Designer Dishes

Review: Canteen, Spitalfields, London

2012-03-01T17:08:00.000Z

In a strange turn of events, I first became aware of the small London-based Canteen chain when I heard about their temporary pop-up restaurant in Covent Garden which is in residence until mid-March. I would imagine that, in a normal world, it would be the other way around. Evidentially, my world is (at least) a little atypical (not that I’m surprised). In need of a spot for an early lunch/very late brunch near Liverpool Street train station and Canteen’s Spitalfields location fit the bill.

Having called in advance to try and book a table, I was told that Sundays is the only day that they don’t take reservations. Not such a good start. So instead of booking, we turned up and were greeted by a flustered member of the waiting staff who didn’t seem to appreciate our request for a table. Eventually, we managed to establish that, yes, it was quite full inside and we could wait in a queue for a table indoors or take our pick of the tables outside. We chose a semi alfresco table under the glass roof of Old Spitalfields Market which was nicely sheltered from the elements and gave us a great view of the Sunday stallholders going about their business.

Canteen’s menu revolves around hearty dishes including braised, spiced pigs cheeks and daily changing roast - Sundays is good old beef with Yorkshire puddings but I’d like to try Wednesdays or Saturdays; roast duck with figs. They also serve an all-day breakfast menu, filled with traditional meals – the steadfast bacon sandwich – to the more unusual – rhubarb compote with granola. The combinations seem simple but well thought out.

It took a while for us to be noticed by our waiter in our open-air setting and once we’d ordered, we waited quite a while for our food. My eggs benedict was nicely presented but could have done with a touch more hollandaise to make it really hit the spot. The muffins were grilled until burnt around the edges and the charred taste tainted the entire plate. The poached eggs, however, were good and I believe that they can be a reliable test of a kitchen’s technical ability. One of my friends chose the mutton and vegetable pie of the day which was served with mash, a formidable pile of cabbage and lashings of graving. The meat was tender and it was a very generous portion. By contrast, my other tablemate was somewhat disappointed by the slightly stingy ‘Full English’ breakfast which turned out to be one sausage, one rasher of bacon, one flat mushroom, half a tomato and two eggs. Though the individual elements of the meal were cooked well, I don’t think that he came away feeling particularly satisfied considering the price, poor lamb.

After slow service and slapdash execution, we didn’t think that the 12.5% service charge that they had taken the liberty to add on to the bill was justified. The kitchen is obviously technically able but they seem to lack attention to detail and grasp of timing. It’s a shame because the menu is great; neither too long nor too short with a bias towards fresh, quality ingredients. Go for lunch or dinner when you’re not in a hurry for stodgy filling fare.

Canteen has four outlets in London. Tel: 0845 686 1122. The Spitalfields venue can be found at 15 Crispin Place, Old Spitalfields Market, London E1 6DW.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2012

2012-02-27T17:11:00.000Z

Guess what? It’s fairtrade fortnight! Did you know that three in every ten bananas bought in the UK are fairtrade? Sainsburys have taken the radical step of only selling fairly traded bananas - even their 'Basics' economy bananas bare the mark.

Fairtrade has always been close to my heart after having the concept drummed into me while at university, which happened to be the first fairtrade university institution. I am passionate ensuring that producers and growers get a fair price for their wares - in an ideal world, all of my foodstuffs would come from the UK but this simply isn't possible (I love rice and sugar... Mmm, rice pudding!). Buying products with the fairtrade mark assures you that you're buying ethical produce and it's on a huge variety of products - from tea and coffee to chocolate and clothes.

Get involved!
Wondering what is fairtrade?

Fairtrade is a term that defines a product which has been bought from a famer or producer who works in decent conditions for a reasonable wage.

Read more about Fairtrade here.

Fairtrade Fortnight runs from Monday 27th February until Sunday 11th March 2012. You can find out more about this years campaign here as well as more details of events near you.

Review: The Castle, Islington, London

2012-02-25T20:47:00.000Z

We descended en masse to trendy Islington in search of a venue for the congregation of my motley university crew. A mere five minute walk from Angel Station and about an easy ten or so minute stroll from King's Cross and St Pancras railway stations, The Castle won on location and my friends previous positive experiences.

A modern take on the traditional English watering hole, The Castle has seating for about sixty and a short, simple menu featuring the classics. They had a great selection of beers from around the world (not to mention Adnams on tap) and a nice wine list, many of which can be enjoyed by the glass. Service was prompt and welcoming when we arrived. Our table had been laid out downstairs but the Spring sunshine was calling us so we asked to move upstairs to their sun-drenched rooftop terrace and they kindly obliged without a grumble.

Having perused the food on offer which included bangers and mash and steak and chips, we placed an order with the friendly manager. Given that we were a party of seven, we were impressed that our meals came out together though the weekend lunch rush wasn't yet fully under way. We were able to set up a tab for our table by swapping a bank card for a business card bearing the Geronimo chain's trademark pig which read "If you wake up with this in your wallet then you've had a fantastic night and your credit card is still behind the bar". Brilliant!

The world was put to rights over a luxuriously leisurely lunch. One of my party tried the establishment's Elvis Burger (above); beetroot, fried egg, a rasher of bacon, onion ring, tons of salad and - not forgetting - a patty of Angus beef served in a crisp bun with a side of skin-on seasoned chips. It's described as a "heart attack in a bun" for a reason! For those with a less elephantine appetite, their run of the mill Angus burger, with or without the optional rasher of bacon, was popular with our party - meaty and smothered with mature cheese. Another of my friends enjoyed their broccoli and Stilton soup, the flavour of the day, which was smooth and flavourful.

I enjoyed a succulent onion and roast garlic tart on a flakey puff pastry crust topped with goats cheese and a poached ducks egg. The combination of sweet onions, silky yolk, crunchy pastry and sharp crumbly chévre was a delight. The bed of rocket, tomato and cucumber dressed in a wholegrain mustard vinegrette made it a light yet satisfying meal. Unfortunately, the poached egg wasn't quite as well done as I would've liked - the white still clear and gloopy in places - though the yolk was a triumph so alls well that ends well.

We finished things off by sharing a few servings of sticky toffee pudding, which as a bit of a let down. It was more like toffee cake drizzled with a little toffee sauce rather than a steamed pudding drenched in rich caramel goodness. It just didn't quite hit the spot, which was a shame after an otherwise lovely meal.

Overall, The Castle - either inside at the bar or outside on the rooftop - is an ideal venue for a chilled out informal lunch or drinks. Grab a pint or glass of your favourite tipple and take your pick from their pleasingly succinct menu but don't bother with dessert.

The Castle can be found at 54 Pentonville Road, Islington, London, N1 9HF. Tel: 020 7713 1858 Main meals: £8 - £14. Puddings: £5 - £7. Nearest Tube: Angel

Review: Lantana, Goodge Street, London

2012-02-24T22:07:00.002Z

On a late Friday afternoon, when the dedicated are ringing out their last ounce of enthusiasm at their desks and the work shy are hot footing it to the nearest public house, Lantana is a tranquil space to enjoy a rich cup of coffee and a cake. There's a steady stream of chatter and the hiss of the espresso machine; a great setting for a spot of pre-weekend escapism.

I first heard about Lantana from a friend who's boyfriend is Australian. They raved about the lazy brunch they'd shared which had been accompanied by a "proper Aussie" coffee or three. I've always loved the concept of breakfast or brunch somewhere further than my front door but my morning appetite precludes this. Very frustrating. Maybe one day I'll manage to keep my rumbly tummy in check with a sneaky slice of toast before heading out for a some maple french toast with bacon, bananas and candied pecans (oh lordy) or baked eggs with roasted mushrooms. That's if I can drag myself out from the cocoon of my duvet in time for breakfast (heck, it's a wrench during the week, let alone at the weekend).

Anyhow, I found myself at a loose end during the long final hours of the working week and decided that a hot drink and cake was in order before I embarked on my habitual weekend train journey. I was lead to a table with a prime view of the serving counter (all the better to see frothy latte art being churned out) and ordered a hot chocolate and a charming little friand cake. It's worth keeping in mind that the kitchen closes at 3pm but fear not as coffee, cake and gravity-defying sub sandwiches are available until closing time.

The hot chocolate (£2.50) was sweet and creamy, a nice change from the powdery, bland imitations that I've seen masquerading as hot chocolate of late. I sipped from my glass (rather than a mug, strangely satisfying) and cast my eye of the menu boards. They had some truly delicious sounding salads chalked up - will have to return for a little more sustinence next time. They have links with the lovely Gail's bakery who supply them with their fantastic sour dough. A match made in heaven!

The friand (£1.90) was fantastic too - a soft, moist almond cake with a lovely sticky crumb and warming marzipan flavour. Mine had a generous slice of juicy apricot baked into the top which equally complimented and contrasted the richness of the almonds. A real winner and just the right size to knock back hunger without making me feel absolutely stuffed.

The proprietors of Lantana opened with the aim of bringing a cup of Australian café culture to London and you can definitely feel the Aussie influence as you take a seat. I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly; maybe it's the cute, genuine human staff or their mean flat white coffees or the huge jar of Vegemite displayed proudly on the counter... The atmosphere is relaxed, laid back but not sloppy. The guy working the espresso machine really knew his stuff and everything was spick and span without feeling sterile. The toilets were clean and tidy (a rare and precious thing in central London) and they even have free secure wifi for all the techies out there.

It's a stones throw from Tottenham Court Road so it's an ideal spot to hide away from the maddening shopping crowds. It's a pretty small establishment - seating thirty at most - but if it's packed, you can make a bee-line for their takeaway outlet next door. I have to go back; if not for breakfast then for their take on the English BLT, the BRAT (bacon, rocket, avocado and tomato).

Lantana can be found at 13 Charlotte Place, London, W1T 1SN. Tel: 020 7637 3347. Nearest Tube: Goodge Street.

From Russia with love - Maslenitsa Festival 2012

2012-02-23T17:24:00.000Z

Spring feels tantalisingly close now as the weather gets warmer (yay!) and wetter (boo!) and the crocuses start to break through the softening soil. What better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons that to take to Trafalgar Square this Sunday and visit the Maslenitsa Festival.

Russian Sun Festival is an annual event which celebrates of the end of winter chills and the start of Spring with music, dancing and (most importantly) food. With Russian delicacies such as stroganoff and borscht (beetroot soup) as well as traditional pastries and (if you're not already pancaked out) blini's on sale, be sure to bring an empty tummy. Once you've had your fill, there are musical and theatrical performances and lots of stalls selling crafts and souvenirs.

The Maslenitsa Festival will be in Trafalgar Square from 1:30pm until 6:30pm on Sunday 26th February 2012. Entrance to the festival is free. It marks the start of a week of celebrations.

Review: Tombo, Kensington, London

2012-02-16T16:24:00.003Z

The clean and contemporary interior of Tombo is a refreshing contrast to the smoggy, grimy London streets outside. Everything about the decor and the food is traquil and ordered from the emaculate maki to the wooden hour glasses to tell you when your tea is brewed to perfection. It's a great place to grab a cup of tea or a bite to eat.

We arrived a little before 6pm when they were relatively quiet and started with some delicate Flowering Osmanthus tea (£3.10) which, when steeped, turned a pretty rose petal pink and tasted mildly of Ribena. Delish! Food came in the form of a fantastically savoury black seaweed salad (£3.30) with chickpeas, french and edamame beans dressed in soy. A feast for the eyes and taste buds though a frustration for the chopsticks. The Tombo Combo No 1 (£7.50) provided an elegant centrepiece for our table for approximately two minutes - time enough for it to be duly admired before it was devoured. Each roll was embellished with fresh soft herbs pressed into the rice. We finished with a fragrant pot of blossoming jasmine tea (£3.10) which had a fantastically floral flavour that (plesantly) surprised us all.

The service was prompt and friendly and the café itself was perfectly turned out. It's mere minutes from the crossroad of Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road so it's ideally placed for a lunch when you're visiting the London museums.
Tombo can be found at 29 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7 2HQ. Tel: 0207 589 0018 Food can be enjoyed in or taken away.

On the bread line

2012-02-09T17:01:00.000Z

Rumble rumble went the Tube train as it shot along the Piccadilly Line. Rumble rumble grumbled my stomach, chiming in harmony with my mode of transportation. Ah, the joys of the morning commute. My morning porridge – though packed with fruit, nuts and seeds and totally delicious – hadn’t quite hit the spot but I had a plan to fill the hole and sate my tummy tiger. Luckily, I reached my destination before my stomach started actually talking to my fellow travellers.

I’d heard tell, through the realms of Twitter, that the Gail’s Bakery that The Boy and I had visited only last month had been closed for a day for refurbishment. To celebrate their shiny new store, they were giving away free bread (true story!). Needless to say, I am a sucker for free food so I didn’t need to be told twice. Thankfully, the South Kensington branch isn’t too much of a diversion to prevent me from popping in on my way to work and indulging.

Being greeted with a smile and a warm pain au chocolat was a great way to kick-start my day. The staff were wonderfully bright and breezy for pre-9am (can you tell that I’m not what you’d call a morning person?). I adore passion and the ladies here obviously love what they do. Why wouldn’t they when they are surrounded by glorious coffee and quality cake?

I was gifted a reassuringly crisp loaf of San Francisco sour dough bread swathed in one of their trademark thick brown paper bags. Sour dough is one of my very recent discoveries but, for me, it’s the antithesis of the usual sponge-y supermarket loaf. Gail’s San Fran loaf has a thick robust crust with a thin skin of flour (floury fingerprints - a tell-tale sign that I’d been sneaking bread!) and a light, chewy crumb. It’s great simply sliced and used for a sandwich but I think that it truly comes into its own when you toast it. I like it crispy on the outside but with a hint of raw chewiness in the middle. Slather it with honey or jam and it’s an absolute delight! Try it and you won’t think of bread in the same way again.

Bread aside, their newly refreshed South Ken branch is looking mighty fine! Go and check it out for yourselves.

Gail’s has ten bakeries in the city of London and their South Kensington branch is open from 7am on weekdays.

Where to drink in Nottingham

2012-02-02T17:28:00.000Z

My travels took me to Nottingham to visit a good friend who is travelling around Australia for a year or so (yes, I am positively green with envy!). If you're there and fancy a drink, take a look at our recommendations!

Time for tea?

White Rabbit Tea House
12 Hounds Gate, Nottingham NG1 7AB Tel: 0115 924 0227

A very cute venue (complete with beautiful tea sets and bunny salt sellers) that's a little like a crowded front room. There was an amazing selection of homemade cakes on display but we were in need of lunch so we nibbled on panini's. We had a melty Mozzarella, Tomato and Red Pesto which was tasty but it was the Chorizo, Jarlsberg and Jalapeno chilli Panini that really stole the show. Slightly let down by surly service.

Homemade
20 Pelham St, Nottingham NG1 2EG Tel: 0115 924 3030

A fantastic place for all occasions. We had tea and cake while the others around us wolfed down ginormous breakfasts with glee. It seemed to be popular on a Sunday with students merrily nursing their hangovers and exchanging banter about their nights out. The service is friendly and fast and the food is simple, classic and tasty. It was shortlisted for an Observer Food Monthly prize and you can see why. A real winner!

After something stronger?

Coco Tang
45 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham NG1 2GN Tel: 0782 588 9370

Below the cobbled streets and fashion boutiques of Bridlesmith Gate, you'll find sleek and slinky Coco Tang. It's an intimate basement venue with a small dancefloor. Go for their ingenious cocktails – our favourites were Haribo and Black Forest Gateaux. Happy hour 8pm – 10pm everyday and free entry all night too!.

Cashew Cookie Bars

2012-01-29T14:48:00.002Z

Despite my love of food, I’m not actually that good at feeding myself. Feeding others is no problem – easy peasy – but taking care of number one isn’t high on my list of priorities. I’m a rather busy lady but it’s taken me a while to grasp that I need to replace the calories that I’m working out of my system. It’s starting to dawn on me (after several oh-my-gosh-i-feel-faint moments – whoops!) that I maybe need to start eating a little more between my bike rides, dance classes, acrobatic episodes and general dogs bodying.

Now, if this wasn’t enough to undertake, I want to eat right too. Empty calories aren’t my thing – they need to be functional, nutritious and oh so delicious. I discovered Nakd Cashew Cookie bars a little while ago and loved them so much that I was determined to try and make my own. Considering that the lovely people at Nakd cram a magical mix of dates and nuts into their soft chewy bars, I figured that it wouldn’t be too difficult to create my own version in the kitchen.

I did a little research and found that America has their own equivalent – Lara bars – which are pretty similar. The more I read, the more I thought “it doesn’t need to be this difficult! It’s just nuts and fruit…” so I threw caution to the wind. I ground up a load of cashews, snipped up several handfuls of sticky dates and got my hands rather dirty smooshing it all together. One of the great winners about these bars is that they are 100% bake free. No cooking required!

They can be a little time consuming to make but they are well worth it. The finished bars are just as yielding and sweet as the originals. I wrapped mine individually in cling-film and now keep one in my rucksac for a post-workout shot of protein. Keep them in the fridge and pop one in your bag or lunchbox for a healthy snack. One of your five a day!

Cashew Cookie bars
Makes 12 bars

Ingredients:
200g pitted unsweetened dates
200g unsalted cashews

- Line a loaf tin with Teflon non-stick baking sheet, greaseproof paper or cling film before you start (and you get super sticky fingers).
- Grind the cashews in a food processor or blender until fine. You want them to be the consistency of ground almonds or course sand though a few chunks or whole nuts in the mix are fine by me. If you don’t have a food processor, you could seal the nuts in a plastic bag, wrap in a few tea towels and then bash with a rolling pin. Free stress relief!
- Snip up the dates with scissors so that they are in very small pieces (as fine as you have the patience for – it will pay off later!). You could also chop them in the food processor if you have one that is man enough for the job.
- Combine both in a bowl and get your hands in to work the mixture. Scrunch it up in your hands, balling it together and then breaking it apart again to form a firm but slightly sticky mixture. This took me about five minutes but it depends how strong you’re feeling.
- Tip the mixture into your prepared tin and level with a spoon.
- Compress the mixture using the back of a spoon and then the bottom of a tumbler or end of a rolling pin. Keep pressing it down until it’s very solid and holds together.
- Remove the block from the tin (pull gently on the lining to help ease it out) then cut into bar-sized portions.

Telling porkies

2012-01-27T16:03:00.000Z

You're aware of my love affair with Stylist magazine after their Nigella-edited caramel issue. Well, Stylist's brother title (one for the boys) is Shortlist which is another fab weekly free paper. They write about lots of fun stuff including the very best in gadgetry, entertainment and male style. Having been something of a tom boy growing up, I like to pluck a copy out of the arms of the newspaper fairies that stoically brave the streets and underground during it's busiest periods to bestow us with light entertainment on our travels.

They have various "Instructions for men" ("an instruction manual worth reading"!) and the above diagram grabbed my eye while I read about how not to be conned online and other useful stuff. Accompanying their "How to make a proper pork pie from scratch" article, Dave Hopkins beautiful illustration harks back to the good ol' days of black and white etchings. I adore the detail; it reminds me of some of the worn cookery books that live on my parent's kitchen shelves.

Caramelised balsamic onions

2012-01-24T17:32:00.000Z

I don’t know about you but I love a versatile ingredient; an item that can spark (at least) a dozen recipe or meal ideas and a flush of food-related excitement. There are many, many things that have that effect on me but there’s one in particular that I would like to share with you today.

Caramelised onions.

Those two words set off a firework of cooking concepts in my mind; recipes sizzle in my sub-conscious while images flicker in front of my eyes. Caramelised white onions in bolognaise sauce, sweet fried onions piled onto cheese atop a crisp cracker, crumbly goats cheese tart mingled with caramelised red onions, a rich onion-y hit in soups and stews… the list goes on and on. My mouth is watering while I type!

You can buy jars of onions chutney in the supermarkets which is all well and good but you can easily make your own easily and cheaply at home. Onions are a staple which I always have in my store cupboard because they are the foundation of many (most!) of my savoury dishes. Caramelising simply involves cooking them over a low heat for an extended period of time to bring out their natural sweetness. Once cooked, they can be kept for up to a week in the fridge but I doubt very much that they will last that long! If you have enough self-control, a jar of deliciously soft and sweet onions can make a fantastic gift idea for foodies.So if you’ve ever wondered how to make caramelised onions, read on.

I’d love to spend tons of time slaving over the stove but I genuinely don’t have the time. My recipe below gives you a cheat’s option which side steps the traditional yet time-consuming caramelising process. Of course, if you have the time to spare, by all means sweat them down over an hour or so to get the most out of them. If, like me, you’re short on time but need your onion fix, give this easy healthy recipe a go!

Balsamic caramelised onions
Makes 1 jar

Ingredients:
2 onions (red or white)
1 tsp sunflower oil or butter
½ tsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

- Halve the onions, peel and slice. Sniffle.
- Pour in the oil (or butter, allowing it to melt if using) to a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the onions and sweat (covering with a lid) for five minutes or until softened.
- Remove the lid and reduce the heat. Cook for a further 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. The onions may catch on the bottom of the pan which is okay but don’t let them burn. If the mixture starts to look too dry, add a little water.*
- Add the sugar/honey and salt and stir well.
- Drizzle the onions with balsamic vinegar and use a metal or wooden spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the balsamic has evaporated.
- Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Smother on crackers, add to cheese toasties... the possibilities are endless!

*At this point, you could cook for up to an hour if you have time for a more traditional caramelised flavour.

Bar of goodness!

2012-01-20T16:23:00.000Z

Try as I might, I can't help but love to snack. I do my best to go for healthy options but sometimes I (like everyone out there) need a little convenience in my life. I have a dreadful sweet tooth too so I was delighted to happen upon Nakd bars in the supermarket while on a sneaky hunt for chocolate.

They're soft, chewy bars of simple ingredients with no weird additives to speak of. My favourite bar is the cashew cookie (above) which is made up of a virtually fifty-fifty combination of cashew nuts and dates.
Their simplicity means that they're gluten, wheat and dairy free which makes them an easy go-to for those that suffer with allergies or intolerances.

Despite its distinct lack of ingredients, it tastes remarkably like cookie dough and one bite leads to another... Before I know it, the entire bar is gone! Which has got me wondering... How easy would they be to make? Watch this space!

Pineapple and mango upside-down cake - sunshine on a plate!

2012-01-19T17:01:00.000Z

Do not adjust your display settings. I thought I'd bring you a little edible sunshine in Spring! It this doesn't cheer you up after the freezing, wet days that we've had, I don't know what will! When you think of seasonal food at this time of year, your thoughts might fall to comforting root vegetables but tropical fruits are in their prime right now. Admitedly, they're not grown in the UK so there are a lot of food miles involved but if you're going to buy them, you might as well have them when they are at their best!

Pineapples, mangoes and passionfruits are all in season so I decided to combine them in one tasty cake for a fund-raising event at work. I adore pineapple upside-down cake so I thought that I would go one better and marry all of these exotic beauties together with a hint of lime in this famous retro dish. Its incredibly easy but the results are fantastic plus my colleagues mentioned that it tasted virtuous because each bite was filled with fruit. I'll cast no illusions - this isn't a healthy cake but I'm glad that it felt good to eat.

I'd also like to highlight the fantastic (even if I do say so myself) glaze that gives the cake it's glossy day-glow yellow tone. This stuff is so so morish; it's unreal! It's well worth the faff of sieving the passionfruits - my top tip is to microwave the fruit for less than a minute before halving them as it helps to encourage the pulp to slide out. If I'd have been making this cake for me, I would have been tempted to keep the pips in but as it happened, I stirred them into yoghurt for pudding as they have a lot of flavour. I'm tempted to make the glaze to top cheesecakes or to drizzle on pannacota in future.

Pineapple and mango upside-down cake with lime and passionfruit glaze
Makes 10 servings

For the topping (or should that be... bottoming...?)
1 mango
1 227g can of pineapple (packed in juice) or ¼ fresh pineapple
60g butter, softened
60g golden caster sugar

For the cake
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
150g flour
3 eggs
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lime
3 passionfruits

- Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 20cm by 20cm square deep baking tin (or a 25cm round baking tin) with greaseproof
- Start with (what will eventually be) the topping by creaming the butter and sugar together then smearing into the bottom of the pan. Skin the mango and drain the pineapple (retaining the juice for later) then arrange by pressing the pieces into the butter-sugar mix. Make a pretty pattern or go geometric... the choice is yours!
- Next make the sponge base by creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the zest of the lime and the vanilla extract.
- Add the eggs one by one, beating well between each addition then fold in the flour and baking powder.
- Spoon the cake batter over the fruit and gently shake the tin from side to side to encourage the mixture to get between the fruit pieces.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the sponge is firm and a knife/skewer comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, pierce the passionfruits and microwave them for 30 seconds or until they are warmed through. Halve and scrape out the pulp then sieve out the seeds (you don't have to do this if you don't want to but it depends if you want the seeds to pepper your cakes caramel topping or not). Press the pulp through a non-metalic sieve with a spoon or similar for the best results.
- Simmer the passionfruit pulp with the reserved pineapple juice and the juice from the lime until it has halved and become thick and sticky.
- When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and set aside for five minutes before turning out onto a plate. Drizzle or brush with the glaze and ideally serve warm with coconut icecream.

Leek and Potato soup

2012-01-16T17:56:00.003Z

I think I’ve started something. I like to make a batch of soup at the start of the week (or ideally, the end of the weekend) to feed me throughout the working week slog. With the delayed cold snap creeping in, my office kitchen has a rush hour between 1pm and 2pm where we all crowd around the microwave to heat up our lunchtime fare. Most people have been bringing in soup since Christmas but it’s mainly in the form of cartons or tubs of the readymade supermarket stuff. It seemed like a big thing when my colleagues would ask “Is that homemade!?” Naturally I instilled the virtues of making your own and I think I inspired someone. One of my colleagues came in on Monday looking fresh faced and glowing with a tub of her very own homemade soup. She was really pleased with the results and has followed the trend by making more this weekend. Fab!

I love homemade soup because it’s a great way to use up leftovers and can be adapted to whatever is in season. British leeks are in season at the moment and, combined with potatoes, they make a warming meal that will keep you full for ages. I think that soup has something of a bad name because many people think that it needs hours of boiling on a stove in order for it to ‘proper’ soup. This just isn’t the case! You can make soup incredibly quickly and for much less than the supermarkets. You can pack it with cheap ingredients that are seasonal and good for you plus you know exactly what went into it.

I have leek and potato in my lunchbox this week. Despite its luxuriously creamy taste and texture, there’s no added fat in the recipe so it’s healthy too! I like to add a swirl of wholegrain mustard to add a little je ne c’est quoi.

Leek & Potato soup
Makes 6 – 8 servings

1 onion, sliced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
½ parsnip, cubed
2 leeks, washed and sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1l or so water or stock
3 tbsp fat free yoghurt
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

- Sweat the onion, celery, parsnip and leeks over a low heat for three minutes or until soft and sweet. Add a splash of water (instead of butter or oil) to stop it catching and burning.
- Add the potatoes into the pan then top up with water or stock to cover the vegetables. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Remove half of the mixture and blitz in a blender – or use a hand blender in the pan so that the soup is mostly smooth but with a few chunks of potato and leek to chomp on.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more water or stock if you like a thinner soup then add the yoghurt and mustard before serving. Sprinkle with your choice of cheese or slurp with a side of cheese on toast.

Phone Stacking: Modern table manners

2012-01-14T11:29:00.000Z

You're absorbed in an animated conversation with your friends or loved ones over a well-earned meal. The atmosphere is warm and friendly until a beep or "comedy" noise rings out among the chatter and a member of your party fumbles their phone from their pocket. Before you know it, the conversation has dissolved as everyone around the table, inspired by the black sheep of the group, decides to check their phones. Food goes cold and conversations run dry as the majority "quickly" check their messages, facebook, twitter and emails. Does this sound familiar?

Mobile telephone are awesome. I'm a huge fan; they're great! But they're also incredibly disruptive at the dinner table. I stumbled upon Telephone Stacking, the ingenious etiquette game for the dinner table. When your group sits down to eat, each person in turn places their phone facedown one on top of the other. If anyone breaks the stack by checking their phone has to pay the bill for everyone. The entire table! If everyone resists temptation, everyone pays their own share. Good eh?

Snapshot: Gail’s Bakery, Kensington

2012-01-13T13:15:00.003Z

Having pigged ourselves on sumptuous salads in Islington, we unwittingly continued our Israeli trend* by meeting friends at Gail’s in Kensington. You didn’t think I could go without cake for that long, did you?
Alighting at South Kensington, we ignored the exits towards the museums and walked up the steps towards daylight. Turn right at the top of the steps and then left as you come out of the station and you’ll see a tiny Gail’s Bakery on the corner of the pedestrianized street. We wrapped up against the chill breeze and perched ourselves on the metal tables and chairs outside.

The weather was certainly cold but we warmed our fingers and faces on piping hot drinks. Gail’s is part of my London exploration as I’ve never been before but I’ve been missing out – the coffee was delish and the hot chocolate was nutty and rich. The Boy went for a slab of their famous (Great Taste Award winning!) carrot cake while I went for a slightly more virtuous chocolate and nut bite-sized confection. Our friends had already bought a mammoth sausage roll and a loaf of sour dough.

If you're searching for ideas for what to do when you've had your fill of bread and cake, why not wander over to the Science Museum. It's free and we can vouch for the appeal of the 'Launchpad' on the Third Floor. An array of fun interactive exhibits that are great fun for children and big kids alike!

*What I didn’t realise Ran Avidan, the creator of Gail’s, is also from Tel Aviv so it’s particularly apt that we went from Ottolenghi to Gail’s in one trip. (Not that we realised it at the time, of course!)

Gail's Bakery have ten branches across the city of London but you can also find them in selected London Waitrose, Ocado and in Harvey Nichols.

Review: Ottolenghi, Islington, London

2012-01-12T12:02:00.003Z

London is a vibrant mix of people and cultures so it stands to reason that the food here is varied and colourful. When you look past the indenti-kit Starbucks and dig a little deeper than the usual high street dining suspects, there are some truly amazing places to eat in the capital.

I moved here over two months ago but haven't had a chance to properly immerse myself in the sights and sounds of London food until now. I've been out of the city every weekend and there's only so far you can go in a lunch hour but last weekend, The Boy came to me so there was double the reason to get out and about.

We hopped on a train on Saturday morning (starting our culinary adventure with toast and newspapers) and made our way to Highbury & Islington in the search of Ottolenghi. A previous employer got me hooked on the Guardian's website for which Yotam Ottolenghi often writes. His weekly recipes on the Guardian’s website always inspire but – shame on me - I’ve yet to try any out. Originally from Israel, Ottolenghi trained as a journalist but came to London to study at Le Cordon Bleu. After gaining experience elsewhere, he opened his own establishments including four branches of the delicatessens (only the Islington branch houses a restaurant as well) that bear his name and Nopi, a separate restaurant in Soho.

With glowing reviews, I was keen to get The Boy to sample Ottolenghi's delights with me. The restaurant and deli is easy to find from Highbury & Islington station - take a right out of the station and it’s an easy ten to fifteen minute stroll along Upper Street with Ottolenghi on the right.

The simple white and red shop frontage doesn't do justice to the produce within (though the Windows are filled with delectable cakes and pastries that are cooked on the premises). Once inside, we were faced with a large queue of people (for the café) and a table stacked high and groaning with colourful platters of salads and other goodies. I was completely in my element and awash with food-related adrenaline, much to the amusement of The Boy. We couldn’t help but dither a little before deciding that it all looked good (so we simply couldn’t fail to choose well!) and making our selection. One of the chatty shop assistants helped us to fill a small salad box with four different salads from the selection on show, one (savoury) pastry and some meat. The delectable cakes on show were calling to me – particularly the passion fruit meringue tarts - but I managed to resist (seriously regretting that now!). Our goodies were packed into a neat paper bag, complete with cutlery and napkins, and we were soon headed out the door to share our feast.

No sooner than we were out the door and The Boy was already unwrapping the intriguing savoury Danish that we had peaked our curiosity. Like the common sweet variety, it had a base of crunchy puff pastry but, instead of the usual fruit or custard filling, it was topped with roasted tomatoes and peppers and sprinkled with crumbly goats’ cheese. It was delicious though I think we left a conspicuous fairy tale trail of pastry flakes along the pavement while we scoffed it en route. The Boy was in his element as, despite being a savoury person, he loves Danishes.

Having settled ourselves on a bench in front of the town hall, we opened up our small box of salad. There are two options for salad – the ‘small’ box that we went for and a ‘large’ which was huge. A small would easily have fed me generously for a lunch on its own but in the interests of trying as much as possible (all in the name of research, naturally!), we shared a small between two which worked very well. It had been expertly layered with strata of broccoli, cauliflower, creamy yoghurt and tomato. Each mouthful was different. My first was full of chargrilled broccoli with chilli and onions which was a revelation as the humble broccoli lends itself very well to grilling – something that I’d never have thought of. My next bite featured roasted cauliflower with celery and fat blanched almonds which equally as delish. I’ve been reading a lot about roasting cauliflower lately so I must try it for myself soon. The baked Jerusalem artichokes with radishes, chilli yogurt and pomegranate seeds appealed to me as I’m always on the lookout for new recipes with the nutty beauties. The musky creamy flavour of the chokes went well with the initial creamy taste of the yoghurt but the mouthful was lifted by a sharp zing of chilli and pop of pomegranate. Amazing! The only salad that wasn’t mind-blowing was the roasted aubergine with cheese, tomato and pine nuts. It was nice enough but it lacked the bold flavours that the others had in fistfuls.

Next, we moved onto the meaty treats that we’d chosen. I would recommend the lamb kofte with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts; it was tender and well spiced, balanced with the yoghurt sauce that came with it. The honey roasted chicken with almonds was nice – juicy and well cooked – but didn’t blow my mind. It was perfectly nice but, again, it lacked flavour. I imagine that the strong flavours in the rest of our meal made this all the more noticeable.

We were left with pleasantly full bellies and happy spirits. Everything that we’d eaten was fantastically fresh and a joy to eat. The Boy liked the fact that the food was inspiring yet achievable – he could imagine putting together similar combinations at home. Strangely, this didn’t make us feel short changed but encouraged – to try new recipes and cooking methods with familiar ingredients. The food isn’t cheap – a small salad box will set you back £9 – so, for us, it was a treat but I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Ottolenghi’s to stoic Londoners and enthusiastic tourists alike.

Our trip definitely gave us food for thought and I already have plans to try out some Ottolenghi-inspired recipes (watch this space!) I hope to return to sample the cakes and maybe try a sit down meal in the not-too-distant future! Hint hint…

Ottolenghi has three take-away branches – Kensington, Nottinghill and Belgravia – while the Islington branch also includes a small café.

Tender kale salad with roasted peppers and feta

2012-01-11T09:20:00.000Z

Winter isn’t a season synonymous with salads but, with delicious leaves like curly kale in season, you can kick start your New Year with a nutritious and healthy salad. It’s a fantastically versatile dish which can be served hot or cold, with a main dish or on its own – the choice is yours! It’s quick and easy to zap in the microwave or bung on the hob. You can throw it together in about 10 minutes and it keeps really well – I’ve been making it in the evening while I make dinner and then scoffing it at my desk for an easy lunch.

It's a great accompaniment to fish, roasted vegetables or Parma ham (as you can see) but is strong enough to stand alone as a main meal. Choose the low fat feta if you're trying to be virtuous or omit it entirely if you'd rather. I tend to pop a tray of peppers in to roast whenever I have the oven on and then freeze them (any I don't nibble off the tray, at least) for a later date.

Kale salad with roasted peppers and feta
Serves one as a main or two as a side

For the salad:
150g curly kale
1 roasted pepper
100g feta cheese (or similar)
50g mushrooms, sliced

For the vinaigrette:
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar

- Microwave (or sweat in a pan over a low heat) the mushrooms for 4 minutes or until softened and awash with flavourful juices. Drain, keeping the juices for later, and transfer to a salad bowl.
- Remove any thick stalks that linger among your kale leaves. Wash the kale well in a bowl of water, drain (leaving a little moisture on the leaves) and transfer to a microwaveable dish (or pan). Cover with a plate and cook for 3 minutes or until wilted down and tender. Add to the mushrooms.
- Slice the peppers into long strips and crumble or cube the feta before adding both to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients with the mushroom juices and pour over. Serve hot or cold with Parma ham or on its own.

Review: Ichi-Riki Sushi House, London

2012-01-09T18:45:00.014Z

Situated only a stone’s throw from my new place of work, it’s easy to miss the inconspicuous door tucked down a narrow staircase that is the entrance to Ichi-Riki, the fantastic-yet-tiny Japanese eatery. The Boy loves sushi and, with his first visit to the Big Smoke imminent, I was keen to indulge my beau. I’d walked past the restaurant several times to check out the stalls on Strutton Ground and had mentally marked it as pending on my list of places to try.

Once down the stairs (not too steep or numerous if you struggle with steps or have had a few pre-sushi sakes), the door is opened for you by a smiling waitress who ushers you to your table. This is a truly miniscule establishment (seating around eighteen at a real push - be ready to get friendly!) but it’s all the cosier for it. Due to its capacity, it’s recommended that you book a table by telephone to avoid disappointment with the upside being that, wherever you sit, you’re likely to have a view of the sushi chef at work and slabs of high grade fish behind the bar. It’s unpretentious; modestly decorated with simple pine furniture and an open view of the chefs at work. This is a world away from the colourfully sparse Yo! Sushi’s and contemporary slick independent’s out there.

The service was attentive and friendly without disrupting our intimate catch up session. We based our order on their set menu with The Boy going for a Jo Nigiri and me opting for the Udon Set. Of course, we had to start with Eda Mame and couldn’t resist Pumpkin Goroke when we saw it on the menu. Both of which were good though I must admit that I missed a scattering of chunky sea salt, rather than a liberal sprinking of table salt as we had here, that I've become accustomed to when having Eda Mame elsewhere. After a long train journey, The Boy was understandably in need of a cold beer (we were recommended Asahi as the house's favourite) while I chose to sample the house tea which was an intriguing mix of green tea and toasted rice. It was lovely and warming – a welcome relief from the chill outside – with the added bonus that I had a few free refills (great value for a mere £1) from our ever smiling waitress.

First up, we feasted on sushi. The Boy’s Jo Nigiri was effectively a fish of the day sushi platter comprised of eight pieces of nigiri while my Udon Set started with five pieces of nigiri, all of which were beautifully presented. Each neat rectangle of rice was topped with a different fish; eel, salmon and tuna to name a few. I tried squid nigiri for the first time which was tasty though it had a strange smooth texture on the tongue while The Boy had an unusual flying fish nigiri which he enjoyed.

Next came a cup of umami-tastic miso, part of The Boy’s Jo Nigiri, and a crisp hand roll, included in my Udon Set. Both were fantastic. The miso was deliciously sweet and salty with strands of silky seaweed and cubes of tofu – unlike anything that I’ve tried elsewhere! The hand roll was expertly folded in thicker nori and stuffed with salmon and avocado. It stayed together well, despite being passed across the table between bites while we umm-ed, ahh-ed and enthused over the gorgeous contrast between the crunchy seaweed and soft rice, salmon and avo combo.

Finally, we shared the final dish in my set menu – a tasty vat of tender udon noodles floating in a savoury broth with (I think) shredded spring onions and pickled dakon on the side. We slurped to our hearts content, happy as clams, though the troublesome noodles did challenge our chopstick skills. Greed got the better of us and, with the noodles not long gone, we ordered Ebi Tempura, which were good though a little greasy. I'd be curious to try their vegetable tempura on another visit (mental note: their fried dishes are only available in the evenings).

Our meal was just what we needed – the atmosphere was perfect for a quiet meal and was made all the better by the fantastic food. It was pretty good value too as, with drinks, we paid £45 for two of us and we chose some of the pricier items on the menu. We lingered over our food but I will be returning to try their lunch service as the food was quickly prepared and delivered so I doubt I'll have any trouble in returning to my desk within the hour.Truly a hidden gem!

Ichi-Riki can be found at 17B Strutton Ground, London, SW1P 2HY next to Crusssh juice bar. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Friday. Closed on Sundays. Telephone 020 7233 1701 for reservations.

Roast Partridge with chorizo, butter beans and kale

2012-01-06T17:45:00.000Z

The festive season may be over but one of game birds from the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ carol is at its best right now. Retire the turkey and start climbing those pear trees! Partridge is a tasty native bird which bridges the gap between the pheasant and the quail. A partridge will feed one handsomely though if you’re a little eater like me, one can do for two meals. Game is growing in popularity so much so that the supermarkets have started to sell various unusual meats. They have the benefit of being local, free-range and very lean. You can find partridges in Sainsbury’s for £3 each though they’re the kind of thing that can be picked up cheap from the bargain bin at closing time. A good butcher should be able to source and prepare a partridge for you.

Now that you’ve got your bird, what do you do with it? It may look like a chicken but don’t treat it like one – they’re small and delicate so they’re easy to overcook. If you’re curious about how to cook partridge to perfection, try this simple and tasty recipe which pairs it with creamy butter beans, spicy chorizo and delicious kale which is also bang in season.

Roasted Partridge with chorizo, butter beans and kale
Serves 2, generously

2 whole partridges
½ onion, sliced
100g chorizo, roughly cut into chunks
1 can of butter beans, drained
2 large handfuls of sliced kale
1 clove of garlic, sliced

- Preheat the oven to 230C.
- Add a drizzle of oil to a roasting tin, large enough to take both birds, and place it directly on a medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry until golden. They’ll release lots of delicious flavoured oil to the pan as they cook. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the partridges to the tin and brown all over for a few minutes in the pan. Scatter the pan with the sliced onion and loosely cover the birds with the foil from a pat of butter (or a piece of foil).
- Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Baste the birds well with any juices in the pan. Recover with foil, lower the temperature to 180C and roast for a further 15 minutes. Check that the juices run clear and that the meat is piping hot all the way through.
- Remove the birds from the pan and set aside to rest. Put the pan on a low heat and add the chorizo, butter beans, kale and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until the beans are warmed through and the kale has wilted. Keep stirring to ensure that the beans don’t stick and add a little water if it becomes too dry.

Brothers that bake and other manly stuff

2012-01-05T13:12:00.000Z

I don't watch much TV - somehow I don't seem to find the time - but I did catch a little of the new Channel 4 series last night, The Fabulous Baker Brothers. I had just finished my dinner and switched on the box as I sat down to eat. I channel hopped until my screen was filled with a masculine pair of hands enthusiastically kneading bread. Knowing that The Boy and I were in synch and that he was just sitting down to a meal in Somerset, I called to let him know that there was something food-orientated that might be worth a watch. Our conversation went something like this:

The Boy: Hello?
Me: Hello! If you're watching TV, you might want to switch to Channel 4. There's a food programme that I haven't seen before... It's got boys in it.
The Boy: *switching channels* Ah yes, I see. They look smug.
Me: Well, they've been giving some interesting advice about homemade bread so far so you might be interested.
The Boy: *distracted by TV* Because everyone has a stone oven in their corner of their kitchen...
Me: Enjoy!
The Boy (by text message): Kinda like them but they are also kinda annoying. Or at least the way its cut is. Also, who has beef dripping!? Xxxx
Sometime later...
The Boy (by text): I've just realised this is Nigella for women!
Me (by text): I think you're their target audience actually. Bloke recipes with few measured ingredients. A few snazzy gadgets but no pie tins or specific equipment needed. Not v healthy. Boy food!

You may know of my contempt for TV chefs as I've vented my spleen about Sophie Dahl and tried to convert to Nigella's wiles but I didn't mind this. My main bug bear with the programme is one that can be swung at most TV cookery right now - the food isn't particularly healthy. Doughnut sticks, chip butties, pies and steak sandwiches don't make for a very nutritious diet but the Brothers aren't as bad as some, I suppose. The faux sibling rivalry grated on me too - "Now, don't tell Henry but..." acommpanied by a sly glance at camera - come on, boys! You're on TV; don't be silly now.

Saying that, Tom's tips for pastry and bread-making were helpful and seemed to offer a good starting point for first timers as well as hints and tips for the more experienced. Despite The Boy's comments, I really do think that this is one for the boys. There were no lingering finger-to-lips camera shots to get our pulses racing (shame...) and the format, to me, is pretty masculine. The camera shots were fast and choppy and the recipes were firmly in the comfort food/tasty-stodge-and-screw-the-calories category which appeal to the majority of my male, rather than female, friends. Channel 4 bills the series as "Two brothers - one a baker, the other a chef and butcher - unlock the trade secrets of baking, and without a cupcake in sight." And girls, don't let me put you off; these guys are still pretty easy on the eye!

Although I don't approve of the food for every day, its nice to see 'proper' cooking on TV - starting from scratch with raw ingredients rather than combining ready-made elements and calling it cooking. It would be nice to see more programmes doing this. I don't mind cutting corners where necessary but tasty (healthy!) food really can be achieved quickly with fresh ingredients.

Not everyone liked the programme but I'll certainly be tuning in when I can. Check them out and let me know what you think.

The Fabulous Baker Brothers can be found on Channel 4 on Wednesday's at 8:30pm or you can catch-up on 4oD here.

Peach, Pear and Almond Pavlova

2012-01-03T18:15:00.004Z

Happy New Year, my foodie friends! I’m afraid that I suffered with a “festive cold” over Christmas which meant that, instead of getting online and telling you how awful I was feeling, I decided to stay in bed (apart from a few misguided days when I went to work) and concentrate on getting better. Hope you don’t mind!

Despite my illness, I enjoyed my break and loved spending a whole ten days at home (proper Somerset home! Yay!) with The Boy and our families. We were given a gorgeous pasta maker by my grandmother so we’ve been mastering fresh pasta during the holidays. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make and am now on the lookout for pasta dishes to match our tender sheets.

We spent New Year ’s Eve with good friends that The Boy and I went to school with. Our evening characterised the simple yet successful entertaining equation of great company plus delicious food (divided by optional banter, multiplied by reminiscing) equals wonderful evening. I was tasked with providing a pudding and with a glut of egg whites leftover from festive baking, the choice was clear. It was pavlova time. I made mine slightly more virtuous by substituting the traditional whipped cream with half fat crème fraiche.

I find that whipped egg whites can be something of a wild card ingredient. My top tips for limiting egg white disasters? I would recommend using a painstakingly clean glass or metal bowl (rubbed with a lemon if you’re really superstitious) for whisking in and be sure that your whisk is really clean too. Separating eggs can require a steady hand too so I break the egg over a mug or bowl to catch the egg whites before transferring them individually to the mixing bowl. That way, if a yolk happens to break, it only affects one egg (keep it for scrambled eggs or a cake) rather than your whole bowl – sods law says that its always the last egg when all of the others have separated perfectly!

Peach, Pear and Almond Pavlova
Serves 6 – 8

4 egg whites
225g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar (optional)
4 pears
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla pod
1 tin of peaches in juice
200ml apple and mango (or fruit of your choosing) juice
50g almonds
300ml half fat crème fraiche
25g icing sugar (or to taste)
Dark chocolate to decorate (optional)

- Preheat the oven to 180C. Cover a baking sheet with grease proof paper or baking parchment.
- Whisk the egg whites until they are just stiff and form shiny peaks. Ideally you want to do this with an electric mixer but if you don’t have one, you can do it by hand.
- Gradually add the caster sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking gently but thoroughly between spoonfuls.
- Once all of the sugar has been added, continue to whisk for a few minutes until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold in the corn flour and vinegar (if using) at this stage.
- Smooth onto the prepared baking tray (using a few blobs of meringue mixture under the parchment to keep it in place if necessary). The mixture needs to be about 4cm thick and it’s best if the outsides of your chosen shape are higher than the middle – I find the easiest way to do this is to gently smooth out the middle rather than piling up the sides. Of course, you could be fancy and pipe the meringue to make it look really pretty.
- Pop in the oven and immediately turn down to 120C. Bake for one and a half hours then leave in the oven until completely cool.
- Meanwhile, peel, core and quarter the pears. Drain the peaches, reserving the canning juice and set aside.
- Put into a saucepan and pour in enough juice (from the peaches as well as your chosen juice) to cover. Add the star anise and cinnamon. Slice open the vanilla pod lengthways (scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and set aside) and add the empty pod to the pan.
- Poach the pears over a medium heat, keeping the pan to a gentle simmer, for around 15 minutes or until the pears are pleasantly soft. Remove from the poaching liquor and turn up the heat to reduce it to a syrup – this will take another 10 – 15 minutes or until thickened.
- Mix the crème fraiche, vanilla seeds and icing sugar. Taste and add more sugar if necessary then spoon on to the meringue base.
- Pop the almonds into a frying pan over a low heat and toast for a few minutes until slightly darker. Keep a close eye on them and don’t let them burn as they’ll become bitter.
- Arrange the fruit on top of the crème topping and intersperse with the toasted almonds. Scatter with grated chocolate to decorate. Serve drizzled with the poaching liquor syrup.

Snapshot: Christmas is over...

2011-12-31T16:42:00.001Z

Into the bargain bin go the mince pies, brandy cream and fruit cake. No more brandy truffles or turkey until next year. But no need to be sad! You can stock up on Easter eggs instead. It's not even 2012 yet!

Takeaway's to save drunken Londoners

2011-12-15T17:50:00.002Z

A drink after work turns into a few and then a few more "because its Christmas". For many, the Christmas season is all about indulgence in food and drink but for some, it turns into a serious issue. The festive period sees such a significant rise in drunken kitchen incidents that the London Fire Brigade have launched an ad campaign that specifically targets those who might consider cooking while under the influence. The campaign, which is occupying pages in newspapers as well as billboards around the capital, features a photograph of a burger with the caption "Last night a burger saved my life". Their research shows that a quarter of accidental house fires in the capital are caused by 18 to 35 year olds when attempting to cook at home when drunk. Its hoped that, by encouraging merry makers to opt for a takeaway rather than conjuring up a drunken snack, it will cut the number of fires in the capital.

It goes without saying that I am in agreement with any campaign that is primarily aimed at saving lives. However, the link with takeaways bothers the health-obsessed part of my brain. Why a takeaway? Why not a sandwich or a bowl of cereal? The Christmas season is generally pretty decadent for the majority of people but surely our society doesn't need any encouragement to turn to their local takeaways?

Still, I would urge you to deny your chip pan cravings after a few too many glasses of vino. Just think of the resulting mess if nothing else!

Snapshot: Blue cheese stuffed figs

2011-12-14T13:29:00.011Z

The Boy and I spent ten glorious days in Lanzarote back in October and while we explored the sun-soaked scenery, we ate our way around the island. It wasn't just the cacti that caught my eye on our travels but the fig trees that were starting to bare fruit. It was like sweet torture to see the branches covered in immature figs that wouldn't be ready to eat during our holiday. We feasted on dates with bacon (which were amazing - I'll have to work on a recipe!) and dried figs but nothing saited my hunger for the fresh variety.

Now that I'm back home in far less exotic climes, I spotted a carton of figs which was reduced to clear. Fortuitiously, there was also a pack of Danish Blue cheese in the bargain bin that was going for a song. I simply couldn't resist - somethings are just meant to be.

For a lunchtime treat, remove the stalks and quarter ripe fresh figs by cutting nearly all the way to the bottom of the fruit but not quite. Gently pull each one open and crumble blue cheese into the cavity before gently squeezing back together. If you're feeling fancy, you would wrap the whole thing in whisps of parma ham. Serve with a fresh salad of winter leaves.

The intensely savory notes of the cheese are countered by the sweet juices of the fig. If you can't get your hands on fresh ones, try combining blue cheese with fig jam, quince cheese or even bog-standard strawberry jam. Combine the flavours in an up-market canape by topping a bite-sized cracker with a thin slice of fig and a sliver of cheese.

Caramel Convert?

2011-12-13T17:46:00.013Z

It seems that I'm not the only one who's converted by Nigella Lawson's salted caramel recipe - the Evening Standard is raving about it too! They review Nigella's piece on the "Class A foodstuff" and provide a run down of the best salted caramel confections too. With all of this publicity, I'm betting that anything salty and sweet will be dashing off the shelves so stock up if it's your latest obsession.

Click here for a readable version that you won't need a magnifying glass for.

Dark Chocolate and Bitter Cherry Brownies with Salted Caramel Glaze

2011-12-12T18:33:00.014Z

Now that I’m London-based and taking the train every day, I’ve taken to reading the free papers and after a month, it’s now firmly in my commuting routine. Metro in the morning, Evening Standard during the post-office dash – day in, day out. But on Tuesday evenings, something beautiful happens. For Tuesday’s are the day that Stylist magazine is handed out at choice locations across the UK. It’s a fantastic free women’s weekly magazine aimed at city ladies with, well, style. As one of my lady friends described it, “Stylist rocks. I’d pay for it – it’s that good! But I don’t have to.” Even better.

I don’t pass any of the distribution points on my normal route so I am forced to divert in order to pick up my copy and get my weekly hit. This week, I didn’t manage to detour on my way to a dance class so I ended up coveting a fellow Tube travellers copy for a good twenty minutes – looking lovingly at the cover across the aisle – before she alighted and – RESULT! – left the object of my affections behind.

This week’s copy was edited by Nigella Lawson and featured a rather emotive image of the lady herself dripping with salted caramel. This would normally be a complete turn-off for me as I can’t really stand the woman (The Boy and I have bonded over our joint disgust of her visibly sexual imagery, la-de-da tones and smug smile) but I turned the page as usual. Surely Stylist wouldn’t fail me, I thought. And I was right.

I liked the entire issue but in particular, it discussed a long-standing point of curiosity for me. Salted caramel. I’ve never been sold on the concept of sweet and savoury combined in this form, which I suppose is pretty strange when you consider that I like sweet chilli sauce, cheese and pineapple on sticks and sweet and sour stir-fries. Nigella wrote some predictably filthy prose about “her obsession” (honestly, the poor girl can’t even write one ‘clean’ page – who else could include “saliva-spurting lips” and “ménage-á-trois” in a food column?) with the stuff but the idea festered with me until I was drawn to try it out. We’d both enjoyed a hint of saltiness in Source’s Cherry and Salted Caramel Brownie so I thought that I would attempt my own recipe.

Don’t be under any illusion about just how bad these are for you. But the odd occasional indulgence can’t do you any harm. They’re seriously gooey and sticky but can still be eaten with fingers (Nigella-style sultry digit-licking compulsory). Make them a day ahead of time to let the caramel soak in.

Dark Chocolate and Bitter Cherry Brownies with Salted Caramel Glaze
Makes 16 – 20 brownies

For the brownies
100g unsalted butter, softened
150g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
75g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milk (or cream!)
75g dried sour cherries
50g dark chocolate, chopped

For the caramel (adapted from Nigella's version)
40g unsalted butter
25g soft light brown sugar
25g golden caster sugar
25g honey
60ml double cream
1 tsp sea salt (fleur de sel if you have it) or to taste

- - Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 20cm square tin with greaseproof paper

- - First, it’s time to make the caramel. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat with the sugars and honey, stirring occasionally to encourage the sugar to dissolve.

- - Once it is smooth, raise the temperature and let the caramel gently bubble up. Keep a close eye on it at this point as it can burn easily; I like to remove it from the heat every minute or so to and give it a good stir to stop it catching. It’s ready when it starts to thicken and darken.

- - Remove from the heat and add the cream, stirring constantly to combine into a smooth sauce. Once you have done this, take a little caramel on a spoon and set it to one side to cool – if it completely solidifies, add a splash of milk as you want the caramel to be semi-liquid at room temperature.

- - Scatter the salt over the caramel and stir well to combine. Taste to check the salt levels and add more if you fancy it. Beware that the caramel may be very hot so don’t burn your mouth! Set aside.

- - Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until fluffy and then add one egg at a time, whisking well between each addition.

- - Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into the bowl and then gently stir in. Add the milk to loosen then fold in half of the cherries and all of the dark chocolate.

- - Spoon into the prepared tin and level. Using half of your prepared caramel, add dollops to the brownie batter in the tin. Loosely swirl the caramel into the batter but don’t overdo it as it’ll just mix in.

- - Bake for 25 minutes or until the top has puffed up a little and has set.

- - Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes then stud with the remaining cherries (I like to squidge them right into the soft brownie but be more decorative if you wish) and then glaze with the remaining caramel.

The Chocolate Festival, London

2011-12-09T17:49:00.004Z

You may already be aware of my love affair with chocolate but if you’re not, needless to say that I am a big fan. I won’t go into detail (it’s best not to get me started) but there was a time when I couldn’t go a day without some form of the good stuff. I’m reformed now but it’s still my weak spot. I’m heartened that I’m not as bad as The Boy who can’t sit still if there’s an open box of chocolate on display.

With this in mind, you can imagine my frustration about the fact that on a weekend when I’m schlepping oop North (to visit a friend who lives on an organic farm – post to follow) the capital will be hosting a festival devoted to my vice. The Chocolate Festival runs from today until Sunday and will be a melting pot for over 40 mouth-watering exhibitors. There will be demonstrations from some of the world’s best chocolatiers will be taking place throughout the weekend so I’m truly missing out.

If you’re unlucky enough to already have plans, do not despair. They have already confirmed dates in March next year in Brighton and London to spread the chocolatey goodness.

The Chocolate Festival runs from Friday 9th until Sunday 11th December 2011 from 11am - 8pm Daily (6pm on Sunday) at Southbank Centre Square, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX.

Honey glazed carrots

2011-12-07T18:45:00.000Z

A chilly winter breeze has blown in and had me reaching for my thick coat, scarf and gloves. This is the time of year has me craving comfort food in the shape of rich risottos, beautiful bakes and sumptuous soups. In addition, my stomach seems to be gearing itself up for the big day and its legendary roast of epic proportions. Although I adore the meat element of a roast, I am a big fan of the accompaniments too. Crispy potatoes, Yorkshire puddings (not just with beef, I might add) and as many different kinds of vegetables as possible (as the season allows).

Saying that, I like to keep things simple and, in my tiny kitchen, that means minimising the number of pans on the hob. Glazed roasted roots are a fantastic way to do this as it brings out their natural sweetness while reducing your hob-top saucepans. I’ve jotted down my recipe for carrots but it would work equally as well with parsnips or beetroot depending on your tastes. A little wholegrain mustard swirled through the glaze is a delight too!

Honey glazed carrots
Serves four as a side

250g chantenay carrots
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

- - Preheat the oven to 180C.

- - Scrape or peel the carrots (top and tail if necessary) and slice in half. Place in a bowl, drizzle with oil and stir or toss with your fingers to coat them evenly. Season with a little salt and pepper.

- - Spread out thinly on a baking tray and put in the oven for 30 minutes. Stir them once or twice to ensure that they cook evenly.

- - Gently melt the butter and honey together over a low heat or in the microwave, stirring until combined.

- - Remove the carrots from the oven and pour over the glaze.

- - Return to the oven for another five or ten minutes until the carrots are browned on the outside but are soft enough to cut easily.

Make your own Christmas cake "kit"?

2011-12-05T17:37:00.001Z

On my adventures in supermarket-land, I’ve noticed that many of them are selling kits for making the traditional Christmas cake. Now, on the one hand, I’m happy that they might encourage festive cake virgins to give the stodgy fruit slabs a try, which has got to be a good thing. One the other hand, the pointless packaging (individual sachets of spices? Really?) immediately gets my back up and leaves me wondering: is it really that hard to weigh out a few ingredients? It seems like commercialised “convenience” to me. It's been quite the cookery conundrum for me.

The kits themselves aren’t cheap – convenience, after all, costs – and aren’t a complete cake package. Each “kit” contains pre-weighed flour, sugar, almonds and spices as well as ready-soaked dried fruit .You’ll need to add butter and eggs which come at an additional cost. The kit itself will set you back anywhere between £7.50 - £15 depending on if you get one when its reduced. Now that the furious run-up to the big day has begun in earnest, they are discounting them left, right and centre. Assuming that you use free range eggs, you’ll need to fork out at least an additional £3. With your average home baked cake coming in around the £7.50 mark, you’d do better to make your own from scratch if you’re watching the pre-Christmas pennies.

The only thing that these kits seem to offer is convenience in the form is pre-weighed and pre-soaked ingredients as well as a tried-and-tested recipe. I suppose it could be helpful if you really don’t know where to start and probably scores highly in the supermarket impulse buy league tables. For a few of my friends, 2011 has been the year of the first Christmas cake. Instead of turning to the supermarkets for assistance, they got together and made a night of it. All newbies together; no pressure to impress, just cake baking at its best.

Let’s face it; we all know how to weigh out ingredients and there’s nothing out of the ordinary in a Christmas cake. The most difficult part is remembering to soak the fruit before you make the cake but this could be done overnight if you’re really running short of time. As far as tried-and-tested recipes, you have the internet at your fingertips! The world is your cakey (Noro-free) oyster. Plus, I’m sure there’s someone – whether it’s a parent, grandparent, friend or kindly colleague – who would lend you their trusty recipe.

So please don’t be fooled into getting one of these kits. Sure it’s probably better than buying one readymade but making one from scratch – which, in this case, basically involved getting the scales out – isn’t much harder.

Complete first-timer? Not sure where to start? The first thing you need to do is soak your fruit!

Butternut Squash Risotto

2011-12-03T14:53:00.001Z

The winter cold season is well and truly upon us and there are people coughing and sneezing wherever I look. I’ve started using my newspaper as a shield during my commute (has covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze gone out of fashion?) in a feeble attempt to avoid the inevitable. So far so good though I’ve probably jinxed myself by saying that! Whether you are currently suffering or if you, like me, are desperately trying to dodge the sniffles that are doing the rounds, you could help yourself by eating right. Butternut nut squash is a fantastic versatile ingredient and it’s packed full of vitamin C (great for boosting your immune system!) and calcium as well as other fantastic vitamins and minerals. Despite its luxuriously silky texture, it’s also low in saturated fat.

We’re coming to the end of the winter squash season but they keep for up to three months in a cool dark environment so there’s still time to squirrel some away under the stairs or in your larder cupboard. I like to buy them up when they’re in season and cheap in the supermarket then peel and roast them when I’ve got the oven on anyway to save on energy. This is a great excuse, if you’re in need of one, to make a cake or maybe some cookies! You can then box or bag it up and freeze it cooked ready for winter salads, warming soups and hearty risottos.

Butternut Squash Risotto with sage
Serves two amply

½ medium-sized butternut squash, seeds removed
½ onion, finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, sliced
150g risotto rice
80ml white wine or dry vermouth
500ml vegetable stock
1 small bunch of fresh sage, chopped or 2 tsp dried sage
50g butter
50g parmesan

- Preheat the oven to 190C. Peel and chop the squash into 1.5cm chunks. Pop them on a non-stick baking tray and stick them in the oven for 30 minutes or so while you make the risotto. Check the squash every so often and turn it with a spoon to ensure that it cooks evenly. The squash is cooked when its soft and slightly golden. If you are using pre-cooked butternut squash, you can obviously skip this step and commend yourself for being well organised.

- Heat a little oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sweat the onion, carrot and celery until soft and sweet.

- Tip in the rice and stir until it has absorbed all of the juices of the vegetables in the pan. Pour in the wine and keep stirring while that absorbs to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick.

- Add the garlic and then the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until all of the liquid is absorbed before adding more.

- Check the butternut squash, which should be cooked through. (If it isn’t, cover the risotto and turn off the heat below it.) Mash half of it to a course purée and stir this into the risotto with the butter, sage and parmesan. Fold in or top with the rest of the roasted squash.

Stir up... Friday!

2011-12-02T19:01:00.000Z

Are you feeling Christmassy yet? No? Neither am I. But I have a plan! Since I was a little girl, my darling mother has made Christmas cake and pudding for us every year. I have fond memories of watching her weigh out her tried-and-tested mixture of dried fruits before grating in the zest of oranges and lemons and finishing with a generous measure of brandy. The smell of brandy still reminds me of the first rich mouthful of iced cake which I would squeeze in on top of the other sumptuous Christmas fare.

Stir up Sunday may have just passed but it's not too late to start soaking your fruit for your Christmas cake. It's a great way to get into the spirit of things, probably because all the alcohol fumes are enough to make anyone feel at least a little bit merry. You can ease yourself into what can be a marathon cooking season.

First, find a suitable vessel - a large sweet jar with a lid is ideal but a large bowl with a saucepan lid or plate over the top works too. Then pick your fruit; go for whatever you'd like and appeals to you. For a standard size cake and pudding, you'll need around 1.5kg of fruit. I adore dried and glacé cherries so I will be throwing a few of those in along with some plump juicy raisins, some snipped up dried dates, figs and peel. Pop them into your jar or bowl and fetch your chosen tipple. Generally, its sherry or brandy but again, there aren't any rules here and if there are, they are made to be broken. You don't have to go for something alcoholic as tea or fruit juice taste delish too. No matter what you choose, my tip would be to have one of whatever you're giving the fruit yourself - for research purposes, of course. My Mum always added the zest and juice of an orange or two as well. Pour over enough to cover the fruit and you're done! Simply stir the mixture every few days and keep in a cool dark place like your larder cupboard or fridge.

Happy Friday!

Food on the Brain

2011-12-01T17:07:00.001Z

An amusing article in the Metro made me snort into my morning cup of tea. Apparently a study in the US has been evaluating the male mind. (Sometimes I toy with chucking in my job and becoming one of these mysterious “researchers” – how do you become one? It sounds like great fun!) I’ll side-step the predictable sexist remarks about there not being much to study, etc and skip straight to the punch line. According to this study, men think about sex 19 times a day on average. That’s good and all but the interesting bit for me was that this only just trumped food (at 18 times a day) in their thought league table.

Now, you may have noticed that I’m not a boy (really really – verified by medical professionals and everything) which made me wonder a) how often to girls think about food in a day and b) how often to I think about food in a day? I’m tempted to keep a running tally on my hand though I think I’d probably skew the statistics as I tend to think about food rather a lot…

The question that dwarfs all others though, is what do men think about the rest of the time? My suggestions are detailed above!

Review: Cucina Rustica

2011-11-30T12:43:00.000Z

Love was in the air and The Boy and I were searching for an impromptu late night meal on a journey up North. Our rendez-vous? Birmingham. Not the most inspiring of romantic settings, admittedly. It’s not exactly our home turf either so, as the train plodded its way from London to Brum, I frantically tapped away on Tripadvisor.

There were various options but I settled on Cucina Rustica for its positive reviews (it was in the top ten restaurants in Birmingham according to Tripadvisor) reasonably priced menu, proximity to the town centre and the fact that it had a table available at just the right time. It was fate! Or so it seemed.

We found the restaurant pretty easily and there’s tons of free street parking dotted around (pay and display before 6pm) which was convenient. We were ushered to a seating area next to the bar for drinks while we waited for our table to be prepared. The bar tender was charming and friendly and astounded me with his range of gins – I lost count but I think you’d need all of your fingers and toes to keep track of the numbers! The restaurant was busy and had a nice buzz to it. We perused the menu and were then shown to our table in the middle of the crowded dining room. It was a nice setting for a romantic meal – the lights were dimmed, there was music playing and the chatter of happy conversation.

I was keen to share a scallop starter involving parsnip mash, which I’d spied other diners enjoying as we were led to our table, as a starter but it was already getting late and we had places to be (and – you guessed it - people to see). Instead, we nibbled on some Pane e aglio - garlic bread but not as we know it. This isn’t your average baguette; instead, a thin and crispy pizza base with a thin topping of tomato and chopped cooked garlic. It was subtle and a great appetizer because, between two, it wasn’t too much. We were given a complimentary dish of marinated olives too which was a nice touch though it would’ve been nice to have had these with our drinks before we got to the table.

Next, I was faced with a rather large dish of Tagliolini con granchio, a rich pasta dish with crab meat, sun-dried tomato, white wine and a chilli kick. It was delicious and the crab claws provided us with some mid-dinner entertainment as The Boy heroically extracted the tasty bits for me (and sent the claw itself into minor orbit). My only sticking point was that the chef had been a little heavy handed with the chilli. The Boy will vouch for my love of spicy food but the chilli was just a little too much and swamped the delicate flavour of the crab.

Meanwhile, The Boy was slurping his way through a special of Monkfish and Mussels alla Genovese which was a seriously meaty meal. The slab of monkfish came complete with chunky backbone, which isn’t a cut that either of us have seen before. It was firm and perfectly cooked; it always amazes me how meaty a fish like this can taste! The mussels were cooked to perfection too and drizzled with a creamy sauce. The whole thing was served with a side dish of fresh vegetables which made it a good value main course, despite being one of the most expensive.

We’d thoroughly enjoyed our meal and were ready to continue our journey. We were shown the dessert menu but both declined regretfully – mainly due to time and already full tummies – and instead asked for the bill. Then began the waiting game. The previously attentive service dropped off a cliff and we were left at our table for forty minutes. We asked several different serving staff numerous times but to no avail. Eventually, we got up and sought out the manager ourselves who explained that they didn’t like to hurry guests out. This makes sense but we’d asked for the bill. Several times.

Cucina Rustica is a great place to go for a tasty Italian meal. It would be a great venue for a party with friends or a romantic dinner for two. The menu is reasonably priced and the quality of ingredients was high. They fell down on service, unfortunately, but I wouldn’t let this stop you if you’re not in a hurry.

Cucina Rustica can be found at 24 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, B3 1DX. Tel: 0121 233 2277.

Super Soft Chocolate Cherry Cookies

2011-11-28T09:17:00.001Z

Sometimes, just sometimes, I hate technology. Namely, when it all goes wrong. The only positive of my internet service having a major paddy and me having to spend the best part of two hours glued to the phone was that I got to catch up on some cooking.

With the phone sandwiched between my ear and my shoulder, I managed to rustle up a huge batch of warming cauliflower soup. As the time ticked over the first hour and with hold music still ringing in my ears, I turned my hands from savoury to sweet. It was a friend’s (who also happens to be my colleague) birthday and I wanted to make something that was easy to transport but would give us a good sugary kick.

I try my best to be healthy most days – I tend to reach for fruit over biscuits and you’re more likely to see me munching through a homemade salad at lunchtimes than a cheesy Panini – but every so often, I get a cookie craving. Biscuits won’t do. I need something sweet, soft and slightly gooey… A birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to flex my cookie-making-muscles.

This recipe has the major upside that it’s very simple to make, especially if you have an electric whisk. Don’t panic if the raw mixture is thick and gooey – that’s perfect! It should stand up by itself when dolloped onto prepared baking trays. The key here is to space your cookie mixture out across your trays – you want at least 5cm gaps between each one – as they spread as they cook. If you don’t, you ‘ll end up with one massive cooking which is cool until you try to get it off the tray. Don’t over-cook them either – keep a close eye on them once they’re in the oven and make sure you whisk them out of the oven before they get brown. The outer edges should be golden and the middle should still be soft so that they are delectably gooey when they cool.

Sometimes, naughty is nice!

Super Soft Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Makes half a dozen large cookies

200g unsalted butter, softened
170g golden caster sugar
1 egg
225g self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
50g chopped dark chocolate
50g chopped milk chocolate
50g chopped dried sour (or natural glacé) cherries

- Preheat oven to 190c.

- Beat butter, sugar and egg together in a bowl until smooth.

- Sift in the flour and cocoa then mix again until smooth. The mixture will be thick and sticky – I was lucky enough to be able to use an electric whisk for this bit but if you don’t have any machinery at your disposal, get your biceps ready!

- Fold in the cherries and half of the chocolate until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

- Using a dessert spoon, scoop out spoonful’s of the mixture on to lined baking sheets making sure that they are well spaced as the mixture will spread as they cook.

- Pop a few pieces of chocolate into each cookie to make them ultra-chunky.

- Bake for 12 minutes, turning the tray around half way through cooking time to ensure that they are evenly golden around the outside but still pale and soft in the middle. Don’t overcook; remember that they will continue to cook in their own residual heat once out of the oven.

- Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then remove from the tray onto a wire rack. Nosh any many as you can while they’re warm and then store any leftovers in an airtight tin.

Stall let down

2011-11-25T17:15:00.001Z

Everywhere I look, I read the unhappy tales of our home grown producers and suppliers here in the UK. The price wars of the major out-of-town supermarkets have milked footfall from our town centres and this, combined with consumers looking for perfect produce available at all times of the day and night, has threatened many small businesses.

Normally, I’m a vocal advocate of small local businesses. As a consumer, I would rather put my money into a small business that will appreciate the income and will be more likely to feed this back into the surrounding community than a huge faceless corporation. Plus, the produce tends to top-notch because the owners take pride in providing great food and the whole buying process is more personal and friendly. I love becoming a “regular”; you get lots of insider information, tailored recommendations (much better than Amazon!) and a big smile to boot.

I’ve recently started a new job in London and, naturally, I set out during my first week to explore the foodie haunts local to my base in Westminster. I was overjoyed to discover the hustle and bustle of Strutton Ground, just minutes from my office, where the maze of Eat and Pret outlets morph into one-off bakeries and stalls groaning with clothes, hot meals and coffee. I was in my element!

I was especially pleased to find a small grocers stall with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. I couldn’t resist buying a bag of figs and some late raspberries to go with my post-cycle breakfasts during the rest of the week. Happily rustling my paper bag of treats, I returned to the office with a smile on my face. Unfortunately, my smile quickly faded the next day when I discovered that my beautifully ripe figs had gone bad in less than 24 hours. I opened them up to find that they were rotten from the core – what a waste! The raspberries were better but were right on the cusp of being over-ripe and some were specked with mould. What a waste!

And herein lies the problem. This might have been bad luck. The stall may be a pillar of quality most of time and may have lots of regular custom. However in my mind, in these hard times every company needs to up their game. I know many consumers who, after my experiences, wouldn’t return. They wouldn’t bother to go back and let the seller know (which I will be – feedback is important) as they’re busy people. They’ll use it as another reason to by-pass their local suppliers in favour of schlepping to the nearest Tesco because you know where you are with the big four. It frustrates me that companies are wasting such a prime opportunity to make a great first impression.

You may say that this is simply natural selection in the business world. If a company doesn’t do what they do well, they won’t survive. And I would agree with you but I would appeal to the small business owners out there – please take note. It genuinely amazes me how many shops - both big and small - seem to get the simple things wrong. If you want to survive in these hard times, you need to up your game! Take pride in your produce, be friendly and offer useful advice – these are simple things that will keep people coming back.

Do you prefer swinging your basket around your local market or filling your trolley at your local supermarket? Do you have any thoughts on your local shops to share?

No such thing as a free lunch?

2011-11-21T17:40:00.001Z

Volunteers in the Feeding 5k kitchen working hard to feed the hungry lunchtime masses

Or so they say. Who are 'they' anyway? Because they are wrong.

Friday saw queues that stretched around Trafalgar Square as many hurried to be one of the lucky 5,000 to be fed with surplus food that would have otherwise been thrown away. The sun shone as speakers instilled the captive audience with the virtues of creating less food waste. I stood in raptures as we were told stories of sorry cauliflowers that grew ‘too big’ for the supermarkets standards (!) and delicious but ‘misshapen’ fruit and vegetables that are turned away by the Big Four.

Beautiful curly carrots!

Producers and chefs alike had turned out to meet and share with their knowledge with the public and it was great to see the number of people that had been drawn to the event. I got my (geeky) thrills by spotting Valentine Warner casually mingling with the crowds before his turn on stage to cook in front of the masses.

We arrived early, just before midday, as we were keen to taste what discarded dishes the huge industrial kitchens had put together. I was slightly staggered by the queue – there must have been about two hundred hungry folks ready and waiting – but this moved extremely quickly when food starting being served. There were plenty of friendly volunteers around to direct us to our free portion of vegan veggie curry and rice, which was flavourful but not at all spicy so it seemed to please everyone from us young professionals in office wear to the under-fives in buggies.

Grabbie, grabbie. Visitors go mad for discarded produce.

Once we’d filled our faces, we explored a little more of what the event had to offer. There was an air of premature January-sale-hysteria as volunteers from the wonderful Fareshare and local school children handed out bags of fruit and vegetables, which would have otherwise gone to waste. Although the odd slightly squishy grape was obviously sub-par (though still perfectly edible), the vast majority was virtually perfect. Between us, my group were given half a dozen bananas, a large bunch of grapes, a teensy pumpkin and four or five pears which were all delicious and apparently unblemished. We also saw curly carrots and small pineapples in the arms of fellow revellers. This prompted a lot of healthy debate about the peculiar standards the supermarkets have developed in response to our demands. Why on earth are the supermarkets throwing perfectly good food like this away?

A mere hour inspired a lot of conversations among my peers, which has got to be a good thing. The most common comment that I overheard was the realisation that we’re so lucky to have food at all and disbelief that, while some are starving, we are turning edible food away because it doesn’t conform to our aesthetic expectations. And all of this is before the food even hits our shelves! We throw away about 4.4 million tonnes of food that could have been eaten. If we stop this blatant waste of resources, our family finances will see the benefits as well as the environment that we live in.

If you’re looking for more information on how to reduce your food wastage, have a look on Love Food Hate Waste. If you’d like to help the amazing efforts of Fareshare in redistributing unwanted food to some of the most needy in our nation, have a look at their website. To find out more about the fantastic Feeding 5k day, have a peek at this year's event website.

Falling food waste and a free lunch

2011-11-17T17:23:00.002Z

Food prices are rising while salaries are staying stubbornly still and that’s if you’re lucky enough to have successfully found and kept hold of a job in the last year or so. Many households are struggling with rising bills and a new study from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has found that the current economic situation has encouraged everyone to reduce the amount of food that we throw away.

Despite a 13 per cent drop in usable food waste, as a nation we still generate 7.2 million tonnes of household food waste every year of which around 60% could have been eaten. This is crazy – when money is tight, we should be watching the (compost) bin as well as our wallets. I don’t think that the confusion over sell by dates helps though hopefully the recent shake-up of regulations will make things clearer for everyone. However, I think many people (and many of my twenty-something-old peers are particularly guilty of this one) need good ways to use-up leftovers.

If you’re London-based and interested in reducing your food waste, you might want to check out Feeding 5k in Trafalgar Square tomorrow. With plenty of inspiration by way of living cooking demos from the likes of Valentine Warner and Thomasina Miers, you can find out great ways to cut the amount of edible stuff that you might otherwise throw away. If you're not London-based, fear not as I'll be schlepping over to capture the best bits (and bites) so that you're not left out.

As well as highlighting clever cooking, the event is championing the work of fantastic charities like Fare Share, a national charity who redistribute surplus food, that would otherwise be discarded, to the most needy. They also provide training on nutrition and safe food preparation. What lovely people!

So head on over to see the waste-eating pigs and flex your muscles while having a go at surplus apple pressing. Oh and you get a free lunch to boot! What more could you want?

Feeding 5k will be taking place on Friday 18th November in Trafalgar Square, London between 12 and 2pm. First come first served!

Journal Lust

2011-09-29T13:17:00.001+01:00

“Let me pencil that into my diary” isn’t a statement that rings true anymore as most people I know don’t keep a paper diary anymore. Generally, the dates in question will be tapped into a mobile phone, i-pad or computer rather than whipping out a pencil and jotting down the information. I’m old fashioned and keep a hard copy that goes everywhere with me – it’s a big factor in organising my increasingly hectic life. The end of the year isn’t all that far away and I’ve already started making plans for 2012 (scary stuff!) so I’m in dire need of another diary.

While perusing new notebooks, I came across this elegant recipe journal made by Moleskine which looks an absolute delight for those who love design and food. It’s designed to be a vessel for your culinary thoughts and has sections waiting to be filled with recipes and ideas. I love the little icons on the pages and the way the blank pages sing with potential. I have a recipe folder where I keep snippets from magazines and where I write down my tried-and-tested recipes for another day but I don’t tend to sketch or jot down ideas. The Moleskine journal makes my recipe folder look really rather sterile in comparison!

I’ve made my own sketchbooks and journals in the past and I wonder if I could better this. I do find the paper that Moleskine favour for their bog-standard notebooks tends to be a little thin for my liking. The format and page size (21cm by 13cm) is slightly narrower than A5 (21cm by 14.8cm) but it’s a nice compromise as its large enough to get a recipe (unless it’s really complicated) on to one page without being too big to prop up in the kitchen.

To buy or not to buy, that is the question! Maybe I should add it to my wish list in the hope that someone will be inspired to pop it in my stocking just before 2012 rolls around!

Fat-Free Gloop

2011-09-28T14:06:00.002+01:00

Fat free yogurt. When will I ever learn? One word. Bleugh! Okay, so maybe it’s an onomatopoeia. Either way, it was grim and I couldn’t bring myself to finish. This was mainly down to the strangely chalky and bitter aftertaste which crept in after the (equally bitter) disappointment at the lack of any kind of flavour had subsided. I double-checked the packaging and confirmed to myself that, logically, there should be at least three flavours present – yogurt, vanilla and chocolate. Alas, all that my taste buds found was an assault of sickly sweetness as the gloop covered my tongue. I’ve said it once but I’ll say it again: bleugh.

My bad experience drew me to consider the ingredients listed on the side of the offending tub. I’m assuming that vanilla comes under the blanket term “flavourings” but I was pretty bewildered by some of the other (alien) components catalogued in micro-lettering.

Acesulfame K and Aspartame are both artificial calorie-free sweeteners which is 180-200 times sweeter than table sugar which, individually, can have a bitter aftertaste. In combination with the other sweetener listed, Aspartame, it takes on a more sugar-like taste where each one masks the others aftertaste and tastes sweeter than the sum of its component sweeteners. Clever but a little Franken-food to me! Especially as it obviously hasn't worked in this case. Both sweeteners have obviously been approved for general used by the powers that be but some critics claim that they haven’t been tested adequately enough. Some suggest that artificial sweeteners of this ilk may be carcinogenic but this has been dismissed by the governing bodies.

You may recognise pectin on the list which will, I think, have been used as a thickening agent. Pectin is the lovely stuff that makes your jam set and occurs naturally in varying amounts in fruits like apples and oranges. In Europe, you'll sometimes see pectin on ingredients lists as E440 (or E440(i) or E440(ii). Strangely, the yogurt also contains gelatin, which would also act as a thickener. Animal skin and bone with your yogurt? Mm-mm! Tastes like mammal! Needless to say, this "delicious dessert" isn't vegetarian.

There's a little note saying “A source of phenylalanine” too which after some quick research tells me that the yogurt is fortified with an essential amino acid which acts as a building block for proteins in the body. Our bodies break aspartame down into its components including phenylalanine. This is good for the majority (as it is an essential amino acid which our bodies can’t make and we have to find through our food) but bad news for people with phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disorder which means that the body can’t metabolise phenylalanine.

I don’t like my food to be fooled around with though I'm aware that the only reason many of us are here today is simply the fact that we can process and keep food for distribution around the country or even world. I like to limit my processed food intake and generally make most things from scratch (as you can probably tell!). I haven't taken this to the level of my parents - my Dad makes his own yogurt! Maybe this is the kick start that I need to try it! Next time, I'll definitely be going for full fat yogurt and adding my own chocolate sprinkles (more than 0.5% too!). No matter what you eat, take the time to become familiar with what's actually in it.

Autumnal Tomato & Marrow Soup

2011-09-20T13:21:00.001+01:00

It definitely feels like autumn. The days are starting to draw in and I'm getting forgetful... If you're part of the Facebook revolution, you'll already know that we went away to enjoy some time on our friend's narrowboat this weekend. I'd prepared a warming casserole for our first meal on the boat and promised to share more details with you on my return. Now, I can be rather forgetful at times so I wrote a list for myself. Toothbrush? Check. A little light reading? Check. Camera? Check. All set. Or maybe not because, when I packed away my faithful camera, I didn't check that it had a memory card in it. School girl error! So I had a camera but no way of recording what turned out to be a lovely meal (though I do say so myself). I gave myself a stern talking to, I can tell you. That aside, we had a fantastic weekend with lots of picnic lunching on the roof.

For now, please warm your cockles with another marrow recipe. Come rain or shine - blustery chilling showers or crisp icy sunshine - this soup is rich, flavoursome and easily prepared in far less than thirty minutes. I made it first thing in the morning so that the only thing that stood in our way of a tasty hot dinner was a little heating up. I even took a serving to work for my lunch, which went down a treat.

This recipe was great for using up some of the marrow that I've recently been given by a colleague however there's still half left in the fridge so there's sure to be another marrow recipe popping up on here in the next few days!

Autumnal Tomato & Marrow Soup
Serves 4

½ onion, sliced
½ large marrow, cubed (my whole marrow was about 40cm by 15cm - a whopper!)
1 green pepper, sliced
1 tin of plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp of vegetable stock powder
1 sprig of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 sprig of oregano or 1 tsp of dried oregano
1 clove garlic, sliced

- Sweat the onion in a large saucepan for a few minutes until soft and slightly translucent.
- Throw in the marrow and cook over a medium heat. It will soften, break down and become a little watery in the pan.
- Add the tomatoes, pepper, stock and herbs to the pan. If the juice from the tomatoes doesn’t cover the marrow, top up with boiling water. Bring to a simmer and add the garlic.
- Simmer for 10 minutes or until all of the vegetables are soft.
- Serve with grated cheddar or crumbled goats cheese and a hunk of crusty bread.

Hearty Healthy Pizza Stuffed Marrow

2011-09-16T17:01:00.000+01:00

It's not often that I get déjá vu however this particular incidence is unique because it revolves around vegetables. Marrows, in fact. Around this time last year, we had been gifted tons of courgettes and marrows through The Boy's workmates. This year, it's my workmates that are donating their vegetables to us. I've turned to my trusty stuffing technique for the ginormous marrow that's been taking up the best part of an entire shelf in our fridge for the last few days.

Admittedly not my best photograph for this very reason and I very nearly didn't post it for that very reason but I couldn't let vanity get in the way of showing you just how big this beast was! I decided to go for a combination of tomatoes and herbs to bring out the sweet roasted marrow flavour. Topping the whole lot with a little cheese made it quite reminiscent of pizza! The trick with this recipe is to reduce the filling down until it's almost dry; that way, the marrow doesn't go soggy when you stuff it. Slice it up and serve it with wilted swiss chard and wild rice or crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Pizza Stuffed Marrow
Serves 4 - 6

1 marrow (30cm or so long)
1 onion, chopped
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 can of plum tomatoes
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tsp vegetable stock powder
50g mature cheddar cheese

- Preheat the oven to 190c.
- Rinse the marrow and cut it lengthways. Scoop out the insides, leaving a 1cm (or so) strip of flesh around the skin. Place the empty halves on a baking tray and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sweat the onion and celery in a little oil over a medium heat while you chop the marrow innards into chunks. Add them to the pan and let them cook down. They'll express a lot of watery liquid and when they do, turn up the heat to simmer it off. Sprinkle the herbs and garlic into the pan.
- While the marrow simmers, drain the tomatoes (keep the juices for something else) and roughly chop. Add them into saucepan and stir. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- When the mixture has reduced down so that there's no remaining liquid, remove the marrow halves from the oven and spoon the mixture into it until it is level. Top with cheese and pop back into the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

'Sell By' Dates set to expire?

2011-09-15T16:57:00.001+01:00

There's a lot of hoo-ha going around the newspapers today regarding the dates that appear on the packaging of boxes, cartons and wrappers that go in our baskets and trolleys. You know how those reporters like to make mountains out of molehills! Some of the headlines make my blood boil - "Sell-by dates to be scrapped to cut food waste" is a prime example from the BBC News website today - as they don't make it clear enough that, although some of the advisory dates are changing, there will still be dates on food wrappings.

Headlines aside, there seems to be a tug of war going on between the government who wants to cut the amount of edible food that we throw away and the food companies and supermarkets who are petrified of getting sued after consumers eating gone off produce. I can see where both are coming from - as a nation, we throw away the equivalent of £12 million a year in food which we've bought but don't eat and during 2010, there were over 84,500 cases of food poisoning in England and Wales. We need to find a happy medium that, at the end of the day, benefits us 'normal folk' as consumers.

Dates on food packaging can be useful; they're used by the supermarkets for stock rotation (whereby the seller takes measures to ensure that the oldest stock is sold first which in itself reduces waste) and many consumers use them as a guide when planning how to use the contents of their fridge or larder. Having a 'Used by' date on packaging for food which is deemed perishable (foods which need to be kept refrigerated) is actually a legal requirement in the UK in order to ensure that the food that we buy is 'safe' to eat.

The change in guidelines which are being publicised will banish 'Expiry' dates on items which won't actually become hazardous to health after a certain date and replace it with a 'Best Before' date. This would apply to things like vegetables, dried pasta or jam and it's like saying "you'd like to enjoy this item to the max, you're better off eating it before Tuesday when it won't make you ill but might not taste quite as good".

Any changes to the way we perceive food is a positive in my book but, to me, this doesn't go quite far enough. Although some bacteria that is present in food that has 'gone off' doesn't change the smell or appearance of the food, I do think that a little common sense and knowledge does go a long way. I feel like this needs to be taught, along with nutrition and cost effective cooking measures, in schools while children are still developing their relationship with food and their ideas about meals. There are a few ways that I would test an apple, onion or cucumber, for example, to see if they were past their best.

Craving more information about cutting down your food waste? Check out Love Food Hate Waste for hints and tips on everything from cutting down the amount that you buy to canny uses of those pesky leftovers.

Healthy Sin-Free Fruit Flapjacks

2011-09-14T13:22:00.000+01:00

Looking for a way to use up your egg whites after making mayonnaise or custard? You could make meringues but for a sturdier snack, try these delicious flapjacks. The great news is that these can be whipped up using store cupboard ingredients combined with glorious in-season apples. The combination of egg whites and apple purée aren't detectable in the finished flapjacks but do away with the need for butter and oil like your usual recipes resulting in a guilt-free snack.

We have tons of apples at this time of year, for which we're indebted to to our generous families and neighbours, but I do know that Sainsburys are currently selling big bags of British Bramley apples for a mere £1. One bag will do you well for this recipe as well as crumbles and cakes galore. I've taken to stewing batches in the microwave for a few minutes and then freezing batches ready for later in the year when we're craving hot apple pies when the tree branches are bare. Throw in a few hedgerow blackberries too!

Another idea for freezing or using your gluts is apple sauce or purée. Peel, core and chop your apples, stew for a few minutes until softened and either keep chunky or mash/blitz in a food processor. Add sugar and/or salt to taste and serve with roasted pork or cold cuts. This freezes really well so that you can have a tasty, healthy condiment all year round. Alternatively, make a large batch, freeze half of it and use the rest in this tasty recipe! I tend to leave out the sugar when I'm using it for baking but it depends how much of a sweet tooth you have. They're pretty sturdy bars so they're ideal for throwing into school lunch boxes and into your rucksac for a mid-ride/walk energy boost.

Healthy Sin-Free Fruit Flapjacks
Makes 16 flapjacks

175g rolled oats
85g muesli
100g dried fruit (I used apricots and raisins)
50g mixed seeds or nuts (I used pumpkin, sesame and sunflower)
5 tbsp honey
2 egg whites
175g apple purée or sauce

- Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Gently warm the honey in a saucepan or in the microwave until runny.
- Combine the oats, muesli, dried fruit and seeds in a bowl and pour in honey, egg whites and apple purée. Stir until completely combined.
- Press the mixture into the tin and bake for 20 minutes or until firm.
- Leave to cool and slice into squares.

Fancy flapjacks in with your cuppa but don't fancy these ones? Keep it fruity with Apple & Blackcurrant Crumble Flapjacks but substitute with any seasonal fresh berries that you have such as blackberries. Or maybe you'd prefer sublimely soft Banana Flapjacks which you could top with melted chocolate if you're freely really sinful!

Summer Fruit Crumble and Homemade Spiced Custard

2011-09-13T11:58:00.001+01:00

Autumn commeth. I can feel it in the air; there's a chill breeze (or gale, as it's been in the last few days!), the leaves are starting to turn from lush green to crisp yellows and oranges and every so often you get the faintest whiff of mulching leaves and drying conkers. I must admit that I struggle to keep warm at the best of times so as the weather turns colder, I'm looking forward to warming my cockles with some lovely home cooking.

The days may be getting shorter and darker but, thankfully, Summer's not completely gone (truthfully, I'm not sure if it ever arrived in the UK). The limited amounts of watery British sunshine haven't limited the supply of fruit and vegetables in the garden's, allotments and veggie patches of my family and friends. We've been gifted boxes and bags full of delicious home grown goodies; most recently, my Mother-in-Love filled a box with apples, pears, rainbow chard, mangetout, runner beans and a carton of home-grown home-juiced apple juice. Unfortunately, after a busy weekend, I put the box on top of the car to rearrange the mess on my passenger seat only to forget about it completely. I promptly remembered it after driving a third of a mile and hearing it slide across the roof and land, with a thunk, in the middle of the road. Whoops. Luckily, the produce were a little worse for wear but still edible.

Our bruised and bashed apples and pears were combined with some plums to make a delish crumble. Crumble, for me, is up there with mashed potato and hearty soups as possibly the best comfort foods of all time. It's versatile, quick and easy (prerequisites of pretty much all of my recipes). This time, I decided to challenge myself and try making custard. We often keep a can of the ready made stuff in the larder for emergencies (emergency apple pie, emergency pineapple-upside-down cake...) but I've never tried making it from scratch. Now that I've given it a go, I can say with some confidence that it's amazingly easy. It takes about 10 minutes to make - no more than microwaving a can of the ready made gloop.

Summer Fruit Crumble
Serves 6

For the filling
450g prepared summer fruits of your choice
or 2 cooking apples, cored and chopped
4 plums, stones removed and chopped
4 pears, cored and chopped
2 tbsp sugar

For the topping
50g plain flour
50g rolled oats
50g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
50g caster sugar

- Preheat the oven to 180c.
- Place the prepared fruit in a baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar.
- Pulse the topping ingredients in food processor, or rub together with your fingers, until it resembles bread crumbs.
- Pile on top of the fruit and pop into the oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden.

Spiced Homemade Custard
Serves 2 - 4

330ml milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 cardamom pod, crushed
1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks*
15g caster sugar
1 level tsp cornflour
grated nutmeg to taste

- Split the vanilla pod length ways and scrape out the seeds. If you're using vanilla extract, hold your horses - you add this later. Add the seeds, pod and other spices to a saucepan and pour in the milk. Cover and gently bring to the simmer. Keep a close eye on it as milk has a mischievous tendency to boil over as soon as you turn your back. When it's warmed through, remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. This stage can be done in advance - the longer the better as the spices will infuse the milk.
- When you're ready to serve, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflower together in a bowl until nicely blended and creamy.
- Remove the vanilla pod (if using) and the spices and pour the milk over the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the time so that the mixture is lump-free.
- Return the mixture to the pan (with the vanilla extract if using) and stir gently over a very low heat until it is thickened to your liking.

*Not sure what to do with your leftover egg whites? Make meringues or pop them in a mug in the fridge until tomorrow when I'll be putting up a new recipe that will use them up!

Succulent Baked Plaice with Olives

2011-08-30T14:32:00.001+01:00

Plaice isn’t necessarily the prettiest of fish. As a flat fish, it can look (as the name suggests…) a little squished and it’s dull grey skin with violent orange spots wouldn’t be a great advert for the latest face cream. Despite the fact that it won’t be winning any beauty pageants any time soon, it is totally delicious and a great base for flavours.

It’s a pretty fiddly fish so unless your fishmonger is willing to fillet it for you, I would recommend baking it whole. I like to pop it in the oven with some herbs to infuse the flesh while it cooks. Go for woody herbs as a base which will withstand the fierce heat of the oven without wilting into nothing. Their flavour will survive but their structure is hardy too so they’ll stay bushy and hold the fish away from the baking tray – this will encourage heat to circulate around the fish and allow it to cook evenly. Keep any softer herbs – like parsley and dill – for sprinkling on top just before serving.

I paired our plaice with fresh tomatoes and black olives but you could add a few anchovies or capers if you've got them knocking about. If you're not feeling the lemony hint, try a combination of sliced orange and fennel.

Succulent Baked Plaice with olives
Serves 2

1 whole plaice
1 bunch/handful of oregano, thyme or rosemary (or a mixture)
1 handful of parsley or dill (or a mixture)
½ lemon, sliced
12 or so black olives
1 handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Drizzle of olive oil
25g butter

- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Rub both the sides of the fish and a baking tray with a little olive oil.
- Place the herbs in an oval in the middle of the baking tray and scatter with lemon slices.
- Put the plaice on top and surround with the olives and tomatoes.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes depending on the size of the fish – it should be white and opaque all the way through.
- To serve, cut along the centre line of the fish and gently peel the skin back. Add a knob or two of butter, the chopped parsley/dill and a little seasoning. The flesh can be pushed off the bones by placing the flat side of a fork against the spine and brushing outwards.
- Plate up with sauté potatoes and fresh summery salad.

Review: The Rough Guide to Food

2011-07-24T20:49:00.000+01:00

If, like me, you thought that the people behind the popular Rough Guides only did Travel Guides, think again. They may be known for highlighting the best drinking holes in Melbourne and the most sacred areas of Istanbul (they currently cover over 200 destinations) but they also have a vast selection of 'Reference Guides' to choose from. Their 'Rough Guide to Food' jumped off the shelf (visually, not literally) and into my hands during my last trip to my trusty local library.

I must admit that I was curious about how they would pitch a basic guide to food. The book touches upon most of the basic issues and topics, weighing up the positives and negatives of the common options. It's relatively balanced and even though its biased towards organic produce, it is sympathetic to those (like me) who can't afford to go completely organic for their regular shop.

It's a good all round book to challenge your thoughts on food, the ingredients we cook with and the places that we buy from. From the money we spend with the Big Four (our major out-of-town supermarkets) to the trials and tribulations of growing your own, there's certainly food (ho ho) for thought within its pages. It's a great starting point if you're interested in food but don't know where to start.

Published in 2009, the book could already do with an update as it covers such topical issues, it seems a little behind the times. It has a wealth of stats and graphs but these seem a little irrelevant even though they're only 2 years old. It doesn't cover Waitrose recent growth in the marketplace, for example. I suppose anything that covers the retail market is almost out of date before its published.

The layout isn't the easiest to read as the main text is interupted by fact boxes, quotes and facts which distracted me. I'm not the most dedicated of factual readers, I must admit, but the layout doesn't help. Saying that, it does break up the bulk of the text which, I imagine, makes it more appealing to first-time non-fiction readers.

There's a fantastic stockists and suppliers list at the back of the book which is split into regions. The 'South West' section suggests some familiar names but also has some new suggestions. An interesting further reading list follows with more specific resources if you'd like to find out more about a particular area. Each section has links to websites and services relevant to the passage that you've just read. It can be used as a reference book though I think it's possibly a little basic to make it on to my bookshelf. Saying that, I've already made notes of some of its suggestions.

I would seriously recommend this book if you're curious about food, its production or the environment but don't know where to start. I've felt a little lost when it comes to making a balance between eating healthy, nutritious food that's frugal, tasty and ethically sourced. This book gives you a good starting point and suggests further reading to boot.

Emergency Mushroom Pasta

2011-07-22T17:11:00.002+01:00

Everything is relative. When I first started cycling to work about a year ago, I thought that sixteen miles was a long way to cycle. Now, it feels reasonable. A little wimp-ish even. It might be something to do with having friends who are seasoned road cyclists and will do a hundred miles in a weekend without batting an eyelid. I now cycle between 30 and 50 miles a week and am hoping to up it as the weather improves (it’s going improve, right? Right??). Anyway, on a similar vein, time is also relative. Half an hour might not be very long to wait for a meal in the grand scheme of things but when you’ve just finished a sixteen mile ride in the rain, it seems like an eternity. My tummy isn’t very big either but it can feel like an echo-y cavern when it’s not been filled with tasty things.

This particular trick of time and space was my quandry just the other day. And once again the cupboard was bare. Our fridge sported a pack of mushrooms, a little butter, some milk and a wizened nugget of parmesan. Oh great. My hunger was starting to peak after my ride and my stomach was making it clear that it was very unhappy indeed. Thankfully, my windowsill herbs have been flourishing so I had fresh parsley and basil at my disposal.

Cue, the crisis food. This dish would probably be lovely with cream cheese, crème fraiche or even cream if you have it knocking around but we didn’t. A roux (butter and flour) thickens the milky mushroom-y mixture so that’s its deliciously warm and satisfying. Just what I needed.

Emergency Mushroom Pasta
Feeds two hungry people

1 onion, sliced
150g mushrooms, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
150g pasta or spaghetti
100ml semi-skimmed milk (or whatever you have)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Small handful of parsley or basil, chopped
Sunflower or Olive oil

- Sweat the onions and garlic in a large saucepan over a low heat in a little oil for around five minutes or until they are completely softened and sweet.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until tender.
- Put your pasta on to boil.
- Pour in the milk and stir until it is just off simmering.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and flour together into a paste.
- Take a ladle or two of milk from the mushrooms and whisk into the flour/butter paste until smooth. Add this into the saucepan and gently heat through, stirring as you do so, until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the grated parmesan and continue to stir until its mostly dissolved
- Once your pasta is cooked to your liking, drain it, reserving the cooking water, and add to the saucepan of sauce.
- Loosen the mixture with a little cooking water until it’s to your preferred consistency – I was in the mood for a light sauce so I made it relatively thin.
- Throw in the herbs, stir through and serve immediately with extra parmesan shavings and a whole lot of gratitude.

Review: Goodfellow’s, Wells

2011-07-20T15:00:00.000+01:00

Photo from a fellow visitor, Tripadvisor

Walking along the main shopping street in Somerset’s prettiest of towns Wells, my ears rang with the sound of tyres screeching and police sirens wailing.

“Cornetto?” The Boy turned to me and said, in his best West Country accent with a hint of a smirk. Anyone who has seen Hot Fuzz, which was filmed in and around Wells, will understand. Anyone who hasn’t seen it... Where’ve you been? Watch it now.

Just off the Market Place and across from the beautiful sandstone arch, you will find Goodfellow’s Restaurant. Consisting of the patisserie-by-day/brasserie-by-night and fish restaurant within the same establishment, their website describes the ground floor dining room, which also houses their kitchen, as having a 'theatre in the round' atmosphere though I wasn't so sure. The ground floor is a little cramped but, despite my reservations, it was really interesting to watch the chefs at work.

We were led to our table by Martine who runs front of house and - we later found out - is married to Adam Fellow, head chef and name sake of the enterprise. I was impressed that we were asked if we had any allergies or preferences in terms of our food when we sat down. Both The Boy and I will eat pretty much anything as a rule but for my Mum, who is at pains to explain to every eatery she attends that she has a gluten intolerance, this would be a refreshing start to a meal.

We'd gone for the tasting menu which started with a glass of Prosecco while we perused the wine list. The fizz was great - not overly bubbly or dry and very drinkable. A good start. Next, we were presented with a gorgeous selection of homemade breads to munch on, which were delicious if a little dense. The tasting menu consisted of six "smaller in size, delicate in construction but intense in flavour" dishes. I couldn't wait to give it a try.

It wasn't long before our first course of chilled gazpacho with crayfish tails and pesto arrived. I must admit that I don't think I've tried gazpacho before but cold soup didn't really float my boat. It was nice enough but I wondered if their interpretation of "intense in flavour" actually meant "seasoned within an inch of its life". Oh dear. Anyway, onwards and upwards.

Our next course was a Seared Tuna Carpaccio with Nicoise salad which was very pretty on the plate. The tuna was perfectly cooked and very flavoursome while the juicy fresh tomatoes contrasted well with the salty olives and anchovy fillet. When this course arrived, I was chastising myself for not bringing a camera but I often worry that taking photographs of my food will be a bit conspicuous and/or makes me look like a mental case. Since then, I read Em's review of Berwick Lodge and their tasting menu on Bristol Bites where she was able to take a photograph of every beautifully presented dish. I'll have to work on my covert snapping skills.

Next up on our culinary adventure was Smoked haddock brandade with pea purée. Again the fish was perfectly cooked and fell apart as you brushed it with your fork. This was a close contender for our favourite dish but then the Sea bream with cucumber spaghetti and a champagne sauce arrived. Wow. The sauce had a spice to it that I wasn't expecting and the ribbons of cucumber were surprisingly refreshing. The Boy and I were both quiet for the first time that evening while we devoured our respective portions before we erupted into praise.

Our final savory dish was a pan fried scallop with black pudding, honey-roast bacon and a red wine and star anise reduction. The scallop was beautifully cooked, as was the black pudding which was still moist and slightly crumbly. Scallop and black pudding is a tried-and-tested winning combination so, although it was enjoyable, it didn't blow our minds. The honey-roast back was a fantastic morsel - sweet and salty, crisp and yielding. The plate was decorated with, what we thought was, a purée of scallop coral which was an interesting use for it and nice to see that there was very little wasted.

Finally, we were presented with our dessert, a trio of Sicilian lemon desserts. This made for a nice palate cleanser at the end of a rather gargantuan meal though it hasn't stuck in my memory. Our menu included a hot drink with homemade chocolates to end the meal but neither of us were in need of a caffeine fix so we passed. I was curious to see what their homemade chocolates were like so next time, I'd definitely leave space.

Each dish was announced to us as it was served and we were topped up on bread and water throughout the meal. As my first tasting menu experience, I'd recommend it. I was surprised that I didn't walk away feeling too full despite the large meal we'd just enjoyed. All in all, the service was friendly and attentive but unobtrusive. The fish, as you'd expect from a speciality restaurant, was all beautifully cooked though some of our dishes were over seasoned for our tastes. If you're planning a romantic meal without any distractions, I'd ask for a table in the upstairs dining room but if you're interested in seeing a professional kitchen at work, go for a table downstairs. I would certainly recommend them to our friends who live locally and feel its something of a hidden gem.

Goodfellows can be found on 5 Sadlers Street, Wells, Somerset BA5 2RR. Tel: 01749 673866. The tasting menu is £55 per person.

Salmon & Samphire Maki

2011-07-15T16:24:00.001+01:00

This time last year, I was trawling the food markets of Bristol and whipping up mayonnaise in search of a suitable birthday tea for The Boy. You may (or may not) know that The Boy has a passion for sushi - we're regular Yo Sushi dwellers (despite his best intentions) and he has been a domestic sushi master since a course earlier in the year. He loves the process of making maki and California rolls as wells as quick-and-speedy hand rolls.

This year, I ordered some fresh sushi-grade fish from the amazing Source in Bristol who have a fantastic selection of fresh meat & fish as well as lots other delicious and tempting things on offer. You can get everything from nori and local chili sauce to freshly baked cakes and marinated olives. It's amazing and, to top it off, the staff are friendly and pretty knowledgeable too. It's well worth a visit. They also have a café restaurant that I'm dying to try. One day! Anyway, I went to pick up my order of filleted mackerel, salmon and scallops but a handful of samphire and a piece of salted caramel and cherry brownie somehow found their way into my basket. I really couldn't resist!

Samphire is a fantastic post-season alternative to asparagus. It's actually a kind of seaweed which is in season from June until September. It's a natural partner to fish but it's also great with meat too. It's versatile and really refreshing if you cook it right - thankfully, this isn't difficult. I would recommend picking through the samphire when you're ready to cook and removing any brown or squishy bits. I thought that it'd be a lovely texture in the sushi so I blanched it for minute and then refreshed it in cold water to keep it succulent.

The Boy and I then spent a very companionable half hour making sushi. It's therapeutic and difficult in equal amounts - if you're a perfectionist, it may drive you mad but you do get to eat your attempts whether they're millimetre perfect or not. We made maki with raw salmon and samphire which was absolutely delish as well as mackerel california rolls and scallop nigiri.

Hand picked wild mussles and Moules Marinaire

2011-07-14T13:57:00.003+01:00

Having anchored our boat in a quiet bay, The Boy was feeling intrepid and ventured out onto the scratchy, barnacle-clad rocks in search of little fishies. After a period of disappearance, he returned, pink cheeked with pride bearing all sorts of goodies. His bucket contained a variety of delicate, spritely fish, an baby starfish and five shrimps.

The incy, wincy starfish (only an inch or so across) was coo-ed over and then gently placed back into its pool but we held on to the shrimps - good eatin' to be had there! Our seas and beaches are full of gorgeous goodies that anyone can make the most of if you know where to look.

Buoyed by his successful hoard, we went to for a wander along the surf and what did we find? Several mammoth rocks encrusted in midnight blue mussels which, in turn, were stuffed with silvery barnacles. We grinned gleefully at one another and picked eagerly at the shells. They weren't as stuck fast as I expected - I had memories of a mini-me whacking unsuspecting limpets with rocks in an attempt to knock them off their home rocks before they suckered themselves on. Mussels are far easier to harvest, as it turns out.

After a quick google (the wonders of Smart phones) and some advice from our elders, we made quick work of collecting a box full. They were quite easily teased from the rocks by twisting them which broke their 'beards' away - the delicate strings that fix them to the surface of the stone - without damaging the mollusk. We mostly picked from the waterline and chose mussels which stayed in the water for as long as possible - our intuition told us that these would be the freshest but I've no idea if this is correct. We mostly went for mussels which were 6 - 7cm long and avoided the baby ones (less than 5cm). As with all foraging, we only took what we would be able to eat and left more than we took (we wouldn't want to spoil it for others now, would we?). Since our expedition, I've read that mussels actually spawn between May and August so harvesting is generally discouraged during this time. We stored them in a large plastic box which was filled with fresh sea water and kept them in the shade for the trip home.

Back at our rented caravan, we prepped our goodies. Have a look at the instructions above if you haven't done it before and are curious. It's a bit labour intensive but it's well worth it. Myself, The Boy and my Mum-in-Love stood around the sink and chatted away while we worked so it was no hardship. After the cleaning was done, there was one dish in the fore front of all of our imaginations that would showcase these little treasures of the sea.

Moules Marinaire

Serves five as a starter

1.5kg prepared mussels, rinsed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

100ml white wine or cider

120ml single cream

Sunflower oil or butter

- Sweat the onion and garlic in a splash of oil or knob of butter in a saucepan large enough to take all of the mussels until completely softened.

- Add the mussels and stir well so that they're completely coated in onion.

- Turn up the heat and pour in wine and cream. Cover and simmer for 3 - 4 minutes or until the majority of the mussels are open. Shake the pan every so often so move the mussels about.

- Stir in the parsley and ladle into bowls. Serve with crusty bread to mop up any juices. Discard any mussels that have not opened during cooking.

Marmalade Cake

2011-07-07T08:32:00.000+01:00

I made marmalade for the first time this year. It was a mixed bag of citrusy success but it did get me into the preserving mindset. It's surprisingly addictive! Consequently, we had several jars of my own grapefruit brew and some lemon too (to please The Boy who thinks that grapefruits are a favourite of the devil). Our jar tower was added to considerably by my Mother in Love who gifted us with jars of deliciously dark seville orange marmalade and a fabulous friend who gave us a sample of her first batch of orange marmalade.

With a self-catering weekend away approaching, I wanted to make some cake for those lazy afternoon tea moments where you're in need of something to tide you over until dinner and a biscuit just won't do. Usually, I'd make lemon drizzle cake as it's something that The Boy adores but my marmalade mountain was staring me down as I reached for my recipe book.

I must admit that marmalade cake isn't something that I'd normally go for. I'm a recent marmalade convert so I suppose I assumed that a cake flavoured with it would be a little full on. This recipe, however, is basically just a great tea cake with a hint of citrus tang. It's a great way to use up marmalade that hasn't set as well as you'd hoped; my grapefruit and lemon concoction is quite a soft set so it's ideal for this.The mixed nuts really make a difference and I was toying with the idea of adding soaked sultanas too but decided against it for my most recent batch. If they take your fancy, soak them for as long as you can (ideally overnight) in orange juice, cold tea or water (depending on your tastes) and fold them before you pop them in the loaf tin.

Take a thick slice into the sunshine and enjoy with a cup of tea!

Marmalade Cake
Makes 12 - 14 slices

175g butter, softened
225g self raising flour
175g light brown muscovado sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking powder
100g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
140g (homemade) marmalade

- Preheat your oven to 180c. Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the sugar then add the butter and eggs into the bowl with all but 2 tbsp of the marmalade.
- Beat the mixture until it is pretty much smooth. If you can, do this with an electric mixer. I didn't have one which made it a bit of a time consuming process.
- Fold in the nuts and spread the mixture evenly into your prepared loaf tin.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out without any batter sticking to it. Cover the cake with foil after 30 minutes (or when the top is golden brown) so that it doesn't burn.
- Put the cake to one side to cool slightly while you prepare the marmalade glaze. Mix the marmalade with a tablespoon or so of boiling water - you want it to be the consistency of runny honey.
- Prick the cake with a skewer or fork and pour the glaze over the top, spreading out with the back of a spoon to ensure that it is coated.

A Guide to Food in Fowey

2011-07-06T13:58:00.000+01:00

The view from Polruan to Fowey, Cornwall

When Summer curls her languid fingers across her warm palm and beckons in the warm weather, all I can think about is getting outside to enjoy it. The Boy and I followed our seasonal calling and drove our batter little car down to Fowey to spend a glorious long weekend in Cornwall. We couldn't have struck it better with the weather, which my shoulders will vouch for. Here are a few of the delicious places that we discovered that we tried while we were out and about...

Cone Zone, 4A Webb Street, Fowey
A stones throw from the harbour, Cone Zone sells amazing ice creams from the awesome Langage Farm as well as some tempting sandwiches and hot drinks (should the English weather take a turn for the worst). Ask for a hot chocolate dip with your cone - your choice of ice cream (a single scoop is £1.80) is popped into a cone and then rolled in melted chocolate which solidifies providing a pleasing contrast in texture. The cool snap of chocolate gives way to smooth creamy ice cream in a way which can only be described as totally flipping YUM. I love their chocolate chunk ice cream while The Boy thinks its a complete heresy to have anything other than their blackcurrant and cream concoction. Thunder and Lightening honeycomb ice cream is pretty special too.

The Galleon Inn, 12 Fore Street, Fowey
For a drink or two after a day spent at sea, pootle no further along the quay than The Galleon Inn. A friendly pub that offers live music (even if it is slightly dubious "jazz"), a relaxed atmosphere, estuary views from their terrace and delicious Cornish cider. Pay a visit on a Sunday afternoon as any left over roast potatoes and gravy from the Sunday lunches are left on the bar for everyone to enjoy. It might sound weird but don't knock it 'til you've tried it. A pint of Cornish Orchard cider in one hand and a crispy roast potato in the other makes for a very contented afternoon.

Kittows, 1 - 3 South Street, Fowey
A sunny weekend calls for a barbecue. Many barbecues (barbecii? No.) if possible. Our digs had a chiminea so with our burning implements sorted, we needed meat to cremate. Kittow's provided meaty sausages and juicy marinated spare ribs as well as a free bag of sausage scrag ends. We grilled the sausages and ribs over hot charcoal which lent a fabulously smokey flavour to the meat. We enjoyed the sausage meat for breakfast the next day and were all the more flavoursome for being free! They offer nationwide delivery through their website and also offer a very tempting deli.

Fowey Fish, 37 Fore Street, Fowey
Having caught and foraged for some fantastic fishy treats, we wanted some bits and bobs to go with our seafood feast. We spotted some samphire in Fowey Fish's window which looked perfect. We got a huge bag for a mere £1.80. Bargain!

Crumpets, 1 Fore Street, Polruan-by-Fowey

Hop on the ferry across the estuary to Polraun or pootle across in your own vessel and climb the hill to find this quaint little tea room. They have a lovely selection of homemade treats on offer - look out for the "Things on Toast" section of the menu. Freshly made crab sandwiches (£5) and Cornish pasties (£4) are available to enjoy from the comfort of their sunny café or to take away and devour elsewhere. We were kept entertained by their amazing sugar pots with integral tongs...

Simple things for simple minds like us...

Fishermans Arms, Fore Street Goland, Fowey
Take a short pootle up the estuary, a left fork next to the china clay depot and then pop under the railway bridge on the left hand next to a level crossing on the river. Less than ten metres on your left will be the Fishermans Arms and you can moor up more or less right outside at high tide. There's space to park on the road in front but beware as the road is liable to flood (though its still passable) when the tide is high. They have a lovely little menu but the specials board is where its at. We enjoyed whitebait and breaded mushrooms (both £5) to start - pub grub perfection! I had a smoked fish platter (£10.80) while The Boy had a vegetable curry with sweet potato and chickpeas (£8.50). Both were lovely though the curry was a real revelation - nicely spiced with plenty of fragrance.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

2011-07-05T14:49:00.001+01:00

I like to think that this recipe is slightly more virtuous than your average cheesecake. Whether it actually is or not is neither here nor there... It’s made up of reduced fat cream cheese and a dairy product called Quark, which is far less alien than it sounds. It’s virtually fat free and doesn’t have any of the bitter, grittiness than you often get with fat free yoghurt or cream cheese. These two ingredients alone won’t solidify so to this you add the naughtiest ingredient – white chocolate. I’m not a huge fan of white chocolate on its own but it certainly makes this cheese cake for me. Fold in some raspberries (fruit therefore healthy) and spread over a base of reduced fat biscuits and crushed nuts (also good for you).

When I was looking for a heavenly cheesecake recipe without the sinful calorie or fat, I came across lots of baked cheesecake recipes but none that involved chilling to set the cake. I've tried baked cheesecakes and they're great but they do add another level of complication to the process. They're temperamental; if you don't bake them a certain way, they can crack which doesn't affect the taste but does make them look a bit unsightly. This cheesecake is pretty much fool proof and is a great dinner party dessert that can be made in advance.

I think this would also work with dark chocolate and cherries if you’re looking for a variation. I would use the darkest chocolate possibly to ensure that the cheesecake doesn’t set a strange grey colour. Swirl in some kirsch or maybe Bailey’s for a more adult version.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake
Makes 12 servings

300g reduced fat cream cheese
500g Quark
300g white chocolate 200g British raspberries
2 tsp vanilla extract
55g butter
1 tbsp cocoa powder
50g reduced fat digestive biscuits
30g mixed nuts

- Preheat your oven to 180c. Prepare a 25cm spring form tin by lining the base with parchment and the sides with clingfilm.
- Melt the butter gently over a low heat or in the microwave.
- Pulse the biscuits and mixed nuts in a food processor until they are finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, chop the nuts as finely as you can and bash the biscuits, wrapped up in a clean tea towel, with a rolling pin.
- Stir the cocoa powder into the butter and add the biscuit and nut crumbs.
- Press into the bottom of the tin with a flat bottomed tumbler as evenly as possible and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of boiling water then leave to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese and Quark together until combined then add the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Beat together and then add the raspberries.
- Pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base and level with a spatula. I like to push any raspberries that have ended up on the surface to the bottom and smooth the creamy mixture around them to give a smooth top.
- Chill for two hours or until firm.

Bacon and Broad Bean Hash

2011-07-01T14:39:00.000+01:00

Having had yet another Mother Hubbard moment, I concocted this dish from the odds and ends that had been frequenting our fridge. One sad and solitary potato, the heart of a sweet heart cabbage and some bits of bacon that were left over from a pasta dish. I quite like the challenge of a near-empty fridge - sometimes too much choice can be a bad thing and an excuse for dithering.

With broad beans coming into season, this is a great way to use these deliciously savoury legumes. Ideally, they'd be fresh from the pod and into the pan but if yours aren't quite ready to eat or if, like me, you don't have a vegetable patch at your disposal then the frozen ones are great. If you're not a fan, substitute with peas though I'd probably go for finely chopped mint instead of parsley.

Super-simple flavours. Incredibly easy cookery! Great for summer - chuck everything in a pan to flash it with a little heat and then enjoy outside on your patio chairs. In our case, we'd be huddled on the back step. We just ate at the dining table but the sun was streaming through the window.

Bacon and Broadbean Hash
Serves 2

1 large potato, cubed
125g (smoked) bacon, sliced
½ onion, sliced
¼ sweet heart cabbage, chopped

100g broad beans

Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped - with a few whole sprigs reserved to garnish (if you're feeling fancy)

- Par boil the potatoes for three minutes. I like to do this in the microwave because it seems more efficient.

- Meanwhile, dry fry the bacon in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. The bacon should colour up and expell any fat into the pan.

- Mop up some of the fat from the pan with kitchen towel, leaving about a tablespoon remaining. Drain the potatoes (reserving the liquid) and add along with the onion and cabbage.

- Keep everything moving around the pan so that it doesn't stick or burn. Fry for about four minutes or until the potato starts to colour.

- Add the broad beans and a splash of the cooking liquid. Keep stirring and cook for a minute or two until they're cooked to your liking. If you're using frozen broad beans, cook for four minutes or until piping hot all the way through.

- Just before serving, stir in the chopped parsley then pile onto your plates.

The Sweetest of Potatoes

2011-06-29T14:12:00.001+01:00

Fancy a slice of the action?

I love sweet potato. It may not be the prettiest of vegetables but its orange flesh pleasantly treads the line between savory and sweet. They're versatile and good for you as they're high in a range of vitamins, complex carbohydrates (which keep you fuller for longer and burn slowly in your belly) and fibre. They have also been rated the highest for nutritional value in a study that surveyed common vegetables. They're delicious whether they're roasted, boiled or mashed but be sure to have a little fat (such as a dressing of olive oil) with your potato to encourage your update of the precious beta-carotene that its naturally bursting with.

So, the sweet potato. An all round winner? Hrm, maybe not. If you head to your local supermarket or grocer, you'll be faced with roots that have winged their way to the shelf from America. The US of A. That means that if your potatoes came from North Carolina (the leading sweet potato growing state), they will have travelled over 3,700 miles to get to your dinner plate. My research shows that sweet potato season runs from September to March so maybe the suppliers see the US as the answer to summer shortages but it still seems crazy to me to be shipping them all that way. I'm no expert but I wonder how much of the nutrients are lost during transportation.

Anyway, The Boy and I got talking about this subject and he (being particularly passionate about these orange beauties) challenged me to grow my own. Baring in mind that we don't have a garden, this is likely to be difficult. I doubt that we have the space to grow potatoes on our window sills and the distict lack of soil makes growing them on our driveway sound a bit far fetched too. Having done some reading, it seems that I'm a bit late of the starting blocks too as tubars need to be started in February to be ready for September. Ho hum!

Still, the dates have been put in my diary and that gives me plenty of time to work out how (and where!) I'm going to grow them. I do love a challenge, don't you?

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Aubergine

2011-06-24T14:12:00.001+01:00

As soon as IrvingWashington over at Hunger and Sauce posted her Israeli Cous Cous recipe, I knew I had to give it a try. It looked oh so delish with sweetly roasted figs, toasted hazelnuts and crumbly feta. Majorly droolsome.

I must admit that despite my Middle Eastern roots, I hadn't heard of the stuff before. I've used finer North African couscous since my uni days but had never seen this plumper variety. My first hurdle was to find the elusive carbohydrate; my local Sainsburys didn't stock it and the internet wasn't much help ("How much!?"). Luckily, my dearest Papa happened upon some in trusty Waitrose, marketed as 'Giant' Couscous. Dad's rock.

My meal plan fell to pieces when I managed to forget to buy figs. Oops. Still keen to try out my latest ingredient, I raided our fridge and came across an aubergine. I'd picked it up on a rare trip to Asda where they were selling them for 50p - half the price of Sainsburys where I usually shop. Some were little (half the size of the Sainsburys ones) but I rummaged one out which was a good size. I roasted it while I had one or two other bits in the oven so as to be as thrify as possible with my fuel. If you're turning the oven on for cakes or biscuits, why not pop a tray of aubergines or peppers in too? They'll keep well in a container in your fridge for at least a few days or you could freeze them for when you next need them?

Anyway, here's my Israeli cous cous recipe. I hope you like it! I'm still hoping that I remember to pick up those blasted figs when I'm next at the supermarket so that I can try out IrvingWashington's recipe!

Aubergine Israeli Couscous

Serves 2 as a side dish

1 aubergine
1 red onion, peeled
3 tbsp sunflower oil
100g Israeli or ‘Giant’ couscous
½ tsp vegetable stock powder (or around ¼ of a cube)
½ lemon, juiced and zested
2tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp white wine or cider vinegar
Handful of coriander, chopped
1 tsp chilli, finely chopped
1 clove garlic

- Whip the top off the aubergine, slice in half and cut into 5mm pieces. Do the same with the onion and place in a bowl. Pour 2 tbsp of sunflower oil over and toss until coated.
- Pop on to a baking tray and gently shake from side-to-side to level.
- Put into the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 190C. Remove the aubergine half way through cooking and stir so that it cooks evenly and goes golden on both sides.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the couscous. Gently brown the couscous for a few minutes so that it darkens slightly.
- While it cooks, measure out 200ml of cold water and add the stock powder and the whole garlic glove. Stir until the stock has dissolved.
- Add the water to the couscous and stir. Turn the heat below the pan to low, cover and bring to a simmer.
- After a minute, remove the garlic clove and then continue to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Stir every so often so that it doesn’t clump together. You may need a little more water depending on your couscous.
- Mince the garlic and combine it with the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, chilli, cumin, vinegar and coriander in a large bowl. Add the aubergine and couscous and toss with your hands until everything has an even coating of dressing.
- Serve garnished with coriander leaves. Lovely with poached eggs or harissa chicken.

Apple & Blackcurrent Crumble Flapjacks

2011-06-23T14:19:00.001+01:00

Blackcurrants and redcurrants freshly picked from Thurloxton's fields

Summertime is on it's way and with it comes the the seasonal glut of glorious fruit and vegetables. One thing to make the most of (apart from the last trickle of British asparagus) is soft fruit. The supermarkets are packed with them - British strawberries and raspberries were both on offer when I last went - but the quality can be a little hit and miss as they are difficult to transport. That's the trouble with soft fruit. It's, well, soft.

Luckily for us, we have a great pick your own place nearby called Thurloxton Growers which grows all sorts from rhubarb and gooseberries to broadbeans and asparagus. They have several fields with lots of produce fresh on the vine, bush or plant to pick at your own pace. It's not cheap but the quality is amazing and they tend to have fruit that is otherwise hard to come by - red gooseberries and loganberries to name just two. Have a look for some fields near you here or type 'Pick your own' and then your location into a search engine. Many places, Thurloxton included, sell other local produce such as fresh cream to go with your freshly picked strawberries!

Otherwise, if you're stuck with the supermarket for your fruit, take a minute to take a close look at the fruit that goes into your basket. If the fruit has darker, soft patches or looks bruised, find another punnet. Alternatively, if you want your berries for jam or will be using them the same day, corner a member of staff and ask for a discount. It might sound embarrassing but if you don't ask, you don't get.

I spent a lovely afternoon picking red and black currants in the fields of Thurloxton. I'm very partial to eating the redcurrants raw if they're sweet enough but the blackcurrants proved a little too tart for snacking on. My Mother-in-Love had suggested jam but I wanted to do some baking with them.

What to make with my hoard? I adore flapjacks. They feel like the less sinful option when you fancy something cakey. They have butter and sugar in like a sponge but they contain oats instead of flour. That makes them healthy, right? Anyway, British Bramley apples are still in season and you know, dear reader, how much I like the them. It seemed apt to pair British Bramleys with British blackcurrants together.

I whipped up a batch using the apples as a base for the flapjack to give it extra flavour and also to make them moist and chewy. I left the skins in for added fibre (and because I couldn't be faffed to peel them!) which I can't say I've noticed in the finished flapjacks so for the convenience, I'd just keep them on. Once the flapjack base is done, just press the currants onto the surface, sprinkle with sugar and then top with more crumbly oats for a satisfying crunch before you pop it in the oven. It might sound like a lot of trouble for a flapjack but it's actually really simple and adds a lot to the finished article. I imagine that this would work well with any seasonal fruit that you've got lying about. You could also use frozen soft fruits from your freezer or from the supermarket outside of season.

Apple & Blackcurrant Crumble Flapjacks
Makes 12 pieces

For the flapjack base
3 large Bramley apples
200g oats
35ml honey
75g butter
60g sugar
100g fresh (or frozen) blackcurrants, washed

For the crumble topping
55g oats
15g butter, cubed
55g flaked almonds

- Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 20cm by 20cm baking tin with parchment paper.
- Wash the apples, core them and chop into roughly 1cm cubes.
- Put into a saucepan over a low heat with 40g of the sugar. Cover and simmer gently for around 10 - 15 minutes or until the apples start to fall apart.
- Meanwhile, make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter and oats together with your fingers.
- Stir the apples to form a smoothish paste. Add the butter and honey and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the oats and stir until they're completely coated.
- Press into the prepared tin, using a spatula or spoon to level.
- Press the blackcurrants into the top of the flapjack and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
- Top with the crumble topping and scatter with flaked almonds.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the blackcurrants burst and and the almonds and oats are golden.

Snapshot: Podding Peas

2011-06-21T11:35:00.001+01:00

As I've previously mentioned, healthy snacks are rather difficult to come by. Eleven o'clock comes around on a weekday and my office erupts with the rustling of crisp packets and biscuit wrappers. Temptation is rife but today, I am fine. For today, dear reader, I have peas.

Just like my colleagues' convenience foods, they come in their own hygienic wrapping and can be picked on while I'm typing or draughting away. Unlike my workmates fodder, they are low in salt, sugar, preservatives and other nasties. They have a satisfying snap as I pop open the pod, which keeps me entertained (it's the simple things in life...). And as an added bonus, any waste can be composted - you can't say that about your average bag of crisps or biscuits!

British peas are in season right now and the supermarkets are stocking them. They're not cheap if you're compare them with the dinner staple frozen variety but we eat them in a very different way; on their own, raw and straight from the shell. They'd be lovely cooked and added to various meals but why over-complicate something that is so delicious on its own?

Grilled Courgette & Halloumi Salad

2011-06-20T20:21:00.100+01:00

Father's Day. A another celebration (to add to the list along with Mothers Day and Valentines Day) dreamed up by the ingenious card companies to line their pockets after the card-buying frenzy of Christmas. I love my Dad and I hope that he knows how much I appreciate him but I quite like having an excuse to treat him. I suggesting inviting both The Boy's and my parents over for the day along with my siblings (The Boy’s sister lives too far away, sadly).

We may have stuck a finger up at card-giving commercialism but it did mean that we’d be cooking for eight. Blimey. I decided on a simple menu – a shared lunch of salads with homemade bread and a roast for dinner – but was still faced with tons of preparation in order to get to relax on the day. So, after an hour of aerial hoop and lunch with friends, I got down to some serious prepping. I quickly realised that - after my earlier exertions - once I stopped, I wouldn't be able to start again so I got through as many of many tasks with as much vigour as I could muster. I peeled vegetables for the roast, I soaked pulses for a bean salad, I roasted aubergines for a salad and I melted chocolate for a low(ish) fat cheesecake. Phew!

Sunday dawned and my muscles had locked up into a knot of achey lead. The Boy had helped me to prep a salad of seasonal courgettes and haloumi cheese which I thought would go down well with one and all. As he griddled, his brain was whirring - my recipe idea had sparked some foodie inspiration. He added peppers to my base of courgette, cheese, oregano and olives and topped the whole thing off with a sprinkling of sesame seeds. While the grill pan was still hot, I whacked on a lemon and stuck the grilled, caramalised halves on the plate to dress.

As our visitors arrived bearing various divine dishes - my Mum brought a fantastic homemade polenta based gluten free quiche while my Mum-in-Love brought a broad bean and bacon salad. Eight around our little table was, urm, rather friendly to say the least but it was made bearable by the mountains of food. My batch of green olive foccacia went down a storm but it was the courgette salad that was the real star of the show. The courgettes become sweet and soft when grilled which contrasts nicely with the salty bite of the green olives. The weather (predictably unpredictable) wasn't on our side and we didn't fancy barbecuing on our driveway so we used a grill pan but this could be popped on the barbie for a truly smokey flavour.

Grilled Courgette & Haloumi Salad
Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish

4 medium courgettes
2 peppers
250g halloumi cheese, drained and sliced
100g green olives, sliced
1 lemon
25g sesame seeds
handful of oregano leaves
sunflower oil

- Put a griddle pan on a high heat to warm up until smoking. Alternatively, prepare your barbeque.
- Wash the courgettes and cut them lengthways. Try to get them around 5mm thick but don't worry too much if you can't as they're not the easiest of things to cut! Deseed and slice the peppers and pop everything in a bowl with the halloumi cheese.
- Drizzle the courgettes and pepper with a little oil and mix so that they are well covered. Carefully brush the griddle with a little oil on a heatproof brush or a kitchen towel.
- Grill the courgette and pepper for a few minutes on each side until they are slightly softened and have charred lines. Remove to a serving dish.
- Next, grill the halloumi for about 4 minutes, turning each slice so that it crisps up slightly and becomes charred. Add to the serving dish with the other vegetables.
- Turn off the heat under the pan and immediately put two lemon halves, cut side down, on to the grill. Leave for a few minutes until they are caramalised and browned.
- Meanwhile, add the olives and oregano leaves to the dish and toss the salad. Top with sesame seeds and oregano sprigs. Serve with the grilled lemon halves to squeeze over.

Review: Zazu's Kitchen

2011-06-18T18:38:00.030+01:00

After an hour of strenuous aerial exercise (my latest passion is aerial hoop), me and two friends found ourselves wandering the Stokes Croft area of Bristol in search of sustenance. You may have heard of this creative and dynamic area in the news of late but don't let recent events put you off; this is a lovely part of Bristol which is well worth exploring.

After some dithering, we decided on Zazu's Kitchen. From the outside, it seems like a small establishment but inside, it's somewhat tardis-like. Our first impression was confusion; they'd been closed in the morning for a private event (the chef later told us that they'd cooked full English breakfasts for thirty people - rather him than me!) and the staff were trying to get the place in order. We were welcomed in to take a seat while we waited for them to ready themselves and soon had hot drinks in front of us. Zazu's is the kind of place that serves tea in a pot and proper frothy, chocolatey cappuccinos. Points there.

We were further perplexed when trying to order food. Apparently, they weren't ready to take orders. No, we couldn't place our order in advance for when the kitchen re-opened. Hrmph. We placated our hunger with more drinks. Incidentally, their hot chocolate is ace and they have an impressive selection of Fentiman's traditional soft drinks. While we waited, I had a little look around. There's a small, central, open kitchen which acts as the heart of the place as well as a divide between the front of the café and the more secluded back area. There was fresh pasta strung up to dry on poles all around the place - a nice touch showing that they make their own produce in house.

Eventually, the time came and food was being served. The menu looked fantastic; full of seasonal and local produce mixed with homemade basics. But before we could get up to place an order, a queue formed that trailed out of the door. Poor timing on our part, I suppose but unfortunate nevertheless. After (what felt like) an eternity of queuing, we settled ourselves for a 25 minute wait for our food. This was well spent people watching. Stokes Croft attracts a diverse array of characters but Zazu's seemed to be filled with painfully cool twenty-somethings - boys with silly, indie hair and girls with blank expressions and 'granny' shoes.

Our food arrived and it was certainly worth the wait. We enjoyed a confit of duck with crispy polenta and a gooseberry compote, a risotto of asparagus and preserved lemon and a piece of pan-fried cod on a bed of puy lentils and roasted peppers. The duck was a little dry but it worked well with the acidity of the gooseberry compot, which cut through fattyness of the meat. The polenta had a satisfyingly hard crust but a lovely soft interior - much nicer than my bland attempts at home. The risotto was deliciously fresh in flavour but still thick and creamy. The rice was perfectly cooked and it was interspersed with delicate slices of preserved lemon peel, which lifted the whole dish. The cod was perfectly cooked and the lentils were surprisingly meaty. All in all, a great meal for the food alone.

Zazu's Kitchen is great for a lazy breakfast or lunch when you're not in a hurry. If you have the time to sit back and enjoy watching the world go by (or by writing intense thoughts/ideas for meaningful song lyrics in your journal like many of the clientelle) while nibbling on delicious, seasonal food then this is the place to do it. They serve various teas, coffee any which way and wine, depending on your mood. Food is reasonably priced for the quality but you don't get a huge amount (not a problem for me but this might have left The Boy wanting).

Zazu's Kitchen can be found at 45 Jamaica Street, Bristol, BS2 8JP. Lunch dishes from around £7 - £12.

One Pot Chicken

2011-06-17T13:51:00.004+01:00

“Have you taken photo’s of this?” sighed The Boy. This can be roughly translated from Boy-talk as “Am I allowed to eat this yet?”. Poor guy; I have this dreadful habit of taking photos of our food (most of which end up on here!). Worse still, I’ve been reading up and attempting to develop the quality of my photographs which means that I’ll often be heard barking “You’re in my light!”. Not the most gentile of pre-dinner conversation.

My terrible table habits aside, life hasn’t been easy for The Boy in recent weeks so I’d decided to treat him to a relaxing evening. Naturally, this included a hearty, home cooked meal to make his tummy happy (what with the way to a man's heart being through his stomach and all that). I’d wanted something that would be bursting full of flavour but wouldn’t require too much nursing over the stove. Sure, there’s a time and place for complicated recipes but after work, I’d rather keep things simple.

Rewind by a couple of days to when Angela Harnett’s recipe for Hunter’s Pot Roast Chicken caught my eye on the Guardian’s website. Straightforward, undemanding and more of a starting point than a recipe as I could see the potential to swap-out ingredients depending on what was available.

I gave myself a head-start by prepping the marinade and slathering the chicken that morning before leaving it to infuse in the fridge while I was out at work. Five minutes prep was all it took. On my return, I took the chicken out so that it could come up to room temperature before it cooked. I decided to go with seasonal greens – kale and spring green cabbage – and the last of the British asparagus that I could find. Keep your eyes peeled in the supermarkets as the Peruvian stuff is gradually coming back to the shelves in place of the lovely British spears that we’ve been spoilt with recently.

I served it up with The Boy’s favourite lager and some juicy jersey royals but it’s a great adaptable recipe. Use whatever is in season and is in your larder. Very little washing up too!

“Yes, my darling. I’ve taken all the photos I’ll need. Tuck in!”

One Pot Chicken
Serves 2

For the marinade
½ chilli, sliced
2 cloves of garlic
2cm fresh ginger, chopped
Juice and zest of ½ lemon

4 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
170ml white wine, vermouth or stock
½ onion, sliced
2 large leaves of spring greens, washed and finely sliced
Large handful of curly kale, washed
1 bunch of asparagus
Sunflower oil

- Pound the ingredients for the marinade with a pestle and mortar or whizz up in a food processor. If you don’t have either, finely chop the chilli, garlic, ginger and lemon zest together on a chopping board and then mash together with the lemon juice.
- Slash the chicken a few times with a knife and then rub with the marinade. Leave on one side while the flavours infuse for as long as possible.
- Steam the greens and kale by rinsing them and putting them into a microwaveable dish. Put a lid or plate over (or cover with cling film) and microwave for 5 minutes or so.
- Heat a little sunflower oil in a saucepan or casserole dish. Brown the chicken skin side down and then turn over.
- Drain away any fat and then deglaze the pan with wine/vermouth/stock. Do this by pouring in the liquid and gently stirring, pushing any the browned bits that have cooked on to the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle the onion over the chicken and stir. Simmer gently, turning the chicken to ensure that it cooks evenly, for 15 – 20 minutes.
- When the juices run clear, remove the chicken from the pan and add the steamed greens and asparagus with any cooking juices from steaming the veg. Put the lid on the pan and cook for a few minutes until the asparagus is as you like it. We like it al dente (and The Boy will happily eat it raw) so this didn’t take long.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Serve with jersey royals, par-boiled and then fried in the chicken fat, or crusty bread.

Chinese-Style Noodle Soup

2011-06-15T14:02:00.001+01:00

After a long day at work followed by a strenuous dance lesson, I had to practically crawled up the stairs to our first floor flat and into our little kitchen. When it’s just me to feed, I sometimes loose motivation for food at the end of the day and dinner can be just a bowl of cereal or fried egg on toast. Determined not to be lazy and to find something that would be nutritious and filling for my post-workout body, I rummaged through our fridge and threw together this quick Chinese-style soup.

I was feeling patient enough to chop and slice everything, which is the most time consuming part of the whole meal. Then again, the neat-and-tidy part of me finds slicing vegetables into incredibly thin, itsy witsy pieces rather therapeutic. It's quite nice to do something quiet and controlled after heaving myself around a pole for an hour. Once you're done with the chopping board, you're only ten minutes away from a tasty low-fat meal. I figure it's low fat - there's no oil involved and nothing else except water and vegetables...

This is a great way to use up the crunched up, broken noodles at the bottom of the packet. All of the vegetables - spring greens, carrots, courgette and spring onions - came from the UK so, despite its far Eastern influences and flavour, it's a seasonal dish. Naturally, you can swap the veggies around however you wish depending your own tastes and the seasons. It would be lovely with some poached chicken or prawns but I just had it straight up - it's quicker that way!

Chinese-Style Noodle Soup
Serves two

1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 star anise
1 tsp (or ½ cube) vegetable or chicken stock powder
2 large leaves of Spring Green cabbage, finely sliced
50g dried egg noodles
Handful of finely sliced or julienne cut carrot and courgette
Handful of fresh coriander
1 tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp chilli, finely sliced (or to taste)
2 tbsp spring onion, finely sliced

- Put the stock powder, garlic, star anise and grated ginger in a jug and top up with boiling water to 600ml. Stir until the powder has dissolved.
- Pour into a wok or large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the spring greens and cook for 3 minutes.
- Separate the coriander leaves from the stems. Chop the stems if you like but I like to leave them whole.
- Add the egg noodles to the soup and stir, ensuring that they are completely submerged in the stock. Cook for 2 minutes then add the coriander stems, carrots and courgettes.
- Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
- Add the soy and stir well. Remove the star anise. Taste and adjust the flavours accordingly.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and a scattering of spring onion and chilli before serving. Eat with chop sticks and slurp the soupy liquid straight from the bowl!

Simple Home-baked Scones

2011-06-13T21:10:00.002+01:00

When a few friends came over to visit this weekend, the last thing that I was expecting was for one of my male friends to bring his craving for cream teas all the way over from Hampshire. This is a guy who likes mountain biking and sailing. And fast cars. And shoot-em-up pew-pew-pew computer games. He’s no less macho than your average man and yet he craves little cakes with cups of tea. Not that I’m suggesting anything, of course.

Anyway, a rainy post-mojito Sunday morning dawned and it was clear that no one wanted to leave the warm and dry of our flat in search of tea and cake. Instead, I got out my trusty scone recipe and threw together a batch. They’re so simple to make – preparation takes about 10 minutes or so and they don’t take much longer to bake. Within half an hour, you can be munching on warm scones.

Please don’t bother with the supermarket versions that are available; I’ve always found them to be a tremendous disappointment. Dry, crumbly and tasteless. Homemade scones are amazingly easy and so worthwhile for the flavour alone. Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam for an authentic feel or go for whipped cream if the divine clotted kind isn't available. Just as lovely with butter, of course, though not quite as decadent. Top with a few British strawberries if you're feeling fancy (or if they were going cheap at the supermarket, like us!)

Sultana Scones
Makes 8 - 10

225g self raising flour
40g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ tbsp caster sugar
Pinch of salt
125ml semi-skimmed milk
50g sultanas

- Preheat oven to 220C
- Sift the flour over the butter in a large mixing bowl. Rub the two ingredients rapidly between your fingers to bring it together, taking care to break down any lumps. The mixture will have an almost sandy texture once you’re done.
- Add the raisins, sugar and salt and stir in with a table knife.
- Pour the milk into the bowl, a little at a time, mixing it in with the knife. The mixture will come together as you add the milk. You might not need to add all of the milk if the pastry is coming together nicely. If it looks a little dry, add a splash more milk.
- Flour a pastry board or (in my case) a clean worktop and roll out with a floured rolling pin. The pastry should be about ¾ inch thick. Cut your desired shapes – I used a floured glass but you can go as wild as you like with your pastry cutters.
- Pop the scones onto a parchment covered baking tray and bake for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve warm with cream or butter and jam.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas - A delicious and healthy snack!

2011-06-10T13:50:00.003+01:00

My current office is a snack paradise. There are biscuits and sweeties galore, which is dangerous if you don’t have much will power (ie. me). I’ve realised, since I’ve worked here, that hunger can be psychological. I’m not necessarily hungry until I see the biscuit tin or until I hear one of my colleagues crunching through some crisps. Of course, writing about food regularly adds to my appetite too.

I’ve developed an arsenal of healthy snacks to keep me on the straight and narrow. Rice cakes are on hand for their satisfying crunch rather than flavour (as they don’t really have any of the latter but tons of the former). Rye crisp breads with dried fruit come in handy when I have a biscuit craving and I always have fresh seasonal fruit too. Sometimes I have a clamouring for something savory to pick at and my normal (thoroughly addictive) go to is cashew nuts but though they are choc ful of great things like protein, they are relatively high in fat. So when I saw healthy snack chat on BBC Good Food's facebook page, I had to see what everyone was nibbling on. Karolina from lovely Senses in the Kitchen blog put forward an amazing recipe for roasted chickpeas, which I just had to try out.

Chickpeas are a great source of protein without the fat that's associated with nuts. They also have iron, folic acid and fibre tucked away under their skins. I think this would work with any fresh or dried herbs and spices that you might have. I used chilli and paprika as the main flavours but you could use harissa for a Morrocan vibe or go sweet with cinnamon, nutmeg and a little honey. Change it up with different oils as a base - I used olive oil but sunflower, rapeseed or walnut would also work well. Chickpeas are a fantasticly versatile base for flavour plus they're part of a deal at Sainsburys at the moment where you can get 3 cans for £1 - a saving of 80p (more than a whole can free!). Everyone might be talking about kale crisps but we know where the real flavour is at...

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

1 can (410g) ready to eat cooked chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
Pinch of ground mace
Ground black pepper to taste

- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Drain the chickpeas and rinse well in a colander, picking out any skins or green/grey chickpeas.
- Put into a large bowl and add the oil and spices.
- Stir thoroughly so that each pea is coated in oil and spices.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning depending on your preferences.
- Spread the chickpeas on a baking tray. Gently shake the tray from side to side so that the chickpeas lie in one layer.
- Roast for 30 – 40 minutes until the peas are slightly crunchy.

Silver Spoon Plant Markers

2011-06-09T13:03:00.003+01:00

Image from Shrimp Salad Circus

So there I was, enthusing about herbs when I happened across this amazing how-to for character-full plant markers. I love the idea of using old utensils to mark out plants that will eventually end up in the kitchen and then on your plate.

I’m something of a hoarder by nature, which probably drives The Boy crazy. I do my best to keep it under control and I’m much better than I used to be. I think this is something to do with the terror of moving in with someone and realising that they’re going to see how many boxes you bring through the front door. They have to live with your junk (as well as any emotional baggage you’re carting around) and you with theirs. It might also be something to do with the fact that I’ve moved at least four times in the last five years and lived out of a suitcase for around six months of that. It certainly teaches you something about travelling and living light...

Anyway, on seeing this, my hoarder tendencies have been whispering to me; encouraging me to buy up antique spoons from ebay and to make a little trip to our local charity shops in search of unusual cutlery. Surely one or two spoons or a funky spork wouldn’t hurt, says the little voice. But no. I’ll be good (I can hear The Boy breathing a sigh of relief).

Still, if you have the space, time and ability, why not make a few of these beautiful markers? A treat for the eyes and reusable too. And while you’re at it, be a doll and make me some too?

If you don’t have the space, time or ability (or maybe you don’t have the equipment or inclination), you can recycle your old butter or ice cream tubs that aren’t being used for growing herb seedlings. They can easily be turned into simple but effective plant markers that can be cut, labelled and put to good use in less than five minutes flat.

Simply wash out your old tub with warm soapy water and dry. Then cut out as many long strips of plastic as you need – I’d recommend making them at least 1cm wide so that they’re easy to write on but go as creative as you like. The top moulded edge makes an ideal top to the marker as the cut plastic can sometimes be a little sharp. Don’t forget to cut a point into the bottom of the strip for easy insertion into the soil.

One side will have the butter or ice cream branding or packaging colours on but if you turn it over and voila! You’ll have a nice white or cream blank canvas to write on. Use a permanent marker to mark on your plant names then just place in your pot and get growing. You can even reuse your marker when you’ve planted out your seedlings or eaten your herbs by removing the writing with a plastic scouring pad. Super thrifty recycling!

Potter's Tea Party

2011-06-06T14:58:00.000+01:00

I have been missing Oxford lately. I’m not sure whether it’s the recent warm weather (perfect for lazing around in the Parks or for punting) or the multitude of celebratory post-exam/hand-in Facebook activity that’s got me reminiscing. Despite the stress, my university days were pretty awesome and Oxford is a fantastic city to be a student in.

This weekend, I was handed an excuse (well, two actually) to hop in my battered little car, turn up my music and pay a long overdue visit to the dreaming spires. I had been invited by the lovely Lamadrian of The Sprouting Teapot blog to spend a relaxing afternoon painting pottery and drinking tea. Needless to say, the combination of painting and hot beverages is cloud nine in my book. Shamelessly girlie, I know.

Despite high-hopes for the day, I was truly treated. Homemade chocolate hazelnut éclairs on arrival followed by kumquats (just keep chewing!) dipped in left over melted chocolate. Both were just as delicious as they sound and I’m very inspired by the homemade choux pastry. I will have to give it a go in the near future!

Next, we ambled to St Ebbe's in Headington where the church had been transformed into a pottery studio complete with paints, ceramic pens and plenty of naked crockery crying out to be decorated. Naturally, it wouldn't be a tea party without suitable refreshments and we were spoilt for choice. With ten different types of tea and a whole table laden with sweet goodies, I knew that I was going to be getting my tea and cake quota for the week.

For a mere £10, I was presented with a mug, bowl, jug and cake stand to paint with a selection of ceramic paints and pens plus all the homemadecake I could munch. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Bakers and Shakers

2011-06-03T14:27:00.000+01:00

Are you a baker? Or a shaker?

We went to see the hilarious Dylan Moran of Black Books fame last night. He posed an interesting question: Are you a baker or a shaker? Namely, do you bottle things up that annoy you (a 'baker') or do you react to anything and everything (a 'shaker'). He generalised that most Britons were bakers; revolution in England, he claimed, would take thousands of years. The first few hundred years would be marked by putting your coffee cup hard on your desk and would culminated with an angry outburst of "You know, he really gets on my wick!" Italians and Arabs, for example, are shakers says Moran. Passionate, expressive, unpredictable and hyperactive people. I found this very funny. Being raised by an English rose of a mother and an Arab camel of a father, what mixture am I?

When you consider our traditional foods, you can see where he's coming from. Comparing, say, Britain's classic toad in the hole with a Moroccan tagine is quite a contrast. Both great in their own way but two ends of the spectrum flavour-wise. Cosy, comforting-if-a-little-bland stodge on one hand and fragrant, spicy juicyness on the other.

Foodwise, I love to bake in the literal sense. I'm not sure why as I'm not a huge fan of sticking to recipes or measuring things out accurately (prefering the more slap-dash, bung-it-in-and-see-what-happens approach), both things that are required of baking as, at the end of the day, the successful rising of a cake seems to come down to chemistry. I do love sweet things though and I think that this is the key to my love affair with the oven.

In terms of flavour, I'd like to be a shaker. I like to try new combinations of spices and am pretty confident when it comes to adding them to meals though I often come back to similar flavours. I love how cocktails (shaken, not stirred naturally!) taste but I'm not such a fan of their effects. Maybe it's a taste thing... Or maybe I'm just boring!

Scrumptious Coffee & Walnut Cake

2011-06-02T13:25:00.002+01:00

Today is a colleague’s birthday so I’ve decided to go against the normal traditions (link) and make her cake instead of her bringing in her own. The consensus in our office was that coffee cake was one of the best cakes around so I dug out a recipe and decided to give it a go.

Shock horror when The Boy returned after a day of promoting his trade at The Bath & West Show (baring foodie goodies!) to find our kitchen filled with the scent of coffee. He is a tea drinker and can’t stand the strength or bitterness of coffee. His resolve did crumble slightly when I gave him a taste – he confessed that it wasn’t all that terrible.

I tried out another of Angela Nilsen’s Ultimate Makeover series – a low calorie, low fat cake does limit my food guilt even though it’s only an occasional treat. It was a pretty simple recipe to follow. A lot of the ‘good for you’ cake recipes of the sponge ilk that I’ve come across need you to whisk up egg whites and other faff but this one, thankfully, has none of that. The filling, which I also used as a topping in the place of icing, involves making a syrup from water, coffee and sugar which takes a little care and patience but is worth it.

Angela’s original recipe can be found here. She managed to cut hers into three and filled it in with the filling then topped with icing. Mine didn’t rise enough so I was only able to cut it in half but it did mean that I didn’t need to make icing. Less bowls to wash up. Bonus! I also substituted low fat mascarpone with light cream cheese and a little yoghurt which worked well.

Coffee & Walnut Cake
Makes 12 servings

225g self raising flour
50g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
85g light brown muscovado sugar
50g golden caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten
250ml low fat natural yoghurt
75ml walnut oil
25g chopped walnuts

For the coffee cream to fill and top the cake
140g icing sugar, sifted
140g Quark
100g low fat cream cheese
3 tbsp low fat natural yoghurt
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Handful of walnut halves to decorate

- Preheat the oven to 180C and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
- Mix the coffee granules with 2 tbsp of warm water and stir until dissolved.
- Mix the flour, sugars (Angela suggests rubbing the muscovado sugar through your fingers to get rid of the lumps which I did and it really helped), walnuts, ground almonds and baking powder into a bowl and mix well.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the eggs, coffee mixture, yoghurt and oil into it. Stir thoroughly until combined.
- Scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 40 – 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Leave on one side to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the coffee cream. In a saucepan, mix the coffee granules and caster sugar with 2 tbsp of warm water. Put the saucepan on a low heat and stir until the sugar and coffee are dissolved into the water.
- Turn the heat up under the saucepan and gently simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for around 2 ½ minutes until it is thicker and darker then leave to cool. As Angela states in her original recipe, when cooled, the mixture has the consistency of treacle or golden syrup.
- While the mixture is cooling, whisk the other ingredients together. Add the cooled coffee syrup and fold through.
- Cut the cooled cake in half (or more if it’s risen well and you can manage it) and fill with half of the coffee cream.
- Assemble the cake, top with the rest of the coffee cream and decorate with walnut halves. Serve with a cup of Joe or even a cup of tea!

Desert Island Herbs

2011-06-01T08:17:00.001+01:00

I was perusing my usual culinary sources today and came across this lovely article by Alys Fowler. In it, she ponders what she would grow if she didn't have a garden - her desert island plants, as it were. This sparked my interest as I've had to come at it from the opposite angle - namely, "I don't have a garden so what can I grow?"

Both of us, it seems, have decided that we can't live without the wonders that are herbs. For Alys, the essentials are mint, coriander and lemon thyme. These are a great resource when it comes to Mediterranean and Eastern cooking; the scent of lemon thyme and mint remind me of Greek holidays while fresh and dried coriander feature in all of my Indian curries and oriental dishes.

My driveway garden lives in pots and includes a motley crew of rosemary, sage and thyme as well as a tub of lemongrass (transplanted from a colleagues garden for tea) and a few sprigs of parsley that have lived on through the winter. My window sills are currently home to basil and oregano seedlings as well as some baby lettuces (another present from a colleague). Next on my list are:

- mint: wonderful in a warm aubergine salad, a perfect pairing with roasted lamb and essential in tzaziki.

- coriander: fantastic on chilli con carne, brilliant blitzed into guacamole and delicious in dhal.

- tarragon: tasty in a sauce for chicken, marvellous when paired with mushrooms and a scrumptious flavour with salmon.

- dill: fabulous with fish, rather lovely in ratatouille and stirred into a herb mayonnaise.

With herbs on my mind, I happened upon an advert in a cookery magazine which hit the mark. The image above is from a Lurpak advert. "Kings of the Kitchen", how apt! Turns out that Lurpak are giving away seeds with packs of Lurpak spreadable. Whether you like their margarine or not, their website gives some great information on growing and cooking herbs. How about keeping your old margarine or yoghurt tubs, popping a few holes in the bottom and filling it with compost to grow your herbs in?

Hoisin Prawns and Marinated Steak Salad

2011-05-30T17:01:00.000+01:00

I don’t know about you but I don’t need a reason to cook a lovely meal however sometimes it’s nice to have an occasion as an excuse. My birthday and the coming together of friends was my excuse this weekend.

With an evening confirmed, I scoured my recipe notebook. It keeps all of my tried, tested and approved hand-written recipes as well as being stuffed with a massive collection of recipes torn from magazines and notes jotted down on paper. I (in true Come Dine with Me style) was in the mood to try something new.

Our starter was based on a Hoisin and Apricot glazed prawn recipe by the Greedy Gourmet. Having made this decision, I then had to find raw, shell-on prawns. Cooked shell-on prawns, no problem. Raw, shelled prawnies, easy-peasy. Eventually, we got them at short notice from Rock Fish in Bristol when we were passing by. I suppose we could've ordered them in from a fishmonger but our dinner was a relatively spontaneous affair. They were absolute monsters! Humungous!!

A quicker, easier and safer way to prepare shell-on prawns

When it came to preparing them, Greedy Gourmet suggested cutting through the back of each prawn with a knife but I found this to be far too fiddly - I couldn't get any grip on the knifes blade and everytime I tried to cut, the knife would slip against the shell which seemed like a recipe for nasty cuts. Instead, I took to cutting them with a pair of poultry scissors before dissecting them with a knife. The original recipe suggested using the grill but I was lucky enough to have The Boy on barbecue duty which was fantastic!

Barbecued Hoisin & Apricot glazed prawns with stir-fry
Serves 6 as a starter

Apologies for the slap-dash photography - this was taken in the seconds before these beauties went to the table with no time to 'style' them up.

12 raw shell-on tiger prawns
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tin of apricot halves in juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
100g bean sprouts
100g cabbage or spring greens, finely chopped
1 bok choi, finely sliced
2 peppers, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp sesame oil
For the marinade:
2 tbsp olive or ground nut oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
125ml hoisin sauce
125ml apricot jam

- With scissors, snip down back of each prawn then score through the flesh with a knife. About 5mm down, you'll find a thin, dark digestive tract surrounded by dark cushiony flesh. Remove this carefully with a knife - carefully slice the top near the head and gently pull down to the tail. Rinse the prawns with plenty of running water and pat dry with paper towel. Put the prawns in a large bowl and prepare the marinade.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes. Stir in the apricot jam, soy and hoisin sauce. Bring to a simmer then leave to cool.
- Once cooled, pour over the prawns and leave to marinate for up to 4 hours.
- Before serving, prepare your barbecue and bring it up to heat.
- Drain the apricots and reserve the juice.
- Scatter the sesame seeds into a saucepan and place them over a medium heat to toast. Keep an eye on them and stir regularly to prevent them burning. When they turn golden brown, they're ready.
- Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the bean sprouts, cabbage, bok choi and peppers and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the soy and 2 tbsp of the apricot juice.
- Barbecue for 6 - 8 minutes (ideally get your glamourous assistant - in my case, The Boy - to do this while you're stir frying) until the flesh of the prawns are opaque all the way through and the outside is slightly charred. Pop the apricots on the grill too for a minute or so on each side until caramalised.
- To serve, place two prawns on each plate on a bed of stir-fry vegetables and apricots, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

What a treat! They were finger-lickingly sticky with the soy and hoisin. Be sure to put paper towels on the table and a finger bowl or two as they can be a bit messy. You'll be wanting a pot to put the discarded prawn shells in too! I found that it was cheaper by volume to buy a little pouch of hoisin which was meant for stirfrys or one-off meals than to buy a bottle of hoisin sauce.

Our main came in the form of an interesting looking steak salad by the lovely Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall. I've been wanting to try it for ages and this seemed like the opportune moment to give it a go as we had a ripe mango and avocado sat in our fruit bowl. The steak was sourced from a fantastic butcher in Weston-super-mare which was very busy even though it was Saturday morning. It's always good to see an independant shop looking busy and is something that I look out for when I'm checking out a new shop - if other people want to buy from there then there's a good chance that it's good quality and worth trying.

Mango, avocado and steak salad

Serves 6 as a main course

Another super-quick snap before serving

For the marinade
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
1 tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
A little black pepper

For the salad
350g sirloin steak
1 large, ripe mango
1 large, ripe avocado (or 2 smaller ones)
250g rocket leaves
250g edamame or soy beans
6 leaves of Chinese leaf, finely sliced
1 bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped
1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced
2 spring onions, topped and tailed

For the dressing
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (or Worcestershire sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade.
- Add the steak and rub all over with the marinade until it is well coated. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour in an air tight box.
- While the meat is marinating, prepare the rest of the salad. Cut the mango away from the stone, lay the flat (cut) side on a chopping board or work surface and peel then cut into long, thin slices.
- Slice around the avocado until you hit the stone, twist and remove the stone. If your avocado is ripe enough, you should be able to gently remove theflesh from skin in one piece and slice into thin strips.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
- Sear the steak on the barbecue for around four minutes on each side, depending on how well you want it to be cooked. You could also do this in a griddle or frying pan as Hugh suggests but I think that the good ol' bbq lends a lovely smokey flavour. The outside will char a little and ours was nicely pink and juicy inside. Leave to rest for a few minutes while you assemble the salad.
- Boil the edamame beans for five minutes or until bright green and tender then remove from the water. Add the spring onions to the pan and blanch for a minute then refresh in cold water. Slice thinly.
- Slice the steak as thinnly as possible and add any resting juices to the salad dressing.
- Plonk the salad leaves and edamame beans on one large platter. Arrange the steak, mango and avocado on top with trickle on the dressing and scatter over the coriander and chilli.

This went down very well with all of our guests and I think that this marinade could work really well for lots of meats. Delish! Since my foray into dinner parties, I found this awesome article by Rachel at What Rachel Ate. I wish that I'd had her guiding me through! A must-read for anyone who's hosting their first dinner or just wanting to update their table.

Review: Bordeaux Quay, Bristol

2011-05-29T10:23:00.056+01:00

It had been a busy birthday. We’d been up since 8am for present unwrapped and to look at bikes (the pedal variety rather than the revving sort) with my Papa. Next on the schedule-of-birthday-fun was lunch with friends followed by a show. We knocked back a few post-theatre beverages to toast the anniversary of my beginning and then strolled on to our next engagement.

The Boy had arranged for a table at Bordeaux Quay on Bristol’s Harbourside. As soon as we walked through the door, I could feel myself relaxing. My day had been fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but I found myself looking forward to slowing down the pace and chilling out.

Arranged over two levels, Bordeaux Quay incorporates a restaurant, brasserie, wine bar, deli, bakery and cookery school. Mainly open plan, you might think that it would lack direction or that the various spaces might jar against one another but it works well. In the evening, you can choose from the more informal brasserie and ground floor bar or their rather swish wine bar and restaurant which is situated on the first floor via a grand wooden staircase.

I opted for a Bellini in the wine bar while The Boy opted for a Spiced Orchard – a ‘mocktail’ of apple juice, cinnamon, cloves and gingerbread syrup. Delish! My cocktail came with instructions; the barman served me my drink whilst telling me that it was ‘layered purely for aesthetic reasons’ (the peach purée and champagne were neatly separated) so I would need to ‘stir well’ before enjoying. I duly stirred and enjoyed. I do love Bellini’s.

Our drinks duly quaffed, we were moved through into the restaurant and presented with a menu a piece. Bordeaux Quay is famed for its sustainable and local food sourcing – everything must be seasonal with minimal food miles. This certainly showed on the menu; it’s concise but bursting with West Country ingredients. It’s great to see a restaurant championing such a fantastic mission.

Our waitress, however, was not local. I have absolutely nothing against immigration but I do feel that the person needs to be able to speak the language. Still, she took our order and served us a canapé while we waited. We were presented with espresso cups filled with a soup of gloriously green ground elders. The Boy isn’t a fan of elderflower in any form but we both loved this.

To start, I couldn’t resist the Spiced crab cakes with crab mayonnaise which was garnished with a pretty salad of various leaves and flowers. The crab cakes were served hot and were nicely spiced. The Boy went for an Assiette of pork terrines which was a nice tasting platter of brawn, rillette and paté accompanied by salad and pickled vegetables. It was slightly refreshing to get a ‘proper’ appetiser size portion – they weren’t measly like some establishments but they left us wanting more. Sadly, both of our dishes were over seasoned. Having ordered a glass of their Viognier, I was faced with the sommelier brandishing an entire bottle. Luckily I was able to stop him before he uncorked it though, on tasting it, I realised that a whole bottle would’ve gone down quite well!

We didn't have to wait for long before our mains arrived. The Boy had chosen their Curried Lentils, aubergine and courgette with saffron rice, tomato sauce and coconut which was very fragrant. The delicious scent of cardamom had me drooling across the table. The spiced lentils (a lot like dhal) were laid on a pool of smooth coconut milk which was a pleasing contrast in texture and flavour. After much deliberating, I decided on a Fillet of Bass on a bed of wilted sorrel scattered with wild fennel gnocchi, mushrooms and covered in a luxurious beurre blanc. The fish combined with the beurre blanc was fantastically smooth. Again, both portions were fairly sized but not too big. We came away feeling pleasantly full - neither of us felt like we needed pudding.

Bordeaux Quay is well worth a visit if you like fresh, feel-good food. I haven't sampled the Brasserie but the Restaurant and Wine Bar were a fantastic experience. We were there during peak time - Saturday dinner time - and they were quite full but this didn't impact on the level service (even if their English skills were lacking). Over-seasoned starters aside, the food and wine was very good. I was impressed to see that they mark vegetarian choices on the menu, even down vegetarian rennet in the cheese list. They have an extensive wine list (many are available by the glass) and their menu changes with the seasons.

Starters: £7.50 - £8
Mains: £12.50 - £21
Puddings: £6.50
Bordeaux Quay is on Bristol's Harbourside, opposite the Arnolfini. Restaurant Tel: 0117 9431200.

Bramley Apple Cupcakes

2011-05-27T16:36:00.000+01:00

A lovely way to get some of your five-a-day?

Tomorrow is my birthday. I'm not saying this for sympathy or for want of balloons but to justify my late-night baking.

In the British workplace, it seems to be customary for the birthday boy or girl to bring in cakes or biscuits for their colleagues. This, to me, seems like backwards logic; it's your birthday so surely others should be treating you? Anyway, I don't mind because it means that I get to bake.

Bramley apples are in season so you can buy them cheaply in most supermarkets. There's someone in the village where I grew up who has a tree that bears fruit at this time of year and they have so much that they don't know what to do with it so they pile it up on their garden wall for passers-by to get. The fruit is just lovely but has to be cooked as they're a lot more acidic that your run of the mill dessert apples. A lesson learnt from biting into a crisp apple on my way home. Our addiction to sugary foods has extended to fresh fruit with our supermarket shelves are filled with watery, sweet imported fruit from the likes of the USA and New Zealand. Bramleys mellow and sweeten as they are cooked so they're well worth the effort. They're fantastic in crumbles, yummy in apple sauce and add a certain something to mashed potato if you're serving it with pork. Very versatile, very tasty and in season so don't hold back.

For my birthday baking, I decided to treat my workmates to another take on apples. Apple cupcakes! There's very little butter or egg required in this recipe, which makes me feel more virtuous. The grated apple keeps the cake very moist so you won't miss them. I also substituted some of the butter in the butter icing with apple sauce - core a bramley apple and pop it in the oven on a baking tray at 180c until soft then mush up with a fork. So easy and you can put an apple or two in the oven with your cakes as they bake. Now I just need to work on my piping technique!

Bramley Apple Cupcakes
Makes 12 - 14 cakes

2 medium Bramley apples, peeled and grated
170g caster sugar
60g unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
110g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

- Preheat your oven to 180c.

- Mix the flour, baking powder and spice in a bowl.

- In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together then add the vanilla and the egg.

- Fold in the grated apple. The mixture may look a bit curdled here but worry not.

- Sift in the flour mixture, a little at a time, while stirring until combined.

- Half fill your cupcake cases - I use silicone ones because they're easy and reusable (less waste, yay!) - and pop into the oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through.

- Allow them to cool completely then top with butter icing if you wish.

Seared Tuna with Roasted Pepper Salsa and Asparagus

2011-05-27T13:49:00.000+01:00

The Boy and I popped into the shops to grab a few essentials post pilates and, predictably, this turned into a hunger-fulled grab. We came away with about £20 worth of food when we'd only gone in for two or three things. Moral of the story is: do not shop when you're hungry. Saying that, we did pick up about 1 kg of asparagus for the fantastic sum of £1.56 (four 250g bunches for 39p each) which is only 6p more than one bunch usually costs. Asparagus all round!

One of the items that called out to our sore core muscles were jewel-red tuna fillets which sat nestled in the ice on the fishmongers counter. We didn't need to um and ah for long - soon they were in our basket and I was dreaming up a nice recipe to go with.

Seared Tuna with Roasted Pepper Salsa and Asparagus

Serves 2

2 tuna steaks
2 (red) peppers
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp pepperdew peppers, finely chopped
½ chilli or to taste, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
1 tsp of brine from the peppadews or ½ tsp of sugar in 1 tsp of water
8 stems of asparagus
Olive oil

- Preheat the oven to 180c.
- Deseed and slice the pepper. Coat them in a little sunflower oil, season and then put them onto baking tray to roast for 20 minutes.
- Mix the spring onion, coriander, peppadew, chilli and cider vinegar and put to one side.
- Put a griddle pan or frying pan on the hob over a high heat.
- Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes, cover in a little oil and then add them to the baking tray in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes.
- Rub a little sunflower oil onto the tuna steaks and sear them on both sides. I like mine to still be a little red in the middle which means griddling them for a few minutes on either side but do this to your taste.
- Remove the peppers and asparagus from the oven. Add the peppers to the other ingredients and mix well.
- Serve the tuna topped with the salsa on a bed of the roasted asparagus and steamed jersey royal potatoes.

Shepherd's Pie

2011-05-26T13:19:00.000+01:00

When I changed jobs about ten months ago, I swapped my two hour long train journey for an 16 mile bike ride. I don’t do it every day – if I’d been on my bike today, I would’ve been well and truly soaked in the first mile due to the belated April-style showers we seem to be having – but when I do, I love taking in the landscape as I ride. At the moment, I whizz (okay, trundle) past little woolly lambs and, as of last week, clumps of elderflower blossom.

It’s a lovely way to start and finish the day. The stress of the day melts away as I work up a healthy appetite. Seeing seasonal produce in the fields tends to inspire me when I cook and I’ve been trying to banish any issues with last minute meals or attack of the snacks by being organised with our food. Shepherd’s pie combines two fantastic ingredients which are in season – lamb and jersey royal potatoes – and is easy to prepare in advance. I made one on Sunday night and we’ve been eating it ever since.

Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 4 - 6

500g (lean) minced lamb
150g jersey royal potatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 sprig of rosemary (or 1 tsp of dried rosemary)
2 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp of dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
½ tsp ground mace
100ml lamb stock (or whatever stock that you have)

- Put the kettle on with enough water to boil the potatoes and preheat the oven to 180c.
- With a drop of sunflower oil in the pan, brown the lamb in batches over a high heat. The lamb will let out a lot of fat as it cooks so you may need to drain the pan in between batches as it builds up. I pour this into a cup to save for later.
- Remove the meat from the pan, lower the heat and sweat the onion, celery and carrot in the pan for five minutes until they are soft and the onion is translucent.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain them and reserve the water.
- Add the meat back into the pan with the herbs and mace and then stir until combined.
- Pour in the stock and top up with the potato water until the mixture is covered. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then pour into an oven proof dish.
- Slice the potatoes and use them to top the pie. I brushed them with a little of the fat from the lamb and then topped with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes and nicely crisp. Serve with peas and other seasonal vegetables.

Now I need to find something to do with the elderflowers!

Pea & Spring Onion Risotto

2011-05-23T13:35:00.001+01:00

I’ve been seriously cheesed off with my local supermarket for the last month or so. My helpful weekly email from Eat the Seasons has been telling me that spring onions are in season for weeks but all the while, my shop has been stocking ones from Mexico.

Finally, the English ones are on the shelves. Not that I have any against Mexican vegetables but I’d rather have fresher food that was grown closer to home where possible. Now that I’d got my mitts on a bunch of succulent, vivid green stems and I wanted to do them justice.

Risotto is a great base for flavours so give this a go. The flowers are out on the pea plants in many gardens that I’ve been to recently but for the moment, you may have to make do with frozen (which are just as good in my humble opinion). The recipe itself is loosely based on one originally by Nigella which can be found here.

Pea and Spring Onion Risotto
Serves two

150g frozen peas
4 spring onions, sliced
½ onion, finely chopped
4 stalks of celery, finely chopped
80ml white wine or dry vermouth
150g risotto rice (I used Arborio)
500ml stock
75g butter
Nutmeg
50g parmesan

- On a low heat, gently melt 25g butter in a saucepan then add the peas and spring onions. Cook for two minutes or until the peas are defrosted. Remove half of the peas and spring onions from the pan and set aside for later. Add a ladle of the stock to the pan, cover and leave to simmer for a further four minutes until the peas are soft.
- Purée the cooked peas and spring onions with half of the parmesan, a grating of nutmeg and some pepper. Have a little taste because it is just divine! Now try not to eat the rest of it while you’re patiently stirring the risotto.
- Melt a further 25g of butter in the pan with a dash of oil and sweat the onion and celery for 5 minutes until transparent and soft but not coloured.
- Add the rice to the pan and stir until it is coated in the juices from the onion and celery. Turn up the heat a little and stir until the rice has soaked up any moisture.
- Pour in the wine or vermouth and stir until the rice has absorbed it.
- Add a ladleful of stock stirring all the time until it is absorbed. Repeat until you’ve run out of stock and the rice is tender (continue the process with hot water if it’s not).
- Stir the purée into the risotto and mix well until completely combined. Fold in the whole peas and spring onions.
- Just before serving, stir in the remaining butter and parmesan. Eat immediately, topped with grilled pancetta or your favourite vegetarian cheese.

Snapshot: Even more eggs

2011-05-17T13:13:00.002+01:00

When is a sandwich box not a sandwich box? When it’s an egg box. And filled with bubble wrap. Improvised egg keepers are quickly becoming my forte. It reminds me of the challenges we were sometimes set at school to design something to allow you to throw an egg as far as possible without breaking it. Not that I'm planning on throwing any of these eggs. Oh no.

More and more glorious eggs from my kindly colleagues. In return, I keep my nicest vegetable peelings aside for their chooks - they love the off-cuts of wilty peppers and discarded carrot peel that would otherwise go in the compost bin. They might as well get some use out of them before they go back in the ground. Is that up-cycling? I’m not down with lingo.

After an omelette or cake, you’ll find me washing out the egg shells and popping them into a still-warm oven or on the window sill to dry. These are crushed and added to their feed to give back some of the nutrients that they need to keep laying eggs.

Mushroom & Cashew Stroganoff

2011-05-14T12:17:00.000+01:00

We’ve been trying to keep our fridge relatively empty recently. It’s all too easy to lose things at the back behind a jungle of spring greens or troop of jars. This does mean that we’ve been having a few “alas the cupboard is bare” moments of late.

I was greeted with a rather empty and forlorn refrigerator when I returned from work yesterday. There was mushrooms, an onion, some crème fraiche and very little else (apart from our usual parade of jars and condiments on the top shelf). On the countertop languished the dog end of a bottle of red cooking wine. Inspired by James Ramsden’s slutty lunch, I decided to throw our odds and ends together into the best dish possible. You know what? It was actually really tasty. The added bonus being that it was cheap and easy to prepare. It was creamy and mushroom-y (as you’d imagine) but the cashews gave it pleasing crunch to contrast with the soft ‘shrooms. A sort-of stroganoff. Now then, maybe we should think about going food shopping...

Mushroom and Cashew Strogan-something

Serves 4

1 onion, chopped roughly

300g mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves of garlic (or to taste)

2 tsp paprika

1 large sprig of thyme

¼ vegetable/beef stock cube

200ml red wine

100ml reduced fat crème fraiche or sour cream

Generous handful of cashew nuts

Oil for frying

- Sweat the onion on a low heat for about 10 minutes until softened.

- Add the mushrooms, cover and sweat for a further 5 minutes until they are soft.

- Add the garlic and paprika to the pan and stir in. Allow the garlic to cook for a minute or so.

- Pour in the wine. It should just cover the mushrooms in the pan. If not, add some boiling water.

- Crumble in the stock cube and add the thyme then stir well until the cube is completely dissolved.

- Turn up the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes to mellow the wine.

- Lower the heat to minimum and stir in the crème fraiche and cashews.

- Serve with rice or with a jacket potato.

How to make your own delicious hedgerow brew

2011-05-12T13:18:00.001+01:00

Our ‘drinks cabinet’ (the top section of our free-cycled side board) holds everything from beers (pre-fridge storage) to a lovely bottle of red wine given to me by my Dad which we haven’t yet had an occasion to drink yet. My most prized bottles, however, are mismatched reused wine and spirit bottles which are filled with a glorious burgundy liquid and dark berries – sloe gin.

My parents made sloe gin and elderberry wine when I was very small and I was reintroduced to the warming wonder of this berry-infused spirit while spending the festive period with The Boy’s family. They drink it straight (in small measures) but it’s lovely with lemonade too. The beauty of it is that it is wonderfully simple to make and the key ingredient – the sloe berries – are free! I see it as my first foray into the world of home brewing though I suppose it’s technically infusing. The kit is cheap (or free too) as I picked up a funnel for a few pence from the supermarket and saved an old spirit bottle.

Fresh sloe berries and my first bottle of sloe gin

The sloe, or blackthorn, bush can be found all over the place but usually in woodland or as hedgerows in the countryside where they are sometimes planted as shelter for game birds. That said, I found mine on the tow path of my local canal which runs through our town and I’ve heard of people finding berry-laden bushes in the middle of cities. Their dark blue-purple berries look a little like hard blueberries but they are actually a drupe, like peaches. Blackberries, their fellow hedgerow buddy of the same season, are the same but are aggregated drupes – lots of small fruits as part of the same berry.

Before you go rushing out with your buckets at the ready, I must interject now. Tradition says that sloe season starts after the first frost of Autumn which is usually around October. Some people hurry up the process by picking the berries when they are ripe and then freezing them at home. Sneaky! You'll start seeing young fruit on the bushes from around next month onwards. A walking stick or broom can be useful for pulling the higher branches down to picking level. I tried to improvise with a flattened out wire coat hanger which sort of did the trick until some nearby fishermen used their net poles to drag them down to my level. Such gentlemen!

Once bottled, the spirit needs to mature so I bottled mine over 6 months ago and it’s just starting to mellow now. It’s getting to the time when I should think about removing the berries and rebottling the gin to allow it to further mature. Apparently, you can then top up the bottles of old berries with cider to make slider!

My sloe gin after 1 hour then again after a day

Although it’s a while until the sloes will be out, Gordon’s do a sloe gin which can be bought from the supermarkets. Bramley & Gage do a delicious organic sloe gin too; I wouldn’t be able to resist getting a bottle of their elderflower liqueur as well if I was ordering from their online shop! I would recommend saving glass bottles as you get them too – I like clear glass bottles (so that you can see how the colour is developing in the bottle) with screw tops and have a stash of them in the back of the cupboard. Just be sure to keep a bottle that will be big enough.

Sloe Gin

450g sloe berries, approximately
750ml gin, or there abouts
350g granulated sugar
A bottling funnel
An empty sterilised glass bottle
- Rinse the berries well and leave to drain in a colander.
- Prick each berry with a sterilised needle or knife and place into the bottle.
- Pour the sugar into the bottle through the funnel.
- Top up the bottle with gin so that the berries are completely covered.
- Turn the bottle every so often. At least once a week but more often if you remember. The gin will gradually become infused with the colour and flavour of the berries.

Coming soon: Sloe Gin cocktails for those balmy summer nights!

Deconstructed Fish Pie

2011-05-11T13:54:00.000+01:00

The Boy and I are currently digging ourselves out of a hole. We have a problem but we’re working our way through it. The truth is... we have a glut of potatoes. This is partly thanks to my dear father who is a talented and enthusiastic home-grower. He doesn’t just grow vegetables; he grows crops. Where a typical gardener might grow three tomato plants, he grows twenty and deals with the consequences of his massive stockpile later (when they ripen). Being the generous man that he is, I will often come away from a visit to see my parents with my tummy full of tea and my arms full of the latest harvest. This week, it was potatoes which were added to our already bulging potato larder.

Funnily enough, the boy and I don’t eat that much potato. I suppose I see it as a winter staple – comfort food which fills and warms you in one hearty mouthful. Truth be told, I lean towards rice and pasta when I think of carbohydrates as they tend to suit my style of cooking more. Plus, the hot weather that we’ve been afforded of late hasn’t exactly had me reaching for my masher. Belated April showers are now returning to the UK so I have no excuse not to tackle our potato mountain. My mind is full of recipes and ideas for soups, bakes and other potato-based creations like gnocchi. You can expect a bit of a theme from my blog for the next week or so!

Last night, I fancied fish for dinner and with my latest obsession, I immediately thought of fish pie. Hunks of delicious fish and seafood in a thick, creamy sauce nestled below fluffy but crispy topped mash. Glorious food but rather time consuming when you take the whole process into account. So instead, I went for a quicker option which includes many of the traditional classic features but can be thrown together in a fraction of the time.

‘Deconstructed’ Quick Fish Pie
or Poached Smoked Haddock with prawns and mustard mash
Serves two

1 large fillet of smoked haddock, skin on
100g shell-on cooked prawns
3 floury potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
5 peppercorns
100ml semi-skimmed milk
50ml dry white vermouth
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp whole-grain mustard

- Boil the potatoes for 20 – 25 minutes or until tender.
- Meanwhile, shell the prawns. Put the prawns on one side and place the shells in a large saucepan with the bay leaf and peppercorns. Cover with the milk and vermouth. Add the haddock fillet skin-side down and top up with a little cold water until it is covered by the liquor.
- When the potatoes are almost tender, put the haddock onto a medium heat and gently simmer for around 5 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes through a colander then place back in the pan and mash until they become a little dry. Add the butter and mash again.
- Check the haddock by removing with a slotted spoon. If it is nicely flakey and hot all the way through, remove from the poaching liquor and put on one side.
- Drain the poaching liquor through a sieve and add 1 tbsp of it to loosen the mash. Stir the mash vigorously and add more liquor if necessary. Add the mustard and stir in with a spoon.
- Carefully peel the skin from the haddock.
- To serve, place a dollop of mash onto the plate and top with the haddock then a few prawns. Pour a little of the poaching liquor over if you wish. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

The portion might look a little small but we had a few scallops each to start. Again, I kept it simple by frying finely chopped chorizo until it oozed spicy oils and then added the scallops to fry for a few minutes on each side. Once they were done, I took them out and added a splash of balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice to make a sauce to serve.

I then used the same plan to flash fry some blanched asparagus that we had with the haddock which infused it with a lovely flavour.

There’s no rest for the wicked - I’m off to make gnocchi and a leek and potato soup with the last of the poaching liquor!