My Recipe Book - Do you have a favorite?

[mothernature]

I would like any of you out there with your favorite recipes to contact me at [email protected] / or [email protected] I am thinking about putting together a Cook Book with recipes that are as close to nature as possible, no processed foods/ingredients, only fresh + seasonal fruit and veg, even the odd hedgerow/wild ingredients are to be included. Anyone got one? Your help and recipies would be greatfully appreciated...xx

Blackberry & apple jelly .

Soupy: what are your favorite recipe ingredients for this then?

Jam sugar, apples and blackberrys. Quantities/varieties of fruit depends on what I've got (no idea what my 2 apple trees are) or how much I've managed to pick from blackberry bushes!

It's based on Delia's Quick Bramble Jelly recipe from the Delia Smith Complete Cookery Course - differences are (1) I can't be ar$ed to strain it and (2) I use mixed apples/blackberries up to the specified fruit quantity. It's such a glorious colour! I have a berry picking trip lined up for a local park in Autumn.

No one else got any?

Give them chance, it's only been 45 minutes

Most of my recipes are direct from recipe books and therefore subject to copyright or made up on the spur of the moment in which case I can't remember them!

sorry its just I go to work shortly and wanted to have some to think about while I was there, you know the sort of thing, anything else but work... just though I would bump it up as it had dissapeared an all.. etc etc etc..xx

Hehehehe... I'll have a think for you.

I do a good but embarrassingly easy fruit syrup. We usually use it on pancakes, but it can also be chilled and used on ice cream or with whipped cream or whatever.

Directions:
pick fruit (anything works)
pick over, rinse, plop in heavy saucepot
put some sugar or honey over it
cook slowly-ish until fruit softens/pops/whatever - stir to mix in the sugar
taste and add more sugar or honey if necessary

Used to make sloe gin when we lived close to a blackthorn bush, not sure that's quite what you have in mind though.

Bramble and apple pie
Elderflower wine
Elderflower cordial

will seek out recipies...

Bramble and apple pie - use ¾ lb / 325g of ripe brambles (blackberries) to 1¼ lb / 550g of apples. Add 2 tbsp water put in dish. Roll out 225g shortcrust pastry to fit dish. Cover dish with pastry. Bake for 40 mins at 200 deg C (gas 6)

Elderflower wine
Ingredients (to make four gallons of wine):

64 heads of Elderflowers
4 kg of granulated sugar
4 sachets of bakers' yeast
3 oranges
3 lemons

Instructions

1. Cut the stalks from the elderlowers, leaving only the flowers. Discard the stalks.
2. Put hot water into a large pan.
3. Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil.
4. Sterilise the fermenting bin and rinse with clean water.
5. Add the elderflowers to the water in the pan and stir well.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. After 20 minutes, remove as many of the elderflowers as possible, using a strainer.
8. Pour the hot liquid through the strainer into the fermenting bin.
9. Cover the fermenting bin and allow the liquid to cool to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Slice the oranges and lemons and put them into the liquid.
11. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the liquid. Do not stir. Put the top on the fermenting bin.
12. On each of the next three days, stir the liquid and re-cover.
13. The initial fermentation should cease after about 21 days (when bubbles have stopped rising to the surface).
14. Sterilise and rinse the demijohns.
15. Remove the oranges and lemons from the wine and transfer the liquid to the demijohns. Put an airlock containing water in each demijohn.
16. Put the demijohns in a cool place. Ensure that the airlocks are topped-up with water when necessary.
17. When no more gas is escaping through the airlocks, replace them by corks.
18. Leave the wine for a year in a cool place before bottling.

Elderflower cordial
20 elderflower heads;
1 lemon (sliced);
2tsp citric acid;
3 1/2lb sugar;
2 1/2 pints boiling water.
Put all the dry ingredients into a clean pan. Pour boiling water over. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Skim. Cover with a cloth or lid. Stir twice daily for five days. Strain through muslin and bottle in clean sterile bottles. Use to make diluted drink with still or sparkling water, or freeze to make sorbet.

thought of aanother one:

Wild Mushroom Risotto - we use mushrooms found along the river bank and local wood - VV important to know what you are picking!!

350g wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
125g butter
350g arborio rice
1 litre good stock
110g fresh parmesan
1 tbsp best olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large pan bring the stock almost to the boil
2. In another pan melt the butter and sweat the onion until softened but not brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.
3. Add the rice, stir well and cook until well coated and slightly translucent.
4. Add a ladle of hot stock and let it simmer gently until absorbed by the rice. Add another, and so on, until the rice is cooked (15-20 minutes).
5. Check the seasoning and stir in the olive oil, remaining butter and a couple of spoonfuls of grated parmesan.
6. Serve at once with the rest of the parmesan on the table.

Gingerbear - are you Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall?

Thanks gingerbear, just the sort of thing I'm looking for, come on ladies I'm sure there are some WI's out there and some 'Lifeboats savers' with recipes to share, even if its beans on toast with a twist please email me..

Obviously no one can be bothered its either that or no one cooks naturally any more, looks like I will have to do my research the old fashioned way and gather info from scouring old books and local people for old recipes. Still when I do get them I can pass some on to you lot

MN, we have an old book that my grandmother used. I made pork something with daylillies once. It's not here, but I'll get you the name when I have it again (in about three weeks). You'll have to remind me, though. Do it through CAT, because I won't be able to check mumsnet regularly then (will be on holiday).

But are you putting together a farmer's market cookbook or something like that? I've found the farmers have their favourite ways of cooking the things they sell. It's usually simple and very good.

We try to cook with seasonal stuff, but easy things like grilled veggies, couscous with whatever is around, bruschetta, salsa... and usually they're sides or snacks.

The problem with this now is that, with supermarkets, everything is in season and "local" all year round.

My intension is to put together a book of recipes that are:

1. Seasonal to the area. (much fresher and tastier in my opinion )
2. Simple with no addatives. (Less chance of be preserved forever..all those E numbers..)
3. Cheaper. (without being nasty, saving me lots of money to spend elsewhere..)

I want to get back to 'natures way' None of those imports, just fresh & local produce (which of course will help local economy) with backyard/hedgerow herbs etc..to add to the flavour.. what do you think?

mothernature,
I hope this hasn't died a death

Willow, no I am not HF-W, although my hair bears a passing resemblance to his some days.

Having lived in the country for 10 years, you get to know all the yummy stuff that can be used. (Now I sound like a cross between HF-W and the bushtuckerman!!)

I would deffo get to know what stuff is being sold at local farmers' markets.

Our nearest one is 10 miles away, but the local market place has just had a facelift, and there are plans for a Sunday FM. Yippee!

Hi gingerbear thanks for taking an interest in this, its something that will take me a while, but I am doing it, we have a Sunday FM every month & every 3 months we have a european market, yummy runny chesses and spicy meats, but I wish to use local produce, hedgrow and farmed..will let you know in the future so watch this space....