Category: Recipes

You will find quick and easy, made-from-scratch recipes made from seasonal ingredients.  There are some healthy recipes and quite a few treat recipes too. I cook the food that I love so this is not a comprehensive guide to cookery.

My focus is on Baking (particularly Cakes, Muffins and Biscuits and Cookies), Desserts (particularly Ice Cream, Meringue, Roulades and Sweet Tarts), Soups, Salads,  Simple Suppers (particularly Pasta and Savoury Tarts) plus a few Snacks, Sauces and Preserves.  I also have a few Drink recipes with a particular focus on home-made Gin.    These are the kind of goodies that you might get a great local independent cafe or coffee shop – perhaps minus the gin!

All of these dishes are aimed at those who either have basic cooking skills or, like me, just don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen but want to produce something tasty and delicious.

Summer Pudding recipe

Summer Pudding recipe

This Summer Pudding recipe is an English classic which was developed specifically to make use of stale bread. It was an imperative not to waste food and products had a shorter shelf-life due to lack of preservatives.   In the winter, Bread and Butter Pudding, was a popular way to use up bread that was past its best. In summer,  when berries were in season, Summer Pudding was the answer!

Slices of bread, dipped in berry-flavoured syrup, are used to encase a mixture of summer berries.   One of the great things about this Summer Pudding recipe is that it can be adapted to the ingredients that you have available.  You can use any berries that are in season but make sure that you include some currants – either redcurrants or blackcurrants – as they are needed to produce the flavourful syrup.

Other easy dessert recipes

If you are looking for an easy, make-ahead summer dessert, you might also like some of my other recipes.

Summer Pudding recipe
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Summer Pudding recipe with redcurrants, raspberries and strawberries

Summer Pudding recipe

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: for 6 people 1x
  • Category: Pudding
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

An easy to make, no-cook,  traditional English bread pudding recipe using fresh seasonal berries.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 kilo mixed fresh berries (NB: the mix should include some currants but otherwise use whatever you have available from: redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries, loganberries, tayberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries etc)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 170 g caster sugar
  • 6 slices of white bread (crusts removed)
Summer Pudding recipe
Fresh berries

Instructions

  1. Place the currants in a saucepan together with the water and sugar. Heat until the currants have softened.  This will take about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the other berries to the saucepan with the currants and stir to combine.
  3. Use a sieve to separate the berries from the juice.
  4. Take a sheet of cling film and use it to line the inside of a small pudding basin.    This will make it easier to get the pudding out of the basin!
  5. Dip the slices of bread in the juice and use it to line the bottom and sides of the small pudding basin. You can fill in any gaps with small pieces of juice-dipped bread.
  6. Pour the berries into the bread-lined pudding basin.
  7. Cover the top of the basin with juice-dipped bread to enclose the berry mixture.
  8. Put a piece of cling film loosely over the top of the pudding basin. Put a small saucer on top of it and use something heavy (a can of beans is perfect!) to weigh it down.
  9. Leave the pudding basin in the fridge overnight.
  10. When you are ready to serve, remove the cling film from the top of the pudding basin.  Invert the basin onto a plate. Give it a sharp shake and remove the basin leaving the pudding on the plate.   Take off the cling film that you used to line the basin.
  11. Serve chilled.   Whipped cream is a good accompaniment.
Summer Pudding recipe
Summer Pudding

Notes

  • Use whatever berries are available but make sure you include some redcurrants or blackcurrants as you need these to make the flavoured syrup.
  • You need to make this recipe a day in advance of when you wish to eat it as it needs to be kept in the fridge overnight to ensure that it stays in shape when turned out.
  • This is a vegan recipe.

Rum Banana Bread

Rum Banana Bread
Rum Banana Bread

Rum Banana Bread

This Rum Banana Bread recipe is taken from Nigella Lawson’s fantastic cookery book “[amazon_textlink asin=’0701189142′ text=’How to be a Domestic Goddess’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’tastebotanica-21success’ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’1938e3d6-9e49-11e8-9649-3b75262fa844′]”.  It is very easy to make and involves the winning combination of bananas with rum soaked raisins or sultanas.   It was one of the first baking recipes that I made.

The riper the bananas, the better the taste.  If you have really squishy, black bananas  at the bottom of your fruit bowl, this is good way to use them up!  If you have bananas that are on their way to black squishiness, you can just pop them in the freezer and then defrost when you are ready to make this cake. When they are defrosted, they will be really soft and squishy – you would not want to eat one as it is – but they are fine to use in cakes like this one.  I often make this recipe using frozen bananas and the taste and texture of the finished cake is no different from when I use fresh bananas.

This cake does contain alcohol but the cooking process means that you just get a mild rum flavour.  Don’t be worried about giving this cake to children – mine have all eaten it from when they were very young.   However, if you are teetotal or do not wish to use alcohol, you can soak the raisins in water or apple juice.

Rum Banana Bread
Delicious Rum Banana Bread

Rum Banana Bread

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Rum Banana Bread

Rum Banana Bread

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: for 8 people 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This recipe, with minor variations, is based on one in Nigella Lawson’s “How to be a Domestic Goddess”.  It is very easy to make and the combination of bananas, rum and raisins is fantastic.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 100 g raisins or sultanas
  • 75 ml rum
  • 125 g salted butter (add 1 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter) – melted
  • 160 g sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 or 5 very ripe bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 175 g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
Rum Banana Bread
Rum Banana Bread

Instructions

  1. Put the raisins or sultanas in a bowl.  Add the rum.  Heat in the microwave at “high” for 1 minute.  Cover and set aside.   This will allow the dried fruit to absorb the rum.
  2. Set your oven at 170 C or Gas Mark 3.
  3. Grease a medium-sized loaf tin (23 x 13 x 7 cm).
  4.  Put the melted butter and sugar into a large bowl.  Add the eggs and stir to combine.
  5. Mash the bananas and add them to the bowl together with the vanilla essence.
  6. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture.   Add the rum-soaked dried fruit.  Stir to combine.
  7. Pour the cake mix into the prepared loaf tin.  Put in the oven and cook for 1 hour.
  8. Remove from the oven and place the tin on a cake rack until cool.   Remove the cake from the tin.

Notes

This is a great recipe for using up old bananas – the squishier the banana, the better the flavour.  You can freeze old bananas until you are ready to make the cake.

You can make a non-alcoholic version by replacing the rum with apple juice or water.

This cake is lovely on its own.  However, you can spread the slices with butter if you are feeling indulgent!

You can keep this cake for 3-4 days, wrapped in foil, and it will improve in flavour.

Love this recipe?  You may also like

Easy Banoffee Pie

White Currant Cake

Elderflower and Lemon Cupcakes

Casa Costello

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

This recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream uses strawberries that have been macerated in balsamic vinegar.   The end result does not taste sour or vinegary at all.   The balsamic vinegar enhances the flavour of the strawberries and cuts through their sweetness.  Sometimes it is hard to get hold of really tasty strawberries and the addition of the vinegar can help you create super-tasty ice cream from average tasting berries.  Essentially, it is strawberry ice cream but with an extra flavour boost.

What you need to know about this Strawberry Ice Cream
  • As I am keen on using seasonal, local produce, I generally make this ice cream in late May to September when it is strawberry season in England. However, you can make it all the year around.
  • You need to make sure that you use balsamic vinegar rather than ordinary vinegar to make this recipe. Balsamic vinegar has a rich sweetness which offsets its sharpness and really brings out the flavour of the strawberries.
  • Although you can make this recipe without an ice cream maker, it is a lot easier if you have one. You can buy a basic ice cream maker fairly cheaply.
  • It is best to start this recipe the day before you eat it. This will mean that once you have made the basic custard, it will have time to chill down before you put it in the ice cream maker the next day.
  • You can also make this ice cream well in advance if that is more convenient. I generally make double the quantity and keep it in the freezer where it will last for up to three months.
  • As with most home-made ice creams, it helps to remove the container from the freezer about ten minutes before serving as this will make it easier to scoop.

Other home-made ice cream recipes

I am a great home-made ice cream enthusiast. I make it in the summer, of course, but am happy to eat it in winter too! There are some brilliant, shop-bought ice creams available but it is so easy to make your own. I like to experiment with flavours and some of my other ice cream recipes are listed below.

Other strawberry recipes

I love strawberries. I like to eat them just as they are but I also have a few recipes too. They are great as the topping for a Strawberry Pavlova, a Strawberry Roulade or as a filling for a Strawberry Cream Cake. I also have a great recipe for Strawberry Jam which is flavoured with rose geranium.

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream recipe

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Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: for 6 people 1x
  • Category: Ice-cream
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This ice cream uses strawberries that have been macerated in balsamic vinegar.  This cuts through the sweetness of the berries and enhances their taste.   When you try the ice cream, you would not guess that it contains vinegar.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500 g fresh strawberries
  • 55 ml balsamic vinegar
  • 110 g caster sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 425 ml double cream

Instructions

  1. Wash the strawberries, remove the green stalks and roughly chop.
  2. Place the chopped strawberries in a bowl and add the balsamic vinegar.  Allow to macerate for around 30 minutes.
  3. Put the sugar in a saucepan with 55 ml of water.  Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.  Set the sugar syrup aside to cool slightly.
  4. Set aside 150 g of the macerated strawberries.  Place the remaining 350 g of the macerated strawberries in a blender together with the sugar syrup.  Blend to form a thick puree.
  5. Put the cream in a saucepan and heat gently. Do not allow to boil – it will be the right temperature when you are just about able to bear to dip a finger in it!
  6. Put the egg yolks in a bowl and add the heated cream, whisking all the time.
  7. Transfer the combined mixture into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water or, ideally a double-boiler, as you need to reheat it very gently.
  8. The mixture will gradually thicken until it looks like a custard (which is what it is).  Stir regularly to make sure it does not stick while it is thickening.
  9. Remove the thick custard from the heat and transfer into a bowl.  Add the strawberry puree to the custard together with the 150 g of macerated strawberries that you set aside (see point 4).
  10. Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge to become thoroughly chilled.
  11. When you are ready to make the ice cream, transfer to your ice cream maker and use according to your machine’s instructions.  If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can place the mixture in a freezer-proof container, put in the freezer for several hours until half-frozen.  Whisk the mixture and then return to the container and replace in the freezer until totally frozen.

Notes

Although the preparation time and cook time totals 20 minutes you will need to allow additional time for the ice cream mixture to become completely cold before you freeze it.

Fennel Soup

Fennel Soup - vegan or vegetarian
Slow-cooked Fennel Soup

Fennel Soup

This Fennel Soup can be made in either vegetarian or vegan variations.   The aniseed flavour of the fennel is mellowed by slow cooking and this gives the finished soup a sophisticated taste which belies the simplicity of the ingredients.    This means that, although it is really easy to make, this soup would not be out of place as a starter at a dinner party, particularly if you include the additions of cream, Pernod and decorate it with chopped dill or herb  fennel.

When I first started cooking for myself, around twenty years ago, I loved to experiment with complicated recipes that included lots of different ingredients.  However, over the years, my recipes have generally become simpler.   Now I like to focus on one main ingredient and cook it in a way that brings out its particular unique flavour.   This Fennel Soup recipe is a really good example of this approach.   It is all about the taste of the fennel and how it can be transformed by slow cooking into something really special.

Not everyone likes aniseed.   Actually, I am not that keen on aniseed!  I do not eat aniseed flavoured sweets and actively dislike Pernod as a drink option.   However, I love fennel, particularly when it has been slow cooked, as the aniseed taste is transformed into something special.   And the addition of Pernod to the soup gives a aniseed boost without being overpowering.

Fennel Soup - vegan or vegetarian
A bowl of Fennel Soup

Fennel Soup

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Fennel Soup - vegetarian or vegan

Fennel Soup

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: for 6 people 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This is a really easy recipe that showcases the fantastic flavour of fennel.   Slow cooking the fennel mellows its aniseed flavour and produces a sophisticated soup that is at home as a dinner party starter as well as an informal lunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 25 g butter or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • 1 onion
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large potato
  • 500 ml water
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder or a vegetable stockcube
  • Milk or water as required to thin the soup
  • 1 tablespoon Pernod (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon double cream (optional)
  • A few sprigs of fresh dill or herb fennel (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the butter or oil in a large saucepan
  2. Roughly chop the fennel bulbs and the onion and add to the saucepan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and fry them very gently for around 15 minutes until they are soft and sweet.
  3. Peel and chop the potato and add to the pan with the fennel and onion.
  4. Add 500 ml of water and a teaspoon of vegetable bouillon powder. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Blend the soup until smoothe in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.
  6. Add milk or water – or a combination – to thin the soup to the desired consistency. You will need around 500 ml depending on how thick you want your soup.
  7. If you wish, you can add Pernod and cream to the soup before serving and decorate the surface of each bowl with chopped dill or herb fennel.

Notes

  • This recipe can be either vegetarian or vegan.  If you wish to make a vegan version, use oil to cook the vegetables, water to thin the soup and omit the double cream (or use a non-dairy alternative).

Love this recipe?  You may like

Asparagus and Pea Soup with Chervil

Leek and Potato Soup with Fresh Chives

Cold Tomato Soup

Broad Bean Salad

Broad Bean Salad

This Broad Bean Salad combines the fresh-tasting beans with tangy feta cheese.  Spring onions provide additional flavour and radishes provide an extra crunchy texture.   A lemon and olive oil dressing brings the tastes of the ingredients together.

You can make this salad ahead of time, in fact I think it improves if it is left for a while as the dressing brings the flavours of the other ingredients together.  This makes it great for cold buffets, picnics or take-to-work lunches.

If you cannot get hold of fresh broad beans, and they are not that common in supermarkets, you can use frozen broad beans.   I think broad beans, along with peas, are one of the vegetables which keep their flavour and texture best when frozen.

Other easy salads

I love salads and eat them all the year around – not just in summer. If you like this Broad Bean Salad recipe, you might also like some of my other salad recipes.

Broad Bean Salad recipe

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Broad bean salad

Broad Bean Salad

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  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: for 6 people 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This tasty salad can be made in advance and is a great addition to cold buffets and picnics.  It combines broad beans with tangy feta and crunch radishes with a zesty lemon dressing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 600 g fresh podded broad beans or frozen broad beans
  • 150 g feta cheese
  • 3 large radishes
  • 4 spring onions
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the broad beans either by putting into a pan of boiling water and simmering for five minutes or by steaming for five minutes.
  2. Drain the beans and cover with cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool them down so they can easily be handled.
  3. Remove the outer skins from the beans.  There is a technique to this which involves splitting the outer skin with your thumb nail and then squeezing gently so that the inner part of the bean pops out of the skin.
  4. Place the skinned beans in a bowl.  Chop the feta cheese into small chunks, slice the spring onions and radishes and add them all to the bowl with the beans.
  5. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine.  Be sparing with the salt as the feta cheese will be quite salty.

Notes

This salad can be made ahead of time which makes it great for buffets and picnics

If you can’t get fresh broad beans you can use frozen broad beans which give an excellent result