All posts by Heather

Twice baked cheese souffles

Starters

  • 4oz grated parmesan
  • 8 fl oz milk
  • 1 1/2 oz flour
  • 1oz butter
  • salt/pepper/grated nutmeg
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 egg whites stiffly beaten
  • 12 fl oz double cream

Make a white sauce by putting the milk and flour in a saucepan over the heat and whisking constantly until thick. Add the seasoning, butter and a little over half the grated cheeseand stir to combine. Add the egg yolks and stir to mix. Fold the egg whites in gently but thoroughly.
Butter six individual ramekin dishes and fill 2/3 with nthe mixture. Place in a bain marie of hot not boiling water and place in the oven at 160(fan oven) for 15-20 mins until firm. Butter six individual gratin dishes and scatter with a little grated cheese. Unmould the souffles carefully and place upside down on the cheese. They can now be left like this for a few hours. When ready to serve pour cream to come half way up the souffle, sprinkle with the last of the cheese and place in the oven at 180 for 15-20 mins untilthe cream is nearly all absorbed and a golden gratin has formed

Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake

Desserts, Karen's Recipes

  • For 22cm springform caketin
  • 250g shortbread fingers
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 200g white chocolate
  • 400g cream cheese
  • 200g fromage frais
  • 250g strawberries – 2/3 choped and rest sliced to decorate
  • Extra white choc to melt and drizzle over the top

Crush biscuits and mix with melted butter.

Press into base of caketin.

Melt chocolate on low heat in microwave and set aside.

Beat together cream cheese and fromage frais.

Add chocolate and chopped strawberries.

Spoon onto biscuit base and chill for 4 hours.

decorate with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of melted white choc

St Agur, Avocado & Pecan Salad

Holidays, Salads, Vegetarian

  • Chopped assorted salad leaves-I used baby spinach, rocket and little gem.
  • Tomatoes-about two small for each person
  • finely sliced red onion-only a very small amount
  • Half an avocado per person
  • Six pecan halves per person- roughly chopped
  • a few thin slices of courgette(optional)
  • 1oz St Agur cheese cut into small cubes
  • 1 rasher back bacon grilled and cut in small dice
  • An extra mustardy vinaigrette

Chop leaves into fork sized pieces and toss with a little vinaigrett in a bowl. Put in individual bowls.
Add chopped tomatoes, onion, avocado scooped with a teaspoon into small bits, pecans, courgettes, bacon and cheese. Grate over some black pepper and add a little more vinaigrette to each bowl- not too much or you overpower the other flavours.

tomato base sauce

Sauces & Dressings

  • Olive oil
  • 1 small leek
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 small courgette
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/4 butternut squash
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 tins chopped tomatoes

Chop all the veg roughly
Heat a good splash of olive oil in a big pan, add all the veg, cover and sweat gently for 10 to fifteen minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the tomatoes, season, and simmer for half an hour. Blend with a stick blender until smooth then check seasoning.

This can then be frozen in smaller amounts and used as needed. Add chopped cooked suasage or tinned tuna or cooked bacon, black olives etc etc as the fancy takes you.

Chocolate cream dessert

Desserts

  • 6oz fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • 6oz grated milk chocolate
  • 2oz demerara sugar
  • 2tbsp drinking choc
  • 1 pint double cream
  • 1 chocolate flake to decorate

Mix dry ingredients together
Lightly whip cream
Place alternate layers of choc mix and cream in a glass bowl ending with a cream layer.
decorate with a crumbled Flake.
Leave for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.
Store in fridge.