Photo by alleksana: https://www.pexels.com/photo/scrabble-tiles-on-a-white-table-6758327/
Why do we celebrate Pancake Day?
Did you know Pancake Day is also referred to as Shrove Tuesday? It’s a traditional Christian festival that is celebrated all around the world! Every year, Shrove Tuesday falls on a Tuesday before the beginning of Lent (on Ash Wednesday). Across the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada, many people will say ‘Pancake Day’ as traditionally during Lent, Christians would give up rich, tasting foods that included: butter, eggs, sugar and fat. As a result, Shrove Tuesday was an opportunity for families to use up all of these delicacies before their Lenten fast…and pancakes are the perfect way to use up all of these ingredients in one!
Blueberry Pancake with Maldon Salt
What is a pancake?
A traditional English pancake is a thin, flat cake made up of batter and fried in a frying pan. The simple batter mixture contains the following ingredients: all-purpose flour, milk, egg and sugar. In contrast, North American pancakes contain a raising agent, typically baking powder or whipped egg white. This creates their pancakes to be very thick and fluffy in texture.
Many people top their pancakes with lemon juice and sugar for a burst of citrus and sweetness. However, over the years people have got creative with their toppings, from a generous spread of Nutella, fruit or ice cream, to savoury picks of bacon, cheese and even poached eggs! Try our delicious blueberry pancakes recipe, where we add juicy blueberries to the pancake mixture for a pop of sweetness.
What’s the difference between a pancake and a crepe?
Photo by Hakim Santoso: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cooked-crepe-2613471/
Crepes are also thin pancakes which have become a breakfast staple, tracing back to 13th-century France! The main difference between a pancake and a crepe is that a pancake tends to be smaller and slightly thicker in texture, whereas a crepe is much wider and ultra thin. It’s much thinner than a pancake due to having a higher volume of milk or water to it’s batter mix.
How to make American style pancakes
Start by mixing the batter for the pancakes.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder and caster sugar and give it a whisk so it is well incorporated.
In a jug mix together the eggs, whole milk and vanilla extract. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and then slowly pour in the milk mixture whisk as you go, until you have a smooth batter.
Heat a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan and then when foaming, begin to ladle in your pancake batter to the size you want. Allow them to cook for a couple of minutes, until you see small holes and bubbles appear in the batter, then flip them and cook on the other side until golden and cooked through. You will need to do this in batches, but you can keep the cooked ones on a tray in a low oven to stay warm.
While you are making the pancakes, get a second pan on a low heat and add another knob of butter. Allow this to melt and then add the apple slices. Cook them on each side for roughly 4 minutes until they are caramelized and softened. Keep turning them in the pan until they have cooked through, are starting to collapse but still holding their shape. Then remove them from the pan and set aside while you make salted caramel sauce.
How to make salted caramel sauce
In a saucepan add the 100g butter, soft brown sugar, and double cream.
Turn the heat on low and allow the mixture to slowly melt, using a wooden spoon to gently encourage it.
Once all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, take off the heat and stir through a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt.
Set aside to cool slightly.
How to serve your pancakes:
When all your pancakes are ready, take the cooked apple slices and stir them through the salted caramel sauce.
Serve a stack of the pancakes with a generous spoonful of the apples and salted caramel sauce.
Eat immediately.
How to flip a pancake:
Photo by Elina Fairytale: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-and-child-preparing-crepes-3807331/
Although the pancake has been around for over 5,000 years, people still find it hard to flip them without making a mess and leaving splatters!
Here is how to flip a pancake perfectly:
Wait until the edges of the pancake will begin to brown and the top begins to bubble.
Carefully lift the edge of the pancake to see if the underside is turning golden brown.
Once golden brown underneath, slide the spatula under the pancake until it is in the centre.
Flick 180 degrees to one side so that the pancake flips over.
You can absolutely make pancakes in an air fryer! We recommend using American-style pancakes as you need to make sure sure your pancake mix is relatively thick to avoid sticking or tearing from the baking paper.
All you need to do it pull out your air fryer’s draw and line up with baking paper.
After that, carefully add a dollop of your pancake mixture on top, and then place another piece of baking paper on top, repeating the process until you have a nice stack of pancakes!
Turn on your air fryer to 165 degrees for roughly 7-8 minutes.
Take out once golden and crispy round the edges.
Currys released a fantastic tutorial on how to air fry your pancakes on TikTok, you can watch the viral video here!
Can you freeze pancake batter?
Photo by Eva Bronzini: https://www.pexels.com/photo/preparing-batter-for-pancakes-6810886/
You can freeze raw pancake batter. This is because eggs are whisked and mixed into the batter, making it safe to freeze. Once stored in the freezer, it can last up to 3 months!
How to freeze pancake batter:
Once the pancake batter is mixed, pour carefully into freeze-safe zip bags.
Lay a baking sheet inside the freezer draw and place the zip bag containing the mixture on it.
Freeze.
How to defrost pancake batter using water:
Fill up the sink with cold water and place the zip-bag of frozen pancake batter into the water.
Wait 30 minutes until the mixture has become liquefied in the bag.
How to defrost pancake batter using the fridge:
Remove the zip-bag of frozen pancake better from your freezer.
Lay a tea towel on one of the shelves of your fridge.
Place the zip-bag containing the batter on top of the towel.
Wait overnight until the mixture has completely thawed.
As we celebrate ‘Healthy January’, we are delighted to team up with renowned Chef Richard Buckley and share one of our favourite vegetarian-based recipes from his cookbook.
Richard Buckley is an award-winning chef and owner of The Oak in Bath (UK), a Michelin Green Star recipient.
Buckley was raised a vegetarian and, after graduating with a degree in English Literature, he set about studying vegetable cookery whilst working in a series of top vegetarian restaurants. This culminated in his five-year role as head chef for Demuth’s Restaurant where he developed and refined his plant-centric cooking style. He has a passion for sharing the knowledge and techniques that he has learnt and developed in order to increase the general standard of vegan cookery across the country.
With over 15 years spent studying plants and working at top vegetarian restaurants, Richard released his cookbook: ‘Plants Taste Better’.
Plants Taste Better is a plant-based recipe book, where plants take centre stage on the dinner plate. With over 70 mouth-watering recipes, ranging from the simple to the stand-out, Plants Taste Better will guide and inspire you to get creative with vegan cookery.
This book balances the traditional with modernity to show readers how to make even the simplest ingredients shine. With delicious, thoughtful recipes and stunning images, you will be amazed what you can accomplish in your kitchen when you combine vegetables alongside a deeper understanding of the techniques requested.
Recipes include flavoursome snacks of Fritters and Squash & Hazelnut Pate, to showstopping mains of Carrot, Pea & Cardamom Tagine and Beetroot and Mushroom Casserole. If you have a sweet tooth, try getting your hands stuck into a decadent Chocolate Salted Caramel Taste, or Burnt Peaches.
On the topic of food, let’s share one of our favourite recipes from the cookbook!
Aubergine (Eggplant) Ragu with Pangrattato and Maltagliati
This dish is a great way of making use of a couple of leftovers: the pangrattato is fried breadcrumbs from a stale loaf – a fantastic thing to have on hand to sprinkle on almost everything that needs a bit of texture – and the maltagliati is essentially pasta offcuts. When you are making a lot of pasta you get left with lots of bits that weren’t quite the right fit; let them dry out and keep them in a pile and you have a quick, easy, free lunch. Obviously, if you aren’t making a lot of pasta then you can just roll out a batch of your favourite pasta and cut it into raggedy shape or alternatively just use your favourite store-bought dried pasta or break up some dried lasagne sheets.
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
FOR THE PANGRATTATO:
250g (9oz) stale bread
4 cloves of garlic
extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE SEMOLINA PASTA:
400g (14oz/21/3 cups) fine semolina
235g (81/3oz) warm water
FOR THE RAGU:
75ml (2¾fl oz/1/3 cup) extra virgin
olive oil, plus a little extra if needed
2 aubergines (eggplants), cut into 1cm (1/2-inch) dice
500g (2¼lb) plum tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic
½ red chilli
2g marjoram leaves
Maldon Sea Salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
Method:
To make the pangrattato, blitz your stale bread in a food processor or blender to make breadcrumbs – the bigger the crumb the more crunch you get, just remember there is a line somewhere between breadcrumb and crouton. Purée the garlic, add it to the breadcrumbs and rub it in until all the crumbs are coated. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan (skillet), add the breadcrumbs and fry gently until golden and crispy. Turn onto a baking tray (sheet) to cool and store in an airtight container until needed.
To make the pasta, put the semolina in a pile on a clean work surface. Make a well in the middle and carefully pour in the water, being sure not to let any spill out. Using a fork, whisk the water around, allowing the semolina to fall into the middle slowly. When it reaches the thickness of pancake batter, swap the fork for a dough scraper and chop in the remaining semolina to form a rough dough. Using your hand, bring it together into a rough ball and knead it a couple of times until homogenous but still dimpled and not smooth. Cover with a bowl and leave for 30 minutes to rest.
Knead again; it should become very smooth and silky very quickly. Form it back into a ball, wrap in cling film (plastic wrap), and leave to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before using. You can keep it in the fridge overnight, but it will become sticky and harder to work.
When ready to use, either roll the dough by hand using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, until it is just a little thinner than a credit card, or roll through a pasta machine following the instructions on page 124. Cut it into rough pieces and leave scattered on the work surface to dry until you need them.
To make the ragu, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the aubergine (eggplant) and cook for up to around 45 minutes until it is broken down to a mush, catching on the pan, browning and existing in the space between dice and purée: be patient, it’s the key to the flavour of this sauce. Remove the aubergine (eggplant) from the pan and set to one side in a bowl. Put the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and blitz to a rough paste. Cook the onion in the same pan as the aubergine until soft, adding a little oil if needed.
Mince the garlic and chilli together, add to the onion in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook gently for about 15 minutes until the mixture is thickened and rich. Add the aubergine back in, along with the marjoram, and cook for 5 minutes to bring the flavours together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and season as for pasta water (see page 125). Heat the ragu gently in a pan next to it. Add the maltagliati to the boiling water and stir to prevent them sticking. As soon as they float to the surface, lift one out and check its doneness – we are looking for a crisp, al dente texture. If your pasta is freshly rolled this could be as fast as 20 seconds. Using a spider, quickly lift the pasta out into the ragu and stir it through. Using a ladle, add a little of the pasta cooking water to the ragu to create a glossy, creamy texture.
Lay out 4 warmed, rimmed plates or pasta bowls and split the ragu and maltagliati among them. Sprinkle generously with the pangrattato and any leftover herbs.
Purchase ‘Plants Taste Better’ Today
Move aside meat, it’s time to give plants the spotlight in the kitchen! You can purchase your very own copy through Quarto Books today. The perfect gift for your fellow veggie friend…or yourself!
Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.
Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your own take on Richard’s recipes!
Elevate your mornings with a slice of homemade breakfast loaf!
This high-fibre breakfast loaf is loaded with succulent figs, sweet dates and a hint of black tea to give a delicious malty flavour. We sprinkle in a few warming spices and a pinch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes to complete the symphony of flavours and textures before baking it in the oven.
Pair the loaf with a good dollop of Greek yogurt for extra protein and a few crisp apple slices – because breakfast should be a celebration of delicious nourishment!
Mix together flour, oats, baking powder, nuts and seeds. Add soaked fruit and tea into the mix. Add in the egg and give it one last good mix.
Bake in the oven for an hour 20 minutes. At 30 minutes, cover with baking parchment or tin foil so it doesn’t brown too quickly.
Leave to cool for a couple of hours (or overnight).
Slice and serve with Greek yoghurt, apple and cinnamon. Sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt.
A twist on the classic cranberry sauce. Homemade cranberry sauce is so worth making, it’s unbelievably simple and tastes so much better than store bought. Orange and cranberry pair brilliantly, but the addition of Maldon Chilli Sea Salt adds a hum and warmth to the sauce which is unexpected. Add a splash of port because… well, Christmas!
Place the cranberries, orange zest and juice, caster sugar and cinnamon stick in a pan and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the cranberries have begun to break down and pop.
Add the port and Maldon Chilli Sea Salt and simmer for a further 5 minutes until thickened.
Check the seasoning and then allow to cool before serving with your Christmas meal or alongside pigs in blankets.
Homemade custard is a thing of beauty, you could eat this straight with a spoon. Christmas spices such as brandy, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon make this custard extra delicious and warming. A sprinkling of Maldon Sea Salt flakes in a sweet sauce always adds the perfect saltiness note. This would be great cold in a trifle, warmed on Christmas pudding or even with a mince pie.
Place the milk, cream, brandy, and spices into a saucepan and bring to a simmer (but do not boil), and gently simmer for a couple of minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale. Then slowly pour in the warm infused milk, through a sieve and whisk constantly. When all the milk is added and you have a smooth liquid, pour this back into a clean pan along with the vanilla bean paste and a good pinch of Maldon Sea Salt flakes.
Gently heat again, stirring continuously until the custard has thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon).
Serve the custard on top of warm Christmas pudding or cold in a Christmas trifle.
Bread sauce is a favourite at Christmas, but this one takes it to a whole new level. Using rye sourdough adds a nuttiness and malted flavour, plus Maldon Garlic Sea Salt is a wonderful addition. Lots of fresh nutmeg and crispy sage leaves elevate it from a humble sauce to a spectacular side.
Place the onion halves, garlic cloves, star anise, peppercorn, cloves, and bay leaves in a pan and pour over the milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off and allow the milk to infuse for 1 hour or longer.
After an hour strain the milk to discard the onion and flavourings and place it back into the pan. Add the breadcrumbs and then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Then add the butter and double cream, stirring through. Season with Maldon Garlic Sea Salt and cracked black pepper.
In a small pan heat some olive oil and then when hot, fry the sage leaves until crispy
.Remove from the pan and scatter over the top of the bread sauce along with some of the sage oil.
Creamy, tender and full of flavour…New potatoes are the ultimate comfort food.
This recipe only contains four ingredients, with Maldon Garlic Sea Salt being the star of the show for this dish. The delicious blend of sea salt flakes with wild and roasted garlic elevates the humble potato to new heights, giving a fragrant taste that compliments the new potatoes.
What are new potatoes?
A new potato is basically an immature potato that is dug up before it reaches full size. As a result, the tend to have a sweeter taste and loose skins which can be gently rubbed off before being boiled or cooked. The flex is waxier than other potatoes, which is why many use new potatoes in salads when cold, and paired with butter when warmed up.
The best variety of new potatoes are ‘charlottes’. They offer a great resistance to blight and are generally resistant to scabbing.
Place your new potatoes in a large pan of water so they are submerged. Put this onto the heat and bring to the boil. Allow the potatoes to cook for 5 – 8 minutes in the water, until they are just tender and you can insert a knife easily.
Drain the potatoes and allow to steam dry for a couple of minutes.
Tip into your favourite serving bowl and toss with the olive oil, Maldon Garlic Sea Salt and cracked black pepper.
Serve whilst still warm.
This is is brunch-time classic!
Deliciously creamy avocado, smothered on toasted sourdough and topped with a oozing poached egg. To really make these flavours sing, we add a pinch of Maldon Chilli Sea Salt to the dish to give a spicy, aromatic kick.
Here is how to make avocado on toast with poached egg and chilli salt…
Place a pan of water on the hob and bring up to a simmering boil.
Prepare your avocado toast first. Cut the avocado in half and then take the skin off each half and remove the stone. Place the cut side of each avocado half flat on your board and use your knife to cut thin slices, then gently press the avocado out to fan it out. Squeeze over some of the lemon juice (this will help stop the avocado from turning brown).
Lift each fan of avocado onto your slice of toast.
Next poach your eggs. Turn the heat down on the water so it is just a simmering heat. Crack each egg into a small ramekin. Use the stick end of a wooden spoon and swirl it around in the water to create a whirlpool, then quickly drop your egg from the ramekin into the middle. The ‘whirlpool’ will help keep the egg in a neat shape. Poach for 2 minutes until the white is just set but the yolk is still runny.
When cooked, lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and blot off any excess water on some kitchen towel. Then place each egg onto the avocado toast.
Garnish each toast with some Maldon Chilli Sea Salt, cracked black pepper, fresh chilli slices and some coriander.
Serve with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.
What’s not to love about a freshly baked garlic bread?! Deliciously golden and crispy with an irresistibly soft and spongy centre. This super easy garlic and herb tear and share bread is made using Maldon Garlic Sea Salt; where the flavours of both wild and roasted garlic hugs you as you take your first bite.
What is a tear and share?
A tear and share bread is baked by rolling balls of dough so that they almost take on the form of mini bread rolls. With each corner of the roll, you are allowing a delicious pool of juices to occur, perfect for dipping and soaking up all those tasty, garlic flavours.
A tear and share bread is ideal for dinner party if you are wanting to make a show-stopping dish for your friends and family. You can pair the bread with other dips, including hummus, salsa verde or a herb butter & siracha mayonnaise which all pair nicely with the dough balls.
Garlic bread toppings
We topped our garlic bread with extra garlic cloves and parsley to give a kick of pepperiness to the bread.
Another topping you could do for your garlic bread could be adding shreds of creamy mozzarella, which will transform your garlic bread into a sensational ‘cheesy’ garlic bread. Make sure to melt the cheese under a high temperature to elevate those mild, milky notes of the cheese and really nail that ‘Instagram-worthy’ cheese pull!
If you want to impress your guests, why not transform your garlic bread into a bruschetta. Keep the base of the recipe the same, whilst adding the elements that you would normally find within a classic bruschetta; tomato, onion and anchovy fillets! The flavour combinations are are a match-made-in-heaven with the garlicy undertones.
Here is how to make our tear and share garlic bread recipe…
Lightly oil a 26cm round cake tin.
Place the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and dried herbs in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix together so it is fully combined. Next place the water, butter and milk into a small pan and gently heat. You want the butter to melt and the liquid to be just tepid – if it is too hot, leave it for a few minutes to allow it to cool slightly. Then pour this liquid into the flour bowl and mix together.
Add the dough hook attachment and knead the dough on a medium speed for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 45mins – 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, knock all the air out of it and then shape into 30 small, equal sized balls. Place an ovenproof ramekin in the middle of the cake tin and then arrange the balls around the ramekin in circles. Cover the cake tin loosely with clingfilm and then set aside again for approximately 30 mins or until it has doubled in size again.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Once the bread has had its second prove, it is ready to bake. Place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown all over and cooked through. When it comes out the oven brush it all over with a little of the softened butter and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and a pinch of Maldon Garlic Sea Salt.
With the remaining softened butter, mix in the 2 crushed garlic cloves. When it has cooled slightly, remove the bread from the cake tin and place on a serving board. Put the garlicky softened butter in the ramekin in the middle gather round to tear the bread balls and dunk in the garlicky butter! Delicious.
What meals go well with garlic bread?
It goes without saying that garlic bread and pasta is a sensational food pairing. It’s a classic main-and-side dish combo that has been going around for years!Take a delicious rigatoni, infused with smoked aubergine and harissa to give a fiery kick to the dish. Garlic bread will mop up those juices in no time, which giving you that comforting taste of garlic cloves.
If you are looking for something on the lighter side, try pairing your garlic bread with soup. Dipping your garlic bread into a bowl of soup feels like a warm hug on a winter’s day, whilst the flavours from the garlic bread elevate the simple dish even further.
A pairing you should try with your garlic bread is with a bowl of freshly sauteed mussels. The natural broth that is released from when the mussels are steamed allows the perfect amount of dipping and soaking for your garlic bread.
Joe Woodhouse; talented Food & Drink Photographer and Cookbook author of ‘More Daily Veg‘ brings us the comforting dish of whole baked baby squash – perfect with a cold, damp autumn day.
When Joe visited Wilding Cider in Chew Magna, North Somerset, run by Beccy and Sam Leach, Sam made this vegetarian dish for their supper. The pair used to run the restaurant Birch in Bristol before setting their sights on cider making.
This simple but warming dish is a perfect foil to coming in from a cold and drizzly day in an orchard. They sat in the barn, swapping ciders and wines for everyone to taste with a roasting fire going in the wood burner.
Joe added a green sauce to cut the richness a bit, but if you get a good-quality sharp Cheddar, it doesn’t need it!
Here is how to make the whole baked baby squash…
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas Mark 6. With a small knife, cut the tops off the squash in a circular motion to form caps. Scoop out and compost the seeds.
Mix together the cheese, crème fraiche and oats, and add a good couple of pinches of Maldon Salt and a healthy few grinds of black pepper.
Fill the squash with the oat mixture. Replace their lids. Rub each all over with a tablespoon of oil, place on a tray and bake for 25–35 minutes until a knife pierces the flesh easily.
Meanwhile, blend all the sauce ingredients together with salt and pepper. For a coarser sauce, hand chop everything and mix with the oil, which is equally as good, if not better.
Serve the squash with a salad, maybe a few potatoes to make it into a main. Add the sauce on the side and a good bottle of cider, from Wilding preferably!
