea towel wrung out in cold water. Take out the roulade, cool it slightly then cover with the cloth. (this prevents a sugary crust from forming). Leave it in a cool place for 12 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

Lay a piece of greaseproof paper on a table and dust it with icing sugar.

Remove the cloth and turn the roulade out upside down on to the greaseproof paper. Strip the paper case off the roulade carefully and drizzle with Kirsch or cointreau. Spread with a layer of whipped cream and black cherries and roll it up like a Swiss roll.

To make the scrolls, place two baking trays in the oven on the lowest setting. Allow them to heat up and remove from the oven. Rub a 100g/4oz block of plain chocolate up and down each tray in even lines, so that it melts in a thin even coating. Leave in the fridge to set.

Before you start to make the scrolls bring the trays back to room temperature, use the edge of a fish slice and hold the tray with one hand and push the chocolate away from you at a 45 degree angle so it rolls up into a pencil shape. Leave in the fridge to set again and carefully remove. Decorate the roulade with the scrolls.

Lift it onto a serving dish and dust well with icing sugar.

Original recipe by Rachel Green. As featured in Good Taste Autumn/Winter 2009

Coq au Vin

Enjoy this classic dish on a chilly evening with friends - gorgeously warming and very satisfying!


SERVES 4

1 Chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
2 tbsp Rapeseed oil
30g Butter
20 Shallots, peeled and left whole
315g Small button mushrooms
150g Pancetta, cut into lardons
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tbsp Plain flour
400ml Red wine
100ml Cognac
450ml Chicken stock
1 Bay leaf
1 Sprig Thyme
2 tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/350 deg F/Gas mark 4. Heat half the oil and butter in a large casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces well, ensuring the skin becomes crisp and brown. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter with the oil and the shallots, mushrooms and pancetta. Cook for 10 minutes until well browned, stirring regularly to ensure even browning. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for a further minute.
In a seperate pan bring the red wine to the boil and reduce by half. Pour the cognac into a jug and light carefully with a long match. Pour into the casserole and shake the pan until the flames subside.
Add the reduced red wine and chicken stock, return the chicken pieces to the pan and add the bay leaf and thyme, seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.
Cover the casserole and cook in the preheated oven for one hour.
Serve garnished with parsley with plain boiled potatoes.


Original recipe by Rachel Green. As featured in Good Taste Autumn/Winter 2009