Cookbook

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.

I peel the quince, cut them …

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.

I cook …

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 …

We love the rhubarb and custard tart I make in the Spring so come summertime I like to do the same with gooseberries. I think it may be a recipe by Delia Smith that I have adapted to suit us.

I make a basic shortcrust pastry: 200 g of plain flour, 100 g of butter and 3 tablespoons of caster sugar mixed to the consistency of breadcrumbs and bound together with a little water. I then roll the pastry out in a greased, loose-based tart dish, pricking it with a fork to avoid air bubbles in the tart.

I spread …

Gooseberry season is upon us and our three bushes have given us a decent harvest. We have two varieties so some are green and very tart and others are pink and sweeter. I mix them up when I use them.

I top and tail 250 g of gooseberries and put them in a pan with three tablespoons of caster sugar. I heat gently to dissolve the sugar well and simmer until the fruit break down and becomes rather pulpy. I help that by mashing them gently with the back of a fork. Then I leave it to cool completely by …

With an abundance of rhubarb at this point in Spring, I like to make batches of cordial to enjoy both now and later in the year. This is the first preserve of the season.

I follow a simple recipe with one kilo of rhubarb but it can be adjusted if you have less. I put 600g of caster sugar in a large saucepan with 600ml water. I bring this to a simmer before adding the zest and juice of two oranges and two lemons then I add 1kg of rhubarb (washed, trimmed and chopped) and a generous slice of fresh …

This is a dessert I make when we have an egg glut as our hens' eggs are rich in taste and colour so really make this dish.

First, I make the caramel in a saucepan with 150 g of caster sugar and 50 ml of water. When this reaches a dark golden colour, I pour it in an oven dish (or small ramekins that can go in the oven).

Then, I turn the oven on to 160 C (or gas mark 3) and pour 1 L of milk in a pan with half a vanilla stick or a teaspoon of …

Another creative use for the courgette glut! This cake is light and moist with an infusion of citrus and spice. I think I first came across it, years ago, in a National Trust cookbook.

First, I grate 200g of courgettes and add in one egg, 140g of caster sugar, 110ml of vegetable oil and the zest of one lemon. In another bowl, I mix 200g of plain flour, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp of baking powder and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Then, I combine it all until the mixture is just blended, …

This tasty savoury loaf makes an interesting use of the courgette glut and is perfect to take on summer picnics. The mustard and cayenne pepper gives it a real kick.

I usually make it as a loaf but it works well as individual muffins too, especially the bite size ones that look great on grazing platters.

First, I melt 75g of butter and leave that to cool a little whilst I grate 250g of courgettes. Then, I sift 225g of self-raising flour into a bowl with a little less than 1/4 tsp of salt (we are watching our salt intake!), …

By about now in the summer, we start to get creative with our courgette glut. Here is a recipe for courgette fritters that we like.

Easy to make, with staple ingredients and deliciously crispy, these are filling enough to just be served with a green salad, or a rice salad or with new potatoes. For an extra kick, Peter likes to eat his with a good dollop of our homemade chilli jam.

I grate 2 small or 1 medium courgettes, skin and all. Then I add 2 beaten eggs, 125g of plain flour, 50 ml of milk, 40g of grated …

This cake is a great way to make use of a glut of beetroots. I usually bake it and freeze half of it to keep when a cake is needed at short notice.

The beetroot compliments the rich, dark chocolate very well and makes it moist and sweet. A winner, in our books! It is a Mary Berry's recipe that is more like a traybake than a cake. I cut it and serve in square slices.

I keep the half destined for the freezer as naked and I ice and decorate it as I please when it is defrosted.

I …

I often make this light, thin custard when I have a glut of eggs. It is absolutely delicious on its own or as accompaniment to other desserts like meringues, fruit pies and crumbles or with poached egg whites and caramel for the traditional, iconic French sweet called île flottante.

As it uses egg yolks only, I usually make a batch of coconut macaroons with the whites. They keep well in an airtight container or I share them with a friend who loves coconut!

The recipe is from my ancient, French Tupperware Cuisine cookbook that I packed with me when I …

Inspired by a recipe found on the BBC GoodFood website, I decided to adapt it to make use of a glut of homegrown blackcurrants. I have a couple more favourite blackcurrant cake recipes but I think this one trumps them all.

I have made lemon drizzle cakes many times but not a blackcurrant one and I was not disappointed! It has the same crunchy sugar coating as a lemon drizzle, with a moist and buttery inside dotted with the deliciously sweet but tart blackcurrants. A layer of blackcurrants on top really makes this easy cake not only delicious but also …

This light and refreshing dessert has been so popular with us this Summer that it has earned its place in our online cookbook.

I have made it several times, serving it to family and friends who all enjoyed it, quite a few having seconds!

It is delightfully fragrant and I serve it frozen or almost frozen by taking it out of the freezer a little while before serving.

It is a Mary Berry recipe, for 6 people. I serve it in small coffee cups or ramekins, topped with homegrown berries like redcurrants, blackcurrants, strawberries and raspberries, whatever is growing in …

At this time of year, early Autumn, the hedgerows along the lanes where we live are abundant with berries. As the blackberries come to an end, the rosehips, haws and sloes are ripening. We also have a few elder trees in the garden so elderberries are plentiful too.

A delicious way to bottle the goodness from all these berries is to make a syrup. Traditionally, it is made with elderberries and rosehips and falls into the medicinal category of syrups to fight Winter colds and viruses as the berries are rich in Vitamin C. I make mine with elderberries and …

You can't beat homemade granola! I make it in batches that fill a large jar and serve it to guests in the shepherd's hut in the breakfast basket I deliver to them. For that purpose, I make a quirky "Granola Pot" by using a kilner jar and filling it with a layer of fresh fruit and a layer of Greek yogurt topped with the delicious granola. Guests love it! So do we!

I mix 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, 125 ml of maple syrup, 2 tbsp of honey and 1 tsp of vanilla extract into a large bowl. Then I …

I sometimes make ratatouille on the hob but this recipe uses the oven. Roasting the vegetables in the oven, I find, makes the most flavoursome dish that I like serving with either plain boiled rice or as a topping for jacket potatoes. It also goes perfectly with fish. When the vegs are in season and abundant in the garden (I don't always use aubergines as I have not yet grown them successfully), I make batches of ratatouille which I bottle and story in the pantry for later.

INGREDIENTS: - 2 medium courgettes, diced with skin on - 1 small aubergine, …

My mum used to make green tomato jam to use up unripe tomatoes at the end of the season. I find that adding ginger and vanilla makes this jam very tasty. It is particularly delicious with porridge and Greek yoghurt but also simply on bread and butter or toast.

INGREDIENTS:

2 kg green tomatoes - 1 kg of caster sugar - 1 vanilla pod - a 5cm chunk of fresh ginger, peeled - juice of 1 lemon

METHOD:

Cut the tomatoes and remove the seeds if desired. Chop them into small pieces then weigh them. You will need half that …