Valentines - Rose scented Buttermilk pudding with pistachios and pomegranite

Where has this year gone?! I cannot believe we are almost half way through February already! I am so under prepared. I'm afraid I'm one of 'those' people who jump whole heartedly into the valentines day parade: Romance & Roses..the whole sugary affair! But even at my most enthused I refuse to spend a fortune on half-baked, over-priced, over-hyped, mass-produced, probably heart-shaped faff. (Listen fellas, for reference a little thoughtfulness goes a long way, no matter your gifting intentions). Even at this, the (almost) last minute, I like to make gifts and this year it's going to be pudding! A beautiful, voluptuous, wobbly Rose scented Buttermilk pudding with pistachios and pomegranate.

Surprisingly St Valentine was a Bishop of Rome particularly renowned for his chastity; but as he was matryed on Febuary the 14th, the eve of the Roman festival of Lupercalia (when young people chose their sweethearts by lottery), he was swiftly adopted as the patron saint of lovers. I suppose a certain element of chance still persists in the rituals of the day. Plum stones or flower petals are counted off to the chant of 'He loves me, he loves me not', while a long apple peel thrown over the shoulder supposedly falls as the initial of one's beloved. 

Ingredients for 2 people

150g single cream

35g caster sugar

1.25 gelatine leaves

125g buttermilk

A few drops of lemon juice

Half a teaspoon of rose water

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

To serve, some Pomegranate seeds and pulverised pistachios

Method

Prepare your moulds, make sure they are really clean and dry and put them in the fridge to chill.

Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes.

Bring the cream and sugar to the boil, stirring often. Once the cream boils remove the saucepan from the heat. Drain the gelatine and add to the warm cream, whisk well. Let the cream mixture cool down to body temperature (give it about 5 mins off the heat and dip your finger in, if it doesn't feel hot or cold then its just right).

Stir in the buttermilk and add a few drops of  lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence and half a teaspoon of rose water to the mixture. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into the chilled moulds, return to the fridge for 3 hours to set.
To unmould, dip into hot water for a couple of seconds and invert onto a plate, wiggle gently and with a bit of luck a beautiful mound of snow white, sweet, voluptuous, milky jelly will reveal itself. Surround with pomegranate seeds and smashed pistachios and serve immediately. 

A quick (ish) week-night Bolognese sauce for Pasta

Ok so I may be committing somewhat of a foodie blunder, but here is my version of a classic Bolognese sauce. 

The best and most authentic ones are slow cooked for as long as possible and use an assortment of minces (ie Beef, Pork & Veal) and should really use dry white wine rather than red wine, but I'm afraid tonight I am skipping the corners - and for shame, there's only red wine in the house! There should probably be many more caveats in this 1st paragraph, (including: yes, I'm afraid I will be eating it on spaghetti and no I didn't know that was an error), but for now I'll leave it at that and just say, it may not be authentic but it's tasty, so try it :). And just in case you're in the mood to be chained to the stove for the best portion of your day, there are some great recipes for that here. This will feed 6, (or less with plenty of leftovers) and all told probably takes about 45 mins.

Ingredients
Generous knob of butter
Olive oil
4 rashers of streaky bacon, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
400g minced beef, at room temperature
100ml milk (preferably whole milk)
1/2 a teaspoon of Nutmeg finely grated
150ml red wine
2 400ml tins of plum tomatoes
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper

Method

You're going to need one gigantic saucepan and one medium frying pan. So grab 'em now.

Into the saucepan, pour the red wine and simmer over a medium heat until reduced by half of its original volume. Then add in the tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Allow this to simmer gently while you're frying and adding in the rest of bits n bobs.

Melt the butter in the frying pan with a little glug of olive oil over a gentle heat and cook the bacon. Once the bacon is sizzling and the fat is starting to render, add in the onion, and cook gently until translucent & soft. Transfer the bacon and onion to the saucepan leaving the fat behind in the frying pan. Add the carrot & celery to the frying pan and fry for 5 minutes. Transfer to the simmering saucepan. 

Add the beef to the frying pan and brown, stirring occasionally. Pour in the milk, and grate a little nutmeg in too. Simmer over a medium heat until almost all the milk has evaporated (about 15 mins). When it's almost dry transfer the mince to the tomatoey saucepan and stir. Season to taste and pile high on a mound of pasta. Serve sprinkled with finely grated flavoursome cheese, such as a good English cheddar (or Parmesan if you must :)).

Curried Carrot Soup

Hoorah for the humble British Carrot. Versatile, flavourful and nourishing, the carrot can sometimes be, well, a bit forgettable (sorry carrot). But not in this recipe... the hint (really more of a wallop) of curry gives an edge to the Carroty sweetness of this soup.

The Carrot was brought to the UK by the Romans, and soon became quite at home. It grew so well that it was held as far superior to any raised at home. Since the middle ages, carrots have been boiled and buttered as a veg and simmered in soups. And at the end of Winter, when the last of the apples had rotted, they were used in place of fruit in pies, puddings and cakes. Although the sweet carrot pie has faded to obscurity (quite the shocker - although I bet Heston could make it good!), a plethora of unusual and wonderful sweet and savoury Carrot recipes live on. Here's an example, which is based on a 17th century recipe.

Ingredients
2oz (50g) Butter
1tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 sticks of celery (roughly 200g)
500g Carrots, washed and thinly sliced
1.5 pints of stock
Salt & pepper
2 teaspoons of mild curry paste

Method
Heat the butter & oil over a medium heat in a large heavy based saucepan. Chuck in the onions & celery and cook gently in the butter until soft (10 -15 mins). Add in the curry paste, stirring regularly. Add the carrots & stock. Bring to the boil, and simmer on a very low heat, uncovered for 30 mins until the carrots are soft. Blend. Season. Garnish with a few toasted walnuts and a dribble of hemp oil if you have it.

Prep time 10 mins. Cooking time 45mins.

Porridge

The actual breakfast of champions. Get this inside ya and its going to be a productive day! Comfortingly cloying and superiorly sustaining. Porridge is good for both your health and your libido. If you eat this upon a cold and frosty morning, you're going to have more than enough gusto for your quota of snow angels! The following measures are to feed 1 person. So double or triple etc if you have more mouths. You can, of course, vary the liquids you use, as long as you keep the proportions the same. Porridge made with all milk or even cream gives a rich, unctuous result. Soya milk gives a lovely creamy nuttiness. Coconut milk is also good, but steer clear of using it exclusively. You need some water to temper its richness. That is unless you enjoy fat induced headaches or only intend to eat 2 bites?! You can even make it with fruit juice, although it's really only for those hardened health nuts among you.

Ingredients

Rolled oats, half a cup

Milk, half a cup

Water, half a cup

From here you can add whatever you like, but here are a few of ideas...

1 tablespoon of dessicated coconut,a teaspoon of almond essence a squidge of runny Honey and a pinch of salt.

Half a cup of mixed frozen berries, a squidge of strawberry dessert sauce and a sliced pear.

A grated small apple, a handful of raisins, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Method

Put everything into a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring regularly until the mixture becomes thick and side-stickingly gloopy. Serve hot.