Winter One Pot Wonders: From Succulent Soup to Tantalising Tagine!

With each New Year come New Year resolutions’. ‘Eat healthily’ and ‘Exercise more’ made with such optimism on January 1^st; only to find yourself cwtched up on the sofa demolishing a tub of Ben and Jerry’s by the 2^nd, promising yourself you will go the gym tomorrow. Sound familiar?

When it’s dark, cold and miserable weather outside, a salad just won’t cut it. Instead, we crave hot, stodgy, comforting meals – cue calorific pies and stews, ready meals and takeaways. Why not try some of my Winter Warmer recipes as an alternative? Nutritious, hearty meals packed full of flavour – with not a boring casserole in sight!

How about making a tagine as a quirky alternative to a stew? My Lamb, Honey and Apricot Tagine is sweet and comforting with a gentle warming spice:

Lamb, Honey and Apricot Tagine (serves 4)

1)    Finely chop 3 onions and 1 stick of celery. Cook on a medium heat with a splash of oil until the onion starts to soften.

2)    Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and cook for a further minute.

3)    Now add your spices: 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin and ½ tsp. each of turmeric, ground ginger, ground coriander, cayenne and ground cinnamon. Stir to coat the vegetables, whilst smelling that amazing aroma!

4)    Next, make your sauce. Add 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp. tomato puree, a pinch of sugar, 5 tbsp. clear honey, a handful of chopped fresh coriander and a generous handful of sultanas and chopped dried apricots. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5)    Add diced lamb (I made lamb meatballs for a change), cover and simmer until the meat is cooked.

6)    Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve alongside cous cous.

You can’t beat a piping hot home-made soup on a cold winter’s evening. Ready-made soups can be expensive, very sweet and have a high salt content. Why bother when making your own is so easy? The only fuss is peeling and chopping the vegetables; after that you just stick everything in a pot and simmer until done! Plus you can freeze the extra portions for another day when you can’t be bothered to cook. I’ve got a few favourites, but my Parsnip Soup remains the winner amongst friends. Try my recipe below which only uses a few ingredients:

Parsnip Soup (makes 6-8 portions)

1)    Peel and thinly slice 1Kg parsnips. Finely chop 1 large onion and 2 garlic cloves.

2)    Melt a large blob of butter in a big cooking pot and add the vegetables above. Cook gently until the onion softens.

3)    Add 2 tsp. ground cumin and 1 tsp. ground coriander and stir for a further minute to coat the vegetables.

4)    Pour in 2 pints of chicken stock and stir. Season to taste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Check the seasoning once cooked and alter to taste.

5)    Puree the soup. Place the soup back on a gentle heat, add 150ml single cream and stir to combine.

6)    Garnish with some chopped chives before devouring a big bowl of goodness!

If you’re looking for a warming recipe for lunch or as a starter, try my ridiculously easy Potted Prawn. No cooking skills are required for this one, just pop the ingredients in a ramekin and put it in the oven!

Potted Prawn

1)    Fill a ramekin with cooked prawns (the smaller ones work best).

2)    Add a glug of single cream.

3)    Cover the top with breadcrumbs and a large blob of butter. Sprinkle with paprika.

4)    Cook at 180⁰C for approx. 12 minutes until golden brown. Simple!

Whilst we are on the fish theme, I love a rich and creamy Fish Pie on a winter’s evening. One of my favourite dishes, but criminally often ruined with a bland, tasteless sauce. Make your sauce pack a punch by using my recipe below and prepare to be blown away!

Fish Pie

 

1)    Peel, boil and mash potatoes, adding a splash of milk, dollop of butter and seasoning with salt and pepper.

2)    Whilst the potatoes are boiling, cook the fish of your choice according to instructions. I often poach salmon fillets in water or milk, and use king prawns for a touch of luxury. Don’t overcook your fish!

3)    Boil some peas and a couple of eggs for 5 minutes until cooked.

4)    Now make your sauce. Melt a blob of butter in a pan. Remove from the heat, add 1 tbsp. flour and mix together. Add a splash of semi-skimmed milk and whisk until smooth.

5)    Put the pan back on the heat, and keep adding more milk, a splash at a time, constantly whisking to keep the mixture smooth. Keep going until you have enough sauce to cover the fish in your pie. Be patient, the results are worth the arm power! Stir in wholegrain mustard to taste (approx. 1 tbsp). This ingredient will transform your sauce!

6)    Arrange the fish in an ovenproof dish (breaking up any fillets into chunks). Add the peas, chopped boiled eggs and a handful of tinned sweetcorn. Pour over your sauce.

7)    Top evenly with the potato. Don’t forget to fluff the top with a fork so that it turns golden brown when cooking. Top with grated cheese if you’re feeling naughty.

8)    Cook at 200⁰C for 15-20 minutes and then tuck in!

Try out some of my recipes to keep you toasty this winter. Speaking of which, I’m jetting off to South East Asia to smugly escape the cold for a month. Look out for my next post when I return!

‘To Tea or Not to Tea…’: Champagne Afternoon Tea

It was New Year’s Eve and I was getting more than a little bit excited. It has becomes a tradition for a few close girlfriends and I to always spend NYE together. Despite the logistics of living at opposite ends of the country, over the past 9 years we’ve only missed 1! (My fault, damn nights rota). With the girls making the long journey up to me this year, what better accompaniment to the marathon of gossip than a homemade Afternoon Tea? The perfect way to kick off the new year celebrations before the evening ahead!

After popping open the champagne, clinking our flutes and toasting to the new year ahead, we began by tucking into the sandwiches. Of course, the traditional sandwich filling for afternoon tea is cucumber (how dull!).  Instead, I served a variety of smoked salmon with cream cheese, ham with wholegrain mustard, cheddar cheese with red onion chutney, and cream cheese with fresh chives. Anything goes, just remember to cut off the crusts for extra delicacy ‘dahhhling’.

I made Welsh Cakes as a quirky alternative to scones (recipe below). Smothered in butter and jam, they were equally as delicious! They were also the perfect personal touch for the girls’ first trip to North Wales, none of whom had tried the traditional cake before. I made mine with sultanas, but you can use any dried fruit (cranberries work well) or even chocolate chips.

Other sweet treats included Strawberry and Vanilla Fairy Cakes and some Mini Lemon Meringue Pies. For the ‘pièce de résistance’, I served some Raspberry and Elderflower Champagne Jellies to finish! (All recipes below). Once the champagne had started flowing, we forgot to drink the tea….

Several hours and bottles of champagne later, we saw in the new year whilst watching the fireworks at Beaumaris Castle. Try out my recipes below and invite the girls over for your own afternoon tea. Happy 2015! 

Welsh Cakes (makes 12)

1)      Using your hands, mix together 225g self-raising flour with 110g salted butter until it makes breadcrumbs.

2)      Add 1 egg, 75-85g sugar and a generous handful of sultanas. Mix together to form a ball of dough.

3)      Roll out on a floured surface until 1/2cm thick, and then cut out circles approximately 5cm diameter.

4)      Melt a blob of butter in a frying pan on a medium heat. Cook the welsh cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle with caster sugar before serving.

Strawberry and Vanilla Fairy Cakes (makes 12)

 

 

1)      Just remember equal quantities of butter, sugar and flour! I’ve chosen 100g to make it easy.

2)      Whisk together the unsalted butter and caster sugar.

3)      Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract, then gradually whisk in 2 beaten eggs.

4)      Fold in the flour using a wooden spoon. Spoon into cakes cases and bake at 180⁰C for 15-20 minutes.

5)      To decorate, make butter icing by whisking together 115g icing sugar with 60g caster sugar, then stir in a few tbsp. strawberry jam. Scoop out the top of each cake using a small spoon, fill the hole with butter icing then replace the cake top. Finally, add pieces of fresh strawberry and dust with icing sugar for some seriously luxe-looking fairy cakes!  

Mini lemon meringue pies (makes 4)

Tight for time? Try this quick ‘cheat’ recipe:

1)      Line mini tart cases with ready-rolled shortcrust pastry and some baking beans. Bake at 180⁰C for 15 minutes, or according to the instructions.

2)      Fill each case with lemon curd.

3)      Make the meringue. Whisk 2 egg whites with 13g sugar to form stiff peaks. Add a drop of malt vinegar, then gradually whisk in a further 13g sugar.

4)      Top the pies with a dollop of meringue and bake until golden. Chop each tart into quarters to make bite sized pieces.

Raspberry and Elderflower Champagne Jellies (Makes 6)

1)      Soak 6 gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slowly heat together 150ml elderflower cordial with 100g caster sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat just before the mixture boils.

2)      Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeezing out any excess, then add to the elderflower mixture and stir to dissolve.

3)      Add 500ml champagne or sparkling wine (not chilled) and stir.

4)      Add a few raspberries to each serving glass. Pour the champagne mixture to fill 1/3 of the glass. Chill for 2 hours to set. Meanwhile, keep the pot of remaining mixture warm by standing it in a bowl of hot water.

5)   Once the jellies have set, add more raspberries to each glass, then top the glasses up with the rest of the mixture. Doing this in 2 stages prevents all the raspberries from floating to the top. Return to the fridge to set before wowing your guests!

Grappling with the Grape: Wine Tasting Party

Inspired by wine-tasting whilst on holiday in Southern France, sipping delicious local wines in the sunshine amongst beautiful scenery, I was keen to host my own wine-tasting party. What a perfect way to get everyone in the festive party mood!


Vineyard in Southern France

In homage to my recent travels, I decided on a French theme and to include both red and white wines.  Other possible themes could be a specific colour, grape variety or region. How about trying sparkling wine or port for a festive tasting? After confirming the guest list, I asked each person to bring a bottle – instructing them which colour to bring and from which region of France. This ensured we had a variety for the tasting. I also asked my guests to cover the label before arriving, so that I couldn’t cheat when setting up the bottles!

Next, I carefully wrapped up all the bottles, covering everything including the neck so that no-one could recognise their own. Tissue paper, newspaper or foil all work fine. Make sure you have everything to hand so you can wrap the wines quickly and get back to hosting.

Round 1: The Whites

First up were the white wines! These were served before the reds, since they are lighter and don’t leave a tannin aftertaste.

Each guest had a score card to fill in and was given the challenge of identifying the grape, region and price, before giving the wine marks out of 10. To help guess the grape, I provided a list of the varieties with a couple of words on how they taste (fruity, honey, oak etc.). To my surprise, this guide worked really well and helped lots of people to guess correctly! I had also added 2 ‘wild cards’ from different countries and asked people to try and spot them.

Bottles at the ready!

Using my (very) basic knowledge, I showed my guests how to identify the wine by its appearance, aroma and taste. Cue lots of very silly fish faces as we all had a go at sucking air into our mouths with the wine! Of course, we all needed extra measures to check the taste.

Serving canapés alongside the wine provided the perfect nibble in between tasters. Finger food is fun and sociable, as well as helping to line the stomach! Making your own canapés will really impress your guests and are much more appetising than stodgy, bland shop-bought ones. To complement the white wines, I served smoked salmon and cream cheese crostini, cranberry and stuffing filo bites for a festive touch, and mozzarella, basil and tomato topped crackers (see below for crostini recipe). All of them went down a treat, especially the salmon. Luckily I’d made plenty!

Really bring your canapés to life by designing interesting flavours and spending extra time on presentation. Using an assortment of different bases and a variety of colourful toppings increases the visual appeal, making them too tempting to resist!

Round 2: The Reds

Next up were the red wines, which we moved on to with gusto. The canapés I served to complement them included fig and blue cheese topped crackers, grape and duck pate topped apple slices, and chorizo, red pepper and hummus crostini.

After multiple slurps, spills and the odd coughing fit mid fish face, we rather hazily reached the end of the tasting and unveiled each wine in turn. In the battle of Reds Vs. Whites, the 'wild card' Argentinian Malbec was the overall winner, with the sweet Riesling the favourite amongst the whites. Interestingly, one of the most expensive wines was one of the least favourites!

Who had the most refined palate? Well, I can safely say everyone got less accurate and more ambitious as the evening progressed! I guessed all of the whites correctly (perhaps a sign I’ve practiced too often?!), but got all of the reds wrong (perhaps I haven’t practiced enough?!).

Serving up some sweet treats including mince pies, chocolate truffles and dark chocolate mints topped off the evening perfectly. Judging by our guests staying until the early hours of the morning and the number of empty bottles found the next day, it was certainly a successful evening!

So, choose your theme and host your own wine tasting party for an evening with a difference. Or why not try different ciders or ales? Perhaps don’t take up one guest’s suggestion of a tequila tasting party; that’s one hangover I wouldn’t be able to handle…

Crostini

Make your own crunchy crostini for your canapés:

1)      Cut a white baguette into thin slices.

2)      Brush both sides with a thin layer of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3)      Spread out on a baking tray and bake at 180⁰C for approx. 5 minutes each side, until golden brown.

4)      Leave to cool before assembling toppings.

Top Tips for a successful wine-tasting party:

Tasting the reds!

- Make sure you’ve got enough wine glasses!

- Ask guests to bring their white wine pre-chilled.

- Chill glasses in the freezer before serving the whites for a special touch.

- Provide a list of the grape varieties and instructions on how they taste if you are beginners. Otherwise, it’s impossible to guess!

- Pop a carafe of water on the table to keep hydrated between tasters.

- Match your canapés to your wine colour.

- Aim for a total of 12 canapés per guest (plus a handful more for spare!)

Takeaway Treats: Greasy Grub Transformed into Health Heaven!

Sometimes nothing beats a takeaway: Pizza and X-factor, Fish ‘n’ chips at the beach, a cheeky drive-through burger and the ‘holy grail’ late-night kebab. What isn’t so welcome is the accompanied guilt when burying the evidence in the bin, wrappers transparent from the grease.

In this post, I’ll show you how to satisfy your cravings every day of the week whilst still packing a nutritious punch!

Monday: ‘Burger Queen’

 

Make your own tasty burgers in record time:

-        Combine a pack of lean beef mince, 1 tbsp. grain mustard, 1 egg yolk, a handful of chopped herbs and the zest of ½ lemon in a mixing bowl. Mustard enriches the juicy meat flavour, and lemon adds a fresh twist.

-        Shape into burgers and grill for approx. 10 minutes each side until cooked through. Grilling helps to drain any fat from the burgers.

Serve in a wholemeal bun with some roasted sweet potato chips and then tuck in!

Tuesday: Pizza Yurt

Pizzas are great fun to make with friends, plus you can all chose your own toppings. When making the pizza base, I can’t be bothered to fuss around proving the dough. Instead, I cheat and do the following:

-        Add water to plain flour until you make a dough ball.

-        Roll it out very thinly to ensure it cooks properly in the middle.

-        Prevent a stodgy base by placing it on greaseproof paper and partially cooking it at 180⁰C for 5-10 minutes on each side before adding the tomato base (see next step) and toppings.

-        To make a rich tomato base thinly spread the pizza with tomato puree, then add some drained and seasoned chopped tomatoes, being careful not to make it too wet.

-        Add your toppings and return to the oven, cooking until golden.

I made a prosciutto ham and rocket pizza, as well as a classic margarita. Adding some fresh basil leaves when serving (after cooking) adds an extra kick of flavour. Choose cheeses which melt easily, such as mozzarella and gorgonzola. To make it extra healthy, keep the cheese portion small and top with lots of colourful vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms, red onion and sweetcorn.

Wednesday: Curry in a Hurry…

Beat the ‘mid-week blues’ with this a tasty Thai Green Curry that is big in flavour, but not big in hassle.

-        Chop some green beans in half and steam until al-dente.

-        Whilst they’re cooking, soften a white onion in a separate saucepan with a tbsp. olive oil. Add chopped garlic and cook for a further minute until golden.

-        Stir in 2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste and cook for a minute to release the delicious flavours.

-        Next, pour in a can of coconut milk and bring to the boil, before adding raw tiger prawns, a few slithers of lime peel and a handful of chopped fresh basil. Turn the heat down and simmer gently until prawns turn pink.

-        Serve with fluffy basmati rice, or brown rice for extra health brownie points.

This recipe is so quick and simple; it can be made in less time than it takes for the curry house to deliver!

Thursday: ‘Off to the Chippie’

Make your own chicken, chips and mushy peas to satisfy those chippie cravings.

-        Chop up some potatoes into chip sized pieces. Leave the skins on for extra flavour and fibre. Par-boil for 10 minutes.

-        Drizzle olive oil and sea salt over the potatoes, before roasting at 180⁰C for approx. 30-40 minutes until crispy.

-        Whilst your chips are cooking, make the chicken kiev. Mash together butter, crushed garlic and fresh chopped parsley. Whizz up the end piece of a loaf of bread in the food processor to make breadcrumbs.

-        Cut a slit in the side of a chicken breast and stuff with a spoonful of the garlic butter.

-        Dip the breast in flour, then whisked egg, then breadcrumbs to coat.

-        Cook in the oven at 180⁰C for 20-25 minutes (depending on size of chicken breast) until golden.

-        Boil some peas, mash and season. Serve alongside your chicken and chips and enjoy!

Friday: Night out Nachos

I always thought making tortilla chips would be difficult. It turns out I was wrong! Just follow these easy steps:

-        Take a few tortilla wraps and, using scissors, cut each one into 6-8 triangular segments like a pizza.

-        Spread the segments out evenly on a baking tray and cook at 180⁰C for approx. 6 minutes on both sides, until they turn a beautiful golden brown colour.

Leave to cool slightly, before serving with homemade guacamole and salsa. So moreish!

Guacamole:

-        Place into a food processor ½ red chilli, 1 garlic clove, a small handful of fresh coriander, 2-4 spring onions, a couple of cherry tomatoes and the juice of 1 lime, then blend together.

-        Add 2 avocados, blending again until a chunky consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Saturday: Late Night Kebab

Curb your ‘Saturday night kebab’ craving by making your own nutritious one for dinner before a night on the town:

-        Coat some lamb or pork pieces in Chinese five spice, chopped chilli and salt and pepper. Grill, roast or dry-fry until cooked through.

-        Whip up your own coleslaw by grating a carrot and 2 red apples, then mixing with chopped ¼ cabbage. Coat with a thin layer of reduced-fat mayonnaise and season with pepper.

-        Stuff wholemeal pittas with slaw and meat pieces for a guilt-free kebab that’s bursting with flavour!

Sunday: TV and Truffles

We all need comfort on a Sunday evening to soften the Monday morning dread. What better way than cwtching up on the sofa in front of the TV, and pigging out on chocolate? Ok, so this entry is not healthy, but after a week of cooking everything from scratch, you deserve a treat!

 

Devilishly Dark Chocolate Truffles:

-        Slowly melt 50g butter with 300g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids) and 5 tbsp. double cream in a saucepan until it just starts to bubble.  Dark chocolate contains anti-oxidants, cue excuse to eat them all!

-        Pour into a roasting-style dish and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.

-        Once hardened, mould into balls and coat in cocoa powder.

These are time consuming to make but the quantities above give a good yield and, once done, they will keep for a couple of weeks in an air-tight container. Just try not to eat them all at once….

So, enjoy your takeaway treats this week and look out for my next post to see whether my recent wine-tasting party was a success!

Tickle your Tastebuds: Seven Course Tasting Menu

I am currently working on a special blog post which is taking me a little longer to prepare. In the meantime, after multiple requests, here is a glimpse of my seven course tasting menu which I cooked with success for a very special person’s birthday. I hope this post shows you that you don’t have to be a professional chef to cook your own tasting menu!

Menu

Rhubarb Bellini

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Prawn and Wasabi Crostini

 

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Beetroot Smoked Salmon with Walnuts

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French Onion Fillet of Beef

 

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Pears Poached in Red Wine and Thyme

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Key Lime Pie Lollipop

 

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Dark Chocolate Truffles

 

Unlike my other posts, these recipes are not my own. On this occasion, I used ideas from http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/romantic-meal and http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/french_onion_beef_tenderloin.html. Please visit the websites for the recipes to try yourself!

My top tips for a successful tasting menu:

Enjoying Key Lime Pie Lollipops!

-        Preparation is key! Decide on your menu early, checking that you have everything you need, including enough crockery.

-        Check with your guests for any allergies or dislikes before you plan your menu.

-        Choose a variety of fish, meat and vegetarian courses….or be creative and choose a theme that runs through the entire menu.

-        Aim for recipes which can be made in advance for some of the courses, so you can spend more time with your guests on the evening. There’s no point being in the kitchen all night! I made the lollipops and truffles the day before.

-        Choosing a cold starter enables you to compile it before your guests arrive, meaning more time to host and no worries about oven timings in conjunction with the main course. The same goes for most canapés and amuse-bouches.

-        Exchanging food for a cocktail for one course adds variety and makes the menu kinder on the stomach!

-        Smaller portion sizes ensure that every course is enjoyed.

-        Don’t underestimate the power of presentation to show off your hard work and make each course different. Use different coloured plates, rustic wooden boards or wrap up sweet treats in little parcels.

-        Choose drinks to complement your dishes. This may require a couple of different ones throughout the menu. Don’t forget those that are driving!

-        Give each course a name to make it personal to your evening and guests. A play on words or a quote can work well.

-        Place a copy of the menu rolled up into a scroll at each table place, so your guests can uncover what treats they have in store for the evening!

I hope this inspires you to have a go at your own tasting menu. Look out for my ‘Takeaway’ post next week!