Runner Bean Chutney

Runner beans do not seem an obvious choice for chutney but here’s a recipe I found in my mother’s book given to her by ‘old Joe’s wife’. This is marvellous, has a mild curry flavour and a wonderful yellow tinge thanks to the mustard and turmeric. I have made it over the years when I’ve had a glut of runner beans in the garden.

1 kg runner beans, topped, tailed and sliced

5 medium onions, chopped small

700g demerara sugar

1½ tbsp turmeric

1½ tbsp English mustard powder

1½ tbsp cornflour

900ml cider or white wine vinegar

First of all, sterilise your jars.

Have a look at 'all you need to know about making chutney' if you’re not sure how to do this.

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Slice the beans and put them into a saucepan - I have a bean slicer which makes this very easy. Add the chopped onions and cover with water. Cook until tender - about 15 minutes.

Strain and cut everything up quite small. Return to the pan and add the sugar and most of the vinegar, keeping a small amount aside. Boil for 15 minutes.

Mix together the cornflour, turmeric, and mustard powder in a small bowl and blend with the remaining vinegar. Add to the beans mixture and boil for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.

Draw your spoon through the mixture and if it does not immediately fill with juice, the chutney is ready. Allow to cool slightly, spoon into your prepared jars and put the lids on.

This makes about five jars.

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Cream layer cake

This is a simple sponge, very similar to a Victoria sandwich cake with the addition of lemon zest – my grandmother's recipe for an afternoon tea.

255g self-raising flour

170g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder

zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line the bottom of two 20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper. My grandmother used one cake tin and then cut the cake into three - I decided two layers was enough!

Sieve together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and then the eggs, one at a time, alternating with the flour mixture. If you need to loosen the mix, add a little milk.

Beat well and then divide the mixture between the two tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

The recipe suggests spreading butter icing between the two cakes and adding a few drops of carmine – also known as cochineal - and strawberry flavouring to the mix.

I chose to use my home made strawberry jam for the middle and a butter icing for the top, flavoured with lemon juice as she suggests.

Butter Icing

200g icing sugar, sieved

75g butter, softened

lemon juice to taste (about half a lemon)

Simply cream the butter, icing sugar and lemon juice together and spread across the top of the cake. Alternatively, you could just dust the top with icing sugar.

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Chewy flapjacks

Chewy oat bars, ideal for packed lunches for both adults and kids. Customise them by adding a pinch of cinnamon, dried fruits, grated apple, nuts or seeds. Once it's cooked and cooled, you could even drizzle some melted chocolate over the top!

This is one from my own recipe book and something I used to make all the time when my children were growing up.

250g oats

150g butter

75g golden syrup

75g sugar

Preheat the oven to 175ºC. Grease a 20cm square baking tin (I use a butter paper for this).

Put the butter, golden syrup and sugar into a saucepan and melt slowly. Then add the oats and give everything a good stir.

Pour the mixture into your greased tin and press it down with the back of a fork. Then put it into the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Check after 25 minutes and if they' re golden brown, take them out and allow to cool slightly before marking into squares.

Once cooled, remove from the tin and break along your marked lines.

These will keep in an airtight container for up to a week - unless your family get to them first!

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