4 eggs, separated
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
50g self-raising flour
350ml milk
80ml lemon juice
Icing sugar, to serve
Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) gas mark 4. Grease a deep 1½-litre soufflé dish.
With an electric mixer, beat the butter, half of the sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Alternately fold in the flour and mix through the milk to make a smooth batter.
Stir in the lemon juice. The batter may look like it has separated at this stage, but this is as it should be.
In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then continue to whisk while adding the remaining sugar, a little at a time, until it’s all incorporated and is firm and glossy.
Gently fold the egg-white mixture into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Place the dish in a large baking tin and fill the tin with enough lukewarm water to come a third of the way up the side of the dish.
Gently transfer it to the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden and risen.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.
Mozzarella In Carozza
My editor, Francesca is half-Italian and so to pay homage to Verity’s house-mate, Rosie, I asked her for her favourite Italian savoury treat and this is what she came up with:
I like the fact that the literal translation is ‘mozzarella in a carriage’. It’s basically a fried cheese toastie, so not the healthiest of snacks, but with its lightly crunchy exterior and gooey, creamy contents that stretch into strings as you tear into it, these are oh-so deliciously moreish . . . The perfect comfort food!
Mozzarella in carrozza makes me think of my mum (who is Italian), who’d cook these little goodies on a camping stove in our back garden (in London) as a summery treat for a picnic lunch outdoors. You can of course make them in your kitchen! I like them with the saltiness of an anchovy fillet tucked in the middle, but you can leave those out if you and anchovies don’t get along.
To make 3 sandwiches, you will need . . .
6 slices of white bread, crusts cut off
A ball of mozzarella, cut into thickish slices
Anchovy fillets (optional)
125ml milk
3 heaped tbsp of plain flour
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper
Oil for shallow frying – e.g. sunflower or vegetable oil. It should fill your saucepan an inch deep.
Pour the milk into one shallow bowl, the flour into another, and the beaten egg with the salt and pepper into a third.
Now make your sandwiches – put pieces of mozzarella on a slice of white bread, leaving about a centimetre of bread about the edges uncovered. Add an anchovy fillet if you’re using them, and then place the second slice of bread on top, squashing the edges of the bread together so you’ve made a little sealed parcel.
Heat your oil in a saucepan and when it’s nice and hot, you’re ready to start frying. Obviously be careful, don’t leave the oil heating unattended.
Dip a sandwich quickly (you don’t want it to get too soggy and start to come unstuck at the edges) into the milk, then into the flour, and then finally a quick dip into the egg mixture.
Now fry it until crispy and lightly golden on the outside – turn it over in the oil to make sure it cooks evenly.
Remove the sandwich to a plate covered in kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat until you’ve cooked them all.
Eat as quickly as you can without burning your tongue or fingers. They’re best when still piping hot and gooey on the inside . . . Enjoy!
Easy Chicken and Chorizo Paella
I’m a big fan of one-pot dinners, especially when I have people coming over, because I tend to get carried away chatting over a glass of wine and forget my timings! So something like this lovely paella is perfect. I can prepare it in advance and pop it in the oven as soon as they arrive and simply relax! This recipe serves six.
You will need . . .
2 tbsp sunflower oil
300g cooking chorizo cut into chunks
12 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
3 shallots, sliced finely
4 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
1 green and 2 red peppers, sliced finely
1.75 litres of chicken stock
450g paella rice (or any risotto rice will do)
2 tsp smoked paprika
Fry the chicken pieces and chorizo chunks in the oil until the chicken skin is brown and all the lovely orangey oils are released from the chorizo. Remove the meat and set aside.
Add the onion, peppers and garlic and fry gently until soft and then sprinkle the paprika over and mix in.
Pour in the stock, put the chicken back in and simmer for 25 minutes. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) gas mark 4.
Add the rice and chorizo, stir well and put a lid on the pan before transferring it to the oven. (My paella pan doesn’t have a lid, so I make a tight-fitting foil one instead.)
Cook in the oven for around 30 minutes and then test to see if the rice is soft and the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Check seasoning, adding a little salt and a good twist of black pepper before serving with green salad, crusty bread and a nice glass of red wine!
Gin and Tonic Cake
I asked followers of my Facebook page to suggest recipes to be included in this book and Louise Bourne suggested this delicious cake. Several other followers expressed quite an interest in the recipe, so here it is!
You will need . . .
For the cake:
3 eggs
170g softened butter
170g caster sugar
170g sieved self-raising flour
Juice and zest of an unwaxed lemon
50ml gin
For the drizzle:
80ml gin
110g granulated sugar
A splash of tonic water
Juice and zest of an unwaxed lemon
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) gas mark 4. Grease a 1kg loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture starts to curdle. Fold in the flour. Once mixed, add the lemon zest, juice and gin.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave in the tin for five minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Place a baking tray under the cooling rack.
Mix the ingredients for the drizzle together.
Prick the cake with a skewer while it is still warm. Any drizzle that collects in the baking tray, collect and spoon over the cake again.
Dig in as soon as it is cool enough to slice!
Kale and Stilton Gnocchi
I asked Transworld’s super-healthy Digital Publishing Manager, Helen Jenner, if she had any delicious recipes using kale. Something that she thought my daughters might like. She suggested this and it has been a big hit. It’s also extremely quick and easy!
You will need . . .
200g kale washed (tough stalks removed)
500g pack of gnocchi
100g stilton
100ml crème fraiche
Parmesan, or any other hard cheese you have in your fridge, just enough to sprinkle over the finished dish
Put the kale into a colander and pour boiling water over it.
Once the leaves have wilted a little, shake off the excess water and leave to one side.
Drop the gnocchi into a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. When the gnocchi is cooked, it will cleverly pop up to the surface of the water to let you know.
Drain it and put it into an ovenproof dish, add the stilton, crumbled into small pieces and the kale, covering it all with the crème fraiche. Season and sprinkle over the grated parmesan.
Grill until the cheese is bubbling
and the top is golden.
Rhubarbs’ Fruit and Ale Cake
I am very lucky to have Rhubarbs Café and Tea Room, in the lovely village of Burton Joyce so close to where I live. I’m even luckier that the boss, Lauren has let me have the recipe for her delicious fruit and ale cake, which she got from her granddad!
You will need . . .
170 ml ale, something like Old Peculier would work well
1kg mixed dried fruit and peel
125g glacé cherries
50g cranberries
255g softened butter
255g caster sugar
3 beaten eggs
255g plain flour
125g chopped walnuts
Some walnut halves to decorate top (optional)
Soak dried fruit and peel in the ale over night if possible or for at least several hours.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and pale.
Mix a spoonful of the flour into creamed mixture to prevent curdling, and gradually beat the eggs into the mixture.
Stir in rest of the flour and finally add chopped walnuts and fruit and ale.
Stir well together before putting into a greased and lined 8inch (20cm) square cake tin.
Smooth over the top and place the walnut halves in a pattern over the surface if using.
Bake in a pre heated oven at gas mark 3, 170°C (150°C fan oven), for 3 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Delicious with a cup of tea!
Cheese Cod Casserole
This recipe was one of the first things I used to cook for the family in my Mum’s little brown casserole dish when I was a teenager. I mention it in the book served with new potatoes and sugar snap peas; it also goes very well with baked potatoes. I haven’t given a method for cheese sauce because either you can already make it or you use a packet mix! This recipe serves four.
You will need . . .
1 onion thinly sliced
Butter for frying
1 pint of cheese sauce
600g white fish
A handful of extra cheese to sprinkle on the top
Pre heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) gas mark 4.
Fry the onion until soft in the butter, but don’t let it go brown.
Cut the fish into large chunks and add to the casserole dish with the onion.
Pour the cheese sauce over. Sprinkle the top with cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Fish Finger Sandwich
I couldn’t not include Verity’s favourite comfort food, could I? I know you know how to make a fish finger sandwich; that isn’t why I’ve included the recipe. I’ve included it to remind you how deliciously satisfying it is, particularly if there is just you to cater for, to sit down with a melt-in-the-mouth fish finger sandwich and love every joyful mouthful.
You will need . . .
Two slices of bread
Some frozen fish fingers (no one’s counting)
Ketchup
OR . . .
You could go really sophisticated and add some tartare sauce and a few round lettuce leaves
Grill the fish fingers evenly on both sides until they are golden, taking care not to let them burn.
Distribute them fairly on your bread, smother in ketchup (or posh tartare sauce) and slice in two.
Enjoy!
Macaroni Cheese
It seems to be called Mac and Cheese now, but I always feel a bit silly when I call it that, as if I’m trying to sound American. So I’ve gone old-school with this recipe. Whatever you call it, it is definitely comfort food! This dish serves four and goes well with a nice green salad.
You will need . . .
A quantity of cheese sauce* using 500ml milk and 250g mature Cheddar
1 tsp English mustard
350g pasta
50g bread, whizzed into breadcrumbs
50g Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan) gas 6.
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt for two minutes less than the packet suggests.
Make the cheese sauce and stir in the mustard.
Drain the pasta and tip it into a large ovenproof dish with the sauce. Mix and top with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Place in the oven for twenty minutes until the top is deliciously golden and crisp.
* I use an easy method to make cheese sauce, simply adding cornflour to milk and bringing it to the boil. Some people like to make a roux, others use a packet mix. Do whichever you prefer.
Easy Smoked Salmon Pâté
This is fresh and tasty and (most importantly) looks like you’ve gone to a lot of trouble! I serve it as a starter or with crusty bread and salad for a summery lunch with friends.
You will need . . .
250g smoked salmon
115g cream cheese
Juice of half a lime
1 heaped tbsp chopped coriander (plus extra for garnish)
Pinch of sugar
Black pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in a food blender except the sugar and pepper. Blitz until it reaches your preferred consistency. I like mine really smooth. Taste. Add sugar if required and pepper to taste.
Transfer to a bowl, cover in clingfilm and chill until needed.
Garnish with remaining coriander just before serving.
About the Author
Cathy Bramley is the author of the best-selling romantic comedies Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm and Wickham Hall (all four-part serialized novels), and Conditional Love. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her husband, two daughters and a dog.
Her recent career as a full-time writer of light-hearted, romantic fiction has come as somewhat of a lovely surprise after spending the last eighteen years running her own marketing agency. However, she has always been an avid reader, hiding her book under the duvet and reading by torchlight. Luckily her husband has now bought her a Kindle with a light, so that’s the end of that palaver.
Cathy loves to hear from her readers. You can get in touch via her website: www.CathyBramleyAuthor.com, Facebook page: Facebook.com/CathyBramleyAuthor or on Twitter: twitter.com/CathyBramley
Have you read the other funny, feel-good novels by Cathy Bramley?
Settle down with one now – they are sure to put a smile on your face . . .
Ivy Lane
Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution. But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties. As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?
Appleby Farm
Freya Moorcroft has been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm. Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything, and Freya heads home to lend a hand. As Freya summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things at the farm around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape . . .
NB. Appleby Farm follows the story of one character from Ivy Lane who has gone off to have her own adventure. It’s a completely different story, though some of the Ivy Lane characters pop in. So if you like to meet up with old friends in books, read Ivy Lane first.
Conditional Love
A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone – until a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance. There’s just one catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never known. Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face
the past and hear some uncomfortable truths . . .
Wickham Hall
Holly Swift has just landed the job of her dreams: events co-ordinator at Wickham Hall, a beautiful manor house sitting proudly in the heart of the village where she grew up. The new job puts some much-needed distance between Holly and her problems at home, and she loves the busy world of the hall, from family weddings to summer festivals, fireworks displays to Christmas grottos. But her own life isn’t as easily organised . . . Can Holly learn to just let go and live in the moment? After all, that’s when the magic happens . . .
TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS
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Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
First published in Great Britain as four separate ebooks
in 2016 by Transworld Digital
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
First published as one edition in 2016 by Corgi Books
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright © Cathy Bramley 2016
Cover illustration by Kate Forrester
Extract from White Lies and Wishes, to be published January 2017 © Cathy Bramley 2017
Cathy Bramley has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food Page 42