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Savoury Oat Crackers

March 1, 2011 By Delia

Great as part of a picnic, or to use as a snack for a day at home – these crackers are very easy to make, and very tasty. You can easily add some flavouring to them to make each batch a bit different, and of course, you can shape them however you want!

To Make 12
100g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing
90g Rolled Oats
25g Wholemeal Flour
1/2tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1tsp Dried Thyme
40g Walnuts, finely chopped
1 Egg, beaten
40g Sesame Seeds

1. Heat an oven to 180C, and lightly grease two medium sized baking trays
2. In a large dry bowl, rub the Butter into the Rolled Oats and the Flour using just your fingertips, until it begins to cling together and then start to stir in the Walnuts, Salt and Thyme.
3. Add the Egg and mix to form a soft dough. Spread the sesame Seeds out on a large shallow dish (it can be a plate or tray). Break off small pieces of the Dough (around Walnut Sized would be good), and roll into balls, before covering in the Sesame Seeds.
4. Place the balls into the greased baking trays, then flatten them using a Rolling Pin of the palm of your hand, to get them as thin and as flat as possible.
5. Bake in the oven for around twelve to fifteen minutes, or until firm and light gold.
6. Remove from the oven, then cool on the baking tray for three to four minutes, before placing on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Serve with various Pates and dips to get a good snack.

Photo Courtesy of: papertygre

Leek Pancakes with Watercress Sauce

February 24, 2011 By Delia

To make this batter very smooth and light – as it would be best, prepare it using a Food Processor or Blender. The more air bubbles that are in the mixture, the lighter and fluffier the pancakes will be.

This batter makes eight pancakes, however, you can easily adjust the quantity to make more or less –depending on what you need.

To Serve 8
125g White Plain Flour
1 Egg
300ml Milk
Salt and Pepper
1tbsp Snipped Fresh Chives
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
25g Butter
3 Leeks, trimmed and cut into thin strips
125g Button Mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1tbsp Chopped Sunflower Seeds
50g Edam Cheese, grated
1 Bunch Watercress, trimmed and chopped
2tsp Capers
2tbsp Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
Grated Rind and Juice of ½ Lemon
3tbsp Vegetable Stock

1. Put the Flower into a bowl and make a well in a centre. Add the Egg, half the Milk, and beat until smooth. Beat in the rest of the Milk, add Salt and Pepper, then add the Chives.
2. Lightly grease a baking tray, with the Vegetable Oil, tilting the pan to cover the sides and base completely. Pour away any excess Oil, before heating the pan up.
3. Pour in just enough Batter to coat the base, and cook for one or two minutes until light brown, before turning over and cook the other side. Repeat this process to make eight pancakes.
4. Keep the pancakes warm. Meanwhile, melt the Butter in a heavy based Frying Pan. Cook the Leeks for around five minutes or until soft. Add the Mushrooms to the pan, cook for a further two minutes, then add the Parsley and Sunflower seeds, stir in well. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.
5. Lay the pancakes out, and divide the mixture from the pan into eight. Spoon down the centre of each pancake, then arrange in a shallow ovenproof dish.
6. Puree the Watercress and Capers in a food processor with half of the Olive Oil, and process until smooth. Slowly add the rest of the Oil, Lemon Rind, Lemon Juice and Garlic, and enough Vegetable Stock to make the mixture smooth.
7. Pour the Sauce over the Pancakes, and sprinkle with the Cheese. Bake in the Oven at 190C for twenty minutes until Golden and hot through.

Photo Courtesy of: heliosphan

Chicken and Sweetcorn Chowder

January 21, 2011 By Delia

A quick, easy to make and delicious soup with a range of flavours and textures in this dish. It’ll keep overnight, so it’s okay to have for two days running, but don’t freeze it.

If you prefer, you can remove the Chicken from the soup when tender and cooked, in order to be served separately.

To Serve 2
2tsp Oil
15g Butter
1 Small Onion, chopped finely
1 Chicken Leg Quarter, or 2-3 Drumsticks
1tbsp Plain Flour
600ml Chicken Stock
½ Small Red, Yellow or Orange Pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
2 Large Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2tsp Tomato Puree
200g Can of Sweetcorn, drained
1tsp Dried Oregano
1/4tsp Ground Coriander
Salt and Pepper

1. Heat the Oil and Butter in a medium Saucepan over a medium-low heat, and fry the Onion gently until it begins to soften.
2. Halve the Chicken Quarter, and fry in the pan with the Onions until golden brown all over.
3. Add the Flour to the pan, and cook for a further two minutes, before adding the Stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, and simmer for five minutes.
4. Add the Pepper, Tomato, Tomato Puree, Sweetcorn, Oregano and Ground Coriander, and season to taste. Cover and simmer for twenty more minutes, until the Chicken is very tender.
5. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Chicken from the pan, strip the flesh and skin from the bone, and chop finely. Return the meat to the pan, and season to taste again.

Serve fresh from the pan, along with crusty rolls or bread.

Photo Courtesy of: Stu_spivack

Vegetable Strudel

January 12, 2011 By Delia

Apple Strudel, a traditionally Sweet dish is given a re-vamp with this Savoury twist. A range of vegetables included in the dish transforms a personal favourite desert into this – great for a starter, main course, or as a snack.

It can be frozen once cooked, and then heated up, so it’s a good dish to have as a back-up in case you need something for short notice.

To Serve 6
150g Butter or Margarine
2tbsp Olive Oil
450g Waxy Potatoes (such as Maris Bard or Wilja), peeled and diced
450g Carrots, peeled and diced
225g Leeks, trimmed and sliced
1 small bunch Spring Onions
450g Spring Greens, thick stalks removed and shredded
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
1tbsp Lemon Juice
300ml Fromage Frais
Ground Mixed Spice
Salt and Pepper
4 Large Sheets Filo Pastry
75g Ground Almonds
Poppy Seeds

1. Melt a third of the Butter with half of the Olive Oil in a large saucepan, before adding the Potatoes, Carrots, Leeks and Spring Onions for four or five minutes stirring all the time. Add 125ml of Water, lower the heat, cover and cook gently for ten to fifteen minutes. Leave to cool.
2. Heat twenty five grams of the butter with the rest of the Oil in a large pan, add the Garlic and Greens, then stir fry for two or three minutes or until softened. Stir in the Lemon Juice, then leave to cool.
3. In the bowl of Potato and Leek, stir in the Fromage Frais, and season to taste with the Mixed Spice, Paprika and Salt and Pepper.
4. Melt the remaining Butter. Lay the sheets of Filo Pastry on a clean and dry work surface, and brush lightly with melted Butter. Lay a second sheet over the top to make a forty five centimetre square. Repeat with the remaining sheets to make a double-thick square, and sprinkle the Ground Almonds evenly over the Pastry.
5. Spoon half of the Potato mixture over a quarter of the Pastry, making sure you leave a border around the edge, then layer with the Greens, then the rest of the Potato mixture.
6. Fold the sides in, then roll the Strudel up like it was a Swiss Roll. Transfer to a baking sheet, with the final join at the bottom. Brush with melted Butter, and sprinkle with Poppy Seeds.
7. Bake in an oven at 200C, for around twenty to twenty five minutes, until Golden Brown. Leave to stand for five minutes before serving.

Photo Courtesy of: stu_spivack