A reading of my article You Are What You Eat
(c) K Wicks
food
Homemade Butter
Cream is so useful, and making butter is so easy, I feel a bit silly I didn’t know. Like the popcorn, until you know, you don’t. So, having seen a simple process, tried it, and so far it’s been perfect every time.
For anyone who would like to know, there are many tutorials vids online if you prefer watching someone do it. But here’s the brief –
300ml double cream left to sit at room temperature for two hours. Then start churning. I got a Kilner churned which works really well.
The cream will whip first, and you need to keep going until it looks like scrambled eggs and fully clumps together, separating from the buttermilk. You may need to lift out the paddle and push the edges in throughout a few times. But it should take no longer than 10 minutes to full clump and separate.
Once it’s fully clumped, tip into a colander over a bowl to catch the buttermilk as that has uses too. I’ve been using mine to make southern fried chicken, and it’s great. Recipe for that coming soon too.
This is where you get hands on, as you need to squeeze as much buttermilk out as you can. Then submerge in cold water to get off final amount. Then add some salt to taste, and to get some final moisture out so it doesn’t spoil.
When you are happy you’ve worked the salt in and squidged it about enough, put in your butter bell, crock or dish, and enjoy!
Keep the buttermilk too as you can use this for awesome pancakes or scones.
(c) K Wicks
Homemade Popcorn
I was surprised at how easy it is to make popcorn at home! I kind of always thought you needed a microwave, and a packet bought from the shops. Not so. And now I’m hooked.
Buy a bag of corn, there is a specific type for popcorn, but you get a lot for what you get out of it.
Butter in pan (homemade butter in this case and probably about 1-2 tablespoons worth), put the corn in as well and cover all the corns with the butter as it melts. Add a bit of salt, and cover on a low heat. Then within about 5 minutes it starts popping away. Turn off when you think they are mostly done, and wait a couple more minutes to remove the lid.
You can also then make your own caramel if you want sweet popcorn. Put some sugar in the pan and wait for it to caramelise (don’t stir it). Once it’s caramelised, turn off heat and tip in the popcorn and toss until coated. Then set aside to cool.
(c) K Wicks
A Delightful Hearty Dish
I’m going to be bold here, and call this a top breakfast, finally finding after many years a quick, easy, warm and filling morning meal. One to see you through the day, and with enough sweetness and slow release energy to see you through. If you are prone to liking sweet things and burn lots of energy just being awake, good meals are important. Although this one is not an everyday one, it’s great for when needed.
Apple – peeled and diced
Homemade butter
Cinnamon
Maple syrup
Golden syrup
Oats
Add the butter, apple and cinnamon and cook for a fee minutes until the apple starts to soften. Add the syrups and cook for a further couple of minutes. Then add the oats and allow them to soak up the syrup for a minute or two. Then serve – I have it with double cream, but the recipe I took it from on the internet had yoghurt, and used coconut oil instead of butter as they’re vegan. It’s a fantastic page by the way, so if you like youtube, check out @FitGreenMind for awesome recipes and vids.
(c) K Wicks
Pumpkin Soup Recipe
For something seasonal, pumkpin soup. Tried a slightly different recipe and this time it worked, although it was kind of a little from one recipe and a little from another. Also, the seeds have been saved, rinsed and dried for roasting. No carving or waste this year, just for food.
500g pumpkin cut into chunks
400ml vegetable stock (although says you can use chicken too)
Olive Oil / salt and pepper / sage leaf
1 white onion diced / 1 clove of garlic chopped
1 small potato, peeled and cut into chunks
75 ml of double cream
Tsp of butter (homemade in this instance)
Heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic for about 5 mins or until start to turn golder.
Add the pumpkin and potato, cook for about 8-10 mins until starts to soften.
Add salt and pepper and butter then add the stock and sage leaf, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 mins or so until soft.
Add the cream and bring to the boil, then puree.
And now you should have lovely, smooth pumpkin soup.
(c) K Wicks
Raspberry Posset
After lemon, then orange, I turned my thoughts to raspberry.
(c) K Wicks
Orange Posset
Moving on from the lemon posset recipe, I thought why not try orange…
And it didn’t stop there.
(c) K Wicks
Tales from the Sill update
It’s going well. I’ve taken to moving the tray outside everyday so they can get full sun, but to keep safe from the slugs and snails, indoors at night.
(c) K Wicks
Orange & Choc Chip Cookies Recipe
An slight upgrade on the previous recipe. We have now added honey and dark chocolate chips, and taken out the coconut. And being honest, it’s gone rather well.
Ingredients:
80g Granulated sugar
80g Demerera sugar
100g butter (at room temp)
3250g Plain Flour / All purpose flour
1/2 tps salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Juice of 1 orange (or two tangerines) – and some of the rind grated into the mixture
125g oats (you may need to add more if the mixture is a too wet)
2 tsp of orange extract
60g dark choc chips (optional)
Method:
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth (ish), add the juice, orange rind and extract and mix. Then add the flour, salt and baking soda & powder. Mix until doughy.
Then add the oats by hand and mix through thoroughly. Then put on a baking sheet and flatten out with your hand to about 1 – 2cm depth. (or lay a chopping board over another piece of baking parchment to flatten evenly). Then use a cookie/biscuit cutter to get your desired shape and size.
Put on either a greased baking tray or on baking paper, and cook for around 10 – 15 mins or until going brown at 180 degrees (170 fan assisted).
(c) MKW Publishing
MKW Publishing 