Elderflower Cordial

 

A lovely summery drink that is easy to make and much cheaper than the posh shop bought stuff.  There are loads of recipes around but this is my tried and trusted version.

 

Pick the elderflowers on a dry day and gently shake them to get rid of any wee beasties.  Don 't wash them!!

You need:

20 elderflower heads
6 pints of water
3lbs sugar
4 unwaxed lemons (or just 3 if they're really big)
75g citric acid (available at pharmacy)

Slice your lemons

Add water and sugar to a large pan and gently bring the boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.
When it's boiling remove from the heat and add flowers, lemon and citric acid.
Sir well and leave for 24 for the flavours to develop.

Strain the juice to remove all the flowers and lemons.  I use a jelly bag but a sieve lined with muslin or a clean hankie will work.  Make sure everything is scrupulously clean.  I tend to sterilise everything with baby sterilising fluid but not everyone does this.

Decant into clean/sterilised bottles

 

 

Adding citric acid means it will keep for months in a cupboard.  If it's going to be used quickly then it's ok to miss it out but keep it in the fridge.  And if everything sterilised it will also keep longer.

Serve diluted with water (still or sparkling), soda water or even tonic water.

 

Enjoy!

No fat tomato sauce

4 x 400g chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp. tomato puree
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. of Worcester sauce (optional for vegetarians)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic left whole

Add everything to large pan and bring to the boil.  Turn down and simmer for about 20 mins until thick and pulpy.  If you don't want it too garlicky remove cloves before blitzing.  I blitz it as I have fussy eaters that don't like 'bits' You can also sneak in other veggies before blitzing ;-)

It's that simple!  No need for frying off onions and garlic in oil.  I use this sauce in pasta dishes, as pizza sauce and with the curry paste to make a very quick curry.

How to make a stuffed crust pizza

Roll out your pizza dough (I use my breadmaker to make the dough and use 1 part wholemeal flour
to 3 parts white flour without any adverse change in taste).  Cut some Cheesestrings in half lengthways and then half again.  Arrange round edge of pizza.

Fold over pizza dough to enclose the cheese and make up your pizza as normal with some pizza sauce and grated cheese.

Looks good

And there's the stuffed crust!

The tomato sauce freezes beautifully.  I freeze it in muffin cases then bag it. One muffin case is one portion.

Enjoy!