I am feeling a tiny bit under the weather today so I hope that you don't mind a repost from about 2 1/2 years ago now.  Nobody minds an impromptu tea party do they? 

I thought not . . .  so here we go.   And then we had tea . . .



These cold dismal and dreary January days can get one a bit down after a while. Day after day of drizzle or snow . . . very little sun . . . blah, blah, blah.

Here's one way to perk them up and bring a bit of sunshine into your life! Have a tea party! You don't need anything special . . . or even to invite a whole bunch of people over. Some of the best tea parties of all happen when there's just two of you and a dog!



All you need is a table spread with a fine cloth and some tea . . . in a pot of course, (today we had blackberry and mint and it was delicious!) and cups and saucers.

The perfect afternoon tea should begin with some delicious savouries . . . finger sandwiches, sausage rolls, little toasts, savoury pastries . . . followed with scones (if you wish) and a selection of fancies and cakes.



I decided early on during this particularly dreary day that I was going to treat Todd and I to a traditional English Afternoon tea party. He had no idea what I was up to, as he sat upstairs engrossed in his war games on the computer.



Things don't always go to plan though . . . do they. The dog mischeviously ate half of my first Victoria Sponge when my back was turned. Bad doggie. I seized the engine on my new baby sized food processor, chopping the glace fruit for the florentines. Bad idea. Chop it by hand.



Never mind we got there in the end and Todd was so surprised when I called him down to lunch and he saw what I had been up to.



We sat there smiling and sipping and nibbling . . . all was right with the world, drizzle or not, dog eaten cakes . . . it was fun, plain and simple.



Don't forget to use your pinkies!



*Finger Sandwiches*
makes 18 to 24
Printable Recipe

What would afternoon tea be without a plate of tasty sandwiches? (Choose 3 of the below fillings)

12 thin slices of white or wholemeal bread, crusts removed
(I just buy the bread that already has the crusts removed,
easy peasy, lemon squeasy)
room temperature butter, for spreading
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired

For the egg and cress filling:
2 TBS good quality mayonnaise
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest from an unwaxed lemon
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
a handful of mustard cress

For the Gentleman's Morsels:
1/4 pound shaved roasted ham
apricot jam, seived
Dijon mustard

For the Roast Beef:
1/4 pound thinly sliced rare roast beef
horseradish mayonnaise
a handful of rocket leaves

For the Parma Ham and Fig filling:
1/4 pound of parma ham
1 ripe fig
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp olive oil
handful of rocket leaves

For the Stilton and Pear filling:
50g of Stilton cheese, thinly sliced (1/4 pound)
1 ripe firm pear



To cut sandwiches, lay your hand on top of the sandwich and lightly press down. Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut diagonally into quarters or lengthways into 3 fingers.

For the egg and cress sandwiches, thinly butter 4 slices of the bread. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, egg and season with some black pepper, folding together well. Spread evenly on half the slices of bread. Sprinkle with the cress and top with the remaining 2 slices of bread. Cut as above.



To make the Gentlemen's Morsels., thinly butter 4 slices of the bread. Spread 2 slices with seived apricot jam. Spread the other 2 with Dijon mustard. Lay the ham evenly over top of 2 slices and top with the other 2. Cut as above.

For the Roast Beef, thinly butter 4 slices of the bread. Spread 2 slices with the horseradish mayonnaise. Top with the roast beef and season to taste. Sprinkle with the rocket and top with the other 2 slices of bread. Cut as above.

For the Parma Ham and Fig sandwiches, thinly butter 4 slices of bread and fold ham on top of two of them. Cut the fig into thin wedges, remove and discard the skin and then arrange the wedges on top of the ham. Whisk the vinegar and oil together. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the figs. Top with rocket and the remaining slices of buttered bread and cut as above.

To make the Stilton and Pear sandwiches, thinly butter 4 slices of bread. Arrange the stilton over 2 slices of the bread. Slice the pear into thin wedges, removing and discarding the core, then arrange on top of the cheese. Season with black pepper, then top with the remaining slices of bread and cut as above.



*Dark and White Chocolate Florentines*
Makes about 24
Printable Recipe

Sticky, crisp, chewy, gooey. Moreishly addictive.

50g of butter (3 1/2 TBS)
50g of caster sugar (2 TBS)
3 TBS double cream
25g of flaked almonds (1/4 cup)
75g of mixed nuts, chopped (Pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.) 3/4 cup
4 glace cherries, chopped
50g of mixed glace fruits (apricots, pineapple, peel, angelica) chopped (1/3 cup)
25g of plain flour (1 heaped TBS)
50g of white chocolate
(2 ounces)
50g of dark chocolate
(2 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Gently heat the butter, sugar and cream together until the butter melts. Bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Stir in the nuts, cherries, fruit and flour. Mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and gently press back the edges with a rounded knife to keep a round shape. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before carefully peeling off the paper and setting on a wire rack to cool completely.

Break the white and dark chocolates into individual bowls. Melt carefully in the microwave without over-heating. (Be careful as white chocolate burns easily.) Alternatively melt in bowls over simmering water. Spread over the bottoms of the florentines, coating half with white and half with dark. Let set before serving.



Ohhh . . . doesn't she have a longing and innocent look on her face? I think half a cake is more than enough don't you?

For the last fortnight over here in the UK , we've been celebrating all that is good about British Food in an annual event called British Food Fortnight! It is a time when we, as a nation, have been encouraged to buy and cook British produce and meat, poultry, fish, etc. Supermarkets all over the country have been promoting British Goods. Food Festivals have been held all over the nation. Schools have been celebrating and promoting it and there have even been contests where you can win big PRIZES, like £1000 in cold hard cash.



I like to think that I promote British Food and Cookery most of the time. After all, this is The English Kitchen. Each month I talk about which foods are in season here in the UK and I try to cook with those foods as much as possible. I try to use only free range British produced meats and poultry, and organic wherever possible, and I also use local produce whenever I can.



It only makes sense to source, support and use products that have been produced locally. Not only is it better for the environment, by lessening our carbon footprint, but I am a firm believer that strawberries only really taste good during Strawberry Season, and none are better than Kent Strawberries, eaten whilst the summer sun is still warm on them with straw still clinging to their leaves. A hard cold strawberry imported from another country at another time of the year just doesn't come close. And so it goes with most things.

Can anything taste any better than real British Asparagus picked in the spring right here in our own Country? How can any lamb but British lamb taste any better? Lamb that has gone right from the local farm, into the butchers and onto our plates. Does it make sense to bring it halfway around the world?



I know I am a bit late in getting the news out there. I mean . . . the event actually ends tomorrow, but then again . . . I like to think that it is British Food Fortnight here at Oak Cottage and in my English kitchen, every night of the year.

And so it goes . . .



If you're looking for a traditionally tasty, easy and economically typically British supper dish look no further. Welsh Rarebit it is. There is only one question that begs to be answered . . .

is it RAREbit . . . or is it RABbit???

I vote for the rabbit. (I used a rich and creamy Davidstow Cheddar for this, along with some tasty Poachers Ale . . . yum, yum good!!)



*Welsh Rarebit*
Serves 2 as a main course, or 4 as a starter
Printable Recipe

Moreishly cheesey and very, very tasty!

4 large thick slices of white sandwich bread
1 heaped tablespoon of finely chopped sage leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
6 ounces Mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 rounded teaspoon of mustard powder
4 TBS brown ale
1 large egg, beaten
few drops Tabasco sauce
pinch cayenne pepper



Pre-heat your grill to high. Place the bread onto a grill pan and toast under the heated grill on both sides, until crisp and golden brown.

Mix the cheese, sage, onion, mustard powder, ale, beaten egg and tabasco sauce together in a bowl, until very well mixed. Divide equally amongst the 4 slices of toast, spreading the mixture completely to the edges of each silce. Sprinkle each with a light dusting of cayenne pepper. Place under the heated grill again, grilling until the cheese is melted, and golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately along with some salad on the side.

I've had this little book in my bookcase(s) for a while now. It's one that I picked up one time when we were visiting a National Trust Place. It's called




*Featherlight Wholewheat Cake*
Makes one 7 inch two-layer cake
Printable Recipe

This is only a small cake, just perfect for a tea party. With the icing having been made with cream cheese,
it is best eaten on the day. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

For the cake:
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
4 ounces soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
2 large free range eggs, separated
1 TBS cold water
4 ounces whole wheat self raising flour, sifted (1 cup)
(Be sure not to throw the bran away after sifting, stir this back in)

For the filling and icing:
7 ounces low fat cream cheese
2 ounces icing sugar, sifted (1/2 cup)
3 ounces toasted walnuts, chopped (a scant cup)

To Decorate:
9 toasted walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter two 7 inch round sandwich tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat together the eggs yolks and water. Beat into the creamed mixture, beating it in hard. Fold in the flour. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold in. Divide the mixture equally amongst the prepared tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Beat together the ingredients for the filling until light and fluffy. When the cake is completely cold, place one layer, right side up on a plate. Spread with half of the filling. Top with the other cake, right side up and ice with the remaining icing. Decorate with half walnuts. Cut into wedges to serve.

Note: I added a layer of seedless raspberry jam on the bottom layer before I put on the walnut cream cheese filling. Fabulous addition!

Note - If you wish to make this ahead, leave out the lettuce and the croutons until just prior to serving.   Bon Appetit!

I sometimes will pick up a Rotisserie chicken at the grocery store as a real treat. They are always so tasty and moist. Usually we eat it just as it is, but sometimes I turn it into a tasty casserole or delicious salad. You can often get them marked down as well, depending on what time you get to the shops. In fact they sometimes give you a better deal if you buy two . . . so you can eat one as a roast chicken on the day, and strip the meat off the other one for use on another day.



I know, it might seem rather lazy, and it is . . . but there are days when you just have a lot on, and will be in and out . . . and there just isn't enough time to cook anything much proper . . . a rotisserie chicken beats the heck out of a burger meal or the like! Along with some veg and a packet of steamed rice, you've got a tasty nutritious meal ready in no time at all!



This is one of my favourite salads that I like to make with the meat. Not only is it very quick to make, but if you use low fat mayonnaise it is not all that bad for you at all. With the added crunch of toasted walnuts and the sweet tangy spice of some mango chutney, it is chock full of flavour, and colour! We like it at any rate!



*Chicken Salad with Chutney, Coriander and Lime*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A great lunch salad that makes good use of a rotisserie cooked chicken. If you use low fat mayonnaise it is also relatively low in fat and calories. It also makes a delicously scrummy sandwich filling!

250ml of low fat (or regular) mayonnaise (1 cup)
125ml of mango chutney (1/4 cup)
1 plain roasted chicken (approx 3 pounds)
3 1/2 ounces of chopped toasted walnuts (3/4 cup)
2 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped
1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, trimmed, seeds discarded, and chopped
a handful of fresh coriander, chopped (cilantro)
3 limes, divided
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
a small head of Boston or garden lettuce

Place the mayonnise into a large glass bowl.Cut any large pieces of mango in the chutney into small dice, and then add the chutney to the mayonnaise, stirring well to mix.

Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Cut the meat into 3/4 inch cubes. Stir in the walnuts, celery, red pepper and coriander, mixing all in well. Juice 2 of the limes and add 3 TBS of the juice to the chicken salad, stirring it in to mix. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (you can make it ahead up to 4 hours at this point. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.)

To serve, arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on each of 4 chilled plates. Mound a portion of chicken salad on top of each. Slice the remaining lime into 1/2 inch wedges and garnish each portion with a wedge of lime.

I've always found recipes, cooking and food very interesting. I've been collecting recipes since I was 7 or 8 and have always found the chemistry of it fascinating. I can be cooking a cake, for instance, and I will start to think and ask myself questions . . .


Questions like, who was the first person that put flour, eggs, fat and sugar together and came up with cake? And why? What inspired them to do so?



I have always found it amazing that, by combining just a few simple ingredients together, you can create something totally edible and wonderfully tasty. . . and that you can then take the same ingredients and put them together in a different way, using a different method and come up with something equally as delicious, but totally different!




For instance . . . you can put together a starch (bread), some cheese and sliced tomatoes, and then, with a bit of seasoning, you have a scrumptious cheese and tomato sandwich . . .

or . . .



change the starch to a pie crust and layer in the tomatoes and cheese, add a bit of onion and herbs, and some mayo . . .

and you have a deliciously moreish summer pie!



*Country Tomato Pie*
Serves 4-6
Printable Recipe

This is a really tasty supper dish, just perfect for these summer days when the tomatoes are ripening on the vine fastet than we can get them used up! I also make this in the winter, but I use tinned tomatoes then. I use one tin of chopped tomatoes, and I drain them really well, and then, I squeeze as much moisture out of them as I can.

2 to 3 large tomatoes
1 small bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced
1 TBS julliened fresh basil (roll several leaves into a cigar shape and cut crosswise)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 to 1 cup good quality mayonnaise (I like to use French Mayonnaise)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 partially baked 9 inch wide, deep pie shell



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. If you are using fresh tomatoes, peel. This can be very easily done by cutting a small x with a sharp knife on the bottom. Dip into boiling water and leave for 30 to 40 seconds. Remove from the boiling water and plunge into ice water. The skin should now easily slip right off.

Slice the tomatoes into thick slices. Place them in layers into the pastry shell, sprinkling each layer with some spring onions, basil, salt and pepper. Mix together the mayonnaise and the cheese. Spread this mixture over top of the tomatoes. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the filling is nicely browned.

Remove and allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices to serve. Delicious!

One thing I eat a lot in my home is chicken.  I adore chicken in any way shape or form.  I absolutely love chicken casseroles of any sort, or chicken salad, chicken sandwiches (hot or cold), etc.

I don't always have time to roast a chicken so that I have leftover cooked meat available for these things however and I live really far away from Costco so bringing home a Rotisserie chicken is also not that easy for me these days either. 

The local grocery store does do them, but they cost $14.99 a pop, which is a far cry from the cost of one from Costco to be honest.  A Rotisserie chicken in my house is now a very rare treat.

Also speaking from a singer person who lives on her own's point of view, I don't always have the time or inclination or budget to roast a chicken just so I can have cooked chicken to use for these things. I can however very easily afford to poach chicken to use for these things.

I can poach as much or as little as I want as well, which makes it a much more affordable option for myself. You can also poach chicken thighs if you enjoy their flavor more than the breast meat.  

Poaching is one way of cooking chicken that always results in moist and delicious chicken meat, ready to enjoy just as is or for use in other dishes.  It's also very easy and simple to do.

Today I used chicken breasts.  You can use anywhere between 1 and 4 chicken breasts.  Place them into a saucepan large enough to hold them.  You can overlap them if you need to, just so long as its only by a small amount.

Cover them with cold chicken stock to a depth of at least one inch above the chicken.  Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs (Today I used thyme.)  You can also add a few whole peppercorns if you wish and or a few slices of fresh lemon. You can also add salt, depending on how salty your chicken broth is.

Bring the chicken stock to the boil over medium high heat. There will be some foam that will rise to the surface, which is perfectly normal. If you are planning on using the stock for soup, you can skim this foam off and discard it, otherwise just leave it as it causes no harm.

 

Reduce the burner temperature to medium low, cover and simmer for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Thinner cutlets will only take about 8 minutes, larger pieces as much as 15. 

The chicken is fully cooked when it registers 165*F/74.8*C in the thickest part of your chicken. You can also cut into the chicken to see if it's cooked through. The juices should run clear and not be bloody and your chicken should in no way be pink.

IN SALADS  

SANDWICHES

CASSEROLES/MAINS