Rachel L. Webb's Blog

Posted by Rachel L. Webb

With all the rich food and constant cooking over the festive time this leek and potato soup with bacon cold be the ideal way to use up some more of that turkey. Add some diced cooked turkey to the soup as well as or instead of the bacon for a well-rounded protein and vegetable dish.

Posted by Rachel L. Webb

Lemons are arriving at my door. It's that season, the trees are heavy with lemons asking to be picked, and people are presenting me with dozens at at time.

So it's Preserved Moroccan Lemons in attractive new clear glass clip-top jars for friends this year.

They don't take long to make and if the lemons are free it's a very nice and unexpensive gift. If you've foodie friends they'll really WOW over them. Nothing gives the same tangy taste as pickled lemons and if you're into Moroccan cookery then you'll know they are indispensable.

Why not have a go this Christmas - lemons in jars for all!

Posted by Rachel L. Webb

As the weather cools rapidly, where I am anyway, thoughts turn to steaming bowls of hearty soup and hefty filling meals. So why not take a look at one or two chickpea dishes and save a little on housekeeping towards those christmas gifts. Or some feisty chilli spiced potatoes to ward off that cold feeling.

Spanish Chickpea and Spinach Bake

Falafel - Little fried spicy chickpea patties

Or some hot and spicy Spanish Bravo Potatoes to warm you up from the inside.

Posted by Rachel L. Webb

Walnuts lay in abundance, olives are rapidly changing from green through purple to black, pomegranates are bursting open to show their red jewels. It’s autumn and an abundance of produce is there for the taking.

Walnuts are so different eaten fresh than the packet ones or the Christmas selection I was used too. I've carrier bags full of nuts waiting for processing and eating - I have a lovely neighbour who tells me to go and glean from his walnut tree after he's harvested it - and I do. At some point probably a cold wet day I’ll do my annual walnut opening session. I crack open and put into jars as many walnuts as I can

A) be bothered to or

B) have time to do.

Then when a baking binge hits me half the work is done. I chop the nuts as finely as possible and sneak them into biscuits, crumble topping and flapjack. I say sneak because my boys complain and ask me not to put them in! The finer I chop the better I get away with it!

Walnuts are also really good fried, try them instead of almonds in the Paprika Spicy Almonds recipe or here’s another nice spicy tapas recipe for walnuts, pecans or almonds.

Spicy Walnuts

• 225 g walnuts
• 25g sea salt
• 2 big tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sugar

Grease a baking try, spread out the nuts and cook until browning nicely. They burn easily so take care. Leave them to cool.

Put the cumin salt and sugar into a jar, shake the mixture together and then add the nuts.

They can be kept like this for several days and are good make-in-advance nibbles for Christmas get-togethers and drinks party entrees.

For more about nuts read about the health benefits of Pistachios.

Try some chopped walnuts on these little cream puffs.