Baby it's cold outside

{Gnocchi, tomato and mozzarella melt}

When you thought that Spring was on its way, it comes as a huge shock to wake up to minus temperatures and 'the beast from the east' who managed to dump a huge amount of snow pretty much all over the UK.  Just as I was getting my head round some lighter eating, my stomach was craving warming, bulky food that would sustain me through the bitterly cold day.  No, I didn't want crisp salads or spring veg risottos, I wanted hearty soups and warming stews, usually with a good dose of carb added in (mostly I managed to resist the carb overload).  I spent a happy few hours on a snow day evening, trawling through some cook books that I haven't looked at for a while, creating our weekly menu before heading out to shop for it all.  For more recipes that comfort the soul, have a look here and here for more inspiration, including classics such as mac n' cheese, mince and dumplings and fish and chips.

Gnocchi, tomato and mozarella melt

I'm not going to lie.  This is carb/calorie heavy and is billed as 'hangover food' but it works so well as a cold day supper and super easy to prepare.

You will need:

1 packet of gnocchi

packet of cherry tomatoes, halved

ball of mozzarella

basil leaves

- melt a tablespoon of butter and some oil in a frying pan and when frothing add the gnocchi.  Keep turning it from time to time until it turns golden and crispy on the outside

- add the tomatoes and cheese and resist the temptation to keep prodding and moving it about or your cheese will form a big gloopy lump

- tear over the basil leaves, salt and pepper and put your pan on the table and tuck right in.



Maybe it's the northerner in me, but I don't think you can beat a roast dinner when it comes to eating for comfort and pleasure.  When I was growing up meal times were family time and Sunday dinner was the icing on the week's cake.  So, perhaps I love a roast because for me, it also symbolises sharing, talking and laughing with the people I love the most.  Lamb isn't everyone's favourite roast due to it's high fat content, but when it's slow cooked for 4/5 hours, it takes on a succulent, sweet intensity that melts into your tastebuds.  Here's the recipe that I use:

 Roast lamb with flageolet beans

You will need:

whole shoulder of lamb

lamb stock cube

rosemary, finely chopped

garlic cloves, sliced into slivers

two tins of flageolet beans

chicken stock cube

small amount of double cream

- crumble the lamb stock cube with olive oil until you have a runny paste, before adding the rosemary

- prick the shoulder and insert slivers of garlic into the gashes

-spread the paste over the shoulder and put into the oven at 150 degrees c for four hours

- take the lamb out of the oven, cover with foil to rest and start on the beans to accompany the lamb

- putting the beans in a pan, crumble in the chicken stock cube and heat the beans gently

- when warm, add the cream and warm through before spritzing with a small amount of lemon juice to cut through the richness

- pull the lamb apart with two forks and serve on a large platter on top of the creamy beans

I usually serve a big pile of green veg with this - purple sprouting broccoli and green beans are a favourite in this house.

I'm not a pudding person at all, but if I am going to eat a pudding it has to be robust and filling.  Again I think of the puddings I ate as a child - and my mum wasn't a pudding cook either - but Saturdays and Sundays were for classic English puddings - castle puddings, lemon meringue pie and treacle tart were often on the menu, but the pudding I loved the most was one my paternal grandmother used to make - Eve's Pudding.  Made with bramley apples from the trees in their garden, it was the highlight of our lunches when we went for Sunday dinner, and is still a nostalgic favourite of mine now.



Food for me is all about family, sharing and love.  When someone I love is sad, I cook for them, when someone is ill, I cook for them, when someone is happy and wants to celebrate, I cook for them.  What are your go-to's when you're feeling nostalgic or want to make something delicious and warming? I'd love to hear...

Photos:  Sasha Wilkins, Friends, Food, Family

Summer Bites

The weather has been inclemently hot in London over the last few weeks.  We shouldn't be complaining that's for sure, however, it's been SO hot that I for one haven't really wanted to eat much at all.  At least, not until the sun has gone down and then sitting in the cool of the garden, I start to feel peckish.  By then it's getting late and I want to eat something fast, but also delicious and cooling and so this 'recipe' if you can call it that, is perfect.  Ripe pears, sweet parma ham and gusty Roquefort - all rolled up into bite size bits... seriously good with a little balsamic glaze drizzled over (and even better with some homemade sweet potato fries!). 

How to:

1. Cut your pear into quarters, quarter again  and then peel and core .
2. Cut the Roquetfort into rectangles about half a cm by 3cms.
3. Lie the Parma Ham flat and tuck into the end the Pear, Roquetfort, four Rocket leaves and finish with a good seasoning of Salt and Pepper.
4. Roll the bundle up and place on a serving dish on a bed of Rocket.
5. When you have completed your canapes, you could drizzle with truffle honey or balsamic glaze

That's it - enjoy!  You could even  sneak in  a very chilled glass of little Miss Sauvignon!

Photo credit: Peony Lim

Green Goodness - Courgetti Noodles

I'm pretty new to the spiralizer revolution, but that's not to say I'm not embracing it now I've finally got there!  There is a feeling, something akin to smugness I have to admit, of wholesomeness when you're munching through those delicate green strands. There is a plethora of recipes 'out there' for courgetti, but I still prefer the simplicity of a salad, or the softness of noodles sauted in butter and garlic with a smattering of parsley and feta.  Less is definitely more in this case.
Anyway, I came across this recipe and it struck all the right notes for me, so here it is.

You will need...

(Serves 2 as a Side or Starter - double the portions for a main)

3 Large Asparagus Spears, peeled
1 Large Courgette, spiralised
3 Mini Courgettes, peeled
4 Mini Fennels, finely sliced
½ cup of Fresh Peas
4 Sprigs of Tarragon, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Chives, finely chopped
2 tsp Capers
50g Feta, crumbled
½ Lemon, Juice and Zest
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp Good Olive Oil

There really isn't a 'method' as such - just some slicing and a bit of crumbling at the end...

1. Using a  vegetable peeler  peel the Asparagus and mini Courgette into a large bowl.
2. Then using either the julienne or spiralise the large Courgette into noodles and add it to the bowl.
3. Finely slice the Fennel and add it to the bowl along with the Peas, and Capers, Lemon Juice and Zest, Salt and Pepper and Olive Oil.
4. Finely chop the Tarragon leaves and Chives, then add to the bowl along with the crumbled Feta.
5. Toss the Salad throughly and serve with a little extra Olive Oil drizzled on top.

(You could substitute the feta with goats cheese, or crispy pancetta, you choose!)

photos by Peony Lim





Honey and Soy Belly Pork Slices

 

In our house we like nothing better than a good roast pork.  However, if it's a roast belly pork, then that tops the bill every time.  It's the one meal that I can guarantee has everyone sitting down in 2 seconds flat.  The key with cooking belly pork is to cook it long and slow.  This means that the fatty layers in between the meat have time to melt down into unctuous  deliciousness....  I have a variety of recipes that use belly pork slices, including this one from Nigella which uses potatoes, onions and belly pork slices; however, I recently came across a new recipe that may blow Nigella out of the water...

 Make up your marinade and coat pork and leave overnight.

Marinade

200g Slice of Pork Belly

1 Tbsp Grated Garlic

1 Tbsp Grated Ginger

1 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

¼ Cup Orange Juice

For Glaze – 2 Tbsp Honey

 Dipping Sauce

  1 Tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Golden Syrup

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Glaze the Pork with Honey and roast for an hour, glazing with more Honey every 15mins.

Allow to rest for 30 mins.

Take the left over Marinate and add the Sweet Soy Sauce and Golden Syrup, mix and place over a medium high heat in a pan. Reduce to a thick dipping sauce, this should take about 10 mins.

How to eat!

It's great with a simple boiled rice and a wonderful Asian slaw.  Or make up a veggie broth, add Pak Choi, asparagus, broccoli florets, some chilli flakes, soy sauce and noodles before slicing the pork on the top and garnish with a sprinkling of coriander.

Photo: Peony Lim

Chicken Pot Pies

 

In this family we love our pies.  Maybe it's a northern thing, after all I spent my teenage years ducking out of school to visit the nearest Greggs for a cheese and onion pasty!  I'm not a great lover of puff pastry though - something about the soft pastry doesn't work for me when combined with the gooey interior of the pie.  For me the best pie has a crumbly, crisp shortcrust pastry that melts in the mouth.  My current go-to is a one-pot chicken pie.  It came about as a way to extend the life of the Sunday roast chicken and it's become a favourite dish.  Part of the attraction is you get a pretty damn good pie for a small amount of effort - and that's always a winner in my book.  I can get in from work and have this made and on the table within the hour.

The basic recipe came from Jamie's 30 Minute Meals but I adapt it to whatever I have to hand.  As my children don't like mushrooms I substitute them for leeks.  I serve it with buttery mash and braised lettuce, peas and spring onions (trust me it's delicious).   The proof, as they say, is in the pie.

{I've also made this as a giant pie, rather than individual servings, with everyone able to just tuck in from the big pot}

Twice Baked Potatoes

There is nothing that is quite as versatile as the humble potato.  Boiled, sauted, mashed, crisped, chopped and of course baked.  A  baked potato really hits the spot when you're cold and tired and in need of the ultimate comfort food; it should be crispy on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside; lather it in butter,add some cheese and it's nothing short of nirvana.  In fact, the only thing better is a TWICE baked potato which is then stuffed with delicious things.  This 'recipe' (if you can call it that!) is a total winner in our house.  I serve it with a crisp green salad.

Ingredients:

one large potato per person (or more if you're very hungry or want leftovers)
diced pancetta
mature cheddar cheese
chives
sour cream
butter

How to:

• I always start by microwaving the potatoes for a short time to shorten the time in the oven - usually five minutes if I have 4 potatoes in there
• Place each potato on a metal skewer and place in the oven for approximately an hour.  They are done when you squeeze the skins and they give pleasingly
• Fry the pancetta until crispy and when the potatoes are ready...
• Half the potatoes and scoop out the soft flesh and place into a bowl.
• Add a good dollop of butter, salt and pepper and mix together until smooth
• Add as much cheese as you like for taste
• Add the pancetta and spoon the mixture back into the cases and place on a baking tray
• sprinkle a little extra cheese on the top and a smidgin of smoked paprika
• Place back in the oven (or under a hot grill if you can't wait any longer) for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted and golden brown
• Serve with sour cream and chopped chives

EAT...

Image: Peonylim

Blackberry and Blueberry Brown Butter Cake

With the hedgerows bursting with sweet ripe blackberries, this recipe is just shouting out to be used right now.  I love the autumnal colours of the cake and the brown butter gives the cake batter a nutty flavour as well as that hazelnut hue. It looks like it should take centre stage at a bachinalian feast.  As this recipe is American you may want/need to convert cups to grams and you can do this here.

You will need:

3/4 cup unsalted Challenge Butter

4 eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

10 ounces blackberries, for cake batter

6 ounces blueberries, for cake batter

6 ounces mixed blackberries and blueberries, optional garnish for the top of the cake

VANILLA POPPY SEED GLAZE

Icing sugar approx one and a half cups

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

First, brown the butter. When making browned butter, it is best to use a stainless steel pan so that you can see the color of the butter change. Heat the butter in a large shallow frying pan over medium heat until melted. Swirl the pan around a bit every couple minutes to help it cook evenly. Over a period of several minutes, you'll notice the foam at the top of the butter start to change from light yellow to a dark tan. Once it reaches the dark tan stage and the butter looks light brown and golden, smell it. It should smell nutty and similar to toffee. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the brown butter, eggs, and sugar until blended. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, mixing at medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Add the blackberries and blueberries and stir in by hand. Evenly distribute the batter between 2 well-greased and lightly floured 8-inch cake pans.

Place the pans in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until they're golden around the edges and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (don't insert it into a berry bit though, that will always come out rather jammy). Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans and setting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes have cooled, prepare the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the poppy seeds and whisk until they're evenly distributed throughout the glaze. Drizzle 1/3 off the glaze over the first (bottom) layer of the cake. Place the second layer on top of it and drizzle with the remaining glaze. Garnish with the fresh blueberries and blackberries and serve.
 

All images:Adventures in Cooking

Books by my Bedside

For a while now I've been reading Sasha Wilkins blog Liberty London Girl and enjoyed her varied and honest posts.  She's a style editor and has worked both here and in New York and although she is now based back in London, she certainly manages to get around.  She loves to cook, that much is obvious from the copious recipes on the blog, so I guess it was no great surprise that she had a cook book in the offing going by the name of Friends, Food, Family.  Well, it was released last week and as a little treat I ordered one up.  I've sort of given up buying cook books because a) I have so many and b) I've not had much time to peruse them.  I have, however, recently been extremely bored with my food offerings at the supper table; I've lacked inspiration when planning meals and haven't particularly enjoyed what I've been cooking, so thought this would be a good kick-start for me.  I got back from the gym this morning and there it was.  So far I've only had a quick flick through, but tonight in bed I will 'read' it properly, but even from the quick glances I've managed to earmark quite a few things to try.  The book is split into obvious sections like breakfasts, parties, cake and tea, kitchen suppers, but the real joy is that there's no fancy pants preparation involved in most of the recipes.  The ethos of the book is about sharing simple food that tastes great, with people who enjoy it.  Suits me.



{Roast lamb with anchovies, garlic and rosemary}



 



{Fried gnocchi with mozzarella,cherry tomatoes and basil}



{Chicken and root veg tagine}

I'm going to be trying out some of these recipes over the next few weeks.

Apricot and Salted Caramel Pots de Creme

 



 

Anyone that knows me, knows that anything with the words 'salted caramel' in them has me reaching for the recipe immediately.  There is something alchemical about the marriage of sweet and salty that is hard to beat.  This recipe is sweet, salty, fruity and creamy all at the same time.  You can eat it warm or cold and it tastes equally delicious.  I know that it looks as if one apricot isn't going to be enough, but in fact it prevents the pud being watery and seems to concentrate the flavour. 

 

Ingredients

1 apricot, pitted and finely chopped

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter

1 and 1/2 cups double cream, room temperature

 

3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped

6 large egg yolks, whisked together in a large bowl

 

                                                                makes about 6 ramekins

 

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small saucepan, bring the apricot, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half and is mostly jammy in texture.

2. While it is simmering, heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to turn amber colored and smells nutty. Remove it from heat as soon as this happens, if you leave it too long past that point it will burn.

 

3.  Immediately mix together the brown butter, cream, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until begins to bubble slightly around the edge. Slowly add some of the milk mixture to the eggs in the bowl, whisking constantly, until half of the milk mixture has been incorporated into the bowl. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and place the saucepan over low heat. Add the apricot mixture and the dark chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Evenly distribute the mixture between 6 small ramekins that have been placed on a lipped baking sheet. Pour water into the baking sheet, taking care not to splash any into the ramekins, until it is about 3/4-inch deep all around the pan. Cover the pan with a large sheet of tin foil and place it in the oven.

 

4.  Allow it to bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the caramel custard is set around the edges but still a bit wiggly in the center. Remove and allow to cool for 1 hour before serving. It can also be refrigerated for 4 hours and served chilled.

 

I like to sprinkle a few flakes of Maldon Sea Salt over the top and then I'm done.  Time to enjoy and share...

 

All Images:  Adventures in Cooking

Blueberry-Lavender Icecream

When the sun is shining there's nothing better than a scoop of delicious ice-cream, especially if it's homemade!  We are so lucky that it's quite easy to find good quality ice-cream in the shops, but for a special occasion it adds something if you make your own.  I'm a bit of a lavender fiend and have experimented with this Lavender cocktail and this Lavender hot chocolate and with a hot weekend forecast for London over the next few days, I thought it was time for a lavender desert.  

Ingredients:

• 3 cup(s) heavy cream
• 1 cup(s) whole milk
• 1 tablespoon(s) dried lavender flowers
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 cup(s) blueberries

Directions:

1. Make the ice-cream base: Scald the cream, milk, and lavender flowers in a medium saucepan. Remove pan from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Fill a large bowl halfway with water and ice and set aside. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and heat just until it reaches a boil. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until they become thick and pale. Whisking constantly, add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream to the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly using a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon -- about 2 minutes. Immediately remove from heat, strain, and cool completely in the prepared ice bath. Stir in the vanilla extract.
2. Make the ice cream: Process in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a medium bowl and fold in the blueberries. Cover completely by placing plastic wrap directly on the ice cream surface and store in freezer for up to 1 week.

via Delish.com

Have a lovely weekend...

image: Town&Country

Dish of the Day - Shakshuka

I recently came across a recipe for a dish called Shakshuka which is a North African dish that is ideal for a brunch or light supper.  Traditionally made with a thick, chunky and spicy tomato sauce, the beauty of this dish is it's versatility.  You can add preserved lemon, feta, different vegetables, it's your choice.  On the top you crack some eggs and this was the winner for me as I love eggs in every guise.  So...

Green Shakshuka

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced or micro-planed

1 spicy pepper (any variety would work here), sliced

1 bunch of swiss chard, cut into 1/2 inch ribbons

1 cup spinach (tightly packed)

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

Salt and pepper, to season

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Over medium heat, warm the olive oil to a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Add the sliced leeks and celery. Cook until leeks soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sliced spicy pepper, and sauté for another 3 minutes. Toss in the swiss chard, spinach, oregano and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper (make sure not to over-salt the mixture, the feta adds saltiness as well).

Once the swiss chard and spinach have wilted, scrape down the sides, and pat down the mixture. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the greens mixture and carefully crack the eggs over the top, one at a time and spaced slightly apart. Add some more freshly ground black pepper.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes (longer if you prefer your eggs cooked more, or less time for runnier eggs). Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread. 

You can be creative with the cheese you add - maybe mozarella, a goat cheese or even a blue cheese like gorgonzola.  

Here is a tutorial from the wonderful Yotam Ottolenghis with his more traditional version of Shakshuka.

Images: 1/2

Almond Snacks

 

It's no secret that I love nuts - peanuts, almonds, monkey nuts, pistachios, walnuts, pinenuts....so when I came across a recipe recently that souped up the humble almond it was a given that I would give it a go.  There are other recipes for elevating the humble nut into something special, including this recipe from Nigella that is a nod to the spicy nuts served in the Union Square Bar in New York.  This one uses just a few ingredients:

 

2 cups raw whole almonds
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt:

 

To Make:

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Mix all the ingredients together before placing on greaseproof paper on a baking tray.  Cook for 8-10 mins, stirring from time to time and keeping an eye on them so that they don't burn.  Allow to cool and a crisp glaze has formed over the nuts.

 

Then munch!

 

 

 

 

images: Spoon Fork Bacon