I only very rarely ever buy ready made salad dressings, preferring to make my own.

When I was growing up I am not sure there was such a thing as store bought salad dressing. If there was, my mother never ever bought it, for she always made her own as well.



She learned how to make a proper vinaigrette when we lived in Germany from the German Landlady of the GastHof which we lived over top of.



As a child I watched her mix one together every Sunday afternoon in the bottom of a green plastic bowl. She would eyeball her measures, measuring in oil and vinegar and a bit of sugar. Then she would slice raw onion into it for it to macerate. Those salads were so tasty. Plain, simple. Delicious.



I think every good cook should know how to make a simple vinaigrette. It's indispensable and will come in very handy to dress any variety of salads, raw vegetables or even cold meats.



The hotel I first worked at as a young pastry chef back in the early 1970's had a very popular first course that consisted simply of delicious ripe raw tomatoes, sliced and drizzled with a vinaigrette.



The salad you see here to illustrate my dressing, is a simple salad of baby gem leaves, toasted walnuts, crumbled stilton cheese and some sliced green apples. Pears are also very good. Normally I would also add thinly sliced spring onion, but alas . . . I did not have any. Remember always that your dressing will only be as good as the quality of vinegar and oil you use. Good quality medium priced is adequate, better quality expensive ones are better. Cheap ones are nasty . . . in my opinion of course!



*Basic French Vinaigrette*
Makes 3 cups
Printable Recipe

This is a basic French Vinaigrette Dressing. You can change the flavours of it by changing the flavour of the vineger or by adding a variety of herbs. It all depends on what you want to serve it with.

1/2 cup good quality red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil
1/2 cup good quality olive oil



Put the vinegar, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic into a glass jar. Screw on the lid tightly and shake well. Add the oils, recover, and shake again, vigorously to combine. Chill thoroughly for several hours for the flavours to blend properly. Shake again before using. This dressing will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Note - You can add fresh herbs, such as chopped parsley, basil, thyme, etc. With fresh herbs it won't last quite as long. You may also add finely chopped red onion. Experiment with a variety of vinegars. Balsamic, or Cider are particularly good. With Cider vinegar I always add a touch of liquid honey. This is great on fruit salads!

I always have a bowl of lemons on my kitchen counter here at Oak Cottage. They come in handy for so very many things. It seems I am always cooking something that requires a bit of lemon zest of a squeeze of lemon juice . . .

I think they are my most often used fresh ingredient . . . next to potatoes, that is . . .



When I have the sniffles, there is nothing better than to have a lovely cup of hot lemon tea, boiling water infused with the juice and rind of a lemon and a bit of bruised ginger. I don't know if you could exactly call it a cure all . . .

but it sure helps the soul to feel better, if nothing else. Tea and comfort in a steaming cup. It's great for whatever ails you . . .



Another thing you will always find lurking away on the shelves of my larder, are jars of lemon and orange curd.

Most often I like to make my own, as it really is quite easy, and oh-so-very delicious . . . but . . . then again, sometimes you need some right away and you just don't have the time or the energy to make any from scratch.

It is at times like these that jar of lemon curd comes in very . . . very . . . handy.





Days like today. . . . when I wanted something distinctly lemony, and yet, at the same time, moreishly moist and cakey.

Tangy and sweet all at the same time. Something that I could sink my teeth into and say to my soul . . . mmmm . . . this is satisfying, delicious and very . . . very . . . very good.

The only thing that could possibly make this better is to spread more lemon curd on slices of it and then . . .

enjoy to your lemon heart's content . . .



*Lemon Drizzle Cake*
Makes one loaf
Printable Recipe

I think this is one of the easiest and tastiest cakes in the world to make! You just bang everything into the food processor and blitz it for two minutes and then pour it into your pan. Half an hour later you have a delicious cake sitting on the counter to cool! Moist and lemony, this is a real winner!

5 ounces self raising flour
4 ounces softened butter
4 ounces white sugar
2 heaping dessertspoons of lemon curd
2 large eggs
the grated zest of one lemon
the juice of 1/2 lemon
TOPPING:
the juice of 1/2 lemon
2 TBS of sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 175*C/about 34o*F. Lightly butter a loaf tin and line it with parchment paper. Butter the paper and set it aside.

Put all the cake ingredients into the food processor and blitz for 2 minutes. Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf tin.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until well risen, nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven. Leave in the tin and place on a wire rack to cool. Mix the other 1/2 lemon juice and 2 TBS of sugar together, stirring to blend well. Drizzle over top of the still very warm cake, and let set for a few minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely. (I make sure that I leave a bit of overhang with the parchment paper when I put it into the pan so that I can use it like handles and just lift the cake out when done!)

Mmmm . . . this is so good dusted with some icing sugar and then sliced and spread with some more lemon curd for eating. Delicious!!

Sometimes I just like to cook a simple supper for Todd and myself. Nothing too fancy, or involved . . . using simple ingredients and cooking methods . . .

Omelettes are the perfect simple supper and very economical in these credit crunch days.



They also very adaptable as you can fill them with pretty much whatever you have to hand . . .

chopped fresh herbs, peppers and spring onions . . .

chopped tomatoes and little bits of leftover ham and bacon . . .



broccoli and cheese . . .

you name it, pretty much anything goes . . .



Today it was some lovely sliced chestnut mushrooms, chopped chives and a good farmhouse cheddar cheese . . .



with a delicious side salad and some buttered toast it went down a real treat. Sometimes I think the simplest meals are the best and tastiest of all, don't you?



*Cheesy Mushroom Omelettes*
Serves 1
Printable Recipe

I have given the proportions here for one omelette. I find it much easier to cook one at a time and keep them warm on plates in a low oven until I am done them all. Mind you . . . with there only being two of us, I only ever make two. These make a delicious, economical and surprisingly filling supper!

1 1/2 TBS butter
a generous handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
25g good quality strong cheddar cheese, grated
(I used a good farmhouse cheddar)
1 TBS freshly chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large free range eggs



Melt 1/2 TBS of the butter in a small nonstick frying pan. Once it is sizzling add the mushrooms. Allow them to sit without stirring them, for several minutes until they begin to brown. Cook, like this, shaking them occasionally, until they are nicely browned. Too much stirring brings out too much liquid and it is best to agitate them as least as possible. Scoop them out onto a plate while you proceed.

Beat the eggs together with a fork, until the white and yolk are totally amalgamated.

Melt the other 1 TBS of butter in the same frying pan. When it begins to sizzle, tip in the eggs and swirl them around the pan to cover the bottom. Cook until almost completely set. Season with some salt and pepper and sprinkle the chives over top. Scatter the grated cheddar over one half and then then sprinkle on the cooked mushrooms. Fold the other half over top of the mushrooms and cheese and slice the omelet out of the pan onto a warm plate.

We like to have this with some buttered toast and a salad.

Back home in Canada, this is Thanksgiving weekend. If I was over there I'd be in a flurry of baking pumpkin and pecan pies, peeling a ton of spuds . . .

peeling carrots, and turnips and making a huge pan of dressing to serve with the gargantuan turkey waiting in the fridge. . .



Cranberries would have been bought and turned into two lucious sauces . . . one cooked and the other a relish . . .

Dough would be rising to be made into fluffy rolls, and apple cider would be chillin in the cooler.



I'd be busy freshening rooms, plumping beds and putting out fresh towels in the baths, making ready for the onslaught of family due to arrive . . .

Kids, and spouses and grandkiddies . . .



alas, I am over here, so none of that will happen.

I tried to do Thanksgiving over here once . . . nobody understood it, or really got into it. It was just not the same . . .

If I was having my family over, I'd be sure to make them these. Tasty single serving sized little puffs, all scrummy with an almond filling tucked underneath the apple and a spicy maple glaze gilding their tops . . .

Instead I just make them for Todd and I, and dream of Thanksgiving's gone by, as I stare out the kitchen window at the falling leaves . . .



*Spiced Apple Puffs*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

These delicious tarts are incredibly easy to make and yet so impressive when they are done. Who wouldn't like a mini apple pie, in a deliciously flakey crust with an almond filling hidden beneath the apple. Glazed with maple syrup and mixed spice, it makes the perfect autumnal dessert.

50g butter, softened
50g icing sugar, sifted
50g ground almonds
1 X 375g pack of ready rolled puff pastry
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut in half, cored and then sliced thinly
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 TBS amber Maple Syrup (Grade B)
1 tsp mixed spice
Creme fraiche to serve



Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Place the butter, icing sugar, and almonds in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. It will look like this is never going to happen, but bear with it . . . all of a sudden like magic it will be creamy and smooth!

Unroll the puff pastry and cut 6 three inch rounds out with a sharp knife. Place some 2 inches apart on a baking sheet which you have lined with parchment paper. Divide the almond mixture between each, spreading it out and leaving a narrow border around the outside edge of each tart. Arrange the apple slices on top, trying to keep the shape of the half apple as best as you can, but allowing them to fan out a bit. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg, trying not to let it drip down onto the parchment paper.

Bake the pastries for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven.

Stir the mixed spice and Maple Syrup together and brush this mixture over top of the tarts. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of creme fraiche on each. Delicious!

I think my favourite comfort supper of all, especially on a cold and rainy day, has got to be tomato soup with a toasted cheese sandwich.

The soup all rich and full of ripe tomato flavours . . .




The Sandwich all crisp and buttery and filled with oodles of meltingly rich cheddar cheese . . .

I got to thinking about that at work today . . . the rain pelting down on the windows was so miserable and I was longing for comfort . . . and then I had the thought . . .



what if you combined the two . . .

You know . . . like onion soup . . .



the rich tomato soup laying beneath a toasted crouton covered in lucious cheese, all melted and bubbling on top.

The idea of it was all I could think about the whole morning through.



I could hardly wait to get home so that I could make it.



It was gorgeously scrumptious, comforting and . . . very . . . very . . . moreish.



*Cheese Crusted Tomato Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Tomato soup and grilled cheese has to be the epitome of soulful comfort food. I have combine the two here in a delightfully delicious combination. This has real wow factor.

For the soup:
2 TBS butter
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
24 ounces chicken stock
3 ounces tomato paste
1 400g tin of chopped tomatos
1 heaped TBS dried basil
salt and black pepper to taste
For the Cheese Crouton:
2 large crusty rolls
6 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
chopped fresh parsley to garnish

First make the soup. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until very fragrant. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, tomatoes and dried basil. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. It is at this point where you can blitz it with a stick blender and make it really smooth if that is what you like, or you can blitz it just a little bit so that it is still a bit chunky.

Heat the grill to high. Cut the ends off of each of your rolls and then cut the middles into two thick slices. Toast them on both sides under the grill.

Place four heavy soup bowls on an oven tray. You want bowls that will be safe under the grill. Ladle the hot soup into the bowls, dividing it equally amongst the four dishes. Float a slice of toasted bread on top of each, then sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese evenly over top, again dividing it equally amongst the four dishes.

Slide the tray with the filled soup bowls under the grill and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the grill and serve immediately with a garnish of chopped fresh parsley on top of each. Enjoy!

Note - Warn your eaters that the bowls will be hot!

I picked up some beautiful little blueberries yesterday at my local shop that were quite tiny in size and for once they didn't come from Poland! Not that I am against Poland per se, but I do like to use British Ingredients whenever I can. These ones came from Surrey.



They were almost as small as the wild blueberries from back home and I knew just the perfect thing to make with them.



My delicious Blueberry scones.

They went down fabulous with this lovely green tea.



*Blueberry Scones with Lemon Drizzle Icing*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe

These lovely scones are tender and moist and oh so very delicious. Chock full of blueberries and covered with a lucious lemon drizzle icing these are pleasing on all levels. Use only fresh blueberries in these as frozen ones will bleed and spoil the look of this lovely scone.

225g plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS caster sugar
5 TBS cold, unsalted butter
250ml of double cream (1 cup plus 2 TBS)
8 ounces fresh blueberries, toss with 1 TBS flour (1/2 pound berries)
Lemon Drizzle:
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 cup)
280g of icing sugar, sifted (2 cups)
1 TBS unsalted butter



Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Add the cold butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and dump in the cream all at once. Stir with a fork just to combine, without overworking the dough. You may need a bit more cream. The dough should be soft, but not sticky, nor crumbly. Fold in the blueberries, leaving any excess flour out. Gently mix them in without crushing them.

Pat the dough out onto a lightly floured surface into a 12 by 3 1/2 inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Cut into 4 equal squares, and then cut each square diagonally into even triangles. You should have 8. Place onto a lightly greased baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool somewhat before glazing.

To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a microwave proof bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and stir to melt the sugar. Add the butter and place in the microwave. heat for 30 to 45 seconds on high. Whisk again to smooth out any lumps and then drizzle decoratively over the warm scones. Let set before serving. Delicious!!

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.

Rice was not something that my mother ever cooked for us when I was growing up. I think it was because my dad liked meat and potatoes. I was an adult before I ever tasted rice, and that was at a chinese restaurant! (and to be honest, I was a bit afraid that I wouldn't like it, or how it felt in my mouth) I was totally wrong. I fell in love with it.



High in nutrients, rice is a great source of insoluable fibre. Rich in carbohydrates and low in fat, it's a pretty healthy choice. (as long as you aren't on a low carb diet that is) Rice is an extremely healthy food for a number of reasons. Rice is a complex carbohydrate, which means that it contains starch and fiber. Complex carbohydrates are digested slowly, allowing the body to utilize the energy released over a longer period which is nutritionally efficient. It's low in sodium and gluten free. With only trace amounts of fat and no cholesterol at all, it's pretty good for people on diets, and it's not surprising that most of the world relies on rice as a major part of it's diet.



I love Basamati rice most of all. I could just sit and eat a bowl of it and nothing else.

I especially love this particular recipe of mine where I combine it with rich coconut milk, ginger, red chili flakes and nuts.

It's mmm . . . mmm . . . good.



*Ginger Spiced Coconut Rice*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is my absolute favourite rice recipe. It has a bit of heat from the candied ginger and the red pepper flakes, but this goes very well with the coconut flavour. This goes great with most Asian dishes.

200g of basamati rice (1 cup)
1 400ml tin of coconut milk
2 ounces water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp tumeric
1 tsp grated fresh ginger-root
finely chopped crystallized ginger (a heaped dessertspoon)
toasted sliced almonds (a small handful)



Rinse the rice under running cold water. Drain and place in a saucepan along with the coconut milk, water, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes, tumeric and fresh ginger-root. Stir well to combine. Cook over medium high heat until the mixture just begins to come to the boil. Reduce heat immediately to low, cover, and cook on low for about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover again and let sit for 5 miore minutes. Garnish the finished rice with the candied ginger and the toasted nut flakes. Delicious!

Note - Don't forget that it's really important to cool cooked rice down quickly before storing, and to reheat it thoroughly to a high temperature before using again. Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning. When the rice is cooked, the spores can survive. Then, if the rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores will germinate into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Reheating the rice won't get rid of these toxins. The longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that bacteria, or the toxins they produce, could stop the rice being safe to eat. It's best to serve rice when it has just been cooked. If that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour) and keep it in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating.

Remember that when you reheat any food, you should always check that it's steaming hot all the way through, and avoid reheating more than once.