Category Archives: cooking

Deliciously simple rhubarb jam.

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Once a rhubarb patch becomes established, you can find yourself with masses of it, here’s a very simple jam recipe that will use plenty. This recipe is based on one we found on https://www.taste.com.au and it’s so easy.

Ingredients.
1kg (2.2lbs) rhubarb
1kg (2.2lbs) caster sugar
120ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla essence.

Method.
Remove the leaves from the rhubarb, wash and roughly chop it.

Wash and chop the rhubarb.

Wash and chop the rhubarb.

Mix together the rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla essence in a large bowl. leave to stand overnight for the flavours to infuse and mingle.

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Your rhubarb pieces will shrink a little and the sugar will become syrupy.

your rhubarb will have released liquid overnight.

your rhubarb will have released liquid overnight.

Transfer the rhubarb mixture to a large pan and bring to the boil over a medium to high heat. You should use a large spoon to skim any froth from the surface. Cook it for 35-40 mins, stirring regularly.

cook for 35-40 mins.

cook for 35-40 mins.

The jam is ready when it “jells” when tested. To test your jam, place 1 teaspoon of it on a chilled saucer and place in the freezer for a couple of minutes until it has cooled to room temperature. Then, lightly push the jam with your finger, if the surface wrinkles, it’s ready.

Spoon your hot jam into sterilised jars and seal, leave to cool.
Enjoy your jam on toast or scones or how about trying it drizzled over ice cream!

How to freeze fresh peas and beans.

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It’s so easy to freeze your home grown peas and beans to use all year round. So, if you have a glut, or even if you’ve bought a large amount of fresh peas and beans, here’s how to deal with them.

Wash and shell your peas.

Wash and shell your peas.

Begin by first washing and then shelling your peas, don’t freeze any that are not perfect. It’s best to begin this process as soon as you pick your peas to make sure that you freeze them when their flavour is at it’s best.

Peas ready for blanching.

Peas ready for blanching.

Once you have shelled all your peas, you need to prepare a pan of boiling water and a bowl with ice water in it. Put the peas into the boiling water and blanch for no longer than two minutes. Drain the peas and immediately transfer into the bowl of ice water. This cools them quickly and stops them from cooking any further. You should leave them in the ice water for a further two minutes.

Bag the peas for freezing.

Bag the peas for freezing.

Drain the peas again and put them in sealable or zip lock freezer bags. Don’t be tempted to over fill the bags, they will freeze better if they can be spread out flat in the freezer with the peas separated. If possible, use the quick freeze function on your freezer, the faster they are frozen, the better they will taste when they are cooked. Once they are completely frozen, they no longer need to lay flat and can be stored in your freezer as normal, ready for use throughout the year, as tasty as the day they were picked!

Rhubarb Crumble, the ultimate comfort food!

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We had a serious Rhubarb glut the other week, this is never a problem here because Mr Franger Farm swings into action to make us a delicious Rhubarb Crumble. Served with custard, this really is great comfort food, here’s the tried and tested recipe from Delia Smith, you’re going to love it!

Chop your Rhubarb into chunks.

Chop your Rhubarb into chunks.

Ingredients.
900g (2lb) Rhubarb
75g (3oz) soft brown sugar to cook with Rhubarb
225g (8oz) flour
75g (3oz) butter
75-110g (3-4oz) brown sugar to make the crumble

Method.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). To make the Rhubarb for your crumble, first, cut the Rhubarb into chunks, then place in a saucepan with the sugar. Make sure that you cook it over a gentle heat, and keep it covered, for about 15 mins. be sure to stir it every so often so that it cooks evenly.

Transfer your cooked Rhubarb to a pie dish.

Transfer your cooked Rhubarb to a pie dish.

When your Rhubarb is cooked, transfer it to a pie dish. It’s now time to make your crumble topping.

put your crumble ingredients into the food processor.

put your crumble ingredients into the food processor.

Place the flour, butter and sugar into the food processor and whizz until combined and crumbly.

Whizz until combined.

Whizz until combined.

Spread the crumble mixture over the Rhubarb mixture in the pie dish and bake in the oven for 30-40 mins, or until browned on top.
Serve with custard and enjoy the feeling that all is well with the world!

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Mr Franger Farm’s Guide to making perfect pizza.

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Mr Franger Farm makes a mean pizza, his pride and joy is his self built wood fired pizza oven. He only uses one recipe for pizza base and it’s always a great success.
Follow his guide to the perfect pizza and you can’t go wrong.

Divide the dough and let it double in size.

Divide the dough and let it double in size.

Mr Franger Farm uses this dough recipe by Curtis Stone, and it works every time.

Ingredients.
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons dry yeast
3 cups unbleached plain flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method.
In a small bowl, whisk the warm water, honey and yeast to blend. Set aside for about 5 minutes, or until foamy. Stir to dissolve the yeast.
In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt to combine. With the machine running, pour the yeast mixture an olive oil and process until the dough forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead for about 3 minutes, or until it’s smooth and elastic. Do not add too much flour. The dough will be tacky but should release cleanly from your hands.
Divide the dough in half and firm into a ball. Place on a baking tray and cover with cling wrap. Let it stand until it doubles in size.

roll out the dough

roll out the dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, you can take one ball and roll it into a circle with a rollng pin.

place your dough on the pizza tray

place your dough on the pizza tray

You can then place your dough on your pizza tray.
It’s now time to add your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the base and then add toppings of your choice.

Spread pizza sauce on the base.

Spread pizza sauce on the base.

You can cook your finished pizza in a wood fired pizza oven for best results, but we have also used a conventional oven to bake these pizzas and it has worked well.

Cook your finished pizza in a wood fired oven for best results

Cook your finished pizza in a wood fired oven for best results

enjoy!

enjoy!

Enjoy withy a friends and family and a glass or three of wine!


Star shaped choc chip kids cookies with Miss Franger Farm.

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Miss Franger Farm made these great little cookies the other night to take to school for an end of term party, and they went down really well with her friends and the teachers.
She used a basic cookie dough recipe from http://www.taste.com.au then added her choc chips. You could add anything you like to this basic dough to make so many different types of cookie. Here’s how she did it.

Ingredients.

Ingredients.

Ingredients.

125g (4.5oz) butter, softened
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup custard powder
milk and white choc chips

Method.
Preheat oven to 180C (356F).
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until it’s light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. You can add your choc chips at this stage if you’re adding them.

beat until fluffy.

beat until fluffy.

Don’t forget to lick the beaters!

Licking the beaters is essential to the success of this recipe!

Licking the beaters is essential to the success of this recipe!

Sift the flour and custard powder over the butter mixture and combine using a wooden spoon.

Sift the flour.

Sift the flour.

Flour your bench to prevent sticking and roll the dough to about 5mm thickness, then cut your cookie shapes.

Place your cookies on a baking tray covered with baking paper and cook for 15 minutes.

Place on a baking tray.

Place on a baking tray.

Once cooked, place on a rack to cool.

Enjoy your cookies.

Enjoy your cookies.

Enjoy!