I rarely bake much these days, though there have been times when I was very active practising my culinary skills by throwing together a Soda bread every two days for years on end and some nights making Salmon Mornay or a red wine laced Bolognese for supper.
For desserts I made a rich bread and butter pudding with a teaspoonful brandy and enriched the milk with a tub of double cream. Then there were other favourites like egg custards and semolina puddings that I thoroughly enjoyed for they were so delicious even when eaten cold.
I even discovered how to make my own clotted cream from Irish milk
that tasted exactly the same as the Cornish and all through those years I never realised that it would bring about my Waterloo and that a new eating habit would have to be introduced.
All was not lost. One recipe remained, one dish that has proved to be as viable now as it was then. The Nut Roast and I have made so many that I am able to adjust the recipe to suit myself.
Ingredients:
Walnut halves two handfuls roughly crushed.
Cashews two handfuls some crushed others halved.
2 large onions chopped up and sauté in Olive Oil.
Tomato puree about a tablespoon.
2 packets of Stuffing - I use Lidl’s deluxe range.
5 or 6 cloves of Garlic chopped.
Baked Beans - 1 large tin of Heinz.
Black Pepper - lots of it.
Herbes de Provence - 1 tablespoonful.
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| NUT ROAST
First peel and chop the onions and try not to cry. Warm the cast iron pan, add oil and chopped onions. While they are cooking bring to life the stuffing in the mixing bowl. Crush the nuts, I use a roller on a bread board and when satisfied throw them into the stuffing. Add the baked beans and their liquid, plus tomato puree. The onions, if soft can now be added. Stir them into the stuffing, now peel and chop the garlic and add to mix along with Herbs de Provence and black pepper.
Finally I taste the mixture to determine the texture and flavour prior to cooking. Spoon mixture into a nonstick baking tin and level the top gently. Cook in a pre-heated oven Gas mark 4 for approx 40 minutes. Test the same as a cake - if the blade comes out clean it is done, if not leave for a few minutes longer.
Place finished nut roast on a wire rack and allow to cool before removing from the tin. Consume with fresh vegetables and enjoy.
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Will definitely have to give this a try.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy, enjoy I find two slices per meal quite sufficient, see what you think :)
DeleteNow that sounds yummy, Mel! I shall have to try it!
ReplyDeleteI think you will be replete afterwards :)
DeleteI don't bake much no more, except when I do ... and when I do ... watch out ... my husband knows, when he comes home from work and there is a lot of baking on the counter ... there is a coming of a lot of tears and talking ... because at times I miss our daughter Jenny so much ... 30 years seems like justa day ago at times ...Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteYes Cat when in deep sadness it is hard to bake, am very sorry to read of your loss. Blessings to you.
DeleteI think I'm going to have to give that a try! It looks delicious :-) xx
ReplyDeleteWe had two slices each last night with mashed sweet potato, to which I added Moutarde de Dijon for additional flavour, it was a very satisfying meal.
DeleteThank you for your comment Teresa x
Hi Mel - that sounds a great way to give something different for a supper dish - my problem is I rarely cook for others ... and a whole one of those would be way too much ... I like the range of ingredients.
ReplyDeleteAs you other ideas - when my mother was in hospital and they brought 'pudding' - it was semolina - turned away by my mother - restrained and held back by me ... it's something I so rarely get ... I relished it ... and Mum and I chatted about old times etc ... Cornish times, clotted cream and happy memories for us both - cheers and great to see you're still cooking - Hilary
Hello Hilary !
DeleteAgree that the amounts given are sufficient for a family of six in one meal. What you can do is to halve or adjust amounts e.g. use 1 medium size onion, small can of beans etc. Plus you don't have to eat it all at one sitting, you can always cover it with grease proof paper and put it in a cool place, a cold oven even, but definitely not a not a fridge otherwise it would dry out.
I get great pleasure in playing around with recipes and adjusting them my taste.
Good Luck :)
Well, some people do say that english cooking is either tasteless or at least strange, but since you live on an island there has to be something good in this. I can't for the life of me figure out how these ingredients can become anything edible, but I am willing to try. Stuffing, however, is not to be found in miles, can I use something else? I do my own adjustments but here I stand without options!!!
ReplyDeleteYou keep mentioning England and I do not live there, so tell me about what you cook and eat in India perhaps we can swop recipes ?
DeleteStuffing can be made with bread crumbs and chopped herbs like parsley and other culinary herbs.
I'm sorry, we up here in India don't have any prejudice against irish cooking or anything irish whatsoever so I mentioned it for the sake of argument. Please, I won't even think about England ever again . At least not here!! As for indish cooking, no, but perhaps one or two swedish dishes!!
DeleteOk, breadcrumbs it is, herbs it is, try it I must. As I attend the oven, I just might work a bit on my geographyknowledge....
Hah !
DeleteI rather thought me putting you in India would work :-)
Yes, do try the recipe because you will not know wether it is to your liking or not until you taste it and if you don't then share it with your neighbours.
Oh, we are not that easily defeated up here. I shall ponder on what neighbours will come in handy , if the unthinkable should occur...
DeleteThere is no accounting for taste. Thank you for your humour and comments.
DeleteThis is definitely my type of food. I will try this on Sunday to serve with roast potatoes, veg and gravy. However, can I place my order now ready for when we hopefully come visit :) xxx
ReplyDeleteI rather thought that the Nut Roast would take your fancy. Am sure your pre-order can be fulfilled Madam ;-)
DeleteMight even rustle up some dry weather too ha'ha'
This sounds interesting and worth a try. I will use the bread crumbs and herbs like Fairtrader as I never have boxes of stuffing. But really was your previous diet so bad?. you seem like you came out if it very healthy and it did sound good. cheers
ReplyDeleteI over indulged on a particularly tasty German Chocolate nougat that is bought in large packets and I am guilty of losing control once the packet is opened. The only remedy is not to purchase any.
Deleteunfortunately I have the same problem with dark chocolate!! it's so good!
ReplyDeletePerhaps we can form a chocoholic society - d'you think :)
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