News

The Booths Family Christmas Traditions

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Today the Booths festive brochure is released. Every year the launch of this beautiful, hardback book is a much-anticipated moment in the retail calendar. It’s a celebration of local people and producers packed with seasonal inspiration and stories.

Finally, I can reveal that I will be featured in the “Family Christmas Traditions” section sharing a memory of my Nana. Family and friends already know that Pat played a huge part in developing my passion for food. Being given the opportunity to honour her in this way is wonderful.

If you want to try my Christmas Cake recipe, you can find it here.

Recipes

Chocolate & Pistachio Shortbread

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 200g plain flour
  • 150g pistachios
  • 150g dairy free butter
  • 100g golden caster sugar
  • 100g dark chocolate
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 177 degrees (gas mark 4)
  • Line a large tray with baking paper and set to one side
  • Remove the shells from the pistachios. Add the nuts to a food processor and process until a fine, flour-like crumb is formed
  • Add the dairy free butter and golden caster sugar to a bowl. Beat until a smooth mixture is formed
  • Add all of the dry ingredients, apart from the dark chocolate. Using clean hands, bring everything together to create a dough
  • Put the dough in the fridge and allow to rest. This will take around 30 minutes
  • Remove the dough from the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll out on a lightly floured surface around 10mm thick
  • Using a 40mm circular cutter, cut the dough in to 12 circles
  • Place the circles of dough on the lined baking tray. Put the tray in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side
  • Once the shortbreads have cooled, add the dark chocolate to a bain-marie. Simmer on a medium heat until the chocolate has melted
  • Decorate with melted chocolate and pistachios for a final flourish

This recipe serves 12.

Recipes

Carrot Cake

Lauren Carter4 Comments

Here’s how to make it…

For the cake mixture:

  • 400g self-raising flour
  • 300g light brown sugar
  • 50g finely grated carrot
  • 50g sultanas
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 300ml unsweetened soya milk
  • 300ml sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract

For the icing:

  • 300g icing sugar
  • 300g dairy free cream cheese
  • 25g pistachios
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Grease two 20 x 20cm cake tins with a little sunflower oil and set to one side
  • Add all of the dry cake mixture ingredients to a bowl
  • Add all of the wet cake mixture ingredients to a measuring jug
  • Pour the wet cake mixture ingredients in to the dry cake mixture ingredients and stir to combine
  • Using a ladle, evenly divide the batter between the two greased cake tins
  • Put the cake tins in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer can be inserted in the centre of each and removed cleanly
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and set to one side
  • While the cake cools, prepare the icing. Add all of the icing ingredients, apart from the pistachios, to a bowl and stir to combine. Loosen the mixture with a little soya milk to reach your desired consistency
  • Once cooled, remove the cake from the tins and sandwich together using half of the icing. You may need to cut the cakes first to create an even surface
  • Add the remaining icing to the top of the cake using a pallet knife or a piping bag
  • Remove the shells from the pistachios. Add the nuts to a food processor and process until a coarse crumb is formed
  • Decorate with the pistachio crumb for a final flourish

This recipe serves 8.

Recipes

Confit Tomato & Garlic Polenta

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 250g polenta
  • 200g cherry tomatoes
  • 50g dairy free butter
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • A handful of parsley
  • A drizzle of rapeseed oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Add the tomatoes and unpeeled garlic  to an oven proof dish along with the balsamic vinegar and a generous drizzle of rapeseed oil
  • Add the dish to the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft
  • Remove the dish from the oven and set to one side
  • While the tomatoes and unpeeled garlic are cooling, prepare the polenta. Add the polenta to a large pan
  • Gradually add twice the quantity of boiling water. Stir continuously on a medium heat until the polenta is smooth and all of the liquid has been absorbed
  • Carefully remove the garlic from the dish and peel. Using a fork, mash the cloves until a smooth mixture is formed. Add the garlic to the polenta then stir to combine
  • Add the dairy free butter and nutritional yeast then stir to combine
  • Finely chop the parsley
  • Once the dairy free butter has melted, season to taste then serve alongside the tomatoes
  • Decorate with the parsley for a final flourish

This recipe serves 2.

Recipes

Bombay Potato Salad

Lauren CarterLeave a comment

Here’s how to make it…

Ingredients:

  • 500g baby potatoes
  • 400g chickpeas
  • 200g cauliflower
  • 100g fine beans
  • 50g pomegranate seeds
  • 1 red onion
  • A handful of coriander
  • 6 tbsp egg free mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp mango chutney
  • 1 tbsp medium curry powder
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • A squeeze of lime juice
  • A drizzle of rapeseed oil
  • A pinch of sea salt & black pepper

Method:

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees (gas mark 6)
  • Line 2 large trays with baking paper and set to one side
  • Chop the baby potatoes and cauliflower in to bite size pieces. The fine beans just need any stems removing
  • Peel and chop the onion in to bite size pieces
  • Add the baby potatoes, cauliflower, fine beans and onion to a large bowl along with a little rapeseed oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss together
  • Place the baby potatoes, cauliflower, fine beans and onion on 1 of the lined baking trays
  • Lay the chickpeas on top of a piece of kitchen paper. Lightly press with another piece of kitchen paper to remove the excess water
  • Add the chickpeas to a large bowl along with a little rapeseed oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss together
  • Place the chickpeas on the other lined baking tray. Add both trays to the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes
  • Remove the trays from the oven and set to one side
  • While the vegetables and chickpeas cool, prepare the dressing. Add the egg free mayonnaise, mango chutney, curry powder, lime zest and lime juice to a bowl then stir to combine
  • Finely chop the coriander
  • Add the baby potatoes, fine beans, cauliflower, onion and dressing to a bowl
  • Stir to combine then serve
  • Top with the chickpeas, coriander and pomegranate seeds for a final flourish

This recipe serves 4.