Cream Cheese and Chive Scones

These are the savoury scones I made for Mother's Day. I really like a savoury scone and these were lovely, light and fluffy.

Cream Cheese and Chive Scones (from The Creekside Cook)
(Makes 10-15)

375g self-raising flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
70g cold butter, cut in small cubes
115g cold cream cheese, cut in small cubes
250ml buttermilk
1 bunch chives, chopped
extra buttermilk for brushing.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 10 times or so until completely mixed. Add the butter and cream cheese cubes to the processor and pulse another 10 times or so.

Add the chives, distributed fairly evenly over the surface of the flour mixture and then pour the buttermilk over. Hold down the pulse button for a few seconds at a time, turning on and off 5 to 7 times, until a dough forms.

Flour a board, and put the dough onto the board. Sprinkle the top lightly with flour, and flour your hands as well. Knead gently a few times until you have a fairly smooth ball. Pat or roll the dough into a circle, about an inch thick. Cut them into scone shapes.

Place the scones onto the baking sheet, leaving spaces between them. Brush the top of each scone with buttermilk. Put into the oven and bake for about 15-18 mins, until nicely browned on the top.

Serve with lots of butter.

Barley and Salmon Salad with Beetroot and Spinach

I really loved this salad, it was a really interesting combination of flavours. I cooked my spinach although the original recipe called for raw. I also used barley instead of buckwheat for the grain.

 

 

Barley and Salmon Salad with Beetroot and Spinach

(from Grains, Seeds and Legumes - Molly Brown)

(Serves 4)

200g barley

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

salt and pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

50ml buttermilk

juice 1 lemon

1 small beetroot, peeled and cubed

50g baby spinach, torn

1 tbsp chopped dill

225g hot smoked salmon

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the parley according to packet instructions. Drain and rinse. While the barley is warm dress with 30ml of the rapeseed oil and the lemon juice. Season.

When the barley is at room temperature, add the beetroot, spinach, salmon and dill and toss to combine. Quickly mix together the buttermilk and olive oil and more seasoning. Drizzle over and serve.

Steak and Potato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

I think this is the first time I have ever had or made blue cheese dressing. It really transformed the salad, which was delicious anyway and added an extra dimension of flavour with it's creamy sharp tangyness.

 



Steak and Potato Blue Cheese Dressing

(Serves 4)

500g new potatoes, halved

2-3 tbsp oil

salt and pepper
 

For the dressing

6 tbsp mayonnaise

6 tbsp buttermilk

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

100g blue cheese, chopped/crumbled
  

vegetable oil, for greasing the pan

3 sirloin steaks

Shredded lettuce

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a large baking sheet or line with greaseproof paper first and lightly grease. 
 

Add the potatoes and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes in the oil and seasoning. Bake for about 30 mins.

In a medium bowl whisk the mayo, buttermilk, garlic and vinegar together. Stir in the blue cheese and season. Pop into the fridge.

 

Lightly oil a large frying pan and set over a high heat. Season the steak.

 

When the pan is smoking hot add the steak. Cook to your liking. Remove to a cutting board and cover with foil. Let it sit for 5-10 mins before slicing.

 

Divide the lettuce among 4 plates followed by the potatoes. Slice the steak thinly against the grain and put on top. Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing and serve.

Special K Crusted Chicken Sandwich

This was a super tasty chicken sandwich. I liked the crunch of the Special K in the sandwich and also the melty cheese on top.

Special K Crusted Chicken Sandwich (adapted from Simply Delicious)
(Serves 2)

60g flour

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp buttermilk

50g Special K

2 chicken breasts, sliced in half, lengthwise

handful grated cheddar or mozzarella

4 slices bread

lettuce leaves

 

Preheat the oven to 200C.

 

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix together the egg and buttermilk. Put the Special K into a bag and bash with a rolling pin until you get crumbs. Then spread onto a plate.

 

Dip the chicken breasts first into the seasoned flour, then into the egg mixture and finally into the Special K crumbs pressing to make sure as many stick as is possible.

 

Lay the chicken onto a baking tray and bake for 10 mins until tender. Sprinkle over the cheese and back for another few mins until the cheese has melted.

 

Spread the bread with mayonnaise or barbecue sauce, lay the chicken on top of one slice of bread, top with the lettuce and then the other slice of bread. Serve.