Here are some favourite summer recipes from the Retirement Security team for you to try. We hope they might make it into your own repertoire of favourites too!

English Apple Pie

Pastry

Ingredients

200 g (220 ml) Stork
125 g (150ml) sugar
2 eggs
300 g (600 ml) flour
50 g (100 ml) cornflour
2 ml baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 23 cm pie plate.
2. Cream Stork and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and beat well.
4. Add the sifted dry ingredients and knead well as this pastry is soft.
5. Place in freezer for +1 1/2 hours, or until firm enough to handle.
6. Roll out half and line a 23 cm pie plate.
7. Bake pastry blind for 10 minutes at 200°C while preparing filling.

Filling

Ingredients

3 medium cooking apples
Juice of 1/2 lemon
50 g (60 ml) granulated sugar
50 g (60 ml) brown sugar
12.5 ml flour
1 ml grated nutmeg
1 ml cinnamon
Grated rind of 1/2 orange
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
60 g chopped raisins and sultanas
25 ml orange juice
12.5 ml Stork

Directions

1. Peel and slice apples.
2. Soak them in which you have added lemon juice to keep their colour.
3. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon and rub a little of this mixture into the pastry lining.
4. Add grated orange and lemon rind to remaining sugar mixture.
5. Cover bottom of pastry shell with sliced apples and sprinkle with a few chopped raisins and sultanas and some of the sugar mixture to taste.
6. Repeat layers until pie shell is richly filled.
7. Sprinkle filling with orange juice and dot with Stork. Roll out top pastry crust. Fit top crust over apples, pressing the edges together or fluting them. (Alternatively the pastry may be grated
   over the filling).
8. Cut slits in top to release steam and bake at 200°C for 35 – 40 minutes or until apples are tender.
9. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm with cream.

Mozzarella, Peach and Prosciutto Salad

Ingredients

Ripe peach
Buffalo mozzarella
Prosciutto
Fresh mint
Mixed salad leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon
Dried red chilli (optional)

Directions

1. Use one nice, ripe peach, half a ball of mozzarella and a couple of slices of prosciutto.
2. Pinch the skin of the peaches and peel from the bottom to the top, then quarter.
3. Rip the mozzarella into small pieces and place on a plate with the peaches. Lightly season with
   sea salt and black pepper.
4. Lay a couple of slices of prosciutto over the top.
5. Tear up the mint leaves, toss with the mixed salad leaves and dress with a little of the extra virgin olive oil & lemon juice dressing.
6. Throw the leaves on top. Simple!

Greek Style Chicken Orzo

Ingredients

For Chicken

2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
Juice of ½ lemon
Extra virgin olive oil

For Orzo

Extra virgin olive oil
2 peppers any colour, cored and sliced into rounds
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper, to season
500g dry uncooked orzo pasta (this can be substituted for any pasta shape!)
Feta cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. In a small bowl, combine spices needed for the chicken (oregano, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper).
3. Pat the chicken dry, and season well with the spices on both sides. Place the seasoned chicken in a large tray or bowl and add lemon juice. Set aside for a few minutes.
4. In a large oven-safe pot, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering.
5. Add the chicken and brown on both sides (about 8 to 10 minutes). Transfer the chicken to a plate for now.
6. In the same pot, add the bell pepper slices and sear on either side. Remove and place with the chicken for now.
7. If needed, add another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft. Add the garlic, and cook another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, broth, spices, and a dash of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then add the orzo pasta.
8. Nestle the chicken pieces into the orzo mixture, and top with the bell pepper slices.
9. Transfer the pot to the heated oven oven. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until the orzo is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid.
10. Remove from oven, cover and let sit 5 minutes undisturbed.
11. Before serving, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with fresh parsley and feta, if you like.

Freshly Baked Scones

Makes 12

Ingredients

500 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
4½ teaspoons cream of tartar
50 grams cold unsalted butter (diced)
25 grams Trex vegetable shortening in teaspooned lumps (or use another 25g/2 tablespoons butter)
300 millilitres milk
1 large egg (beaten, for egg-wash)

Directions

You will need a 6½ cm / 2½ inch crinkle-edged round cutter and a lightly greased baking tray.

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/450°F.
2. Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Rub in the fats till it goes like damp sand. Add the milk all at once, mix briefly — briefly being the operative word — and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form a dough.
3. Roll out to about 3cm thickness. Dip the cutter into some flour, then stamp out at least 10 scones. You get 12 in all from this, but may need to reroll for the last 2. Place on the baking tray very close together — the idea is that they bulge and stick together on cooking — then brush the tops with the egg-wash. Put in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until risen and golden.
4. Always eat freshly baked, preferably still warm from the oven, with clotted cream and jam or, my favourite, Thunder and Lightning, which is (as in the picture) clotted cream and black treacle.

Did you try a recipe?

We would love to hear from you, so we can share it in the next edition of our new Court Circular.
Email [email protected] or send handwritten notes or printed material via your Court Manager.