4 minute read
Lockdown Recipes
from The Exonian
LOCKDOWN DISHES GOOD ENOUGH TO STAY IN FOR
Looking for light relief in lockdown, many of us turned our hand to cooking. Here are some of our community's favourite food recipes.
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by KIT RUSH
Mamgu Welsh Cakes – Dr Bawn
INGREDIENTS:
• 225g self-raising flour • 80g salted butter plus about 40g of lard (or 115g butter) • 50g caster sugar, plus more for dusting over • 70g raisins (or you can substitute sultanas or currants wholly or as a mixture) • 1 level tsp of mixed spice • 1 large egg, beaten with about 30ml milk METHOD: 1 Rub the flour, spice and fats together until it forms breadcrumbs. 2 Stir in the dried fruit and the caster sugar. 3 Make a well in the middle and add the eggy milk mixture slowly, mixing bit by bit to form a ball of dough. It shouldn’t be too dry, nor too sticky- if it is, either add a little more flour or milk. 4 Sprinkle flour on a work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1cm thick. 5 Use a pastry cutter to cut circles- traditionally, these cakes are about 7cm in diameter. 6 Unless you have a bakestone or a griddle (a ‘maen’ in Welsh), these can be cooked in a heavy-based frying pan (though will burn in a lightweight nonstick pan). Heat a very little more butter and fry for a few minutes both sides, leaving the middle cooked but soft. 7 Allow to cool then sprinkle with caster sugar. Store in an air-tight container.
Zuppa di Castagne – Kai James
INGREDIENTS:
• 500g chestnuts, shelled (they don’t have to be fresh, but it is recommended yet will take longer to prepare) • (optional) 70g pancetta or streaky bacon, cut into lardons or diced • 1 celery stalk, strings removed (the stringy, chewy outer part of the celery) and diced • 1 onion, peeled and diced • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped • 1 sprig of thyme • 1 spring rosemary • 1 bay leaf • 2 tbsp of tomato concentrate • 1 stock cube (optional) METHOD: 1 If using fresh chestnuts, they will need to be soaked in hot water, yet do not discard the water after you have drained them. While they are soaking, prepare the other ingredients. Heat 8 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. 2 Once the oil is warm, if using pancetta add it to the pan and let it sweat until translucent. Add the celery, onion and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. 3 Add the chilli, herbs and garlic, and season with salt and pepper, then cook for a few minutes until everything is collapsing and starting to colour. 4 Add the chestnuts and tomato concentrate, then mix and add enough water (including the chestnut soaking water if using fresh chestnuts) to cover the solids and add a stock cube at this point if using. 5 Bring the pan to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until the chestnuts are tender. The time needed for this varies on the kind of chestnuts you are using, as fresh or parboiled chestnuts will turn tender quicker, but it may take up to an hour. 6 Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before removing the herbs and pureeing with a blender or liquidiser. The soup may be very thick and therefore may need a dash of water. Reheat carefully after blending and then serve with bread and a dollop of crème fraiche or a drizzle of olive oil.
Paella – Maddie Keliher & Emma Harris @fishoesforfood
INGREDIENTS:
• 25g butter • 15ml oil • 8 scallops • 1 onion, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 225g long grain rice • 1 tsp saffron strands • 1 pint chicken stock • 1 bay leaf • 1 red pepper, seeded & thinly sliced • 2 tomatoes, quartered • 100g peeled prawns • 100g shelled mussels (cooked) • Garnish: 8 unpeeled prawns & lemon wedges METHOD: 1 Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. 2 Add scallops and fry until lightly brown - then remove and keep warm. 3 Add onion and garlic to the pan and fry until golden. 4 Add the rice and stir it in – let it cook for a minute. 5 Reintroduce the scallops to the pan with saffron, stock and the bay leaf. 6 Bring the dish to the boil, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more stock if necessary. 7 Uncover and stir in the tomato and pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 8 Add the prawns and mussels and let them heat through. 9 Serve garnished with whole prawns and sliced lemon wedges.
