Cheese Fondue

I have to have this guilty pleasure occasionally, so tasty, so fatty... This makes enough fondue for two. I have a fondue pot with a burner but you can make it on a stove as well - if so, it's important to keep the cheese from congealing while eating by keeping the mixture hot.

1 clove garlic

1,5-2 dl white wine

1-2 tsp lemon juice

300 g emmental or gruyere (grated)

1-2 tsp corn or potato flour

- Halve the garlic and rub it around the pan.

- Heat up the wine and lemon juice but do not boil them.

- Add the cheese little by little simmering on a low heat and stirring constantly.

- Mix the starch with a small amount of water and add it to the mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture is nice and smooth.

- Serve immediately for example with some french bread keeping the fondue hot under a small flame (if you don't have a burner, candle is fine or just eat by the stove).

Ratatouille

olive oil (for frying)

2 peppers (chunks)

2 courgettes (chunks)

aubergine (chunks)

onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

red haricot beans (soaked and boiled with a bay leaf and some salt)

tin tomatoes/pasata

dried basil

salt

white pepper

black pepper

fresh oregano

- Sweat the onion on a low heat with the lid on, add the garlic and basil and fry for a couple of minutes.

- Add the vegetables and turn up the heat to medium, keep the lid on and stir occasionally until the vegetables are cooked but still firm to the bite.

- Add the tomatoes, a little salt and a pinch of black pepper and simmer for half an hour, then stir through the beans and warm them in the mixture. Season to taste and garnish with fresh oregano.

Scottish Broth

Scottish Broth is a hearty soup with root vegetables and lentils. Barley is great in it too but this time we didn't have any in our cupboards. You can also use for example cabbage, kohlrabi, turnip or any other root vegetable you have.

potatoes (diced)

swede (diced)

brown or green lentils

leek (chopped)

oil or butter (for frying)

carrot (grated)

celery (chopped)

vegetable stock

bayleaf

white pepper

salt

black pepper

- Sweat the leak in a pan, add the stock and all the ingredients except for the carrot and potato, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about an hour.

- Add the potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes before adding the carrot. Then simmer until the potatoes are soft and season to taste.

Tortilla de Patatas

I rarely eat eggs but Spanish tortilla is a nice and hearty meal to have occasionally.

olive oil (for frying)

one large pepper (halved)

onion (chopped)

3-4 floury potatoes (coarsely chopped and par-boiled)

4-6 eggs (beaten and seasoned)

paprika

(cayenne pepper)

fresh parsley

salt

pepper

- Roast the pepper skin side up under a grill until the skin is blackened. Place in a plastic bag, seal and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel the pepper and cut into long strips.

- Fry the onion in a large frying pan until golden, and then add the potatoes, season and fry for a further few minutes.

- Stir through the roasted pepper and spices, and fry for a couple more minutes.

- Add the eggs and fry on a gentle heat until the base is cooked, then grill until the top is solid.

- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with salad.

Quark Desserts

Quark with Satsumas:

500 g quark

2 dl double cream (whipped)

4-6 satsumas (peeled and coarsly chopped)

sugar (to taste)

(vanilla sugar)

few peaces dark chocolate

- Mix all the ingredients together except for the chocolate, place in the dessert bowls and grate some chocolate on the top.

Quark with Lingon Berries:

500 g Quark

2 dl double cream (whipped)

2-3 dl lingon berries

sugar (to taste)

vanilla sugar (to taste)

caramel sauce

- Mix all the ingredients together except for the caramel sauce, place to the dessert bowls and pour some caramel sauce on top.

Tip: You can use any fruit or berries you like, and if you want to make a healthier version use yoghurt instead of double cream.

Quesadillas with Quacamole & Fresh Tomato Salsa

This Tex-Mex dish is quick to prepare and makes a nice snack or meal. The dips are also great with tortilla chips or any Tex-Mex food, such as burritos or fajitas.

Quesadilla filling: (makes 3-4)

cheese (grated)

half a small red onion (chopped)

tomato (peeled, de-seeded and diced)

bunch of fresh coriander (coarsely chopped)

fresh chili (finely chopped)

tortilla bread (2 for each quesadilla)

- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

- Heat a dry frying pan on a medium to medium high heat until hot, add a tortilla and cover with the filling. Then add the second on top to form a 'sandwich' and press it down to help the cheese stick the two pieces together. Continue cooking until the tortilla is slightly browned, then turn over and fry the other side.

Quacamole:

2 ripe avocados (peeled and mashed)

1-2 tomatoes (peeled, de-seeded and diced)

half a small red onion (finely chopped)

a small clove of garlic (crushed)

lime juice

salt

pepper

(fresh coriander)

- Mix all the ingredients together. You can keep the avocado stone in the dip until it's served as it prevents the quacamole from turning brown.

Fresh Tomato Salsa:

4-6 tomatoes (peeled, de-seeded and chopped)

1/4 cucumber (de-seeded and chopped)

half a small red onion (finely chopped)

fresh chili (finely chopped)

fresh coriander (chopped)

salt

pepper

lime juice

- Mix all the ingredients together and serve soon after making it as it gets wet quickly.

Stuffed Mushrooms & Double Baked Potatoes

This is Geoff's own creation, which he cooked us for our anniversary - it's not very hard to make but takes some time to prepare.

Stuffed Mushrooms:

big breakfast mushrooms

camembert style cheese

tomato (sliced)

red onion (finely chopped)

garlic (finely chopped)

fresh basil

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

sugar

- Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and set aside, lightly brush with olive oil and bake for about 5 minutes at 200 degrees.

- Stuff the mushrooms starting with a layer of basil leaves and sprinkle of onion and garlic. Then add a generous knob of cheese and top with a slice of tomato. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of sugar and season to taste.

- Bake approximately for 20 minutes at 200 degrees until the tomatoes are roasted and the mushrooms are cooked.

Double Baked Potatoes:

floury potatoes

onion

thyme

capers

parmesan (grated)

butter

salt

pepper

(fresh herb such as basil or parsley)

- Wash the potatoes well and puncture with a fork, and bake at 200 degrees until cooked, about 45 minutes. (You can microwave the potatoes instead if you are in a hurry)

- Meanwhile, fry the onion and thyme until soft.

- When cool enough to handle, halve the potatoes and scoop their insides into a bowl. Mash with some butter, and stir in the onions, capers, parmesan and season well.

- Refill the potato skins with the mixture, top with some grated parmesan and bake at 225 degrees until the cheese is golden.

Lentil Patties

Served with salad, these crispy patties make a delicious lunch or a light dinner.

red lentils

1 onion (finely chopped)

3-4 cloves garlic (crushed)

fresh chili (finely chopped)

fresh parsley (finely chopped)

paprika

(cayenne pepper)

(fresh coriander)

lemon juice

salt

pepper

bread crumbs

egg (beaten, seasoned)

oil for frying

- Rinse the lentils well and boil them in salted water- you should aim to end up with a thick paste, so don't add too much water. Cook on a low heat and stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Let cool.

- Fry the onion and garlic until golden, then add the dried spices and fry for a further minute.

- Mix the lentils, chili, onion and fresh herbs, and season well; then form into small patties using wet hands.

- Dip the patties in the egg and roll in bread crumbs. Fry on each side on a medium heat until the patties are crisp and golden.

- Place on top of kitchen paper to get rid of any extra oil.

Tip: If you have any extra time leave the patty mixture to sit for a few hours to allow the flavours to develop.

Nut & Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this crunchy and delicious cookie recipe from my sister. They are easy to make and hard to store, since you always want to have just one more... Otherwise they would keep fine in a sealed cookie jar.

200 g butter

2 dl white sugar

2 dl brown muscovado sugar

1 tsp vanilla sugar/extract

2 eggs

6 dl flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

150-200 g dark chocolate (coarsely crushed)

50 g almonds (crushed)

50 g hazelnuts (crushed)

- Whip the room temperature butter with the sugars, then add the eggs one by one.

- Mix the flour with salt and soda and then start adding the flour mix, nuts and chocolate slowly to the dough.

- Scoop a small amount of the mixture, shape between two spoons and place on a baking tray covered with baking paper.

- Bake at 175 degrees for 10-15 minutes and let cool before storing.

Black Bean Salad

Black beans have an unique, nutty flavour and they are one of the tastiest beans to use in salads. This recipe is based on one found from "The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook" by Susan Tomnay.

black beans (soaked over night and boiled)

1 red pepper (diced)

2 tomatoes (diced)

1/2 small red onion (thinly sliced)

sweet corn

honey melon/cantaloupe/water melon (diced)

avocado (sliced)

crispy lettuce/rucola

fresh corriander

Dressing:

olive oil

lime juice

chili/cayenne pepper

1 small clove garlic (crushed)

salt

pepper

- Combine all the ingredients except for the avocado, melon and lettuce/rucola, add the dressing and set aside for half an hour to let the flavours develop. Add the rest of the ingredients and gently mix through.

Beetroot Soup

This is a nice beetroot soup recipe adapted from Delia Smith's original idea, it's healthy, cheap and tasty!

700 g beetroot (peeled and chopped)

1 carrot (peeled and chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

a few celery sticks (chopped)

1 bay leaf

1 l stock

small tub sour cream

lemon juice

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper

- Fry the onion, carrot and celery on a medium heat until they are softened and have some colour.

- Add the stock and boil for a while, then add the beetroot and simmer until it's cooked, approximately an hour.

- Blend the soup and add some lemon juice, salt and pepper, and then stir in 2/3 of the sour cream and heat gently for a couple of minutes.

- Garnish with some sour cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Tip: Always use plastic gloves when you handle beetroot, and remember to wash your chopping board immediately after use!

Vegetarian Bolognese

I'm not a huge fan of soy mince in many dishes but this is very tasty. My boyfriend makes a lovely spaghetti bolognese and he has changed my mind about so called meat substitutes on occasion. The taste gets better the longer you simmer the sauce, so take your time to make this dish.

onion (chopped)

carrot (chopped)

celery (chopped)

3-4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

soymince (covered with hot stock)

2 dl red wine

1 tin tomatoes (or 4 fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped)

tomato puree

1 bay leaf

thyme

rosemary

black pepper

salt

pinch of nutmeg

olive oil

spaghetti

fresh basil

parmesan

- Fry the onion, carrot and celery on a medium heat until soft and then add garlic and soy mince and fry for a few minutes. After this add the red wine and simmer until half of it has evaporated.

- Add the tomatoes, dried herbs, white pepper and puree and let simmer at least half an hour.

- Boil the spaghetti in a big pan of salted water, drain, rinse with hot water and then season with pepper and olive oil.

- Season to taste, add the nutmeg and drizzle with olive oil to settle the flavours. Serve with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan.

Carrot and Corriander Soup

This sweet classic is a nice autumn warmer.

1/2 kilo carrots (peeled and diced)

1 onion (chopped)

2-3 cloves garlic (sliced)

stock (enough to cover the mixture)

salt

black pepper

cayenne pepper

pinch of turmeric

fresh corriander

(cream)

- Sweat the onion and garlic in a covered pan on a low heat for about 10-15 minutes.

- Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper and carrots and fry for a couple of minutes.

- Add the stock, bring to the boil, and simmer until cooked.

- Blend and season the soup and serve with some fresh corriander (and cream if you wish).

Goat's Cheese Salad with Orange Sauce

This is one of the nicest dishes my boyfriend has created and one of my favourite salads. The orange sauce is the best dressing I've had with goat's cheese.

Salad:

rucola

lettuce (for example lollo rosso or curled lettuce)

cherry tomatoes

(cucumber)

goat's cheese (thickly sliced)

white bread (sliced)

black pepper

Dressing:

olive oil

2 oranges (juice of 2 and zest of 1)

(half a small red onion, sliced)

a splash of balsamic vinegar

a pinch of salt

sugar

- Fry the onion for a few minutes until it's softened.

- Add the orange zest and fry for a further minute, and then add the juice, salt, balsamic vinegar and sugar.

- Continue to cook the dressing on a medium heat until it has thickened slightly.

- Grill one side of the bread, then turn over and place the goat's cheese on top of the slices. Drizzle some olive oil on top, give it a twist of pepper, and grill until the cheese has some brown spots.

- Spoon the dressing over the salad and cheese.

Chanterelle & Spinach Lasagne

I got some fresh, locally picked chanterelles from a nearby market place and used them in this simple, tasty lasagne.

1 litre chanterelles (roughly chopped)

1 onion (chopped)

3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

olive oil

(butter)

150 g spinach

thyme

white pepper

black pepper

salt

splash of red wine

Cheese sauce:

25 g butter

1/2 dl wheat flour

6 dl whole or semi skimmed milk

mild cheese (grated)

green pepper

black pepper

nutmeg

salt

9 lasagne sheets

parmesan (grated)

mozzarella (sliced)

Mushroom filling:

- Fry the onion and garlic in a low heat until they are golden, and then add the chanterelles and thyme and fry for a few minutes.

- Stir in the spinach and fry until it's just cooked, then add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Season well.

Cheese sauce:

- Make the cheese sauce in a heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat. Melt the butter, and gradually pour in the flour, whisking constantly. Whilst continuing to whisk the mixture, slowly pour in the milk and bring to the boil, letting the sauce boil for a couple of minutes.

-Take the pan off the heat and add the cheese and seasonings.

- Lightly grease a lasagne dish and start layering the sauce, filling and pasta, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce. Top with the parmesan and mozzarella.

- Bake at 175 degrees until the pasta is soft and cheese has some brown spots. Let the lasagne stand for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Tip: If the cheese browns before the pasta is cooked, cover the baking dish with some tin foil or baking paper.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are a wonderful autumn or winter side dish. Use any of your favourite root vegetables but make sure to remember different cooking times when you cut them into pieces! For example sweet potato should be left quite big and carrots should be cut fairly small. Use some or all of the following vegetables:

potatoes

carrots

sweet potato

swede

parsnips

turnips

small onions (whole with peel)

fat garlic cloves (whole with peel)

olive oil

salt

pepper

rosemary

thyme

- Oil a large baking tray and add the vegetables, turning them to ensure they each have an even coating of oil. Bash the garlic cloves once each with the flat side of a knife to release their flavour, and finally sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the top.

- Roast the vegetables at 200-225 degrees until they are soft and golden.

Tip: If you serve roasted vegetables as a main course it's nice to have a dipping sauce with them, for example spinach or tomato.

Halloumi Fajitas

This recipe is originally from Celia Brooks Brown but it has been changed a bit. Lime and halloumi make a perfect combination in this texmex dish.

2-3 peppers (different colours)

1 courgette

mushrooms

2 small red onions

halloumi (slice the halloumi cube in 3 pieces)

marinade:

1/2 dl olive oil

(splash of dark rum)

pinch oregano

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

fresh or dried chili

(splash of chili sauce- chipotle is nice for a subtle smokiness)

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cumin seed

juice of 1 and peel of 1/2 a lime

fresh coriander/parsley

tortilla bread

- Roughly chop the vegetables and marinade them and the halloumi (separately) for at least 1/2 an hour.

- Fry the vegetables in a hot pan until they soften up (approximately for 20 minutes). Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley in the end and add some extra salt, pepper and lime juice if needed.

- Grill the halloumi both sides until it has brown spots.

- Serve with some kermaviili (or creme fraiche) and quacamole.

Tip: To make the marinade combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil. Then, while stirring, drizzle just enough olive oil to make the mixture emulsify.

Aubergine Paté

This recipe is originally from Jamie Oliver. It's very simple and tastes superb. This time we had it as a small appetizer but it makes a great dip to have in larger quantities as well.

1 large aubergine (grilled)

1 clove garlic (crushed)

lemon juice

salt

pepper

- Halve the aubergine lengthwise and grill, skin side up, until the skin has blackened and the insides are soft

- Scoop out the flesh and mash it in a bowl

- Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste

Rucola & Grilled Pepper Salad

This salad makes a perfect starter to almost any Italian meal. We had it with the goat's cheese pasta (recipe below). All the tastes click together perfectly in this dish when you have it with a light vinaigrette.

rucola

red and yellow pepper (grilled, peeled and sliced)

pinenuts (toasted)

parmesan

olive oil

small clove garlic (crushed)

balsamic vinegar

sugar

salt

pepper

- Grill the peppers skin side up until they are blackened, place in a plastic bag and let cool. Peel and slice into strips.

- Toast the pinenuts in a dry pan until lightly browned.

- Put the rucola in a large bowl and add the peppers, pinenuts and parmesan.

- Make a light vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and just a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and drizzle over the salad.