Gloucestershire cook Mo Smith brings us some seriously delicious dishes to tempt our taste buds during the Summer months. Take your pick from the following mouth-watering recipes for the time-pressured cook: Warm Cheesecake
with a Goats Cheese topping
(to serve 6-8 slices) 100g (4ozs) self-raising flour
1 teas. caster sugar
3 large eggs
100g (4ozs) full fat cream cheese
good pinch ground white pepper
good pinch mustard powder
6 sundried tomatoes preserved in oil
50g (2ozs) pitted black olives
300g (12ozs) goats cheese - for the topping Set oven at gas 4/350ºf/180ºc/Aga baking oven
Drop a parchment paper cake-baking case into an 18cm.(7") round cake tin (or line with greaseproof paper and oil all over). Put the flour, sugar, eggs, cream cheese, pepper and mustard powder into a food processor and process until smooth. Add 6 sundried tomatoes and the olives and process for a few seconds only to mix in. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the pre-set oven for 25-30mins. or until set. Remove from oven and top with slices of goats cheese then put back into the oven, or under a grill, until the cheese has browned. Cool a little before peeling away the paper case or greaseproof and slice to serve. Lazy Cook tips - more sundried tomatoes can be placed on the cooked cake before the goats cheese slices if you wish. To serve as a starter slice into smaller pieces. This cake can be made and stored in an airtight polythene bag in a refrigerator. Bring back to room temperature to serve and use within 4 days. It can also be frozen whole or in slices. A colourful cake with a good savoury flavour and much enjoyed by vegetarians.
Oatcake 100g (4ozs) margarine
75g (3ozs) self-raising flour
100g (4ozs) porridge oats
50g (2ozs) demerera sugar Set oven at gas 4/350ºf/180ºc/Aga baking oven
Lightly oil an 18cm/7" sandwich tin. Melt the margarine in a large pan over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Press into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40mins. In the pre-set oven. Cut into slices while still hot. When cold store in an airtight tin. Lazy Cook tips - make double the quantity and press into a Swiss roll tin and when baked cut into fingers or wedges. It also makes an interesting base to top with whipped cream and fresh raspberries as a quick pudding, or as a base for one of the many varieties of cheese cake. Although similar to flapjack, it is not so sweet - more healthy.
Elderflower Cordial Makes approx. 2ltrs (5pts)
20 large ripe elderflower heads
2 fresh lemons - sliced
900gms (2 lbs) granulated sugar
l½ ozs citric acid crystals
2¼ltrs (4pts) boiling water Wash the elderflower heads and put with remaining ingredients into a large bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and leave overnight. Strain and pour into bottles and store in a refrigerator. Dilute with water to serve. Lazy Cook tips if fresh elderflowers are accessible to you the above recipe is quick and troublefree and makes a good quantity of very refreshing cordial. Poured into ice cubes it can be frozen. The elderflower season is a short one, watch the trees daily because the flowers soon loose their ripeness.
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Gloucestershire cookery writer Mo Smith's reputation is based on the simplicity of her recipes. Here she presents her fabled summer recipes...
