Chocolate and cashew cookies

Some would call it heresy, but I have to admit to not liking Nutella.  I know that puts me in a minority and there are those who would suggest therapy, but it's just not my thing.  It makes me popular in the Netherton household, as I can be relied on not to raid the offsprings' stash.
However, I recently discovered Tiptree chocolate spread and that's a whole new ball game; richer, darker, less sweet.  For my money it knocks Nutella out of the park.
Last week, I mixed it with ultra strong espresso to sandwich a chocolate and coffee sponge and this week it has been added to a crumbly cookie mix.

120g butter
50g Tiptree chocolate spread
30g tahini paste
70g sugar
1 egg
175g self raising flour
70g salted cashews, roughly chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC and leave a heavy duty baking sheet or griddle plate in the oven while you prepare the mixture.
If you have a range style cooker, use our specially designed baking sheet.
Cream together the butter, chocolate spread, tahini paste and sugar.
Beat in the egg.
Stir in the flour and cashews to create a stiff dough.
Carefully remove your baking sheet from the oven and place it on a heatproof surface.
Put walnut sized pieces of the dough on to the tray and replace in the oven.
bake for 15 minutes, until nicely browned.
Remove from the oven and slide onto a baking sheet to cool.

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk

Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2018 ©

Peanut and tahini biscuits

This is unashamedly little more than an excuse to show off my recent charity shop bargain - this beautiful 1936 PLANT TUSCAN CHINA teacup and saucer, which cost me the princely sum of £1.00

But then who doesn't enjoy tea and biscuits and at this frantic time of year, it's always a good idea to take five, breathe and then get stuck back in to all the Christmas jobs.

100g soft butter
100g soft brown sugar
40g tahini
1 egg
200g plain flour
70g salted peanuts, and/or chocolate chips and/or raisins 

Pre-heat the oven to 170ºC
Cream the butter sugar and tahini until soft and then beat in the egg.
Stir in the flour and the peanuts and bring the mixture together with your hands to make a stiff dough.

Divide into 16 pieces and roll each into a ball.  Place on a baking tray (if it's not one of ours, you may need to grease it first) and flatten slightly.

Pop the tray into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove from the baking tray and transfer to a cooling rack.

While they cool, put the kettle on and make a nice pot of tea.

Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2017 ©

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk

Warm summer salad

When you think of casserole dishes, the first things that come to mind are comforting stews and hearty winter dishes, but this might help you to see your casserole in a new light and dust it off on a summer's day.

WARM SUMMER SALAD
2 sweet potatoes

1 onion

¼ cauliflower

1 small red pepper

8 cherry tomatoes, quartered

150g baby spinach

100g salted peanuts

Ottolenghi tahini and parsley dressing

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut each one into 6 - 8 chunks, depending on the size of your potatoes.
Cut the onion into 8 segments.

Put the potatoes and onions into the casserole dish and pour over the olive oil.
Mix well to coat the vegetables and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Break the cauliflower into florets ad add to the casserole and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Leave to cool to room temperature.
Dice the pepper and add to the dish with the tomatoes, peanuts and spinach.
Toss gently to mix.

This would be fine served with a vinaigrette, but is brought alive with Yotam Ottolenghi's superb parsley and tahini dressing.

We ate ours accompanied by sesame and garlic flatbreads and an ice cold rose wine.

© Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2016

www.netherton-foundry.co.uk