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Gloucester Road WI

The WI for Bristol's most interesting and independent high street. Meeting the 3rd Tues monthly.

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Gloucester Road WI

We are the Gloucester Road WI, the WI for Bristol's most interesting and independent high street.

Barley and Roasted Aubergine Salad

Ingredients

  • 680g aubergine
  • 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 140g pearl barley
  • A small bunch of flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped mint, plus more for garnish
  • 1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  • 1 ½ tsp deseeded ad finely chopped serrano chilli
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 large lemon
  • 115g feta cheese, crumbled
  • Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 200/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Method

  1. Halve the aubergine lengthways and score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern. Brush the flesh sides with 1tbsp of the oil, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the aubergine halves, cut side down, on the prepared baking tray and roast for 45-50 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salter water to the boil and cook the barley for about 45 minutes, until tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain, then spread the barley on a baking tray set over a wire rack to cool.
  3. Transfer the baking tray with the roasted aubergine to another wire rack. Turn the aubergine halves cut side up and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then scrape the flesh from the skins, transfer to a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
  4. Mound the parsley, mint, garlic, chilli and oregano on a chopping board and finely chop together.
  5. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining oil over a medium-high heat. Add the herb and spice mixture, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the aubergine and cook for a further minute. Remove the pan from the heat.
  6. Transfer the aubergine mixture into a large bowl. Add the barley and toss together to combine. Finely zest the lemon into the bowl, then squeeze enough lemon to make 1 ½ tbsp juice to add to the bowl. Add half of the cheese, 1/4tsp of sale, and toss to combine.
  7. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature, garnished with the remaining cheese and more fresh herbs.
  8. Serves 4.

Pissaladerie

Ingredients

  • 175g/7oz shortcrust pastry
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 350g/120z onions, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 100g/4oz sliced mushrooms
  • Herbs, either a dessert spoon of dried oregano, or a tbsp each of fresh thyme and parsley
  • 2 cans (400g/15oz) chopped tomatoes
  • 80g/30z grated cheese (half cheddar, half parmesan)
  • Anchovy fillets in oil, or 2 tbsp anchovy essence
  • 3 eggs
  • Black olives

Method

  1. Line a 9-10” flan tin or rectangular baking tray with the pastry, and blind bake for 10 mins at 220 (200 fan).
  2. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions and garlic gently for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and fry for 2 more minutes. Mix in the tomatoes and herbs, and cook on a low heat for 30 minutes. If too liquid after this time, boil rapidly to reduce until fairly thick. Beat eggs with most of the cheese, reserving some to sprinkle on the top. Mix tomato mixture with egg and cheese, and add anchovy essence if using. Eason to taste.
  3. Pour mixture into the prepared pastry case and sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese. Arrange anchovies on top, if paste has not been used. Lastly, add olives to decorate.
  4. Bake at 220 (200 fan) for 15 minutes, then at 180 (160 fan) for a further 15 minutes. Eat cold.

Sausage Danish

Ingredients

  • 400g breakfast sausages
  • 375g all butter puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds

Method

  1. Pre heat the oven to 200/Gas6. Lightly flour a pastry board or work surface, then roll out the pastry to a rectangle about 30cm x 20cm.
  2. Remove the skins from the sausages (slice the skin from one end to the other then peel away from the sausage meat). Spread the sausage meat over the pastry, leaving a small border around the edges.
  3. Scatter over the fennel seeds, and brush the edges with a little beaten egg.
  4. With the long edge facing you, roll the short sides of the pastry, both left and right, until the rolls meet in the middle. Brush with more beaten egg and press the rolls lightly together.
  5. Cut into 8-10 finger-thick slices. Place these flat on a baking sheet and brush lightly with more egg. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Makes 8-10.

Watermelon, Feta and Black Olive Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 small red onion
  • 2-4 limes, depending on juiciness
  • 1.5kg sweet, ripe watermelon
  • 250g feta cheese
  • 1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 100g pitted black olives
  • Black pepper

Method

  1. Peel and halve the red onion and cut into very fine half-moons, and put in a small bowl to steep with the lime juice, to bring out the transparent pinkness in the onions and diminish their rasp. Two limes’ worth should do it, but you can find the fruits disappointingly dried up and barren when you cut them in half, in which case add more.
  2. Remove the rind and pips from the watermelon, and cut into approximately 4cm triangular chunks.
  3. Cut the feta into similar sized pieces and put them both into a large, wide, shallow bowl. Tear off sprigs of parsley so that it is used like a salad leaf, rather than a garnish, and add to the bowl along with the chopped mint.
  4. Tip the now glowingly puce onions, along with their pink juices, over the salad in the bowl. Add the oil and olives, then using your hands toss the salad very gently so that the feta and melon don’t lose their shape. Add a good grinding of black pepper and taste to see whether it needs more lime.

    Serves 8

Lentil, Walnut and Carrot salad

Ingredients

  • 8oz lentils, cooked and drained
  • 2oz walnuts, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • Vinaigrette
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parsley, chopped.

Method

Mix all ingredients together and garnish with the parsley.

Harissa Veg with Cous-cous

Ingredients

  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 2 butternut squash
  • 2 courgettes
  • Garlic to taste
  • 1 red onion
  • 1tbsp harissa paste/harissa powder
  • 50g blanched almonds
  • 250g giant cous-cous

Method

  1. Pre heat oven and chop the veg into bite sized pieces. Tip into a roasting tray, add oil, harissa and garlic. Roast for 20 minutes.
  2. Add the almonds and roast for a further 10-20 minutes.
  3. Cook cous-cous according to packet instructions.
  4. Mix it all together. Best served at room temperature.

Pork Jambalaya

Ingredients

  • 4 Pork loin steaks 
  • Medium onion
  • Two bell peppers
  • Tin chopped tomatoes
  • Brown rice large mug full
  • Teaspoon x 2 Turmeric
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • Tin kidney beans
  • Chilli powder to taste
  • Dried mixed herbs or fresh
  • Teaspoon of smoked paprika

Method

  1. Prepare in a large pan that can be covered.
  2. Dice pork and onion.
  3. Heat some oil and fry these together with the chopped garlic until soft.
  4. Then add the turmeric and chilli powder, stir in the uncooked rice.
  5. Add the tin of tomatoes and a canful of hot water. Stir well.
  6. Add chopped bell peppers herbs and kidney beans.
  7. Stir again cover and leave to simmer for about half an hour or until all the fluids have been absorbed.

Pimms Layer Cake

Inspired by an iconic summertime tipple, this stacked cake is soaked with fruity Pimm’s and topped with mascarpone cream, fresh strawberries and strips of cucumber. This showstopping bake is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for serving up at your next street party.

Ingredients

  • 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g (8oz) golden caster sugar
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 orange, finely zested
  • 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp milk

For the Pimm’s syrup

  • 300ml (10fl oz) Pimm’s
  • 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice

For the mascarpone cream

  • 200g (7oz) light mascarpone
  • 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1/2 orange, zested, plus 1 tbsp juice

For the filling and decoration

  • 300g (10oz) strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthways
  • handful fresh mint, leaves picked
  • 1/2 cucumber, cut into ribbons
  • 1/2 orange, zested

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Lightly grease 2 x 20cm (8in) loose-bottom sandwich tins. Line the bases with non-stick baking paper. 
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar with an electric whisk until smooth. Gradually add the beaten egg, mixing continuously until pale and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and orange zest.
  3. Sift over the dry ingredients and fold in using a large metal spoon. Stir in the milk. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and smooth the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen, golden and just starting to come away from the sides. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile, make the Pimm’s syrup. Put the Pimm’s, sugar and orange juice in a small pan. Warm over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Boil briskly for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced by half. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
  5. To make the mascarpone cream, put the the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar, most of the orange zest and all of the juice in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric whisk, until combined and smooth.
  6. To assemble the cake, put one sponge on a serving plate and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the cooled Pimm’s syrup. Using a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle, pipe the mascarpone cream over the cake. Alternatively use a palette knife, spreading it thickly.
  7. Layer up three quarters of the strawberries over the cream, working from the outside edge in. Top with the second sponge and pipe or spread with the remaining cream.
  8. Decorate the cake with the remaining strawberries, mint and cucumber ribbons. Drizzle over 2-3 tbsp more of the Pimm’s syrup, then scatter over the orange zest. To serve, cut into small slices.
  9. Tip: To avoid a soggy show- stopper, decorate your cake with the remaining strawberries, mint, cucumber and Pimm’s syrup just before serving.

Parmesan Bites

Ingredients

  • 100g/3½ oz cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
  • 100g/3½ oz plain flour, plus extra for flouring
  • pinch salt
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 heaped tsp mustard powder
  • 50g/1Âľ oz finely grated mature cheddar
  • 50g/1Âľ oz finely grated parmesan, plus a little extra
  • 1 egg, beaten

Method

  1. Place the butter and flour into the bowl of a food processor or Kenwood with the salt, cayenne, mustard powder and cheeses. Process together to begin with, and then finely pulse the mixture in short spurts as you notice the mixture coming together – it will eventually bind without the need for egg or water. Wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  3. Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out the pastry to about the thickness of two pound coins. Cut out the biscuits to the size and shape you wish: about 3cm round makes approx. 2 dozen.  Alternatively, roll into a sausage, wrap in cling film and chill then slice into rounds to bake.  The sausage can be frozen then partially defrosted before slicing. 
  4. Lay them out on a greased baking tray about 2cm apart.  Carefully brush the surfaces of each bite with the egg and sprinkle over a little finely grated parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes, until they are golden-brown in colour.
  5. Carefully lift the bite off the tray using a palette knife and place on a rack to cool.  The biscuits will keep well in a sealed container for a few days if they get the chance!

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