Organic Fruit & Veg Deliveries

Today I received my first delivery of Organic fruit and veg from Woodlands Farm and I am so impressed I've got to share it with you.

I ordered the Basic Mixed Box which was only £11.50 with free delivery and I received the following:-

8 x potatoes
bunch of daffodils
1 x cabbage
2 x big bits of broccoli
3 x parsnips
1 x orange
3 x apples
9 x carrots
1 x avocado
4 x beetroots
4 x plums
3 x bananas
2 x onions

It all looks lovely and I can't wait to use some of it for tonight's tea.  It would cost far more than that to buy all those things from the supermarket and I'm sure this will last much longer than rubbishy supermarket fruit and veg does.

http://www.woodlandsfarm.co.uk

Give them a try, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Upside Down Peaches & Cream Cake

Serves 8

Cake
7oz soft butter, plus extra for greasing
7oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
7oz golden caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk

Peach Topping
3 ripe peaches
3oz light brown sugar

Filling
2 x 116g tubs clotted cream
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 180, 160 fan, gas mark 4.  Grease and base-line 2 x 20cm non stick sandwich tins with baking parchment, then lightly grease the parchment.  Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then tip in other cake ingredients.  Using an electric whisk, beat until smooth.
Halve and stone peaches, then slice each half into 4.  Toss with sugar, then arrange in a single later in one tin.  Tip half the mix over peaches and the other half into the second tin.  Bake for 20-25 mins until golden - the tin with peaches may need 5-10 mins more.  Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Whisk the cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff.  Spread over the plain sponge, then carefully top with the peach sponge.

Lemon Baked Cheesecake

Serves 10

8oz digestive biscuits
4oz butter, melted
250g tub mascarpone
1lb 5oz full fat soft cheese
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks
zest 3 lemons, juice of 1
4 tbsp plain flour
6oz caster sugar

Topping
1/2 a 284ml pot soured cream
3 tbsp lemon curd
handful raspberries, to serve

Heat oven to 180, 160 fan, gas mark 4.  Line the bottom of a 23cm springform tin with greaseproof paper.  Tip the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor, then blitz to fine crumbs.  Press into the tin; chill.  Whisk all the other ingredients in a large bowl until completely combined, pour into the tin, then bake for 35-40 mins until the cheesecake has a uniform wobble.
Turn off oven and leave the cake inside until cool.  When it is completely cooled, remove from tin and top with soured cream.  Swirl lemon curd over the top and decorate with raspberries.

Chococcino Cake

Serves 8

8oz soft butter, plus extra for greasing
3oz cocoa powder
5oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
7oz golden caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk

Filling and Icing
2 x 250g tubs mascarpone
3oz golden caster sugar
4tbsp very strong coffee
2oz dark choc, for grating

Heat oven to 180, 160 fan, gas mark 4.  Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm non stick round sandwich tins with barking parchment, then lightly grease the parchment.  Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then tip in all the other sponge ingredients.  Using an electric whisk, beat everything together until smooth.  Divide the mix between the cake tins, then bake for 20-25 mins until cooked and golden.  When cool enough to handle, remove the cakes from the tins, then leave to cool completely on a rack.
For the filling, beat the mascarpone and sugar together, then beat in the coffee.  Use half the mix to sandwich the cakes and spread the other half over the top, swirling with the back of a spoon to make pointy curls.  Finely grate the choc over the top, then serve.

Dense & Dark Chocolate Loaf

Serves 8

7oz butter, plus extra for greasing
4oz dark choc, broken into chunks
150g pot natural yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
9oz self raising flour
6oz dark muscovado sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Topping
100ml double cream
1 tbsp butter
4oz dark choc, chopped

Heat oven to 190, 170 fan, gas mark 5 and make sure there's a shelf positioned in the middle of the oven.  Butter a large loaf tin (about 20cm long, measured from the top edge), the cut a strip of baking paper a few inches longer than the total length of the base and the two shortest sides.  Press it into the tin.  (When your cake is ready, you can use the paper 'wings' at either end to help lift it out).
Put the butter and choc in a large saucepan and heat very gently until melted, stirring now and again.  Cool for 5 mins, then use a whisk to mix in the yoghurt and vanilla, then the eggs and a pinch of salt.
Mix the flour, sugar and bicarb of soda in a large bowl, squishing any big lumps of sugar with your fingers, then stir into the choc mix in the saucepan until even.  Pour or spoon into the tin, then bake for 45 mins until risen and shiny (and probably with a nice crack along the length).  Test if it's ready by poking a skewer into the middle of the cake.  Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.
Put the cream into a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then add the butter and half the chopped choc.  Take off the heat and leave to melt.  Stir until smooth and shiny, then spoon over the cake.  Scatter with the rest of the chopped choc and serve.

Orange & White Choc Sponge

Serves 10

6oz butter, plus extra for greasing
6oz golden caster sugar
finely grated zest of 4 oranges and juice of 1
4 eggs, separated
4oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 oz ground almonds

Icing
7oz white choc
200ml tub creme fraiche
4oz white choc, to decorate

Heat oven to 180, 160 fan, gas mark 4.  Butter, 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
Tip the sugar into a mixing bowl and add the softened butter and orange zest.  Beat for 1 min or so until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks.  Sift the flour and baking powder over the cake mixture and fold in lightly.  Finally, fold in the almonds and orange juice.  Whisk egg whites until they just hold their shape.  Use the whisk to fold one-third of the egg white into the cake mix.  Repeat with another third, then the final third.  Take care not to over-mix or you'll lose the lightness of the egg whites.
Divide the cake mix between the prepared tins and bake 30-35 mins.  Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the lining paper and leave to cool.
To make the icing, melt the choc over a pan of barely simmering water or in the microwave on High for 1 1/2 mins, stirring every 30 secs, then leave to cool.  Whip the creme fraiche until thick, then fold in the white choc.  Set one cake on a serving plate or cake stand.  Spoon half the icing onto the cake and top with the other cake.  Spread with the rest of the icing, then allow to set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
If you want to make the decorative curls, melt the choc in a bowl over simmering water or in a microwave and spread thinly over a baking tray.  Leave the tray in the fridge for the choc to harden a bit, then use a fish slice or angled knife blade to scrape choc curls.  Pile the curls in the middle of the cake and serve cut into slices.

Lamb Steaks, Cous Cous & Roasted Veg

This is what I rustled up for tonight's tea.  

Serves 2

2 lamb leg steaks

olive oil

rosemary, chopped

salt and pepper

1 carrot, peeled and cut into batons

1/2 onion, peeled and cut into wedges

baby sweetcorn

cherry tomatoes

Lakeland herb sea salt

packet of cous cous

Put the carrots, onion, baby sweetcorn and cherry toms in a roasting tray, cover with olive oil, rosemary and sea salt and bake in the oven at 200 for about 35 mins.

Cover the lamb steaks in olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary and griddle for about 5 mins on each side.  Leave to rest for a good few minutes before serving. 

Make the cous cous as per packet instructions and serve everything together.  Simple, quick, easy and very tasty.  

Tia Maria Cheesecake

Serves 16

For the biscuit crust
3oz hot melted butter, plus extra butter for greasing
14 plain choc digestives, finely crushed

For the cheesecake
3 x 300g packs full fat soft cheese, at room temp
8oz golden caster sugar
4tbsp plain flour
2tsp vanilla extract
2tbsp Tia Maria
3 eggs
285ml carton soured cream

For the topping
142ml carton soured cream
2tbsp Tia Maria
cocoa, for dusting
8 choc Ferrero Rocher, unwrapped

Heat oven to 180, 160 fan, gas mark 4.  Line the base of a 25cm springform tin with baking parchment.  Blend butter and biscuit crumbs.  Press onto the base of the tin, bake for 10 mins, then cool.
Increase oven temp to 240, 220 fan, gas mark 9.  Beat the cheese and sugar with an electric whisk until smooth, then whisk in the flour vanilla, 2 tbsp Tia Maria, eggs and 285ml soured cream.
Grease sides of the cake tin with butter.  Pour in the mixture and smooth.  Bake for 10 mins, then turn oven down to 110, 90 fan, gas mark 1/4 for 25 mins.  Turn off the oven, then open the door and leave to cool inside for 2 hours.  Don't worry if it cracks a little.
Mix 142ml soured cream and Tia Maria, then smooth on top of the cheesecake.  Chill.  Can be frozen at this point: cover the tin, first with cling film, then foil and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw in the fridge for 8 hours before serving.
To serve, remove from the tin and slide onto a plate.  Dush with the cocoa through a tea strainer until the top is covered.  Lightly mark the cheesecake into portions with a knife, then place a chocolate on every other portion.

Tray Baked Chicken, Squashed Potatoes & Creamed Spinach

Serves 4

Potatoes
700g small red skinned potatoes or new potatoes
few sprigs fresh rosemary
couple of bay leaves
6 cloves garlic

Spinach
bunch of spring onions
3 cloves garlic
few fresh thyme tips
1 whole nutmeg, for grating or ground nutmeg
large knob of butter
400g prewashed baby spinach
100ml single cream
25g Parmesan cheese

Chicken 
dried oregano
sweet paprika
knob of butter
4 x skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon
300g cherry tomatoes
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
couple of sprigs fresh rosemary

Seasonings
olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Wash the potatoes, then halve lengthways or leave whole if using new potatoes and add to a large saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with boiled water, put the lid on and boil hard for around 12 to 14 minutes or until cooked through.
Trim and finely slice the spring onions.  Add to the large shallow pan with a splash of olive oil.  Crush in 3 cloves of unpeeled garlic and add a swig of boiled water.  Pick in the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme, finely grate in 1/4 of the nutmeg or add 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg and add the knob of butter.  Leave to tick away for around 3 mins, stirring occasionally.
Put a large frying pan on over a high heat.  Get out a large sheet of greaseproof paper and sprinkle with a good pinch of dried oregano, salt and pepper and paprika, then drizzle over some olive oil and a lug to the frying pan along with the knob of butter.  Lay the chicken breasts on top of the greaseproof paper and roll them in the flavours.  Add to the hot pan and fry for 4-5 mins, or until golden on both sides.

Pile the spinach into the pan with the spring onions and leave it to wilt.  Keep stirring so it doesn't catch.
Get out a nice roasting tray, quarter the lemon and put it in the tray along with the tomatoes.  Tip in the chicken breasts and any juices from the pan, lay the bacon on top of the chicken.  Put the frying pan back on a medium heat and add the sprigs of rosemary to the pan and move them around so that they get coated in the juices.  Pop them into the tray, then whack the tray under the grill for at least 14 mins.

Check the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them steam for a couple of mins.  Add a couple of lugs of olive oil, leaves from a few sprigs of rosemary and the bay leaves to the empty frying pan.  Put the potatoes on top of the herbs in a flat layer, drizzle over some olive oil and sprinkle over some salt.  Crush in 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic, then turn the heat up to high.  Get a flat lid from a smaller pan and really press down so you burst and squash the potatoes.  Leave to colour, then toss after about 3 mins and squash down again.

Pour the cream into the spinach.  Turn down the heat and finely grate in the Parmesan.

Keep checking, squashing and turning the potatoes, to brown all over and serve.

Tips
I used new potatoes and still halved them as they would have taken much longer than 12-14 minutes.  I used garlic puree as I didn't have any garlic bulbs and I also used normal streaky bacon instead of smoked as I don't like smoky things.  I used normal paprika as well instead of sweet as that's what I had in the cupboard.  I would wait a lot longer in the process of things to wilt the spinach as it only takes a couple of minutes.  I had to turn mine off and heat it up again at the end.

Verdict
I know I always say the dishes I cook are really nice but they are!  This one was gorgeous and much easier than some of the other meals I've been making.  Steve's plate was clean within minutes of me dishing it up.  Will definitely make this one again.  

Warm Lamb & Chickpea Salad

Serves 4

1/2 small lamb shoulder
1 garlic bulb, cloves separated
4 rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
290g jar roasted red and yellow peppers, drained and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180, gas mark 4.  Place the lamb shoulder in a small roasting tin with the olive oil, garlic cloves and rosemary leaves, then season well.  Pour 100ml water into the tin.  Cover tightly with foil and roast the lamb in the oven for 2 hours until very tender.  After 1 hour 30 mins, remove the foil and roast uncovered for the remaining 30 mins to crisp the skin.  Remove from the oven and rest for 10 mins.
Remove the lamb from the tin, cut the meat from the bone and shred into bite sized pieces.  Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the cooking juices (discard the skins of the garlic cloves) and mash with a fork.  Set the tin on the hob over a low heat, then stir in the chickpeas to warm.  Season to taste.  To serve, toss the garlicky chickpeas with the roasted peppers and the shredded lamb.