Ingredients:
2 average sized oranges (preferably not very thin skinned)
1 bar of dark chocolate 70% + (Lidl 45 cents)
Granulated sugar
Water

Method:

Score the orange peel from top to bottom of the orange. Remove the peel, and cut into thin strips. Remove some pith if it is very thick, but a little should be left on to absorb the sugar.
Put into a saucepan, cover with water and boil until the peel is soft. (20-30mins). Drain off most of the water and pour on as much sugar as needed to make a thick syrup boil until the peel is caramelised but NOT BROWN. Remove from the pan immediately, and spread out the sticks onto a piece of greaseproof paper. (Straighten the peel into sticks for a better shape) .

When the oranges are cold (I usually leave it over night) place the bar of chocolate, broken
 into pieces into a bowl. Place in a medium heat microwave (Or over a pan of boiling water) until the chocolate has melted.

Dip each piece of orange into the chocolate, place on the greaseproof paper, and leave until
they are cold.
 
P.S. I freeze the oranges whole until I need them. Slice into thick slices, place in a frying pan with orange juice (Brandy etc optional) add brown sugar, a little cinnamon, sultanas/raisin. Poach gently and serve with cream or ice cream...delicious!!

Recipe kindly designed by Patricia Hedley-Goddard (a new member) - well done new member!

*Note:* Use fir needles from the Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) or Norway
Spruce (Picea abies)

For the echinacea-infused rum:
15g fresh echinacea root (or 10g if using dried)
100ml white rum

For the hot toddy:
120ml fir needles
1 star anise
3 calamondin oranges or 1 lime, sliced
250ml boiling water
2 tbsp eucalyptus honey
Pinch of black pepper
1 shot (28ml) echinacea-infused rum (see ingredients above)
1 tsp unsalted butter

1. To make the echinacea-infused rum, combine the echinacea root and
the rum and leave to steep in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Strain out
the echinacea and bottle up. The mixture will keep in a cool, dark place
for up to 1 year.

2. To make the hot toddy, strip the needles from the fir branches
until you have 120ml.

3. Put the needles in a teapot or bowl with the star anise and sliced
calamondin oranges or lime, honey and black pepper. Pour over the
freshly boiled water. Cover and leave to steep for 15 minutes.

4. Strain into a pan, and reheat on the stove.

5. Once reheated, add the echinacea-infused rum and butter until
melted. Stir, then serve in a large cup.

USE: For adults, drink 1 cup only in the evening or before bedtime.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol. Consideration should be made when driving.

STORAGE: Best made fresh for use at once.

Recipe kindly designed by Gill Howl, courtesy BBC

50g fresh rosehips
1 tsp Maldon salt
2 tsp dried ground ginger
1 tsp citric acid
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp glucose

1. Preheat the oven to 80°C (180°F), or its lowest setting.

2. Bash the rosehips in a mortar and pestle to break them up slightly.
This will split the fruit - remove the seeds and discard.

3. Add the salt to the split hips and give them another quick bash
with the pestle. The goal is just to break them up a little, not turn
them into mush.

4. Scatter the rosehips on a baking tray and put in the oven at 80°C
(180°F). Immediately turn off the heat and leave in the oven for half an
hour or so until they are dried but not burnt.

5. Remove the dried hips from the oven and grind to a fine powder in a
spice grinder. Mix with all other ingredients, then store in an airtight
container.

USE: Add half of the sherbet to 1 litre of warm water. Stir and drink
freely.

STORAGE: Provided it is completely dry, this will keep in an airtight
container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Recipe kindly designed by Gill Howl, courtesy BBC

1 kg cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 Bramley apple, chopped
1 tsp mixed spice
100g unsalted butter
100ml maple syrup
300g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp dark rum or Cointreau
100g candied orange peel
Flour, for dusting
2 rolls ready-made shortcrust pastry
Icing sugar, to dredge

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Distribute the cranberries and chopped apple between two roasting
tins. Sprinkle over the mixed spice and fleck with the butter. Drizzle
the maple syrup over. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the
fruit is slightly shrunken with a golden tan.

3. Remove the roasted cranberries from the oven and place in a bowl.
Mix in the sugar, rum or Cointreau and candied orange peel.

4. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface and roll out the pastry to a
thickness of about 3mm. Using a 7cm cookie-cutter, cut out discs of
pastry and place into a greased mince pie tin. Prick the base of each
pie with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven, and spoon the cranberry filling into each
pastry cup. Return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Leave the pies to cool, then dredge with icing sugar.

USE: Eat 1 or 2 pies a day.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container and eat within 1 week.

Recipe kindly designed by Gill Howl, courtesy BBC

500ml whole milk
2 bay leaves
36 threads / 3 pinches saffron
2 strips orange rind
3 tbsp golden syrup
200ml single cream
3 eggs
150ml white rum
Grated fresh nutmeg, to serve

1. Pour the milk, bay leaves, saffron, orange rind, golden syrup and
cream into a pan, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve.

2. Break the eggs into a glass heat-proof bowl, then slowly whisk in
the hot milk mixture.

3. Place the bowl above a pan of boiling water and heat gently,
stirring, until the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency. Then
take it straight off the heat.

4. Whisk in the rum, then pour the mixture into a jug. Cool, then
leave to stand in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving.

5. Serve over ice with grated nutmeg.

USE: Drink no more than 1 wineglass a day.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol.

STORAGE: Keep in the refrigerator. Will last for 2 weeks.

Recipe kindly designed by Gill Howl, courtesy BBC

This luxury body oil makes the most of myrrh's anti-inflammatory
properties: apply liberally to moisturize and nourish dry skin, or use
as a sweet-smelling massage lotion.

Peel of 5 oranges or tangerines
4 tbsp cloves
400ml sunflower oil
1 tbsp myrrh resin

1. Put the orange peel, cloves and sunflower oil into a blender and
whizz until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into a glass heatproof bowl and place over a pan
of boiling water. Add the myrrh, then cover and leave to simmer for 1
hour, making sure the pan does not boil dry.

3. Take off the heat and leave to cool. Strain the mixture and bottle up.

USE: Apply as needed to dry skin, or use for massage.

STORAGE: Will keep in a dark cool place for up to 3 months.

Recipe kindly designed by Gill Howl, courtesy BBC

 As the weather is so bitterly cold and also because we had to cancel the meeting today I have had time to put together this recipe for home made Minestrone soup which I have been making for nearly 50 years. I plan to make it this weekend as a splendid winter warmer.

It is seasonal in that it is a hearty winter soup and that the main meat ingredient is in all the French supermarkets now.

This is best made the day before you need it as the flavours really improve from keeping and being reheated. The quantities are generous, for about 10 people, but the vegetable quantities could be halved and the whole dish cut back for fewer people. The meat could then be used for other dishes. As it is there may be some meat left over. 

 Ingredients

1 jarret or palette of porc salé costing between 4-5 euros

2 large onions, chopped small

4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

4 carrots chopped small

4 sticks of celery, chopped small

1- 2 tins of plum tomatoes x 250 g depending on how ‘tomatoey’ you like your soup

1 250g tin of haricot beans or borlotti beans or the dried, soaked and cooked equivalent

The white part of 2 leeks chopped small

250g frozen peas (optional)

¼ of a small Savoy cabbage, chopped finely

2 handfuls of short cut macaroni or other small pasta

Mixed herbs/2-3 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

Grated parmesan

I use whole pieces of parmesan and grate my own. I also keep any old ends of parmesan in the freezer and put them into this soup at step 3. They become deliciously soft and sticky as well as adding flavour.

Method

1. There is no need to soak the piece of pork. Place the salted pork in a very large saucepan, cover with water, put on the lid and bring to the boil and then simmer until cooked. ( Check water levels from time to time, you want lots of stock) Remove the cooled piece of pork from the water, which is now your stock, and set to one side. Pour the stock into a large bowl.
    

2. There is no need to wash the saucepan! In the saucepan put a little olive or sunflower oil and the chopped onion and garlic. Cook gently until quite soft

(they don’t have to be cooked through) and then add the carrots and celery and cook for another 10 minutes. 

3. Now add the plum tomatoes and give everything a good stir. Add the stock and the herbs (and the end of parmesan if using) and leave to simmer until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
    

4. Add the pasta, chopped leeks and cabbage and simmer until all are cooked. Now add the drained rinsed beans and the frozen peas (if using) and check the seasoning. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
    

5. Cut up the cooked pork into smallish chunks (discard the fat) and put as much as you want/like into the soup. Some can be used for other dishes or sandwiches. Heat the soup through gently and serve with grated parmesan, good bread and a salad.

 Erica Lainé  February 11 2010