I love cake.  Duh . . . no surprise there right?  Well, I don't bake a lot of cakes because usually there is far too much of it for just my husband  and myself. . . . 

What makes a perfect burger???   They may be considered "Fast Food," but making a perfect burger is somewhat of an art form . . . I don't believe that you get too many really good burgers in fast food joints actually . . . how can you??  They pump them out like cookie cutters . . . the main aim being to cook and sell as many as possible as they can.

 

I want a burger that tastes of something . . . that tastes of beef . . . that has flavour and texture . . . moist and delicious. The key to a really good burger is to use a medium fat coarsely ground grade A beef . . . ground brisket  or chuck makes a great burger.

 

I like to add grated onion and minced garlic to my burgers, along with some mustard, salad dressing and herbs.  You can use parsley, oregano, basil, summer savoury, marjoram . . . you want an herb that goes well with beef and all of those are winners.  I also add an egg to help bind it all together, but you can leave it out if you want to.

 

Next you will want to use a very light hand when mixing them together and shaping them.  Handling them too much toughens the meat.  Light and easy is the way to go.  I pop a little dimple into the centre of my burgers before cooking.  This helps to keep them flatter when they are cooking.  I don't like my burgers to be too puffy.

 

You want to cook them from a chilled state and try hard to refrain from pressing them with a spatula when you are grilling them.  Pressing them only forces out the juices and you don't want to do that.  You want them to retain as much of their meat juices as possible.

 

Grilled until golden brown on both sides and tucked into a toasted bun with your favourite toppings, you have a burger worthy of being called a GREAT burger!  Today I added a slice of Leicester Cheese to the top of each and let it melt down and then I topped each with some fresh sliced mushrooms that I had fried in a bit of butter.  Some lettuce and freshly sliced tomatoes and we were good to go!

 

 *Perfect Burgers*
Makes 4

It is wise not to use totally lean ground beef when making a burger.  You want a little bit of fat to help keep them moist and flavourful!

1 large free range egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small onion, peeled and grated
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 pound medium ground beef

Beat together the egg, mustard, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and salad dressing  Crumble the beef into a bowl.  Add the beaten mixture and gently mix in with your hands or a fork.  Try not to handle it very much.  Use a light touch.  Gently shape into 4 balls,  Flatten out to burgers about 3/4 of an inch thick.  Make a depression in the centre of each burger.  This helps to keep them from  puffing up too much whilst cooking.    Lightly oil a grill pan.  Heat until hot.  Cook your burgers for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until they are cooked through and no longer pink inside.  Don't press them with a spatula whilst cooking.  This causes juices to be lost.  Once done tuck them into warm toasted buns and serve immediately along  with your favourite toppings.

I am always on the look out for a good chicken breast recipe.  We eat a lot of chicken in this house, and it mostly comes in the form of breasts, because they are relatively healthy and low in fat.



It's so easy to get them all wrong though . . . because they are so lean and low in fat . . . that also means that there is a fine line between cooked and overcooked.  

 

There is no end to the variety of berry tarts that you can find to satisfy your sweet tooth, and your greedy eyes on the net you know . . . each one looking more decadent and delicious than the last . . . this is the time of year for berries . . . and as you all know, I am a great lover of berries.

 

No surprise then . . . I also love berry tarts.  This is a recipe that I have had in my file to make for several years now.  I've adapted it from a Waitrose Seasons cookbooklet, from the summer recipes edition for 2009.

 

After having made these the other day . . .I have to confess . . .  they are quite, quite, quite fabulous . . . seriously so.



First there is the sweet dessert pastry, which is slightly sweet, and buttery . . . and oh so crisp.



Then there are the berries.  I used blueberries and raspberries the other day . . . my strawberries being to large to really fit into the shells . . . these are the perfect red, white and blue dessert tarts for summer holidays . . .

 

The creamy custard is unctuously delish . . . light and rich, without being overly sweet.  It is simply vanilla custard folded into softly whipped cream . . . napped over the berries like a lovely . . . soft . . .  little cloud . . .


The three together are totally, utterly, impossibly . . .  irresistable!!  I kid you not!

 

Not only that, but they are the perfect portable dessert.  You can just carry your ingredients to the venue . . . the crisp tart shells, that beautiful custard cream, a bowl of those lucious berries . . . and put them together on sight.  Easy peasy . . . lemon squeasy!



I can't believe I waited three whole years to make these!!  I can tell you it won't be three years before I make the next bunch!!

 

*Mixed Berry and Creamy Custard Tarts*
serves 4
Printable Recipe

Fabulous  fresh berries in a crisp sweet pastry shell and topped with a creamy custard.  Delicious!

200ml of milk (7 fluid ounces)
2 free large range egg yolks
20g of caster sugar (5 tsp)
1 1/2 TBS plain flour
1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
150g of sweet dessert pastry (enough for 4 4-inch tarts)
100ml of double cream (6 3/4 TBS), softly whipped
200g of fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc.  (about 2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. 

First make the custard.  Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and bring just to the boiling point, over gentle heat.  Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla paste together in a heatproof bowl.  Pour on the hot milk, whisking continuously.  Clean pan and return the warm mixture to it.  Cook, over medium heat, whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer.  Pour into a bowl.  Place a piece of cling film over top, pressing it to the surface, and set aside to cool completely.

Divide the pastry into four pieces.  Roll each piece out into a round large enough to line a 4 inch loose bottomed tartlet tin.  Prick the bases all over with a fork.  Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden.  Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for an additonal 5 minutes.  Remove from the tins and cool compltely on a rack.

Fold the softly whipped cream into the cold custard.  Spoon the berries into the pastry cases and top with the custard mixture.  Dust with icing sugar prior to serving.

 

If you are looking for some more ideas to indulge in on a summer picnic this year, why not indulge in my newest Cookbooklet, The Great British Picnic!  Available  at a bargain price of only £5.  Check it out along with my other cookbooklets by clicking on the Cookbooklets Tab above!

Filled with over 36 new recipes, including several types of flavoured mayonnaises, flavoured butters, beautiful sandwiches, delicious spreads and dips, a tasty assortment of salads, a variety of cool soups, refreshing beverages, picky bits, cakes and general scrumminess, all perfect for celebrating the summer season in a very British Picnic Way. (We are great picnickers over here!) There's something here for everyone, including my "Top Tips for Picnic Success" and "Chic Ideas" for creating a "Very Stylish Moveable Feast!" Interspersed between all this scrumminess, there are witty quotes and my own delightful water colour illustrations! Pick one up today before this offer is quite simply . . . gone!  *pouf*

 

 

Sigh . . . the sun did not shine . . . it was too wet to play . . . so we stayed in the house . . . all that cold, cold . . . wet day . . .  (Thank you Dr Seuss!) 

The perfect day to bake scones. An English scone recipe is  the epitome of the perfect scone recipe.  There are many other scone recipes that are just as tasty however, and these wonerful scones are what I consider to be one of my best, if not the best scone recipe I have in my portfolio.

 

Boy, oh boy, have we ever had a wet week!  I think it's probably safe to say that drought conditions will soon be lifted in this country . . . we've had more rain in this past week than we had all winter!  

This is the kind of weather than can get you down if you let it . . . really and truly.

 

The grass is really green though!  And the roses are blooming profusely. You have never seen roses til you hav seen an English Rose. 

 Tis something you can really appreciate and admire  from  the comfort of a dry and warm armchair . . . through the window. With a hot cuppa in one hand and a tasty scrummy scone in the other.

 

Yep . . . nothing tastes better on a rainy day.  Well, that's my opinion anyways! 

I adore scones.  Any day really. Dry. Wet and inbetween.  They are just one of those things that get my tastebuds to tingling overtime!

 

You all know how much I love blueberries . . . they are one of my favourite things, hands down!  Mmmm . .. des bluets . . . c'est le monde de mon coeur.  C'est magnfique!!  C'est si si si bon!!  Bien sur . . .




Today I decided to switch out my favourite Strawberry and Mint Scones . . . and change them to  Spiced Blueberry Scones . . . coz . . . one, I love these scones . . . and two, I love blueberries. 

You may want to check out the strawberry version of these as well. They are tres magnifique! And I don't say that lightly.



But for now blueberry and here they are! Ta da!!  

Beautifully buttery and short, with just the faintest hint of spice . . . cardamom and cinnamon . . . and topped with sweet wild blueberry preserves . . .then baked until crisp and brown on the edges.

I like to use Bonne Maman preserves. They are my favourite and have the best flavour as well as having a high ratio of fruit in them. I hate jam that is all sauce and no fruit.



Once cooled, these scrumptious babies are then drizzled with a lightly spiced lemon drizzle icing.

These always, ALWAYS turn out fabulously delicious!  Moreishly Scrummy!!!  Nom Nom Nummy!!!!

 

I bet YOU can't eat just one. If you can, you are a much better person than I am. 

I find it impossible to stop at one, but then again  . . .  it is like that with most things.  I am so naughty. These also freeze well without glazing, just so you know!

Makes 14
Printable Recipe

Crisp on the outsides, soft and buttery on the insides and scrummily moreishly good. 'Nuff said.

280g of plain flour (2 cups) plus more for dusting
95g caster sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 TBS unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
240ml of double cream (1 cup heavy cream)
wild blueberry preserves (I like Bon Maman)

For the drizzle:
130g of icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
pinch ground cardamom
1 TBS lemon juice
hot water as needed

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Line two baking sheets with baking parchment paper.  Set aside.

Sift the flour into the bowl of a  food processor.  Add the sugar, baking powder and salt.  Blitz a couple of seconds to mix.  Drop in the butter cubes.  Blitz until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Transfer to a medium sized bowl.  Stir in the cream with a fork, mixing it in until the mixture forms a soft dough.  Knead several times to bring it all together.  Lightly dust the countertop.  Tip out the dough.  Pat out to a large circle (about 10 inches in diameter) and 1/2 inch thick.  Cut out with a sharp 3 inch round fluted cutter.  Place onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving soem space in between each for spreading.  Reroll any scraps and repeat until you have used up all the dough.

Gently make an indentation in the centure of each with your thumb.  Spoon about half a teaspoonful of blueberry preserves into the centre of each.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden brown and they are dry and golden brown on the bottoms.  Remove from the oven and let stand for about five minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl together with the ground cardamom.  Whisk in the lemon juice and enough water to give you a smooth and drizzable consistency.  Drizzle this icing across the cooled scones.    Let set for 30 minutes before serving or storing.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

 

I had some leftover chicken which I wanted to use up, from having roasted Nigel's chicken last night.  (It's a very very very good roast chicken recipe by the way, moist and tender, and scrummily browned!)  I could have done any number of things with it . . . but then . . .

 

I got to thinking back to when I was a girl.  My mother used to host the odd luncheon party at our home.  Usually I was at school when these events were going on, but I got to watch the preparations . . . and if she was doing finger sandwiches, I got to eat the crusts that were cut off.



They always tasted so good for some odd reason.  She'd have thrown them all into a bag and we could just snack on them after school.  There would be little brown bits of bread with egg salad clinging to some of them . . . and perhaps deviled ham to others . . . scrummy yummy.

 

I always watched her preparations with longing.  I could hardly wait to grow up and have these kinds of parties of my own.  Those ladies would sit down to feasts of finger sandwiches, and perfection salad . . . crisp and flakey biscuits slathered with deliciously creamy Chicken à la King . . . tea breads spread with butter, and tiny tarts filled with lemon or jam, or pretty . . .  sweet berries, sitting atop the pastry like little coloured jewels.

 

Everyone was all prettied up in their nicest afternoon dresses, pretty little hats, patent leather purses and pumps . . . the air was filled with laughter and giggles and women's chatter.



Of course when I worked as the Chef at the Manor, I got lots of practice at cooking for luncheons . . . there was never anything as simplistic as this Chicken à la King dish . . . those were ladies of a different class . . . not for them simple things . . . their tastes ran more to smoked salmon, and rich soups . . . fancified salads, and terribly fiddly desserts . . . most often the plates would come back to the kitchen . . . hardly touched . . .

 

Not that the food wasn't par excellence . . . but rich women don't really eat do they . . . they taste and then push the food around on their plates . . .  all the while longing to actually eat what was there, but fearful of looking like a glutton in front of the rest or putting on an ounce . . . sad really.

 

Anyways, it was fun for me to get to stretch my abilities and cook all those different things . . . but my heart longed for simpler times, and simpler ladies . . .

 

or was I only looking at things through rose coloured glasses . . . and the fancies of a daughter's memories??

 

Todd and I feasted on this tonight.  We both enjoyed . . . a bit indulgent yes . . . but worth every delicous morsel.  Once in a while you just have to treat yourself.

 

I don't know why dishes like this have gone out of fashion . . . it's really very, very good.

 

*Chicken à la King*
Serves 2 to 3
Printable Recipe

Delicious chicken in a well flavoured velvety sauce, served over baking powder biscuits or flaky patty shells.


6 white cupped mushrooms, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
3 TBS red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 TBS butter
1 1/2 cups velouté sauce
2 poached small chicken breasts, cut into cubes (1 cup of meat)
1 medium egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 TBS dry sherry
2 TBS chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
fine sea salt and ground white pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the mushrooms and chopped bell pepper and saute until softened, without browning.  Add the sauce along with the chicken breast meat.  Gently heat through.  Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce and use it to temper the egg yolk, carefully, beating constantly.  (Add it a little at a time so as not to create scrambled egg.)  Return the yolk/sauce mixture to the pan along with the sherry, the parsley and heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon over split warm baking powder biscuits or flaky patty shells.