Beef Stroganoff

Now that the clocks have gone forward we have the chance to work in the garden if we get back from work on time. Today we concentrated on tidying the frond garden. Three large recycling sacks of pruning and one small bag of rubbish (how did that crumpet get there??) we were ready for supper. It had to be something warming and quick and this fitted the bill.

Ingredients (for 3)

250g of thinly cut steak cut into strips
250g chestnut mushrooms (sliced)
1 medium onion (thinly sliced into half moons)
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
1 tub (c250ml) sour cream
Small bunch of dill finely chopped
1 teaspoon oak smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of caraway seeds
knob of butter
1 teaspoon of olive oil
salt and pepper
Plain boiled rice and steamed greens to serve

Fry the onions in the butter until softened then add the mushrooms, garlic, paprika and caraway seeds. Fry until softened. Fry the steak in a separate pan in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes then add to the onion and mushrooms. Add the sour cream, the dill and season. Warm through briefly and serve with the rice and greens.

For a vegetarian option add stacks more mushrooms.

Being Cooked For

Some of my friends find it stressful cooking for me - I don't know why. I love being cooked for and yesterday, after playing D&D, I had a very enjoyable meal of Chinese spiced tuna steaks followed by glazed pears and mascapone cheese on ginger cake with a lemon drizzle. Absolutely yummy. All the more special as Rob has only been cooking for about a year, natural talent I say. Obviously I offered myself as a consultant ...

Gooseberry Scrumble

I had some left over fruit scones from yesterday's afternoon tea and half a tub of clotted cream. What to do? I asked myself and so the Scrumble was born!


Ingredients (for two individual scrumbles)
1 punnet of gooseberrys
2-3 fruit scones (crumbled)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 knob butter

Put the gooseberries in two ramekins and sprinkle over the sugar. Crumble the scones and sprinkle on top of the gooseberries. Dot the top of t scrumble with the butter and bake in a oven (150-180C) for 30 mins or until the top is golden and crunchy and gooseberry juice is oozing out. Serve with a dollop of clotted cream or ice cream.

Afternoon Tea #2

Another baking frenzy in the kitchen today. Cheese and tomato and cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches on home-made wholemeal bread alongside smoked salmon on dark-rye with coriander bread. Cheese and cumin scones and fruit scones with thick clotted cream and scrummy strawberry jam. I also made fairy cakes for the first time, the first time I'd made any sponge cakes to be honest. Bit nervous as the mixture looked odd but when I took them out the oven they looked and smelled wonderful. Drizzled over a bit of lemon icing (just icing sugar and lemon juice) to dress them and they tasted great.

Yummy and very light.

Now want to make more cakes - a proper Victoria sponge is my next project!