Recipes

2 lb rhubarb
1 ½ lb onions
2 lb brown sugar
½ pint vinegar
3 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of ginger powder
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour mixed with vinegar taken from the ½ pint.

• Chop rhubarb and onions
• Place all ingredients (except cornflour mixture) in pan
• Cook until tender
• Add cornflour to thicken

Bottle, label, put in store cupboard - and enjoy.

350 gm spinach
1 onion
6 local free range eggs
2 tbsp grated cheese
½ tsp grated nutmeg [optional]
2 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper

Wash spinach [don’t dry it], pile into saucepan and cook for 6 to 8 mins. Drain, squeeze dry and chop finely.
Fry onion with a little oil then mix with spinach, beaten eggs, cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Heat some oil in a frying pan, pour in the mixture and stir until beginning to set. Cook for about 5 mins until bottom is set. Finish off under the grill and cut into wedges.

Ingredients
Greens
A medium sized onion
Chopped rasher or two of bacon
Pinch of nutmeg
A little butter/oil to fry
Method
1. Fry onion in a large saucepan.
2. Add the chopped bacon pieces [quite alright if it’s a bit fatty as the cooking will melt the fat and then can be strained off at the end for a healthier option].
3. Add a pinch of nutmeg.
4. Add the shredded green vegetables, put lid on the saucepan and gently cook for 15-20 mins depending on the vegetable, stirring occasionally to mix the bacon and onion in.

Serves 4
Ingredients

2 packets dried marrowfat peas (or quick soak, or split peas, see below)
1.5 litres water
2 vegetable stock cubes
1 carrot
1 onion
1 tbsp oil
2 slices good quality ham (optional)
100ml single cream

Method

Soak the peas overnight in water, alternatively 'quick soak' dried peas take just 2 hours. Split peas (250gm) are equally good but also need soaking. Rinse thoroughly after soaking.

Chop onion and fry in a large saucepan with oil, add thinly sliced carrot, fry until softened.

Dissolve stock cubes in 1.5l hot water, add peas and stock to carrots and onions. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for 30-40 minutes. If the soup is too thick, more stock may be added to thin it.

Blend or liquidize soup to a smooth consistency.

Chopped ham can be added at this time.

Serve with a swirl of cream and some crusty bread.

Ingredients
3 lge cooking apples
½ oz fresh butter
2 tbsp castor sugar
2 tbsp powdered macaroons
2 eggs
Powdered cinnamon

Method
1. Peel, core and cook the apples in a pan with 3 tbsp of water and the sugar, until it is a soft pulp.
2. Add the butter and mix thoroughly, also the powdered cinnamon, macaroons and the beaten yolks.
3. Whisk the whites to a stiff froth and stir lightly to the other ingredients.
4. Thickly butter a fireproof dish and pour in the mixture.
5. Dredge the surface with castor sugar.
6. Place the dish in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes until it is puffed up and brown.

Also in the Cookery Book are domestic hints and old sayings, including:
As soon as a Devonian has eaten a boiled egg he thrusts a spoon through the end of the shell, opposite the one at which it was begun to be eaten.
When asked why, he replies: "Tu keep they baggering witches vrom agwaine to zay in a egg-boat."
It is supposed the witches appropriate the unbroken shells to sail out to sea to brew storms.

1 kg Brussel Sprouts
150ml creme fraiche
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
10-12 chestnuts, roasted or vaccum packed (optional)

Cook the sprouts in boiling water for 5-8 minutes so that they're still firm.

Drain and mash coarsely in a food processor with the creme fraiche and nutmeg.

Add the chopped chestnuts if using and reheat if necessary.

125g wholemeal or unrefined spelt flour and 125g plain flour (or just 250 g of plain flour) if you prefer
3 level tsp baking powder
75g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
125ml of plain full fat yogurt
125ml of whole milk
75g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
100g-200g blackberries

Preheat oven to 190C/gas mark 5 and put 12 large muffin cases into a muffin tray.
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flours, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon
In a jug, lightly beat the egg, yoghurt, milk and melted butter together to combine. Tip into the dry ingredients and mix lightly, then scatter in the blackberries and fold in until just combined
Drop dessertspoonfuls of the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and golden brown
Transfer the muffins to a wire rack. Eat on the same day you bake them or freeze.

50g (2oz) oil
50g (2oz) flour
500ml (1 pint) stock
75g (3oz) breadcrumbs
50g (2oz) grated hazelnuts
milk or beaten egg for glazing
Salt and pepper

1. Mix the oil and flour in a saucepan. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring all the time.
2. Add the breadcrumbs and grated hazelnuts. Season
3. Cool the mixture and shape into cutlets
4. Dip the cutlets into an egg and milk mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs and fry in oil until brown.

prep time 5-10 mins
cooking time 2 hours
serves 6

500g strawberries
35g caster sugar
350ml double cream, lightly whipped

For the meringue
2 medium egg whites
100g caster sugar


1. Start with the meringue: put the egg whites into a spotlessly clean bowl and whisk until they hold soft peaks. Now add half the sugar and whisk to blend well with the egg white. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until the mixture is thick and shiny and holds stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without anything sliding out.

2. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Dollop dessertspoonfuls of meringue on the sheet and place in an oven preheated to 120°C/Gas Mark ½. Leave for 2 hours, until the meringues are completely dry and crisp on the outside (they will still be a bit squidgy in the middle) and can be lifted off the paper easily. Remove and leave to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, halve the strawberries, thickly slicing any whoppers. Put in a large bowl with the sugar. Roughly crush and squeeze a few of the berries with your hands so the juices start to run. Cover and leave to macerate in the fridge for an hour or two.

4. To assemble the mess, break the meringues into rough pieces, then fold into the whipped cream. Now lightly fold in the chilled fruit, so everything is rippled together rather than thoroughly blended. Pile into glasses and serve. You can make it an hour or so in advance, but not more, or the meringue will go weepy in the cream.

30 elderflower clusters
4 pounds sugar
juice of 5 lemons ( or 2 ½ ounces citric acid )
2 ½ pints water
Put everything in food grade gallon bucket or large bowl. Stir well and cover. Put aside and let steep for 5 days stirring each day (very important to ensure elderflowers stay submerged)
Strain through sieve and funnel into bottles.(makes approximately 3 wine bottles full)
Use like other cordials.Once opened best kept in fridge unless drunk fast as is usual in fine weather!

Devon Revel cakes, from a recipe book found in Copplestone, based on a recipe used by a baker in Colebrooke in 1824

25 grams yeast
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
140 ml whole milk
180 grams currants
300 ml double cream
Pinch of saffron
600 grams plain flour
1 egg, whisked
225 grams butter
450 grams caster sugar

Mix the yeast with a little sugar and a glass of warm water. Leave to activate. Put the saffron in some of the milk, warmed.
Rub the butter into the flour, then add the sugar. Warm the cream, then add it to the flour and sugar, and mix lightly. Add the milk, the egg and cinnamon, then stir in the yeast mix, the saffron milk and currants. Mix well. Cover and keep in a warm place for about 12 hours.
Shape into small flat cakes and bake in an oven at 170 C for about 20 minutes
When cooled dust with icing sugar.

Devon goats cheese and leek tart
Serves 4

375g puff pastry
100g-135g of Devon (Norsworthy) goats cheese
500g leeks
50g pine nuts or other nuts (walnuts)
A few strands of dill
Some chopped fresh parsley or thyme

Crumble or grate the cheese roughly. Wash and trim the leeks, cutting them lengthways into halves or quarters, before drying on kitchen roll. Roll out the pastry to fit a large baking tray or sheet.
Place the leeks and herbs onto the pastry, leaving a border around the edges of about 1 cm.
Next sprinkle the goats cheese and pine nuts over the top.
Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg and bake in the oven at 190 C for about 25 minutes, until the pastry has risen and the edges are golden.

Devonshire junket
1 litre whole milk ¼ teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon
2 teaspoons rennet 1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon caster sugar

Heat the milk with the sugar to about 37 C, i.e. until just simmering. Do not boil.
Stir in the rennet, brandy and cinnamon or nutmeg, and pour into a serving bowl. Leave to set at room temperature.
Serve with clotted cream.

Variations
Melt some chocolate in boiling water and add this to the warm milk.
Caramelise the sugar and add it to the warm milk to make a caramel junket.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large onion,
1 clove garlic
2 potatoes
2 gloved handfuls of nettle heads
olive oil, salt, pepper
1 stock cube or teaspoon bouillon
¼ pint single cream

Method
Peel and chop the onion, garlic and potatoes and fry them for 3 or 4 minutes in a large saucepan in a little oil.
Trim away the stems from the nettle tops using gloves and scissors, wash well and add to pan.
Make up stock with 1 litre boiling water (or use homemade stock) add to the pan and boil fairly rapidly for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked.
Liquidize and return to the pan to keep hot, season with pepper and salt
Pour into a large serving bowl and stir in the cream.
Serve with croutons made in butter.
Enjoy.

Ingredients
1.5 cups Golden Caster Sugar (250gm)
2 cups Flour (220gm)
125 mg Butter or Stork
3 level teaspoons Baking Powder (15gm)
3-4 heaped Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
100gm Dark Chocolate
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 medium beetroot, cooked and peeled(200gm)

Icing
150 mg Sour Cream
100 gm Dark Chocolate
1-2 heaped Tablespoons Icing Powder

Method
Mix butter and sugar till smooth, add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy.
Gently melt the chocolate on a low heat (glass bowl in a steam pot). Finely grate or puree the cooked and peeled beetroot (plain not vinegar). Sift the dry ingredients (cocoa, flour and baking powder). Gently fold the dry ingredients into the mixture, add the melted chocolate and vanilla and finally the beetroot. Divide the mixture into 2 cake tins. Bake at 170-180 degrees for 25 minutes. Leave to cool.
For the Icing, melt the chocolate as before, mix in the sour cream and the icing sugar until thick, creamy and smooth. Allow to cool. Spread the Icing with a knife between two cake layers and also lots on top.
Enjoy!

Ingredients (for 4)
4 large potatoes
1 large leek
125g goat's cheese (fresh, semi soft, hard)
Some grated hard goat's cheese for topping
4 tbps plain live yoghurt
50g butter
Few sprigs parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
Wash and prick potatoes and put in oven to bake for an hour until soft but not collapsing. Take out but leave oven on.
Meanwhile wash leek and cut up finely,cut into four lengthwise then cut across the stem to give quite small pieces. Fry gently in butter for about 10 minutes until softened
Cut potatoes in half carefully and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Hold with a teatowel to avoid burns!
Put skin halves back into baking dish and return to oven to crisp for 5-10 mins. Keep an eye on them, they can burn easily.
Add cooked leek, yoghurt and finely chopped parsley. Stir well.
Add the cheese: soft cheese simply stir in; semi soft cheese either grate if hard enough or chop into small pieces if too soft to grate; hard cheese grate and stir in.
Add salt and pepper to taste and give a final stir. Add more yoghurt to soften the mix if it seems a little dry.
Pile the mixture into the crisped potato shells scatter a little grated cheese on top of each potato half and put back into the oven for 10-15 mins to heat through.

Serve as a vegetarian main course or as an accompaniment to sausages, leftover roasted meat – whatever you fancy.

Ingredients

BASE
250g / 8oz peeled and sliced onions
4 sticks celery, sliced
200g / 6oz carrot, peeled and sliced
500g / 11b shredded white cabbage
40g / 1.5 oz butter
40g/1.5 oz plain flour
3 teaspoons yeast extract (Marmite/Vegemite)
250g / 8oz sliced tomatoes (or a tin of whole plum tomatoes)
Half pint stock
Salt and pepper to season

CRUMBLE TOPPING
125g / 5oz plain flour
50g / 2oz butter
75g / 3oz cheese, grated or crumbled

Method
Melt butter for base and cook onions, celery and carrots for around 10 minutes slowly. Dissolve yeast extract in the hot stock. Add flour and gradually add stock, stirring as you do to make sure it doesn’t get lumpy. If you are using tinned tomatoes you may need slightly less stock. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add cabbage, tomatoes and any other vegetables you are using. Season to taste. Cook for about 5 more minutes.

Make the crumble by rubbing the butter into the flour and then adding the cheese. Season.

Put the base in an ovenproof dish and then top with the crumble and cook at 350F or Gas Mark 4 for around 1 hour.

You will need:

• An assortment of root vegetables including onions, carrots and potatoes, but perhaps with some parsnip and celeraiac or anything else you have to hand, such as mushrooms


• Some brussels sprouts, not essential, but we think they make all the difference


• A small cup of vegetable stock


• Pepper and salt to taste, (I don't use any salt, there's enough in the stock)


• Some thin slices of cheddar cheese


• A deep ovenproof dish with a lid.

Method
Clean/peel and slice all the root vegetables, halve the sprouts.
Put them into the dish in layers, starting with onion and finishing with potato, with some pepper on some of the layers.
Pour over the stock and cover with the lid.
Put in a slow or moderate oven until the veg is soft.
Take off the lid, cover the top with cheese and brown under the grill.

* 60g butter
* 350g self-raising flour
* 1.5 teaspoons salt
* 65ml milk
* 65ml water
* 675g cooked pumpkin (mashed)

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas mark 6.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl, and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, not unlike making a crumble!
Add the mashed pumpkin and mix.
Make a well in the centre and add enough milk and water to make a sticky dough. Add about 50ml of each to begin with then add more if needed, 65ml of each usually works but it can take less.
Stir lightly with a knife and, when the mixture leaves the edges of the bowl, put the dough onto a floured board and knead.
Shape the bread into a cake shape or, for smaller individual portions, divide into four and shape.
Bake in a hot oven for approx. 15 minutes and serve warm.

For 2 x 450g jars:
1 kg cucumbers
3 small onions
250g granulated sugar
1 level tbsp salt
200ml cider vinegar
(plus 1 tbsp of chopped dill if you like the taste)

Finely slice the cucumbers. Peel and finely slice onions.
Mix together (with the dill if you are using it).
Mix sugar, salt and vinegar and pour it over the veg mix.
Leave for at least 3 hours before serving if you can but is best if left overnight.
If stored in an airtight container in the fridge it will keep for about 2 weeks.

With thanks to Pam Corbin, author of Preserves, River Cottage Handbook No.2 (ISBN 978 0 7475 9532 8)

At April's Farmer's Market tasting table so many people said they had only ever had pancakes with lemon and sugar (brown sugar, black treacle or honey as variations).
They were offered samples of pancake fillings from stallholders produce such as: braised chard and goat's cheese; goat's cheese and morello cherry jam; smoked mackerel and cream cheese: venison mince and sweet chilli sauce. All of which went down well.
We also collected a list of other suggestions: apple sauce; blueberries and cream; chicken and mushroom cream sauce; tuna and sweetcorn; clementine marmalade with orange liqueur; ratatouille and cheese; lemon and hundreds and thousands!
What a feast - hope you are inspired to experiment with your own pancakes.

To make approx. 14-18 splits.

Ingredients
1 lb plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ pint skimmed milk
½ oz yeast
1 tsp castor sugar
2 ozs butter
Jam
Devonshire cream

Method
1. Grease and flour baking sheets.
2. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Warm the milk to blood heat.
4. Cream the yeast with the sugar.
5. Melt the butter in the milk.
6. Pour all at once into the centre of the flour and mix to a soft dough.
7. Put into a floured bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set to rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
8. "Rub down" the dough and divide into equal portions (14 to 18).
9. Knead into small balls with the palm of the hand.
10. Place on the prepared baking tin. Prove for 10-15 minutes.
11. Brush with milk and place in a hot oven (425 degrees or Regulo 8) for 15 to 20 minutes.
12. When cooked brush with a syrupy mixture to make them soft and sticky.
When cold, split and fill with Devonshire cream and jam.

(Note : Syrupy mixture consists of 4 ozs. sugar, one-eighth pint milk. Heat to 215 degrees F.)

Contributed to the book by Miss L. Green and Miss S. Burton, Torquay.

There are quite a few variations about so here are some basics for you to play around with according to taste.

Ingredients
Plastic gloves to pick the tops off young nettle shoots, (at least 20 nettle tops, but the more you add the greener and tastier your soup will be)
Butter or oil
A large onion
Potato(es) to thicken
Stock (or water) for volume
Salt and pepper to taste

Loose Method!
1. First breath in the wonderful, 'bubblegum' aroma of the young shoots before you rinse them off.
2. Sweat the onion in your butter until soft.
3. Peel and chop up the potato and add to the onions to start it cooking.
4. If you like your soup chunky then chop up the nettle tops. If you are going to puree it then don't worry just add the nettles to the pan whole.
5. Give it a good stir and add your stock.
6. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the potato is cooked.
7. Puree at this stage.
8. Season to taste and enjoy with a hunk of crusty bread.

Serves 5

Ingredients
200g barley (7oz)
5 chicken thighs or leftover chicken
5 hot chorizo sausages (250g)
vegetable bouillon powder or chicken stock (4fl oz)
3 leeks
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
chopped fresh herbs of your choice

Method
1. Precook the barley in boiling water for 30 minutes or so.
2. Skin the sausages and slice 4 into rounds and dice 1.
3. Saute the rounds of sausages to release the oil. Keep the diced one back as garnish.
4. Add the leeks in with the sausage to soften.
5. Drain the barley and add to the pan along with the stock.
6. Cook on a low heat for 30-40 minutes until the barley is soft. Stir frequently.
7. Chop the chicken into bitesize pieces and add along with some of fresh chopped herbs when the risotto is nearly ready.
8. In a separate pan toast the garlic in a little olive oil and add the diced sausage to crisp up.
9. Serve the risotto sprinkled with the toasted garlic and diced chorizo and the last of the chopped herbs.

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 medium beetroot
1 garlic clove
salt if liked
2 tbsp tahini (or more to taste)
500ml natural yogurt
a good handful of chopped fresh mint or mixed herbs such as parsley, chervil, coriander, mint

Method
1. Steam or boil the beetroot until tender and peel when cool enough to handle.
2. Pound the garlic (with some salt if like) and stir in the tahini and yogurt, mix thoroughly.
3. Cut the beetroot into chunks and put on a shallow dish. Spread the yogurt mixture over the top and scatter with the herbs.

Marrow Jam
4lbs (1.8kg) marrow
4lbs (1.8kg) sugar
4oz (113gm) crystallized ginger
2 lemons

Peel and cut into small pieces, cutting away pips etc.
Cut lemons into quarters.
Put in pan and cover with the sugar until next day.
Bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time, then boil fast for about 20 minutes until golden brown, (do not overcook).
Squeeze and remove the lemon before potting.

Quince Jam
900g (2lb) quinces, peeled, cored and sliced (prepared weight)
1 litre (1 ¾ pints) water
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
A knob of butter
juice of 1 lemon if the quinces are really ripe.

Put the quinces in a preserving pan with the water and simmer very gently until the fruit is really soft and pulpy.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the suger (and lemon juice if necessary) and stir until dissolved.
Add the butter, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 15-20 minutes or until setting point is reached.
Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, then pot and cover in the usual way.

Over 30 people celebrated seasonal, local produce with:

Pumpkin soup and crusty bread
Chestnut stuffed pork fillet or chestnut, stilton and ale pie
Roast potatoes, mashed carrot and swede, steamed leeks
Pear, apple and quince charlotte with sheep's yogurt

Vegetables kindly donated by Linscombe Farm.

This event was run by Sustainable Crediton's Food and Farming Group. Sign up to our newsletter for news on the next supper.

Enjoy!
Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

2lb pumpkin diced
3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoon safflower/sunflower/olive oil
1 level teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
14 oz can tomatoes
1 pint water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

§ Saute the pumpkin and garlic in oil for 3 minutes.
§ Add the fennel seeds and parsley and continue to fry for 1 minute.
§ Add the tomatoes and stir in well. Finally add the water, sea salt and black pepper to taste.
§ Bring to the boil and simmer with lid on for 20 minutes.
§ Liquidise when slightly cooled and reheat before serving.

Chestnut, Stilton and Ale Pie
Serves 4

2 tbsp sunflower/olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
500g button mushrooms chopped in half
3 carrots, chopped
¼ Swede, chopped
2 bay leaves
8 fl oz of stout
4 fl oz vegetable stock
1 tsp yeast extract
1 tsp soft dark brown sugar
12oz drained canned chestnuts
2 tbsp cornflower mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp cold water
5 oz stilton cheese, cubed
egg to glaze, optional
salt and black pepper

§ Make the pastry. Put the flour and slat in a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture represents fine breadcrumbs. Add the thyme and enough water to make a soft dough. Knead it lightly, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
§ Make the filling. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, swede and herbs. Cook and cover for 3 minutes.
§ Pour in the stout and stock and then stir in the yeast extract and sugar. Simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and season to taste. Sir in the cornflour paste until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cheese and heat until melted, stirring.
§ Preheat the oven to 220C/435F/gas 7. Spoon the chestnut mixture into a 1.5 litre pie dish. Roll out the pastry to make a lid. Dampen the edges of the dish and cover with the pastry. Seal, trim and crimp the edges. Cut a small slit in the top of the pie and use any surplus pastry to make pastry leaves. Brush with egg and bake for 30 minutes.

Chestnut Stuffed Pork Fillet
Serves 4

1 pork fillet
1 onion, finely chopped
olive oil
70g pancetta cubes
garlic - 2-3 cloves or to taste
225g swiss chard or spinach or a combination of both as we used last week (washed, finely chopped and as dry as possible)
freshly grated nutmeg
fresh sage
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
black pepper (and salt if required - didn't add it last week)
Dried cranberries - a good handful
15-20 chestnuts
4 slices of prosciutto
2 glasses white wine
1 tbsp redcurrant or crabapple jelly (we used crabapple)
2 tbsps creme fraiche

Preheat oven to 180 or gas mark 4.

§ Make a cut along the pork fillet lengthwise without cutting it in 2. Open it out and bash out between 2 layers of cling film until at lease twice its size so it can be rolled - or ask your butcher to do it!
§ Sauté the onion with pancetta and garlic until onion is softened. Add greens, nutmeg, sage and enough breadcrumbs to absorb any liquid from the greens. Cook until the greens are mushy.
§ Add chopped chestnuts and dried cranberries and black pepper and mix thoroughly.
§ Layout the prosciutto on a board with the slices slightly overlapping then lay out the pork on top. Spread out mixture onto the flattened fillet and roll the whole thing including prosciutto lengthwise. Tie up at intervals with string to make a sturdy parcel. Brown the rolled fillet in olive oil on the hob for a few minutes in a shallow ovenproof pan. Add the wine and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the fillet to keep warm whilst you deglaze the pan with a bit more wine or stock. Add the jelly and creme fraiche to the sauce and serve over slices of the fillet.

Pear, Apple and Quince Charlotte
Serves 6-8

3 large apples
3 firm pears
2 quinces
Juice of half lemon
90g sugar
1 loaf of white bread, cut in slices (don’t use cheap, sliced white bread)
200g butter melted
serve with creme fraiche or yogurt

§ Preheat a medium oven to 180C/gas mark 4
§ Peel, core and quarter the apples and pears, and cut the quinces into smaller slices as they take longer to soften.
§ Poach the fruit gently in 100ml water and the lemon juice, adding a little more water if the fruit begins to stick.
§ When the fruit is soft add the sugar. Mash the fruit to break up any larger pieces, but do not puree.
§ Choose an ovenproof dish about 30x22cm. Cut the crusts off the bread and, with a pair of scissors, cut the slices into shapes that will completely cover the bottom and sides of the dish. Put some for the top to one side.
§ Using a pastry brush, brush a layer of melted butter over the bottom and sides of the dish.
§ Sprinkle with a little sugar and shake the dish to distribute it over the sides and base.
§ Brush each side of all the pieces of bread and melted butter and lay them in and round the dish. Spoon over the fruit mixture and cover with the remaining bread, then brush generously with melted butter.
§ Bake in the oven for at least 40mins, until the top is golden brown.
§ Serve with creme fraiche or yogurt.

This recipe is credited to Mrs Longhurst of Beer.

Ingredients
1 quart (a generous litre) of new cider to every 4lbs (1.8kg) of Sweet Alford apples
2lbs (0.9kg) lump sugar
1 lemon and some cloves

Method
1. Peel the apples and cook whole with stems on.
2. Put cider, sugar, lemon and cloves on and bring to boiling point.
3. Put in the apples and let them remain until tender, then put into jars and seal down.

Serves 4
Ingredients
300g cream cheese
60g ground almonds
30g dates or sultanas
30g butter
30g flaked almonds
12-16 vine leaves

Method
1. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl to soften it.
2. Add the ground almonds and dried fruit and mix together. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Toast the flaked almonds under the grill, set aside to cool for a few minutes
4. Mix the nuts with the cream cheese mixture
5. Soak the vine leaves in water to remove some of the saltiness. If you are using fresh vine leaves then blanch in boiling water to soften them.
6. Spoon an equal amount of cream cheese mixture on to each vine leaf. Fold over the leaves to enclose the filling.
7. Wrap the parcels in foil, 1 or 2 per foil package. Place over the barbecue to heat through for 8-10 minutes turning once.

Ingredients
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 handfuls red gooseberries
300ml/10.5fl oz double cream
half a lemon, juice only
1 tbsp white wine
35g/1.5oz hazelnuts, toasted
mint leaves, to garnish

Preparation
1. Mix the caster sugar and gooseberries in a blender for one minute until thick and pulpy.
2. Whip the double cream and add the lemon juice and white wine. Place half the gooseberry mixture into the cream and gently stir through.
3. Spoon half the remaining gooseberry mixture into a tall glass. Next spoon some of the gooseberry cream mixture on top.
4. Finish with the remaining gooseberry mixture.
5. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts.
6. Garnish with the mint and serve.

Ingredients
20 heads of elderflower
1.8kg granulated sugar, or caster sugar
1.2 litres water
2 unwaxed lemons
75g citric acid

Method
1. Shake the elderflowers to expel any lingering insects, and then place in a large bowl.
2. Put the sugar into a pan with the water and bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. While the sugar syrup is heating, pare the zest of the lemons off in wide strips and toss into the bowl with the elderflowers. Slice the lemons, discard the ends, and add the slices to the bowl.
4. Pour over the boiling syrup, and then stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and then leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
5. Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin (or a new J-cloth rinsed out in boiling water), and pour into thoroughly cleaned glass or plastic bottles. Screw on the lids and pop into the cupboard ready to use.

It tastes equally good on spaghetti as on new potatoes. Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls per person, according to taste.

Ingredients
200g wild garlic leaves
Juice of ½ lemon
100g grated parmesan
Handful toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method
Collect the wild garlic leaves and wash.
Place the leaves in a food processor with the lemon juice, grated parmesan and pine nuts. Process, adding olive oil to achieve a suitable consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Store in a closed jar in a fridge. Top up with olive oil to preserve.