This easy Lemon Barley Water is a British classic and a must for any outdoor event. This is not difficult to make but takes a little time to infuse and chill. Make it the day before to let it get as cold as possible before use. Once you have tasted the real thing, you will never go back to shop-bought cordial again.
This Easy, Family Citrus Peach Cooler takes just a few minutes to make using ingredients you may already have in the house.
Rillettes are a type of coarse French potted meat. The meats are cooked long and slow then broken down, almost like pulled pork. Don’t expect a nice smooth pateˊ this is a meat eaters paradise. Served with toasted sourdough bread and ideal taken on a summer picnic.
Don’t forget to look up our post on How to make your own pork sausages. Its easier than you think!
Rillettes were originally a method of preserving and using the fattier parts of pork. Here I have married the pork with duck, another favourite meat of mine. The meat is salted then cooked slowly with fat not all that dissimilar with Duck Confit. Rillettes, although rustic are equally at home served at a dinner party, eaten alfresco, or packed with a bottle of wine and good bread for a countryside picnic.
Traditionally this is cooked in the oven. But if you don’t want to have your oven on for so long, a slow cooker works well in tenderising the meat.
Cut the belly and shoulder pork into 2cm dice and place in a large Pyrex bowl. Sprinkle the 1tsp of salt over the meat and rub into the meat with your fingers. Rub the remaining ¼ tsp of salt into the meaty side of the duck leg and place on top of the pork. Cover the bowl and leave to stand in the fridge overnight.
Pour the pork and duck leg into a colander and rinse under running cold water to wash off any remaining salt. Drain well then tip the pork into a casserole placing the duck leg on top.
Chop the fat and add to the pan. Add the wine, water, rosemary, garlic, and bay then put the casserole over a low heat.
Using a mortar and pestle of spice mill crush the juniper, clove, and peppercorns with the ¼ tsp of salt. Sprinkle this over the meats and add to the pan.
When the fat begins to run from the meats pop on the lid and cook in the oven for 3-4 hours on very low heat (150˚c – 120ºfan oven) for 3-4 hours until the meat begins to break up.
Alternatively, start the process on the hob as above then transfer the mix to a slow cooker but reduce the water to 50ml.
When the meat easily falls apart when pressed with a fork, lift the meat into a bowl and strain off the fat. If there is still a lot of liquid remaining with the fat boil it off in a small pan, A little liquid in with the fat is fine.
Remove the skin from the duck leg and flake off the meat. Add that to the pork then break up the meat with a couple of forks adding some of the fat as you mix. If you are short of fat some lard can be mixed into the pan. If you have fat left over from cooking Duck Confit that’s ideal.
Once the meat is broken down with the fat you should have a moist, succulent mixture. Have a taste and add more seasoning if needed. Bear in mind that as this is eaten cold it will seem a little less seasoned when eaten than it tastes now, so don’t be shy.
Fill small ramekins or glass jars with the meat spoon over some of the remaining fat. This will seal the top and keep off the air.
Let the Rillettes cool completely and store in the fridge.
Let them come up to room temperature before serving and serve with hot toasted sourdough bread.
Yes, in fact they are better made a few days ahead as the flavour will develop. Making ahead also makes these a very convenient starter or picnic food.
No Rabbit, Goose, and Duck are all traditionally used as well. As for the fat you can buy duck and goose fat in jars in the supermarket.
The male duck leg is larger with more meat on it. They are also more commonly found in supermarkets than the female legs. Two small female legs would be fine for the recipe if you have them.
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.
©John Webber. 2023
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
These Buttermilk Bread Rolls will really impress your dinner party guests. They go well with most starters that don’t require crispy rolls served alongside.
Home-Made Sausages are one of the most flexible foods we have available to us. Whether it’s a comforting plate of bangers and mash, fending off the cold weather. A quick buttered sausage roll as a snack or the compulsory BBQ sausage, it’s a year round go to treat.
When presenting classes at the Cookschool the classic question was How to Sharpen a Knife? This question would just about come up on every class. So, lets explain how to tackle the subject, its simpler than it looks, but need a little practice to get perfect. This is a lot of information but don’t be put off we are going to tackle this in nice easy steps.
I have broken this down into two posts, the first on periodic maintenance sharpening. And the second on using a sharpening steel. Once you have mastered these pages move on to Part 2 of the guide. Make a point of reading the whole article first, then return back to the sharpening section when you are ready to give it a go.
If your new to the kitchen and want to expand your skills look up the Food Files page on The Cutting Edge, The Knives to Choose and Use. This will explain the best types of knives to buy and what their functions are. To a chef their knives are the most important tools they have and need to be cared for.
The first thing to understand is that a sharp knife performs better and most of all is safer. But surely a sharp knife will cut you deeper that a blunt one? Well yes, but the whole idea is not to cut yourself at all.
Shortly I will put together an instructional page on how to use a knife properly and safely. The key to safe knife usage is to use the correct knife for the job and learning how to move the knife letting the edge do the job. Most people will use pressure to cut, and this is how most accidents happen. Putting force behind a knife allows it to do what is wants, often slipping into your body.
There are several kitchen gadgets now available to keep your knives sharp.
Some are better than others but learning how to do the job properly for each knife will protect your investment. And good knives will improve your kitchen skills and safety.
When the knife is manufactured, the cutting edge is ground into the blade. The angle of this cutting edge depends on the knife and the uses it will be put to. Most knives will have a basic angle where the steel is reduced in thickness. This is then finished with the cutting edge of the correct angle.
Top quality knifes are constructed from very hard steel which will hold an edge well and cut smoothly. Knives made from cheaper steel are easier to sharpen. But will blunt quickly requiring more grinding as thus wearing out quickly.
For cooks knives where heavier repetitive chopping will be the main function and the angle of the edge will be about 20˚. As the knife is used the fine edge on the blade of the knife will damaged. Ether forced over to one side, chipped or just eroded. Any damage will increase the resistance of the blade through the food. This resistance will cause extra pressure to be used and, in some circumstances, spoil the cutting action. Try chopping fresh herbs with a blunt knife. They will be wet, and crushed, not cut cleanly as they should be.
In most cases you can feel that the edge is not slicing as cleanly as it should. If you’re not sure theses one trick you can use to make a judgement.
Take a tomato and draw the blade over the skin as if you were removing a slice. A sharp knife will slice through the skin whereas a blunt knife will slide off the side of the fruit. If this happens, your knife needs to be sharpened.
Sharpening takes on two forms, Honing and Sharpening.
Honing, this is where the Cutting Edge has been eroded and needs to be replaced. This is done by grinding the blade on a Whetstone to return the blade to the angle required. This should only be done when needed or the life of the knife will be greatly diminished.
Tip. Run a felt tip pen down the ground edge of the knife before you start to sharpen it.
As you sharpen the ink will be removed allowing you to where you have sharpened and where you have missed. It will also let you check the angle you are using is correct.
Before use the whetstone needs to be soaked in water for 15-20 minutes before use. Have a bowl of water handy to moisten the stone if it dries out during use. The water lubricates the surface of the stone giving a smoother sharping action.
Make sure you have the correct grade of stone, and it has been well soaked. Take hold of the knife and place it on the stone with the blade facing away from you at about 40º to the stone.
Its important to use the right amount of downward pressure when running the knife across the whetstone. Between 2 -2.5kg of pressure is about right. The simplest way of gauging how hart to press is to use your kitchen scales. Place your knife on the scales and turn them on. With the scales zeroed place three fingers on the blade of the knife and press down. Keep an eye on the display and this will tell you when you have the correct amount of pressure applied to the blade. You can now transfer the knife to the stone ready to grind
Find the angle you need use (see below). Some manufactures supply a clip which fits onto the back of the blade and holds the knife at the correct angle on the stone. Failing that try wedging some coins under the blade to help you get the hang of it. Once you have the feel of the angle remove the coins and you’re good to go.
Draw the knife backwards towards you on the stone running from one end of the knife to the other. Don’t press down on the knife as you push froward but apply steady pressure as you pull the blade towards you. As the blade moves towards you
Its essential that all the blade is drawn over the stone as the knife is moved across the stone or steps will be formed on the cutting edge.
I would suggest you start with four of five cycles to begin with then more on to a new part of the blade. Repeat this until all the first side of the blade has been ground.
If all this is new to you, practice the movement with an old wooden spoon. When you think you have mastered it always start with an old knife to improve your skills, before attacking your best knives.
Now turn the knife over so the blade is facing towards you, this is a bit trickier.
Repeat the grinding process except this time apply pressure as you push the knife away from you. Don’t press down as it returns towards you.
Have a look at the edge and if you’re not happy give it a little more work. If you have been replacing the edge with a coarse stone, it’s a good idea to turn the stone over to a finer grade and give each side a pass over the stone to polish the edge.
Once you’re done Give the knife a good wash and clean the stone (see below). Leave the stone until bone dry before storing for next time.
ONE TIP. Only one person in the house should be responsible for sharpening. If everybody is having a go then will use slightly differing angles which will spoil the edge on the blade. In a professional kitchen, if you were to borrow a knife from somebody you would never sharpen it yourself. You would hand it back for them to do the sharpening.
Grinding the blade at the correct angle lengthens the life of the knife and allows the blade to function correctly. You don’t have to be spot on but be as consistent as possible each time the knife is sharpened.
The sharpening angle is the angle at which the blade is presented to the sharpening tool. The inclusive angle is what you would see if you took a cross section across the blade.
Heavy duty Cooks knives 20º-25º
Light duty cooks knives and slicing knives 15º-20º
Japanese style thin blade knives 15º+
Sharpening angle = 15˚
When you are finished sharpening rinse the stone under running water. If you have been sharpening quite a bit a paste will have built up on the surface of the stone. This can block the pours of the stone and reduce its effect. An old toothbrush is ideal for removing this and returning the surface to new. If It’s a really old stone, you have liberated from the shed, some WD40 can help remove the paste.
Leave the stone to dry overnight and when completely dry rub the stone with a just a little oil.
You can get special oil for the stones, but if you can’t find it baby oil works well. Don’t use vegetable oil or it will goo up the surface of the stone.
After quite a bit of use the surface of the stone may become misshapen. You can buy a stone shaper to grind away the highpoints and return the flat surface
A Whetstone is simply a sharpening stone. The ‘whet’ part of the name does not indicate water, it is a term meaning to sharpen. Think of the saying to whet (sharpen) your appetite
Most of the stones we use in a kitchen are lubricated with water but there are also stones which are lubricated with oil. If you already have a stone check to see if it’s a water or oil stone.
Whetstones come in different grades, and many have two sides, one coarse and one fine. The higher the grit number the rougher the stone and its action on the knife. A 400 grit stone is ideal if you need to replace the cutting edge. A 1000 to 2000 git stone is ideal for finishing the sharpening or putting a polish on small thin bladed vegetable knives.
Always start with the coarser grit stone to establish an edge moving on to the finer grit stones to perfect the edge.
When you are finished sharpening rinse the stone under running water. If you have been sharpening quite a bit a paste will have built up on the surface of the stone. This can block the pours of the stone and reduce its effect. An old toothbrush is ideal for removing this and returning the surface to new. If It’s a really old stone, you have liberated from the shed, some WD40 can help remove the paste. Leave the stone to dry overnight and store when completely dry.
Well, that’s enough to get you started. When you have mastered the Whetstone move on to Part 2 of this guide, using a Sharpening Steel Correctly. Don’t hurry it, with practice you will be able to keep a good edge on the blade and work more accurately and safely.
Enjoy Life !
John.
©John Webber. 2023
Christmas is really a once-a-year dinner party. And this is my guide to having a Successful Christmas Dinner, without all the stress.
Beautifully light Helston Pudding. It’s easy to make comfort food which makes a light alternative to Christmas Pudding. I have put in a couple of minor changes to make it even more Christmassy, and served it with an orange brandy sauce.
In my opinion this is the best basil pesto you can make. I hate the off green sludge sold as pesto in the supermarkets. You can be sure its not made with the best of ingredients. It’s dull, flat flavour could put you off pesto for life, if you didn’t know better.
I want to see the ingredients I am using. This version of pesto has diced Parmesan Cheese and whole pine kernels though the sauce to give texture and added interest to any Pasta Pesto.
To put this into perspective, I once bought a jar of Harissa. A Smokey, peppery, red chili paste used in middle eastern cookery. When I studied the ingredients on the jar the main ingredient was not peppers or chilli, but Beetroot! Working on that basis the best part of my shop bought pesto may be grass clippings…..
This is my version of a classic Italian Pesto alla Genovese. Rather than been totally smooth I like my pesto to have some texture and show off the ingredients it made with.
If you’re a traditionalist this is a job for the mortar and pestle. If not, or if time is short use a small food processor. DON’T use a blender it will take all the character out of the pesto and emulsify the cheese into the oil.
For the cheese use a Parmesan or Pecorino as you prefer. I use Grana Padano Parmesan as I think it’s a waste to use good Reggiano in the sauce. Keep that for serving on the pasta or treating yourself with a glass of wine.
DON’T whatever you do buy the small tubs of ready grated cheese. You can get good pre-grated parmesan buy the stuff in the tubs smells like old socks. I have a theory relating the contents of the tubs. If you grate your own cheese, you will have noticed the thick skin that sits just under the thin rind. Grate a little of the skin and you will find it smells just like the cheap grated cheese. And personally, I think that’s what is in the tubs. Its Parmesan Jim, but not as I know it!
Mortar and pestle or small food processor.
Chopping board and knife.
Small frying pan.
Fine grater.
Bowl scraper.
Small jar or ice cube tray for storage.
80g basil leaves – no stalks.
70g pine kernels.
40g grated parmesan cheese or pecorino if you prefer.
45g Parmesan cut into 4mm dice.
125ml light fruity olive oil.
large pinch flaky sea salt.
2 good cloves of garlic, 3 if they are small.
Extra sea salt and mill pepper as needed.
Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pine kernels and toast them gently, keeping them moving all the time, turning from top to bottom. We only want to toast the pine kernels to a light golden brown. Its very easy to burn them so be careful. If you burn them, don’t use them. It’s a good idea to have some spare on hand just in case. Keep any leftovers in the freezer to keep them fresh until you need them. When the kernels are ready tip them onto a plate to cool down completely.
Peel the garlic and remove any green shoot from inside the clove. Add the sea salt to the garlic and crust to a smooth paste.
Place the garlic / salt paste into the mortar or processor and add 40g of the toasted kernels. Throw in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and work to a smooth paste. Use a light olive oil, not a dense peppery one or it will mask the fresh flavours. DON’T as some chefs advocate use vegetable oil! They will argue that the vegetable oil allows the flavour of the basil to come through. Bull%**t, they are just trying to save money and increase their profits.
Add the basil leaves to the mix and break down to a paste adding more oil as needed. I only use the basil leaves to make the pesto. Some people will add the finer stalks to the mix, again to save money. The choice is up to you, but I find the stalks can cause the pesto to discolour.
I wouldn’t mind betting the stuff in the jars has the stalks included, and God knows what’s in the mix.
Now we have a nice green sauce add the grated parmesan and any remaining oil. Don’t overwork the mix, we don’t want the cheese to become emulsified into the oil.
Finally, stir in the diced cheese and reserved pine kernels, check your seasoning and your ready to go. Store the pesto in a narrow-mouthed jar with a layer of olive oil on top to keep the air out. It should be good for about a week in the fridge. To store it longer its best frozen, again ice cube trays are the most convenient method.
If you don’t have a greenhouse or polytunnel to grow your Basil don’t worry. Buy two or three fresh plants in the supermarket. Keep then in the kitchen near a window and out of draughts. Water them regularly with some house plant food and they will triple in size. That will give you a steady supply of fresh basil, cheaper and fresher than buying it in packets.
For me this is a essential store cupboard staple. Never mind pasta, it’s a great accompaniment to vegetable dishes like my Courgette and Tomato Tarts. Brilliant with fish, and a spoonful of pesto transforms a simple mashed potato. 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 Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce, it’s easy! Enjoy the flavor of italy at home in less than 45 minutes.
Easy to make Tomato and Chilli Jam. One taste and your hooked! Great with meats and shellfish. The possibilities are endless
Want to know how to make Blackberry Jelly? It’s not that difficult, and so satisfying to make the best of the (free) autumn harvest. If your north of the border you will know this as Bramble Jelly. Whatever you call them it’s great fun collecting the fruit on a warm sunny afternoon.
When your collecting, expect a few war wounds from the spiky stems and keep away from the main roads. Stick to country lanes where the traffic is light. The berries won’t be covered in pollution from traffic and you’re less likely to be flattened by a passing lorry. Do be sure what you are gathering is edible. There are plenty of good books and websites to help you. The golden rule is if you’re not sure, don’t use it.
Gather with care and don’t strip a bush of fruit, take a few here and there and move on to the next bush. There will be plenty for all and remember that wildlife needs the autumn harvest more than you do.
Wide thick based pan.
Colander or sieve.
Heatproof spatula.
Saucer and / or probe thermometer.
Jam funnel.
Jelly bag or sheet of muslin cloth.
Measuring jug.
Sterilised jam jars and lids. Check out the food files page on how to do this.
Waxed paper jam covers.
750g Blackberries
1 Bramley cooking apple (roughly 200g)
225ml water
1 lemon
Granulated or preserving sugar.
Why go to all the trouble of straining all that fruit and then only using the juices. Why not just make jam? Well, you can, the classic recipe is equal weights of fruit and sugar cooked together with some water and lemon juice. Cook the fruit to 105˚c and transfer to jars just as we will do with the fruit juices.
So, what’s the problem? It’s those damn seeds. There are so many small hard seeds in the fruit that the jam almost becomes crunchy. You will be flossing the seeds out of your teeth for ages. And the texture of the seeds overtakes the flavour of the fruit.
Those of you that follow my ramblings will know I like to do things a little differently if I think it’s an improvement on the classic method or recipe. No change here. Recipes for fruit jellies will tell you to stew the fruit. Then hang the stewed fruits in a jelly bag or muslin overnight to let the juices drip though. Never press the fruit!
Well, I do. The above is fine is you want a nice clear jelly, and you have a fridge large enough to support a jelly bag and bowl. I don’t and I like to get the maximum flavour and yield from my efforts. The choice is up to you.
Pectin is the key to a jam or jelly setting. Once the fruit has released its pectin and we have a specific density of sugar the two will react together and begin to gel. Adding a little acid (lemon juice) helps the reaction and gives the flavour a boost.
Well, some fruits are naturally high in pectin. These include Blackberries, Redcurrants, Quince, Tart Apples, Rowanberries, Lemons, Limes, and Cranberries.
Low pectin fruits include. Raspberries, Strawberries, Pears, Blueberries, Peaches, Apricots and Pineapple.
So how do we make a jam or jelly with a fruit that is low in pectin like strawberries? We simply add pectin. This can be done in different ways.
The simplest is to method is just to use jam sugar.
You can make a stock with a high pectin fruit like Redcurrants and add that to your fruit instead of water.
Or you buy Pectin Powder or liquid and add it in to the pan. Liquid can be added with the fruit to the pan. Powder should be mixed in with the sugar before its added to the fruit.
You will come across recipes that ask for granulated, jam, or preserving sugar, but what’s the difference?
Granulated Sugar is the basic for of refined sugar and a good economic choice for jams and jellies.
Castor Sugar is simply more finely ground sugar producing finer crystals. Normally used for pastry and deserts. Not recommended for jams and jellies as it contains an anti-caking agent to avoid lumps forming. This produced more foam and waste when cooked with fruits.
Preserving Sugar is a pure sugar with larger crystals. This dissolves a little slower than granulated sugar, reducing the chance of burning. The sugar also produced less foam while still allowing the impurities to rise to the top.
Jam Sugar is preserving sugar with added pectin. This is the easiest way of working with low pectin fruits. Don’t use it with high pectin fruits though, or you will end up with a fruit brick.
Have a probe thermometer on hand or place a couple of saucers in the freezer to get really cold. I do both.
Give the Blackberries a wash and drain well in a colander. Wash the apple and cut into rough dice about 1.5 cm across. Keep the skin on and include the pips. Tip the apple into the pan and add the fruit on top.
I like to add a little of the zest of the lemon as well as the juice to boost the citrus notes. Using a peeler slice off four strips of zest from the lemon then remove the juice.
Add the juice, zest and any pips liberated to the pan. Bring the pan to a simmer over a medium heat stirring from time to time. Pop on the lid and cook gently for twenty minutes.
I like to press the fruit lightly during cooking. A potato masher is ideal, just press lightly here and there, don’t overdo it and puree the fruit.
When the fruit is cooked set up your jelly bag or muslin over a suitable container to catch the juices. Ladle in some of the mixture and leave to drain. After about 10 minutes or so I give the mix a stir with a spoon then Lightly squeeze the bag to extract as much juice as possible.
When you are sure you have as much juices as possible empty the bag and repeat the process until all the mix is filtered.
Wash the pan and return the filtered juice to the pan measuring the volume as you do so.
For each 100ml of juices you will need 75g of sugar. I had 600ml of juice so used 450g of sugar.
Bring the juice to the simmer then add the sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar then turn up the heat to a fast simmer / gentle boil. Have your sterilised jars ready and turn on the oven to 100c.
As the juices simmer, a scum will be produced on the surface of the jelly. Use a small ladle or kitchen spoon to lift off the scum and discard. You may need to repeat this as the jelly cooks and reduced down
As the jelly cooks, water will evaporate, the flavour will be concentrated, and the sugar content will increase. When we reach the optimum sugar density, gelling will begin.
One way is to pour a little of the jelly onto a cold plate and as the jelly cools push a finger through it to see if it ripples up. If the jelly flows back together it’s not ready. If it ripples up to form a mound it’s ready to go into jars and be sealed.
This can mean quite a bit of messing about. Experienced jam makers can tell by the size of bubbles and how they move in the pan during cooking. Most of us however don’t make jams or jellies enough to be that familiar with the process.
I think the best and easiest method is to use a probe thermometer. As the contents of the pan become denser the boiling temperature increases. This means by knowing the boiling temperature of the liquid we know the density. Once the juices reach 105˚c your jam or jelly is ready.
You should get to 102˚c quite quickly but it can take an age to get up to 105˚c. Be patient, stopping the cooking too early means it won’t set correctly. As you get close to been ready pop your jars in the oven to warm up.
When ready, lift off any final scum that has formed and fill the warmed jars. Place a paper disc on the surface of the jelly and seal with the lid.
Let the jars cool then store in a cool dark place. Unopened it should last long enough to see you through to the next berry season.
Nothing beats homemade preserves. A couple of hours work will fill your cupboard with flavour it’s almost impossible to buy!
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
Its mid-summer, the tomatoes are ripening, and the courgettes are going wild. These Courgette and Tomato Tarts are an ideal way of using up this seasonal bounty. And impressing your guests.
Homemade Focaccia bread is a joy and very versatile. It’s sure to become a family favourite, and a great accompaniment to a BBQ or picnic.