Sesame roasted sprouts

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Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1lb (450g) Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp Sesame
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Oven: ESSE 220 (thermodial at about 25 past the hour)
Prepare ahead: Prepare and coat the sprouts and chill for up to 24 hours before cooking
Freeze: No

  1. Line a shallow baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Trim and prepare the sprouts.
  3. Pile into the roasting tin with the sesame oil and seeds, shaking to coat everything in the oil.
  4. Hang the tin from the second set of runners and roast for 8 – 10 minutes, season and serve.

Traditional Welsh Bara Brith Tea Loaf

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This tea loaf which translates from the Welsh as “speckled bread” uses dried fruit soaked in hot tea the night before and then slowly baked in the ESSE oven. There are many variations but I am keeping mine simple and frugal. I used Earl Grey tea and 100% wholemeal flour for a healthier loaf but you can always use self-raising white flour.

Ingredients

  • 350g mixed dried fruit
  • 300ml strong hot tea
  • 175g light muscovado sugar
  • 275g wholemeal self-raising flour or just self-raising flour
  • 11/2 teaspoons mixed spice
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Method

  1. Put all the dried fruit into a bowl, add the sugar and pour over the hot tea.  Stir well, cover and leave overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 150C.  Lightly grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line it with parchment paper.
  3. Stir the flour, mixed spice and eggs into the fruit mixture, mix thoroughly and then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.  Spread the top as flat as you can.
  4. Bake for about 1 ½ hours or until well risen and firm to the touch.  Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a clean skewer into the centre and it should come out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in the tin for before removing from the tin and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
  6. Serve in slices, buttered.

Recipe from Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

Apple Crêpe Cake

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I am not a fan of pancakes/crêpes but serving them with a delicious seasonal apple filling is different and I really do love this cake, which was inspired by an old recipe from The Roux Brothers Cookbook. I found some frozen blackberries in my freezer and add them to the topping.

Ingredients

For the crêpe/pancake batter:

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 300ml whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter

For the apple filling:

  • Approximately 500g Cox’s apple, peeled and sliced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 50g butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the topping: Maple syrup and blackberries (optional)

Method

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, add a splash of water and cook gently for about 20 minutes. Then puree in a blender until very smooth.

Make about 15 pancakes ….

To assemble the cake, simply lay a pancake on a plate and spread over a thin layer of the apple puree (use a palate knife). Top with another pancake and continue to make layers of pancakes and apple until you have about 15 pancakes.

Finally drizzle over the top with maple syrup and I used a few blackberries that were left in the freezer from autumn. Cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife.

To make the thinest pancakes, make the batter in advance, the longer you leave it standing the lighter the pancakes!

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the beaten eggs into the well and gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs. Stir a little of the milk into the mixture to loosen it, then keep stirring and continue until all the flour and milk is mixed in.

Beat to ensure the mixture is smooth, then finally add the oil or melted butter. It will be thin which is good. Chill the batter In the fridge for about an hour. When ready to use, lightly grease the top of the ESSE hotplate (set at 200C) using kitchen paper.

Pour a little of the batter direct on the hotplate, just enough to thinly coat, swirl with the back of the ladle (see video post from yesterday). Cook for a minute, use a palette knife to turn the crêpe over. Cook the second side until golden, then carefully remove into a plate.

The first pancake will always stick, but after that you will be on a roll!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

Seville Orange Tart

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January is the month we hit ‘peak orange’ when the harvest of these citrus-packed fruits begins across southern Europe.

This year has seen a bumper harvest of ‘naranjos’ or Seville oranges – the iconic fruit of southern Spain.

Marmalade – that quintessentially English delicacy – is what we usually associate with Seville’s finest, but the orange harvest also serves as a reminder of sunnier times ahead, when we can look forward to enjoying al fresco lunches in a delightful Andalucian plaza as spring returns to the Med and the orange blossom is everywhere.

This dish takes us beyond Marmalade to a wonderfully zingy yet surprisingly delicate dessert – think classic tarte au citron – but with more natural sweetness and a dash of Spanish passion. Salud!

Ingredients

Sweet pastry shortcrust pastry case

For the Filling

  • 3 Seville oranges, zest and juice
  • 3 eggs
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 300ml double cream

Method

  1. You will need a 25cm x 4cm tart tin.
  2. Line the tart tin with pastry and bake it blind in your ESSE at 180C (vent open) for about 25 minutes.
  3. Place the zest and juice of the oranges in a bowl with the eggs and the sugar.
  4. Mix together and then add the cream.
  5. Lower the oven or use the bottom oven set at 150C (vent closed) and carefully pour into the baked pastry case.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 25 – 30 minutes until the filling is set.

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

Char-grilled lettuce with peas, beans and fresh garden herbs

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This delicate yet vibrant summer dish is perfect for those languid summer afternoons in the garden when you’ve just picked the peas and beans you’ve been carefully nurturing since spring.

It was inspired by a recipe in River Cottage chef Gill Meller’s new book: Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower – and a video he recently filmed at River Cottage HQ which showcased this super seasonal dish.

It seemed to be the perfect dish to demonstrate the cooking ability of ESSE’s new Garden Stove – ESSE’s first outdoor cookstove.

I’ve substituted some of the ingredients I didn’t have – such as pickled green peppercorns – and there’s plenty of scope to choose whichever fresh herbs you can get your hands on but this recipe does rely on the freshest peas and beans you can get your hands on – either from the garden or your local market.

Serves

4 people (as an accompaniment)

Ingredients

  • 2 Little Gem lettuces
  • 150g freshly shelled peas
  • 100g freshly shelled broad beans
  • 1 large clove garlic finely sliced
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Small pinch of chilli flakes
  • 25g pine nuts
  • 75ml vegetable stock
  • 50ml single cream
  • Generous sprigs of mint, basil, parsley, chives, fennel tops
  • Seasalt
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  1. To get the garden stove up to cooking temperature, light it at least half an hour before you intend to cook and establish a solid bed of burning wood and embers.
  2. Half a dozen 10 to 12-inch logs should do it but add more if necessary. Don’t start cooking until the flames have subsided and are only just licking the grill.
  3. Slice the lettuces in two lengthways and drizzle generously with a good glug of olive oil then season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Let them rest for five minutes then place them cut side down on the grill.
  4. Cook for two to three minutes until the lettuce hearts are showing some charring, then turn to give the leafy side a quick griddle. You’re looking for a bit of charring and color, but no more. Once you’re happy, remove to a warm dish and put to one side.
  5. Place a heavy frying pan directly onto the grill and heat up a mixture of olive oil and butter. Add the pine nuts followed by the sliced garlic a minute later and fry until the nuts are slightly toasted and the garlic is soft.
  6. Add the peas and beans and stir through the oil/butter to coat them. Add the Dijon mustard and the pinch of chill flakes and allow to cook out for two minutes.
  7. Add the stock and let the beans and peas to bubble away for a minute or two before adding the cream.
  8. Reduce for a minute or two and then stir through the fresh herbs – keeping some back for the final garnish. Simmer for a couple of minutes then taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
  9. Check a bean – it should be al dente – then pour the bean and pea mix over the lettuces, finish with a handful of roughly chopped fresh herbs and serve.
  10. This makes a great accompaniment to roast or grilled chicken or fish. Serve with a fresh, crisp Loire white or delicate rosé.

Recipe by John Smith

Italian Olive Oil Cake

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Roxy Bannerman has shared this super-simple dairy-free recipe which Italians traditionally eat for breakfast.  It’s the perfect excuse for cake in the morning. Cake for breakfast…why not?

Ingredients

  • 175g 00′ flour or plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 150g olive oil
  • 150g caster sugar
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180. Grease and line a loaf tin.
  2. Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl until well combined.  Sift over the flour and baking powder and fold in with the salt.
  3. Pour into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  4. Cover with foil after 30mins if you think it’s browning too much.
  5. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Recipe by Roxy Bannerman

Griddled Greens

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This simple dish is so easy and delicious and can be eaten hot, warm or cold – on its own or as an accompaniment to a more a substantial main course.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch tender stem broccoli
  • 1 bunch asparagus
  • 1 courgette
  • Pinch of fennel pollen (you can crush fennel seeds if you don’t have/can’t get fennel pollen)
  • Sprig of Fresh tarragon and parsley chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  1. Heat your ESSE hot plate to full power. Trim the ends of the broccoli and asparagus. Slice the courgette into slices.
  2. Pour some olive oil onto the hot plate and throw on the asparagus and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Sizzle away until golden and then turn over. Lower the lid and cook for a couple more minutes.
  4. The veg should be al-dente. Place in a serving dish then repeat the process for the courgette.
  5. Stir a little more olive oil and into all the veg, and mix in the herbs, season with the fennel pollen.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford

Jewelled Cous Cous

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You can serve this cous cous on its own, with my griddled greens or with so many veggie or meat options, but I do love a roast chicken and this is a nice summery version.

I buy the best chicken I can get for my budget and drizzle with olive oil. I seasoned this bird with sumac, dried herbs, salt and pepper and then put a wedge of lemon and some garden herbs inside it.

I roasted it at 180c of 1½ hours in the top oven of my ESSE 990ELX, basting every ½ hour.

Meanwhile in the bottom oven of your ESSE, place a cooling rack of cherry tomatoes which you have sliced in ½ and seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme. Set the oven to 130c and semi dry the tomatoes. You can do these the night before in the hot plate of you ESSE.

For the Jewelled cous cous you will need:

  • 200g cous cous
  • 400ml hot stock (chicken or vegetable)

Mix the hot stock into the cous cous and cover and leave for 10 minutes. If you think it’s not quite fluffy and cooked enough after this time, then microwave for 1 minute.

Then add your jewels. For me something sweet, something salty and something fresh are the flavours I’m after as a basic combination. You can use what you want and what you prefer so this is a guide.

  • Chopped fresh peppers
  • Fresh herbs
  • Spring onions
  • Feta cheese
  • Diced cucumber
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Diced mango
  • Sliced grapes

Last but by no means least – add your semi dried tomatoes. Mix it all together, adding any juices from your chicken. Portion up the chicken and serve.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford

Raspberry Cake

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This sumptuous summer cake isn’t too sweet and makes the most of seasonal soft fruit which should be at their best around now.

It’s nice and moist and benefits by being served with some berries or a fruit compote and a nice dollop of cream, crème fraiche or ice-cream on the side. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 210g soft butter
  • 210g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 250g Self raising flour
  • 150g ground almonds
  • 50g flaked almonds

Method

  1. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
  2. Cream the butter and the caster sugar together. Add the eggs gradually, taking care not to split the mix.
  3. Sieve the flour and add the ground almonds, then mix this into the butter, followed by the raspberries.
  4. Fill your cake tin. Smooth over and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
  5. Bake at 170˚C for 50 mins, vent closed, middle shelf of top oven.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford

Roasted Red Pepper, Mint and Halloumi Tart

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Delicious served with summer salads and to make it even easier, use a jar of roasted peppers. If you can get good quality halloumi, then all the better. A useful tip when making pastry, keep the flour and butter cold in the fridge or freezer, it will make it easier to roll out and handle and it is a ‘no blind bake’ pastry recipe too! You will need a 23cm loose-bottomed flan tin.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 150g plain flour
  • 35g polenta
  • 90g butter, cold
  • 1 egg

For the filling:

  • 3 large red peppers, roasted and peeled or use a jar ready roasted, chopped
  • A good handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 250g halloumi, drained and coarsely grated
  • 2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs
  • 284ml (a carton) single cream
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C (375F, Gas mark 5).  To make the pastry, put the flour, polenta and butter in a food processor and process briefly until breadcrumb consistency.
  2. Add the egg and continue processing until it forms a dough.  Roll out and carefully line the flan tin.
  3. Place the tin on a baking sheet ready to put in the oven and before you add the filling. Fill the pastry case with half the halloumi and peppers and cover with chopped mint.
  4. Beat the eggs and cream together and plenty of black pepper (do not add salt as the cheese has the ideal amount).
  5. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the tin and top with the remaining cheese and peppers.
  6. Cook in the oven on the base of the ESSE and cook until set and tinged golden brown for about 30 – 35 minutes.

Recipe by Philippa Vine

Summer Pimms Cake

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This cake is works so well using gluten free flour and is a great celebrational Summer cake perfect for Wimbledon! The sponge is a simple whisked sponge and contains no fat. Whisked sponges rise purely due to the air incorporated during the whisking process.

Serves

8-10 people

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 175g gluten free plain flour or plain flour
  • 500ml double cream
  • 500g a mix of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
  • Small glass of Pimm’s
  • 2 heaped tablespoons raspberry jam (optional)
  • Edible flowers and fresh mint for decoration

Method

  • Grease and line with parchment paper 3 x 20cm cake tins.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C (350F, ESSE Dial Guide MODERATE, aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or very low end of HOT).
  • Whisk the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk until the mixture becomes very pale fluffy and mousse-like.
  • Sift the flour over the mixture and carefully fold it in, taking care not to beat any air out of the mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared tins and bake in the oven until risen and golden.
  • When lightly pressed with your fingertips it should bounce back, about 20 minutes.
  • Allow to cool in the tins for a few minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool.
  • Sprinkle some Pimm’s over each cake. Whip the cream into soft peaks.
  • Carefully spread a little jam on each layer if using.  Then sandwich together the 3 layers with some whipped cream and mixed berries.
  • Spread a layer of cream around the sides and on top of the cake.
  • Finally decorate with more berries and edible flowers and mint if desired!

Recipe provided by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen. Located at Bates Green Farm, Arlington, the Bluebell Farmhouse kitchen is run by Philippa and Michael Vine.  Sharing their passion for locally grown and sourced quality ingredients, Philippa runs several themed cookery courses and demonstrations every year using ESSE electric range cookers and the Ironheart wood fired cooking stove. Participants can enjoy the fruits of their labours together afterwards in the delightful country kitchen. Philippa is a professional cook and cookery writer and delights her visitors with her creative and wholesome food.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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Ingredients

  • Half a Pineapple.
  • 170 grams unsalted butter, softened
  • 100 grams light brown sugar 100 grams vanilla sugar
  • Zest of 2 small lemons OR limes and juice of 1
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 195 grams plain flour (Or 100g flour and 95g desiccated coconut
  • 250 grams creme fraiche or plain yogurt.

Method

  1. Halve the pineapple. Slice off skin. Take the core out. Slice into semi-circles.
  2. Grease / line an 8-inch cake tin.
  3. Lay pineapple in a pretty pattern and sprinkle a little Demerara sugar over the top.
  4. Beat the sugar and butter in a mixing bowl or food mixer with paddle.
  5. Add eggs one at a time. Add zest and juice of lemons, vanilla paste.
  6. Add flour (and desiccated coconut) and baking powder. Beat on slow until flour is incorporated.
  7. Add creme fraiche and keep beating. If batter is very thick and not dropping consistency add 1 – 2 tspns of milk.
  8. Put half your batter over the pretty pineapple pattern in the tin.
  9. Add a few more pineapple chunks if you have some left. Add rest of batter.
  10. Bake low on 160-170 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Use a skewer to test cake is done.
  11. This is a fresh fruit cake, so it needs to be cooked for longer and slower than dryer cakes.
  12. It might take a little longer than one hour in the ESSE at the above temperatures.
  13. Just check every 5 minutes after 55 minutes has passed.
  14. Leave to cool a little and then turn out upside down.

Recipe by Miranda Rose Shearer

Eton Mess

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My best mess ever was homemade meringues made in the ESSE ELX990, raspberry or blackcurrant sorbet, vanilla mascarpone and lemon zest cream, fresh figs and crushed frozen raspberries, topped with a cherry, raspberry and black currant sauce.

This is – truly – the ultimate summer pudding.

Ingredients

  • 300g caster sugar (golden if you prefer a more caramelised flavour and colour)
  • 5 eggs whites
  • Makes 8 – 10 large ones.

Method

  1. Heat the top oven of the ESSE ELX 990 to 200˚C. Spread the sugar over an oven tray lined with baking parchment and cook until it has just begun to melt at the edges, but not caramelise (about 8 minutes).
  2. Crack the eggs, being careful not to drop any yolk into your whites. If you lose any bits of shell, scoop out with the eggshell – shell acts like a magnet.
  3. Put the egg whites into a clean mixer. I use my Kitchen Aid, but you can use a hand whisk. Make sure there is no water or contaminants in the bowl or the egg whites will not froth.
  4. The mixture should be just foamy by the time you start to add the sugar. Add the hot sugar slowly one teaspoon at a time, into the still-whisking mixer.
  5. Continue whisking until the mixture has cooled. It should look glossy and hold its shape. Turn the oven down to its lowest setting. I turn the bottom oven of the ESSE on to 60 degrees.
  6. If you want to fold through any spices or other flavourings, or roll the meringues in nuts or another topping, this is the time to do it.
  7. Line a baking tray with parchment. Use a serving spoon to plop a large blob of meringue on to the tray. You can pipe them if you are feeling truly swish.
  8. Leave space in between each blob as the meringues increase a little in size as they dry out. Put them into the oven and bake until they are crisp on the outside, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom: depending on their size, this could take six hours, so don’t wait up.
  9. Turn the oven off and leave them in there until it has cooled. Transfer to an air-tight container.
  10. Meringues need clean equipment, good sugar, and, most important of all, a low oven. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, and you suspect your oven is too hot, try turning it down to the coolest setting, and leave the meringues to it. Don’t rush a meringue.
  11. While the meringues are cooking, you have a lot of time to make the other components, all of which keep in the fridge or freezer.
  12. Freeze a tub of fresh raspberries

Sorbet

  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 750g blackcurrants
  • 4 tbsp liquid glucose
  • Juice of 2 lemons

Make a syrup by stirring the sugar into the boiling water and add the glucose and the blackcurrants and cook for about 5 minutes. Whizz in a food processor, and strain into a bowl through a sieve. Use a wooden spoon to sieve until you just have a dry pulp left in the sieve.

Stir in the lemon juice and cool. Place in an ice cream making machine or put in a Tupperware container and beat 3-4 times as it freezes, every 20 minutes.

Very Berry Sauce

  • 100g Pitted cherries
  • 100g Blackcurrants
  • 100g Raspberries
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste

Place berries in the pan with the icing sugar, vanilla paste and orange juice. Heat for a few minutes to release the juices. Transfer to a bowl and blend briefly until berries are pureed.

Blitz, but do not over blend. Pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and reserve in the fridge. This can be used on meringues, vanilla ice cream, over the top of a summer pudding. It is a great way to use up berries and it keeps in the fridge.

Mascarpone Vanilla Cream

  • 1 x 250g tub of mascarpone
  • 1 x 200g French fromage frais or crème fraiche
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Zest of a lemon
  • 1 Tbsp icing sugar

Whip all ingredients together (you might want to slacken with a little double cream). This keeps in the fridge. Do not over whip. Before I serve this, I whip in a little of the berry sauce to flavour the cream.

THE PILE UP

Meringue, Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, Sorbet, Very Berry sauce, crush the frozen raspberries over the top for decoration and slice some fresh figs to place around the base of the meringue… and jolly well hope that someone calls you a show off because if you pull this off, you deserve that label!

Recipe by Miranda Rose Shearer

Fresh spring asparagus and halloumi cheese

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Ingredients

  • Fresh spring asparagus
  • Halloumi cheese
  • Bread
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic leaves (you can use lettuce if you have some, or parsley)
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

  1. Griddle some fresh spring asparagus and halloumi cheese direct on the hotplate.
  2. Toast some old bits of bread left over in the hot oven, drizzling it with oil.
  3. Add some wild garlic leaves (you can use lettuce if you have some, or parsley) then mix it all together and toss with fresh lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper.

Simple – quick – and seasonally delicious!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

Ministry Crumb Fudge

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Named after the recipe was issued by the Ministry of Food.  They would save up their butter and sugar rationing for this recipe to give it to children for a special treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 heaped tablespoons golden syrup
  • 110g butter
  • 110g sugar
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 125g toasted breadcrumbs

Method

  1. Boil together the syrup, butter and sugar, whisk together to get them well mixed.
  2. Stir in the toasted breadcrumbs and cocoa powder. Mix well.
  3. Spoon into a shallow tray and allow to cool and set.
  4. When set, cut into squares.

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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