Please send or give to me your favourite recipes so that I can change them on a monthly basis. Also if you have any comments perhaps you would like to put them onto the westononthegreenwi forum page .

 The following recipes are from Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook.

Spicy Parsnip Soup   Serves 6-8  

30g (1oz) butter

750g (1½lb) parsnips coarsley chopped

1 large onion chopped

1 large garlic clove crushed

2 tsp mild curry powder

1.8 litres (3 pints) chicken or vegetable stock

salt and pepper

200ml (7fl.oz) single cream (I make the soup without the cream!)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the chopped parsnips, onion and crushed garlic, and cook gently, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened but not coloured.

Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute, then blend in the stock, and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the parsnips are tender.

Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the soup to a rinsed out pan heat gently to warm through stirring constantly, then taste for seasoning.

Stir in the single cream and reheat gently.  Serve at once.

         

Wiltshire Pork Casserole

Serves 6-8

2tbsp sunflower oil

1.5kg (3lb)  cubed pork

60g (2oz) plain flour

450ml (¾pint) chicken stock

4tbsp white wine vinegar

3tbsp clear honey

2tbsp soy sauce

250g (8oz) large mushrooms quartered

250g (8oz) ready-to-eat stoned prunes

salt and pepper

chopped parsley to garnish

 

In a large pan heat the oil and brown pork in batches on all sides.

Return all the meat to the pan sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the chicken stock, vinegar, honey, soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to the boil.

Put into a casserole dish, cover and cook in a preheated oven 160C/gas mark 3 for 2 hours.

Stir the mushrooms and prunes into the casserole and cook for 1 hour or until the pork is tender.  Taste for seasoning and garnish with parsley before serving.

 

Michael Cain's Bread and Butter Pudding

Serves 6

75g (3oz) butter

10 slices medium-sliced white bread, crusts removed

2 bananas, sliced

50g (2oz) sultanas

3 large eggs

4tbsps caster sugar

600ml (1pt) full fat milk (I use semi skimmed)

4 drops vanilla essence

3 tbsp rum

 

Butter the slices of bread and cut into triangles. Layer up in a well buttered 1.5ltr (2½pt) ovenproof serving dish with bananas and sultanas

Beat the eggs with the sugar and milk then add the vanilla essence and rum.  Pour over the bread and butter and leave it , covered with clingfilm or foil, for 1 hour in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 150C/gas mark 2. Cook the pudding towards the top of the oven, uncovered, for about 45 minutes until golden brown and lightly set. Serve in warm bowls with cream or ice cream.