Pickled quince is my favourite accompaniment to cheese or Winter salads. Probably the last preserve of the year, I find it such a special way to turn this humble, old-fashioned fruit into a seasonal delicacy that captures all the tastes of Autumn.
I make this with around 5-6 quince, depending on their size. In a heavy-based saucepan, I add 800ml of apple cider vinegar, 450g of brown sugar, 4 cloves, 5 allspice berries, 5 black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves and I bring it to the boil gently to ensure the sugar dissolves well.
My favourite way to make the most of our abundant homegrown summer herbs is to make herby salt. I learnt this idea from Sue at The Bridge Cottage Way a few years ago and since then, I have made a few jars each June, usually around the Summer Solstice. Family and friends are keen to place their orders ahead of time. It is such a lovely way to share the bountiful supply of herbs we grow in our garden and to spread a little of the Summer Solstice cheer with everyone.
First, I gather the herbs: purple sage, rosemary, oregano, …
In preparation for planting our this season's veg, I had to clear the veg plot of some of last year's chard so I decided to make a gratin with it.
I don't follow a particular recipe for this, neither to I weigh anything but here is what I do to create this earthy, filling dish that can be served as a side for grilled meat or roast chicken, or as a main with a green salad.
First, I boil some potatoes until they are just undercooked (you want them still firm and they finish cooking in the oven) and then …
We love a rhubarb crumble but when there is a glut, we need to be creative to make the most of this abundant springtime fruit (or is it a vegetable??). I have shared on here previously the recipe for rhubarb cordial (April 2023), a favourite of ours. As I often make lemon curd when we have an egg glut, I decided to adapt the recipe and method to make a delicious rhubarb curd.
Making this curd is not quick as, with any curd, slow is key. However, your patience and efforts are rewarded with a jar that combines the wonderful …
Wild garlic season is upon us and the young, tender and oh so pungent leaves are so delicious in scones. Or wedges as I have shaped them here. I bake several batches while the leaves keep coming and I store them in the freezer to make this foraged offering last a bit longer.
I have adapted a basic savoury scone recipe with a few additions to complement the wild garlic. I mix 200g of plain flour and 50g of cold butter (I use unsalted) in the mixer and then I add 2 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of caster …
Guests who have stayed at our shepherd's hut will have received my homemade Welsh cakes as a welcome gift. This is how I make them, following the simplest recipe by Mary Berry.
In a bowl, I mix 225g of self-raising flour with 100g of margarine or butter (I use butter) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then I add 75g of caster sugar, 1/2 a teaspoon of mixed spice and 75g of currants. In a little measuring jug, I beat one egg with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and I then pour this into the mixing bowl and mix …
By Midwinter, the homemade mincemeat made in the Autumn has sufficiently matured to be used for mince pies. I also like to make mincemeat flapjacks for a festive touch.
I make the flapjacks by melting 100 g of butter in a saucepan with 100 g of demerara sugar and 1 level tablespoon of golden syrup. Then I stir 150 g of rolled oats and mix very well. I then press half the mixture into a lined square tin, spread a few tablespoons of mincemeat on top of that then I press the rest of the buttery oats mix.
October sees me getting ready for festive cooking: Christmas cake and mincemeat benefit from being made well in advance for the flavours to work their magic until the festive season. First up to be prepared is mincemeat which I make in the slow cooker. I use grated apples as well as dried fruit and less sugar than shop-bought versions. I love it in porridge too but not until we have had our fill on mince pies!
I make it with: 450-500g cooking apples (cored, peeled and grated), 115g glacé citrus peel, 115g glacé cherries (chopped), 115g dried apricots (chopped), 115g …
If there is a particular recipe that signals the transition into Autumn and the harvest season for us, it has to include apples, despite the abundance of everything else. We like a rustic Dorset Apple Cake for the cinnamon that complements apples so well. It works really well as a warm pudding with hot custard for a real autumnal treat.
I use a recipe from The BBC Good Food website. I heat the oven to 180°C or 160°C for a fan oven and butter and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Then I mix 225g of self-raising …
This is good way to use up cucumbers during a glut. A jar goes a long way and its tasty contents spice up a plain sandwich and make the perfect accompaniment to many dishes. This recipe is from Riverford's Guy Watson and it's published on their website.
First, I prepare the cucumbers and onions in advance by slicing them thinly (the recipe is based on 5 cucumbers and 1 kg of onions). Then I layer them with 80 g of cooking salt in a bowl and I weight it all down with a heavy plate for several hours, after which …
