The People's Author: Read the stories
Friday 20 Nov
For information on the plants your rabbits won't eat, please go to the Royal Horticultural Society website
Other plants were provided by: Hilliers
All plants featured on the show can be purchased from The Garden Centre Group
Thursday 19 Nov
For more information about adopting or sponsoring a battery hen please visit The Battery Hen Welfare Trust www.bhwt.org.uk
For more information on Boyz II Men, please visit: www.boyziimen.com
Scotch Eggs Recipe
Makes 4
4 large eggs
250g sausagemeat
1 teaspoon picked thyme leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped flatleaf parsley
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
100g seasoned plain flour for dusting
1 large egg, beaten
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
• Place the eggs into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 9 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water.
• In a large bowl mix together the sausagemeat, thyme leaves, spring onions & flat leaf parsley. Season well.
• Shell the cooled eggs and roll in the seasoned flour.
• Divide the sausagemeat into four and flatten out into oval shapes, approx 13cm x 8cms.
• Place each egg into the centre of each oval and gather the sausagemeat around the egg taking care to seal all the edges.
• Next coat each Scotch egg, first in beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs.
• Heat 4cm of oil in a heavy based pan until a cube of bread sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it.
• Carefully place each Scotch egg into the hot oil and fry for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
• Drain on kitchen paper, allow to cool and serve.
Innis & Gunn Oak Aged £ 1.37 330ml bottle available from Tescos – www.tescos.com
Old Speckled Hen £ 1.69
500ml bottle Available from the Co-Op – www.co-operative.coop
A Brain of Cardiff’s Brain’s SA £1.00
500ml bottle Available from Morrisons - www.morrisons.co.uk
Wednesday 19 Nov
RACHEL ALLEN’S CHICKEN CASSEROLE WITH CHEESY HERB DUMPLINGS
You can serve this casserole without the dumpling topping and cook its own or topped with peeled whole potatoes.
RECIPE
1 chicken, (1.8kg)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Olive oil
350g unsliced rindless streaky Bacon, cut into 1–2cm
1 large Onion, roughly chopped
2 large Carrots, cut into 2cm slices on the diagonal
700ml chicken or vegetable stock
A few sprigs Thyme
For the cheesy herb dumplings
350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Salt
300ml buttermilk or soured Milk
2 tbsp finely chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley thyme, rosemary or chives
25g Cheddar cheese, finely grated
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Remove the breasts from the chicken and cut them in half. Remove the leg portions and divide them into thighs and drumsticks. This will give eight chicken pieces in total. Season them well with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the olive oil into a large casserole dish on a high heat, add the bacon and fry quickly for 1–2 minutes or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Add the chicken in batches and sear on each side until golden, and remove. Add the onion and carrots and fry for 2–3 minutes or until golden.
3. Return the bacon and chicken to the dish, pour on the stock, add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring slowly to the boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. For the dumplings Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl add the herbs, mix, then make a well in the centre. Pour in most of the buttermilk or soured milk (leaving about 50ml in the measuring jug). Using one hand with your fingers outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, adding a little more buttermilk if necessary. Don’t knead the mixture or it will become too heavy. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky.
5. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and bring together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 2cm thick. With a scone cutter or cup stamp out 10–12 dumplings, or divide the dough into 10–12 small balls.
6. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and turn the heat up to 230C/gas 8. Arrange the dumplings on top, leaving a slight gap between them to allow for spreading. Scatter with the cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 200C/Gas 6 and cook for a further 20 minutes until the dumplings are crisp and golden and the chicken is cooked through.
Monday 16 Nov
Graham Cole’s book On The Beat is available direct with free delivery from www.splendidbooks.co.uk
For more information about Harrods and the Christmas Tree Trail, please go to www.harrods.com The tree was designed by Jay Strongwater. For more information about Jay, visit www.jaystrongwater.com or his boutique within Harrods.
The Fron Male Voice Choir’s album Memory Lane is out on 23rd November 2009.
Hayley Westenra’s Winter Magic album is out today.
Hayley Westenra tour dates:
Nov 23: Peterborough Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Nov 24: Ripon Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Nov 26: Manchester Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Nov 28: Banbury St Marys Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Nov 29: Marlowe Arena, Canterbury
Dec 02: Tewekesbury Abbey Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Dec 03: Exeter Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Dec 07: Belfast, Ulster Hall
Dec 08: Dublin , National Concert Hall
Dec 12: Bath Forum
Dec 14: Norwich Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
Dec 19: Bristol Cathedral Winter Magic Christmas Tour
With thanks to: www.bulldogtools.co.uk
