Our Favourite Recipes

SIGNE JOHANSEN, SCANDILICIOUS

We were delighted when our good friend Signe, of Scandilicious, had her Skagen recipe featured in the FT’s Top 50 Festive starters last weekend. She suggests serving it with our crispbreads, which the FT featured in their ‘How to Spend It‘ section in June 2010. We’ve adapted the recipe here to work with our new mini size.

1/2 pack Peters Yard mini crispbread
mayonnaise
juice and zest of half a lemon
100 to 150g of North Sea prawns, cooked and peeled
4 tsp lumpfish or cod roe
dill sprigs

Spread each crispbread with a little mayonnaise and sprinkle with lemon juice. Top each with some prawns and garnish with the roe, lemon zest and some dill.

Linda, of With Knife and Fork (and our regular blogger) likes to make a cheese terrine at Christmas, hers is a celebration of Lancashire cheeses but its a great recipe for using up cheeseboard leftovers too.

You need:

• 275g of cottage cheese or other mild young soft cheese. Linda used Lancashire curd from Butlers but we think Brock Hall Farm soft goat cheese would also be brilliant.
• 75ml mild good mayonnaise or greek yoghurt
• sachet of gelatine powder or two leaves of sheet gelatine
• 50g each of three hard cheeses, one of which should be a blue cheese. Linda used Blacksticks Blue, Creamy and Tasty Lancashire combined (25g of each) and Goosnargh Goats all from Butlers Cheeses
• tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs of your choice (she used flat leaf parsley)
• water and lemon juice to dissolve the gelatine
• 150ml double cream
• salt and pepper
• a loaf or terrine tin 18 x 9 x 5 cm lightly oiled

Dissolve the gelatine as per the packet instructions. Blend the cottage/curd cheese with the mayonnaise/yoghurt until smooth. Cube the hard cheeses into 1/2 cm pieces. Whip the cream to the floppy stage.

Add the dissolved gelatine to  the soft cheese mixture and stir thoroughly. Add the hard cheeses, herbs, salt and pepper and mix. Then add the cream and stir through. Pour or spoon into the terrine mould. Cover with cling film and leave to set for 3 hours or more in the fridge. Turn out onto a plate and serve in slices or allow people to help themselves.

Enough for 8 as a starter.

This is one of Wendy’s favourites that’s easy to make and the colour is so gorgeous, it looks festive as part of a selection of toppings. Make as much or as little as you like.

Mix equal quantities of soft cream cheese, taramasalata and red roe with a squeeze of lemon to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste and decorate with finely chopped red onion and some red roe before serving.

HELEN, FUSS FREE FLAVOURS

Helen, of Fuss Free Flavours, shared her anchovy and butterbean dip recipe with us earlier in the year and it’s become one of our party favourites.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tin / 1 cup / 235g beans, drained and rinsed
60g / 3 tbs anchovy pate (to taste) (or
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp herbs de Provence
Pepper to taste
Chives to garnish – optional

Method

Put everything into the food processor and whizz until smooth.   Add a little water if needed to thin.

Serve with crispbreads or crudities.

SIGNE JOHANSEN, SCANDILICIOUS

Signe grew up in Norway spending time learning to cook with her farmor (grandmother). She enjoyed learning about everything from cured fish dishes to the many traditional cakes and biscuits. In her first book Scandilicious: Secrets of Scandinavian Cooking she shares her passion for Scandinavian food showing us how simple and delicious it is.

The recipe I’ve shared with you here is from my book Scandilicious: Secrets of Scandinavian Cooking and it’s super-duper easy to make. Works a treat for lazy brunches on the weekend, just spread on sourdough crispbread, or keep in the freezer for midweek suppers. Its perfect if you are entertaining a large group of people and of course it tastes delicious too?

Gravlaks with dill mustard sauce*

(* I actually prefer this naked, or with a little freshly grated horseradish on top and some pickled beetroot)

The key to this classic Scandinavian dish is an exceptionally fresh fillet of salmon. If in doubt, freeze the fillet for 24 hours to kill any bacteria, then defrost it. This traditional gravlaks cure is slightly more sweet than salty, but you can always use equal quantities of sugar and salt if you prefer. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding beetroot, alcohol (aquavit, gin or vodka) or juniper berries to the cure.

Makes enough for 12-14 starters or 6-8 smörgåsbord brunchers

• 1½kg salmon fillet, cut in half

• 1 tbsp white peppercorns

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds

• 100g granulated sugar

• 75g sea salt

• 3 x 15g pack dill, chopped (for the cure)

• 1 x 15g pack dill, chopped (to serve)

Dill mustard sauce

• 1 x 15g pack dill

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 3 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar

• 3 tbsp demerara sugar

• 3 tbsp mustard

• ½ tsp salt

Method:

Dry the salmon, check for pinbones and then place both fillet pieces side by side, skin down. Crush the white pepper and coriander with a pestle and mortar and then mix in a small bowl with the sugar and salt. Spread the dill over the skinless side of the fillet halves, then spread the spiced sugar and salt in a layer on top. Sandwich both fillets together so that the the dill spice mixture is in the middle and the skin is outermost. Cover any exposed surface of salmon with any dill and spice mixture that tumbles out. Wrap very tightly in two layers of clingfilm and place in a small roasting tin to catch the brine that escapes the fish as it cures. Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 48 hours.

The dill mustard sauce is very easy to make. You just whizz up all the ingredients in a blender. You can then either use it straight away or keep it in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for a week or so.

When the gravlaks has had time to cure, simply take it out of the fridge, remove the clingfilm, wipe the fillet halves clean of the herby spiced salt with a paper towel, pat dry and put on a board, skin down. Put a layer of chopped dill on the skinless side of each fillet and press down as much as you can without squashing the fish. Slice on the diagonal from the tail towards the middle of the fillet and serve with hot new potatoes, rye or sourdough crispbread and dill mustard sauce.

(Image of Signe from Scandilicious: by Signe Johansen. Hodder & Stoughton. Copyright Debi Trelor. Images of finished dish copyright Signe Johansen)

CAROLINE VON SCHMALENSEE, EDINBURGH

As a child I got egg mayo at picnics and other special occasions. These days I like this more grown-up version for lunch or even dinner.  The thinner the crispbread, the more filling you can have.

• 1 tin of white crab meat (120grms) (or the white meat from a fresh crab)
• 1 hardboiled egg
• 1-2 heaped teaspoons of good mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill, or, if you can’t get fresh dill, two good pinches dried dill
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
• Lemon wedge to serve (optional)

1 very generous servings, or 2 very normal ones.

1. Drain the crab meat and place in a small bowl.
2. Roughly chop the egg and add to the crab meat.
3. Add enough mayo to bind the ingredients together.
4. Add the dill and mustard (if using) and mix.
5. Heap onto cripsbread, and serve with a squeeze of lemon and the wedge on top.

Store for up to two days in the fridge. Best eaten the second it’s made.

(Image of finished dish copyright Carlone von Schmalensee. Image of eggs copyright Linda Williams)

SIGNE JOHANSEN, SCANDILICIOUS

Having tasted Womersley fruit vinegars recently I adapted this recipe from my book to make use of their lovely raspberry vinegar as well as Peter’s Yard crispbreads. Marinating the slices of radish in the fruit vinegar for half an hour balances their mild heat well. You can serve on small pieces of crispbread to make a lovely canape.

Goats cheese with radish and raspberry vinegar

For 2 people:

100g of soft spreadable goats chese (Norwegian Snofrisk is ideal if you can get it)

4 medium size Peters Yard crispbreads

smoked sea salt (Halon Mon do a lovely one)

1-2 tbsp Womersley raspberry vinegar

4-6 radishes

fresh herbs to garnish

Slice the radish thinly and place in a small bowl, add the fruit vinegar and stir to coat all the slices. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Spread the goats cheese on the crispbread. Scatter the radish slices over the cheese, sprinkle with smoked sea salt and any remaining vinegar left from marinating. Scatter chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, on top.

(Image of  Scandilicious: by Signe Johansen. Hodder & Stoughton. Copyright Debi Trelor. Image of finished dish copyright Linda Williams)

HELEN, A KENTISH KITCHEN

A Kentish Kitchen is a kitchen rooted firmly in its surroundings, my own heritage, the odd nod to nostalgia, and my ongoing fascination with the quirky and novel. You’ll find here not only the foods for which Kent is best known, but also some long-forgotten goodies and intriguing newcomers – from Garden through Kentish Kitchen to table. You can find me tweeting @akentishkitchen.

This recipe combines the pepperiness of watercress with the lemony hit of sorrel to make a vibrant green summer’s soup, good either hot or chilled. Finish with rapeseed oil for a buttery note, or with cream or crème fraiche for a more indulgent version. I happen to like mine with oil, and accompanied by sourdough crispbreads with tangy cream cheese from Northiam Dairy.

Watercress and sorrel soup (serves 4)
1 large bunch of watercress
1 large handful of sorrel
2 shallots
2 potatoes, roughly diced
750ml – 1l vegetable or chicken stock, or water
a generous knob of butter
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, heat the butter until it has melted.

Roughly dice the shallots. Fry them in the butter until they become soft and transparent – but not brown.

Add the diced potatoes to the pan, and cover the lot with water or stock. Bring it all to the boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat.

Add the watercress and sorrel to the pan, and leave to wilt for a minute or two.

Pour the lot into a blender, and blitz. (Pass through a sieve if you want a uniform colour and texture.) Season to taste, and finish with a drizzle of rapeseed oil, or with a goodly swirl of cream or crème fraiche.

(Images copyright A Kentish Kitchen)

CAROLINE VON SCHMALENSEE, EDINBURGH, UK

When I arrived in Edinburgh 20 years ago, the cafés were not as many or as interesting as they are now. I’ve watched the changing landscape of Edinburgh with pleasure, enjoying the variety that is on offer here. Food is of great importance to me: I care about ingredients, methods and flavour. To share my interest, I write about the restaurants I go to and some of the recipes I try for Edinburgh Foody.

This recipe makes a lovely dip or spread for crispbreads. It’s really easy to make and can be stored for up to three days in the fridge. Simply scale up the quantities if you are having friends round for a get together. The colour of the sweet potato makes it look very autumnal.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• About 400 grams sweet potato  (about three small or two medium)
• The juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 table spoon of soft cheese or crème fraiche
• 1 good pinch ground cumin
• 1 good pinch freshly ground pepper

1. Prick the potatoes with a fork.
2. Place in the middle of a hot oven (200C) for about an hour, or until the potatoes are very soft – a tooothpick or skewer should find virtually no resistance. It’s not important to pre-heat the oven for this recipe, just give it an extra 15 minutes.
3. When the potatoes are soft, take them out and let them cool for a few minutes.
4. Cut the skins open with a sharp knife and scoop out the soft, orange flesh into a bowl.
5. Add lemon juice, soft cheese, cumin and ground black pepper.
6. Mix all the ingredients together.
7. Transfer to a bowl and serve with crispbread crisps.

Store for up to three days in the fridge.

(Image of finished dish copyright Caroline von Schmalensee)

CHRISTINA TENCOR, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK

I serve these as a canapé with drinks. They are simple to make and can be prepared well in advance.Serve them on pieces of Peter’s Yard crispbread broken into mouth- sized pieces.

Serves 8-10 as a canape

Ingredients:

• 125 g blue cheese
• 125 g cream cheese
• 1 tbsp single cream
• Garnish- parsley, red pepper

1.Leave blue cheese in room temperature to get soft
2.Mix with cream cheese and cream
3.Put in fridge until ready to use
4. Just before serving spread on crispbread and garnish with parsley and a thin slice of red pepper.

CAROLINE VON SCHMALENSEE, EDINBURGH, UK

When I arrived in Edinburgh 20 years ago, the cafés were not as many or as interesting as they are now. I’ve watched the changing landscape of Edinburgh with pleasure, enjoying the variety that is on offer here. Food is of great importance to me: I care about ingredients, methods and flavour. To share my interest, I write about the restaurants I go to and some of the recipes I try for Edinburgh Foody.

Peter’s Yard crisp bread has a lovely rye flavour that has so much more character than normal breadcrumbs. Instead of putting cheese on bread, this recipe puts bread on cheese. This recipe looks quite long but in fact it’s simple and the results are delicious.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 250 Emmenthal or other firm cheese
• A bottle of cider
• 6 small crispbread rounds
• 3-4 table spoons of wholegrain flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Chilli jelly or cranberry sauce to serve (optional)

1. Cut the cheese into 9-12 equal sticks, as square as possible.
   (I buy a piece of cheese cut as a slice rather than a wedge to make this process easier).
2. Put the cheese sticks in a shallow dish and cover with cider.
   (If you don’t like cider and don’t want to be left with what’s still in the bottle, you can use a light beer or white wine. Apple juice works too.)
3. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour.
   (Soaking the cheese like this makes it easier to get the breadcrumbs to stick to it.)
4. Put the crispbread rounds in a blender or mixer and blitz until you have fine crumbs.
5. Pour the breadcrumbs on to a plate.
6. Put the flour onto another plate.
7. Put the egg in a bowl and whisk lightly.
8. When the cheese has finished soaking, take a piece and coat it evenly in flour.
9. Then dip it in the egg, coating it evenly.
10. Then coat with the cripsbread crumbs.
11. You can prepare ahead to this point: the cheese sticks can be stored in the fridge for several hours if you cover them with plastic wrap.
12. In a frying pan – preferably non-stick – heat a small amount of oil until it’s almost smoking. You are ready to get cooking.
13. Fry on each side, turning frequently. The egg and crumb mixture will not completely keep the melting cheese in but turning the stick stops it from leaking too much from any one surface. Be careful with the heat here: the coating will go quite dark but it shouldn’t burn. You might have to turn the heat down a little.
14. When the cheese stick is brown on every side (it takes about 3-4 minutes), put it on kitchen towel to drain off a little of the oil. (As an alternative, deep fry the stick for a couple of minutes – that is less healthy, but a faster way of melting the cheese.)
15. Serve immediately with a little smoked chilli jelly or cranberry sauce.

Allow 3-4 sticks per person for a starter or snack.

(Image of finished dish copyright Caroline von Schmalensee)

ANNE SKOOGH STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

I just love food. I love reading about food, writing about food, cooking food and, not surprisingly, eating food. I live in Stockholm, Sweden, with my husband, our baby boy and our cats. Here’s a Swedish recipe I’d recommend to serve with Peter’s Yard crispbreads.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• Half a small red onion finely chopped
• 200 g crayfish tails (or large chopped prawns is a good alternative)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 3-4 tbsp creme fraiche
• 1-2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• Salt, pepper
• Bleak roe (or Red Caviar available in the UK from www.totallyswedish.com)
• Optional: dill

1. Chop the avocado into large chunks, dice the onion very finely and crush the garlic.
2. Chop the crayfish tails roughly. Mix together in a bowl, with just enough creme fraiche to bind the ingredients together.
3. Add dill if you want to – I prefer it without – and season with salt, pepper and sweet chilli sauce.
4. Place on toasted bread or on Peter’s Yard crispbread garnished with a little bit of roe, some smoked salmon or dill.

www.annesfood.blogspot.com

CHRISTINA TENCOR, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK

I came to England from Sweden as an exchange student at The University of Sussex. The 6 months turned into nearly 30 years, when I met Ian, my husband, who now works at Peter’s Yard. Food has taken us many places but I always return to family traditions for parties when I serve Gentleman’s Delight (Gubbröra) as a canape or as a dish on my smörgåsbord. Just the name is a talking point!

To serve 4 as a starter, 8-10 as canapés

Ingredients:

• 3-4 hard boiled eggs
• 1 red onion
• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 125 g anchovies
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Finely chop eggs, anchovies and onions.
2. Melt butter and fry onions until golden brown.
3. Add anchovies, fry gently for a couple of minutes.
4. Gently stir in eggs and heat through. The
   ingredients must not be mashed!
5. Sprinkle parsley over.
6. Serve warm with crispbread.

GEORGIE – HEAD BAKER AT PETER’S YARD BAKERY, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

I am Georgie, the head baker at our Edinburgh bakery. I know how much work goes into making the crispbreads themselves, so I thought I’d share a very simple idea for a light but delicious topping. Sometimes the simplest things work best!

Tomato, cheese and basil open sandwich

Ingredients for topping for each crispbread:

• One firm tomato
• A few slices of good quality, hard cheese
• Sprig of fresh basil
• Virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper

1. Thinly slice fresh tomatoes and place on the crispbread.
2. Using a knife or cheese slicer take a few slithers of hard cheese and layer on the tomato slices.
3. Top with fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of good quality virgin olive oil and a grind of sea salt and black pepper.