georgie – Page 18

Chocolate, cranberry and cinnamon cookies

11.24.2014 by georgie // 5 Comments

Last week I got to hang out with a dear friend, who I met as a result of losing Archie. Her and her husband lost their little girl last year and reached out to Pete and I when they heard our news. They’re a wonderful and inspiring couple and I’m so glad our babies have brought us together. Our meet up was an extra special one because my lovely friend was heavily pregnant and 6 days away from having their 2nd little girl. I can’t even imagine how terrifying it must be to go through pregnancy again, not knowing, expecting the worst… So fraught with anxiety and fear, but my friend was honest and open and coping incredibly and it was a real honour to spend time with her.

I didn’t know what to take, as I knew she wouldn’t want things for the baby. I didn’t want any gifts for Archie before I had him, and that was before I knew how our story would end. I was superstitious and have never felt it was right to buy babies things before they are born. I figured she’d get lots of pampering treats, as thats the next obvious (but heavenly!) choice, so settled on food (obviously!). Home cooked food for the freezer. I made a slow cooked ragu, and packaged it in little foil containers, and also a few logs of cookie dough. Everyone needs a sweet treat now and then, and this way she can make a whole load or just a few, whenever she needs a sweet hit.

And for the rest of us? Well these are perfect for the Christmas period, when unexpected visitors drop by. And even though they don’t look like much they’re bloomin’ delicious.

Cranberry chocolate and cinnamon cookie — Chocolate, cranberry and cinnamon cookie

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY AND CINNAMON COOKIES

Makes around 30 (if you want them as freezer cookies, just pop the well wrapped cookie logs into the freezer and slice off discs of the dough when you need them)

100g dried cranberries, chopped
150ml orange juice
175g plain flour
2 heaped tablespoons of oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
150g butter, at room temperature
Finely grated zest of an orange
1 large egg, free range or organic
50g dark chocolate chips
125g light soft brown sugar
60g granulated sugar

If you have time, or remember, leave the cranberries to soak in orange juice over night. Alternatively place both in a small pan, simmer until they just start to bubble and then remove from the heat and leave to one side for 20 minutes, or until cooled down.

In a bowl mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and leave to one side.

In a freestanding mixer (or by hand if you don’t have one) beat the butter for a couple of minutes until creamy and then add the orange zest and both types of sugar. Beat for a few minutes on a medium speed, until pale and smooth, and then add the egg. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, scraping the sides in between, then add the cranberries and chocolate chips followed by the remaining flour mix. Beat so that everything is just combined, you don’t want to over work the dough.

Tear three sheets of cling film and lay them out. Divide the mixture between the three sheets, spooning it into a log shape down the centre. You are aiming for 3 logs of cookie dough, each around 4cm diameter and about 15cm long. Don’t worry too much if they are not perfect, use the cling film to help mould the dough into a compact log and roll it up. Twist the ends and pop in the fridge for an hour to firm up. Alternatively, make sure the dough is well covered and pop in the freezer.

When you are ready to bake them just slice off a 1.5cm disc of dough and pop onto a lined baking tray. Leave a few centimetres between the biscuits, as they will spread, and bake in a preheated oven at 180/ gas mark 4 for 11-12 minutes, or until golden. If baking from frozen give them an extra minute.

When they are ready leave the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set before transferring to a cooling rack. Perfect wintery Christmas treats.

Herby omelette with crispy ham hock and spinach

11.12.2014 by georgie // Leave a Comment

Like a lot of people brunch is a big deal in our house. Weekday breakfasts are rushed and are mostly a solo affair. So Saturday morning is a special occasion, a chance to cook together, leisurely, and a sort of ‘it’s the weekend’ celebration.

We mix it up at home, but one thing is for sure it will almost always be a savoury brunch as opposed to sweet (I don’t have the sweetest tooth and I was told that starting the day with protein was the best way). Below is a classic example of a Saturday morning Hayden-house staple. If you know me you know I love anything ham-y and cheesy, so this was a winner. Pimped up with the chilli and spinach, and opting for a crumbly tangy, yet creamy Lancashire cheese, it was a strong (and awesome) start to the day.

Honeyed ham hock omelette — Herby omelette with crispy ham

HERBY OMELETTE WITH CRISPY HAM HOCK AND SPINACH

Serves 2

5 large eggs, free range or organic
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of soft herbs, washed (I used coriander and parsley)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
ham hock, shredded (you can use leftovers, or Waitrose sell slow cooked shredded ham hock)
Olive oil
1 tablespoon runny honey
100g baby leaf spinach, washed
40g lancashire cheese (or any soft crumbly cheese)

Chop your herbs as fine as you can and place in a bowl with the eggs and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk everything together well and leave to one side.

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the shredded ham hock, chilli and most of the spring onions and fry for around 5 minutes until everything starts to turn golden at the edges. When the ham is starting to look crisp, drizzle in the honey and toss it all together. Give it another minute or two until it turns sticky and caramelised, and then add the spinach. Give everything a stir and cook the spinach down, this will only take a minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the filling into a bowl. Wipe the pan out and then return to the hob. Lower the heat to medium-low and then pour in the beaten eggs. Using a spatula gently swirl the mixture around so that you ripple eggs and cook them almost all the way through. When it is almost ready spoon the ham and spinach filling down the middle of the omelette and crumble over the Lancashire cheese. Turn the heat up a little so that the underside of the omelette browns, and then using a spatula or fish slice flip it over to envelope the filling. Cut the omelette into two and dish up. Sprinkle with the remaining spring onions and extra chilli sauce, if you like.

Crispy ham hock and spinach omelette — Crispy ham hock and spinach herby omelette

Sweet potato, chickpea and spinach soup

11.09.2014 by georgie // Leave a Comment

This bowl of goodness was created for Ma and Pa Socratous. On a recent trip up north they ate something similar and have been trying to find a recipe for it ever since. With no such luck I decided to write one for them based on what I know: that it had sweet potato, chickpeas, spinach and a generous amount of cumin. And that they both loved it. (I can only hope that this soup does the original one justice, as it is pretty rare for my folks to like the same thing!)

With its natural sweetness and creamy texture sweet potato makes a fantastic base for soups. And it works incredibly well with the rest of these ingredients creating a hearty yet wholesome soup, with a North African/ Middle Eastern feel. It’s wheat/ gluten and dairy free, and a great fertility boosting dish. Heck its a great everything boosting dish!

If you like your soup a little chunky, try mashing it with a potato masher, or only blitzing it a little.

SWEET POTATO, CHICKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP

Serves 6

2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
Olive oil
1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 – 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
A tin of chickpeas, drained
A tin of reduced fat coconut milk
800ml vegetable stock
Around 800g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
150g spinach, washed well
A handful of coriander, washed
A juicy lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place a large non-stick saucepan on a medium-low heat and add a lug of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for around 10 – 12 minutes until soft and sticky, but not coloured. Add the cumin, coriander and chilli and fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, and add the chickpeas and chopped sweet potatoes. Gently bring everything to the boil, season well, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for around 15 minutes, or until your potatoes are soft and completely cooked through. Add the spinach and coriander and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and using a stick blender, blitz the soup until smooth. If the soup is a little on the thick side add a little more stock or water until you get to the texture and thickness that you like. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve.