I have just seen the film 'Julie and Julia' which was funny and fun and interesting to anyone who likes cooking. But it made my interest in recipes look a feeble affair. I have never considered boning a duck or boiling live lobsters, and have only very occasionally tackled classic French sauces. The cost of the ingredients, of course, has been a major limitation in my cooking history - cheap and cheerful have been my motivators - but I do feel rather ashamed that I have played quite so safe. Perhaps now I could branch out a bit..
But not at this very moment, as the oldest daughter has requested a recipe for cheese scones, much loved by B as a snack after running, and which she intends to make to go with soup for work lunches.
Scones are definitely cheap and cheerful and quick too. Good old English fillers which are so often nasty in cafes that you will be popular if you make them up for visitors and eat fresh - or freeze and produce after a quick warm in the oven.
Scones
2 oz butter
8 oz SR flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg beaten with enough milk to make 1/4 pint.
This is your basic mixture in old fashioned pre metric measurements. If you only have the kind of scale that measures in metric, convert this to:
200g SR Flour
50 g butter uisng a basic rule of 25g to every ounce. You may need slighly more liquid for this mixture so be ready with the milk.
Cheese Scones
The same basic mixture needs not sugar and fruit, but at least 3 oz strong cheese grated finely, a teaspoon of English mustard and a good seasoning of salt, pepper and cayenne - you can try out how savoury you like them after a first go. Don't use bland cheese.
Put a little extra cheese on the tops before baking.
Enjoy with lots of butter (and warm in the office microwave if you are taking them for a packed lunch).
But not at this very moment, as the oldest daughter has requested a recipe for cheese scones, much loved by B as a snack after running, and which she intends to make to go with soup for work lunches.
Scones are definitely cheap and cheerful and quick too. Good old English fillers which are so often nasty in cafes that you will be popular if you make them up for visitors and eat fresh - or freeze and produce after a quick warm in the oven.
Scones
2 oz butter
8 oz SR flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg beaten with enough milk to make 1/4 pint.
This is your basic mixture in old fashioned pre metric measurements. If you only have the kind of scale that measures in metric, convert this to:
200g SR Flour
50 g butter uisng a basic rule of 25g to every ounce. You may need slighly more liquid for this mixture so be ready with the milk.
- Rub the butter into the flour as for pastry. For sweet ones, add an ounce of sugar max ( a dessertspoonful) and a good handful of dried fruit unless you want them plain. You can vary this with apricots, cherries or fancy dried cranberries, walnuts etc but a traditional mixed fruit is the favourite.
- Pour in the liquid, keeping a little back, and mix together quickly with a knife. Make into a dough with your hands but handle it lightly and quickly. Add all the liquid if you need it. Pat out on a floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll out and cut into rounds - you want them at least 2in thick to rise up, so it only makes about 7/8 or so
- Brush the tops with milk or the last of your egg milk liquid and bake at no 7 for 10 - 15 minutes. When they are brown and you can pinch the sides and feel them quite firm, they are ready. Cool on a rack. Eat buttered while fresh or freeze for another day. They are really useful to have in the freezer as they defrost quickly, can be warmed if you wish in a medium oven and can be served up with tea at short notice. Though, in fact, the whole process is very quick from start to finish anyway.
Cheese Scones
The same basic mixture needs not sugar and fruit, but at least 3 oz strong cheese grated finely, a teaspoon of English mustard and a good seasoning of salt, pepper and cayenne - you can try out how savoury you like them after a first go. Don't use bland cheese.
Put a little extra cheese on the tops before baking.
Enjoy with lots of butter (and warm in the office microwave if you are taking them for a packed lunch).
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