Poached plums with Shortbread
Victoria plum season is one of nature’s glorious bounty. Each year we patiently wait, watching the green plums ripening within our reach in our coastal kitchen garden … but someone else is watching, Mr & Mrs Blackbird, impatient and more inclined to bash on and strip our tree than await their rosy glow. It is […]
Vanilla ice cream & wild strawberry jelly
The Swedes have a name for it – smultronställe – literally wild strawberry patch, it is also used to describe a special place that holds fond memories. Wild strawberries once grew in profusion across northern Europe however as biodiversity struggles against the use of toxic chemicals such as weedkillers, and plantations of Sitka spruce appear […]
Ardross Soup
Bosse has been growing and seed-saving heritage grains in the walled garden at Ardross over the last few years. He loves every minute of it, pursuing his passion for heritage and landrace grains. I am happy to join him weeding between the rows, harvesting and milling but draw the line at digging, so I go […]
Carrot & Pesto Roulade
This is a colourful dish for a light lunch. My wild garlic pesto lasts all year, made with Summer Harvest Rapeseed oil, St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese and cashew nuts for this particular batch, and frozen in small portions to use when I please. Pre-heat oven 170°C and line a large Swiss roll tin with baking […]
Border Bangers in Blankets
This recipe uses beautiful Gloucester Old Spot pork bangers from Going Native Heritage Meats Simply roll out a batch of puff pastry – mine is homemade with St Andrews Farmhouse grated cheese through it – and cut into squares. The diagonal of each should ideally be the length of the sausage. Brush with beaten egg […]
Courgette & mushroom soufflé pie
Throughout my student years at catering collage and Moray House, I worked in a restaurant twice a week. Not cooking but singing for my supper, literally! I sat on a stool singing folk songs, playing my guitar, enjoying the camaraderie… and the free meals that were included in my wage. I declined my free ‘staff […]