Jane's Cookery School Blog March

Spring has definitely sprung! The warmer days, the longer evenings, the daffodils and wild primroses in the hedgerows. It always seems to me such an exciting time of year, and with it comes a whole new menu. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons we have different seasons, so when you’re fed up with eating swede and parsnips you can look ahead to those delicious baby vegetables, there’s definitely nothing like the first new potatoes of the year or tiny broad beans and peas. You see, I was a bit of a fussy eater as a child, and I didn’t really eat vegetables or indeed much else. To the great amusement of my family who knew me then and the surprise of friends who know me now, who would have thought it? Yes, I was the least likely person to become a chef, or have anything to do with cooking or food, but whatever happened I sure was determined. I think this came hot on the heels of announcing that I would like to be a nurse (like my mum) but realising that I fainted at the sight of blood. I won’t go into the day I had my ears pierced…..
When I look back, I can see that my mum was a good cook, but this was the 70’s. The decade where convenience foods were born, and along with them that marvellous invention; the microwave. Without giving my age away exactly, my (fairly) early memories were those where the microwave featured often. I think it was almost considered a challenge, why cook it conventionally when we can use the microwave and see what happens. I even remember my Mum buying special plastic cake moulds to bake a chocolate cake in the microwave. It wouldn’t even occur to me now to attempt it, and all that beeping would drive you mad!
I can’t say exactly when my relationship with vegetables changed, but I’m so glad it has. Look at what I could have missed!

So now go outside, enjoy the spring and find some wild garlic to make these scones.

Cheese and Wild Garlic Scones

Ingredients

170g wholemeal flour
170g self-raising flour
85g diced butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon mustard powder
55g grated cheddar
1 tablespoon chopped wild garlic leaves
180mls milk
60mls natural yoghurt

Method

1. Weigh all the dry ingredients into a bowl and then rub in the butter until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs.
2.Mix the milk and yoghurt together, in a separate bowl, and then stir into the dry ingredients.
3. Add the grated cheese and wild garlic and lightly mix until combined.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead lightly and flatten with your hand to approximately 2cm thick.
5. Using a cutter cut out the scones and place them onto a greased or lined baking tray. Sprinkle with more grated cheese if desired or glaze the top with a little milk.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool before slicing and buttering.