10/10 'Markies' for Pauline's Roast Potatoes

Mentioning roast potatoes or Yorkshire puddings in a pub can start a debate that'll go on for hours! Oven temperature, parboil or not, type of fat, they'll be argued back and forth ad infinitum. And yet, in the case of roast potatoes, it's less likely to be the way you're cooking them, as the variety of potato you use that makes the difference. Something that the bar-room chefs often overlook.

Some potatoes just don't make good roasts (or for that matter chips!). In fact, most potatoes don't make good roasts. Until recently, I'd have said that the best potatoes for roasts that were readily available were Maris Piper, King Edward's and Desiree. Use these, parboil them for 5 - 7 minutes, cook them in preheated fat (lard, goose fat, vegetable oil etc) at 190°C - 210°C, and you won't usually go far wrong.

However, at this time of year there's a break in our supply of last season's local main-crop potatoes. We've resorted to the supermarket for 'spuds' which usually means Maris piper, but recently they've made awful roasts. You see, what can happen as a potato ages is that the starches in them can turn to sugars and they then make the worst roasties imaginable! Such was the case this year and I thought I'd either got to forgo my Sunday roast taters, or resort to 'Aunty So and So's' (please believe that I'm made by a little old dear, not in a mahoosive factory) frozen ones.

However, a new variety of potato called Markies has come to my rescue. They may have a daft name, but they're a great potato for frying and roasting. We got them from ALDI; I hope they still have them when we go again, 'cos they make one of the best roast potatoes I've ever had. If they can do this so late in the season, what must they be like earlier?

If you get a chance, try them for yourselves - and don't forget to let me know what you think.

Horse or Field?

My very good neighbour Pete was kind enough to bring me some mushrooms. He got them on the airfield where keeps his glider. For those who know me, it's fairly apparent that my mushrooming experience is somewhat limited - it predates my becoming a paraplegic in 1975! As such, I'm always grateful when anyone brings me things like mushrooms.

We were discussing this at the pub the other night (the nurse allowed me out for an hour) and none of us actually knew the difference between a 'horse' and a 'field' mushroom. Hopefully, someone will enlighten us.

Pauline got a bit 'artistic' when she photographed these! She's 'sort of' replanted them:

The mushrooms were fantastic - massive but obviously very young, presumably due to the wet weather that we've been having.

I've read online about making spore prints of mushrooms. It's a way to verify that a mushroom that you are confident is safe is what you think it is.

What I could never believe is that a mushroom with light brown gills could produce a spore that's nearly black:

But, as you can see, it's true - It's amazing!

Tomato Soup a.k.a. Ghost's Blood!

Well that's crept up on me without me noticing! It's Halloween on Monday: that special day when little kids can 'mug' old people with impunity!

At this point, 'proper' bloggers would roll out a recipe for a cake with spiders, slugs, ghouls or goolies (evening vicar!). Well, my kids are grown up and if I want a cake, I'll make a cake, but I can't be fussed with all that nonsense. Perhaps I can pretend that the pear in the pear sponge cake, that Pauline made a couple of days ago, is ectoplasm or some other such nonsense!

Anyway, here's my recipe for ghost's blood, something special for Halloween (or for that matter any other time that Bob has tons of spare tomatoes!).

This is simplicity itself. I half filled a medium sized saucepan saucepan (about 18cm diameter - the middle sized one that comes in a standard set of three) with cherry tomatoes and added a medium sized onion and stick of celery, both chopped up. Cover with water or stock (I used water), season with salt and pepper, and simmer it for about about 20 minutes before liquidising. Sieve the mixture through a fine sieve, taste and adjust seasoning. It may need a little sugar if the tomatoes were a bit acidic, or some tomato puree adding to the mix if they're a bit flavourless (never an issue with Bob's!). I like to add a tablespoon or two of double cream just before serving. (omit the cream for a vegan version)

I would point out that this is the very basic recipe and method: the way to make if time is short. Whilst it's fine, greater effort will give an even better result. A couple of options are roasting the tomatoes or sweating the vegetables until cooked in butter before making the soup. You can add herbs/garlic/spices whilst cooking it or chopped soft herbs such as parsley, chervil or basil, after it has been sieved. The one thing I never add to tomato soup is anything for thickening; I think that you don't get the full flavour of the tomatoes if you do.

...and the pear sponge? Well, Pauline made it following a suggestion of mine. It was great but would have been even better had we used whole pear halves rather than chopping them smaller - my fault, as Pauline had asked me what she should do.

Good Friends

I'm a lucky man with generous friends and neighbours. In the last week alone Bob has brought me a variety of veg, Marion some tomatoes, and Glenda some apples. But the peaches from Colin are the crowning glory:

Bramley Apple Tart

This recipe shows that Bramley apples don't have to turn to 'mush' when cooked. The apples stay in well defined pieces. It makes a nice change from apple pie and is elegant enough for that 'more refined' occasion! That is, for those of you who have 'more refined' occasions! We had one once; I think it was in 1976!

For the pastry
8 oz plain flour
5 oz butter (or ½ butter, ½ lard)
1 oz - 4 oz sugar (I used 1 oz)
a pinch of salt
1 egg
milk (if needed)

For the Pastry Cream
½ pint milk
½ vanilla pod
2 oz sugar
1 oz plain flour
1 egg
pinch of custard powder (optional)

For the filling
2½ lb Bramley apples
2 oz sugar

To finish
1 Tbsp apricot jam
2 teasp water

Prepare the oven: put the oven on to heat at 190°C and put a heavy baking sheet in it to warm.

Make the pastry: rub the fat into the flour, add the sugar and salt, and then mix in the egg and a little milk (if required) to make a smooth pastry. You can do this easily in a food processor.

Make the Pastry cream: Heat the milk and vanilla pod to just below boiling point. In a bowl, mix the egg, flour, custard powder and sugar together. Pour half the hot liquid into the egg mixture whisking it as you do so. Return this to the pan and gently heat it back up stirring/whisking as you do so to avoid it sticking to the pan as it thickens. When it boils remove it from the heat and pour it into a clean bowl. Whisk to remove any lumps (sieve if necessary) and cover the surface of the cream with a butter paper or cling-film. Place on a rack to cool. It needs air circulation around and under it otherwise it will sour.

Line a pastry case: grease an 8 inch loose bottomed flan tin and line it with pastry. (There will be quite a bit left over for making tarts etc). Prick the bottom all over with a fork.

Prepare the apples: peel and core the apples, halve or quarter and cut into thin slices - if you can't do this quickly, put the sliced pieces into water to which you've added a squeeze of lemon juice.

Assemble the flan: spread about ¾ of the pastry cream into the flan case, mounding it in the middle. Drain and dry the apples and arrange them in overlapping circles on the pastry cream working from the outside, sprinkling the sugar between the layers. Reduce the size of each layer to make a 'pyramid' working towards the middle.

Cook: Put on to the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and a skewer will go through the apple easily. Remove and place on a baking rack to cool.

Glaze: heat the jam and water and mix together. Brush over the partially cooled tart to glaze and allow to cool fully.

Roast Chickpeas

Here's a quick healthy snack for all you body-conscious guys out there!

Heat the oven to 200°C. Drain, wash & dry a can of chickpeas and mix with a few drops of oil, a couple of pinches of salt and a sprinkling of any spices you fancy. I used paprika, chilli, and cumin with a little garlic powder.

Spread in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in the oven, turning them occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until crisp and brown.

Pickled Walnuts

Pickled Walnuts

Something I'd forgotten to write about is the batch of pickled walnuts I made in July. It's too late now to make them, you'll have to wait until next year as you have to pick them when they still have their green outer covering - before the shell has started to form.

The walnuts are put into a brine of 150gm salt to 1 litre water and left for a week. This process is then repeated with a fresh brine. After the second week you drain the walnuts and leave them in the sun(?) or at least somewhere dry for a day until they go black. They are then bottled in boiled and cooled spiced vinegar. Simples!

Elderflower Cordial Update

The elderflower cordial that I made using this recipe was strained and bottled after 5 days. I considered adding a campden tablet to prevent it fermenting but decided to risk it in the fridge without.

It's great with sparkling water added and also makes a superb sorbet.