Three Plum Oaty Crumble Recipe

Crumble has to be one of my all time favourite puddings. So adaptable and so comforting! You can mix and match fruit, add nuts or spices, then serve with either soya cream, custard or dairy free ice-cream! This recipe can be used a a good base to start from, then adapted to your own fancies.

I seem to have a glut of plums and greengages in the kitchen at the moment, so I've decided to make a three plum crumble to make the most of the variations in some of the old English varieties we have to hand. You can of course use any plums or gages, but today I'm using Victoria, Pershore and Czar. Naturally there will be some noticeable size difference between the varieties, so you will have to gauge how many you might need according to the size of your baking dish. Ideally you're looking to fill half to two thirds of the dish with fruit. I'm using dish eight inches square.

Ingredients

For the fruit bottom:

• 7 large plums, stones removed and sliced.
• 15 small plums, stones removed and sliced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 dessertspoonful dark muscovado sugar
• 1 tsp ground allspice

For the topping:

• 2 cups porridge oats
• 1 cup flour
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 dessertspoonful cinnamon sugar

Preheat your oven to 200 C

Start by preparing the fruity bottom. In a small bowl mix together the 1 tbsp flour, the muscovado sugar and all spice. The sugar is to help against the tartness of some of the plums. If you have especially sweet fruit you can do without it, but for fruits with a sharpness like plums or cooking apples I would usually douse in plenty of sugar. By mixing flour with the sugar it will be easier to use and will be flavoursome thanks to the allspice. 

Layer the plums in the bottom of your baking dish neatly so that the whole base it covered. Sprinkle over half the sugar/flour/spice mix. Add another layer of fruit and use the rest of the sugar mix on top. Set aside while you make the topping.

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, maple syrup and olive oil. Stir well, ensuring there are no dry patches of flour nor over sticky clumps when you're done.

Spoon the oat topping over the fruit and fill any gaps along the edges. Try not to compress the mix too much, although it is okay to neaten it off and tidy up the top with the back of a spoon. Finish off by sprinkling over the cinnamon sugar.

Place in the lower half of your oven and bake for around 30 minutes. The top should just be browning and the fruit underneath bubbling happily.

ALTERNATIVE: Try using greengages instead of plums as the fruit and mixing in flaked almonds to the topping.

Easy Chili Recipe (Using Dried Soya Mince)

I like to keep my dry store well stocked. One of the most useful ingredients in there is dried soya mince. It can be used for so many recipes, from lasagne to bolognese. In this recipe I'll be using it as a base for a great meat-free chili.I always used to use frozen mince for my recipes, but these days I am making more and more things from the store cupboard or fresh out of the garden.This recipe can be made as mild or fiery as you like just by using different types of chili and increasing or decreasing the spices. This will be a matter of trial and error on your part to some extent to make it your own, but the ingredients here make a palatable level of heat for most people.

I recommend reading through the method before you start as you can have some things cooking while you're attending to other parts of the meal! 

Ingredients

• 100g dried soya mince, washed and simmered in 300ml boiling water
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil for frying
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 red chili, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 400g can kidney beans (rinsed under cold water) You could substitute other beans if you have them, but make sure they're soaked and cooked first.
• 400g can chopped tomato

Cooked rice to serve (follow the usual packet instructions or make according to your own taste). This can be cooked while your mince is simmering.

Method

In a saucepan over a medium heat simmer your mince in the boiling water until it absorbs the liquid and swells. Make sure all the liquid is used and give the mince a stir to break it up. Set aside.

In a large, heavy bottomed frying pan heat the oil and add the chili, onions and garlic until they start to soften.

Add the mince and then all the remaining ingredients (except the rice of course!). Stir together and allow to simmer over a low heat. 

Once the rice is cooked, drain off over the sink. It's up to you how you 

serve. You can keep the chili and rice separate and serve side by side on the plate, but I prefer to mix the chili and rice together in a massive bowl and let people help themselves at the table. Whatever you choose, do it quickly as it all cools down quite quickly.