Once a fortnight we hold a cook club at the Botanic Cottage. Anyone is welcome to join us to learn new cooking skills and to enjoy a healthy meal that’s been freshly prepared by the group. Sadly, the Botanic Cottage is closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we won’t let that stop us! Cottage Cook Club tutor Ailsa has prepared some great recipes from store cupboard ingredients to encourage us to keep home cooking and keep eating right. Over to Ailsa…

Hi everyone,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying some of these bright days. I’m not quite sure where the summer went but I know I’m not quite ready to let it go!

I’m still enjoying salads in my kitchen but they are taking a slight autumnal turn today’s has beetroot, apple, fennel and mackerel. It’s more assembly than cooking but it’s a really delicious combination.

Schools are back so I’m making tasty savory muffins that will work well on the breakfast table, or tucked in a lunch box. Try different vegetable fillings if you like.

There’s a warming chilli for supper that you can serve in a number of different ways with wraps, rice, in a baked potato or perhaps with potato wedges?

Still feeling a bit summery, today’s sweet recipe is classic meringues. If you make these then you can use the 4 egg yolks in the muffin recipe instead of the 2 eggs. Enjoy!

Hope to see you back in the garden soon.

All the best,

Ailsa

A breakfast on the go

These muffins make a perfect quick breakfast, or ideal as part of a packed lunch too. Feel free to try different combinations of vegetables, cheese and herbs.

Recipe: Breakfast-Muffin-Cook-Club-Concluding-Blog-2021.pdf

A tasty lunch

This salad style lunch is perfect with some good bread on the side. We should all be eating more oily fish so this is a perfect way to include it in your day. I use some of the fennel fronds in the salad too, if your fennel bulb is already trimmed you could use fresh dill, or just leave it out.

This salad is also good with some plain couscous or bulgur wheat.

Recipe: Mackerel-fennel-beetroot-and-apple-salad-Cook-Club-Concluding-Blog-2021.pdf

A simple supper

Aubergine and black bean chilli

This versatile chilli isn’t spicy but you can up the heat by adding a sliced chilli to the garlic and herbs, or serve with optional chilli flakes or hot sauce.

Enjoy with rice, flatbreads or a baked potato.

Recipe: Aubergine-and-black-bean-chilli-Cook-Club-Concluding-Blog-2021.pdf

A sweet treat

Meringues, cream and fresh fruit

A simple and delicious treat, perfect for the end of summer. Great with strawberries, raspberries, or sliced stone fruits.

Recipe: Meringues-cream-and-fresh-fruit-Cook-Club-Concluding-Blog-2021.pdf

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