summer gazpacho

It's July, so we're officially in the thick of summer. If, however, you're in England, then you'll be fully aware that Weather currently has a bad case of schizophrenia. She is behaving a little delusional lately and can't decide whether she is in a fresh, happy, tense or angry disposition. It's so hard to keep up. My advice is that we be patient with her short attention span and dis-organised thinking, and make plans with or without her help.

I'll nudge this under your nose...perhaps you need a little help remembering?

Gazpacho is usually consumed during the summer months. I've tried various variations and many have left me unimpressed. They are either too lumpy / thick / imbalanced / rich, but this one is sweet, sharp, refreshing and light. An unassuming but winning opening act before the main course.


Serving 4

• 1.1 kg cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 heaped teaspoon minced fresh red chilli
• 2 heaped teaspoons chopped onion
• 275 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red wine or sherry vinegar
• 2 heaped teaspoons caster sugar
• 2 rounded teaspoons sea salt
• Grinding of black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil and fresh chopped cucumber to serve

All ingredients into a blender. Work to a puree, and then pass through a sieve into a large bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, but not for longer than necessary.

Ladle the chilled soup into bowls (I like small portions - a taster). Put a small handful of chopped cucumber on top, to really infuse it with freshness and a drizzle of evoo.

twice-cooked belly of pork

Delicioso

Pork belly might be a fatty bit of meat...but boy it's good. It works perfectly well in keeping the pork incredibly moist (I know there are haters for that word, so sincere apologies). Unfortunately though, that is where most of the flavour comes from.

This is perfectly suitable for a Sunday lunch or dinner party, just make sure to keep yourself a slice or two for that Tuesday night supper alone!

Pick up a piece of pork belly about 25cm x 18cm and take the skin off (safer to get butcher to do that or buy from supermarkets where it might come without skin on the piece) leaving a layer of fat on top.

Season all over and put in slightly oiled casserole dish (meat side down) and cover with water/stock and some white wine, bay leaf, onion slices, carrot and a celery stick or whatever. Bring to simmer and then cover (I also put buttered greaseproof paper on top of pork) and put in low oven (130C) for about 3-4 hours till meat very tender (test with sharp knife).

Leave to cool in stock.

Remove the pork and put a piece of greaseproof paper or cling film on pork and weigh down with a flat board with some weights (cans of tomatoes work very well!) to flatten slightly. Leave for a few hours and refrigerate. When ready (immediately or up to a few days) cut in thick slices (10x3cm) and fry fat side down slowly to warm through and brown top and get rid of some extra fat in a frying pan. Turn over after about 5 mins and fry other side for about a minute to brown and warm through.

Serve with jus and potatoes and green veg and carrots or red cabbage.
(I also ate mine the day after with some green salad and beetroot).

Jus: Reduce stock by about 2/3 and then add some reduced port or Madeira-add nob of butter when nearly ready. Should be almost syrupy to glaze the pork and as the gravy. Adjust seasoning.

october roots

Brown rice salad with sweet potato, prune, apricot

It's finally hit me.

I tried to avoid it.

I ignored all the signs.

I have a cold...

At least it's an excuse to lay low for a while and feel a little seasonal. I wondered why I'd been craving chai tea, sweet potato, and extra cinnamon in my porridge.

This is a very 'warming' rice salad, inspired by Ottolenghi (of course) and includes what I was crying out for:

A few ingredients

• 200g of brown rice
• 2 small sweet potatoes (or 1 large), chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• handful of pistachio nuts, lightly toasted
• handful of pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 4-5 dried apricots, finely chopped
• 4-5 prunes, finely chopped
• handful of coriander
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Boil the rice until al dente, and set aside to cool.

The raw sweet potato ready for roasting

While the rice is boiling, chop up the sweet potato and put into a deep non stick oven pan. Throw in the garlic (un-peeled). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle sumac, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper ontop, making sure to cover every piece. Pop in the oven to roast for about 25-35 minutes, on about 200'C. Occasionally check on the sweet potato and stir well.

Be careful not to burn! Toasting pistachio and pine nuts

Lightly toast the pistachio nuts and pine nuts and set aside, with the chopped spring onion, dried apricots, prunes and coriander.

Once the rice has cooled, add all the ingredients and toss together. Mix in the cooked sweet potato and extract the garlic pulp, and add the lemon juice and another little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I marinated some chicken breast in the same sweet potato spices and pan fried. Alternatively, eat a larger portion of the rice for a packed lunch and add some chopped feta cheese.

Pan fry a little chicken to go with...

If you're still stuck for ideas with that roasted sweet potato, try having on a bed of rocket and sprinkle with feta and toasted pine nuts for a lunch or light supper...

Need another idea?

autumnal air

Freshly picked apples and pears, Bedchester B and B

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

(John Keats, Ode to Autumn)

I've been feeling rather out of sorts for the last few weeks.

Does anyone else feel like this? Please say you do! Let's all share in it together!!

My hormones are giving me unnecessary grief. I have a dissertation to crack on with. I still have a job to go to and it's September, so there has been a definite 'shift' in weather. The season is hinting that it wants to move on, and for me this time of year brings a 'back to school' feeling. A slight chill in the air and new stationery.

London feels like it's in limbo land. Summer is over.

Does this sound depressing? I feel 'SAD' coming on. My past experience tells me that sometimes a change of scenery does one good. Perfect timing then that my artist friend was heading home to the South West to take care of some business. This is my second family. My home away from home, since age 2. I better tag along. The family home also makes a damn good B & B. Where better to enjoy fresh air and the outdoors.

I picked them especially for you!

You might be able to tell that apples are in season right now?

Would you like a bite? The flesh is pink

The first sign regarding the apples lay on the kitchen surface...

Crab apple jelly recipe

Crab apple jelly at the ready

I arrived just in time. Dinner is served. Shepherds pie, and garlic green beans. Followed by apple snow pudding with meringue top. This is perfect. It takes me right back to my childhood. We're still sitting around the circular wooden table. We're still helping ourselves to seconds of shepherds pie and apple snow, and I'm still narrowly avoiding spitting water all over the table from laughing.

This is typically English cooking at its best.

It makes me think of the scent of grass in the air and the smell of fresh air on your clothes.

Shepherds pie and garlic green beans

Apple snow pudding...could you pass the cream please!?

Did I mention that I laugh a lot here...

Did you know you're looking puce?

...and then some more...

Alright we get it...you're laughing

...and then a little more...

If the wind changes, we can smile forever

So, since we're in the garden...let's go for a walk and step into the field. What's going on here?

Black cow says to Patchy cow 'Look at that bloody dog, disturbing our peace. Doesn't she know the tree is our silent zone?'

After a little wander, a little rest, a little fresh air. It's time for lunch.

Nothing better than soup to warm the cockles of your heart.

Some tomato, vegetable, bacon, bean soup is bubbling on the Aga

After a mild pulsing it is ready to be dished up

Some hefty grating of Parmesan, a crack of black pepper and it's good for slurping

A meal fit for a king...courgette quiche, grilled goats cheese...salad to accompany

Last but not least, some pudding (I hope the onions didn't go in that!). I'm told that these berries are for breakfast if you come to stay!

So, after all that colour, food, and fresh air, have I cheered you up???

I said, have I cheered you up??

I might have made you hungry...but the season change and September isn't so bad (she chants to herself). If you do feel a little out of sorts then have a change of scenery like I did and escape to the country for a day or two...or at least get into a warm pub, or cinema.

Try and laugh a little too...it helps!

Bedchester B and B

wrap run

You can look but don't touch!

Do you like Saturdays?

...I do.

What does it for you? A coffee / newspaper combo...James Martin on Saturday Kitchen...sleep until 12.30pm??? 

After the Monday-Friday tug of war with alarm clocks and time keeping, one is finally allowed to act like a lady of leisure and get some good loitering in before the weekend is out. I mostly improvise, but a recurring theme in the little play of my perfect day, is most definitely a run (as you can see by the attire) and if I can try and make it to the Duke of York Square market, it is the rainbow roti wrap from the Rainforest Creations stand.

A picture of health

This is SERIOUSLY good. I've tried a few things (ok...a lot of things) at the market...the pie, the gnocchi, the burger, the chorizo roll, the thai curry, the (fizzy) aubergine-not so good. I've cut at cheese. I've had a cookie. I've circulated and circulated until the stall workers look close to asking me to leave, but after a long long time, I can't shake this one off...I daren't try anything new. It pretty much covers everything I am looking for.

Box or roti?

Perfection being created

The cornmeal, lentil and wholegrain flour wrap seems to have a texture, after warming, somewhere in between a wholemeal pitta and a pancake and works as the most wonderfully comforting duvet sealer to a vibrant, tasty insulation. I've had the rainbox 'box' and after many tastings, it doesn't quite do it for me like the wrap. If I'm hungover, I crave the wrap. If I'm just hungry, I want the wrap. If I want to be healthy, I want the wrap. Whatever mood I'm in, I want the wrap. It's filling. It's delicious. It's colourful. Think tropical coleslaw, wild rice, lentils, chickpeas, avocado. WAIT. Don't get put off. Even the skeptics like it. Believe me. I've imposed it on most people.

Best hummus that you can buy by the pot

All there is left to do is find yourself standing in front of the Nick's fine foods stall and pick up the best brownie in London. Another array of delights. Carrot cake, date and walnut cake, mini lemon meringue pies, sometimes rhubarb, olive oil and lemon cake. The brownie though, was my hot topic at one point. I talked and talked about it and bored people to death. I raved about it so much that one weekend my friend played my own conversation back to me, as if she discovered it...I exclaimed in excitement, thinking she shared my exact reasoning, but alas, I had told her the week before...

'have you tried it?' 'oooh, you can tell that the raspberries have obviously been swirled in just at the last moment' 'I don't usually like fruit and chocolate together' 'the texture is amazing' 'this is the best brownie I've ever had' 'much better than that Flour Power City one'

Melt your worries away

Now go and find a good spot -I call shot gun outside The Saatchi Gallery. Sit. People watch. Enjoy.

sacred sunday

If Saturday was made for brunch, then Sunday, the day of rest, was made for lunch.

Sunday.

It's a special day isn't it? It is the only day of the week that has a sense of occasion...we have to thank religion for something right?

...the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine??? *nudge *nudge *wink *wink

So, take your time. Put your feet up. Fill up your chalice. Get some friends over....and EAT.

The worst Sunday 'roast' I ever encountered was a plateful of flabby shiny looking white chicken breast (no seasoning), covered in bisto gravy and, to decorate, soft mushy over cooked carrot slices and blander than bland potatoes. I suggest that the cook repent of his/her sins for that one.

'Dear Lord, I'm so sorry for committing such sin in the kitchen with these plentiful ingredients. Please let me fulfil your duty by practicing better flavouring and seasoning....!'

I hope I never have to experience that again...

...certainly not with this meal.

Sliced beef fillet. Potato, pea, edamame, mint salad. Beetroot, tomato salad.

Really do what you want with the new potato salad. Here we have boiled new pots, sliced radishes, edamame beans, peas, chives, mint, parsley, salt, pepper and a mustard dressing (dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil (evoo), vinegar, honey). Play around.

With your beef fillet, rub evoo, salt and pepper all over the raw meat. Make sure you then put into a searing hot (dry) pan, to really brown off the sides. Try and follow the instructions on the packet or ask your butcher, but to have it nice and rare you don't need it on for too long. When you take it off the heat...LET IT REST. LET IT REST. LET IT REST, otherwise you'll have dry chewy meat. The rest period after cooking allows for the juices and flavour to reabsorb and distribute. Allow for 10-15 minutes before carving into medium thick slices (this isn't quite carpaccio). Served with some fresh salad leaves, chives, evoo, s & p.

For a bit of extra va va voom, this is always the easiest option to add to your plate. Sliced beetroot, tomato, parsley, s & p, evoo, and a little red wine vinegar to cut across the sweetness of the beetroot.

Have all your prayers been answered??

heston's scotch eggs

If you have the time to put a little bit of effort in, then these are extremely worthwhile and actually effortless. They make great picnic food and are especially fun to eat as a picnic in front of the television to watch the Royal Wedding. In one room, 3 of us eagerly watching and waiting, eyes peeled on the television. In another, food preparation well underway. It's the best thing Waitrose have ever done employing Heston and Delia. I usually get annoyed by Blumenthal's science'esque approach but his Waitrose recipe cards are brilliant. Egg and sausage meat, a match made in heaven and let's face it, we all like a bit of rough. There's enough fancy on the tv for one day.  

Thank you Imi for creating. Full description and details can be found on image at bottom of this post or on the Waitrose website.

Get those eggs boiled how you want them. Best a little bit runny, but we had them just done. Are you ready to get your hands all up in some sausage meat? If not, then this might not be the recipe for you. Either get stuck in or rally up some helpers. You are going to have to get those fingers sticky mixing all the ingredients together and forming perfect little patties. Once the eggs are cool and the patties have been chilled, you can begin to wrap those slippery little ovals into the meat, until they are all tucked in and sealed. Then it's a case of forming a little assembly line. Seasoned flour. Roll. Beaten egg. Roll. Breadcrumbs. Roll.

the princess and the pea

Ok, so there is no Princess. But. I do adore peas! So much so, that as a 12 year old, I would sometimes eat a big bowl of peas with a dollop of Heinz ketchup as a snack (I know...classy eh?!). People tend to think of these bright little fellas as boring, but don't dumb them down. The pea can be dressed up, just like anything else. They weren't included in a Fairy Tale for nothing. Frozen peas generally have more goodness locked in, just be careful not to overcook them. Here is a different take on Bruschetta (I'm holding my breath, hoping you're all saying it correctly).

crosswords and april sunshine

How many Aprils in Old Blighty have we had the pleasure of a guffawing heatwave...AND on a bank holiday weekend? Well not many! So as you can expect I was damn excited. Therefore, a lazy Saturday wearing shorts and sitting in the garden was absolutely necessary, as was the Ottolenghi sauteed chickpea and Greek yogurt for lunch.

Details after jump...

a day in food

Have you ever done a food diary? Well I can probably guess that you might have missed half the things you ate that day. We like to forget the little things. 'They don't matter...do they?' Well they do and they all add up. This isn't for the purpose of a food diary, but I thought it would be a rather good idea wouldn't it? To photograph everything you eat in the day? Then you really can't get away with it...
Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast with green pesto

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. My very good flat mate told me of this tip. A dollop of green pesto. Added at the end of cooking really livens it up. I use 2 eggs and I always cook in a little bit of butter.

sunday lunch @ brunswick house

Brunswick House, 30 Wandsworth Rd, Vauxhall Cross, SW8 2LG

Another Sunday and what a great one. A special celebratory day, organised by a great guy for a lucky little lady (he obviously also organised for the amazing weather). We were requested to gather ourselves at the listed Georgian mansion, Brunswick House (acquired by LASSCO), located in Vauxhall...

Blink and you'll miss it. It's strange how such a magnificent house, could so easily be missed. It must be on one of the busiest roads in London, but somehow manages to hide away in 'the lion, the witch and the wardrobe' kind of way, standing peaceful and still. Once inside the gates, the world behind is forgotten!

We started outside, soaking up the sun with oodles of prosecco, and then we made our way inside for lots of little sharing plates. 

Thinking about it now actually makes me salivate a little!

Wild garlic, barley & mushrooms. Spinach & goat's curd frittata. Black pudding, bramley apple & maple cream. Pig's cheek, fennel & lentils. Confit Old Spot bacon, beaten eggs & apple chutney. Blood orange & Zucca jelly.

My god, the food was good. Ravenously hungry after all those bubbles, we all wolfed into it, hardly pausing for breath. The crackling on the pig's cheek was to die for. The bacon was melt in the mouth and more like generous tearings of ham hock and most surprisingly, considering I haven't eaten it since I was 8, the black pudding was my favourite, and amazingly accented by the sweet baked apple.

Here's their ploy though. As you tour the nooks and crannies of the house, decidedly happy on food and drink, there is some serious danger of spending some serious cash. Brunswick house is awash with antiques and artifacts and it takes some major coaxing to leave the place empty handed!

heartbeet superfood

It was 22 degrees out today, so I took the opportunity and treated myself to 1 hour sitting in the sun. I bought my lunch today from pod and it was crunch tastic.

Easy enough to make yourself. The ingredients are below...

market love

Borough Market

Le Marché du Quartier

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and located in London Bridge. I'm such a fan of this place. Once in a while, I used to walk here on a Saturday. A big walk, a big lunch! But now I have the pleasure in being able to eat here on a work day. SO much better on a work day.  Little gatherings of crowded suit wearers getting their teeth into a lamb burger, and snap happy tourists flittering from stall to stall. It's people coming together all in the name of food and drink. Word of warning: Saturday is very overcrowded.

Borough Wines

There are so many parts, too many to cover. So here are a few of my favourites...

A family run business, Le Marché du Quartier sources fine French food and wine. Large jars of cassoulet, confit, goose fat and bunches of lavender. I'm all for everything French. Heavenly.

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

I've tested the tortelloni, the falafel wraps, the lamb burger, the beef burger, the chicken burger, the thai green curry, the melon/mozzarella salad and much much more, but I ALWAYS end up coming back to the Arabica Food & Spice Company. This Eastern Mediterranean delight has plenty of amazing dip tasters. The best taramasalata in town (p.s. proper taramasalata is white), delicious smoked courgette. The salad box is £6 for a choice of 3, but I try and fool them and ask for half and half and get 4. So full of flavour and moreish. Simply the best.

Brindisa

Brindisa

Brindisa

Still running after 20 years, and with some superb restaurants in SE1, SW7 and W1, Brindisa is still one of the best importers of high quality Spanish foods. Their shop is something of a treasure trove. Delicious membrillo and excellent for snacks in the form of padron peppers and salted marcona almonds.

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

Baked in Camberwell, The Cinnamon Tree Bakery has fast become my favourite seller. High quality ingredients and many things wheat and gluten free. They won me over with the 'tweet tweet' biscuit. Using rye flour, raisins, dates, tahini, seeds and cinnamon, they are INCREDIBLE. To be honest they're filling enough as a breakfast! I tested their rocky road last November, but they took them off the stall to refine. They are now back and are chocolatey rich with vegetarian marshmallow.

Go there and see what takes your fancy!