Recipes from "My Shetland Garden"

Course: Lunch
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 25g butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 large leek, thinly sliced
• 300g arborio rice
• 1⁄2 tsp sea salt
• 100ml white wine
• 600ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 400ml full fat milk
• 3 large smoked haddock fillets (approx 500g)
• 50g Parmesan, grated, plus shavings to serve
• 100g baby spinach or perpetual spinach, chopped
• 150g garden peas
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, fan oven 180°C).
2. Heat the butter in a large ovenproof dish over a medium heat. Add the shallots and leek and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until just tender.
3. Add the rice and stir for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add the salt and wine and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the stock and milk, bring to the boil and cook gently for 5 minutes before sitting the haddock on top.
   
5. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove from the oven and fold in the parmesan, peas and spinach. Season with plenty of pepper, then cover the dish again and leave to rest for 2 minutes before serving.
6. Serve with shavings of Parmesan.

Course: Lunch
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 sweet potatoes (approx 300g), peeled, cut into 1cm chunks

• 2 tsp Moroccan spice rub (see below)

• A bunch of cavolo nero (approx 150g), tough stalks removed, chopped roughly

• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• Juice of 1⁄2 lemon

• 1⁄2 tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 packet halloumi (approx 225g)

• 50g radishes, sliced thinly
  
  To serve

• Chopped fresh herbs of your choice – chives or flat leaf parsley work well and you can also use dry herbs.

For the Moroccan Spice rub

• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt

Blitz all the spices in a blender. This mix will keep in an airtight jar for up to a year.

Instructions:

1. In a small frying pan, heat the coconut oil and sauté the sweet potato until soft, for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the spice mix and sauté for a further 5 minutes, until golden. At this point, your kitchen will start smelling delicious, with an aroma of coconut and mellow spices. Set aside.

3. Put the cavolo nero, olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt and pepper into a medium bowl, and mix well. You can even massage the leaves gently to make them more tender.

4. Add the cooked sweet potato mixture to the cavolo nero and stir through. Add the sliced radishes, to give the salad some crunch.

5. Cut the halloumi into 0.5cm slices and toast in a dry pan, turning frequently until the cheese starts turning brown.
   Halloumi cooking tip: Soak in cold water for a while (at least a few minutes, longer if possible) before you use it – this makes it fluffier and less squeaky.

6. Place the toasted halloumi on the top of the salad and serve with a sprinkling of chopped herbs.

   The salad is delicious on its own or you can use it as a side with meat such as grilled pork chops or roasted chicken. It keeps well in the fridge for 2 days without losing its crunchiness. You can warm it up in a microwave, too – give it a 1-minute blast.

   TIP: Try adding a sliced apple – this brings extra sweetness and crunch to the salad. Or you can sprinkle over seeds and nuts of your choice.

Course: Dessert
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 400g plain flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400ml vegetable or olive oil
• 6 medium eggs
• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp ground
• vanilla powder
• 450g carrots, peeled and roughly grated
• 120g chopped walnuts

For the icing

• 320g cream cheese
• Zest of 1 washed orange, finely grated
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or powder
• 200g icing sugar
• Blueberries or blackberries (to decorate)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F, fan oven 150°C).

2. Lightly oil a 24cm (9.5in) round cake springform (ideally non-stick) tin.

3. Sift the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together in a large bowl.

4. In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk the oil and eggs together, stir in the dark muscovado sugar and vanilla and mix well, then slowly stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.

5. Add the carrots and walnuts. Mix thoroughly, then pour into the prepared cake tin.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 1¼ hours, or until lightly coloured. You can test if it’s ready by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cake and when it comes out clean, it’s ready.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before taking out and placing on a wire rack.

8. For the icing, beat together the cream cheese, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Sift the icing sugar and stir into the cream cheese mixture.

9. Wait until the cake is completely cooled, then spread the icing over the top with a palette knife. Decorate with blueberries or blackberries.