COOKBOOKS GALORE

Like many others, we planted too many tomatoes this year, so we have lots of green tomatoes. Today I made some chutney with some of them. This recipe made 2x 500g jars and a small jar [one used for baby food]. It's from a French cookery magazine. 1kg green tomatoes, finely chopped 500g onions, finely chopped 500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped 2 fresh green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped 1 tspn powdered ginger 1 good pinch ground cloves 1 good pinch turmeric 50g sultanas 250g brown sugar [use muscovado if you want a darker chutney] 30cl white wine vinegar Mix the tomatoes, onions, apples and chillies together in a large pot. Add the garlic, ginger, cloves and turmeric. Then add the sultanas, sugar and vinegar. Stir it all together. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cover. Let it simmer for about 11/4 hours, till the chutney has thickened and is soft. Put into sterilised jars and label. Leave it f...

I've read about the name of these cookies, how at the tollbooths on the roads people would stop and buy a drink and a cookie. This version comes from Hannah Miles' new book 'The big book of cakes and cookies' which has 365 recipes for new cakes and well-loved favourites. Hannah was a finalist in Masterchef 2007, and has a lovely blog which is on my list of favourite blogs - Hannah's country kitchen. Here's the recipe: 125g butter 350g plain flour 1/2 tspn bicarb. 2 tspns cinnamon 100g caster sugar 100g soft brown sugar 1 tbspn golden syrup 1 large egg, beaten 100g chocolate chips 100g chopped walnuts Preheat oven 180C/350F/gas4 Makes 20 cookies Sieve flour, soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Melt the butter and syrup in a saucepan. Add the choc. chips and walnuts and egg to the flour mixture and then add the butter mixture. Mix it all together with a wooden spoon. Divide the dough into walnut sized pieces and put onto greased baking trays. Mak...

I haven't posted in a while because I couldn't add photos, but now it's sorted. It's a glorious autumn here, still warm, and the trees are now beginning to turn colour. It's the time of year when we gets lots of fruit and veg. from our neighbours and friends, things we've not grown or haven't room to grow. We've had lots of figs, quinces, cabbages, leeks and beetroot. Have already posted about the fig and almond tart I made, and I've been trying out new fig recipes. We loved Nigella's 'Figs for 1001 nights' and I also cooked them with honey, cinnamon and a little orange liqueur. Tonight I'm going to use them as starter with parma ham. As for the quinces, think I'll try to make some quince jelly from Jane Grigson's great 'Fruit book'. It's supposed to be good with meat. I love Jane Grigson's recipes as they're very straight forward and I've always had good results with them. I have her 'Vegetab...