I was long overdue a catch up with Alex and realising we were both free on Bonfire Night, I booked the newly done up rooftop restaurant at Selfridges, Le Chalet.
12.11.14
8.10.14
10 MINUTE VEG STIR FRY + TUNA
I made this delicious meal for dinner last night. The boy's been ill at home all week and I wanted to make something healthy, quick and tasty to feed us both (before we collapsed on the sofa to watch How to Train your Dragon 2 - perfect film for a 31 and 37 year old to watch!)
This recipe uses tuna as the main protein but you could make it veggie by omitting the tuna, or top it with some grilled chicken or beef if you want something meaty.
Serves 2
1 large tuna steak
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 broccoli
1 red pepper
3 cloves of garlic
Bunch of spring onions
2 nests of dry egg noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
Coriander
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 chilli (for mine only, the boy's allergic so I added this last)
Fill the kettle and put it on.
Rub the tuna steak with olive oil, a grind of pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Chop the broccoli heads off and slice into small pieces. Slice the pepper into rings. Crush the garlic and finely chop the spring onions.
Put the noodles in a bowl and pour over the boiled water. These will need to sit for 5 minutes while you cook the tuna and the veg.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Once hot put the tuna in the pan and leave it to sear for 1-2 minutes, depending how thick the fillet is.
This recipe uses tuna as the main protein but you could make it veggie by omitting the tuna, or top it with some grilled chicken or beef if you want something meaty.
Serves 2
1 large tuna steak
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 broccoli
1 red pepper
3 cloves of garlic
Bunch of spring onions
2 nests of dry egg noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
Coriander
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 chilli (for mine only, the boy's allergic so I added this last)
Fill the kettle and put it on.
Rub the tuna steak with olive oil, a grind of pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Chop the broccoli heads off and slice into small pieces. Slice the pepper into rings. Crush the garlic and finely chop the spring onions.
Put the noodles in a bowl and pour over the boiled water. These will need to sit for 5 minutes while you cook the tuna and the veg.
Heat a small frying pan over a high heat. Once hot put the tuna in the pan and leave it to sear for 1-2 minutes, depending how thick the fillet is.
31.1.14
WEEKEND JUICING
Recently, you can hardly move for articles about juicing and juices, and greens and health, and arguements about whether smoothies or juices are more beneficial etc etc. Either way, I know what I like and what I think tastes good, and this is my version of that. It's a juice not a smoothie, and it's one I only make once a week as I honestly don't have time to juice and then clean the kitchen (because I do always make a massive mess when juicing) before I go to work. So here it is - my weekend juice.
This is what I use, but you can grab anything fresh and green and stick it through the juicer! I do like using lemons or limes though, as it lifts what can actually be quite a heavy juice.
Makes 2 large glasses of juice
Large bunch kale
2 red beetroot
1 golden beetroot
1 cucumber
1 bunch celery
2 peeled lemons
3 apples
1 pear
Large bunch spinach
Large bunch cavolo nero
This is what I use, but you can grab anything fresh and green and stick it through the juicer! I do like using lemons or limes though, as it lifts what can actually be quite a heavy juice.
Makes 2 large glasses of juice
Large bunch kale
2 red beetroot
1 golden beetroot
1 cucumber
1 bunch celery
2 peeled lemons
3 apples
1 pear
Large bunch spinach
Large bunch cavolo nero
11.12.13
CHRISTMAS BUTTER BISCUITS
These buttery biscuits are possibly one of the easiest recipes I've put up here, but don't let their simplicity fool you - they are actually seriously delicious!
Makes about 40 biscuits
300g plain flour
200g salted butter
100g caster sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
Zest from 1 orange
The easiest way to make these biscuits is with a magimix. If you don't have one, you can still make them, it may just take a little longer!
Tip all of your ingredients into the magimix and pulse until the mixture just starts to form a ball. If you're doing this by hand, tip all the dry ingredients into a bowl, and mix. Add the butter, chopped into small cubes, and crumble the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. At this stage combine all the crumbs together until they just form a ball.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 175C.
Tip the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface. You will probably need to divide the ball in 2 and do this in two batches. You can keep the 2nd half in the fridge whilst you cook the first batch.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's about 3mm thick. These biscuits are really thin, which enhances their texture once cooked. I like to use heart shaped cutters, but you can use whatever you have, or even just cut squares with a knife.
Place the cut out biscuits on a sheet of greaseproof paper, and put this onto a baking tray. Cook the biscuits for 8-9 minutes, or until they just start to turn golden at the edges. Remove from oven and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar. Move the greaseproof paper off the baking tray and leave on the side to cool.
The biscuits will keep for a week or so in an airtight container - or put them in a cellophane bag, tie with a ribbon and give to your loved ones for Christmas!
Makes about 40 biscuits
300g plain flour
200g salted butter
100g caster sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
Zest from 1 orange
The easiest way to make these biscuits is with a magimix. If you don't have one, you can still make them, it may just take a little longer!
Tip all of your ingredients into the magimix and pulse until the mixture just starts to form a ball. If you're doing this by hand, tip all the dry ingredients into a bowl, and mix. Add the butter, chopped into small cubes, and crumble the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. At this stage combine all the crumbs together until they just form a ball.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 175C.
Tip the ball of dough onto a lightly floured surface. You will probably need to divide the ball in 2 and do this in two batches. You can keep the 2nd half in the fridge whilst you cook the first batch.
Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's about 3mm thick. These biscuits are really thin, which enhances their texture once cooked. I like to use heart shaped cutters, but you can use whatever you have, or even just cut squares with a knife.
Place the cut out biscuits on a sheet of greaseproof paper, and put this onto a baking tray. Cook the biscuits for 8-9 minutes, or until they just start to turn golden at the edges. Remove from oven and sprinkle liberally with caster sugar. Move the greaseproof paper off the baking tray and leave on the side to cool.
The biscuits will keep for a week or so in an airtight container - or put them in a cellophane bag, tie with a ribbon and give to your loved ones for Christmas!
8.10.13
A LITTLE SLOW FOOD LUSCIOUSNESS
On Saturday 2nd November, I'm teaming up with Slow Food London to bring you my first public A Little Lusciousness pop up! I've been in talks with Grub Club for a while about launching pop up restaurants, and it is so exciting to finally be able to tell you about it, and give you some more details!!
Slow Food is a global, not for profit organisation whose aim is to promote "the pleasure of food with a commitment to the community and the environment". They stand against the increase in fast food, and aim to get people to stop and think about where their food has come from. It's all about local sourcing, preparing home food and taking some time and care with getting food ready to eat. It is an ethos and an attitude towards food that they promote - one I firmly believe in, and one that I'm sure many people could learn something from. The Slow Food London food projects are really in line with my beliefs around homegrown, lovingly prepared food, so when the opportunity to do something with them came up, it seemed like the ideal time to launch my pop up to the public!
The menu for my pop up is as follows, with all ingredients being free-range and/or organic, and sourced from British suppliers that I continue to work with (including Devon large white variety pork shoulder from Wyndham House butchers, and cheeses from the wonderful guys at O Toma O Morte). It will be a very casual evening, and a great opportunity to spend some time with like minded foodies!
WELCOME COCKTAIL...
STARTER – Borscht with homemade soda bread.
MAIN – 24 hour shoulder of Devon free-range pork with special carrots, celeriac coleslaw and vegetables, with smokey BBQ sauce.
PUDDING – Sticky apple and pecan cake with butterscotch sauce.
CHEESE – Cheeseboard with pears, chutney and homemade biscuits.
I'll be providing soft drinks as well, but if you'd like something stronger, please feel free to bring a bottle (or two!)
All proceeds from ticket sales for the night will be going to Slow Food London Schools Programme, where the money will go towards funding a raised bed garden being built in a school for special needs children in London. You can read more about what Slow Food London do here.
Going forward, I will be doing a monthly pop up in West London, which will be promoted through the Grub Club site. It would be great if you can make it along to one of them, as I'd love to put some faces to names!! For tickets or more information please go to my page on the Grub Club website. Tickets are available now for the November event, and details about the December event will be up soon!!
Thank you!
Slow Food is a global, not for profit organisation whose aim is to promote "the pleasure of food with a commitment to the community and the environment". They stand against the increase in fast food, and aim to get people to stop and think about where their food has come from. It's all about local sourcing, preparing home food and taking some time and care with getting food ready to eat. It is an ethos and an attitude towards food that they promote - one I firmly believe in, and one that I'm sure many people could learn something from. The Slow Food London food projects are really in line with my beliefs around homegrown, lovingly prepared food, so when the opportunity to do something with them came up, it seemed like the ideal time to launch my pop up to the public!
The menu for my pop up is as follows, with all ingredients being free-range and/or organic, and sourced from British suppliers that I continue to work with (including Devon large white variety pork shoulder from Wyndham House butchers, and cheeses from the wonderful guys at O Toma O Morte). It will be a very casual evening, and a great opportunity to spend some time with like minded foodies!
WELCOME COCKTAIL...
STARTER – Borscht with homemade soda bread.
MAIN – 24 hour shoulder of Devon free-range pork with special carrots, celeriac coleslaw and vegetables, with smokey BBQ sauce.
PUDDING – Sticky apple and pecan cake with butterscotch sauce.
CHEESE – Cheeseboard with pears, chutney and homemade biscuits.
I'll be providing soft drinks as well, but if you'd like something stronger, please feel free to bring a bottle (or two!)
All proceeds from ticket sales for the night will be going to Slow Food London Schools Programme, where the money will go towards funding a raised bed garden being built in a school for special needs children in London. You can read more about what Slow Food London do here.
Going forward, I will be doing a monthly pop up in West London, which will be promoted through the Grub Club site. It would be great if you can make it along to one of them, as I'd love to put some faces to names!! For tickets or more information please go to my page on the Grub Club website. Tickets are available now for the November event, and details about the December event will be up soon!!
Thank you!
23.9.13
CRUNCHY AUTUMN APPLE CRUMBLE
I don't think there's anything that sums up British Autumn more than an apple crumble. British apples in these months taste just like apples should - sweet, ripe and juicy. And having grown up in Kent and then Somerset, I've always been surrounded by orchards full of apple trees, dropping their apples around now. Unfortunately I don't know where in the UK the apples I used for this crumble came from, but I do know they were fresh and British. I like a golden, crunchy crumble topping and if you follow this recipe you should end up with one too.
The crumble needs to be made in 2 parts, as you need to allow the apples to cool before adding the crumble and cooking in the oven.
Serves 6 using an 8" cake tin.
For the filling:
8 medium British apples (I used a mixture of Discovery and Braeburn)
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
1 tbsp caster sugar
Water
Knob of butter
For the crumble:
3 tbsp porridge oats
3 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
(Sorry for the lack of weights - I don't have my scales in the house we're staying at! Use heaped tablespoons for all measurements)
Cut your apples in half, and then each half into thirds. Remove the cores. I don't like peeling apples as most of their goodness is found in and just under the skin, but feel free to peel yours if you want.
Put the apple slices in a saucepan, with the vanilla seeds, 1 tbsp caster sugar, a splash of water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan) and a knob of butter. Cover, and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. You can speed up this process by pouring the apples into the dish you'll make your crumble in, as this will be cooler than the saucepan you've just cooked them in!
Meanwhile make your crumble topping. Mix the oats and plain flour in a large bowl. Add the butter and using your fingers, incorporate the butter into the oat and flour mix until your left with breadcrumb like crumbles. Tip the sugar in and mix with the crumble.
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).
When the apples have cooled pour your crumble mix over the top. Tap the dish so it settles evenly, but don't press it down too hard.
Cook, uncovered, in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until it looks golden like this:
2.4.13
A NIGHT OF GAME AT PUTNEY'S DUKES HEAD
You might have read my recent post about supper club coordinators extrodinaire, Grub Club. Well they very kindly organised for me to go and try out one of their supper clubs, so I invited my brother and his fiance, her sister and boyfriend, and the boy along, to try it out. We had a raucous Wednesday night, full of game dishes and excellently chosen wines. My little brother is a wine salesman and came along to choose appropriate wines to match our meal. He's written a few words for my blog about the wine - see the end of this post.
The night took place at The Duke's Head in Putney in the private upstairs room. A lovely, tranquil (until we arrived) space, that suited the occasion perfectly.
This particular evening was all about game meats. We started the meal with an amuse bouche to share of duck rillettes, carpaccio of duck and smoked duck egg yolk with asparagus. This was my favorite course of the meal, with all 3 components presented beautifully.
The night took place at The Duke's Head in Putney in the private upstairs room. A lovely, tranquil (until we arrived) space, that suited the occasion perfectly.
This particular evening was all about game meats. We started the meal with an amuse bouche to share of duck rillettes, carpaccio of duck and smoked duck egg yolk with asparagus. This was my favorite course of the meal, with all 3 components presented beautifully.
25.3.13
WEEKEND WONDERS - DUCK SALAD / STICKY CHICKEN THIGHS / CAKE
One of my favorite things to do on lazy, quiet weekends is to make a den/nest out of as many duvets and quilts as I get my hands on, in front of the fire, and then serve picnics of delicious food to the members of the nest! Most of this weekend was just me and the boy - perfect - and I cooked up lots of yummy treats for us. Here are just some of them.
25.1.13
BEEF AND BEER PIE
Beef and beer is pretty much up there with cheese and wine in food and alcohol pairings for me. And this pie is a luxurious, winter warmer combo of the two.
Not only is this pie delicious, but it's not difficult to make, and it's a super supper on a cold day. I have used shop bought puff pastry, which is cheating a little bit, but tastes great all the same!
1 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
Sprig of thyme
300g closed cup chesnut mushrooms, wiped clean
600g diced free-range beef; braising steak or topside
1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
500ml bottle of Guiness
300ml game or beef stock
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour (if required)
1 pack of shop bought puff pastry
1 egg
Parmesan
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil. Chop the onions finely, along with the garlic and add to the pan. Reduce the heat and sweat the onions for at least 5 minutes, until they become translucent. Add the thyme, stir and add the whole mushrooms. Cook for another couple of minutes, then add the beef. Increase the heat and stir for another 5 minutes. Pour in the mushroom ketchup, bottle of Guiness, half of the game or beef stock and the mustard. Stir, and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so that the liquid gently simmers. Add the bay leaf and plenty of salt and pepper. Leave to gently simmer for 90 minutes, until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce thickened. If the sauce reduces too much, add more stock, and if it's too runny, scoop some sauce out, add flour, mix, and return to the pan.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Take the pie filling mix off the heat, and allow to cool slightly.
Pour the pie filling into a pie dish. Take your puff pastry and place it over the top, tucking any corners in. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and a sprinkling of grated parmesan. You can also make individual pies in pudding bowls.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown.
Serve with mash and peas, and all the lovely juices from the bottom of the pie dish.
Not only is this pie delicious, but it's not difficult to make, and it's a super supper on a cold day. I have used shop bought puff pastry, which is cheating a little bit, but tastes great all the same!
1 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
Sprig of thyme
300g closed cup chesnut mushrooms, wiped clean
600g diced free-range beef; braising steak or topside
1 tbsp mushroom ketchup
500ml bottle of Guiness
300ml game or beef stock
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour (if required)
1 pack of shop bought puff pastry
1 egg
Parmesan
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the oil. Chop the onions finely, along with the garlic and add to the pan. Reduce the heat and sweat the onions for at least 5 minutes, until they become translucent. Add the thyme, stir and add the whole mushrooms. Cook for another couple of minutes, then add the beef. Increase the heat and stir for another 5 minutes. Pour in the mushroom ketchup, bottle of Guiness, half of the game or beef stock and the mustard. Stir, and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so that the liquid gently simmers. Add the bay leaf and plenty of salt and pepper. Leave to gently simmer for 90 minutes, until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce thickened. If the sauce reduces too much, add more stock, and if it's too runny, scoop some sauce out, add flour, mix, and return to the pan.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Take the pie filling mix off the heat, and allow to cool slightly.
Pour the pie filling into a pie dish. Take your puff pastry and place it over the top, tucking any corners in. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and a sprinkling of grated parmesan. You can also make individual pies in pudding bowls.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown.
Serve with mash and peas, and all the lovely juices from the bottom of the pie dish.
14.11.12
FOOD FOR/AFTER A TUMMY BUG - BROTH AND COCO WATER
There's a horrible tummy bug going round, as there normally is at this time of year, and my boyfriend was struck down with said bug at about 1am on Monday. A visit to the doctors on Monday morning was pretty unhelpful - the doctor said "It's ok, the human body can survive without food for a month" - seeing as I think it's up to a month, and then you die, not very helpful info, doc!
Dioralyte was the only thing he could recommend, but the ingredients list of Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Glucose and Disodium Hydrogen Citrate didn't sound too appealing. So after an afternoon's sleep, I knew he would need something to replace all the salts and sugars he'd lost over the last 18 hours.
In order to get the potassium (brilliant for getting the body over dehydration) and sugars back into him that he needed to rehydrate, I picked up a (pint) can of coconut water. This went down a treat, drunk in small sips.
Next thing needed was the salts he'd lost. I read a bit on the internet about cures for tummy problems, and fennel tea, and ginger were often mentioned. Chicken soup has always been used to encourage a speedier recovery from these kind of things, so I decided to make a clear broth, incorporating all the stomach healing ingredients I'd read about. Here's what I made:
CHICKEN BROTH WITH FENNEL, LEMON AND GINGER
Serves 3
1 litre of chicken stock (I had some of my own stock frozen so used this)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
1 clove of garlic
Juice & peel of 1 lemon (try to peel this off in wide strips, like how you'd peel an apple)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 nest of egg noodle per person
1 spring onion
Put the chicken stock, fennel seeds, grated ginger, a small bit of grated garlic (I used a third of a clove) and lemon peel into a saucepan and bring up to a slow simmer. Add the soy sauce. Taste and adjust quantities of any of the ingredients, but you want a nice broth, not a strong overpowering flavour of anything.
Whilst the broth is simmering, boil a kettle and pour the boiling water over the noodle nests and cook as per packet instructions (mine were to boil the noodles for 3 minutes).
Remove the cooked noodles and drain the water. Place a small amount of noodles in each bowl. Once the broth has simmered for around 10 minutes, squeeze in a small amount of the lemon juice, remove from the heat, and sieve onto the bowls of noodles. Add a small amount of finely chopped spring onion and serve.
You can omit the noodles, depending on how well the patient feels! Mine needed a bit of energy so I served it with noodles, and it went down very well. He's now very much on the road to recovery!
Dioralyte was the only thing he could recommend, but the ingredients list of Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Glucose and Disodium Hydrogen Citrate didn't sound too appealing. So after an afternoon's sleep, I knew he would need something to replace all the salts and sugars he'd lost over the last 18 hours.
In order to get the potassium (brilliant for getting the body over dehydration) and sugars back into him that he needed to rehydrate, I picked up a (pint) can of coconut water. This went down a treat, drunk in small sips.
Next thing needed was the salts he'd lost. I read a bit on the internet about cures for tummy problems, and fennel tea, and ginger were often mentioned. Chicken soup has always been used to encourage a speedier recovery from these kind of things, so I decided to make a clear broth, incorporating all the stomach healing ingredients I'd read about. Here's what I made:
CHICKEN BROTH WITH FENNEL, LEMON AND GINGER
Serves 3
1 litre of chicken stock (I had some of my own stock frozen so used this)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
1 clove of garlic
Juice & peel of 1 lemon (try to peel this off in wide strips, like how you'd peel an apple)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 nest of egg noodle per person
1 spring onion
Put the chicken stock, fennel seeds, grated ginger, a small bit of grated garlic (I used a third of a clove) and lemon peel into a saucepan and bring up to a slow simmer. Add the soy sauce. Taste and adjust quantities of any of the ingredients, but you want a nice broth, not a strong overpowering flavour of anything.
Whilst the broth is simmering, boil a kettle and pour the boiling water over the noodle nests and cook as per packet instructions (mine were to boil the noodles for 3 minutes).
Remove the cooked noodles and drain the water. Place a small amount of noodles in each bowl. Once the broth has simmered for around 10 minutes, squeeze in a small amount of the lemon juice, remove from the heat, and sieve onto the bowls of noodles. Add a small amount of finely chopped spring onion and serve.
You can omit the noodles, depending on how well the patient feels! Mine needed a bit of energy so I served it with noodles, and it went down very well. He's now very much on the road to recovery!
31.10.12
WINTER WARMER - FIERY PUMPKIN SOUP
We are having a mini halloween/firework feast this year, and because we are doing it on a Friday I have been planning a menu that I can cook the night before, ready to heat through when I get home from work on the Friday. I definitely want to serve a soup, that everyone can help themselves to and bring outside to watch the firework display. I have tried a few different flavour combinations but this was the best, and it includes pumpkin, so I can use up the flesh carved out from our ghoulish pumpkins!
This soup is cooked for 4 hours, so be aware of this if you're thinking of just knocking it up for dinner after work - it's best made when you have some time to wait for it to cook - make lots and freeze the rest in batches. You can also do this in a slow cooker, but cook it for 6 hours on the slow setting.
Makes enough for about 8 people, or 4 batches for 2.
FOR THE SOUP
2 large, white onions
800g pumpkin flesh
1 celeriac
500g carrots
1 bunch of celery
1 head of garlic
3 red chillies
2 litres of chicken stock
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
TO ADD
1 slice of bresola per bowl of soup
Creme fraiche
Chives, parsley or mint
Red chilli
Preheat the oven to the lowest gas mark (around 130-140 degrees C), or if you are using a slow cooker, turn it on and set it to it's lowest temperature. Get a large casserole dish or saucepan with a lid ready.
Peel, and chop the onions, pumpkin, celeriac and carrots into large chunky pieces. Pop them all in your pan. Wash and chop the celery and add to the pan, with the peeled garlic cloves and chopped red chillies. Add the bay leaves and stock, and season. If you are using stock cubes, then do not add salt at this point. Wait until it is cooked, then taste and add salt if required.
Place the pan on the hob and heat until the stock starts to boil. Put the lid on the pan, and place the whole thing in the oven, or slow cooker. Leave to cook for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, spoon the mixture into the blender and blend in batches. Return all blended soup to one bowl and mix. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon the soup into bowls, and top each bowl with some bresola, chopped into cm slices, a dollop of creme fraiche, some chopped fresh herbs of your choice and a few rings of sliced red chilli (or some chilli sauce).
This soup is cooked for 4 hours, so be aware of this if you're thinking of just knocking it up for dinner after work - it's best made when you have some time to wait for it to cook - make lots and freeze the rest in batches. You can also do this in a slow cooker, but cook it for 6 hours on the slow setting.
Makes enough for about 8 people, or 4 batches for 2.
FOR THE SOUP
2 large, white onions
800g pumpkin flesh
1 celeriac
500g carrots
1 bunch of celery
1 head of garlic
3 red chillies
2 litres of chicken stock
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
TO ADD
1 slice of bresola per bowl of soup
Creme fraiche
Chives, parsley or mint
Red chilli
Preheat the oven to the lowest gas mark (around 130-140 degrees C), or if you are using a slow cooker, turn it on and set it to it's lowest temperature. Get a large casserole dish or saucepan with a lid ready.
Peel, and chop the onions, pumpkin, celeriac and carrots into large chunky pieces. Pop them all in your pan. Wash and chop the celery and add to the pan, with the peeled garlic cloves and chopped red chillies. Add the bay leaves and stock, and season. If you are using stock cubes, then do not add salt at this point. Wait until it is cooked, then taste and add salt if required.
Place the pan on the hob and heat until the stock starts to boil. Put the lid on the pan, and place the whole thing in the oven, or slow cooker. Leave to cook for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, spoon the mixture into the blender and blend in batches. Return all blended soup to one bowl and mix. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if needed.
Spoon the soup into bowls, and top each bowl with some bresola, chopped into cm slices, a dollop of creme fraiche, some chopped fresh herbs of your choice and a few rings of sliced red chilli (or some chilli sauce).
21.9.12
PALE ALE ONION GRAVY
It's a pretty easy one, but onion gravy lifts a simple supper to a new level. If you've got some nice sausages and some onions and potatoes, then this meal is great way to end a long day.
This recipe really is very easy, it just takes some time to allow it to be as delicious as it should! This makes enough for about 6 people (or 4 hungry people).
3 large onions
3 cloves of garlic
Butter
Olive oil
1 500ml bottle of pale ale
Worcester sauce
1 bay leaf
150ml vegetable stock
1 tsp dijon mustard
Chop (or slice in the magimix) the onions. They need to be as thin as possible, which is why I slice them in the magimix. This also reduces eye pain whilst onion chopping! If you don't have a magimix you can slice them with a knife or use a mandoline. Crush the cloves of garlic. Heat a large, deep frying pan over a very low heat. Add a knob of butter and a small drizzle of olive oil, then all the sliced onions and crushed garlic. The onions need to cook like this for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. This may seem like a ridiculously long time, but the onions need to cook really slowly, and by doing so, they will become soft, golden and sweet.
Once the onions have turned the colour of toasted white bread, add the bottle of pale ale, a splash of Worcester sauce (I couldn't find this last time so used Mushroom ketchup which was equally as yummy) and a bay leaf to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and bubble the ale away so that all the alcohol burns off. Once the sauce has reduced by half, add 150ml of meat or vegetable stock, a teaspoon of dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
If the sauce has not thickened as much as you'd like, scoop out a small amount of the juice from the pan in a mug, and add a spoonful of flour to the juice in the mug. Stir until there are no lumps, and pour back into the sauce.
Serve with sausages, greens and buttery mashed potato.
This recipe really is very easy, it just takes some time to allow it to be as delicious as it should! This makes enough for about 6 people (or 4 hungry people).
3 large onions
3 cloves of garlic
Butter
Olive oil
1 500ml bottle of pale ale
Worcester sauce
1 bay leaf
150ml vegetable stock
1 tsp dijon mustard
Chop (or slice in the magimix) the onions. They need to be as thin as possible, which is why I slice them in the magimix. This also reduces eye pain whilst onion chopping! If you don't have a magimix you can slice them with a knife or use a mandoline. Crush the cloves of garlic. Heat a large, deep frying pan over a very low heat. Add a knob of butter and a small drizzle of olive oil, then all the sliced onions and crushed garlic. The onions need to cook like this for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. This may seem like a ridiculously long time, but the onions need to cook really slowly, and by doing so, they will become soft, golden and sweet.
Once the onions have turned the colour of toasted white bread, add the bottle of pale ale, a splash of Worcester sauce (I couldn't find this last time so used Mushroom ketchup which was equally as yummy) and a bay leaf to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium, and bubble the ale away so that all the alcohol burns off. Once the sauce has reduced by half, add 150ml of meat or vegetable stock, a teaspoon of dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
If the sauce has not thickened as much as you'd like, scoop out a small amount of the juice from the pan in a mug, and add a spoonful of flour to the juice in the mug. Stir until there are no lumps, and pour back into the sauce.
Serve with sausages, greens and buttery mashed potato.
10.11.11
GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY for CHEESE
I planted a new veg patch this summer, and after a number of vegetable cat and slug related disasters, the one real survivor was my tomato plants. But after another typical London summer I've been left with a load of greeny orange tomotoes. So with winter and it's obligatory red wine soon approaching, I decided to cook up some green and red tomato chutney.
I used a combination of my own un ripe tomatoes and some delicious red vine tomatoes from our local market.
This makes 4-6 jars of chutney
800g green and red tomatoes
800ml malt vinegar
2 onions, finely chopped
400g soft brown sugar
400g sultanas
2 bay leaves
Bunch of thyme
Tsp salt
The mixture will reduce to a jammy consistency.
I used a combination of my own un ripe tomatoes and some delicious red vine tomatoes from our local market.
This makes 4-6 jars of chutney
800g green and red tomatoes
800ml malt vinegar
2 onions, finely chopped
400g soft brown sugar
400g sultanas
2 bay leaves
Bunch of thyme
Tsp salt
Chop the tomatoes and put them in a heavy bottomed pan with an equal amount of malt vinegar and the onions. Add the brown sugar and sultanas. Add a bay leaf, some thyme and a teaspoon of salt to mixture and simmer over a low heat for 80-90 minutes, stirring regularly.
The mixture will reduce to a jammy consistency.
When reduced to the thickness you like (I like it when there is just a little liquid left in the bottom that separates when spooned away and takes a second or two to reform), pour the chutney into sterilised glass jars (to sterilise the jars place them in an oven at 130C for 10 mins or so, or rinse with boiling water). Leave to cool for a few hours, then cover with cling film.
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