Blackheath Cooks have a fun morning planned on Saturday 20th June where children can bring along their Dads, Grandads and Uncles along to make homemade pizza and garlic dough balls to enjoy together around our kitchen table, plus some delicious chocolate brownies to take home!
Our Fathers Day cookery sessions have always proved popular in the past – it’s a great way to enjoy something really fun with your kids.
We also have some fantastic ‘Dad-friendly’ cookery workshops planned for late June/early July – these would make original Fathers Day gifts ….. Cooking with Beer, Meats and Marinades (perfect for BBQ season!), Knife Skills, to name a few – check out our website for the full list.
We have been busy in the shop over the last week or so putting out our new summery stock. If you are planning ice cream sundaes this summer, we have a great selection of sundae glasses to choose from. With the sun streaming though our windows at the moment, our glassware is looking soooooo pretty!!
Our children’s summer holiday workshops are now scheduled so if you are looking for something for your kids or teenagers to be doing during their long summer break, do check on Blackheath Cooks website and you’ll find details of what we have planned. There really is something to suit everyone’s taste – from cakes and cookies, to sushi or delicious two course meals!
As usual, we do love to share a favourite recipe or two with Greenwich mums – this time we’ve chosen a fabulously simple salmon recipe, which takes minutes to make and goes wonderfully well with new potatoes and salad, a tasty and light summer supper. The second recipe is a gorgeous little lemon cake which our teens did just before half term – everyone loved it and you can fill the little ‘nest’ on top with whatever summer fruits you like.
SALMON PARCELS
INGREDIENTS
(serves 2)
2 x 100g salmon fillets – skin removed
5 inch piece of leek
Small knob of butter
Tablespoon water
2 tablespoons crème fraiche
2 tablespoon petit pois
Large sprig fresh dill
6 sheets filo pastry squares
(we use jus rol filo sheets – roll out and
cut in half, this makes one square)
Melted butter to brush
METHOD
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c fan.
2. Thinly slice the leek and pop into a small frying pan with a knob of butter and the tablespoon water. Heat through and stir continuously until leeks are soft.
3. Put the leeks into a small mixing bowl, allow to cool slightly then add the crème fraiche, peas and tear up the dill and sprinkle in too. Stir well.
4. Cut the salmon into cubes (about the size of dice) and mix this in too.
5. Take your first filo pastry square and brush with melted butter.
6. Lay the second pastry square on top and brush with melted butter, Lay the third square on top.
7. Spoon your half your salmon leek mixture into the centre of the pastry.
8. Carefully fold all the sides in one by one to create a square parcel shape.
9. Repeat the process using up the mixture for your second salmon parcel
10. Lay your parcels ‘foldy’ side down onto the baking tray and brush the top with more melted butter.
11. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
LEMON CAKE WITH SUMMER FRUITS
INGREDIENTS
2 x 6inch cake tins/foil trays
120g clover or soft butter
120g caster sugar
2 medium free range eggs
120g self raising flour
½ a lemon
A handful of a mixture of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
Icing:
65g clover or soft butter
150g icing sugar
½ a lemon
METHOD
This is a delicious light and lemony sponge – by decorating it with lemon butter icing and a selection of summer fruits, it makes a really gorgeous teatime treat!
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c fan
2. Cream your butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl, then crack the eggs into the bowl and mix together until it is smooth.
3. Fold in the flour and gently stir.
4. Zest HALF the lemon and sprinkle into the cake mix. Then juice HALF the lemon and mix this in too.
5. Grease the foil trays/cake tins and divide the mixture into them.
6. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown on top – the sponge should spring back when gently pressed in the centre. LEAVE TO COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE ICING.
7. For the icing: Mix the clover until soft and creamy, then add the icing sugar, the zest of the remaining half of your lemon and ONE TABLESPOON ONLY of the lemon juice.
8. With your piping bag, pipe a ring/nest shape on one of the sponges. The rest of the icing can go all over the top of the other sponge.
9. Sandwich your cakes together with the nest on the top. Fill your nest with the fruits and sprinkle your cake with icing sugar.
About Amanda Keyzers