RECIPE FOR BETTY’S GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

Green Tomato Chutney

 What you need:

A kind neighbour to give you

2 KG’S GREEN TOMATOES (or from your garden/local fruit and veg store)

THEN:-

4 GOOD SIZED BRAMLEY APPLES

1 KG SOFT BROWN SUGAR

1 LITRE MALT VINEGAR

A CHILD’S HAND OF ROOT GINGER

6 RED CHILIS

250g RAISINS

600g SHALLOTS

2 TSP SALT

3 GOOD CLOVES GARLIC

1. Peel and chop everything very small, except for the chillies and ginger – keep both of these whole. 
   
2. Put everything into an Aga preserving pan and bring to the boil, keeping a watchful eye that the sugar does not burn.  
   
3. Transfer to the simmering plate and cook for about a 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. 
   
4. When ready (it should look thick, like jam) spoon into sterilised jars – try bettytwyford.com website for lovely looking jars with lids.   

 Enjoy with meat or cheese!

Deluxe Aga

Betty is thrilled with her original deluxe renovated Agas (in blue or cream) with a red Aga badge and enameled lid rings, priced at £3,995 for a two oven.

Four oven version available at www.twyford-cookers.com

Original Deluxe Aga with Red Aga Badge - Available in Blue or Cream

BETTY COOKS...

LEMON TART

Lemon tart is a gift at the end of a delicious meal eaten with good friends.
Here is the recipe
Sweet pastry is made by using
120g soft butter,
75g icing sugar,
3egg yolks,
250g plain flour and a little water if needs be.

Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl, mix in the egg yolks with the flour.  Add some water if the mixture needs it, and form into a ball and wrap with cling film.  Place in the fridge for the pastry to 'calm down' before rolling out to line a pastry tart tin (about 24cm). Prick the base with a fork.

For the Lemon Cream - Beat 5 eggs with 150g castor sugar and the juice of 3 lemons.  Add 150ml double cream to the mix. Grate the rind off one of the lemons (or more if you wish) and add to the mix. Place the mixture into the tart tin.

lemon tart

Cook on the floor of the roasting oven of the Aga beneath the cold shelf on the third set of runners down.  Cook for about 20 mins and then transfer to the simmering oven until the cream is 'set'

getting ready to cook

Betty is creating masterpieces in the kitchen with her trusty Aga - the lemon pie, mentioned earlier, along with goose and fig sauce, pork tenderloin stuffed with spinach, mushrooms and pate, wrapped in puff pastry and ...green tomato chutney in Betty's fantastic kilner jars go to http://www.bettytwyford.com/ recipes will be posted SOON - give a girl a chance!! love from Betty

celebrating birthdays

A wonderful weekend spent at The Plas celebrating an important birthday in stunning September Welsh countryside.  Pimms on arrival, wine and champagne flowing with delicious cuts of duck and beef and scrumptious salads - what more could a girl ask for?  Home now, and it is baked beans for lunch - well, every good weekend has to end for another one to follow.  Best pudding was lemon tart - will try out a recipe and post it soon http://www.bettytwyford.com/

BETTY COOKS...

GAME CASSEROLE

Because I am a domestic goddess, I am always looking for ways to indulge my family and friends.  There is no better way to collect the people you love together, than around a table to eat.

With a glass of wine and good food, the conversation flows.  Our time leisure time is invaluable in this strange economic climate and maybe these are the memories our children will recall in years to come.

There is a small price to pay for entertaining –our domestic goddess spends more time in the kitchen. (She also has a tendency to gain weight). Temptation has to be met with a degree of caution, and with this in mind, I have created a low fat version of a rich Game casserole, and I hope you will agree that taste does not have to be sacrificed in our constant battle with the calories.

Game is now available all year round, and it is a healthy low fat alternative to red meat.  Try a mixture of pigeon, rabbit and venison, cut into bite sized cubes.  The Aga is an ideal machine to slow cook this casserole, which tantalises the taste buds and appears to be rich and creamy whilst remaining virtuous and delicious.

RECIPE FOR GAME CASSEROLE
SERVES FOUR

INGREDIENTS
525grms mixed game – rabbit, pigeon and venison
1 large red onion
3 sticks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
10 dried apricots, soaked to plump up
seasoning
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1-2 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ pint chicken stock
½ pint red wine
25grms butter, (25grms won’t hurt!)
25grms flour

1. Sauté the game and garlic in the butter; remove and add the flour and cayenne powder to the juices
2. Cook for a moment, and then add the stock and red wine to make a smooth and thickened sauce.
3. Return the game to the pan, and add all of the chopped vegetables and season.   
4. Add the apricots, and sugar and bring back to the boil on the simmering plate.
5. Leave for approximately 4 minutes, and then transfer to the simmering oven.   
6. Forget about it for about 3 hrs.  Have a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.   
7. This can stay in the simmering oven until you are ready to serve with mashed potatoes and green beans. 
8. Enjoy!