Two salads: Quinoa and New Potatoes

In light of the gorgeous Spring/Summer's day we've had today I have made two salads for tea. A Butternut squash, chorizo and quinoa salad with a spring onion, pea and new potato side. One fairly healthy and low calorie (minus the chorizo) and the other, not so much.

  

Butternut squash, chorizo and quinoa salad

• Roast butternut squash seasoned with sage for 30 mins and throw in some halved tomatoes smothered with 2 chopped cloves of garlic 10 mins towards the end.

• Meanwhile fry a large chorizo and cook 7oz of quinoa, then toast some sliced almonds (an alternative to sunflowers seeds as I had run out).

• Slice the butternut squash and mix all ingredients together with a little dressing of grain mustard, wine wine vinegar and olive oil.
 

Spring onion, pea and new potato salad

• Boil the new potatoes then slice

• Chop spring onions and parsley

• Mix with mayonnaise

Recipes adapted from Tescos Real Food (again): Quinoa. New Potatoes.

Fabulous fish pie

If she reads this it will be with her mouth open in shock and awe - my sister that is.

Reason being, we both hate fish pie. It has been a long and drawn out hatred that stems from childhood, it does cut me deeper as until recently I have disliked fish, where as she has always been able to cope. But one thing we both couldn't cope with was Mum's fish pie. (Sorry Mum).

I can't really tell you why we hated it, but I can tell you we used to pour it into sandwich bags and hide it in the draws of the wall unit in the lounge so Mum would think we had eaten it. She found the bags months later, all rotten and stinking and thought they were our hidden school sandwiches that we didn't want. She will now know the truth. (Sorry Mum).

Anyway this obviously explains why I have never made fish pie before. And today is the day fish pie and I made friends.

Recipe taken and adapted (replaced shelfish with an extra leek, took out the double cream and used goats milk so my son could have some) from Tesco Real Foods magazine Oct-Nov 2011.

Choc chip shortbread cookies

We had some friends over this afternoon, and as the boys and I had been swimming beforehand and it had taken quite a bit longer than expected, I was late making lunch for everyone so I made a batch of cookies to entertain their stomachs. (Obviously I would normally open a pack of hobnobs - but everyone knows I am writing a blog now so I have to keep up appearances darling!)

Again I haven't made shortbread before and they were so easy.

• Mix 4oz butter, 2oz caster sugar, 50z plain flour, 1 oz ground rice (for crunch) to make bread crumbs.
• Chop up some dark chocolate to make 'chips' add them to the breadcrumbs with a bit of milk to make dough.
• Roll the dough into a sausage, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fast freeze for 10 mins.
• Take out and slice 1cm pieces, place on baking tray and cook for 15-20 min.

Recipe taken from (and adapted) an old Tesco Real Food mini magazine - I am so impressed by their recipes!!

English tea loaf

I was in Queens Park this week, I visited Gail's Artisan Bakery for my morning coffee and was inspired by all the beautiful breads they had laid about the place (extortionately priced by the way, but beautiful none the less!).

So I thought I would make something befitting their shop - not sure I managed to achieve the same aesthetics on this my first try, but it was tasty none the less.

 

Recipe taken from Lorrane Pascale's fantastic book - Baking Made Easy.

Mix 180g plain flour, 180g bread flour, 7g fast acting yeast, teaspoon ground ginger, teaspoon cinnamon and zest of 1 lemon

 

Make a well in the mix and add 150ml warm water, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of treacle.

Mix and knead by hand for 5 mins (I took mine out of the bowl and stretched it like bread dough).

Then mix in 2 oz chopped dates and 3 oz of raisins.

 

Cover with clingfilm and put somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size, then pull out of the bowl and place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake for 30 - 40 mins.

 

Serve warm! and yes we do have breakfast like this every morning ;)

Marinated chicken and mushroom pizza

Very quickly as we've been here before and it didn't get good reviews but what can I do - it's what the family want?

Same recipe as last time, added a few herbs into the dough when knocking it back. Rolled it out into a slightly strange shape - but got it much thinner this time.

Marinated some chicken strips and onion with paprika, chilli, pepper and garlic. Used this as topping with mozarella and mushrooms.

Ate half of it to soak up the cocktail!

Cocktail hour: Side Car

 

Friday night at the Patton house is Pizza night, and because I am going to bore you with another pizza I thought I would first start with a little cocktail!

The Side Car is two parts brandy to one part Cointreau and half a lemon (or more depending how you like to measure a 'part').

Mmmmm - I needed this after a day with a teething infant!

Spicy tuna and noodle broth

How does the title sound for this? I just made it up. I also made the recipe up, and it tasted very good!

I had to make one up because try as I did to find something inspiring and healthy that I haven't cooked before, was nigh on impossible, and if we ate one more baked good this week then I think we will need our cholesterol levels checking!

Saying that I am thinking of doing bread tomorrow.

Anyway, to make this I began with the marinade an hour and a half before by finely chopping coriander, ginger, garlic and red chillies and crushed it all together in a pestle and mortar with some olive oil. I spread the marinade onto both tuna steaks and let them chill in the fridge.

An hour and a half later I cooked clear spring soba noodles in half a medium pan of water and added a sachet of clear spring miso soup.

I then briefly stir fried bok choy, baby corn, courgette and carrot strips, sugar snap peas and french beans in a little Thai 7 spice, until the veg was coloured but still crunchy.
I added the veg to the noodle miso broth and fried the marinated tuna steaks - in much the same way you would fry a beef steak - oil the fish not the pan, make the pan as hot as h*ll, do it quickly.

Brandy Snaps

I've come over all vintage - or should that be retro? They feel so 70's 'Margo and Jerry after dinner delights' (although apparently they have been around since the 1800's - of course).

These mysterious folded delicacies are actually so easy - and so blooming quick to make that I had to shove them back in the oven to soften again!

To make melt equal quantities of sugar, honey and butter until the sugar has melted.
Then mix in the same equal measure of flour and a tea spoon of ginger.

Then put heaped teaspoons of the mixture on a baking tray 10 cm apart. Bake at 180 degrees for 7-10 min, take out and let them cool but stay soft.

Wrap them round a wooden spoon. Let cool. Fill with whipped cream!

Invite Tom and Barbara over! Cheers!

Chicken with green olives & preserved lemons

So after the slam dunk which was last nights lamb, I returned to the Leon book for inspiration for a sucessful chicken recipe.

I have also found a handy way to cheat a little with the recipe by using olives stuffed with lemons instead of preserved lemons - taking slicing out of the equation.

Start by sauteing 1 onion with 2 table spoons of olive oil until soft
Add 2 smashed cloves of garlic
Add 1/2 teasoop of ground ginger and 1 of cumin simmer for a few mins
Add 6 chicken thighs I used boneless, a tin of chick peas and some saffron and cook for 10 min

Then add sliced olives (2 of the above tins), 1 table spoon of cream, 2 table spoons of yogurt and cook until the sauce thickens

Serve with cous cous and a little mint

Lamb by Leon

So I was told this weekend that the pizza entry just didn't cut the mustard. Apparently everyone made pizza at school and if I expect people to take note then I should up my game.

Well Heather Conacher (aka super woman - and I sincerely mean that), this is for you! xx

I started by poking garlic and mint into some lamb shanks

then I sauted onions with olive oil and added tomatoes

3 and a half hours of lamb cooking and basting later, plus the addition of some macaroni and mint - and hey presto!

Recipe was taken out of my neglected Leon book but it is also available online: http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2010/08/28/rigass-lamb/

Pizza, pizza, pizza

It's not technically true that I haven't made pizza before. My exboyfriend's best friend once taught me when I was about 15. I can actually remember flinging the dough in the air Italiano stylee. But I haven't done it since and try as I did, flinging did not happen well today - should have posted that picture! Far more interesting!

I used mozzarella, prosciutto, cherry tomatoes and some common or garden cheddar. Then I got a bit 'Pizza Express' with the lettuce, which wasn't necessary.

Yum!

Recipe pg 84 River Cottage everyday
Love you Hugh Fernley Big Nostrils!

Cocoa & Chilli Chicken

Idea of chocolate and chilli together .... mmmm good, resulting taste of this badly designed recipe .... bad!!
Sorry Stylist magazine must do better! Come and see me after class!

I can't find the recipe on line and its just not good enough to type out.

Vanilla Macaroons

Wednesday 18th April
Can hardly believe I achieved something so miraculous! But I have made a whole batch of macaroons. Not quite Ladurée standard and should have used more food colouring, but non the less - ta daaaaaa!!

Recipe curtsey of Tesco - http://m.tesco.com/mt/www.tescorealfood.com/recipes/vanilla-macaroons.html

Salmon, watercress and asparagus quiche

Tuesday 18th April

Second day in and I cooked a salmon quiche, the first quiche I have ever made - which is suprising seeing as it is so easy to do! 
Recipe - a la Nigel Slater via the BBC (can't stand the way he talks but he has good ideas!) I added asparagus as I had some lying around and I don't think it was too bad an idea.

Ingredients

For the pastry case

• 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g/3½oz butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing
• 1 free-range egg yolk
• a little water

For the filling

• 400g/14oz salmon fillet
• a little butter or groundnut oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 large handfuls watercress
• 4 free-range eggs
• 400ml/14fl oz double cream

Preparation method

1. For the pastry case, put the flour and butter into the bowl of a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you prefer, rub the butter into the flour in a bowl with your fingertips.
   
2. Add the egg yolk and enough water to bring the dough to a firm ball. The less water you add the better, as too much will cause your pastry case to shrink in the oven.
   
3. Pat the pastry into a flat round on a floured surface then roll out to a rough circle large enough to line the tart tin. Lightly butter the tin, dust it with a small amount of flour, shake out any surplus then lower in the circle of pastry. Push the pastry right into the corner where the rim joins the base without stretching it. Make certain there are no holes or tears. Trim the overhanging pastry and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
   
4. Set the oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put a baking sheet in the oven to warm. Line the pastry case with kitchen foil and baking beans and slide onto the hot baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully lift the beans and foil out.
   
5. Return the pastry case to the oven for five minutes or so, until the surface is dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven temperature down to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
   
6. For the filling, place the salmon in a baking dish, brush with oil or butter, season lightly with salt and pepper and bake for 15 minutes, or until the flakes part easily. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little, then break into large pieces. Place the pieces of fish in the tart case.
   
7. Wash the watercress leaves and remove and discard the thickest of the stems. Put the still-wet watercress into a saucepan, cover tightly with a lid and place over a high heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, or until the leaves wilt a little. They should keep their colour. Turn the watercress over once with tongs, let it steam a further few seconds, then remove from the heat, cool under cold running water and squeeze dry.
   
8. Tuck the watercress into the tart case in between the salmon pieces. Gently whisk the eggs and cream, pour into the case and bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Serve warm.
   
   http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/salmon_and_watercress_05414