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Lemon Curd – from The Parlour Cafe Cookbook

Amazing with our meringues, also good added to granola and yoghurt, spread on a warm scone or simply eaten on its own with a spoon…

Ingredients

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 60g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
  • 100ml lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (use unwaxed lemons)

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until completely combined and foamy, then add the butter, lemon juice and zest. Set the bowl over a pan with about an inch of simmering water in it and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. This takes a bit of time, but don’t try to rush it and turn the temperature up too high or your curd will end up scrambling – not a good look.

Once it’s good and thick, pour into a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge.

Buy The Parlour Cafe Cookbook by Gillian Veal here.

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Squash, Apple and Ginger Soup – from The Parlour Cafe Cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 20g butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 1cm dice
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 litres vegetable stock
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper (pink peppercorns work particularly well)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic, frying them until they are translucent.

Add the allspice and ginger and fry for another couple of minutes, then the squash and apple and cook for about 10 minutes or until the squash starts to caramelise at the edges.

Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the squash is absolutely soft – 20 minutes should do it. Blitz with your hand blender until smooth, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Buy The Parlour Cafe Cookbook by Gillian Veal here.

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Puy Lentil & Goats Cheese Salad – from The Parlour Cafe Cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 200g Puy lentils
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • a handful of fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 150ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-6 garlic cloves, peeled & roughly chopped (I use 6, but it all depends on how feisty you like it)
  • 50ml red wine vinegar
  • 100g goats cheese
  • a large handful of parsley, roughly chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 20 minutes until they are absolutely tender. Meanwhile, fry the onions, carrots, celery, thyme and the bay leaf in a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil until soft and lightly coloured.

In a food processor or with a hand blender, blend the garlic with the rest of the olive oil. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the vinegar and blend until it’s emulsified.

Drain the lentils and pour out onto a flattish dish. Smother in the garlicky dressing and turn gently so everything is glistening. Once the vegetables are cooked, gently mix them into the lentils and leave the salad to cool. Then toss gently with the goats cheese, torn into chunks, and the parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper if you think it needs it.

Buy The Parlour Cafe Cookbook by Gillian Veal here.

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Perfect Breakfast Tomatoes – from The Parlour Cafe Cookbook

Very easy and very delicious. Serves 4 as part of a big breakfast, 2 if you were just to put them on toast.

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, halved
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
  • 30ml balsamic vinegar
  • 8 basil leaves
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Put the halved tomatoes, cut side up, in a deep roasting tin.

Put all the other ingredients in a jug and blitz with a hand blender, then pour over the tomatoes and bake for 20 minutes until bubbling and starting to brown.

That’s it.

Buy The Parlour Cafe Cookbook by Gillian Veal here.