Bara Brith Spiced Shortbread for St Dwynwen's Day

It's St. Dwynwen's Day today, the Welsh day of love. My celebrations are restrained - there are no tacky red hearts, no chocolates declaring 'Dwi'n dy garu di' (I love you in Welsh), no balloons professing undying love; I've opted instead for these understated but undeniably delicious shortbread hearts. The delicate spicing together with the sweet sultanas works very well and the biscuits themselves are light and crisp.

It's no coincidence that I've chosen shortbread for my inspiration as the 25th January is a double Celtic celebration. All over Scotland this evening, Burns Night festivities will be taking place so whether you're partying with haggis and whisky or having a romantic, candlelit dinner for two, these biscuits are the answer.

Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus - Slàinte!

RECIPE

110g plain flour
40g cornflour
100g butter, room temperature - I use salted butter but you can use unsalted if you prefer. I do think though that in that case, you should add a pinch of salt to the mixture.
50g caster sugar
50g sultanas
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Either by hand or in a mixer, mix the butter and sugar until combined. Sift the flour, mixed spice and cornflour together and then add to the butter mixture. Finally add the sultanas and mix until the dough comes together. Shape into a rough disk, wrap in clingfilm and chill for about 30 minutes. 

Flour a work surface and roll the dough out thinly. Cut out the biscuits with whatever cutter you prefer, then place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. 

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the biscuits) and then move to a wire rack to cool.

Anglesey Eggs - Ŵyau Ynys Môn

I think it's fair to say that Welsh cuisine does not play a prominent role on the world's culinary stage. However, Wales does now take pride in supplying some fine produce, enjoying international recognition for its beef and lamb, fresh fish and seafood and some unique cheeses. There is an increasing number of chefs in Wales eager to make full use of local foods, made and supplied by artisan food producers and traditional dishes are slowly finding themselves back in the limelight.

This then is my St. David's Day contribution to the Welsh culinary revival. Traditional to Anglesey, this delicious dish of potatoes, leeks, eggs and cheese reflects a time when meat was a scarce luxury, like the other more well-known recipes for Glamorgan sausages and Welsh rarebit. I like to think I haven't strayed too far from how my ancestors would have made it; the leeks and potatoes came from ten miles away, the eggs from a local farm and the cheese... well, the cheese is Caerphilly so it admittedly had a slightly longer journey. 

As I'm sending this to the Shop Local challenge, created and hosted by Elizabeth from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary, I would like to mention the Llainwen eggs I used in this dish. These beautiful free range eggs have a deep orange yolk that I haven't found anywhere else. The farm, situated in the Vale of Clwyd, has been in the family since 1739 and all their eggs come from a variety of traditional breed hens who happily roam around the fields, truly free-range. Visitors are always welcome on the farm, to see first-hand how the hens are looked after. As you can see from the photos, you get seven, multi-hued eggs in every gorgeous box. 

             

RECIPE - Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

300g potatoes

3 leeks

oil (olive/sunflower/vegetable)

3 eggs

300ml milk

20g butter

20g plain flour

50g Caerphilly cheese, grated

salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water for about 15-20 minutes, until soft. 

In the meantime, prepare the leeks by slicing them in half length ways and then chopping them finely. Put them in a colander and wash thoroughly under running water. Drain well. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan, add the leeks and cook gently until softened, being careful not to colour them as leeks can turn very bitter if they start to brown. 

Hard boil the eggs, drain and remove the shells when they're cool enough to handle.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. 

Drain and mash the potatoes, then mix with the softened leeks and season to taste with salt and black pepper. 

To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, then off the heat, slowly add the milk, whisking continuously. When all the milk has been added, bring slowly to the boil and keep whisking over a medium heat until thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in half the cheese. 

Slice the eggs in quarters and arrange in an ovenproof dish (or use individual dishes as I have done in the photo). Spoon the potato and leek mixture around the eggs and pour the cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese. 

This can all be prepared in advance and left in the fridge until you want to cook it.

Cook in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. 

The Eisteddfod is coming to town...

There's a very festive feel here this week as the National Eisteddfod, an annual cultural celebration of poetry, music and literature, is being held just down the road from my house. The whole area seems to be participating, with bunting and flags flying from almost every building. 

 Over 160,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Maes this week and the famous pink pavilion, Europe’s largest festival of competitive poetry and music, will welcome over 6,000 participants from across Wales. As well as the events on the main stage, there are also over 300 stalls and activities to explore, including a food hall with exhibitors from all over north Wales. This is what has inspired today's post - rather than a recipe, I've chosen three of my local food heroes to write about, all produced within an 8 mile radius from where I live. I haven't been asked to write about them, I've decided to showcase these products because their taste and quality mean that I use and buy them regularly. (See disclaimer below.)

Patchwork Pâté 

http://www.patchwork-pate.co.uk/

This company was established by Margaret Carter in 1982 when she began selling her homemade pâté to pubs near her home. After five years, the number of customers had grown considerably and the business moved to a purpose-equipped factory in Ruthin. Despite the commercial scale today, everything is still hand-made in small batches, without artificial colouring, additives or preservatives, to Margaret’s original recipes.

The product is quite unlike any other commercially-produced pâté. The first difference is in the texture; Patchwork is soft and smooth, with no hint of the rubberiness that sometimes characterises other pâtés. The second difference can be seen in the variety and combination of flavours available. Purely personally, I like my pâté to have some alcohol in it, to contrast with the rich, meaty taste and Patchwork obligingly produces a vast range to choose from. My absolute favourite is the one seen in the photo above: Cointreau and Orange Chicken Liver Pâté. Beautifully balanced, the zesty orange tastes fresh and subtle against the savoury chicken livers. Other delicious flavours include Chicken Liver, Marmalade and Whisky; Welsh Dragon's Pâté (Venison Liver with Chilli); vegetarian Sun Dried Tomato Pâté with Welsh Mead and new this year, a pâté using local cider and apples, Paté Iau Cyw Iar Afalau a Seidr Cymraeg - Chicken Liver Paté with Apple and Welsh Cider. 

Llaeth y Llan - Village Dairy 

http://www.villagedairy.co.uk/

This family-run business has been producing probiotic yoghurt using local Welsh milk since the 1980s, from a farm nestling in the beautiful hills not far from Denbigh. The recipe has been perfected over the years and the beautifully thick and creamy yoghurt has won various awards including Gold Winner at the True Taste of Wales awards and a gold again at the 2013 Royal Welsh Show last month. There are thirteen flavours to choose from; Rhubarb, Gooseberry and Mandarin are personal favourites while their natural yoghurt is perfect for using in cooking. 

Llainwen Eggs

These beautiful, coloured, free range eggs have a deep orange yolk that I haven't found anywhere else. The farm, situated in the Vale of Clwyd, has been in the family since 1739 and all their eggs come from a variety of traditional breed hens who happily roam around the fields, truly free-range. Visitors are always welcome on the farm, to see first-hand how the hens are looked after. As you can see from the photos, you get seven, multi-hued eggs in every gorgeous box. 

Disclaimer: I was not sent any of these products, I have not been contacted by any of these companies and I have not been asked to write a review. I buy these things regularly and I simply chose to share my views and opinions here as I think that their products are excellent and I like the service standards and ethos of the companies. 

Sticky, whisky-scented Bara Brith for St. David's Day

Do the little things, the small things you've seen me doing

This simple, rather contemporary statement, was surprisingly uttered over 1500 years ago by St. David in his last sermon to his monks and I thought it a fitting way to start St. David's Day.

Not an awful lot is known about St. David so here are a few facts about the man himself and the celebration in his honour:

• He was at the heart of the Welsh church in the 6th century and founded a large monastery in West Wales
• He was one of the early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of Western Britain
• The most famous story about St. David tells how he was preaching to a huge crowd and the ground is said to have risen up, so that he was standing on a hill and everyone had a better chance of hearing him.
• He was baptised by the wonderfully named Saint Elvis (I kid you not).
• The national emblems of Wales are daffodils and leeks and these are worn on 1st March by most people in Wales. 
• On March 1st, numerous celebrations take place, including parades, food festivals, concerts and street parties.

Now, although it's tradition to eat Cawl, a Welsh stew, made up of lamb and leeks on St David’s Day, I didn't have time to make it, so today's recipe is my family's Bara Brith, a very traditional Welsh loaf cake and tea-time classic. The name literally means "Speckled Bread" and is baked and sold commercially in most parts of Wales, but virtually every Welsh region, town or family seems to have their own special variation.

There are two basic versions - as a yeast bread with dried fruits or it can be made in the style of a fruit cake with self-raising flour and packed with candied peel, raisins and currants which have been soaked in tea overnight. This is the sort I prefer - it's ridiculously easy, it gets better with time (within reason of course) and it tastes wonderful. I still don't really understand how a cake that doesn't contain any butter or indeed fat of any kind, can taste so good but it does, trust me. Of course, the butter usually comes into it at the end when it is spread on the thinly sliced bara brith. My only variation to the family recipe is to add a little whisky to the liquid used for steeping the fruit.

One last thing: although David was known as ‘Dewi Ddyfrwr’ (David the Water Drinker) because he drank nothing else, I don't really think that many Welsh people follow his teachings in this particular aspect. I will certainly be marking the occasion with something a little stronger...

Iechyd da.

RECIPE

1 cup soft brown sugar
1 generous cup dried mixed fruit
200 ml black tea
50 ml whisky
300 g self raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 tablespoon treacle or syrup
 pinch of salt
 1 egg

In a large bowl soak the fruit and sugar in the strained tea and whisky and leave overnight.

Next day preheat the oven to 170ºC

Mix the remaining ingredients into the fruit mixture and beat well

Pour the mixture into a loaf tin that has been well greased or lined with buttered paper

Place the tin in the oven and bake for about one and a half hours.

Leave in the tin to cool before turning out.

If you can (I can't), keep the bara brith in an airtight tin for a few days before eating as the flavour and texture really improves.

Bresaola Spirals for St. Dwynwen's Day

We celebrate love early here in Wales. Today, the 25th January, is the day of Santes Dwynwen, the Welsh saint of love. The story goes that Dwynwen, the beautiful daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog, met and fell madly in love with a man called Maelon, and he reciprocated her feelings. She asked her father if she could marry Maelon, but Brychan disliked Maelon and refused to give his permission. Maelon begged, as did Dwynwen, but Brychan would not relent and Maelon was forced to leave. Dwynwen was so upset that she ran into the forest. There, she met an angel who granted her the position of the Saint of Love. She spent the rest of her days as a nun, on a small island just off the coast of Anglesey, where she built a church and dedicated herself to God. The remains of the church can still be seen on Llanddwyn (meaning the church of St. Dwynwen) Island, and it's just the place for a romantic walk on the beach.

I'm feeling rather restrained today so I haven't done anything heart-shaped. Instead, I made these little bresaola spirals to enjoy with a romantic glass of champagne before dinner. The bresaola is from Valtellina in Italy but the local Welsh goat's cheese used in the filling ensures St. Dwynwen is not forgotten.

Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus - I wish you all a very happy and romantic St. Dwynwen's day!

The parsley in this dish means that it can be sent to one of my favourite challenges, Herbs on Saturday, created by Karen from the inspirational Lavender and Lovage and hosted this month by Vanesther at Bangers and Mash.



RECIPE - makes about 10 mini spirals

90g-100g bresaola, very thinly sliced
70g soft goat's cheese
2 teaspoons Greek yoghurt or sour cream
a small handful rocket, roughly chopped
a tablespoon fresh parsley, roughly chopped
juice of half a lemon
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

On a large sheet of clingfilm, start by laying out the bresaola slices, just overlapping, to form a rectangular shape, mine was about 30cm x 20cm, roughly the size of A4. Press down firmly where the slices overlap -  you want them to become almost a single sheet.

Put the goat's cheese in a bowl and mix with a spoon or a fork until soft. Add the other ingredients (except the olive oil) and mix well. Finally, add just enough olive oil to make the mixture a spreadable consistency, probably just a teaspoon or two. Season to taste.

Spread the cheese mixture carefully over the slices of  bresaola, covering it all with a thin layer. Then, starting at the shorter end, roll the bresaola so that you end up with a sausage shape. Wrap it in clingfilm and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

About 15 mins before you want your aperitif, simply remove the roll from the fridge, unwrap it from the clingfilm and cut into 1cm slices, using a very sharp knife. Arrange on a plate and leave for about 10 mins (just to take the fridge chill off them a bit) before serving with drinks.

A dish for St. David's Day - Risotto with leeks and Perl las

The daffodils are out, classrooms are full of singing children and the Red Dragons are flying high, all of which can only mean one thing - it's St. David's Day (and we're doing rather well in the Six Nations rugby).

In previous years, living in Italy, I tried to celebrate St. David's Day with some Welsh feasting but while Brains SA and Penderyn whisky have always gone down very well with the Italian side of the family, my efforts at making some traditional dishes of Wales have not met with the same success. It is perhaps better to draw a line under the Welsh faggots (made from pig's liver) incident; suffice to say that the meal did not tempt GL to delve further into 'Cuisine Cymraeg'.

So this year, I'm taking the 'Entente Cordiale' approach, using Welsh flavours and ingredients to make a very Italian risotto. Leeks, the national vegetable and symbol of Wales form the base of the risotto, and Perl Las, a Welsh blue cheese is added at the end. Both sides of the Italo/Welsh alliance are satisfied.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus.

RECIPE

Serves 2 generously

2 leeks

50g butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 glass dry white wine

1 litre vegetable stock

250g carnaroli or arborio rice

120g Perl Las or other blue cheese (Gorgonzola is used in Italy)

10g parmesan, grated

Chop the leeks very finely. Melt the butter with the oil in a wide saucepan, add the leeks and cook gently until softened, being careful not to colour them as leeks can turn very bitter if they start to brown.

When the leeks are soft, tip in the rice and stir well so that all the grains are coated in the buttery juices. Turn up the heat to medium and pour in the wine. Keep stirring until it is absorbed.

Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, making sure it is all absorbed before adding the next, stirring all the while to make sure the rice doesn't start to stick.

The rice should be cooked after about 18-20 minutes (it should still have a slight 'bite' to it). You might not need all the stock or you may need a little more (you could just add boiling water).

Add the blue cheese, roughly crumbling it in and stirring so that it melts into the risotto. You can also beat in the parmesan at this point or you can sprinkle it over just before eating if you prefer.