Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Deep Fried Bites with a Sweet Fruit Dip Vs Caribbean-Style Curry

This weekend pubs and restaurants are opening up, but don't let that put you off continuing to experiment in your kitchen! Earlier this week, I deep fried some cheese curds and made a sweet plum dip to go with it- perfect as a quick but decadent starter or lunch, plus I also made a Caribbean-style curry. Give them both a try...

Quick Recipe: Deep Fried Bites and Sweet Fruit Dip (serves 2-4)

As I said, I deep fried 250g cheese curds, but feel free to use this batter recipe to deep fry some vegetables if you prefer! Quite a sturdy cheese works well, halloumi is also a good alternative. 

To make the batter, mix together in a bowl 1/2 cup of plain flour, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup milk and 1 tsp baking powder, along with a generous pinch of salt and good squeeze of lemon juice. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. 

Heat some oil in a small pan until very hot (please see my scotch egg post dated 24/5/20 for safety instructions when deep frying as it poses a fire and burn risk if you're not careful!). Dip the cheese bites into the batter until evenly coated, then carefully lower with tongs into the pan. Fry for a few minutes until golden. Remove and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper, leave to cool slightly for a couple of minutes, then enjoy! 

These bites go perfectly with a sweet dip. Make a beautifully deep red plum dip by de-stoning 4 plums, then mashing them roughly in a small pan. Add 2 tbsp granulated sugar and a dash of water and bring to the boil, before simmering for 10 minutes until thickened. Drain some of the excess water and leave to cool slightly, before serving up with your bites!

Batter recipe adapted from Kidspot Kitchen. The cheese curds are from a new business on the Isle of Wight.

Longer Recipe: Caribbean-style curry (serves 2)

First, make your spice mix. In a pestle and mortar, grind together 1 generous tsp. coriander seeds, 1 tsp. mustard seeds, 3/4 tsp. cumin seeds, a pinch of crushed sumac berries and 1/2 tsp ground turmeric. Place aside. 

Boil 2 handfuls of halved new potatoes until cooked. Drain and set aside.

Whilst the potatoes are cooking, Finely chop 1 large onion and heat gently in a different large pan with a glug of oil for at least 10 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add 1 finely chopped garlic and heat for a further 1-2 minutes. Then add your spice mix and stir to coat the onion and garlic, cooking for a couple of minutes. 

Now turn up the heat, and add 2 handfuls of chopped fresh pineapple (or tinned), a handful of finely sliced fresh coconut. Leave to catch slightly for a couple of minutes, then add 1 star anise, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp sugar and some salt and pepper. Let it bubble away quite rapidly to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken. After approx 10 minutes, add the cooked potatoes. 

After a further approx 20 minutes, you're ready to serve! You may need to add some water to loosen the sauce slightly. Great served with rice or on it's own.

Spice mix taken from allrecipes.com.

Happy cooking x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam Vs Rice Pudding

I've got two sweet recipes that complement each other nicely this week; A spoonful of gooseberry jam tastes delicious stirred into a steaming bowl of home-made rice pudding! Give them both a try this week...

Short Recipe: Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam

To make the jam you'll need equal quanities of gooseberries, granulated sugar and water. (E.g 500ml or grams of each will make 1 large jam jar full).

Cut the tops and bottoms off the gooseberries and place in a saucepan. Add the boiling water, 4 elderflower heads and a generous squeeze of lemon juice, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn the heat down a bit, remove the elderflower heads and add the sugar. Cook for a further 10 minutes (don't let it boil!) whilst gently stirring. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, then you can crank up the heat and boil for a further 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the bottom catching. Watch the mixture turn pink as it cooks! Skim the collected residue off the top.

Spoon into sterilised jars and store in the fridge. Yum!

Inspiration taken from BBC Good Food and River Cottage.

Longer Recipe: Rice Pudding (makes 4 servings)

Although it takes longer, this is SO EASY. Just pile the ingredients together, place in the oven and be greeted a few hours later with a simple but wholesome dessert.

Mix together in a greased ovenproof dish 100g rinsed shortgrain rice (paella or risotto rice work well), 50g white sugar, 500ml semi-skimmed milk and 200ml water. Grate over a generous pinch of nutmeg and add a bay leaf.

Cook without a lid for 2 hours in an oven at 120-130C (fan). Serve with a dollop of your homemade jam or some chopped fresh fruit. Wonderfully warming!

Recipe adapted from BBC good food.

Happy cooking! x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Hummus Vs Smoky Black-Eyed Bean Dip

Now that summer has arrived, I'm looking for finger food that is fun to eat on a summer's evening. I find hummus is great for picnics; fresh and tasty for dipping all those summer veggies into (perhaps vegetables from your own garden if you're green fingered). If you've got more time to spend, try making my gorgeously rich and smoky black-eyed bean dip - not only a great dip, but also fantastically versatile, to be enjoyed as a main course with rice or crusty bread.

Quick Recipe - Hummus (serves 2-4)

My secret ingredient? I like to use peanut butter instead of tahini!

Whizz up in a food processor 1 can of chickpeas, 1 garlic clove, 3 tbsp peanut butter, juice of 1 lemon and 4tbsp olive oil. Check the consistency. You will likely need to add a couple more tbsp of oil so it's nice and smooth; pulse to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Done! So much tastier than shop bought. Dip your favourite crudites into it, or cook your own tortilla chips (see below).

Recipe adpated from Fit&Well Magazine July 2020 issue.

Longer Recipe - Smoky Black-Eyed Bean Dip (serves 4)

This recipe is fantastically rich and deep in smoky flavour, and even includes chocolate! It's fantastically adaptable too; I like to eat it as a hot dip with tortilla chips, but it works equally well eaten like a 'chilli con carne' with rice, or as a stew with crusty bread.

First, prepare your black-eyed beans. Measure out 2 cups of beans and rinse them well under cold running water. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain the water. Add 3 times the volume of water to the beans again, and simmer for approximately 90 minutes until tender (follow the instructions on the packet). Or cheat to save time and buy a tin of ready cooked black-eyed beans. Set aside for later.

In a large frying pan on a medium heat with a dollop of oil, soften 1/2 roughly chopped red pepper and 1large finely chopped flat top mushroom for approximately 10 minutes, stirring to prevent catching.

Next, add 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped and stir for 2 minutes. Then add your spices and coat everything to mix for a minute : 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1 tsp. smoked paprika.

Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a small handful of roughly chopped fresh tomatoes and a handful of finely chopped ham and salami. Add 1 tbsp. sugar and a small handful of finely chopped fresh green herbs (coriander, marjoram and basil all work well). Turn the heat up to encourage the sauce to reduce and thicken for 10-15 minutes, stirring occassionally to prevent it from burning.

Now the fun bit - add 2 large squares of dark chocolate and stir to mix as it melts. Watch your dish deepen into a rich dark red-brown colour. This will add a gorgeous richness to the dish, and really bring out the smoky flavour. Turn the heat down slightly, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir through the black-eyed beans, then leave to stand and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

10 minutes before the end of cooking time, take some tortilla wraps and chop evenly into 8 triangles using scissors. Bake at 180C for 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Ta-da, you've got some crunchy tortilla chips for dipping!

Spice inspiration taken from The Telegraph Online.

Happy cooking x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Scones Vs Vanilla Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce

This week I've got a couple of sweet treat recipes to share with you. First up are some sweet scones, which rise like a dream. If you have a bit more time, try making this special chocolate and pear dessert with delicious infused flavours of vanilla and cardamom.

Sweet scones (makes 6 large)

Mix together self raising flour 350g, salt 1/4 tsp and baking powder 1 generous tsp. Add cubed butter 85g and rub together with fingers until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in caster sugar 3 tbsp. Add warm milk 175ml which has had a squeeze of lemon juice added to it, and stir to bring together to a dough.

Fold the dough over a dozen times on a floured surface to bring it together, then spread out using your hands until it is approx 4cm deep. Use the top of a glass to cut out your scones. 

Paint beaten egg over the top of the scones, then bake on a greased baking tray at 220C/200C fan for 10 minutes until risen and golden. Tasty served still warm with jam and cream; In which order do you layer them on?

Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food 

Vanilla infused Pears with Cardamom Chocolate Sauce (serves 4)

Peel 4 pears, keeping the stalk intact for decoration. Dissolve sugar 150g into a pan of water 1.5L by heating gently. Cut a vanilla pod in half lengthways and add to the pan. Simmer the pears for 30 minutes. Leave the pears to cool and infuse in the water overnight.

Drain the pears from the water and set aside. Next, carefully melt in a small pan a large bar of dark chocolate 100g together with single cream 100ml and 4 crushed cardamom pods. Serve the pears with a generous helping of chocolate sauce poured over them, a delectable chocolate avalanche!

Recipe adapted from Rachel Khoo's cook book The Little Paris Kitchen.

Happy cooking! x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: American Style Pancakes Vs Seafood Paella

Restrictions are slowly easing, and with the weather currently set to scorcher, try something different on the BBQ this week with seafood paella. Or, try these super quick pancakes for a tasty breakfast or lunch!

Blueberry pancakes (makes a stack of 4 for 1 person)

Combine in a bowl self-raising flour 100g, white sugar 1 tbsp and baking powder 1 tsp. Add melted butter 25g, milk 100ml and 1 egg. Whisk everything together to make a thick batter. Stir in a handful of blueberries coated in flour to your pancake mix (or skip this step if you want plain pancakes).

Melt some butter in a hot frying pan, ladle in a quarter of the mixture to make a circular shape, then leave to cook for a couple of minutes. When you see the pancake start to form bubbles which pop, turn the pancake over using a spatula. Cook for a further few minutes until golden brown.

I normally cook two pancakes at a time in the pan, then turn the pan down to medium heat and add some more butter for the next two pancakes. This helps prevent burning and sticking.

Serve in a stack with whatever toppings you wish; I love mixed berries, jam, yoghurt and dessicated coconut.

This recipe was adapted from instagram account somewhereinabook.

Seafood paella (serves 8)

Heat a large BBQ-suitable pan with a couple tbsp of oil, or on your stove if cooking inside. Add 2 large chopped white onions and cook for 5-8 minutes until softened, stirring to prevent catching. Next add 4 small cupfuls of paella rice and 1-2 small glasses of white wine. Leave for a couple of minutes, stiring once or twice.

Add a 1/4 teaspoon of saffron strands to a couple of tbsp of stock in a seperate small bowl and leave for a couple of minutes. In the meantime, add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves to your paella and cook for a minute to release the flavour. Then add your saffron mix and stir to combine. Add a generous handful or two of chopped fresh parsley and a large handful of chopped fresh tomatoes.

Now to slowly cook the rice. Put on some nice music or prop up a book beside you, so you can remain by the BBQ or stove without it feeling like a chore. Ladle in a couple of large spoonfuls of vegetable stock each time, stir to combine, then leave until almost fully absorbed before adding more stock. Some recipes say never to stir paella - I don't know "the rules" but I prefer to stir a little every time I add new stock. Continue the process until the rice is almost fully cooked (depending on how al-dente you like it and the heat of your appliance this can take anything from 20-40 minutes, take a look at your packet instructions for a rough guide).

10 minutes before the end of cooking time, add in your seafood of choice; I like using squid cut into rings, king prawns, and mussels in the shell. Check seafood is cooked through, piping hot and all shells have opened before serving. Discard any shells that have not opened. If you feel less confident cooking seafood, a clever cooking hack is to buy a packet of pre-prepared seafood mix from the fresh or frozen isle of the supermarket - just follow the packet instructions for cooking times.

Stir in two handfuls of frozen peas a couple of minutes before serving.

Enjoy this weeks sunny weather x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Ginger and Coconut Cookies Vs Scotch Eggs

Another lockdown week, and I hope you are enjoying some time experimenting in your kitchen. Up this week are some quick and easy tasty cookies that hold up really well to being dunked into a hot cuppa. If you’ve got a little bit more time, try making your own scotch eggs - you won’t want to buy the sorry looking supermarket ones ever again...

Shorter recipe - Ginger and coconut cookies (makes 10 large)

These cookies are the perfect balance of crunchy and chewy.

Mix together in a bowl porridge oats 40g, plain flour 50g, desiccated coconut 40g, caster sugar 50g, generous handful of chopped crystallised ginger, baking powder 3 tsp, melted butter 50g and a large spoonful of honey.

Split the mixture into 10 balls. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Press each ball flat into a cookie shape using your hand on the paper. 

Bake at 180C for 10 minutes until golden. Leave to harden slightly for 5 minutes on the tray, before gently transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Best eat within a few days.

Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food’s Anzac biscuits.

Longer recipe - Scotch Eggs (makes 6)

Hard boil 6 eggs for approximately 8 minutes. Cool in cold water, then peel and set aside.

Put into a bowl sausage meat 500g, zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, handful of finely chopped parsley, mustard 1 tsp (or 2 if you like it a little stronger) and salt and pepper. Get stuck in with your fingers and mix everything together. Divide the mix into 6 equal portions. 

Now, time to put your scotch egg together; take one of your sausage meat portions and flatten into a patty, place the patty on the palm of one hand and lay one of the eggs of top. Then, carefully mould the sausage meat evenly around the egg using both hands until fully covered. Dip or roll the ball in plain flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, making sure the ball is fully coated. Looking good; now repeat with the other 5 eggs.

Your scotch eggs are now ready to deep fry. If you don’t have a deep fryer like me, then you will need to heat a small pan of vegetable oil until very hot. This can be hazardous, with risk of boiling fat spitting and causing fire or injury. 
With this in mind, I always put on old clothes and apron that I don’t mind getting stained, ensure I have long sleeves on so my skin is covered, put on protective glasses to cover my eyes and stand well back when cooking! It can cause an odour in the house so put on the convector fan and open a window. Lastly, NEVER leave the pan unattended!

Put enough oil in the pan to half cover the balls. Once hot, very carefully lower the balls into the oil using a large serving spoon (ideally with a long handle so you can stand well back). Leave for 2-3 minutes, before turning over for a further 2-3 minutes, then remove using the spoon. The balls should be a deep brown all over. Consider frying the scotch eggs individually or in small batches, so you have control when moving them.

Leave to cool on kitchen paper. Pack for a picnic and enjoy! 

Recipe taken from Gordon Ramsey Great British Pub Food cook book.

Happy cooking x

Quick Vs Long Lockdown Recipes: Fruit and Nut Bircher Vs Elderfower Cordial

Up this week I've got two recipes to get you in the mood for summer; A colourful bircher to brighten up your breakfast, and an elderflower cordial to make the most of this beautifully scented plant that is decorating our countryside at the moment. Don't forget to leave some of the flowers when picking, so you are rewarded with elderberries later in the year.

This weeks recipes

Quick recipe - Breakfast Bircher (4 servings)

This fuss-free bircher, packed with fruit, nuts and oats, is a tasty and filling way to start the day. Just make it up the night before. The recipe is also very versatile. Ingredients can be changed pretty much to whatever you wish, making it an excellent chance to mix up all your favourite goodies in one bowl.

Put one cup of oats into a bowl, and add 2 handfuls of roughly chopped mixed nuts (I like hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and almonds) a handful of roughly chopped dried apricots, a small handful of raisins, a sprinkling of dessicated coconut (or chopped fresh pieces!) and a finely diced fresh apple.

Add 4 tablespoons of plain yoghurt and stir to coat everything. Pour in apple juice until just reaching the top of the mix (add more juice if you prefer the oats softer and heavier). Leave to absorb in the fridge overnight, and enjoy for breakfast over the next couple of days. Nice served with a sliced banana sprinkled with cinnamon.

Apple juice can be changed for any milk, but may not last quite as long. Be careful with other acidic juices or fresh fruits (e.g. pineapple or orange), as it can cause the bircher to start to ferment.

Longer recipe - Elderflower cordial (makes 2 litres)

Gloriously refreshing and adaptable to both soft and alcoholic drinks; try paired with chilled soda over an ice and slice, or how about adding to a G&T or glass of prosecco?

First search out a spot with lots of wild elderflower. Aim to pick the heads when they are just going from bud to flower, letting your nose guide you to the plants with the richest scent. Avoid picking straight after rain, as this risks reducing the flavour. Instead, wait for a few nice sunny days first.

Collect 20 heads. A quick dip of the heads in water will help to remove any bugs (try not to wash off the flowers). Stir 1kg of white sugar into 1.5L of boiling water until dissolved. Add the juice and zest of 2 lemons and 1 orange. Then add 40g citric acid (this acts as a preservative; if don't have any, don't worry). Submerge the elderflower heads into the liquid. Leave to infuse overnight..

The next day strain off through a muslin cloth or tea towel, and store in sterilised bottles. Keep for up to 6 weeks in the fridge (less if you haven't added the citric acid). A handy tip is freezing it into ice cubes.

Add to your favourite drinks, cheers!

Recipe adapted from BBC good food and The River Cottage recipes.

Enjoy your week x