Maxi Blueberry scone

Maxi Blueberry scone

There was a good price on fresh blueberries the other day, so I could not resist.
We all love them on our breakfast yoghurt with homemade muesli (granola) –
But of course they are also wonderful in pies, muffins and scones.

I made this quick monster scone:

Dough:
11/3 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 stick cold butter
1 egg
3 TBSP milk

Filling:
11/4 pound fresh blueberries
4 TBSP sugar
1 tsp lemon rind
1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon

Topping:
1 egg or a little cream or milk
2 TPSP pearl sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

In a small measuring cup combine the beaten egg and milk. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough or the scone will be tough.

Roll the dough out on a piece of baking paper – to at rectangular about 10 by 12 inches.
Spread the berries on the dough. Mix the lemon rind, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the berries. Roll the whole thing together like a jelly roll, close the ends by pressing the dough together and place the roll on a baking pan.

Brush the top with a little beaten egg, cream or milk. Sprinkle with pearl sugar and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Enjoy!

Baked brills

Baked brills

My fishmonger had these wonderful fresh brills in the window the other day.
I bought 2 (they were smallish) and hurried home.

Removed head and fins, rinsed out the blood and scraped of the scales.
Made a couple of slits on each side and pressed thin garlic and lemon slices in. Sprinkled with salt and pepper and splashed some good olive oil over. Put the whole thing in the oven for about 16 minutes at 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).

In the meantime a pot of small new potatoes in salted water was cooking on the stove. And 1/4 pound fresh chanterelles were enjoying themselves on a pan with a little butter, finely chopped onion and garlic, salt and pepper.

A royal meal – or so we felt that evening…

Rosehip jam

Cleaning my freezer this week, I found a bag of last summer’s rosehip harvest – so I made a wonderful batch of

Rosehip jam with vanilla and lemon

2 pounds rinsed rosehips in half (without seeds and hairy bits)
1 organic lemon
1 cup water
1 vanilla pod
2 pounds sugar

Prepare 6-7 half-pint canning jars and lids. Place a small plate in your freezer.

Place the rose hips in a large pot. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds and the pod into the pot.

Bring the mixture to a hard boil and let it boil for about 20 minutes - stirring with a wooden spoon.

Add the sugar to the rosehip mixture. Heat to high, stirring with the wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil and reduce heat to medium high. Let it boil for about 20 minutes.

Test the jam by placing a small amount on the chilled plate. Allow 30 seconds to pass and then run your finger through it to check the consistency.

Ladle the jam into hot, sterilized canning jars. Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a dampened paper towel and seal them with the sterilized lids. Store a cool and dark place.

Enjoy on bread, scones or in cakes or on your morning yoghurtJ