Creamy mushrooms with rainbow chard

I cannot remember if I ever wrote about moving to Catford (I  just checked and I don't think I have written about moving to Catford, which is weird, because it was a big change in our life - owning a house for the first time, new area etc etc...). Anyway, when we first moved to Catford (the Corbett Estate) our eldest was only 2 years old and I was pregnant with our second. It was a completely new area for us and we knew nobody.

It was also quite a change from Nunhead (where we rented until then) - there were not many cafes, no delis and no sourdough pizza places (the horror!). On a more serious note though, I struggled to start with; I didn't know where all the local mums met up; I didn't even know any local mums; It felt like the closest place to go to a cafe was only accessible by car (Crofton Park, Lee or back to Peckham/East Dulwich); and I felt sick for much of the first few months (I think that was due to the pregnancy and not solely because we moved to Catford). All in all, Catford had not made the best of impressions on me.

After having my second daughter and having finished some hardcore refurbishments to the house I started to feel more at home. I started meeting more people at the parks, discovered Hither Green and Manor House Gardens and enjoyed life in Catford a little more. I also found out there was a very active local community in our estate, which is lovely to experience!

A few years on and we now have a couple of rather nice cafes, including Arlo and Moe and their wonderful evening pop ups. We also have a fantastic new deli (Good Food), with organic veg, cheeses from Neal's Yard and a pulse and flour selection that makes me want to cook like mad just to try it all. They also, to my husband's relief, stock craft beer, though my husband is NOT a hipster!!

I went in Good Food yesterday to get some mushrooms for dinner and they also had a bag of beautiful rainbow chard, so I bought that as well. In my head they made a good combination. So that evening I made creamy mushrooms on toast with rainbow chard. It was very satisfying (and partly healthy).

Serves 2 (or 4 as a starter)

300 g of mushrooms, chopped (I used brown mushrooms - use any kind you like)
200 g rainbow chard, washed and roughly chopped
50g butter
1 garlic clove, finelly chopped
150ml white wine
300ml double cream
tbs chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Toasted bread to serve with (doesn't have to be sourdough!)

1. Prepare the veg. Add the butter to a frying pan and out on a medium heat. Once melted add the mushrooms and garlic and allow to brown lightly. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Once the mushrooms are beginning to soften, turn the heat up and add the white wine. Allow to reduce to less than half and add the chard and the double cream.
3. Reduce the heat to low, put a lid on and let the chard wilt for a few minutes. Once it has softened, turn the heat off , stir in the parsley and serve on some warm crusty, toasted bread.

Peach and raspberry cobbler

Since we moved into our new kitchen we have been cooking like maniacs; chicken satay, pastichio, courgette flower fritters, rainbow cakes... Unfortunately we have been too focused on eating the end product, instead of taking pictures, so you just have to take my word for it...

Today, however, I am determined to document my cooking achievements and bring to you a peach and raspberry cobbler. This concoction has mainly come about from trying to use up fruit that has been left uneaten in the fridge (the kids decide they don't like certain fruits occasionally - this is in no way frustrating!), though don't get me wrong, it is a delicious combination! You can do it with most fruits you would use for a crumble, only you add a different topping, called a cobbler. It is more cake-like than a crumble, but can equally be enjoyed with ice cream, cream or custard along side it.

Serves 4-6

300 g fresh raspberries
500 g fresh, ripe peaches, chopped up (preferably peeled)
a pinch of golden caster sugar (I didn't add any, but it depends how sharp you like deserts)

for the cobbler:
100 g self raising flour
50 g butter, cold
50 g golden caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
4 tbs of milk
50 g of chopped or ground almonds (chopped give more texture)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160 C.
2. Butter a baking dish and add the whole raspberries and the chopped peaches (and the sugar, if you are adding any).
3. In a bowl, add the flour and the chopped butter and with your fingers rub together gently, till you get crumbs. Mix in the sugar and then add the milk and the beaten egg and stir into a batter. Add the almonds.
4. Spoon the mixture over the fruit in 'blobs' (it will expand during cooking). It doesn't matter if some fruit is still exposed.
5. Put in the oven and bake for 30 mins, until the top is golden brown.
6. Enjoy with cream, ice cream or custard, while its still warm.