Memories - Chocolate Cup Cakes and Carrot and Parsnip Soup

Isn't it amazing how some aromas and flavours can transport you back in time. This week I bought some beautiful Blue Cod from my local wonderful Fish Shop "Catch a Fish Takeaways" in Parnell.
When I tasted this fish I immediately thought of my Mother. This is how she cooked fish and with the taste of butter and the beautiful flakiness of the Cod...Memories just flooded back.
Brings tears to your eyes. 

So I took it home and treated it very simply, as one should do with fresh fish,

Seasoned it quick dusting of flour
Into med hot pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and
Cook on first side about 3 minutes.
Add a good knob of butter and turn fish.
Another 2-3 minutes
Put aside to rest for a few minutes.

I served this with Herb Stuffed Mushrooms and Broccoli with Garlic Lemon Butter
Can't get much better than that. Quick squeeze fresh lemon juice.

Next... I watched Rachel Allen make cup cakes on her "Bake" programme... on Food TV
More memories, when I was young and went to the first cooking classes. Form 2, 12 years old.
They taught us to make little Queen Cakes and Chocolate Cakes.
The recipe just made a dozen.
In the School Holidays My Mother would go to work in the local Bookshop about 10am
Leave us to look after ourselves.
My friend Dianne Torstonson would come over, and we would bake these cakes.
Pulled them out of the oven and proceeded to eat the lot, hot, on one go.
Here we are women of the world!!!

Very greedy but they were just fab.
I have never been able to find a recipe that only made a few
So thank you Rachel Allen, her recipe makes just 8 Cup Cakes.
You can whip them up from Go To Whoa in just 30 minutes.
Dale and I only ate one each and I waited for them to cool so that I could ice them.
Her recipe was for Lemon cakes
I adjusted the recipe and made her cakes into Chocolate ones.
Easy Peasy.

Couple of hints
Have all ingredients at room temperature
In fact as the oven was heating I popped the sugar in for about 2 minutes, just to warm it.
A baking hint from my friend Catherine.

So let's get on with it.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C

Line 8 muffin tins with paper cases


125 gms butter softened
125 gms sugar
2 large eggs
150 gms plain flour sifted
 Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace with 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
Several drops of vanilla extract

Beat the butter till soft
Add sugar in thirds
Keep beating
Add eggs one at a time
Add vanilla
Stir in sifted dry ingredients in thirds

Divide mixture evenly amongst the paper cakes

Into oven
Bake 18  mintes
Test with a skewer if still gooey back into the oven for another minute
Onto a rack to cool

If you want eat some now whilst hot go for it or
Make a chocolate icing and smother the little cakes

Here's an easy icing


85 gms dark choc chips
Knob of butter
65 gms icing sugar
Few drops of Vanilla extract
Little hot water till it reaches the right consistency
I reckon fresh orange juice in place of the vanilla and hot water would be excellent
Melt the chocolate chips over a pan of hot water
Add butter
Stir well
Add icing sugar and flavourings
Stir well till right consistency to ice

Yumo

It's cold today and we returned home from our dear friend John Wallace's Funeral in Taupo
We needed something to warm our bodies and our sad souls.
I made a quick Carrot and Parsnip Soup
Another 30 minute dish
Don't cook it too long or you will lose the wonderful buttery taste of the Carrots and Parsnips

Very simple
50 gms butter
2 carrots peeled
1 parsnip peeled
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 litres of stock

Grate the vegetables
Melt butter in pot
Add the grated vege
Season
Cook gently till tende about 8 minutes
Into blender

Blitz
Add the stock
Blend till smooth

Back into pot
bring to boil and simmer about 5 minutes
And just serve as is. Delicious

After that cooking and eating I turned on the TV and caught up on my My Sky.
Now just waiting for the sun to go over the yard arm for the first wine of the day.
Actually there is no sun, so I think I will have one anyway now.