Quick and Easy, Ricotta Hotcakes.
Quick and easy Ricotta hotcakes. perfect for breakfast with honey butter and berry fruits. Alternatively serve them to enhance a full cooked breakfast.
Author: john.webber22
Arisaig and Morar.
Sample Arisaig and Morar, one of the outstanding areas of the Scottish west coast
How To Grow Your Own Tomatoes.
Now is the time to grow your own tomatoes. This year again we are looking forward to a good crop of tomatoes from the polytunnel. And as I’ve said before, I’m no gardener, so if I can do it anybody can. But, you don’t need a polytunnel or greenhouse to enjoy home grown tomatoes. A bit of space near a window is all you need to give it a try. My seedlings are coming on in the living room ready to be planted later. Once the weather improves and we have seen the end of the frost.
How to Grow Your Own Tomatoes.
Getting started.
If you have never tried growing your own, grab a packet of seeds from the garden centre and get going. I have been growing three varieties Outdoor Girl, Alisa Craig, and San Marzano.
I start the seeds in plug trays and once I have about 8cm of growth re-pot them into 10cm recyclable pots. The seedlings will be quite fragile. And if allowed to grow too tall will be unable to support themselves. When re-potting cover the seedling stem down to just below the formed leaves. If you have small leaves forming near the base of the stem pick these off before covering with compost. If this is not done, they may cause rot below the surface. The pots are used later as a watering aid once the plants are in their final position.
Once they begin to outgrow the pots again, they are re-potted once more into 15cm deep pots proceeding as before. I always use fresh compost when seeding and re-potting. As the plants get larger feed once a week with liquid feed and support with plant sticks as needed.
I keep the plants in the living room by the window until I’m sure the frosts have finished. I you live in a warmer area; you should be able to move into the greenhouse or polytunnel earlier.
Moving outside.
When the time comes the plants are potted on once more into 30cm pots. You can use slightly smaller pots if space is a problem. But if the pot is too small, the yield of the plant may be reduced. Again, I use fresh compost with a layer of gravel in the base of the pot for drainage. The 10cm pots are sunk into the compost to allow water to reach the roots and not form around the stem. Watering the surface of the pot can cause the stem to rot at ground level. The sunken pots get the water/feed down and keep the surface dry. try to avoid getting the leaves wet as this can also be a cause of rot. It’s often a good idea to take the plants outside during the day and then bring them under cover for a few days to become acclimatised to a change in temperature before permanently planting them out.
Using Grow bags.
An alternative is to use grow bags and buy Plant Halos‘. These are doughnut like devices which are perfect for growbags. They allow extra compost to be used in the centre to give the plant more depth for growth. The outer ring is then filled with water that dribbles down via spikes in the base of the halo to water the roots. If you want to try growbags, I would definitely recommend you use the halos. I don’t think the growbag on its own has enough depth to support an adult plant. I have heard of people cutting one side of the plastic off two bags. Then sandwiching the two together to increase the depth. Fine if you are just growing a couple of plants on the balcony, but I think pots are a better bet. This year I am also going to use the Haloes on my 30cm pots to make the watering easier.
Tomato types.
There are two main types of tomato plants, Bush, and Cordon. Some varieties such as Rio Grande, Red Alert, and Incas are bush tomatoes. These are better if you want to use grow bags, smaller pots or even hanging baskets. These are a good bet if you are just starting off or don’t have a greenhouse or polytunnel. They also don’t require any pruning as they grow.
All three of these tomato varieties I’m growing are Cordon Tomatoes, San Manzano, Outdoor Girl, and Alisa Craig. This means they need to be supported as they grow with robust canes as they can grow up to 1.8mt in hight. Set the canes deep into the pots and support the top with garden wire. The watering halos have the provision to set a tepee of canes around the plant.
They also need to be pruned during the growing process. The basic principle in pruning cordon tomatoes plants is that you want the main stem to be where the leaf stems emerge from. Take a look at https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-cordon-tomatoes/ for a detailed instruction on pruning.
Outdoor Girl Tomatoes.
These are well suited to variable, colder UK conditions, i.e., Scotland. And can be grown outside if you have a suitable protected sunny spot in the garden. Flavour is a traditional sweet and sharp, good for salads and preserving.
Alisa Craig Tomatoes.
As far as taste goes this variety is still the one which many gardeners compare against for measuring how tasty a tomato is. Ailsa Craig has the right balance of sweetness and acidity combined with deep tomato flavour. There are few, if any tomatoes, which can match Ailsa Craig when it comes to taste. The texture is good for salads, and firm enough to make them excellent for slicing and serving on burgers and in sandwiches.
San Marzano Tomatoes.
These are my go-to cooking tomatoes and even if you are just buying your tomatoes in a tin, look for San Marzano. This is both a tomato variety and a region in Italy from where they take their name.
They are a plum tomato, a bit thinner and longer than the plum tomatoes you will be familiar with. with a lovely sweet – sharp flavour. The key thing is that they have fewer seeds and more flesh than a plum tomato. I find a lot of ‘Plum’ tomatoes seem to be no more than a stretched round tomato. If you have ever wondered why your tomato sauce is never as good as the one you tasted on your Italian holiday. It’s simply the quality of the ingredients.
So, now’s the time to get started. Once you have tried your home-grown tomatoes, you will realise how poor the shop bought versions are.
Look up the websites below for more in-depth information.
https://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk/
https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/tomatoes/grow-your-own
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
Easy Potato And Spinach Curry.
My easy potato and spinach curry ( to make at home. Quick, easy and very tasty, what’s not to like?
Easy Soda Breads to Make at Home.
Make these easy soda breads at home. It’s so satisfying and rewarding everybody should be doing it.
Make Your Own,- Welsh Cakes.
These homemade Welsh Cakes are easy to make and are a great addition to an afternoon tea spread. They are a variation of a griddle scone and shortbread, lightly spiced and finished with a coating of sugar. These make a great alternative to scones or cookies if friends come around. The only problem with them is that is impossible to only have one! They are at their best served fresh and warm but will keep in a cake box for a few days.
My father was Welsh, and as a child we often made the trip to Wales to see my relations. You were always sure to be greeted with a plate of warm Welsh cakes straight off the griddle. I have fond memories of those days and looking forward to the inevitable plate of warm delight.
Each region as its own variation of stove top bakes. Back at the farm Scotch pancakes are a firm favourite cooked directly on top of the hotplate. I attempted it once, what a mess. I had to scrape my efforts off the cooker. I’ll stick to the Welsh cakes.
You will need.
Mixing bowl
Small knife
Pastry knife
Jug for beaten egg
Measuring spoons
Flour sieve
Silicone spatula
Fish slice or pallet knife
Cooling wire
Makes 20 -22
50g unsalted Butter
50g lard
230g plain Flour
80g caster Sugar
Pinch salt
75g currants
1 ½ tsp baking Powder
1 tsp clear Honey
¼ tsp mixed Spice
4tbsp beaten Egg
2 tbsp milk
Caster sugar to sprinkle on top.
Dice the butter and lard into 1cm cubes then return to the fridge to firm up for a few minutes.
Weigh the flour then sieve into a mixing bowl, and stir in the baking powder, mixed spice, and salt.
Add the diced fats to the dry mix and rub fat into the flour to produce a sandy texture. Using a pastry knife will avoid the chances of melting the fats into the flour.
Add the sugar, currants, spice and honey and mix in.
Finally add the egg and mix just enough to produce a firm dough. Do not over work the dough or the Welsh cakes will be tough. Just like scones the less the dough is handled the lighter the finished product will be.
Roll out the dough 8mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out circles of dough 6cm to 6.5cm diameter. Don’t try to make them too large or they will break up as you try to turn them.
Cooking the Welsh cakes
Cook on a flat griddle plate lightly coated with ghee or vegetable oil over a medium heat until golden brown. Give them about 1 ½ minutes then flip them over and cook on the other side for the same time. Turn again and cook for another half a minute on each side.
As soon as cooked lift onto a cooling wire and sprinkle with caster sugar. You can also cook the Welsh cakes in a non-stick frying pan again with a touch of fat added to help the colour form.
Alternatives,
To ring the changes, try maple syrup instead of honey in the dough.
Try a pinch of cinnamon instead of mixed spice. Leave out the currants and top each Welsh cake with a dollop of cooked diced Bramley apple. Do give them a try, they are just as easy as making scones, but without the need to put the oven on.
Enjoy Life,
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
Stunning, Mango and Coconut Tarts,
Delicious, mango and coconut cream tarts. Great for entertaining. Light,crisp almond pastry filled with fresh mango and coconut cream.
How to use perforated tart rings
Learn the technique of making small crisp tart shells using perforated rings. Great for entertaining with a variety of fillings.
Make Your own Ghee at home.
Make your own ghee at home. It’s easy to do and very versatile. The homemade version has a more neutral buttery flavour that has several uses. Making a curry, producing French emulsified sauces, in bakery goods or high-temperature frying.
To get the best from your curry creations do read our posts on, – Make your own Garam Masala, – How to make Indian onion pastes, and Make your own Indian flavouring Pastes .
What is ghee?
Have you ever wondered what’s in that tin of ghee you religiously buy to make your curry as authentic as possible? Well, its butter, yes just butter. It’s not exactly identical as the butter on your toast. It has been cooked to remove the milky part of the butter and extend its shelf life.
Now if you’re into French classic cookery you may have come across clarified butter. Well, it’s basically the same thing. For the Indian version the base butter is different, and it cooked slightly longer to change the flavour.
But for all practical purposes we can make our own ghee to use for a curry or a hollandaise sauce as we wish. You can store the butter for up to a month and a half in the fridge. Or as I do freeze it in ice cube trays to have handy blocks ready when I need them.
Make your own ghee.
All we need is-
1x 250g block of unsalted butter
Small saucepan
Small ladle or soup spoon
Fine heatproof sieve
Heatproof bowl (pyrex is ideal)
A good result needs a good start and that’s the butter. You don’t need to buy the most expensive, but it must be unsalted. If you use salted butter for this, you will have a briny deposit in the pan that can spoil the finished product. As the butter cooks the milky part will rise to the surface and the solids will fall to the bottom of the pan.
Place the block of butter into the pan and pop onto a medium heat. Don’t use a lid as we need to keep an eye on the butter cooking
As the butter melts, foam will appear around the edge of the pan. Don’t worry that’s normal but we don’t want the butter to be rapidly boiling, just a gentle simmer.
When the foam covers the surface of the pan begin to skim it off the surface of the butter. You will see the liquid butter below becoming clearer. Listen to the pan it will be making a noise a little bit like a deep fat fryer after cooking chips. A kind of crackle as the last of the moisture in the oil evaporates. The butter in the pan is doing the same thing.
The tricky bit.
It’s very important you do not leave the pan at this point. Not only will you spoil the butter, but you will have the same danger as a deep fat fryer. If the fat becomes too hot it will burn and eventually ignite.
Keep a close eye on the pan and you will see the butter stop moving around. The sound coming from the pan will also all but stop. Both indicators tell you the butter is ready for straining. Don’t hesitate, strain it into the bowl at once.
The pan will have a deposit on the bottom, this should be a light brown and not welded to the pan. If it’s dark and smells a bit nutty, you have over cooked it a bit. You will have made what the French refer to as Burre Noisette (nut brown butter). It should be ok for a curry, but no good for hollandaise etc.
Let the ghee cool in the bowl and ether transfer to a lidded container or pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen tip out the cubes and store in a sealed plastic bag or box back in the freezer. NOTE, If the ghee is not stored in a sealed container, it will absorb the flavour of anything store close to it. In the fridge it will be good for six weeks, in the freezer up to three months.
TIP
When you go shopping, look out for unsalted butter that has been discounted as its close to its use by date. Take it home and cook it straight away, you will give the butter a new lease of life and save the waste of it been discarded.
As you can see it’s not difficult and only take a few minutes to do, give it a try.
Enjoy Life,
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
Make your own, Indian flavouring Pastes .
Make these essential Indian pastes at home. To make you a master of the curry.
Make your own, – Easy Chaat Masala and Tandoori Spice Blends
Make your own Chaat masala and Tandoori spice easily at home. Have the flavours of the Indian restaurant ready to use.
Make your own Garam Masala.
Understanding Spices – – – – – How to toast whole spices
There is something quite satisfying in preparing you own Indian Garam Masala. Yes, you can buy the blend ready to use and save yourself the work. But the ability to create something unique and the satisfaction when your guests ask for the recipe cannot be missed. Garam Masala simply means hot (garam) spice blend (masala) the term given to a spice blend use in many Indian dishes. The spice can be used at the start of cooking but is also used to finish off a dish providing a rich aroma as it is served.
Now, I know you’re thinking it’s too much trouble to make your own, but believe me it’s worth it. If you are a coffee enthusiast you may have your favourite roasted beans freshly ground. You then can make a great cup of coffee to savoury with a rich aroma and deep lingering flavour. On the other hand you could just have a cup of instant coffee, but where’s the pleasure in that.
That’s a bit like dealing with spices, quality ingredients, well prepared will always give you the best results.
Before you dive in have a plan as to which blends you plan to make, and what dishes you want to cook. It’s easy to get carried away and have a cupboard full of spices you are struggling to use. Whole spices will give you the best flavour and toasting and grinding the spices is one of my favourite jobs in the kitchen.
Make sure your spices are fresh and you have a suitable container such as an Indian spice box.
If you live in a city visit one of the many Indian grocery stores about. They have the freshest ingredients often at good prices. If like me that’s quite a hike, Amazon carry a good selection or for the unusual try Sous Chef for worldwide ingredients and equipment.
Understanding Spices
I can’t claim the following to be perfectly correct, if you are an Indian cook and have a different take on this, I would welcome comments. But this is the way I categorise my spices which dictates how, and in what order I use them.
I split spices into two basic categories, Seeds and Non-Seeds, let me explain. Spices like cumin, coriander, fennel, cardamom, mustard, are of course all seeds which contain flavouring oils which need to be heated to release their full flavour.
Other spices are not seeds: –
Cinnamon and Cassia is tree bark.
Nutmeg or Mace is the nut and its coating.
Chilli powder and paprika are from peppers and chillies.
Turmeric is the fresh or dried plant root.
Peppercorns are dried berries.
Cloves are dried flower buds.
Amchoor is dried, powdered unripe mango.
And we could go on. So, the key here is to understand which spices you are dealing with and treat them accordingly.
I always start with the seed-based spices which need more heat and follow on with the non-seed spices later and watch your cooking temperature.
How to Toast Whole Spices.
Toasting the whole spices releases and improves the flavour and this is often where a spice blend or dish can be spoilt before the cooking has even begun. The chosen spices need to be gently heated though over a medium heat and lightly toasted. Not blasted into a red-hot pan, to become burnt and bitter.
Some time ago a Chef friend of mine Tony Sing appeared in a television series with the great Cyrus Todiwala OBE, quite a match! Well worth a watch if you can find it on catch up television.. When I bumped into him, I commented on well he had explained the toasting of spices on the programme. He was surprised and couldn’t think what I meant. “You tossed the spices with your fingers” I said. That was quite clever and illustrated how not to burn them, the spices, not his fingers. He admitted he hadn’t done it intentionally, but it was just what he always did.
Now I’m not recommending you do the same. He had the skill of avoiding the base of the pan and ‘Chefs Fingers’ which over time get used to a certain level of heat.
To toast your spices correctly.
Use a pan wide enough for the spices to spread out and not be deeper than 4mm. place the pan over a medium heat and add the seed spices first. Using a heatproof spatula roll the spices around the pan turning them as you do so. After three to four minutes add the non-seeds. Five minutes cooking should be plenty and when ready you may see a very light haze, Not Smoke! rising with a rich scent of spice rewarding you for your effort. When ready tip the spices onto a metal tray to completely cool before grinding.
Garam Masala
Garam Masala translates into hot spice and is a spice blend used in small amounts to finish a dish or fried in the beginning of cooking to add flavour. It’s a deep powerful blend and needs to be used carefully to avoid overpowering should be added in small quantities or it will overpower the dish.
Confusion between Garam masala and Curry powder is common. Curry powder is just a general mix which normally includes turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger, and black pepper. It originates from the British army returning from India and trying to achieve the same flavours they had experienced abroad. Garam masala, on the other hand is a sharper deeply complex flavour adding Coriander, Cardamom, Nutmeg, cumin seeds, and Cinnamon into the equation’s exact mix of spices will vary from region to region below is a basic recipe for you to make your own.
Ingredients
Makes about 5 1/2 tablespoons of spice mix
Stage 1
- 5 Green Cardamom Pods
2 Black Cardamom Pods - 4 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
Stage two
- 3 Whole Cloves
- 4 Blades of mace
4cm Cinnamon stick (broken down) - 2 Dried bay leaves
- 1/8 tsp Dried chilli flakes
½ tsp Black Peppercorns
Place all the spices in stage one into a frying pan heat over low to medium heat (see above. After about flour minutes as the aroma begins to be released add the spices in stage two.
Cook for about another two minutes then tip the spices onto a oven proof dish to cool.
To grind the mix my preference is for a classic mortar and pestle. It does take time and effort, but I find it very satisfying, It’s like aromatherapy and stress relief all in one.
Alternatively, a small electric coffee grinder will do a great job. But it needs to be a dedicated grinder just for spices or you may get a shock at breakfast.
Whichever way you do it don’t grind too much at once and store the finished blend in an airtight container. Make sure you seal the container well after each use. It should keep well for a few weeks.
Now that wasn’t too bad was it? Our next blogs will give you more spice blends to make along with flavouring pastes to make and freeze. With that done bring on the currys !
Enjoy life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
HOW TO MAKE INDIAN ONION PASTES
The making of Indian onion pastes. Often used in restaurants to enrich and thicken a curry. Easy to make at home and give your curries a professional finish.
My Christmas Ultimate Chestnut Stuffing
Learn how to make our own ultimate chestnut stuffing in time for Christmas. Make it now and freeze it ready for the big day.