You might have many reasons for choosing a mocktail – driving, dehydrated, just feel like something lighter – and this festive season I decided to give making some a go. I’m new to mixing cocktails and mocktails so do not have my own recipes ready …
This is truly a store cupboard staple as it requires things I bet you already have to hand. Even better, it’s a delight for chilly Winter days – it’s warming and filling with a healthy dose of things that will keep you well, including vitamin …
I come from a reasonably large family of four kids and I believe this is why I always cook too many potatoes. Potato-duty for family meals was a large scale operation and the mission was successful upon delivery of a large pot or roasting pan full to the brim of peeled spuds. Anything less than this feels dangerously close to running out.
I am gradually un-learning this habit. Luckily alongside this I have learned an excellent way to use up surplus cooked potato: the delicacy that is potato bread. It’s delightfully simple – mashed potato, flour, butter and a pan + heat source is all you need. It’s also delicious.
I met potato bread when visiting my husband’s family in Ireland, where potato bread is an essential part of any cooked breakfast or ‘fry.’ And in fact a definitive part, as there are many regional variations on the cooked breakfast and potato bread, along with soda bread, is what marks out a cooked breakfast as Irish. As it was my husband’s birthday last week, I treated him to a proper Irish-style cooked breakfast with potato bread. Frankly this was a treat for me too. I use this recipe (my finished product does not look as tidy); the only addition I recommend to the method is cooking the potato bread twice. Once to make sure it is formed, and the second time in butter just before serving.
The only other rule to follow is the sauce – it must be topped with ‘red sauce’ (tomato sauce), and not under any circumstances ‘brown sauce’ (HP sauce) as this belongs with the bacon and sausages. And as with all meals in Ireland, served with a large cup of tea.
I think we all need a little sweetness at the moment. Summer holidays, and the little dash of optimism and refreshment they deliver, feel like a long time ago indeed. Luckily, I have this spiced plum shortcake recipe stored up from my own summer holiday, …
Happy New Year! I was lucky to have a pretty decent 2021, and I know I am in the minority here. It was a shocker for many of my favourite people. Wherever January 2022 finds you (ideally somewhere relaxing and on holiday with many tasty …
My parents are amazing gardeners and I couldn’t resist this little scallopini left over from their crop. Mainly because, what a cute vegetable, everyone! How could you not want to take it home? Little and frilly and kind of like a flying saucer. I’ve eaten them before but not prepared them myself; they are not unlike a courgette to deal with but they are sweeter and firmer on the eating side of things. So, if you find courgettes can be a little bitter for your taste, let me recommend the scallopini to you.
If you’ve read my blog before you’ll know I am a fan of providing a little historical background on my food. Writing this post has lead to me to a veritable treasure trove of information on the Louis Bonduelle Foundation website with its vegetable ABC section. I learned from the website that Scallopini are also known as patty pan squash and, along with promising you a “healthy vacation glow,” they from Central America and are a member of the mighty Curcubitaceace family. Their French name is Pâtisson, taken from the name of a cake baked in a scalloped mould. They are suited to numerous preparation styles, including roasting, sautéing and baking with cheese (although what food does that not improve, I’d like to know).
My method here is summery – fresh herbs and lemon, and you could pop this on the BBQ or, like I did, just in a grill pan on the stove top. Good as a side and hearty enough for a small meal with some bread on the side.
For one scallopini (increase according to number of scallopini you are grilling):
1 scallopini, cut into lengthways slices of no more than 1cm thickness
1 T olive oil
1 T fresh mint, chopped
1 t goats cheese (could also use feta)
1/4 lemon
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Heat the grill to medium hot. While it is warming up, rub the scallopini slices in the oil (I find it easy to use a shallow bowl to do this).
Place the slices onto the heated grill. Turn a few times initially to avoid sticking. Cook for a three to four minutes per side, until grilled to your liking.
Lay the grilled scallopini slices onto a plate or platter. Crumble the goats cheese and scatter over. Add the mint and cracked pepper over the top. Serve with lemon slices to be squeezed over just before eating.
Butternut is such a sweet little name that, even if I didn’t much fancy the taste, I would still have to create a recipe or two in its honour. So, luckily I find it delicious as well as cutely named. Butternut is lighter, softer and …
It was a pretty crappy Summer season in my garden overall, with the grand total of 12 manky-looking tomatoes and two cucumbers (there were three cucumbers, but something ate one of them). The outlier here has been my herb collection. These little guys have gone …
For the second recipe in my ground-breaking series on the humble carrot I bring you…honey and balsamic roasted carrots. This recipe is especially useful if you have a number of the little orange critters languishing in your vegetable drawer and they’re getting on the soft side. Slathering them with some umami flavours, some honey and a little olive oil is SO much more chi-chi than a simple slice and boil, and any softness is cleverly covered up. Here I have them photographed as part of a simple meat-and-three-veg, accompanying not only steak but a humble jacket baked potato. They are equally at home sprinkled with feta and some chickpeas for a simple vegetarian supper. And don’t feel you can’t participate if you don’t have any soft, boring carrots to hand – this is also lovely with those fancy baby carrots with the leafy green tops.
Ingredients:
Method:
Heat oven oven to 210 degrees celsius.
Place carrots in a roasting tin.
Place honey, vinegar and oil in a jar and shake to combine.
Pour over the carrots and shake tin to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes total or until carrots are golden. Turn carrots once or twice during cooking.
Happy New Year! Munching on carrot sticks, brimming with enthusiasm for a year of healthful habits? Nope, me neither. And I need to tell you right now that if that’s what you’re after, you’re probably reading the wrong blog. But, I am enjoying some carrot …