a warming yet 'chilli' munch!

This is a favourite of my favourite - Nigella, and therefore a favourite of mine! These are simply little snacks to have whilst waiting for the main food to cook or just if your feeling greedy and want something to munch on whilst watching the box (or even both). They hardly take any time at all and the beauty of this type of finger food is that there will be an explosion of taste in your mouth from all the flavours!

The things you'll need are:

aubergine

crumbled feta cheese (drizzle some lemon juice on top)
chopped red chilli

fresh mint

All you need to do (which is grrrrreat for lazy people like me)is to cut up your aubergine into thin, long slices, then grill them until they are lovely and soft. Then at one end of the aubergine put the feta cheese, the chilli and the mint and roll the whole thing up!!

To be honest do you even need a meal after?nope!Heaven!

Who is the best of the best?

In my last post I asked if anyone had a particular favourite cook that they would be copying this christmas, I think instead I'll do a mini poll to find out: - So, who would you say has excited you most this year to try something new, who has pushed you to try a particular dish you have always been too nervous of trying:

Is it Nigella Lawson, with her sumptious and heavenly meals,
Jamie Oliver with his down to earth, natural and healthy approach or,
Delia Smith with her easy and quick dishes that anyone can try?
All vote now!!

A feast for your eyes

Has anyone decided to treat themselves this year to a trolley-full of cookery books brought out by people like Jamie Oliver or Gary Rhodes? Being a massive Nigella fan I am in tense anticipation of her latest Christmas-related literary feast of words. Whether she is bringing out a cookery book or not I'll still be looking foward to any programs or articles that she takes part in, having recently seen her in RED magazine giving readers a taste of her life leading up to the big day. Does anyone particularly favour another cook? Or will anyone be copying their favourite chef's Christmas menu this year? Thoughts please!

Wonderfully Warming Pudding!

Being the random foodie that I am I suddenly today felt a craving for something sweet and warm, maybe a pudding of some kind.... What pudding haven't I had for a long, long time? And then it hit me, Rice Pudding!! Suddenly memories of my schooldays wafted over me as I dived for the pots and pans, desperate to recreate the delicious and warming dessert which I had tasted so many times before through my teenage years. So here we go, a delicious recipe for a delicious pud, and although it may take a bit of time to make, you know it will be worth it when that first mouthful melts in your mouth!

This recipe should serve about 4 people but as I always say if your starving it'll probably only feed half the amount!

140g uncooked white rice (how weird would a rice pudding look with brown rice!)

475ml milk, (you'll need to divide it throughout the process with a bit here and a bit there)

65g white sugar

2g salt

1 beaten egg

110g golden raisins (you know they taste so much nicer than plain ones!)

15g butter

3ml vanilla extract

strawberry jam to drizzle on the top

Method:

Find a medium sized saucepan and bring one and a half cups of water to the boil. Add your rice and mix it around so that it doesn't stick to the sides or the bottom. Turn the heat down and the cover and leave it to simmer for about 20 minutes. Whilst doing this you can attend to all those jobs that you never get round to, such as ironing or dusting or simply watch the t.v. After the twenty minutes is up you need to find another saucepan and combine one and a half cups of rice, one and a halfcups milk, sugar and salt. Cook on a medium heat until thick and creamy and gorgeous and smooth and...sorry I got carried away! you need to do this for between 15 and 20 minutes. Then stir in remaining half a cup of milk, the beaten egg and the raisins. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and stir inbutter and vanilla. Serve warm with strawberry jam on top...sorry, got carried away AGAIN! Heavenly!

Don't forget you can put anything you want on the top of the rice pudding, I prefer strawberry jam but go ahead and try what you like!!

Gorgeous and grand Graduand

Yesterday I finally graduated from university, almost six months after I had actually finished the course and what a relief it was. The ceremony was rather long-winded however and the hall was boiling hot which didn't help when we were all sitting adorned in thick, heavy robes and a morterboard that made my head weigh a tonne! My turn came to mount the stage almost an hour after we had started the ceremony and I made my way to the side praying that I didn't trip up on my gown! I didn't trip up but I did end up walking off before the man shaking my hand had finished asking me if I had enjoyed the course so looking back it could have been construed that I was ignoring him! Although asking the same question to over 300 students probably took its toll on him anyway!
After the ceremony my parents and I pushed through the manic throng of people who were blocking half the road and made our way down to Edwinn's, the snazziest and smartest restaurant in Cambridge. Entering the restaurant I was immediatly aware of the elegance and delicacy of the place. Taking our reserved seat by the window we browsed the menu hungrily (we hadn't eaten since about half past six that morning). After finally deciding what we wanted I was surprised but amused to see two other graduands seat themselves on the two adjoining tables complete with large, adoring families. Although both my parents opted for the set menu I found myself ordering from the main one, as a delicious meal had caught my eye - Chicken with cream cheese, hazelnuts and potato Gnocchi. I was desperate to try Gnocchi after seeing Nigella use some on one of her recent programs and could not understand how something that looked so tasty had been overlooked by me of all people!! This was to be served with Potato Dauphinoise (which I had also never tried but consisted of potato, milk and melted cheese) and a serving of vegetables. As the meal arrived I was so hungry I jumped straight in and started demolishing it all. The entire meal was exsquisite, such a variety of colour and taste. The gnocchi and Dauphinoise especially were divine and even tastier than I could have imagined. The gnocchi were plump and satisfying whilst the Dauphinoise was absolutely dreamy, melting in my mouth. To be honest the actual chicken as the blandest ingredient in the meal which was a shame but everything else made up for it! As is the custom with me I will always find room for a dessert, even if I really cannot eat another mouthful, and so it was to my parents amazement and slight disgust I imagine that I ordered a delicious dessert of Sticky Toffee pudding with Toffee sauce and Double Cream. This combination was probably the nicest I had ever tasted. I am used to Sticky toffee pudding bought from the supermarket but this was proper handmade, genuine Sticky Toffee! The pudding was presented in a thick slab with toffee sauce drizzled over the top and complete with a pot of double cream to pour on top. I cannot explain how thick and creamy this dish tasted, but there was such a richness to the pudding which was contrasted by the coolness of the cream which really did this dish justice. Although expensive this restaraunt is worth every penny (although in fairness it wasn't me who paid!) as the food is served to perfection and the service was quick and friendly, the waitor even took time to ask me about my graduation and course!!
The hardest part of the day for me and my mum was struggling to walk to the car after being filled full of such lovely food, it took us about an hour to walk ten minutes!

A warming treat for a freezing day

It's absolutely tipping it down today so after a soaking and teeth chattering journey to my house which involved getting drenched on the way I was absolutely starving for something juicy which would tickle my tastebuds. After drying my hair and making a cup of tea I raided the fridge feeling in desperate need of a sandwich which would suit the gloomy and dismal weather. Incoorporating one of my favourite toppings for pasta which is pesto with some sumptious focaccia bread you can make this fantastically simple yet elegant looking sandwich.


You'll need:

1 slice focaccia bread cut in half

3 small chicken fillets
15 ml mayonnaise
10g basil pesto
30g sun dried tomato pesto
55g roasted red peppers
125g crumbled feta cheese
20g fresh basil leaves

Method:

Fry the chicken lightly in a pan until browning. Mix mayo and basil pesto in a small bowl and spread onto half of the focaccia. Spread other half with sun dried tomato pesto and arrange the roasted red peppers onto the bottom piece. Pop the pieces of chicken on top and then cover with feta cheese then fresh basil. Lastly top with remaining slice of focaccia. Easy, elegant and by gum its tasty!

Spicy saturday stir fry supper

One of my traditions is to spend the weekend at my dad's house who is a brilliant cook (although he doesn't believe it!)and I am forever being dazzled by his delicious dishes. Added to which he buys me bottles of malibu when I come over so thats even nicer! One of the lovely and incrediably more-ish dishes which he has presented me with twice now is a gorgeous combination of prawn and rice. In other words rice with prawns! In fact both the times my dad has set off to the kitchen leaving me with my large bottle of malibu and not expected to return to the front room for about an hour and has emerged about 25 minutes later with steaming bowls of this lovely dish! You can really experiment with the things that you put into this meal but I'm listing the ingredients that my dad uses!


This supposedly serves four but its so tasty that I could eat the whole thing alone!


Ingredients:

200g/8oz long grain rice
175g/6oz frozen peas
2 tbsp veg oil plus an extra drop
1 onion, chopped
3 rashers bacon, chopped
1 tbsp tikka massala curry paste
250g/9oz cooked tiger prawns, thawed if frozen
1 egg beaten
soy sauce to serve


Tip the rice into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes and at the last three minutes put the peas in. Drain. At the same time heat up the two tablespoons of oil in a large wok (you can use a frying pan but a wok is brilliant for this type of dish, added to which you get far more in!)and add the bacon and stir fry for about 4 minutes until the onion is going light brown and the bacon has started to cook. Start to stir in the curry paste and cook for a few seconds and then put the prawns in and heat them up for just over a minute.

Next you need to move the whole mixture of the prawns etc to one side of the wok and add the other drop of oil to the other side. Pour the egg into the oil and stir until it is cooked like scrambled egg then mix with the prawns so that all the mixture is together. (How much do you just want to stuff it all in your mouth now!) Lastly add the rice and the peas and mix it all together so that it doesn't get stuck to the bottom of the wok.

Serve it as soon as you can get it on your plate with lots more malibu (that's just for me of course) and a good film on one of the many cold and gloomy nights that we have to look forward to in the near future!

We shall remember them.

Today I attended a very sad and moving rememberance service in my local village where we gathered to remember the fallen ones of war. Nothing brought a lump to my throat so much than the fact there was a united approach to this day, with nearly everyone present and willing to stand in the freezing cold and listen as the names of the dead were announced. I hope everyone joined in today by either attending a service or watching it on the tv, because this day is still an important part of our lives - we wouldn't be where we are now if it wasn't for those men who gave up their lives so freely for our country. Although this has nothing to do with recipes or food I would still like to take the opportunity to praise those brave and courageous soldiers, and as we will never know what it was like to be there fighting, all we can do is imagine and be thankful for the amazing sacrifice they gave.

an autumnal dish for a winter's day

My mother has a very clever knack of throwing together great dishes consisting of only a handful of ingredients. And the dishes are always so tasty! One of the nicest is a dish she made in the last month or so which was always the perfect end to a busy or cold day, it's easy, its tasty and its so healthy you can make heaps of it! So this is dedicated to my mum who I hope will continue to give me lots of juicy ideas for recipes for years to come!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 sausages

2 courgettes

1 squash

1 sweet potato

1 plain potato

1 large carrot

mixed herbs (any you like)

oil

This is so simple!! All you have to do is find a large glass dish and cut up all the vegetables into chunks (make sure they are not too thick otherwise it will take a long time for them to cook all the way through) ad bung them into the dish. Add a dollop of oil and the herbs on top and then get stuck in with your hands mixing it all together! (It's a nice feeling isn't it). Put the whole thing into the oven and then cook for about half an hour (prod the veg after this amount of time to see if its getting softer)and then cook the sausages on a medium heat on the hob for about ten minutes until nice and brown. By the time the sausages are ready you can cut them into chunks and pop them on top of the vegetables for the last few minutes just to make them absorb the herbs and then everything is ready!! Serve lavishly with mountains of cheese and a cup of tea!Divine.

Remember remember the 5th of november, Spinach and Mushroom quiche!

After indulging in a dreadful evening of smoky and unimaginative fireworks on Cambridge Midsummer Common last night the one thing I was craving when I reached the comfort of my home was a nice quiche. Why you ask? Well to me, quiche has always conjured up a bonfire night feel as being warming and a universal snack and for another thing its damn tasty! The other great thing about quiche is that you can make any variety that you like and it will still taste fantastic and give you a nice comforting feeling in your stomach! It's pretty easy to make as well and can feed all your closest friends on this special night. My recipe is for a slightly different variety of quiche but be experimental and you will come up with some long lasting and mouthwatering moments! So this is the dish to make if you want to remember the wonders of fireworks night, without all the smoke and irritating people!

(I'm rather against onion which is a dreadful thing for an obsessed foodie especially as it is a staple food in many dishes, so on that note I will include it in this recipe so that the majority of the population do not send me hate mail!)

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon

4 eggs, beaten

355ml light cream
0.8g ground nutmeg

3g salt

1g pepper

60g chopped fresh spinach

190g chopped fresh mushrooms

85g chopped onions

245g shredded swiss cheese

140g shredded chedder cheese

1 9inch deep dish pie crust

Method:

You'll need to preheat the oven to 400f. Place the bacon in a large deep skillet (basically a large frying pan). Cook over a medium high heat until its brown all over. Drain it, then crumble it and set to one side. In a arge bowl whip together the eggs, cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir in the bacon, the spinach, mushrooms, onions, 3/4 cup of swiss cheese and 3/4 cups of cheddar cheese. Transfer to the pie crust and then cover with the remaining cheese so it will be lovely and gloopy. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, this gives you time to rush out and set off any fireworks that you may have forgotten to display yesterday or have a glass of something (or maybe even 2!).

When you take the quicke out it should be nice and brown and you'll all be able to devour it as quickly as possible!

Luxurious Lasagne

The perfect dish for the perfect cosy evening

Occasionally when it's blowing a gale outside and I'm all warm snuggled up on the sofa I begin to think about food (ok, not occasionally, more like every minute of the day, whether I'm inside or out, whether it's night or day) and I turn to the idea of comfort food. My favourite cook, Nigella Lawson was particularly fond of this idea, choosing to eat particular foods which matched her individual moods, but more importantly were surprisingly comforting. Because of this, I am happy to say I feel accepted in the world of cooking to comfort eat as much as I possibly can, whether it be smooth mashed potatoes, crispy bacon or an indulgent chocolate cake.


This particular dish conjures up the epitome of comfort and cosy nights. I would definately call this comfort food as you may find yourself going back for seconds and even thirds without feeling the slightest bit guilty!


This dish should serve about 12 but if your starving its going to feed even less!





You'll need:


340g lean ground beef
455g sweet italian sausage
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 can / 6 ounces tomato paste
364g canned tomato sauce
120ml water
25g white sugar
1g dried basil leaves
1g fennel seeds
2g italian seasoning
20g salt
0.5g ground black pepper
15g chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagne noodles
455g ricotta cheese
1 egg
3g salt
340g mozzarella cheese, sliced
75g grated parmesan cheese





It may take some time to make but believe me it's worth it and you'll be gonig back for seconds, thirds and maybe even fourths!

What you need to do is:

Cook the sausage, beef and the garlic over a medium heat until well browned. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and the water. Season with the sugar, the basil leaves, the fennel seeds, the italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer while covered for about 1 and a half hours, make sure you are stirring occasionally. I'm sure by this stage you are wanting to sit down with a large glass of wine, and now is the perfect opportunity to because next all you've got to do is to bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil and cook the lasagne noodles for about 8-10 minutes. After your sit down and on condition that you haven't drunk a whole bottle of wine you'll need to drain the noodles and rinse them in cold water.
In the mixing bowl you have to combine the ricotta cheese with the egg, remaining parsley and half a teaspoon of salt. Preheat your oven for 375 0F. Spread one and a half cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish and arrange six of the noodles lengthwise over the meat sauce (understandably 6 noodles is rather a peculiar amount but it gives a really good texture once you've repeated the process). Spread with half of the ricotta cheese mixture and top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon one and a half cup of meat sauce over the mozzarella and sprinkle with a quarter cup of parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers and then pop the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan on the top. (It should look really fat and yummy now and although it's hard your going to have to wait to cook it before you dig in, maybe more wine would be advisable?) Lastly you'll need to cover the dish with foil, but make sure it doesn't touch the cheese or it will end up sticking and becoming gloopy! Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before you serve it and then get eating!!

A Sexy Spanish sumptuous snack

I noticed with some excitement last night that one of the hosts on ‘Come dine with me’ actually made an effort to add some sparkle to the evening for once by serving the Spanish snacks ‘Tapas’. Now nobody is more obsessed with little Spanish snacks than me and I particularly love a good munch on a delicious Spanish Tortilla. In fact I have been known to demolish an entire Tortilla in one day – now that’s obsession with Spanish Food. I suppose however that I am cheating a bit with this dish because although it is supposed to be made with many other Spanish snacks I tend to make it with a view to demolishing it on its own as quickly as possible (also tasty cold if you are feeling a late night craving for something out of the fridge.) The great thing about this dish is that it is so easy to make (although you find yourself going through many packets of eggs and plenty of potatoes) that you may find yourself making it all the time. And isn’t that what food is all about? Making huge quantities of something you love? I also tend to become fond of food which can be made in different ways by different people and that is very much the case here. Some people like to add onion or even pepper whereas I prefer to make it simply with potato, egg and garlic. Therefore each taste of tortilla is a different experience. And each taste is an abundance of flavours. I must confess my own version of this will never be as tasty as my mother’s Tortilla, for she seems to be able to get perfect quantities of each ingredient which I still have not been able to master after thousands of tasty attempts!! But then again the fun is in the experimenting and munching that comes with each go. So here we are: the warmest and sexiest snack to come from the warmest and sexiest country – The Spanish Tortilla.

Ingredients are few and therefore you can make a fantastic meal for hardly anything!
All you’ll need if you’re going to want to serve about 4 people (or 1 of me) is:
2 large potatoes
6/7 eggs
A quarter of a bulb of garlic (or even more if you really want that kick!)
A bottle of oil standing by as you can never tell how much you will actually need.
You’ll need to make sure you have either two large frying pans that can fit a large tortilla in and that are pretty much the same size so you can slot them into each other or you could buy a special tortilla pan from any supermarket if you think you are going to be making a lot of tortillas!

All you need to do is cut your garlic up into small squares and tip into the frying pan complete with a few dips of oil. Have the heat up pretty high. Then you’ll need to cut your potatoes up into manageable chunks and pop them into the microwave in a suitable container for a few minutes (normally about four) until they are reasonably soft. By this time the garlic should have been considerably browned and you will be ready to put your potatoes into the pan. You will need to turn the heat down to about 4 and lightly fry the potatoes for between 7-10 minutes until they are starting to look brown. Around about this time you can start breaking your eggs into a small bowl and whisking them around until they resemble a river of egg. By now the potatoes will have browned well enough for you to tip the mixture of egg into the pan, being careful to cover all the potato with your mixture. Then you’ll need to get a spatula and move the mixture around making sure it is still firm and not sticking to the pan and that it also resembles a circular shape. After about ten minutes or so add some more oil round the edges of the tortilla and then, making sure it is still firm, put the other frying pan on top and tip the tortilla over. Repeat the original process of moving the mixture around and tipping some oil around the tortilla for about another ten minutes or some. Then take the original frying pan and tip the tortilla back into it. With any luck the tortilla will now be sufficiently browned on either side but if not just carry on tipping until you are satisfied.
Serve on a large plate cut into wedges with a good chunk of bread – Perfection!