Rice pudding with pomegranate and pistachio

What's more comforting on a cold evening than a lovely bowl of thick creamy rice pudding. This recipe is super simple. I put it on just before serving dinner. A real treat to be enjoyed in front of a roaring fire.....

Prep time 10 mins Cook time 45 mins Serves 4

100g short grain pudding rice, rinsed under cold running water
75g caster sugar
Grated zest of 2 lemons
800ml whole milk
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (I used maple syrup)
2 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds
25g shelled pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

• place the rice, sugar, lemon zest & milk in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat, cover stirring frequently and cook for 35 mins or until rice is soft and swollen and the milk is absorbed. Add more milk if needed.

• Serve immediately, drizzled with syrup, pomegranate seeds and pistachios.

The pudding is delish on its own. The rest of the ingredients kick it up a notch.

Enjoy x

Potato rosemary and prosciutto soup

The weather today has been all over the place snowing and sunny on and off the only constant is that it is cold. Thought of making soup for lunch today. Wanted to make something simple so when I saw this recipe had to give it a go. One pot, less washing up....

Prep : 10 mins Cook time : 35 mins. Serves 6

3 tbsp / 50g butter
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 tbsp very finely chopped rosemary
550g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm dice
800ml hot chicken stock
200ml milk
6 slices prosciutto torn into strips
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add onion, rosemary and potato chunks, stirring gently. Season well, cover with a lid and allow the veg to soften for 12 mins without colouring choice the saucepan a shake halfway through to stop the veg catching on the bottom.

• add stock and milk and stir and continue to cook for 20 mins or until potatoes are falling apart. Purée the soup either with hand held or other blender.

• taste to make sure you have enough seasoning and serve with slithers of prosciutto and cream.

Enjoy 👍

Hot Cross Buns

To say the house smells devine would be an understatement. The aroma of hot cross buns in the oven is part of Easter.

I started this recipe this morning and I've been letting the mixture rise in a warm place while I get on with life.

Tip. If your butter is not soft enough grate it to soften quickly.

Makes 16 prep : 30 minutes plus proving cook : 15 mins

680g strong white flour, plus extra to dust
14g or 2 satchets dried yeast
10g / 2 tsp sea salt
100g golden caster sugar
80g Unsalted butter, really soft
15g or 1 tbsp mixed spice
175ml whole milk, tepid
175ml water, tepid
1 medium egg
80g currants
80g sultanas
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange

Cross
100g strong flour
Pinch each salt and pepper
25g melted butter

125ml water

Bun wash

75ml boiling water

1 tsp caster sugar

Pinch mixed spice

1. Put the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, butter, mixed spice, milk, water and egg into mixer bowl with hook attachment. Mix first slow initially then faster for 10 mins. (You can do this by hand but quicker with the mixer. If doing by hand knead for 15 mins). If the dough is too dry add a tablespoon or two of water.

2. After the dough is kneaded it should be smooth. Gently work in zest and dried fruit. Place dough into a large bowl and cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 30 - 45 mins or until it has doubled in size.

3 line a large high sided baking tray wih baking paper. Use a scraper to turn the dough out of the bowl, then cut it in half, still using the scraper. Divide each piece in half and repeat till you have 16 roughly equal pieces. In the palm of your hand, make the pieces firmly round. Line them up 4 by 4 with a fingers space between each bun.

4. Cover the tin and leave in a warm place for 30 - 50 mins or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 210oC / fan 190 oC / gas 6 1/2.

5. In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the cross mix then gradually whisk in the butter and water until you have a smooth batter. Pour into a piping bag with small nozzle. Cross the buns by piping a lattice across the length and width of the tin.

6. Bake for 15 mins until golden. Meanwhile, make the bun wash by boiling the water with the sugar and mixed spice for 30 seconds, then set aside. Whip the buns out of the oven when ready , then brush with the spicy bun wash.

7. Enjoy while warm with butter. Can also be toasted later and enjoyed.

Chicken with chorizo and garlic

I love quick easy recipes and recipes where you can just put everything in one pot and forget about it.

When I saw a review of Georgina Fuggle's Take One Pot, I just had to try it. This is the first recipe I've tried from the book and can't wait to try out the rest. Delicious ......


Prep time 20 mins. serves 6 Cook time : 1 hour

1 tbsp olive oil
6 large chicken thighs with bones and ski
200g chorizo cut into 1 - 2 can chunks
1 onion peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 medium leeks, chopped into 2 - 3 cm pieces
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (any you have will do)
A pinch of dried saffron
2 whole heads of garlic cut in half horizontally and left unpeeled
4 sprigs thyme
200ml sweet wine
250ml hot chicken stock
2 x 400g tins butter beans, rinsed and drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole until smoking for. Fry the chicken legs on both sides until crispy and golden, then transfer to plate. Keep the heat in high and add the chorizo chunks to the pot. Fry for a minute on each side and remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon so as to leave their oil behind.

2. Add the onion, leeks and paprika and fry in the chorizo oil. Reduce the heAr, cover and soften the vegetables for 3 - 4 mins, but check that they don't catch on the bottom of the pot.

3. Add the saffron, garlic halves, thyme, wine and chicken stock to the pot along with the chicken and chorizo. Season well, cover and dinner over medium heat for 30 mins.

4. Stir in the butter beans and cook for a further 10 mins before serving with baked potato.