Minestrone time

Minestrone is a kind of everyman, everything soup. I got the basic recipe from a Nigel Slater 'Observer' cookery column years ago. The dog-earedness of the page it's on is testament both to longevity and frequency with which we have it, especially during autumn and winter. The brutal cold spell of the last few weeks is finally over - for a while, but it still feels cold and damp though positively tropical at 5-7 degrees C compared to the double-figure sub-zero temperatures of the recent past. So hot minestrone is the ticket.

I think the key to making this a special soup is the addition of a parmesan rind and pancetta (or chopped, smoked bacon). Nigel says you can use water instead of stock but I like to use our own chicken stock if we have it (see blog for 22nd October 06).

Take a medium sized potato, two carrots and a large onion. Peel and finely chop them up then cook in a couple of tablespoons of oil and a large knob of butter or margarine on a low temperature in a large saucepan until they soften. Be warned, this takes much longer than most professional cooks allow for. They usually reckon on about five minutes but I think it's often nearer twenty, remembering to stir every few minutes to stop the vegetables sticking. When softened add a pack of pancetta, or chopped bacon, about 50g/2oz and let it brown a little. Pour in 1 litre of stock or water and half a litre/1 pint of passata. Passata is basically a kind of thick tomato juice - you can get it from most good supermarkets or deli's. Put the parmesan rind in now. Bring all this to the boil then simmer gently for an hour and a half. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and leave the lid of the saucepan slightly askew to let the steam out. Remove the parmesan rind after 1 and a 1/2 hours and add a drained tin of cannelini beans.

Then you can pretty much put anything else in. Chopped savoy or white cabbage is nice, so to are green beans. I like to add a torn bay leaf at some point as this adds that indefinable depth which bay gives to soups and stews. If you want a bit of a kick add some chilli paste or sauce to taste. After a further 20 minutes ladle lots in to warm bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread and cheese and pickles if you like.

Cheap, soothing, delicious and very filling.

Cold Cuts

Yes it does. Cold really does cut. Britain is in the grip of a major freeze as we grapple with weeks of sub-zero temperatures and snowfall measured in feet rather than inches. The snow began a few days before Christmas - just a few inches but it stuck around until the New Year. then, around the fourth or fifth of January it dumped on us. My teenage daughter came down for breakfast after a night of snowfall, looked out of the window and declared that she had never seen so much snow in her life.



Of course, the massive disruption to transport and travel caused by the weather concentrates the mind wonderfully on food. Because the forecasters had been on the ball we all knew that the bad weather was coming so supermarkets were ransacked as panic buying started before the snow. People were fretting over crazy things instead of laying in supplies of basics to see them through the next few days. Overheard at the supermarket: Man on 'phone to wife who is at home obviously worrying, ' Don't worry darling there's plenty of Chablis in the garage', or the woman heard yelling 'Prawn crackers, I've got prawn crackers!!'. And someone else heard telling her husband through gritted teeth - 'We must have floor cleaner'.



Anyway, what's nice, cheap and warming to eat when it's cold outside? For lunch canned soup is good with a cheese and pickle sandwich. Believe it or not, even Cup-a Soup does the job. You can pep it up by adding the same amount of milk to the soup that you would to a cup of tea. The milk makes it creamier and richer and if you have some parsley or basil knocking around a few torn shreds on top gives the Cup-a Soup a lift. I also find that in the cold, even with a warm, heated house - after a while outside digging out the car, sledging, whatever, everyone wants extra carbs. I bought packs of hot cross buns and crumpets which are great with tea. I also made my own scones which are very satisfying to make and scarfed up by everyone in the vicinity, especially if they're (the scones that is) still warm from the oven. Here's the recipe which I admit is lifted from an ancient copy of "The New Art of Cooking", published by the Stork Margarine Cookery Service. So, an early piece of product placement - can you still get Stork? I use Flora or similar these days.



What you will need:



A flat, metal baking tray.



A mixing bowl.



A measuring jug and scales.



A rolling pin or something to flatten the pastry/dough with.



A small pastry cutter shape (circular or a tea cup or similar sized glass).



A table knife and a fish slice or flat wide knife.



A mesh cooling stand or something else to rest the scones on whilst they cool without sticking.



Ingredients:



225g (8oz) self-raising flour.



50g (2oz) Flora margarine or similar.



25g (1oz) Caster sugar.



1 teaspoon baking powder.



105ml fresh milk.


Strawberry/raspberry jam, creme fraiche/cream (optional).





What to do:



Heat the oven to gas mark 7 (Electric 220 C/425F). Grease the baking tray with a thin layer of margarine - this stops the scones sticking to the tray.



Mix all the ingredients except the milk in a mixing bowl until the mixture is fine and crumbly. Then add the milk and using a table knife stir it around until the mixture binds together. Then using your hands knead the dough until it's firm but elastic. If it's too sticky add a little more flour; too dry, add some milk until the texture feels right.

Cover a clean work surface with a thin dusting of flour then place the dough on the floured area and roll it out with the rolling pin or something else to flatten it until the dough is about 1 centimetre (1/2 inch) thick. Get the pastry cutter (small glass or cup) and put a little flour around the cutting surface then cut out as many discs as possible from the dough. One-by-one lift the discs on to the baking tray making sure there is about 1 centimetre between each disc, because they will rise and expand to become oh-so-yummy scones. Gather up any leftover dough roll it in to a ball then flatten again as above. Do this until there is no dough left and the tray is covered with discs. There should be enough to make 6 - 8 discs.

Put the tray in the heated oven for 10-14 minutes. I usually check to make sure the scones are rising after about 8 minutes and sometimes turn the tray through 180 degrees to avoid burning some of them, but that's a personal thing. After 10 minutes keep checking and when the scones are a nice golden-brown on top; they're done.

Remove the tray and using the slice or flat, broad knife carefully lift each scone on to the cooling rack and leave to cool. They'll still be warm but edible after about 10 minutes if you can't wait.

To serve: Slice them in two and spread each inside half with butter or Flora. Then add the topping of your choice. In our house jam is favourites and if you feel like spoiling yourself put a dollop of cream or creme fraiche on before the jam. Eat with a nice hot cup of tea or coffee. Keeps the cold out.