Granny's Plum Pudding

          When does Christmas begin? It seems to begin earlier and earlier each year. A department store in Cork had its Christmas decorations up before Halloween this year!

When I was growing up Mum always made the mincemeat in late September when there were lots of apples around and it had matured enough by mid November to have some mince pies for my sister’s birthday, because she liked them and once her birthday was over we could start to get a little bit Christmassy. 

         The next thing we did was to make the Christmas puddings on “stir-up” Sunday, which is the Sunday before Advent Sunday. Then there was a lull until the tree and decorations went up in mid December about a week and a half before Christmas.

         The 8th of December was the official start of the Christmas shopping marathon. Nearly all the schools had the day off and everyone or so it seemed headed to Dublin to do their Christmas shopping. 

My Mother claimed that all the dubliners stayed away from the shops that day because of the crowds. She preferred to go into town on Christmas Eve with her sister just to enjoy the crowds on Henry’s Street!

The 1935 ingredients 

         This year I felt I should make a Christmas pudding not having done so for quite a few years. We have been very lucky to have been given puddings over the past Christmases and very delicious they were too, But this year I wanted a home made Granny Mahon Pudding.

I took out the black note book Granny had kept her notes in, she started it in 1932. 

         It has a note of all the marmalade and jam she made each year and how much it cost at the end of the year she totalled the pots/pounds up in 1940 she made an incredible 201¼ pounds! Well, there was a war on, she was cooking for seven people and bread and jam would have been a reliable filler up.

         She also kept a record of the Christmas cakes and Plum Puddings she made. The year that caught my eye was 1935, 80 years ago this year, she would have been a year older than I am now at the time. The 1935 pudding, she noted, weighed 14 pounds! That’s a stone or 11kg. 

         She didn’t use pudding basins or bowls to steam the pudding, her pudding was wrapped in a floured cloth and lowered into a large pot of boiling water where it remained on the boil for the next goodness knows how long, being topped up regularly with boiling water from the kettle. The kitchen must have been like a steam room with the walls streaming condensation.

        It would have been a marathon session each year!

My Mum was more up to date using 4 four pudding basins to cook the mixture in and instead of steaming up the kitchen all day she started the puddings off in pots on the hob and then placed them covered into the hot oven to get on with the process.

        Well, four puddings is more puddings than we’ll get through in the next five years. So I divided the recipe in four and I still ended up with two puddings that would serve six after a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. One of the joys of leftover Christmas pudding is to fry it in butter for breakfast on boxing day.

         I tried to remain true to the recipe, but I failed to get Muscatels and Valencia raisins, these are large raisins with the seeds still in them, delicious as they are taking the seeds out is a fecky and sticky job. I replaced them with a similar weight of a mix of dried apricots, stoneless dates and dried figs cut into pieces. Muscatels and Valencias are available in good delicatessens and health food shops in November. I even went to my butcher to get proper beef suet. This is the fat that protects the kidneys in the animal. As he was reluctant to shred it for me I brought a piece home and froze it overnight before grating it in the food processor.

         Below is the recipe I used this year, I even made a wish as I stirred it!

This years ingredients

PLUM PUDDING 2015

115g/4oz sultanas

115g/4oz raisins

115g/4oz currants

75g/2½oz dried apricots chopped

75g/2½oz stoneless dates chopped

75g/2½oz dried figs chopped

55g/2oz mixed peel chopped

115g/4oz demerara sugar

¼tsp salt

200ml/7floz stout 

2  hens eggs

85g/3oz beef suet shredded or grated

115g/4oz breadcrumbs

30g/1oz ground almonds

115g/4oz self-raising flour

½tsp baking powder

½tsp mixed spice

In a large bowl mix together the dried fruit, peel, sugar, salt and 150ml/¼ pint of the stout and leave to soak overnight.

Ready for soaking

Butter two 900ml/1½ pint pudding basins and place a disc of buttered greaseproof paper in the bottom of each of the basins. Prepare the greaseproof and foil lids or a buttered disc of greaseproof to put between the pudding and plastic lid. Elastic bands are easier than string. Fill the kettle and bring to the boil. 

Add the eggs, suet, breadcrumbs and ground almonds to the soaked fruit and mix well.

Sift the together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice and fold through the other ingredients, if the mixture is dry add the rest of the stout. Stir three times clockwise and make a wish!* It should be a fairly thick.

Making a wish!

Spoon into the basins leaving a hollow in the centre and add coins wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil and push them under the surface.**

Adding the lucky money

Cover the basins with the greaseproof and foil or plastic lids and place them on trivets*** in deep roasting tin or oval roaster and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the basins.

Bring the water to the boil on the hob and cover tightly with a foil or lid and simmer for one and a half hours and then place in a hot oven at 130˚C, GM ½ for 8 hours.

Check occasionally and if the water level has dropped top up with more boiling water. 

Remove from the oven and take the basins out and let cool. If you used foil it needs to be replaced and retied.

Steam for another one and half hours before eating.

*optional ;)

** but not if you are reheating the pudding in a microwave!

*** a scone cutter makes a good trivet.

Short cuts! Steam in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, refer to manufacturers instructions.

Reheat in the microwave, turn out onto a plate and cut into slices, separate them slightly, cover with a bowl and microwave until hot through. Hide the wrapped coins before serving.

Note; If you are using greaseproof and foil to cover the pudding basins you have to put a “pleat” into them so that the pudding can expand during cooking. Tying the greaseproof and foil on is tricky! Use a rubber band to secure the greaseproof and then tie with string, the thick ones from a bunch of asparagus work well. This makes it easier to tie on the foil with string and make a string handle to lift out the pudding basin from the hot water. 

The pleat

The string handle

A Seasonal Pie: Apple and Blackberry Tart!

      Now you may well ask why this is called a tart, as it has a top on it and is therefore a pie, but for some reason this sort of plate pie is known as a tart here! We were regularly fed on apple tarts and custard in the autumn. Apple tarts are always a big hit with any older men at a gathering, so much so I keep a supply of foil plates to make them on if I'm asked to bring a dish to a 'do'!

An Apple and Blackberry "Tart"

      

       I love the old white and blue enamel plates for these tarts, they remind me that no matter how sophisticated we have become or so on trend with our kitchen equipment that something like enamel wear, used by our grand parents is still around and doing a great job.  

      And why didn't I put tart in the post title, well you can guess what might come up if you put "Seasonal Tart" into an internet search! 

      

      The filling for this tart I make by eye rather than by exact measurement. I do use exact quantities for the pastry, but the filling is dependent on the size of the plate, the sweetness of the apples and blackberries, all variables. Elderberries are also good with the apples.

      
      The blackberries were really good the week before last I picked a couple of tubs full and froze them the day before the rain came. And rained steadily for about 18 hours! I was very glad of them as I needed some for a cookery demonstration at GROWFest organised by GIY  in Waterford.
      Blackberries have a uniquely autumnal scent when hot, well worth the stained fingers to be transported back to childhood kitchens, warm and fuggy with just out of the oven tarts.

Pastry 

250 g plain flour 

125 g butter 

3-4tbs cold water

apples

blackberries

sugar

egg wash 

      Sieve the flour into a bowl and cut the butter into small chunks.

Add the butter to the flour and rub it in with the tips of your fingers. When the flour and butter resembles breadcrumbs add the water.  Mix with a dinner knife or wooden spoon to make a stiff dough.
      Take the pastry out onto a floured worktop and shape into a ball, cut in half and flatten into two discs. Wrap in cling-film and chill for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.

       Place a baking tray or pizza stone in the centre of the oven and pre heat the oven to 200˚C, GM 6. 

Roll out one of the pastry discs on a lightly floured work surface and line the pie plate. 

Fill with a layer of peeled and sliced apples and sprinkle with sugar, then add a layer of blackberries and some more sugar. 

Frozen Blackberries and Sliced Apples

      Repeat until the layers come just above the hight of the pie plate. Leave the edge uncovered and paint with egg wash.

      Roll out the other disc of pastry and cover the tart with it crimp the edges, decorate with pastry leaves stuck on with egg wash and paint the top with egg wash.

      Place the tart into the oven onto the hot baking tray or pizza stone and bake for 15-20 minutes. When the top is golden turn the oven down to 180˚C, GM 4 and finish baking for another 15-20 minutes.

A Slice of Autumn!

Christmas Leftovers!

Just a short post about Christmas leftovers! 

We all love Christmas food on Christmas day! But after that it gets a bit boring? So here are three recipes I tried out at a cooking demonstration today. They seem to have gone down well with the group. Sorry there are no photos I always find it is too busy to take photographs at these events.

Smoked Salmon with Yogurt Pancakes

      This is a great way to stretch a small amount of smoked salmon around a large group. The yogurt in the little pancakes gives them a nice tang, as if they have been made with some sourdough starter.  

Pancakes

150g self raising flour

½ tsp salt

1 egg

150g yogurt

150ml milk

butter for frying

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the salt.

Break the egg into the flour and start to whisk gently drawing more and more flour in until thick. Then add in the yogurt a spoonful at a time and whisk again.

When all of the yogurt is added in, whisk in most of the milk to make a thick batter.

Or put all the ingredients into a blender starting with half the milk, then the yogurt and the egg and blend till smooth. It will need to be thinned with the rest of the milk.

Make the pancakes by spooning 1dsp of batter onto the frying pan together to make a small pancake. Cook till dry on top and then flip over and cook until golden on the other side.

Add some more butter and continue to make the pancakes.

You can do 5-6 at a time on a large pan, keeping the earlier ones warm in a low oven until the rest are cooked.

1 shallot

½ tub sour cream

a bunch of dill

2dsp capers

lemons

smoked salmon

Very finely dice the shallot, chop the dill and capers and add them to the sour cream. Taste the sour cream mixture and season with pepper and lemon juice.

Top each pancake with a blob of sour steam and a twist of smoked salmon. Serve with lemon wedges and a grind of black pepper.

Cashew Nut & Brussels sprout Stir-fry

      This is great for unexpected vegetarians and is a different way to enjoy these seasonal mini cabbages.

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic

2.5cm piece of ginger

1 chilli (optional)

1 red or yellow pepper

6-8 button mushrooms

10-12 Brussels sprouts

2tbs sunflower oil

2tbs soy sauce

1 tsp nam pla

50ml water

pepper

100g cashew nuts*

2 scallions

2tbs chopped coriander

Peel, halve and slice the onion thinly.

Peel and slice the garlic.

Peel the ginger and cut into small matchsticks.

Cut the chilli in half and remove the seeds and membrane slice very finely.

Cut the pepper open and remove the seeds and membrane, slice it into 1cm wide strips.

Slice the mushrooms.

Peel and finely slice the Brussels sprouts

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. When the oil shimmers add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the onion softens.

Add the pepper, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms.

Stir-fry for a minute or two and add the soy sauce, nam pla and water. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Leave to cook for about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile toast the cashews on a dry frying pan over a medium to high heat.

Finley slice the scallions at an angle and mix with the coriander.

Take the lid off the vegetables taste and season with pepper and  add the cashews and stir them through. Sprinkle on coriander and scallions and serve with rice or noodles.

*If you are using salted roasted cashews rinse them in a sieve under the tap to remove the salt, then dry them with kitchen paper before heating then through on the dry pan.

Christmas pudding Sundaes

      The diet starts in the New Year!

Left over Christmas pudding

Butter

3tbs mixed nuts

1tbs oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1tbs sugar

Good vanilla ice cream

Whiskey

Dates

Whipped cream

Crumble the Christmas pudding into dessert spoonful sized chunks.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the pudding in a single layer. Toss and fry until hot through and beginning to take on some colour.

In another pan gently fry the nuts in the oil. When they start to take on a colour add the sugar and cinnamon stir round until beginning to caramelise and turn out onto a sheet of baking parchment to cool.

Put a scoop of ice cream into the bottom of a glass dish and add a layer of hot pudding, a dessert spoonful of whiskey and then some more ice cream and a some cinnamon toasted nuts. Decorate with whipped cream and a date or two.

Happy Christmas to one and all, and a peaceful New Year!

Summer Eating

Globe Artichoke

         There is nothing nicer than a globe artichoke as a start to a summer meal. Boiled till tender and served with melted butter and freshly ground black pepper. So simple, but what to follow it with? Well pasta is quick and easy and we have spinach and basil growing in the poly tunnel and garden.
         The courgettes are also getting into their stride and are so fresh from the garden that they need very lithe done to them. As we have out own plants we also get the flowers, which add colour to the salad too.

         So, what better than a pesto with pasta and a salad. To follow a tiramisu made with super strength coffee, the remains of which make an excellent breakfast.  

Pasta with Walnut Pesto

30 g walnuts

2 cloves of garlic

½ tsp salt

50 g fresh spinach washed & dried

large sprig of basil

5tbs olive oil

80g Parmesan cheese

pepper

1tbs lemon juice

150-200 g pasta

Put a large pot of water on to boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water.

Heat a frying pan on a medium heat.

Break the walnuts into pieces and toast them on the frying pan for 3-4 minutes until they start to colour. Watch them carefully so that they don’t burn.

When the nuts are browned take them out of the pan and let them cool.

Peel and chop the garlic.

Finely grate the cheese.

Put the cooled nuts, garlic, ½ teaspoon of salt, spinach, basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in to a mini chopper or small bowl of a food processor and blend.

Stop and push anything down that isn’t getting blended. Blend again until you have a smooth paste.

Stir in the grated cheese, lemon juice and 2 more spoonfuls of olive oil. Taste and add some pepper and more salt if necessary.

When the pot of water comes to the boil add the pasta and cook until ‘al dente’. Use the cooking time on the packet as a guide.

Scoop out a cup of the pasta’s cooking water.

Drain the pasta and return it to the warm cooking pot. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the pesto and stir well to mix it through. Add some of the reserved cooking water a tablespoon at a time and mixing again until you have the pasta coated with pesto. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Courgette Salad

1 clove of garlic

2tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 large or 2 small courgettes

6 black olives

2tsp capers

1 small red onion

100g ripe cherry tomatoes

Courgette flowers (if you have any)

Parsley

Lemon juice

Salt & pepper

Crush the garlic and mix it with the olive oil. Slice the courgettes into 0.5cm thick slices length ways and brush them with the garlic oil.

Finely chop the capers and olives. Peel and thinly slice the onion and quarter the tomatoes. Strip the leaves from the parsley.

Put a ridged grill pan on to heat.

In a large salad bowl mix together the capers, olives, onion slices, the tomatoes, any courgette flowers torn into strips and the leaves from the parsley and mix well.

Grill the courgette strips on the hot grill pan in batches till nicely marked and just starting to soften. As they are done add them to the salad bowl.

When all the courgettes are cooked add any remaining oil and garlic from the courgettes to the salad and toss everything together. Taste and add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve at room temperature.

Tiramisu

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

250g mascarpone

3tbs sugar  

1 cup very strong black coffee

250g sponge fingers

Separate the eggs.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and creamy.

Add the mascarpone and whisk again.

Put the egg whites into a clean bowl and with a clean whisk beat them until stiff.

Fold the egg whites into the cream.

Make a cup of very strong coffee and put it into a shallow dish. This is for the sponge fingers. Dip half of the sponge fingers into the coffee quickly and then put them into a shallow serving dish, in a single layer.

Spread half of the cream mix on top of the sponge fingers.

Cover this with another layer of coffee soaked sponge fingers and the rest of the cream mix.

Then sprinkle the top with cocoa powder or grated black chocolate.

Put into the fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before it is needed, to warm up.

Coffee for Breakfast