Cabbage and Bacon Soup

I would definitely put this soup under 'Irish Soup'. Cabbage and bacon are the flavours of Ireland to me and here it is simply made as a filling, tasty rustic soup. Simple ingredients you often have already in the fridge and quick to make, its a perfectly weekend lunch when the weather has a nip in the air.

Ingredients:

12 rashers unsmoked streaky bacon
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
40g butter
1 litre chicken or veg stock (cube is fine)
1/2 small savoy cabbage, chopped
salt & pepper

Method:

Grill the bacon until crisp and set to one side. Melt the butter in a large pan and add the potatoes, onion and garlic. Get a piece of greaseproof paper and make a cartouche - cut the paper a bit larger than the diameter of the pan and screw it into a ball under the tap. Shake off excess water and place over the vegetables, like a blanket. Pop on the lid over the top and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

Take off the lid and discard the greaseproof paper. Stir the veg and add the stock. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Take off the heat and use a hand blender to blitz to a smooth, creamy soup. Now put back on the heat and add the cabbage. Leave to cook on medium/low heat for about 7 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and add the bacon, ripped into pieces.

Check for seasoning, I added pepper but you may not need salt because of the bacon.  Serve with bread and butter and enjoy!

Raspberry & White Chocolate Trifasu

Being the stickler for tradition that I am, every Christmas I always make a trifle. It goes back to being a child and watching my late father make one. It was his contribution to Christmas and a lovely memory. I decided for the first time in years to make something different so came up with a cross between a trifle and a tiramisu.

It not only turned out beautifully but was considerably quicker to put together. Delicious!

Ingredients:

12 sponge fingers
10 cl raspberry liqueur
80ml cherry juice
300g raspberries
250g double cream
250g ready made custard
3 tbsp. icing sugar, sieved
50g white chocolate

Method:

Whip the cream until stiff and stir in the custard and icing sugar. Set to one side. Chop half of the chocolate and 'flake' the rest with a sharp knife or potato peeler.

Pour the juice and liqueur into a bowl and dip the sponger fingers in quickly. You don't want to let the fingers soak in the liquid too much or become saturated.

Place half the sponge fingers into a serving dish and top with half of the raspberries and then the chopped chocolate. Then a layer custard cream. Then more sponge, the rest of the raspberries and then the custard cream - ending with the chocolate shavings. Refrigerate for 3 hours to set. and then serve!