Recipes tagged with: easy

Juicy. piquant and delicious! A relish is cooked for a shorter period time than a chutney and does not need to be stored and matured before eating, which makes this the perfect quick and easy recipe for Christmas. Wait for the fresh cranberries to arrive in the shops and make some for yourself and some to give away as a gift. (If you can bear to part with it) The recipe makes 3 standard size jam jars (378ml/1lb)

You can't beat a thin and delicate crepe oozing with juicy oranginess. Perfect as a hot pudding on a cold day, this recipe can be made ahead and the filled crepes just popped into the pan at the last minute to add the flambe touch!

These delicious buttery and crispy oat biscuits are legendary in South Africa. Although they look like flapjack they are a completely different in texture and have just a hint of saltiness to the coconut crunch. Use a 20cm x 30cm deep baking the tray which when baked will cut into about 20 pieces.

This recipe really stands the test of time and I have been making it since the late 1970's. It is oat based and has no added sugar in the date filling. Made with a plant based or dairy free fat then it is suitable for vegans. What the current rage of clean eating, vegan and sugar free cakes, breakfast bars and superfoods then I suggest that you just give this old fashioned recipe a try. Dried apples, apricots and prunes all work well in the filling. Just substitute for the dates.

Make ahead for a dinner party and just pop into the oven when required. Makes six individual gratins or one large dish.

Drop scones also known as Scotch Pancakes are smaller and  thicker than a crepe and sweet rather than savoury. Eat them for breakfast spread with butter, jam or honey. Also experiment by adding grated citrus zest, sultanas or fresh fruit such as blueberries into the batter before cooking.

A hot and spicy chicken curry, originating from Durban, South Africa. Unlike traditional Indian recipes, a Durban curry does not usually include cream, milk, yoghurt or nuts, and very little butter or ghee is used. In Durban oil is used, with a lot of chilli, cumin and coriander and the vibrant colour comes from the tomatoes. Potatoes are added too. This curry is always best the next day and in Durban might be served as a Bunny Chow, in a hollowed out loaf of bread.

These biscuits are traditonally made at Easter and have been on the tea table in our house since I was a little girl. This is my mother's recipe which probably came from one of those 1950's Good Housekeeping recipe books. A buttery shortbread style biscuit with spice and currants. Easter is not the same without them. Makes about 24 biscuits.

A delicious fragrant cordial, capturing the taste of summer. You must pick the elderflowers on a dry, warm and sunny day, when the flower heads are fully open.  They must be perfect, with no trace of brown blossoms. Do not wash them so make sure that you pick them from an area where they are unikely to have been contaminated by wildlife or passing vehicles.

The cordial will keep for several weeks in a cool pantry, several months in the fridge or alternatively freeze in plastic containers and it will keep for a year.

Citric acid is available from chemists and DIY wine making suppliers.

This is a two part recipe. Firstly the dry herb and spice mix that can be made ahead and kept in a jar ready for use. Then there's the 'fresh' element of garlic, lime and coriander that is added when you have your meat ready to marinade. This recipe will be enough for 2 whole pieces of flank, each one serving 3 or 4 people if used in fajitas.

Flank steak is often seen on a menu described as a bavette steak. This is not the cut to use if you don't 'do' rare. The flank has long muscle fibres and can be tough if overcooked, it's also very lean and best sliced thinly across the grain for optimum tenderness. Cook it on a very high heat for 2 or 3 minutes a side and then cover with foil and rest for 10 mins. I generally put mine in the oven after it has been turned off, so no heat, just warm surroundings.  .

Savoury muffins are delicious as a savoury snack at any time of the day or served with soup instead of bread. They are also a great way to use up leftover cheese, cooked meat and cooked vegetables. Just substitute the Feta for any other cheese that you fancy and the Peppadew's can be substituted for cooked meat such as ham or bacon or vegetables. The jars of antipasti artichokes, courgettes etc stored in oil work well and remember to use the oil up in the recipe instead of the olive oil. Makes 15.

A toasted muesli, nice with fresh fruit and yoghurt for a vegetarian breakfast, this is a very adaptable recipe using any grains, seeds and nuts that you fancy.

Plan ahead for this recipe as it will take 4 days to cure. You must turn the fish each day and use the freshest salmon possible. It really is so much better than anything that you will buy in a pack from the supermarket, and cheaper too! Serve with Dill and Mustard sauce and on rye bread.

Halloumi cheese cooks very well on the barbecue as it doesn't melt into a puddle as soon as it hits the heat. Cut quite large cubes of cheese so it doesn't fall between the grid on the barbecue into the fire. Try marinading in lemon, garlic and oregano. Skewers work too, although halloumi is prone to break when you thread the skewer and try to turn them over. Grill to form a lovely brown crust.

This recipe makes a 450g loaf. It keeps really well in an airtight tin for 1-2 weeks, becoming slightly sticky.  A lemon icing and chopped stem ginger gives a great finish.