The Plate

Recipes

Here you'll find a selection of recipes using produce from the allotment or bits and pieces grown at home. I'll be changing these fairly regularly.

To see all the recipes that have appeared on the Plate and some that haven't yet but might, visit it's sister site, the Plot To Plate Cookbook.

Well it's Strawberry time at last. Sue loves them beyond belief and will eat them every day without complaint. This year has produced a bumper crop however and even the Strawberry Queen can't eat them fast enough.

One of the best ways I know of preserving then is to make ice cream. It can then sit in the feezer and you can eat it all summer long. It's often said in cookbooks that you can make ice cream even if you don't have an ice cream machine and indeed you can. I however, think that you should just go out and buy one. You don't need anything sophisticated, just something that will churn the ice cream before it's final freeze. My machine cost about £20 and is one of those where you freeze the drum that holds the cream then fit a paddle to churn it. The drum lives in the freezer so I can make ice cream at a whim. It's money well spent because I promise you that once you've made your own, you won't want to stop.

Strawberry Ice Cream

450 grms Strawberries

200 grms Caster Sugar
500 mls Double Cream

4 very fresh free range egg yolks

Place the Strawberries and half the sugar into a pan. Add about a tablespoon of water, put the pan on a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. When the berries have given up their juice, strain into a bowl, return to the pan and reduce until you have about 100mls of strawberry syrup. Set aside and allow to cool. Discard the strawberry pulp.

Put the egg yolks and the other half of the sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until the sugar is dissolved and the yolks become thick, pale and smooth. Put the cream into a pan and heat through until it just begins to bubble. Pour the cream slowly into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Return the custard to the pan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Allow to cool, stirring from time to time to prevent a skin forming.

Pour the custard into an ice cream churner and churn until it begins to thicken. Pour in the strawberry syrup and churn for a further 10 minutes. Scoop the ice cream into a container and place in the freezer to finish. Serve with just picked strawberries in huge portions.

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Broad Bean & Tomato Pasta

This is just a basic tomato sauce but with the addition of wonderfully fresh Broad Beans and served with whatever your favourite pasta happens to be. You can of course leave out the beans and simply serve the pasta with the tomato sauce, or substitute a different bean such as Borlotti when they're in season.

I've recently discovered an English cheese made by Twineham Grange Farms in West Sussex. It's an "Italian style premium cheese" or in other words an English Parmesan. It has a distinctive, nutty taste, a bit like Gruyere and it's well worth a go. It's available from Sainsburys.

Serves 2

450 grms Tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and chopped (or use a tin if you prefer)

1 tbls tomato pureé (this is optional - you may not need it if your tomatoes are ripe, ready and have good flavour but I always add it if I'm using tinned tomatoes

3 or 4 cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 Onion, chopped

150 grms Broad Beans

1 tbls Balsamic vinegar

1 handful of Basil leaves

1 handful Twineham Grange cheese (or use Parmesan)

1 tbls Olive Oil

Maldon Sea Salt

Black Pepper

As much of you favourite pasta as you can eat

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Fry gently for four or five minutes until the onion has softened then add the crushed garlic and fry for a further minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes (or the tinned tomatoes and and tomato pureé), the Balsamic vinegar and Broad Beans. Simmer gently for ten minutes or until the beans have begun to soften. Reserve one third of the Basil. Roll the remainder into a cigar shape, shred finely and add to the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Take your favourite pasta (I like Fusili) and cook as instructed on the packet. It's up to you how you cook it - it's al denté for me but if you like it softer then feel free.

Drain the pasta and add to the tomato sauce. Stir for a couple of minutes so that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve with grated cheese and the reminder of the Basil torn and scattered over the top.

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Pam's Wonderful Curried Sweet Potato Soup

We went to dinner with our friends Pam and Derek the other night. Pam served this fantastic soup which is reminiscent of Mulligatawny but actually far nicer. The spicy sweet potato both tastes and smells superb. It's one of the best soups I've ever eaten. You must try it. I don't know where the recipe hails from originally but as far as I'm concerned Pam has made it her own so it will henceforth be known as Pam's Wonderful Curried Sweet Potato Soup.

I don't actually grow sweet potato so you might wonder why it's featured here. Well, I do grow squashes and they are a very successful substitute for the sweet potato in this recipe. It's also a bit early in the year to give you this one - my squashes are a long way from fruiting at the moment. Never mind, forget all that. Make it, enjoy it and remember it for later in the year.

1 tbsp oil
1-2 onions chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp curry paste - preferably Madras or Korma
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1 red bell pepper deseeded and chopped
4 pts chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp rum (optional)

To serve - sour cream and sweet paprika

In pot heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and curry paste and cook for 4 mins stirring occasionally. Reduce heat if necessary. Add the garlic clove and ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the sweet potato, pepper and stock. Cook for 15 mins or until vegetables are soft. Puree the ingredients. Check consistency and add more stock or water if the soup is too thick. Add the rum - it's not really optional.

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