So Eat

Food for 'Grazing'

2011-06-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's a terrible affliction to be working from home and a food writer. Research just makes you hungry and the kitchen is only a few steps away. Perhaps this is why so many of these TV chefs are so overweight. However, there is an advantage to being close to a fully stocked kitchen, which is that I am more likely to try and whip up something wholesome, rather than reach for a candy bar, an impossibility in my home anyway - we never buy them.

I like to graze, meaning that I prefer little bits of food often rather than a big meal. This habit is quite good as it keeps a healthy metabolism, provided you graze on the right thing! Here are a couple of dishes to keep in the refrigerator that can be used for a light lunch that is full of flavour, or like I have done in the picture, served in small bowls as a snack.

This is a blue recipe

Chickpea Salad
This is really tabbouleh with chickpeas instead of Bulgar wheat. Here's a couple of things I have learned about salads:
Cold salad straight from the fridge is not very nice, the flavours are muted and for me eating ice cold vegetables just makes me shiver. So take the salad out and leave it to stand for a while before serving, if you have been storing it.
Next thing is that the way you assemble you salad is not crucial but does make a difference. I always dress in the same sequence - oil, acid (lemon juice, lime or vinegar), salt and pepper. I do this so that the liquids don't wash the seasoning to the bottom and the oil is thicker than the acid so goes first.

Ingredients for 3 people as a side or snack
- two cups of cooked chickpeas (canned or cooked yourself)
- One large tomato finely chopped
- 4 inch piece of cucumber unpeeled and chopped
- Tablespoon each of mint and parsley roughly chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- juice of half a small lemon, yielding a couple of teaspoons
-Kosher salt
-Black pepper

Mix the chickpeas and vegetables
Add the oil and mix
Add the lemon juice and mix
Add the herbs and mix
Add salt and pepper and... mix

This is a blue recipe

Moutabal
I love this dip. Smear onto sandwiches, dip with carrot or celery sticks or scoop with flatbread. If you're worried about bitterness make sure you cook the eggplant/aubergine long enough so the flesh becomes sweet and caramelised.

Ingredients for a large cereal bowlful of dip
- 1 Large eggplant/aubergine
- 2 tablespoons of tahini
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Roughly chopped parsley
- kosher salt

- Quarter the aubergine, salt the flesh and cook in a hot oven (450f at least) until the white flesh is brown and creamy
- Wait for the flesh to cool and scoop it out from the skin
-Dump into a blender with the tahini and lemon juice and blitz until smooth and creamy
- Test for salt, add more if desired
- Pile into a bowl, drizzle with grass green olive oil and sprinkle with parsley

Try not to go weak at the knees ;-)

Store Cupboard Staples - Oils

2011-06-08T04:00:00.000-04:00

A good selection of condiments, spices, herbs and other staples are vital to your kitchen. I usually spend more for good quality products here because they last a while anyway and it makes such a difference to your food. Wholefoods (or Greenlife as it's called here in Asheville) has a really excellent selection of this kind of stuff but if you are looking for something exotic or really rare, you could try World Market, Dean and DeLuca and even Amazon.

OILS
Oil isn't just something you fry with, it can add flavour to food as well. I have 4 types of oil that are always in the cupboard...

Olive Oil - Light and extra virgin. The light is for cooking (frying onions or garlic for tomato sauce, for example) and the extra virgin is for dressings. Don't bother using extra virgin for frying, the taste is marred and it's too expensive. It's difficult to say briefly how important olive oil is in a whole range of cuisines and the variety of flavours. Keep at least one type and try different ones from different countries and regions as the tastes are incredibly diverse. Download this article from Saveur to learn more about the complex wonders of olive oil.

Canola Oil - For frying and roasting. This is a very healthy oil. Don't be fooled into buying the more expensive that says it has Omega oils in it. It's a con. All canola oil has these oils!

Sesame Oil - For flavour. It burns at a low temperature so if you use it in a stir fry mix it with canola. Use it in marinades and salad dressing for that authentic Asian taste.

Truffle Oil - Decadent, delicious and addictive. My sister-in-law turned me onto this oil and I am hooked. Get a good quality oil without any chemical ingredients. Black truffle is most common, Antonio Carluccio sells a wonderful white truffle oil at his chain Carluccio's that I adore and is sadly not available in the US. Don't fry with this, it is for flavouring and a little goes a long way! Sprinkle over scrambled eggs, add to steak at the last minute before serving or make an eye popping caesar salad dressing.

In addition to these there are plenty of nut oils such as walnut and coconut that I urge you to try. Experiment and discover your next delicious creation!

Spatchcocked Quail with wine and Cream

2011-06-07T14:51:00.000-04:00

This is a green recipe

I have Valerie from the Double G Ranch farm in Leicester, NC to thank for this glorious dish. We went there at the weekend and bought the quails after a tour of their property where they rear goats, pigs, chickens and ducks.

Though I planned to add parsley, in my rush to get the food snapped for the blog so we could devour it, I forgot! It was still delicious, I highly recommend eating this with boiled new potatoes; they're coming into season now and they soak up the creamy juices wonderfully. Add a crisp green salad to cut through the richness and you have yourself a dish worthy of a top restaurant.

To spatchcock is to split the bird so that it sits flat. Do this with a pair of sturdy kitchen scissors, by snipping down either side of the backbone which you then discard. Splay the bird and push down on the breast to flatten. Do this thoroughly, I didn't and they were still a bit curved which meant they took longer to cook.

Ingredients for 2 People
- Two quails, cleaned and spatchcocked (see above)
- One large or two small shallots finely chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil
- 1/2 tablespoon of butter
- A glass of dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms (I like the little brown ones, I think they are called 'Bella' in the states)
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- A handful of chopped flat leaf parsley (include the stalks, they are sweet)

Method
- Heat the canola oil to a medium heat and fry the shallots until lightly brown
- Salt and pepper the quail and add skin down to the pan
- Brown on both sides
- Turn down the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through
- Check to see the bird is almost cooked by skewering a leg or making a little slit. The meat should start to look opaque but the juices should still be reddish-pink (this is important because you don't want the quails to overcook)
-Now add the butter and allow it to melt and foam in the pan
-Turn the heat high and IMMEDIATELY add the wine and reduce, if you are using a non-stick pan (which is best because you get lots of caramelized bits on the bottom), scrape to deglaze
-Turn the heat down to medium and add the mushrooms
-Cook the mushrooms until softish
-Add the cream, mix well with the sauce in the pan
- Cook until a thick, tan colour
-Sprinkle in the parsley, serve

* If you like messy eating this one is for you, eventually you will have to get in there and pull the delicious flesh off with your hands, but that makes it more enjoyable!*

Cooking Essential - Lemon Squeezer

2011-06-07T03:00:00.000-04:00

I use lemons like a condiment. They are always in my fridge. I add the juice to all sorts of dishes that need oomph or use them in marinades and salads. This lovely and stylish tool juices lemons better than anything else. It is the perfect shape for getting every last drop of juice out and you can squeeze the lemon directly onto whatever it is you are cooking rather than collect it all in a dish first. Be warned, seeds do go astray with it so I advise squeezing over a tea strainer or small sieve. Feeling inspired? These squeezers are available all over the place, I bought mine locally. Go out, get yourself one, then try my spinach and lemon pasta dish below.

This is a green recipe

Serves 1 greedy person.

- Spaghetti, lasagne or linguine (so hard to measure and depends on your appetite, maybe a 1/4 of pound?)
- 1/2 bunch of spinach
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 small lemon
- 2 tablespoons of parmesan, pecorino or a mixture of both plus a couple of teaspoons for sprinkling
- pinch of nutmeg

Cook the spaghetti in well salted (please!) boiling water.
While it's boiling, blanch the spinach if it is young (just pour boiling water over it in a colander) or cook in a little water for a few minutes if it is coarse.
Drain spinach, squeeze dry and chop.
Once the pasta is al dente, drain and transfer back to the still warm pot.
Add the egg, lemon juice and cheese, mix well and then cover for a few minutes - OFF the heat, otherwise the egg will scramble.
Once the sauce has cooked and thickened, add the spinach.
Transfer to a warm plate or bowl, sprinkle with a little nutmeg and remaining cheese.

*Make sure the spinach is as dry as possible otherwise it will make the pasta watery. I don't add salt here because the pecorino is pretty salty, especially if it is Romano.*

Rabbit Ragu (ragu di coniglio)

2011-06-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

Asheville's tailgate markets are such an asset to the city. At weekends and during the week you can find markets bursting with local produce allover the city; cheese, cured meats, handmade baked goods and even soaps, all find a place here. We are lucky enough to have one almost at the bottom of our hill. A favourite vendor of mine is East Fork Farms, because they provide two of my favourite meats - lamb and rabbit. Their ground lamb bursts with rich flavour and has elevated my already pretty good meat loaf to something intense and delicious.

The rabbit we bought from them was still whole (though thankfully without its head or fur), so I had to cut it up myself, fine but not for the Bugs Bunny lover! The advantage of a whole rabbit is that I could use the giblets and bones to make stock.

The picture above is of the tremendous ragu I made, and the recipe comes from Mille Fiori Favoriti, a great blog. If you try the recipe, be warned that the ingredients omit chicken broth though it's mentioned in the method. I added 1 cup of GOOD QUALITY stock in with the tomatoes. Don't be tempted to cut back on the cooking time, rabbit has no fat so needs slow cooking in some kind of liquid to keep moist and tender. Once the rabbit is cooked and falls of the bone, you could leave it whole and puree the sauce for a decadent variation.

Fruit Smoothie

2011-06-06T11:39:00.000-04:00

This is a blue recipe

It's finally the season for peaches and they are sweet and perfumed. This smoothie takes seconds to make and will boost you for the day. If you happen to live somewhere where raw goat's milk is available legally, use it, the pro-biotics and clean taste are just fab. I often leave bananas to overripen so often peel them break them into pieces and freeze them, they are so tasty in a smoothie.

1 banana, riper the better
1 peach riper the better
1 1/2 cups of milk

Peel and break banana into pieces throw into a blender jug
Remove the stone from the peach but don't peel. Cut into pieces and add to jug.
Pour in ice cold milk.
Blend until complete smooth.

*If you have a sweet tooth then add a little honey or frozen yoghurt. You could also add a little flax or granola for a breakfast drink. I love just as is.*

Thank you Mr. Slater

2011-06-06T07:52:00.000-04:00

I have no idea why this picture is rotated like this, so apologies. Anyway here is a beautiful fresh loaf of soda bread, made in an hour, prep to baking with great thanks to Nigel Slater's soda bread recipe.
As happy as I am in the States, there are some things that I do miss and decent wholemeal bread is one of them (along with real cheddar). I don't know why bread here has to be sweet, and so full of chemicals, honestly it's appalling. After trying many different brands I have abandoned store bought bread and now only buy from local bakeries or now make my own!

This recipe is so easy and makes a light, tasty loaf that you can use for sandwiches or toast. Often soda bread is dense and heavy so this one is a revelation. There is no kneading or proving, the baking soda does all the work for you.

My advice for storing is avoid using plastic bags because it makes the crust soggy and you want to keep that crisp crust around the soft center. Instead, store in a bread box wrapped in a clean tea towel or in a paper bag. Better for bread to go stale than moldy because you can still eat it as toast use it for bread crumbs.

Update

2011-06-05T08:50:00.000-04:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted regularly. After moving a couple of times, my husband and I are now firmly settled in wonderful Asheville. I have been working on a cookbook that I plan to self-publish at the urging of my better half. It will be about seasonal food in the local area but the recipes of course, will be good anywhere!
I want to thank all my visitors who still keep me motivated, please carry on checking out my musings on food and stay tuned for the cookbook!

Delicious Sprouts - Yes! Really!

2011-02-12T15:10:00.001-05:00

THIS IS A GREEN RECIPE

This time of year in the northern hemisphere is when vegetables like sprouts and cabbage really come into their own. Many people don't like sprouts, but cook them this way and I guarantee you will be converted.

Slice your sprouts
Fry up some pancetta cubes or bacon in olive oil and a little butter
Add the sprouts and sautee until soft but not soggy
Add some cooked chestnuts (you can get them pre-cooked and vacuum packed)
Add lemon juice and black pepper to taste
Serve

What’s Your Guilty Pleasure

2010-07-24T04:12:00.000-04:00

Regardless of our refined our tastes may be, we all have a few guilty pleasures. Foods that we just love even though we know we shouldn't. I am very much against processed food, but there are some to which I just can't seem to shake my addiction! I have to admit that a lot of these were introduced to me on my trips to the US, like Twinkies, peppermint patties and potato bread. Even now back in Zambia I crave potato bread hot dogs. I also love canned pasta, especially Heinz Macaroni Cheese. When I was in Italy I fell in love with Kinder Brioche, a type of oblong cake that Italians like to eat for breakfast. Again I still pine after these tasty sponge cakes that are just wonderful dipped in coffee and I wonder why they have never been for sale in the UK. Then of course the ultimate sin – pork fat (crispy) and roast chicken skin. Most of my guilty pleasures are comfort foods or foods that remind me of a particular time in my life. Sometimes it's just reverting back to my childhood, who doesn't want to do that every now and then?

So, share with me, what's your list of guilty pleasures?

Mood Enhancing Foods

2010-07-19T04:51:00.001-04:00

Obviously being a foodie means I believe eating can cure most things ( a dangerous notion I know!). For years now whenever I am a bit fed up I make the same thing – pasta with tomato sauce. I don't know what it is about this dish that cheers me up so much, I think it's the reminders of sunny days in Italy with friends. Tomato sauce can be so delicious smell so great it immediately lifts my mood and pasta is something I could not live without. Oh and there has to be basil to in the sauce.

Leave your comment on the food you like to eat when you are in a low mood.

Key Lime Pie

2010-06-01T02:36:00.001-04:00

I'd hear of key lime pie but had always thought key was for kiwi and the pie was a kiwi, lime pie. Why I thought this would be a traditional southern delicacy, as kiwis are not at all native to the US, I can't say. But then, another speciality is banana pudding and bananas don't come from the US either! I've since discovered that key limes are a type of lime found in Florida, highly prized for their sharp, fragrant taste.

Basically, key lime pie is a lot like lemon meringue pie without the meringue. There's a biscuit crumb base – Graham Cracker usually which you can buy already crumbed, gotta love the States! This buttery base is topped with a thick, tart topping very much like lemon curd only with lime, obviously. While in the North Carolina I tried 3 different versions of this pie, the first topped with whipped cream, the second two simply garnished with a slice of lime. I am in love with this pie, I have never been one for sweet heavy desserts so after a nice serving of rich southern food, the key lime pie is a welcome full stop. Fragrant, quite light and the acidic lime is something of a palette cleanser. Perfection in a pie.

North Carolina travel guide - Wikitravel

2010-05-23T18:19:00.000-04:00

For more on the bakcground of North Carolina including its food, go her
North Carolina travel guide - Wikitravel

Eating the Country - Seafood at Southport

2010-05-23T12:39:00.000-04:00

This place is great for atmosphere and good honest seafood, shrimp were a little overcooked but still pretty good and the crabcake was really tasty. Loved the fact they gave us salad instead of tons of fries. They have a great system where you just go and get beers as and when, then tell them at the end how many you had. View of bay stunning, clientele and staff friendly and fun. If you ever come by Southport, check it out.

Eating the Country - Asheville

2010-05-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

It's amazing when you visit somewhere and never have a bad meal - anywhere. If you want to eat some incredible food Asheville is a foodie's paradise. We were there for 3 day and had everything from nouveau local food, latin inspired, organic and traditional a la carte. Above is a picture of the Sisters McMullen bakery full of incredible cupcakes and great sandwiches, and cheap too.

Locally Sourced

Our first night we ate at Table on College Street. They change their menu everyday and pride themselves on using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. I ordered rabbit and was impressed with how tender it was. The peas and ricotta gnochi were good accompaniments, however I found the sauce a little overpowering for the subtle taste f the meat.

Staff in the restaurant were friendly and knowledgeable concerning the menu and I had the biggest martini I have ever seen. Great atmosphere, recommended.

Rockin' Pizza

Second night we went to the Mellow Mushroom on Broadway Street. The pizza is more deep pan, but the toppings and sauce are delicious, I went for the Kosmic Karma pizza which had spinach, feta and pesto - really wonderful. Unfortunately it was raining when we went so couldn't sit out on the terrace, this would've been preferable as we found it a bit too loud inside.

Food with a View

For a dinner with oodles of atmosphere you can't beat the Grove Park Inn. Nestled in the mountains just outside of Asheville the views are truly spectacular. We ate on the Sunset Terrace which has an a la carte menu of steaks, duck, seafood and more. We opted for their 3 course for $30 with mussels to start followed by steak diane and cheesecake for dessert. Everything was perfectly cooked and with perfect seasoning, and considering the views, this is an excellent bargain.

Breakfast

We ate breakfast at 3 different places, all great.

Over Easy Cafe on Walnut Street

West End Bakery on Haywood, West Asheville

Chorizo on Page Avenue - by far our favourite, service was a little 'relaxed' but food well worth the wait. Tortillas with eggs, thick pieces of bacon, chutney, guacamole, cilantro-fragrant salsa. Heaven.

Pear and goats cheese salad

2010-05-21T11:51:00.000-04:00

THIS IS A GREEN RECIPE

This is a great salad as a starter.

- First, caramelise some pecans. Whip up some egg whites (about 2 large ones) until foamy and drop raw pecans into them

- Remove the nuts and drop them into a zip lock bag containing sugar , toss to coat

- Bake in a low oven for about 20 minutes on a greased baking tray

- leave to cool

- Meanwhile cute a log of goats' cheese like chevre, into wheels and coat in panko

- Grill until crispy

- While the cheese is grilling put salad leaves and slices of crisp pear on each plate

- Dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

- Finishe with the cheese and pecans

Chicken Soup

2010-05-13T17:50:00.000-04:00

THIS IS A BLUE RECIPE

This is my mother-in-law's wonderful chicken soup. It is simple and hearty with huge noodles.

She makes her soup by cooking chicken breasts in broth then removing and cutting up the breasts while the noodles cook. She then adds sweetcorn and the shredded chicken back to soup. Wonderful.

Eating The Country - Part 2

2010-05-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

I make it a rule when visiting somewhere that I try the local specialities first and in North Carolina this means seafood and good 'low country' cooking. The first two pictures show lunch we had at the Raleigh farmer's market. Broiled scallops with home fries, hush puppies and 'slaw. My father-in-law tells me that hush puppies come from years back when cooks would throw a little to the family dog to hush it up. These scallops were just wonderful, tender and flavoursome and ridiculously cheap.

On to the charming and quirky city of Wilmington and a lunch of catfish, grits and collard greens. I love all green vegetables and so collards are a great find. I was surprised at how much I loved the grits too which were creamy and mellow and soaked up the sauce of the fish beautifully.

Food Tourism

2010-05-11T17:38:00.000-04:00

Being a foodie means that I love to find a good market but it's not just because I love to eat. Markets are a great opportunity to learn about the landscape and history of a place. This market in Raleigh was full of fresh produce as well as wonderful preserves, pickles and gourmet foods. It was an eye opener and I made some discoveries - apple butter for example, never heard of it and though we bought some, I haven't tried it yet. And the muscadine grape which is used for wine making in the region.

Eating the Country

2010-05-11T11:18:00.001-04:00

One of the best things about travelling for me is discovering new food. People are often dismissive about food in the US, claiming it's all about the portions. I have always found my trips to America to be real culinary adventures. The supermarkets alone are an experience, even overwhelming after the simple markets of Zambia. I was amazed at the freezer sections in supermarkets here, easily 4 times the size of the ones in Zambian supermarkets.

To be honest, the awe is short-lived when you realise that a lot of the processed foods sold in the US are rather awful. The one exception I make is for Twinkies! I have a real passion for these terrifyingly bright yellow cakes with cream so sweet your teeth ache just looking at them. Bad for you they may be but I love them. I also love peppermint patties; they are one of the few candies I can stand.

Supermarkets aside, we are in North Carolina where there is a strong food culture of seafood and southern cooking and I am looking forward to sampling all the 'low country' has to offer.

To be continued...

Variation on a Theme: Lentil and Potato Bake

2010-04-15T08:15:00.000-04:00

Anyone who follows my recipes will know I am a bit of a bake fanatic. So comforting and yummy and I usually incorporate my favourite béchamel sauce in it somewhere. This recipe got more elaborate the more I got involved, it's sort of a bastardised shepherd's pie. I didn't have any mince so went for brown lentils instead and dreaded the idea of mashing potatoes with a fork so decided on potato slices instead, then I decided to make it moussaka-like with my béchamel.

Like my other bakes I made more than enough for two otherwise it is a bit of hassle for less reward. Freeze the rest.

250 grams of dry lentils – brown or green

3 – 4 large potatoes

2 carrots

1 medium sized onion sliced

2 large tomatoes finely chopped

1 garlic clove

1 glasss of dry white wine

Dried oregano

Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Bechamel sauce

Cook you lentils until soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour

Parboil large potatoes halved, for about 10-15 minutes and then drain and leave to cool.

Fry the onion and carrots then add garlic and the tomatoes

Add your cooked lentils and a glass of dry white wine, reduce the wine

Add a tablespoon of tomato puree and half a mug of vegetable stock

Add some dried oregano and salt and pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, simmer until thick

Make your béchamel, go here for the recipe.

Spread the lentils onto a baking tin, add half the béchamel then the potato slices. Add the rest of the béchamel, some sprigs of time and some salt and pepper

Cover and bake at 200°c for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through, then remove the foil and crisp up under a hot grill

Serve with a green salad

*If you don't want to bother with béchamel you could use cream instead

* If you pan is wide and shallow there will be one layer each of lentils and potato, but if you have a deeper tin you might need a more lasagna-like layered effect. If this is the case you might need to bake it a bit longer

Best Brownies

2010-04-13T05:40:00.000-04:00

THIS IS A YELLOW RECIPE

I have a good friend to thank for this recipe for brownies. A decent brownie is a very special thing and so often I find when I buy brownies they are either far too sweet of dry and spongy (basically like a chocolate cake). These brownies are dense, dark and chocolatey as any brownie should be. I use walnuts for these because I think the slightly bitter taste goes so well with the chocolate, but also because the brownies my mum used to make had walnuts in too.

8 tablespoons of butter

A 100 gram pack of chocolate – 70% cocoa solids

¼ cup of cocoa

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs

1 tspn vanilla (optional, I suggest substituting for espresso for extra depth)

Pinch of salt

½ cup flour

Handful of nuts

Pre-heat the oven to 160 °c

Melt the butter with the chocolate and cocoa

Add the sugar, leave to cool (if you're impatient, plunge saucepan into cold water)

Add the rest of the ingredients and beat well

Pour into a lined tin (I use a loaf tin)

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the batter is set and starts to smell cooked

Don't do the skewer test because you want the mixture to be a little undercooked

Stir-fried aubergine (eggplant) with tomato and chili

2010-04-10T05:53:00.000-04:00

THIS IS A BLUE RECIPE

I went for lunch at a Chinese restaurant and had this more-ish dish so decided to try and make it at home. It goes very well with the my adobo recipe from a few days ago.
For 2

2 tablespoons of oil

1 large aubergine cut lengthwise into sticks of about 1 inch thickness

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 dessertspoon of sweet chili sauce

A dash of hot chili sauce

½ dessertspoon of rice vinegar

1 couple of dashes of light soy sauce

Heat the oil and add the aubergines, add some salt

When softish, add the tomato and soften

Add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat down, cook until the aubergine is soft and transparent

Chicken or Pork Adobo

2010-04-08T05:40:00.000-04:00

THIS IS A BLUE RECIPE

I love adobo and this one is so fragrant and lovely. You can use chicken or pork or a mixture of both. Choose chicken thighs not breasts which are dry and bland. For pork, pick pieces with some bone and a little bit of fat, this adds to the flavor and keeps the meat tender. I like to eat this with brown rice and my stir fried aubergines with tomato and chili, the recipe for which will be coming in a few days.

For 2

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 large stalk of lemongrass bashed but still whole

4 small chicken thighs or two pork chops

½ dessertspoon of fish sauce

2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

1 mug of chicken stock

Fry the garlic in oil until brown

Add the lemongrass and meat and brown off the mear

Add the other ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 minutes

Remove the lid and reduce the liquid for 10 minutes

Chocolate Almond and Fig Clusters

2010-04-06T05:39:00.001-04:00

THIS IS A GREEN RECIPE

This is the perfect snack, the chocolate is the 70% cocoa kind, so less calories and the almonds and dried figs are sweet, crunchy and very good for you.

Melt your chocolate 100 gram chocolate bar in a bowl over hot water

When melted add enough almonds and chopped up figs so that they are covered in chocolate and there is no excess chocolate in the bowl (like when you make rice crispy cakes) – ½ cup of each or more

Use a teaspoon to spoon the clusters onto a greaseproof paper lined tray or plate

Put them in the fridge to set

When cold and hard store in a rigid container in the fridge, they can last for ages if they are not eaten up in a few days!

*you can use half dark and half milk chocolate if you find the chocolate too rich but this will increase the fat content*

Pork with Sage and Beans

2010-03-20T04:37:00.001-04:00

THIS IS A BLUE RECIPE

The hardest part of this dish was cooking the beans – they took hours and hours! But it was worth it to get the creamy texture I wanted, and I did a big enough batch to freeze for another time.

I used white beans that are commonly sold here in Zambia, they look a bit like cannellini beans. I simmered them unsalted for about 3 hours, keeping an eye on the water level, eventually they will soften and then after a while longer the starches will turn the consistency creamy. Then I added salt.

Serves 3 – 4

4 large pork chops or steaks

1 large onion finely chopped

3 large cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 large carrots

4 large slices of salami finely chopped

½ pint of vegetable stock

1 large handful of fresh sage roughly chopped

2 cups of cooked beans with the liquor

Salt and pepper

Fry the onions until soft

Add the garlic and carrots and fry for a little longer

Add the pork chops and brown

Then add the rest of the ingredients

Check for seasoning.

Cook for about 1 hour – the longer you cook the more tender the pork should be

Finish off with a few fresh sage leaves.

Serve with boiled new potatoes and cabbage sautéed with butter and lemon juice.

Aubergine/Eggplant Baked Pasta

2010-03-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, yet another pasta al forno dish! I can’t help it, I find baked pasta so comforting and easy for larger numbers. Make sure you make enough sauce otherwise it gets really dry when baked.

Serves 3-4

- One 500 gram packet of short pasta (rigatoni, macaroni, gomiti, penne etc)
- 1 tablespoon of light olive oil
- 800 gram tin of plum tomatoes
- ½ pint of yoghurt
- Tablespoon of pesto (the best you can get or homemade is ideal)
- 1 large aubergine (eggplant) finely sliced into rounds
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup of hard Italian cheese – a mixture of pecorino and parmesan would be great

- Heat the oil and add the tomatoes

- Cook down to make a thick sauce (this takes quite while, about 40 minutes) , add salt to taste

- At the same time cook the pasta in well salted water

- Add the pesto and mix well – remove from heat

- Add yoghurt and mix well

- Put the cooked pasta in a baking dish

- Pour over the sauce

- Top with aubergine and cheese

- Cover and bake for 30 minutes

- Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes until cheese is bubbling and the aubergine is cooked through

2010-03-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Since I live in the Southern Hemisphere, you would imagine that hot chocolate is not the best choice for the time of year being as it is hot and humid. However it is also the rainy season and when it rains it definitely cools down and then hot chocolate doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
I’d also heard that really good quality hot chocolate is a great pick me up and is filling, as well as tasting wonderful.

The first time I tried this it was very satisfying and stopped me snacking all afternoon, however in the morning I was hungry a couple of hours after (but I also didn’t use quite enough chocolate that time, maybe that’s why). Either way, make this with low fat milk or soy milk and your calorie intake can’t be massively high. I also imagine almond milk would be really good too.

Use a chocolate bar high in coco solids, a standard large one should last about 4 cups.

2 heaped dessertspoons of grated chocolate (or break into chunks) *
¼ tsp each of dry ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg
1 couple of drops of vanilla
2 tsps of golden cane sugar
½ mug of milk

Heat all the ingredients together in a small saucepan until the chocolate has completely melted. Make sure you stir well to blend everything together – enjoy!

*Experiment with amounts of chocolate because everyone's taste is different*

Potatoe Salad Without Mayonnaise but still good!

2010-02-27T09:29:00.000-05:00

THIS IS A BLUE RECIPE

This potato salad is a lovely alternative to the usual mayonnaise drenched one. It is simple to prepare and probably much better for you. We ate it with salty fried halloumi and it was the perfect accompaniment. Boil lots of potatoes so you can keep it for a few days and add it to packed lunches – we made the mistake of not doing this!

-500grams of baby new potatoes or small waxy ones that will keep their shape when cooked, halved or quartered depending on size
- 1 large clove of garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (or experiment with other less sweet types of vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- salt and pepper
- large handful of chopped flat leaf parsley

- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender
- Meanwhile combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, mustard. Salt and pepper – a good grinding of each. Taste for seasoning.
- Drain potatoes when cook through, return to the warm pan, add the vinaigrette combine well and cover pan with a lid to keep the potatoes warm and allow the heat to take the edge of the garlic – stand for 5 mins or so
- Before serving add the parlsey

Pancake Breakfast

2010-02-25T09:27:00.000-05:00

For years we’ve been eating pancakes at weekends for breakfast and the recipe has changed much, but I think I finally have the best version down. The vanilla makes the pancakes so tasty and the milk powder adds richness. I like to use a mixture of butter and oil because you get that buttery taste without it burning, plus if you use something like Canola oil you are cutting down on the butter while still getting some of the taste. I like them with honey and fruit (mango, banana or berries) so I don’t feel totally unhealthy!

- 2 cups of white flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon of golden cane sugar (or normal white)
- 1 tablespoon of milk powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 500 mls of milk

- Butter and oil for frying

- Sift all the dry ingredients together
- Add milk and egg and beat well until smooth
- Heat a small mixture of oil and butter in a small frying pan (just enough grease to cover the bottom, no more)
- Pour in a ladle or so of batter – keep the heat moderate
- Fry until the top bubbles, flip and do other side
- Keep cooked pancakes in a warm oven while you do the other

Fish Fried Rice

2010-02-23T09:25:00.000-05:00

A great way to use up cooked rice – we always boil more than we need and freeze the rest for quick meals like this one. To keep this as healthy as poss I used canola oil which has omega oils in it. Choose a firm fish that will keep its shape when cooked – I used Nile perch (one of the few types of fish we can get here) but any thick white fish should do like cod or haddock though it may flake a little.

For 2

- 1 tablespoon of canola, vegetable or light olive oil
- 1 tsp on cumin
- 1 tsp or ground coriander seeds
- 1 large cup of cooked rice
- 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
- 1 large clove of garlic finely chopped
- 2 stalks of celery finely chopped
- 1 large ripe tomatoe finely sliced
- 2 white fish fillets cut into large bite sized chunks
- 1 small chilli finely chopped – optional
- 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger
- 1 dessertspoon of rice vinegar or lime juice
- 1 dessertspoon of fish sauce
- ½ dessertspoon of tamarind or pad thai sauce
- 1 dessertspoon of soy sauce (depending on how salty/sweet you like it)

- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium hear

- Fry the spices for minute or so

- Add the onion and soften

- Add the garlic and celery and fry until the celery is fairly soft

- Add the tomato and chilli if using and cook until tomatoes are liquid

- Add the fish and ginger and fry fish on all sides

- Add the rice and the rest of the ingredients

- Cook until fish is tender

· You could also add any of the following – cashew or peanuts, beaten egg, fresh coriander , tuna or crab meat, bean sprouts etc, etc, etc!

In Search of the perfect Nshima

2010-02-01T03:33:00.000-05:00

Currently this a favourite place of mine for nshima. They are really friendly and are just opposite the gallery where I spend a lot of my time these days.

The nshima was not as good as the first time, when it was soft and yielding with no dryness, but they give you a huge piece of chicken and 2 relishes. This huge meal costs K15,000 which is about $4 I think!

But the search for good places to eat nshima in Lusaka continues!

Quick Tip - How to re-heat rice without a microwave

2010-01-30T03:21:00.000-05:00

I remember when my parents first got a microwave. EVERYTHING was cooked in it. Then as time went on, and the novelty wore off it was condemned to heating milk for hot chocolate and reheating leftovers, the odd can of baked beans, my favourite instant noodles from China town.

Then there was the cancer when we all thought we would get cancer from using a microwave. Nowadays we realise that they are no worse than cell phones (and FAR less annoying!). I miss having a microwave, they saved time and saved electricity but I have at least found an effective way of re-heating rice on the cooker and you don’t need to really stir like you do with a microwave.

- Put your rice in a sieve
- In a saucepan only slightly larger than the serve pour a couple of inches of boiling water
- Place the sieve over the water and cover
- Steam until piping hot all the way through – about 4 or 5 minutes for cold rice.

Zam Eats: The Nshima Obsession

2010-01-28T03:48:00.002-05:00

It is shameful that I have been back in Zambia so long and not really given traditional Zambian fare some coverage. To be honest, the cuisine is far from varied as things go, outside of the capital it is difficult to get more than meat pies, sausages and of nshima!

Nshima is a commone food staple throughout sub-Saharan Africa and has other names such as gari or foo foo. If you are familiar with polenta then it is more or less the same thing, except that nshima is white and is made with water only - no butter, cream or anything else. Like polenta, nishima is made from maize and particularly now during the rainy season, maize can be seen growing eeverywhere. It is stiff and comes in a large hot mound that you then break pieces from and roll into a ball. This ball is then dipped into sauce or vegetables. It's hard work to make and I confess I have never really cooked it myself because it requires so much elbow grease to mix it well!

Despite its blandness it is surprisingly addictive, both my husband and I love it and most Zambians will eat nshima twice a day. With nshima usually comes some vegetables like cabbage, rape (a type of kale), pumpkin leaves or eggplant and this is called relish. In addition might be some protein like chicken or beans and sometimes there is beef or fish.

Many people in the Lusaka area complain that it is difficult to find nshima restaurants and when you do find it, it's very expensive. This is usually because people are looking at lodges and hotels. We have found that if you are prepared to do a little searching, you will find lovely nshima and usually less than $4.

Power Salsa

2010-01-18T03:01:00.003-05:00

I call this power salsa because it is full of healthy foods, avocados are packed full of protein and good fats, mangoes are great antioxidents, onion helps boost your immune system and stringent ginger is also a good anti oxidant and helps digestion. I ate this in a pitta with some grilled white fish and it was wonderful.

1 medium size avocado

1 large mango

1 large ripe tomato

2 spring onions

1 heaped teaspoon of grated ginger

The juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander

Salt and pepper

Finely chop the spring onion.

Chop everything else so that it is quite small but still a little chunky.

Mix all ingredients to together.

That's it!

Fringilla Farm and Butchery

2010-01-18T03:01:00.001-05:00

Fringilla Farm and Lodge is about 40 km from Lusaka out on the Great North Road, a decent enough distance to make us feel like we are escape the big smoke for a while but not too far.

We were told about this farm by a friend and we were very impressed, the complex is very big, with beautifully kept grounds, a restaurant with excellent service and a well maintained farm. We were especially excited by the butchery that sells everything from beef to game meat and the staff were attentive. Unfortunately they were out of pork spare ribs but we did leave with a leg of lamb – lamb is very rare in Zambia, and some lovely free range chicken. We can't wait to go back and stock up, the meat is of such good quality because the animals clearly live happy lives, being allowed to roam free and are well fed.

2010-01-14T03:13:00.001-05:00

Banana Raisin Muffin
Try these delicious muffins that are full of good things!
Read More

Pasta Al Forno

2010-01-05T07:30:00.001-05:00

Pasta al forno is baked pasta. Probably the most famous is lasagne, this recipe is kind of a deconstructed lasagne inspired by the Greek baked pasta dish pasticcio. It is less time consuming than lasagne, and would be great for a dinner party with a green salad.

Serves 4

375 grams of short pasta – macaroni, elbows, rigatoni

Meat Sauce

1 bottle of passata (about 690gram or 720 ml)

1 large onion finely chopped

500 grams of minced beef

A large bunch of fresh oregano roughly chopped or a couple of teaspoons of dried

White sauce:

1 large dessertspoon of butter

1 large dessertspoon of white flour

2 bay leaves

300 - 500 mls of milk

1 large egg beaten

½ teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg

2 ½ cups of strong cheese

Salt and pepper

First make the meat sauce:

Fry the onion until soft and transparent

Add the beef and brown

Add the passata and oregano and simmer for about 2 hours

Test for salt and pepper

The sauce should be thick and with very little extra liquid.

When this sauce is ready, preheat the oven to 150 c and start on the white sauce and pasta.

Melt the butter with the flour and cook the paste for a couple of minutes.

Add the bay leaves

Dribble in the milk a little at a time, don't rush as you will get lumps

When the sauce is the consistency of single cream, cook until thick, stirring all the time.

While your sauce is thickening, cook the pasta until a little soft but still quite hard in the middle – about 4 or 5 minutes.

When the white sauce has thickened, remove from heat and leave to cool a little, add the beaten egg and nutmeg

In a large bakind dish or pan add the pasta and sprinkle half the cheese over the pasta, then add a layer of meat sauce – you may need to use all, you want to cove the pasta but not drown it.

Spread over the white sauce and the rest of the cheese,

Bake for 30 minutes until sizzling and cheese is melted.

Spicy Orzo

2010-01-05T07:14:00.001-05:00

When we have people round for dinner, rather than trying to impress them with fancy cookery, I tend to stick with simple and tasty. I don't want to spend all night in the kitchen sweating and stressing over stacking vegetables and adding just the right amount of jus. That's not really my style anyway.

I prefer simple things that are no more effort for six as they would be for two – roast chicken say, or a kind of one pot dish if it's something really relaxed.

On New year's Eve we had some friends around and I made this great orzo dish. I had never used orzo before (therefore breaking my rule of not doing something you have never cooked before for a party!) but it was really easy to use and the dish looked smelled wonderful on the table where people helped themselves. I didn't have any olives but I reckon they would be really good in it.

Serves 4 – 6 people

1 pack of orzo
1 small tin of tomato paste (about a tablespoon)
3 large ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
2 large aubergines (egg plants) cut into small pieces or cubes
4 large garlic cloves
2 teaspoons of fennel seeds
1 heaped teaspoon of paprika
1 rounded teaspoon or cinnamon
4 – 6 large spicy sausages like bockwurst or chorizo
3 – 4 large dried red chillies
A large handful or chopped fresh oregano
The same of fresh basil
About ¾ pint of water
A little oil
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat your oven to about 160c
Oil a shallow baking dish or tin
Empty the orzo into the tin
Add the vegetables
Slacken the tomato paste with water and pour over the orzo
Bash the fennel seeds and chillies with a pestle and mortar until quite fine
Add to the pasta with the paprika, cinnamon and whole cloves of garlic
Cut the sausages into 2 inch pieces on a slant and add
Add 2/3 of the oregano
Add about ½ pint of water
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix well
Cover and bake for about 30 minutes
Check after 20 minutes to see if the pasta needs more water
The pasta should not be liquid but have a thick sauce just clinging to it
Check for seasoning and add more salt if desired
When the pasta is cooked remove and add 2/3 of the basil and mix well
Scatter the rest of the fresh herbs on top just before serving

Treacle Chocolate Ice cream

2009-12-26T03:57:00.000-05:00

My previous attempt at ice cream was not too successful, I lost patience with having to stir it regularly for hours to break up the ice crystals so it became too hard and the flavours weren't right. To be honest, this is second try is not really ice-cream, more like a frozen pudding, the end result is much smoother and denser than ice-cream, but until I get an ice-cream maker, it will do quite nicely. Of course, the condensed milk makes this very sweet and I recommend a chocolate with a high cocoa content so that you get a more chocolatey and less sugary end result. The treacle or molasses adds a great depth and nice liquorice aftertaste. This makes enough for two, I put them in two separate plastic containers as individual servings.

1 can of condensed milk

Fresh milk – enough to fill the empty condensed milk can

90g of dark chocolate

2 dessertspoons of treacle/blackstrap molasses

Combine the milk and condensed milk in a pan over a moderate heat

Add the chocolate broken into pieces

Stir until melted

Add the treacle and blend well

Continue to heat the mixture until you have all the ingredients combined well with no streaks

Simmer for a few minutes

Pour into you plastic container or containers

Wait for it to cool before popping into the freezer

Leave for at least 6 hours

My Xmas Breakfast

2009-12-24T07:42:00.000-05:00

On Christmas morning I usually have the ubiquitous smoked salmon on a bagel or maybe in scrambled eggs. But how about something a little different that is equally as yummy and luxurious?

This really is a posh Welsh Rarebit and it is absolutely delicious!

2 slices of granary bread

1 egg

About ½ a cup of finely grated cheese – gruyere, strong cheddar or a combination. I added a little parmesan for an extra strong cheese taste

A dash of cream, about 1 dessertspoon

¼ cup Finely chopped wild mushrooms

¼ cup wilted spinach finely chopped

A pinch of mustard powder

Salt and pepper

Toast the bread on one side.

Mix all the ingredients together, the mixture should be stiff and not at all runny

Season

Spread onto the untoasted side of the bread, cover as much of the bread as you can so none of the bread singes

Put under a low to moderate grill – if the heat is too high it will cook on the outside and be raw and liquid inside

It's done when it's lightly brown on top and when you press it, no liquid comes out

*make sure there is something under the toast to catch drips*

Delicious Christmas Stuffing

2009-12-21T04:29:00.000-05:00

I made this stuffing after having some sausage meat left over from something else. It has a wonderful, complex flavor which goes really well with chicken and turkey but would probably be great with goose too. The amounts here are for a chicken of about 1.3kg which should serve at least 2-3 people. This stuffing is so good, you could use to stuff vine or cabbage leaves or make a meatloaf. I didn't add any salt to my mixture but it may depend on the sausage meat you have.

1 dessertspoon of canola or light olive oil
A teaspoon of ground fennel seeds
A teaspoon of cumin
1 large, good quality pork sausage
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 dessertspoons of walnuts
1 dessertspoon of raisins
One dessert spoon of balsamic vinegar
A large handful of fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, rosemary, sage, basil, tarragon), roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Under a low heat, lightly fry the cumin and fennel in the oil

Next add the onion and soften

Add the walnuts and sausage meat (remover the sausage from its skin)

Fry until the sausages starts to brown

Add the raisins and vinegar and reduce

When the sausage meat is cooked add the fresh herbs and check for seasoning

Nursery Beef Stew

2009-12-18T04:29:00.000-05:00

I call this nursery beef stew because it tastes like the food my mum used to make for me when I was little and that I loved. I would imagine many children would like this because the taste is very 'safe' - not spicy, no garlic and everything is soft and mellow. The stew has incorporated two cooking ideas I have recently been turned on to – slow cooking meat for tenderness and using fewer ingredients to intensify flavours. I made this in the morning to serve in the evening. Real comfort food.

Serves 3 – 4

1 tablespoon of oil
Shoulder of beef (wonderful dark meat with a little fat and some bone for flavor) cut into bite sized pieces
½ cup of white flour
2 heaped teaspoons of mild or smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
1 large onion slice
2 large carrots split lengthways then cut into 3 inch pieces approx
1 litre of stock ( a mixture of beef and vegetable works really well)
1 tablespoon of tomato puree

On a large plate combine the flour with the paprika and a good grinding of salt and pepper

Coat the beef in the flour, massage the flour into the meat

Heat the oil in a large, heave based saucepan over a moderate heat

Sweat off the onions and carrot, turn up the heat

Add the beef and brown on all sides

Turn the heat to moderate and add the hot stock and mix well

Add then the tomato puree and mix well

Simmer covered for half an hour then turn down to the lowest setting

Leave to barely bubble, covered for about 1 and a half hours - until the carrots are soft and the meat is very tender (can be easily pulled about with two forks or chew a piece)

If it is still chewy leave to cook for longer, don't be tempted to reduce the cooking time.

Chinese five spice gravel

2009-12-16T03:19:00.001-05:00

Since coming back to Zambia, I have developed certain cravings (and no, I'm not pregnant!). This is because some things you just can't get here or they are not as nice as back home or they are so expensive. I have been in mourning for cheese, good quality chocolate, mozzarella di bufala (*sigh*)Thai and Chinese food. My yearnings were only exacerbated after watching a programme about the Cantonese food traditions. I have really missed 5 spice powder which I used to use a lot back in the UK. Thanks to the aforementioned programme however, I was able to have a go at making my own. I couldn't get all of the spices needed, but did my best with some biryani mix and my trusted sense of smell.

My powder isn't really a powder, more like gravel as I had to pound my spices with a little pestle and mortar!

I used fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon stick, some black peppercorns and cloves. I ground each spice up separately then combined them gradually until it smelled about how I thought it should smell! I have to say, it worked out quite well and was used for this following dish.
Five Spice Soy
I love soy pieces and they are so cheap in Zambia, they also keep forever. In past I remember making the mistake of storing my dry soy pieces in an airtight container that also contained a bag of cloves. The soy pieces tasted pretty awful but showed just how effective they are at absorbing flavours!
My thought was then, that if I soak the soy pieces to rehydrate them, in a mixture of water, spices and soy sauce, they should taste pretty good.

So in a small bowl I emptied enough soy for 2 people (about to big handfuls)

Add a mug of cold water

A generous dash of soy sauce

A heaped teaspoon of my 5 spice gravel

I also added a small teaspoon of honey.
After soaking for abou 1 hour, I added the pieces to stir fried vegetables and cooked for about 10 minutes.

Serve with rice, mmmm!

Savoury Cheese Pastry

2009-11-09T04:48:00.001-05:00

You can use this pastry as a base for vegetable tarts, or add herbs to the dough, bake on its own and cut into pieces to make nibbles.

The measurements used make a crispy pastry, for a softer one use more fat. Use a dry and strong tasting cheese, I used Parmesan 'style' cheese since we would need to take out a loan to afford the genuine imported delicacy here in Lusaka. You could also use that dry cheese you get in a carton if you can get over the smell of feet!

3 cups of plain flour (white or wholemeal if you want to be healthier)

¼ tsp of salt

½ cup of strong grated cheese

250g salted butter – cold, cut into small cubes

235 mls iced water

Mix the dry ingredients then rub in the fat until you have a bread crumb – like consistency.

Add the water teaspoon by teaspoon and mix with you hands until you have a smooth dough.

Refrigerator for a while to make it easier to handle or freeze to use at a later date.

Key Ingredient: Cream

2009-10-30T07:29:00.000-04:00

Modern life has a lot to answer for. Due to our obsession with weight and health, cream, salt and butter have pretty much been demonized. This is a shame because, in moderation, they really bring food alive – salt especially. My argument is – cut out all the process rubbish in your diet, cook from scratch with vegetables, meat and grains and you never have to worry about too much salt.

As for cream, it is a wonderful ingredient – any sauce you make with wine and cream is sure to impress. Yes, it has cholesterol in it but it also has fat soluble vitamin D in at as well, and I am not suggesting you eat it everyday. I feel exonerated in my use of cream because I use scant amounts, and I am a female who doesn't drink milk in tea or coffee so think it is a good way to keep my bones healthy and stave off osteoporosis in the future!

Try:

Melting good quality chocolate with a small pat of butter and whisking into cream,chill and you have chocolate ganache

After cooking meat in a pan, deglazing you pan with wine, reduce, add a swirl of cream and you have an instant sauce accompaniment

Melting a blue cheese like gorgonzola in some cream for a sauce for pasta or steak

Puree rip fruit and whip through double (heavy cream) with sugar to taste for a luxuriant but vitamin packed dessert

Mix some cream through sautéed white cabbage that was fried with garlic and spritzed with lemon juice – mix through pasta or as a great side dish

Spaghetti with Easy Meatballs

2009-10-28T07:28:00.000-04:00

We had a friend over for dinner and to show off our new Tv by watching some American football. Well, they watched and I fell asleep! I had been busy all day and decided on this low maintenance dish made extra special by the addition of wine and cream. Add some dried herbs if you want, I didn't have any. Make sure the sausages are cold when you make the meatballs, they are easier to handle.

Serves 3

6 pork sausages
Large onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1 tablespoon of oil
A large glass of red wine
1 tin of tomatoes
Salt
Sugar
450 grams of spaghetti
3 dessertspoons of cream

Soften the onions and garlic over a moderate heat.

Take a sausage, squeeze a third of the meat from the case, it should be kind of ball shaped, but you can mould it a bit with your hand and drop it into the frying pan

Repeat with the rest of the sausages

Cook until sealed though not necessarily brown on all sides

Add the wine and reduce for about five minutes

Add the tomatoes and break them down with a spoon

Add salt, about half a teaspoon, but taste carefully, some tinned tomatoes are saltier than others.
Add a scant half teaspoon of sugar.

Simmer gently for about 40 minutes until you have a thick, rich sauce and tender meatballs.

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of well salted water.

Divide the spaghetti into three dishes

Add the meatballs and sauce (there should be six, good size balls per dish)

Spoon over a little cream and serve.

*When I made this, I think the meatballs were a bit too big, they should be bitesized.*

Key Ingredient: Lemons

2009-10-25T07:28:00.000-04:00

I use lemons like a condiment, squeezing them into food whenever I feel it needs a lift. If you do this, it never tastes lemony, simply adds a bit more depth to a ho hum dish. I especially like it with cheese sauces. Try it with salads as well, or in curry. I am lucky that lemons are plentiful here, and the new season isn't far off.

For a quick pasta dish,

Mix grated pecorino or parmesan and an egg into just cooked spaghetti. Finish off with some cooked chopped spinach and as much lemon juice as you like.Delicious.

Project Zam-Cuisine

2009-10-24T07:23:00.000-04:00

Moving back to Zambia has had many challenges (failing to find decent cheese being one of my biggest). Due to the vicious visa circle of not having a work permit and not having a job to sponsor because I don't have a work permit, I am 'enjoying' an extended break. I have found it difficult not to feel lazy because my husband is the only one earning, but have to accept that many people would kill for the opportunity to take some time off.

Instead of moping, I am using the time to develop my cooking and crafting skills. So far I have been decorating our house (see my blog: For the Love of) and working on new recipes so that my breadwinning husband is well fed – and myself too of course!

I have become addicted to the food programs that are on all day on TV and I have been researching and trying pick up new tips and ideas for using local ingredients. After some exploring I have found fresh herbs, great vegetables and fruit, spices and meat all plentiful and nearby. My search for cheese that is good and not hideously expensive continues.

My first project is to develop a method for making delicious ice-cream using local ingredients. So stay tuned for the results.

Zebra Crossing Cafe in Lusaka

2009-10-22T12:30:00.000-04:00

This cafe is in a really great compound that has a craft shop and other shops and it's just minutes from my house.

I am addicted to their iced tea, I'm not sure how they do it, but it has a minty flavour that's really lovely.

Anyway I had lunch there - a really nice mushroom tart and my friend had a great pumpkin salad. The portions are a bit small, but the staff are very welcoming. It's also nice to find a place that doesn't something different.

A Perfect Tomato Sandwich

2009-10-21T06:58:00.001-04:00

I used to hate uncooked tomatoes. Then I realized that I just hated cold, unripe, tasteless and watery tomatoes. When I moved to Italy soon changed my opinion face I was with tiny pomodorini bursting with flavour. On my return to the UK my love affair with the tomato ended – why? Because most of the tomatoes available in shops were from Spain, Holland even Israel, meaning that with the intense farming and refrigeration you end up with perfect looking tomatoes all year round and zero flavour. The thing is, tomatoes are not that difficult to grow, but we have become so insistent on having every ingredient possible available all year round that we are sacrificing on quality.

Now I am in Zambia and local tomatoes, farmed non intensively and locally are bursting with delicious, acid-sweetness. Juice from the tomato is think and red not thin and watery. Perfect for a fresh, healthy and irresistible tomato sandwich.

To make the perfect tomato sandwich, try following my method and see what you think.

Use locally produced tomatoes that are deep red and really soft.

The tomato should be room temperature; I keep my toms in the fridge but bring one or two out before I use them and allow them to lose that horrible bland chill

Thinly slice the tomato with a serrated knife on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the water, remove seeds if the tomato is particularly watery, or you plan to eat the sandwich later (Eg. In a packed lunch)

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise onto a hotdog/burger bun, crusty cob or roll. This bread is dense so absorbs additional moisture without going pappy – white is best because it is slightly sweet and brings out the flavour of the toms

Put your slices of tomato onto the bread and sprinkle with salt

Shred some basil leaves and add, don't be stingy

Drizzle a very small amount of olive oil over

Serve.

Coriander (cilantro) and Lemon rice

2009-10-19T07:15:00.000-04:00

Although maize is the staple in Zambia, rice is also cultivated here in places like Chama and Mongu, where they get more rain. I love the local rice, it is very fragrant and quite sticky. I know I should eat brown, and I do quite often, but white is still my favourite.

The rice here is packaged and shipped in less time so still is full of taste and fragrance when it's cooked.

By simply salting the water when it comes to the boil the rice becomes wonderfully fragrant and tasty, but here's another way of serving rice, especially if you find your rice is lacking in deptrh. Luckily, most lemons bought here are not waxed – thank goodness, but if you're buying from a supermarket, make sure they are unwaxed. If you're not sure run your nail firmly along the skin without piercing it to see if you can gather any of the wax or not.

This makes enough for about 3 – 4 people and is really good with fajitas or chili con carne

A large bunch of coriander

The rind of a lemon - unwaxed

2 coffee mugs of your favourite rice

Salt

To cook the rice, either rinse the grains first if you don't like your rice too sticky – until the water is clear

Add the rice to the pan with twice the amount of water.

Bring to the boil. Add salt – half a teaspoon or thereabouts as well as the coriander and lemon rind.

Stir once with a fork then cover and turn off the heat

Wait for rice to absorb all the water.

Check for seasoning and serve.

*Try also adding dried rosemary to the water when cooking, about 2 teaspoons*

Chickpeas with mint and chili

2009-10-16T07:15:00.001-04:00

I love markets. The energy, the assault on the senses, voices shouting, the colour bursts of the produce, the smells. I was excited then by the prospect of the Tuesday Market here in Lusaka. It is held weekly (I don't need to tell you the day) in a covered area of some church grounds. It was crowded and noisy and had a remarkable variety of produce. I was most excited by the fresh herbs I found – coriander (cilantro), mint and even dill! All priced at less than 10p for a bunch. I bought tomatoes deep red bursting full of juice and tasting sunny, crisp peppers and more. The market was full of buyers of many races all stocking up on everything from fresh peas to the massive spikey jack fruit that taste sweet and fragrant (a little like custard apples) and look like grotesque, overgrown sea urchins. I have never seen them growing in Zambia so assume they were brought down from Tanzania.

The market also sold spices and pulses and I bought a massive bag of chickpeas for very cheap. Along with the mint I made this delicious dish which we ate with rice but you could also eat with chapattis, on baked potatoes or cold in wraps with some salad. It's versatile and healthy as it can be eaten hot or cold. Make a large amount and keep it in the fridge or freeze it. How much chili you use depends on the potency of your chilis and how spicy you like it. Start of one or two (especially if they bigger as they tend to be milder) and add more if you like extra kick. The heat of the chili with the mint and yoghurt is incredibly seductive. If freezing or planning to reheat, add the yoghurt when serving, separately as it doesn't do well when reheated or frozen.

This makes enough for 4 greedy people.

350g of chickpeas

1 tablespoon of cooking oil

A large onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

2 large, very ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

1 large potato cut into 2 cm slices or you can use small new ones. Try to get waxy potatoes as they hold their shape better when they are cooked

Two teaspoons of medium curry powder

1 -2 large dried chilies

1 heaped teaspoon of garam masala

2 teaspoons of vegetable powder or half a stock cube

2 teaspoons of tomato puree

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint

Several dessertspoons of natural yoghurt to drizzle before serving

Salt

First cook the chickpeas in a coverd pan after soaking them overnight.

After they are soft but still hold their shape (about 30 – 40 minutes) drain half of the water away, add a teaspoon of salt , stir well and set to one side.

In a deep frying pan or wide bottomed saucepan, fry the onions on a medium heat until they start to colour and add the garlic.

After a minute or so add the potatoes and fry for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, chili (broken into pieces), curry powder and garam masala and a pinch of salt

Cook until the tomatoes start to break down.

Add the chickpeas in the water you saved, and the vegetable powder or stock cube.

Cover and simmer slowly until the potatoes are soft all the way through but still hold their shape (about 20 minutes)

Add the chopped mint and tomato puree and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Check for seasoning.

Before serving spoon some yoghurt on top (1-2 dessertspoons) and remove the chili pieces.

Orecchiette Zambian Style

2009-10-13T03:41:00.000-04:00

It's funny the things you find in supermarkets here. You cannot imagine how excited I was to find orecchiette. For those of you unfamiliar, this is a type of pasta native to the Puglia region of southern Italy and means 'little ears'. It's quite a dense and creamy pasta when cooked and is traditionally served with broccoli sprouts or 'cime di rapa'.

Cime di rapa isn't available here, but another, similar green vegetable 'rape' is. As you can see, it's a lot like spring greens or kale. It has an irony, mustardy taste and is a common dish here. You can use in salads as well, though I doubt many Zambians ever eat it raw.

For this quick pasta dish, simply cook the orecchiette in lots of well-salted water while you fry a little garlic in oil (preferably olive). Add to this a finely sliced tomato (I use a cheese grater) which you fry until it starts to soften, then add a good handful of slice rape – it shrinks like spinach so add quite a bit, season with salt. Wilt in the pan, conserve some of the water from the pasta to add when draining and add to the rape, you can spritz with some lemon juice for a bit of a kick, but it isn't essential. Return the pasta to the pan and add the vegetables, add pecorino or parmesan if you have it, but it's good without too. Enjoy!

Aubergines

2009-10-11T03:36:00.000-04:00

Vegetables are plentiful and cheap here and I am happy to finally buy aubergines again. I didn't in the UK very often because they were expensive. Aubergines are so versatile and because of the porous flesh, are great to marinate. I marinated these slices in a store bought marinade, which was really a waste of time and should have kept to my own concoctions.

Try:

White miso paste, dashi, rice vinegar and spring onions.

Ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey , sesame oil and five spice powder.

Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and parsley.

I haven't given measurements as I usually just keep adding until I get the taste I want. You can slice the aubergines lengthways and marinate them in larger slices, or cut them small like I did here. Then, either grill, roast or fry.

Zam - Eats

2009-10-09T14:20:00.000-04:00

Lunch Idea

2009-10-05T14:14:00.000-04:00

Making lunch isn't easy these days, sandwiches are not cheap to make. Nice bread costs a lot more as does cheese, ham etc. cooking is often easier, hence this concoction which was really tasty. I don't have a very catchy name for it, but it took just a few minutes to make as I had cooked the lentils the day before. The lentils I used are green, they cook quite quickly I did soak them in water for about 30 minutes first but doubt I really needed to. After cooking 250g of lentils in unsalted water for about 20 – 30 minutes, drain and return to the saucepan. While still hot add salt, a good slug of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and small slivers of garlic. Replace the lid on the saucepan and leave to steep for a couple of hours.

The lentils can then be used in salads, added to other dishes or used for the recipe below.

Sausage with lentils and cabbage for 1.

1 dessertspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil

1 sausage

1 handful of shredded cabbage

About 50 grams of cooked lentils.

Remove the skins from the sausages.

Heat the oil in a wide bottomed saucepan and add the sausage meat, break it down with a fork.

When browned, add the cabbage and fry for a minute.

Add the lentils cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted.

Taste for seasoning (the lentils will have salt and lemon already) if necessary add some salt and more lemon juice.

Learning to Cook in Zambia – again!

2009-10-01T14:11:00.001-04:00

Mykitchen, for the moment.

Coming back to Zambia has required a re-awakening of my culinary memory. A trip through the main supermarket here revealed what I had forgotten: if you want Western food, be prepared to pay Western prices. Tinned goods, which in the UK are seen as basics are luxuries here, a tin of tomatoes costs over £1 as opposed to as little as 9p back home. So we need to reassess our eating habits a little, pasta, rice and potatoes are fine so that's a good base to start from.

Another problem is that we are in temporary accommodation, so as you can see from the picture, my cooking area is rather basic. I have two cooking rings but no surfaces to speak of or an oven and not cooking utensils, those soufflés and roast dinners are on hold for the moment!

My next aim is to start frequenting the 'Tuesday' market where fruits and vegetables are cheap and plentiful – so I hear. There is a large Indian-Zambian community throughout Zambia and therefore spices are plentiful and cheap as they come from neighbouring Tanzania.

When I lived here before we were not in the capital so my diet was much more traditionally Zambian, meaning – nshima, staple starch eaten here made from maize. It has little nutritional value but fills you up quite efficiently. Ironically now we are in capital, nshima is harder to come by as Lusaka is more cosmopolitan. If you do want nshima, it is quite expensive because many restaurants cater to tourists.

There is however an array of restaurants serving Western style food and also Indian and Chinese restaurants. Again though, prices are about the same as in the UK, fine if you're on an ex-pat wage, but the average Zambian wage is ...

Zambia Here I come!

2009-09-25T11:42:00.000-04:00

Market and village life in Zambia.

Top picture: Kapenta, dried fish

Middle picture: cooking oil for sale

Bottom picture: shelling maize to make mealie meal (flour)

I am flying out today to join my husband in Zambia. I hope my next blog post won't be too far behind this one, but we don't have internet yet because we don't even have a place to live! Still there are internet cafes so I hope to make good use of those.

Stay tuned.

Mm's Apple Pie II

2009-09-23T09:57:00.000-04:00

Here are the last two videos with finished pie! MMM

Mum's Apple Pie I

2009-09-22T09:04:00.000-04:00

A while back I filmed my mum making apple pie.For thirty years or more she has made an incredible apple pie and I have not found a better one. She doesn't follow a recipe and improvises where necessary and it still comes out perfect every time. I hope I have picked up some of her genes. Now I must apologise for the videos, they are a bit cobbled together and I am still learning how to video well.Nevertheless I hope you will enjoy them. First 3 parts follow.

Derbyshire Ice-cream

2009-09-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

I have been accused of not liking ice-cream. This is not true, I just like good quality ice-cream that is thick, full of natural flavours and is actually made from cream. Nowadays, this is hard to combine and then it's not cheap.

Here's a decent ice-cream I found in Tissington in the Peak District, in a bit of a dark tearoom. It is made on the Chatsworth estate and has a great name. They make the traditional flavours as well as more unusual ones. I had mandarin and ginger and flavour which was creamy, not too sweet and the mandarin worked very well - I think the ginger was a bit too light.

My husband has strawberry which has lovely pieces of real strawberry in and tasted subtle. Nice.

Sorry about the photo, but you get the idea!

Pizza in London

2009-09-19T12:50:00.000-04:00

Pizza Naplolitana - Da Mario's

Pappadelle with spinach, cream and pine nuts - Da Mario's

When looking for a decent pizzeria in Britain I have certain criteria.

Is there a wood burning stove?

Are the staff, mostly Italian?

Does it smell like the places I used to go to in Italy?

And finally, perhaps more importantly:

Are there any Italians eating in there?

If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then you can be confident that the pizza will probably be pretty good.

Pizzeria Pappagone in Finsbury Park marks 100% on the above check list and makes good sized pizzas not like those piddly ones at Pizza Express (which I don't rate at all.). Plus their staff are really nice and the service excellent

Then there is Da Mario on the Gloucester Road, a favourite of the late Princess Diana, also does great pizza albeit slightly smaller. And yes, they got a tick for every aspect of the checklist, as well as having a rather interesting oil painting of the late Princess looking saintly as chef makes a pizza.

So keep the above quetions in mind and you can't go far wrong.

RIP Mr. Floyd

2009-09-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

What kind of amateur foodie would I be if I did not pay homage to the wonderful Keith Floyd! If you are vegetarian, you probably won't be too bothered by his passing as he was a committed carnivore.

I loved Keith Floyd for one reason in particular - he was ENTERTAINING. He cooked in daft locations on camp stoves, bellowed at the camera man and other crew members on a regular basis, drank heavily, set things on fire and still managed to produce sumptuous dishes. I never really felt I could cook what he was cooking, but that didn't matter, he was all about loving life and food is the quintessential element of that.

I will miss him because now we have such aself-satisfied group of TV chefs who make great dishes, but the programmes are so obsessed with their own style. Mockney barrow boy Jamie Oliver is not a patch on Floyd, Nigella Lawson's erotic munching is all very well but this new tradition of the staged social event where fake friends sit around enjoying the food, while we the viewers are left watching like orphans with our noses pressed against the window is insulting.

Their offerings are anaemic compared with Floyds full-throttle, full-blooded delivery and Britain is a slightly poorer place now.

Maybe the recipes have improved but the delivery has not.

This video is a perfect example of Keith Floyd, a salad full of posh offal, on a boat, bossing the camera man and despising the noisy river traffic - and there is the ubiquitous camp stove.

Floyd in a more subdued mood and looking a little frail, but making a fantastic cassoulet with half the gross domestic meat production of France in it.

Zanzibar Inspired Fish

2009-09-17T13:07:00.000-04:00

Soon we'll be returning to Zambia and I cannot wait to share with you all the little known cuisine of this part of Africa, as well as some of my favourite recipes!

In the mean time, here is a kind of stew/curry/soup that was inspired by very little being left in the cupboard, and a desire to cook something that would remind my husband and I of the spectacular food we had when we visited Zanzibar.

I use river cobbler for this dish simply because it is incredibly cheap and keeps its shape when cooked. Try cod, or another firm fish that will not disintegrate when cooked.

Serves 2
- two fillets of river cobbler, or other firm white fish
- 1 meduim onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil or a mixture of vegetable and sesame oil
- 2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
- 4 cardomom pods
- 1 heaped teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspon of ground cumin
- a 2 cm pieces of fresh ginger, unpeeled and finely grated
- the grate rind of a lime
- the juice of a lime
- half a can of coconut milk
- a tablespoon of thai fish sauce
- half a pint of chicken stock
- 2 fistfuls of frozen french/green beans
- a large handful of coriander

Mix together the lime rind and ginger and cover the fish with it, leave to one side at room temperature.

Fry the sliced onion in the oil until soft

Add the garlic and cumin, fry for a minute or so.

Press the cardomom pods lightly so they split a little then add those

Add the fish and seal on each side

Pour in the stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, turmeric and half the coriander and green beans

Simmer for about 15 minutes or until fish is tender - do not overcook!

Check for seasoning, add the rest of the coriander

Serve over rice or thick white noodles, chipattis would also be good

Ways with...yoghurt

2009-09-15T13:57:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I was teaching in China, everyday I had a very healthy breakfast of yoghurt and green tea, and then would buy fresh fried dough rings on the way to work which I dipped in honey (not so healthy, but very good). I am convinced that eating this yoghurt is the reason why I was one of the few foreign teachers at the school that did not get any major stomach problems. In Zambia I used to make my own using a flask and fresh local milk.

I love yoghurt's versatility, the fact it can be sweet or savoury, can be used in cooking or just eaten on its own.

I use it as an alternative to cream, plain and straight from the fridge with some salt as a dipping sauce for spice food, mix it in milkshakes, the list goes on. Make sure you buy good quality thick, pro-biotic or Greek yoghurt. Here are some ideas.

- put a tablespoon of yoghurt with an avocado, lemon or lime juice and fresh coriander and some red chilli into a blender and whizz smooth for an amazing dip

- mix with curry powder or a little curry sauce from a jar, add to salad wraps

- use instead of cream in carbonara

- add to curry

Marinated Grilled Chicken

2009-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

The weather has been pretty kind to us recently, even though we're definitely into Autumn, that doesn't mean we should put away the barbeque just yet and I have a great recipe for chicken. Chicken isn't so popular for barbequeing because it needs to be so carefully cooked. Just make sure that:
- you don't put raw chicken near cooked food or salads and keep it wrapped up until you are ready to cook it
- Use pieces that will cook quickly and thoroughly, I am a big fan of thighs. Drumsticks are dense and take a long time.
- You can make slits in the meat so it will cook through more quickly
- Make sure the juices run clear and no part of the meat is pink before eating

For a really tasty piece of chicken, marinate the meat over night in the fridge then bring out about 15 minutes before cooking. I use thighs with the bone and skin still on as they are really moist when cooked.

- For 2 People

- 4 chicken thighs with the skin and bone
- The juice of one large lemon (after juicing do not discard the lemon)
- 3 large dried red chillis
- a teaspoon of rock salt
- a teaspoon of peppercorns
- a heaped teaspoon of mixed spice
- a heaped teaspoon of garam masala
- 2 cloves of garlic cut into large pieces
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Put the spices, salt, pepper, garlic and chillis in a mortar bash with a pestle until you have a kind of paste.

Make a couple of slits in the flesh side of the chicken and rub in the spice mixture, put in a tupperware container or a bowl.

Pour over the lemon juice and throw in the lemon itself.

Add the olive oil.

Either put a lid on the container or cover with cling film

Marinate overnight in the fridge

Remove 15 minutes or so before cooking

Grill until tender and cooked through.

Peak District Eats - The Royal Oak and the best ribs in UK

2009-09-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

Ok, so Stoke-on-Trent is not on the top of everyone's list of places to visit - unless of course you have excellent taste in ceramics. But travel north out of the city through Leek and you are soon into the wonderful Roaches and the Peak District. And here are some wonderful places to eat. Choose Tissington or Ilam for tea (which we did) and for lunch you must visit the Royal Oak near Hurdlow.
They have a great menu with lots of variety, which sometimes spells trouble, but here they know what to cook and cook it well. I had liver with red wine gravy, red onions and smoked bacon on delicious mashed potato, the liver was tender and the gravy robust and comforting. My husband opted for ribs and steak. Good ribs are difficult to find here but these were delicious, tender, a generous size and the sauce was amazing. We later found out the owner had been given the recipe to him by a friend in Nantucket, Mass.

We all ate well and would've had dessert if the mains hadn't been so big! The staff and owners were super-friendly and clearly love what they do and they are careful to source their ingredients locally. Highly recommended and they have great ales too.

Villagers fear Hartington cheese factory closure could have a knock-on effect

2009-09-11T16:08:00.001-04:00

Villagers fear Hartington cheese factory closure could have a knock-on effect

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Autumn Flavours - Leeks

2009-09-11T12:56:00.000-04:00

Fresh, organic leeks are amazing right now. I didn't like much leeks until I had them in my veg box, and discovered how fresh and sweet they can really be and I think they're a great alternative to harsh onions.

Leeks are great in this easy pasta dish that could use ham or smoked salmon.

For 2 people:
- slice 2 medium slice leeks thinly,
- gently fry them in 2 dessertspoons of butter with a drop olive oil to stop the butter burning.
- Add about 100 grams of smoked ham or smoked salmon cut into strips
- Add a small glass of dry white wine and reduce

- Cook enough farfalle for 2 people in lots of well salted water
- When al dente, drain the pasta and return to the saucepan, add the leek and ham sauce, stir well

Serve topped with parmesan or grana padano. For cheeky and luxuriant dish, add some cream to the leeks.

Autumn Flavours - fresh plum sauce, Chinese style

2009-09-09T12:42:00.001-04:00

I reckon that British cooking really comes into its own in Autumn and Winter. Our climate means that Autumn crops are just outstanding, you can't beat a British apple!

In my parents' garden there is an abundance of damsons and plums, lovely fruits which make gorgeous jams and preserves, but are also great as robust accompaniments for meat. Stone damsons, cook them down with some fried onions, red wine vinegar, brown sugar and spices of your choice to make a chutney for meats and pat'es. Or stuff game meat with them after soaking them in Armagnac. I personally love gin that has had damsons soaked in it.

For plums, I would make a lovely fresh plum sauce for duck or for stir frying vegetables. Remove the stones of the plums, cook them with fresh grated ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, star anise and five spice powder. Don't forget to add some light soy sauce for seasoning and a little water - not too much.

Recipe - Aqua Sale (Poor Man's Meat)

2009-09-05T14:24:00.000-04:00

This is one of the most surprising things I tried in Italy. It is an amazing dish for using up stale bread. Aqua sale means ‘water salt’ as they are the two main ingredients, it’s also known as ‘poor man’s meat’.
The bread is key here. In Puglia the most popular bread is arguably from Monte Sant’Angelo. A large round bread that is very springy, light and dry with a heavy crust. You can buy it in its full, massive, round form or buy pieces of it. It goes stale quite quickly and is therefore perfect for this.
Any kind of dry, tasty rustic bread with a good crust works well – ciabatta is fine but it must be stale. I have adapted this a little to make a more interesting salad
· 75 g stale bread grated into chunky crumbs
· Cold water, about ¼ pint but it depends
· Course ground sea salt
· Course ground pepper
· Extra virgin olive, a large slug of it, to taste
· A handful of good quality tomatoes – vine, cherry, pref. Organic
· A handful Flat Parsley coarsely chopped
· One spring onion finely chopped
Soak the bread in water, salt and pepper. Don’t make it soggy, it must absorb the water only.
Add all other ingredients and leave to rest for about 10 minutes.
This salad should not be wet, it should hold its shape a little like a pate. The tomatoes and oil also add liquid so don’t be heavy handed with the water.

Vegetarian Food and Art at The Warehouse Cafe, Birmingham

2009-09-03T12:41:00.001-04:00

Selfridges in Birmingham dominates the skyline in the north with its UFO/aquatic/futuristic - like design. But if you venture to the area of Digbeth below, you will find an interesting modern art scene, quietly growing. (More at Scrapbook )

Walking away from Selfridges towards the top of Digbeth, you will soon come across a little sign for The Warehouse Cafe. Situated on Allison street, it is a vegetarian restaurant, network centre for Friends of the Earth, and shop. It has won awards, been reviewed, but is it that great?

I went there for lunch and had refried bean tacos with potato wedges and piquant green salad
dotted with green pickled chilli slices. The tacos were crisp with a gooey mixture of well-seasoned beans and cheese, made even nicer by adding the yoghurt and coriander side sauce to it and some of the salad. The potato wedges were tasty, crispy on the outside and beautifully soft in the middle. It was a perfect light lunch and only £6.

My only criticism was that I was expecting a kind of semi-gallery feel with lots of art, but instead there were some very small examples kind of dotted around. The restaurant itself had that typical veggie character with unfussy pine and formic tables, I didn't find the atmosphere that inducive to hanging out. However I did notice they have plans for refurbishment this month. And anyway, the food was really worth it!

The Warehouse Cafe

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Healthy Banana Cake

2009-08-02T08:20:00.000-04:00

This banana cake recipe was given to me by a student. It is wonderful and easy to make. In the original recipe Splenda is used instead, if you prefer this, do not pre-heat your oven.

2 peeled apples grated

1 sliced banana WITH skin

2 tablespoons of unrefined cane suger

1/2 tsp of mixed spice

2 egg yolks and 3 egg whites

3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

2 1/2 0z of oats

2 1/2 0z of self-raising wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180 c

Mix the oil, apple, eggs and mixed spice together

In a separate bowl, mix all the other dry ingredients

Add the the oil, apple etc to the dry mixture and combine gently

Pour into a greased baking pan - I used a square one of medium size

Bake for about 35 minutes, check after 30.

Turn out onto a rack then cut into squares when cooled.

Ways With...Brioche

2009-08-01T02:39:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a regular feature of my blog, where I highlight a particular ingredient or favourite food that is versatile. First off is brioche which is a new discovery for me.
Brioche is a sweet bread that originates from France. I have often looked at it in the supermarket with its sunny yellow glaze and wondered whether I should try it, it looked so inviting. I eventually did and wasn’t disappointed. The slightly sweet taste makes it perfect for breakfast, but also means it’s a great base for sweet dishes. I personally love brioche spit open with ham inside like a little sandwich, or a hotdog weiner, it reminds me of the baked goods from my favourite Chinese bakery.
However if you like sweet things, try brioche in bread and butter pudding, filled with ice cream as an ice cream sandwich or covered in icing/frosting to make a simple iced bun.
For the iced buns, make sure your icing is quite thick as it often slips off the shiny brown top of the brioche, you might also have to add a couple of layers if this is indeed the case.

Tangy Stove Top Pork and chicken

2009-07-29T02:19:00.000-04:00

Some of you will notice a slight resemblance to adobo with this dish with the pork and chicken steeped in soy and vinegar. There’s also a slight nod to cassoulet here with the bacon and beans. This all came about by accident - as some of the nicest dishes do – trying as I have to use up some of our store cupboard staples and frozen meats in anticipation of moving out of our flat in a few days.
Good quality bacon makes all the difference, a decent piece of pancetta is also a lovely addition, but try and get some butcher’s best bacon, or even a piece of smoked ham hock which you can cut into pieces and also cook with the bone. For the chicken I chose thighs and drumsticks because they are on the bone and are generally more tender. You can cook them with the skin on and then remove the skin after cooking.
Serves 2
- 2 tbl spns of olive oil
- 2 chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 2 pork steaks or chops
- Either 3 rashers of smoked back bacon or 250g of smoked pancetta or ham hock which you cut into pieces yourself
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 chopped cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsps of peppercorns
- 100 mls each of soy sauce and vinegar (balsamic or malt or a mixture of both)
- 1 tsp on smoked paprika
- 200 mls of chicken stock
- 1 450g can of missed beans
- 1 level tsp of brown sugar

Fry the onion in the oil until soft over a medium heat
Add the bacon pieces and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes
Add the bayleaves and meat and brown the meat a little
Add the soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns and paprika and cook for a couple of minutes
Add the chicken stock, mixed beans and brown sugar
Simmer for about 30 minutes until the meat is cooked through and tender and the sauce is thickened

If there is sauce left after you’ve eaten it can be made into soup for the next day.