Bread and Butter Pudding

Saturday 25th September 2010

Well the hygiene inspector is coming on Monday, and the kitchen has had a much needed sort out. The bread tin was full of bits and bobs of stale bread, so it was meant to be, bread and butter pudding for tea.

Butter to grease a small roasting tin/glass dish, generously.

Bread, 6 slices white, crusts removed, cut in triangle quarters, well buttered.

sultanas, large handful

nutmeg, optional

Arrange the buttered bread in layers with sultanas (and nutmeg if using) sandwiched between them. Pour over the whisked egg custard mixture:

milk, whole preferably, 150ml

cream, (can substitute milk if feeling guilty), 150ml

egg yolks, x3

egg, whole x1

sugar, x3 tbsp

vanilla, extract, x1 generous tsp

Squash bread into the custard and leave to stand at least half an hour (or in 10 minutes...). Sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of sugar. Place in a pre-heated oven at 150C. Standing the dish in a roasting tin half filled with boiling water. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. The custard should be a bit thicker and slightly runny - and the top crisp.

Amanda

Nantgwynfaen

Courgette Pickles

2nd September 2010

The kids have gone to school and now is the time to address the current courgette situation!

Courgette Pickles

courgettes, 1.4kg, trim, slice thinly

onions, 450g, trim slice thinly

sea salt, 225g

water, 2.5L

Place courgettes and onions in a non-metallic bowl. Dissolve salt in

water and pour solutions over the vegetables. Weight down with

plate, to keep them submerged. Leave to stand for 24 hours.

Rinse under cold running water, drain and dry on kitchen paper.

Place in empty preserving pan.

white wine vinegar, 450ml

sugar, 225g

mustard seeds, 2tsp

celery seeds, 1tsp

allspice, whole, 1tsp

Mix these remaining ingredients (not courgettes and onion) in

a saucepan. Stir over a low heat, with a wooden spoon until the

sugar has dissolved. Pour over courgettes & onions.

Leave to stand 1 hour.

Put the pan on the heat and boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat.

Transfer the vegetables to warmed sterilized jars to within 2.5cm

of the tops. Pour in the vinegar to cover by 1.25cm.

Seal the jars, label.

Keep in a cool dark place, leave 2 weeks before eating.

Fills about 2x 750ml jars.

Great on burgers and in cheese sandwiches.