Look on the bright side
The increase in popularity of home cooking and baking was a ray of light during lockdown. Let’s keep that up
Let’s try and list the good things about covid? I’m trying. Hold on a minute. Hmmmmmmm. There must be something. How come it’s always easier to list the negatives life throws and ignore the good?
We need to see or find the good even in the darkest times.
So let’s not dwell on the negatives and look at the positives. I was convinced during lockdown that nobody would want to dine out in restaurants again. I suspected everyone had learnt how to cook and would be happy at home. Our customers thankfully have reassured us that this was and is not the case. The joy of someone else cooking for you can’t be matched, especially when there are no dirty pots or dishes involved. But practice makes perfect and it applies hugely to being a confident cook. We know many of you got bored with the routine of cooking three meals a day, especially when a family was involved. But I’m sure there must have been some successes.
For me this was one of the only things I loved about covid. I love feeding my family and my covid cooking is still with me, accounting for a few extra inches around my waist and hips. These really are love handles.
My staples that always get the best response, especially during all our social media of lockdown, are the comfort items that we all love. Soups, stews and of course home baking. Last year we launched our first ever
Contini Bake Off competition at The Scottish Cafe to get everyone baking in time for the hit TV show, The Great British Bake Off.
We had hundreds of entries and lovely 14- year- old Grace Warnock from Prestonpans was crowned the champion. This year we want you baking again. There are still a few days left to enter so please take all those learnings and happy covid memories and show them off. To enter the Contini Bake Off, post a show- stopping photograph or short film of yourself with your afternoon tea creation and a brief description on social media by Wednesday 30 September. ■
For more information visit https:// www. contini. com/ scottish- cafe- andrestaurant
Spiced carrot soup
This is the perfect pot for comfort autumn eating.
Serves four
1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 leek, trimmed and chopped 1 celery stick, trimmed and chopped 2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 litre boiling water
150g unsalted butter
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli powder four dollops of plain yogurt a handful of chopped chives salt
1 In a large soup pan, fry the onions, leeks and celery until soft. Add the spices.
2 Add the carrots and potatoes and season. Add the water and simmer until both are tender.
3 Remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender. Check seasoning.
4 Serve with chive yogurt ( yogurt blended with very finely chopped chives and a little salt) and the spiced seeds below.
Spiced seeds
You can follow this recipe to make lovely spiced seeds as a little weekend treat with that glass of wine before dinner. This is also great if you’ve got a packet of seeds that have been open for a little while and need a little lift.
100g sunflower seeds 1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Maldon salt
1 dessert spoon of olive oil
1 Choose a non- stick frying pan and heat. When warm add the oil and the seeds.
2 Toss the pan frequently until the seeds are crispy but not burned. It will take a minute or two.
3 When the seeds are ready, add the spices. You don’t want these to burn either.
4 Set aside and allow to cool.
Cheese scones
Everyone loves scones. We serve them with Highland Cheese Company Crowdie that we lightly beat with some chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
Makes 10- 12 small or six large ones
125g unsalted butter, chilled, plus extra, softened, for greasing
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, very finely sliced
100g self- raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
100g Isle of Mull or similar mature cheddar, finely grated
1 egg
15g chives, finely chopped
100g natural yogurt
1 tsp cayenne pepper ( this gives quite a kick so use less if you don’t like heat) egg wash made from 1 egg, beaten
1 Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan. When they are hot, add the onion and fry gently until translucent. This will take about 10 minutes. Set aside.
2 Preheat the oven to 220C/ Gas Mark 7 and grease a baking tray.
3 Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and coarsely grate the chilled butter on top. Dip the butter into the flour to stop it sticking, then add the grated cheddar and rub the mixture with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4 Add the egg, chives, yogurt and cayenne pepper.
5 Mix until the ingredients come away from the sides of the bowl.
6 Transfer to a floured surface and knead lightly. The mixture should be soft enough to handle. The yogurt can make the mixture sticky so don’t be shy to add more flour if it is too sticky to handle.
7 Roll out to about 2.5cm thick, then use a small scone or biscuit cutter to cut out the scones. Place on the greased baking tray, brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with the fried onions.
8 Bake for 10- 12 minutes until risen and golden.