Dippy egg with English asparagus - served with bread & butter

1 bunch English asparagus, trimmed (retain the trimmings – that’s for tomorrow)                                                                                                                                                                 2 eggs
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper

To serve...Seeded wholemeal bread and butter

 Serves 2 as a starter or very light lunch

How to....                                                                                                                                          

Simply cook the asparagus in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes until tender, drain well.   Simmer the eggs in a separate pan for 3-5 minutes, drain, cut off top, season, and nestle into the bread & butter

To serve....                                                                                                                                                            Dip asparagus into the boiled egg and enjoy, or cut the asparagus and bread into bite sized pieces and dip in the egg – for an indulgent treat – why not try parmesan shavings too

Easy Peasy - Lemon and Pepper Chicken Parcels

What you need...

Pre heated oven 200 C; 400 F; Gas 6
Lightly greased baking tray

Ingredients...                                                                                                                                                               4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts                                                                                                                  Grated rind of a lemon ( retain the juice for serving)                                                                                   Salt                                                                                                                                                                              4 rashers streaky bacon                                                                                                                                 Cracked black pepper

What to do...                                                                                                                                                         Open up the breasts, season with salt; divide the lemon rind inside each breast. Fold each into breast shape.  Stretch the bacon on a chopping board, by pushing the bacon lengthways with the back of a knife.  Cut in half crossways; Wrap the 2 bacon halves around the chicken, putting ends underneath. Sprinkle on the cracked black pepper.

Put the wrapped parcels on a greased baking tray. Place in the preheated oven, cook for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through– ensure the chicken is piping hot before serving.

Before serving, squeeze the lemon juice over the parcels – serve with a green salad.

Windowsill of Hope

We have embarked on a journey of what can only be described as hopefulness. It’s very small and some may see it as insignificant, but inspired by our lovely backside neighbours – both, like us with responsible jobs and busy full lives. They manage to tend their beautiful garden and produce wonderful flowers and herbs which they use abundantly in cooking. 

We have an equal sized garden to them, but never seem to get it underway – we just trim it and cut the grass –that’s it!

These chilli plants are the start of an adventure, they were downtrodden things in the reduced section, dripping leaves and looking sad.  Mark decided he could look after them, and so far on this sunny windowsill they are looking good.

What I’m hoping is to be able to make chilli salsa in the summer..this summer - 2011. Let’s hope!

Sultana Scones with all the trimmings

My lovely mum has used this recipe for decades, Bella and I often make scones together. We were delighted to be able to whip up a batch of scones to have with delicious Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam on our recent trip to sunny St Ives

What you need...

a lightly greased baking tray;

a circular cutter approx 7cm in diameter

Pre heat oven to 200 C; 400 F, Gas 6

 

Ingredients...

225g self raising flour

50g butter, cut into small cubes, kept chilled

1/2 x5ml sp salt

25g caster sugar

50g sultanas

150ml milk
1 egg beaten with a little milk – for glazing




How to...

Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl then add the butter and salt. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (a good couple of minutes). Add the sugar and sultanas and stir. Make a well in the centre, stir in enough milk to make a soft, pliable dough.

Turn the mixture on to a floured board and knead very lightly until just smooth then lightly roll out to 2cm thick.

Cut rounds with the cutter or cut into triangles with a sharp knife. Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture. Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen. Cool on a wire rack before eating.

Serve with butter, jam and clotted cream – adding a few strawberries ( as part of your 5 a day!)

A story of peppers, courgettes and onions... not perfect looking- but perfect tasting

I think, along with garlic and a splash of cold pressed oil (Borders rapeseed is my current favourite), this trio of vegetables will always form a basis of so many wonderful vibrant dishes.

The pointed red peppers are practically seedless (no fuss) and very sweet – so when roasted the skin chars beautifully, and the intensity moves through any vegetable combination to give such a joyous, sweet savoury flavour. Courgettes will soak up any other surrounding flavours and the texture from a raw crisp courgette slice to cooked soft and pulpy enhances mouthfeel in salads, stir fries or roasts, soups and sauces respectively.

Onions are the bedrock of most cuisines, so when cooked slowly...with patience and gentle stirring....allowing calmness to the end of the day - any cut layers transcend into translucent strands of golden creamy sweetness.

My version of ratatouille...I cook in batches, freeze and use as the basis of meat sauces, soups and fillings – it’s my easy fridge food – I don’t know what I’ll do with it when I make it, but use it throughout the week...it’s filling but with hardly any calories (except, or course, when topped with loads of grated cheese and grilled!)

How to....

Slice 1 onion finely; heat 1 x15mlspoon of cold pressed oil into the pan. Cook gently, stirring most of the time, but not allowing to burn or stick (10 mins minimum!). Meanwhile, chop the pepper and the courgette into bite sized pieces. Stir vegetables into the softened onions, and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add 1 x 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes, some vegetable stock, and 2 x 15ml spoons tomato puree. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer, and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.

Pot up, allow to cool completely, cover and place in fridge for 4 days OR freeze that day.



Foodwatching....yet again some wonderful foodie news from the food people

Designer Donuts are taking New York by storm - a bit of affordable indulgence, and the shape of things to come – it’s looking cubed and sticky!


The food people

Golden Apricot and Coconut flapjacks

The golden refers to golden syrup
and edible golden sprinkle
.......a delight!


What you need........
Baking tray 23cm x20cm or similar – greased & lined with greaseproof paper


Pre heated oven 150 C; 300 F; Gas 2

Ingredients......


150g butter
2 x 15mlsps (2 Tbsp) golden syrup
125g Dark or light brown muscovado sugar

200g porridge oats

75g chopped apricots

25g desiccated coconut

Salt

To garnish........

Edible gold sprinkle

How to.....

Melt the butter, golden syrup, and sugar in a large saucepan – using a gentle heat. Stir and ensure all is combined and the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon into the prepared tin, push to corners and level out the mixture – pressing down to make as flat as possible.

Bake in the pre heated oven for 20-30 minutes. Personally I like sticky, so I’d take out around 20ish minutes.. but if you’d rather have slightly crispy edges...then 30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from tin. Score 24 small squares. Decorate, if desired, with edible golden sprinkle. Leave to set before cutting with a sharp knife.