Double baked cheese souffle

Cheese souffle is porbably one the most notorius dishes that people acclaim to easily go wrong/ in all honesty theyre not that much of a nightmare, just be sure not to open the oven whilst cooking, and if you must, do not slam the door when closing. Other than this its pretty much plain sailing.


You will need (makes 8)


500ML OF MILK

100G OF SPINACH COOKED, CHOPPED AND SQUEEZED

30G OF BUTTER

PLAIN FLOUR TO BLEND INTO A PASTE WITH THE BUTTER

100G OF GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE

PINCH OF FRESH NUTMEG

TEA SPOON OF ENGLISH MUSTARD

4 EGGS

Double butter ramekins, this is done by buttering then freezing or chilling the ramekins then buttering again

Sauté off the spinach with seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg

Chop up the spinach then squeeze to remove water

Blend heated butter with flour to make a paste

Put the spinach into milk pan and bring to the boil once simmering

Beat the flour paste into the spinach milk until a smooth sauce is created

Add the cheese, nutmeg and mustard stir in to form a smooth sauce

Allow the cheese sauce to cool, while the sauce is cooling separate the eggs and beat the egg white into stiff foam

Mix in the egg yolks into the cheese sauce

Fold in the egg whites

Pour the mix into each of the ramekins leaving a 1 cm from the top

Bake for 8 minutes then cool and fridge

Plum Relish

Given my recent love for plums i decided it would only be fair to provide a recipe for a plum relish - its especiallly nice with cheese and meats on a cold platter, or even as a dipping medium for finger food. You can even use it as a spicy start for a plum sauce if you're stuck for time. With this in mind it goes well with all kinds of poultry and most game. In fact it goes with pretty much anything, it plums are your thing. If like me you can get plums very cheaply (hello reduced shelf) then by all means make some of this, it keeps for quite a while when sealed and kept cool.

Ingredients
Makes a very big batch so adjust accordingly..

5 red onions thinly sliced
4 Garlics crushed
5 Red Chillies deseeded and finely sliced
500g of Soft brown sugar
250ml of Apple juice
8 Eating apples, peeled and cored then thinly sliced
30 plums stoned and quartered
Small thumb of ginger peeled and finely diced
Small punch of Allspice

Add all the ingredients into a thick bottom pan and bring to the boil

Simmer for about an hour and stir frequently or until the liquid has reduced to a syrup

Keep in sterilized kilner jar.

Red Onion Marmalade

image courtesy of 1.bp.blogspot.com

This recipe gives a wonderful accompaniment to so many dishes, and is a wonderful ingredient for so many more. It can be used as a shorctut to red wine sauce and similar, used as a glazing ingredient for roast meats, or just on its own with meats, pates, and cheeses or even on sandwiches.

Ive made a batch of this recently and am going to give it away to lucky people as xmas gifts, which im sure will be well received. Once tried, never forgotten

It does however take some time to make. But don't be put off by that - the wait is very much well worth it. The only downside to this dish is the potential crying session in preparation due to the onions.

You will need:


1.5k of red onions thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced.
Heavy pinch of rock salt
5 bay leaf
Half a handful of rubbed thyme & rosemary
Black pepper
120g of soft brown sugar
80ml of wine vinegar
2 table spoons of dry sherry
400ml of red wine
100ml of port
120g of pitted chopped prunes


Add onions to the pan e to begin with on a low heat, stirring occasionally. They should soften nicely and when they begin to stick slightly, it shows the sugar is releasing from the onions. At this point add the vinegar, sherry salt, and sugar. When the liquid has turned to a syrup, add the herbs, garlic, bay leaves  and prunes and the wine. Simmer stirring occasionally for 2-3 hours.

Allow to cool & store in a kilner jar. Keeps for up to 2 months dry, or longer refrigerated.