by Amber Rose
This vinegar is best used in dressings for salads that contain autumn’s finest offerings, such as pears, apples and walnuts. It would also go beautifully sprinkled over roast beets and slow-cooked roast meats for an added dimension of fruity flavour. It works beautifully in place of balsamic vinegar in salads and goes particularly well with goat’s cheese. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of sugar in the recipe: as the fruit ferments the sugars are eaten up by the time the vinegar is ready.
EQUIPMENT
1-litre glass jar with a rubber seal, sterilised
600ml raw apple cider vinegar
100g unrefined golden granulated sugar
400g blackberries
100g elderberries (or use extra blackberries, or any other seasonal berries)
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and stir gently over a moderately low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved then remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
Put the berries into the clean jar and crush them gently with a wooden spoon or fork. Pour in the cold sweetened vinegar and seal with the lid.
Set aside in a cool dark place to ferment. This process can take about one to two weeks, after which time the vinegar should smell sweet and fruity. Strain the vinegar, discarding the pulp. Pour the liquid into a clean glass jar or bottle.
The vinegar will keep for a good eight to nine months.
Variation: Raspberry vinegar
I love to use this vinegar to dress salads that contain summer fruit, such as grilled peaches and soft berries. Combine it with olive oil and black pepper as a dressing for baby spinach and peppery salad leaves. Use to deglaze cooking pans after sautéing lamb or liver. It adds a fruity depth to the caramelised flavours in the pan. Crazy as it sounds, it is also seriously delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream. For another twist, try it in a refreshing drink: pour over ice, then top up with mineral water or lemonade.
Use 500g raspberries in place of the blackberries and elderberries and follow the recipe.
You can also make herb or flower vinegars by placing herbs/flowers in white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and leaving them to steep for a few days or weeks to impart their flavour. Herbs and flowers that work particularly well are:
*Chive flowers
*Tarragon
*Elderflowers
*Rose petals
Breads, Crackers and More.
Spiced almond crackers.
MAKES 20
Grain and gluten free
These crackers are a cinch to make, are light and crispy and go well with many different toppings. A personal favourite is my chicken liver pâté with dill pickles on the side (see here), but try these with cheeses, chutneys and all sorts of dips.
200g ground almonds
1 large egg
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus a little extra
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus a little extra
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Put the ground almonds in a food processor with the egg, salt and pepper. Pulse until a dough forms. Turn out the dough and place between two sheets of non-stick parchment paper or greaseproof paper – no need to flour or dust the dough as the oils in the nuts should prevent it from sticking.
Roll out the dough to roughly 2mm thick. Carefully peel off the top layer of paper, then sprinkle with extra sea salt and pepper and then the rosemary, thyme and fennel seeds. Cut into squares, roughly 5–7cm, using a very sharp knife.
Using a pallette knife or butter knife, transfer the crackers to the prepared tray and bake in the middle (not the top) of the oven for 12–14 minutes, but check them after 6–8 minutes. Because these crackers are made with nuts, not flour, they burn very easily so they may be ready in less than the recommended cooking time.
When they are nicely golden, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool before transferring to an airtight tin or jar. These crackers are best eaten within a couple of days.
A spiced almond and coconut bread.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
Grain and gluten free • Paleo
This bread couldn’t be easier to make and is heavenly spread thickly with salty butter and honey or topped with any number of savoury toppings. It makes great toast and it also freezes well. These lovely loaves are packed full of protein, essential fatty acids and fibre, and are very nourishing as well as delicious.
EQUIPMENT
2 x 450g non-stick loaf tins
300g ground almonds
4 tablespoons coconut flour
50g golden flaxseed meal
½ teaspoon sea salt
2½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
10 eggs
120ml coconut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons fresh or dried chopped rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3 and grease or line the loaf tins.
Put the almonds, flour, flaxseed, salt, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, oil, honey and vinegar into a large food processor or mixer and whizz or beat until thoroughly combined. This may take a few minutes and you might need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl before mixing again. When it’s completely mixed pour the batter into the prepared tins. It will be quite a wet batter, but that’s ok.
Sprinkle over the seeds, rosemary and some sea salt and a generous pinch of black pepper.
Bake for about 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before turning the loaves out of their tins and serve fresh or toasted. This bread lasts well for a few days in or out of the fridge.
Perfectly cooked quinoa.
SERVES 2–3
Quinoa can be soggy and soapy-tasting but here are a few simple tips to guarantee it turns out fluffy and nutritious without a hint of soap. Soaking is key, and cooking it in bone broth (optional) can ramp up the nutrition stakes massively while simultaneously making it more flavoursome and easily digested. Quinoa has enzyme inhibitors (otherwise known as phytates) in its coating, and these can make the cooked quinoa taste soapy. They also make quinoa less digestible and eating it requires many of your body’s own store of enzymes and minerals to be used in the digestion process, contributing to loss of bone density and tooth decay. This is not a problem if your diet is low in phytates, but if you eat nuts, pulses, grains and the like on a regular basis, it’s a good idea always to soak them first for better digestion, maximum nutrition and strong bones and teeth well into old age.
160g quinoa
750ml filtered water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
440ml chicken bone broth or water
Sea salt
A knob of butter (optional but delicious and will ensure you absorb all the fat-soluble vitamins)
Soak the quinoa in the water and vinegar overnight or for at least a few hours. Drain and rinse several times under cold running water.
Put the quinoa, bone broth and a pinch of salt in a large pot over a high heat. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed (but the quinoa is still wet) and the germs have begun to spiral.
Turn off the heat, place a sheet of kitchen paper between the pot and the lid, and leave to sit for at least 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork before serving. Serve the quinoa as a base for a hearty meat or vegetarian topping or turn into a delicious salad by adding fresh or roast veg and fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Perfectly cooked puy lentils.
SERVES 2–3
Grain and gluten free
Puy lentils are a wonderful addition to salads, lending
deep and earthy tones. They are a great alternative to grains as a base for a meal, too. They last well in the fridge, so whipping up mid-week meals is easy and nutritious – all they need is some roasted squash, hummus and rocket leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, and you have a heavenly quick lunch or supper in minutes.
I love cooking lentils in bone broth. I finds it softens their flavour, but you can cook them in water or veg stock if you wish. You don’t need to soak them for cooking purposes but I like to soak them overnight to reduce the phytates.
200g puy lentils (give them a good rinse if you don’t have time to soak them)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or bicarbonate of soda
600ml chicken bone broth, water, or veg stock
Soak the lentils overnight in enough water to keep them submerged, along with the vinegar or bicarbonate of soda. Drain and rinse several times under cold running water.
Put the lentils in a saucepan and pour over the bone broth. Turn the heat up and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still have a slight bite to them. Drain and serve.
Cauliflower tortillas.
MAKES 6–8
Grain and gluten free
These are super easy to make – my perfect go-to tortilla recipe for when I feel like a Mexican feast. Cauliflower is truly versatile, it’s low carb and full of fibre, and, with the protein from the eggs, these pale beauties are wonderfully nutritious.
EQUIPMENT
Steamer
Cheesecloth
1 medium–large head of cauliflower, cut into chunks
1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Juice of ½ lime
2 large eggs, beaten
Sea salt and freshly ground or cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Put a cheesecloth over a large bowl and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Set up a pan with a steamer over the top, big enough to hold the riced cauliflower. Put a few inches of water in the pan and place over a high heat. Bring the water to the boil.
Meanwhile, put the cauliflower chunks into a blender or food processor and pulse until finer than rice grains. Pop into the steamer over the boiling water for about 5 minutes, covered.
Tip the steamed cauliflower into the bowl lined with cheesecloth and allow it to cool for a few minutes, then pull up the sides of the cloth and squeeze. Be as strong as you can with the squeezing, you need to get most of the liquid out or your finished tortillas will be soggy! Transfer the cauliflower to a clean bowl, discarding the liquid.
Add the oregano, paprika, lime juice and seasoning to the dry cauliflower, tip in the eggs and mix everything really well to thoroughly combine. Shape the mixture into 6–8 balls of equal size and spread them onto the prepared baking tray to make equal circles about the size of a small tortilla, not too thick and not too thin.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, then flip them over and bake for a further 5 minutes. Set aside.
When you are ready to eat, toast them in a really hot dry pan to add a slightly charred flavour, which is totally delicious.
Buckwheat tortillas.
MAKES 8–10
Grain and gluten free
Delicious for making enchiladas and quesadillas, a cinch to prepare – much easier than you might imagine – and the dough freezes well, so you could always make a double batch and freeze half so that next time you are set to go with minimum fuss.
300g buckwheat flour (or quinoa flour), plus extra for dusting
Generous pinch of sea salt
180ml cold water
1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut oil, plus a little extra
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and oil and bring together with your fingers until you have a slightly tacky dough. Shape the dough into a ball, flattening it slightly with the heel of your hand. You have the right consistency when the edges don’t crack. Add more flour or water as needed.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 9 equal portions. Roll them into balls, then cover with a damp cloth.
Using plenty of extra flour, roll out each ball into a thin circle roughly 15cm across. You will need to liberally dust both sides to prevent the tortilla from sticking to the work surface and the utensil you use to slide under it to lift it up.
You need to handle the raw tortillas carefully because, being made with gluten-free flour, they are quite fragile. Once cooked they become more robust and will hold together. Stack the rolled tortillas, layered with baking parchment, to prevent sticking.
Heat a heavy cast-iron or non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When the pan is hot, remove the top piece of parchment and lay the first tortilla into the pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until bubbles start to appear, flip it over and cook for a further minute on the other side. Remove from the pan and repeat with the rest.
Stack the cooked tortillas, again layered between baking parchment, and cover with foil or a heavy cloth to keep them warm and supple. Serve immediately.
This sweet ‘toolbox’ section is a collection of some of my favourite go-to recipes from my wholefood kitchen, quick and easy bakes and treats that can be adapted to suit the seasons. There are also some super simple sweet spice mixes to add delicious layers of flavour to fruits, granolas, bakes or puddings. You will also find refined sugar-free jams and syrups, cordials and dairy-free nut milks that are totally divine, as well as a spiced turmeric milk that makes an amazing gut healing, anti-inflammatory drink for those in need of a little nourishment. There is also my favourite dark rich chocolate and buckwheat brownies, luxuriously soft and sweet fruit butters, cultured yogurts and other tempting treats.
Sweet Butters and Creams.
Apricot, lavender and honey butter.
MAKES 2–3 450G JARS
This beautiful golden-amber coloured butter is easy to make and a great way of using up a glut of apricots. You could also use this heavenly butter to sandwich and decorate cakes, add to your morning fruit and granola, or spread on scones or pancakes. It would also be delightful with thin toast or crackers and fresh ricotta, or my plain kefir cheese.
EQUIPMENT
Several sterilised glass jars
1.5kg fresh apricots, halved and pitted
500ml fresh apricot juice or nectar
115g honey
3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
A pinch of salt
3 sprigs of lavender (optional)
Place all the ingredients, except for the lavender, in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cover, leaving the lid slightly askew and simmer over a medium–high heat, stirring frequently, until the apricots are very tender and yielding. This should take 15–18 minutes.
Uncover the pan and continue to simmer very gently, stirring frequently, until very thick. This will take about 1 hour. Do watch it carefully as you don’t want the natural sugars to catch and burn on the bottom of the saucepan. Add a few of the lavender buds, about half a head to start with, and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Taste and add more lavender if you wish – just be careful not to add too much as the lavender can easily take over if you go too far.
Set aside to cool a little before very carefully spooning the mixture into a food processor or high-powered blender. Purée until smooth. Transfer the butter to the jars and let it cool completely. Seal the jars and keep in the fridge. The butter will last for about a week.
Roasted peach and lemon thyme butter.
MAKES 2–3 450G JARS
The roasting really brings out the deep richness of the peaches and the lemon thyme is a delightful little twist. People often think of woody herbs as being reserved for savoury dishes, but I love adding rosemary and thyme to sweet dishes too. Keep a few jars of this heavenly stuff in the fridge, ready to top scones, hot toasted sourdough pancakes or crêpes, cakes or meringues. It is also good serve
d with a little Greek yogurt and granola.
EQUIPMENT
Several sterilised glass jars
1.4kg peaches
125g light honey or 140g maple syrup
Juice of 2 lemons
5 lemon thyme sprigs, leaves only, chopped
You need to remove the skins from the peaches. The easiest way to do this is to immerse the peaches in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Lift them out of the water and, using a paring knife, the skins should slip right off.
Cut the skinned peaches in half, remove and discard the stones, chop up the flesh, then transfer it to a large saucepan along with the honey, lemon juice and the lemon thyme. Simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes until the fruit starts to fall apart. Blitz the hot bubbling fruit with a stick blender – either leave in some texture or make it very smooth; I like mine with just a little texture.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Pour the fruit mixture into a glass baking dish and bake for about 1 hour, or until it cooks down to a deep golden colour. Transfer to the jars, allow to cool, and move to the fridge, where it will keep for a good week.
Salted honey butter.
MAKES 570G
Honey butter used to be a regular feature in the kitchen cupboard not so long ago, but in recent decades it seems to have all but disappeared. Honey was often added to butter as a way of making it last a little longer, as good old-fashioned raw honey has preserving qualities.
Raw honey is exceptionally good for you, but with butter and a little salt it becomes something altogether different: creamy, spreadable, sweet, salty and luscious. You can adjust the flavours by using different kinds of honey, and indeed butter. Try this delectable spread on toast, pancakes, cornbread, muffins, scones, drop scones, cupcakes, waffles, banana bread and much more.
