Under the Weather

As I said, I have been really ill. I had a serious bronchial, chesty cough and felt really under the weather. I really do believe that you crave what is good for you. Along with my desperate craving for chocolate, I had a yearning for Thai Spicy Sweet Potato Soup.

I know that it is fairly obvious to long for something hot and warming when are ill and we all know that chillies are great for colds. They are known to act as a decongestant, expectorant and pain reliever all at once. But I think it was the Galangal or Ginger, in my homemade red curry paste, along with the mix of fresh and vibrant other herbs and spices, that I was really craving. I could not believe it when I looked up its health benefits, and along with many other great things, Galangal and Ginger are proven to reduce respiratory problems. They are a natural expectorant, are effective in removing mucus from the throat and lungs and combating various respiratory problems such as colds, coughs, flu, bronchitis, asthma, and shortness of breath.



As for sweet potatoes – super high in vitamins C and A as well as B6, magnesium and potassium they also are packed with anti-oxidants and act as a powerful anti-inflammatory.
So once again, I have effectively self-medicated myself,  with nothing more than a delicious bowl of soup.



Spicy Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup This red curry paste is really delicious and you will probably have quite a bit left over. If you love fresh coriander like I do, it may not be so much red, as green. The paste will keep in the fridge for about a week, or freeze it in an ice cube tray and use it as you need.
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
750g (2 medium sized) sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

Red Curry paste
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
4 red birds eye chillies, roughly chopped
2 sticks lemon grass, roughly chopped
6 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped
Large chunk of galangal (or ginger), peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp. salt
Small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. Naam Pla (fish sauce)
1 small can 400ml coconut cream
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 lime

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently for 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile put all the ingredients for the red curry paste in a beaker and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add a little coconut water from the tin of coconut milk to help achieve a smooth paste consistency. Add a large tablespoon of the curry paste to your saucepan and fry for a few minutes. Just cover the sweet potatoes with water and add a large teaspoon of salt. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the sweet potato is completely soft. Remove from the heat and whiz up the soup with the hand-blender. Check seasoning and add more curry paste if required and cook for a minute more.  Add the coconut milk and re-heat. Do not re-boil as it will kill the taste of the coconut milk. Add a squeeze of lime if you like.

Winter Salads with a Touch of Spring

The weather is all over the place.  One minute it is sunny, the next it is freezing and it is difficult to know what to eat.  The odd glimpse of sunshine puts me the mood for something more Spring-like, like a lovely fresh salad after a winter of stodge. Not Summer salads quite yet but a more substantial Wintery Salad with a hint of Spring. Lots of really healthy but more filling ingredients such as Buckwheat Noodles, pulses or rice fill you up and the first of the seasons Spring vegetables add colour and flavour. 

I have not one but three Winter salads. I think all three are really interesting. he first can be eaten either hot or cold. Two of them use home-made crispy onions. These are really easy to make, really delicious and produce a lovely, delicately flavoured onion oil which can be used in salad dressings.  The last salad is the most amazing as it can be not only be eaten as a salad but just add hot water and you have a soup.

So, first of all, I am using Wheatberrys which are whole wheat kernals similar to Farro, another favourite of mine and are also super good for you, high in fibre and protein but low in fat. They have a delicious nutty flavour and a nice chewy texture. I have been perfecting this salad for some time and I think the combination of New Season's Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Chilli and Crispy Onions is a winner and is delicious hot or cold.

The next is Baby Spinach, Black Rice, Butter Bean, Broad Bean and Pomegranate Salad. This is a salad was probably the invention of Gail Stephens and I used to make everyday at Baker and Spice and I love it. I don't know why but it just works. Black Rice is super good for you too.

My final salad is one I invented for a Riverford Dinner and I was trying to think up new ways with Sweet Mama Squash. I went for a Japanese theme comprising Soba Buckwheat Noodles with a Miso Dressing and finished the whole dish off with lots of crunchy seeds to add texture. I was really happy with my creation but it was too rich and I felt it needed lots more vegetables to balance the dressing so I added some roast cauliflower but some asparagus, beans sprouts or French beans would have been delicious too.  What is so bizarre about this salad is that if you add hot water you have a really lovely soup.

I know this selection of rather peculiar salads may sound like a lot or rather random ingredients thrown together but I honestly do recommend you try all three.



Crispy Fried Onions
You can make up a big batch of these and use them in all sorts of delicious ways.  The onions will keep for a week or two in air tight Tupperware.
Thinly slice a few large onions. Place in a saucepan and add vegetable oil to about half way to the top of the onions. You don't want to use too much oil as the more intense the flavour the better. The onions will cook down a huge amount. Place on a medium heat and cook carefully until they have sunk below the surface of the oil. Turn up the heat and deep fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn, stirring regularly, especially in the corners where the onions will cook most quickly. Drain immediately and break up any clumps. Scatter onto some kitchen paper and leave to crisp up. Season lightly with salt. When cool pour the oil into a bottle for further use.

Check out my Saffron Basmati Rice with Saffron, Roasted Cauliflower and Crispy Fried Onions recipe too.

Baby Spinach, Black Rice, Butter Bean, Broad Bean and Pomegranate Salad
Black Rice (Try Tilda)
Baby Spinach 
Broad Beans (I hate to say it but frozen are great and save you some time.)
Butter Beans, drained (tinned or cook your own)
Crispy Onions and Onion Oil (See above)
1 Pomegranate

Cook the rice according to the instructions.  Unlike white rice, it is quite hard to overcook. In fact, be more careful of under-cooking. It should be chewy, not tough. Remember, like with all rice, to salt the water. Drain well and allow to completely cool. Cook your broad beans and shell unless really sweet and small.  Cut the pomegranate in half and bang each half quite hard with a wooden spoon to release all the seeds. Remove any white pith.

Put your black rice in a large bowl with the broad beans, butter beans and pomegranate. Add some onion oil and season with sea salt and a little black pepper. The salt will bring the whole salad alive. Add some crispy fried onions and the baby spinach leaves.  Mix well and serve.

Wheatberries, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Crispy Fried Onions, Chilli and Garlic

Serves 2
100g Wheatberries (Try Merchant Gourmet) or you can use Freekeh, Farro, Bulgar or Barley
100g Purple Sprouting Broccoli
1 Fresh Red Chilli, very finely sliced
2 cloves Garlic, very finely sliced
Crispy Fried Onions and Onion Oil (see above)

Trim and cook your broccoli in plenty of salted boiling water. Remove and scatter the broccoli onto a tea towel to cool and drain. Add the Wheatberries to the same water and cook for 25 minutes or so until chewy and delicious.  Drain in a colander. Wipe out the saucepan and heat a little onion oil in it.  Add the chilli and garlic and cook until the garlic has turned a beautiful golden brown. Immediately add the drained Wheatberries to stop the garlic cooking further.  Add the broccoli and a handful of crispy fried onions.  Stir well, check seasoning and serve either hot or cold. 

Soba Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Roast Squash and Cauliflower, Mixed Seeds
Soba Buckwheat Noodles (Try Clearspring)
1/2 a Squash or a piece of Pumpkin (Sweet Mama, Butternut, Acorn etc)
1 Cauliflower
Sunflower Oil
Other vegetables you might like to use Asparagus, Beans Sprouts or French Beans
Seeds (Pumpkin, Sunflower, Sesame, Black Sesame etc)
Dressing
Sweet White Miso or slightly healthier Barley or Brown Rice Miso (Try Clearspring)
Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce
Large knob of Ginger, grated preferably on a Microplaner
Fresh Red Chilli, Very finely chopped
Fresh Lime Juice or Pon Zu

Peel and cut your Pumpkin or Squash into bite-size chunks. Toss with a little Sunflower oil and a little sea salt and roast in a medium hot oven until soft and beginning to caramelise.  Cut the Cauliflower into bite-size florets and do exactly the same as for the Pumpkin. Roast until nicely cooked and beginning to go golden brown. Cook the noodles according to instructions, in plenty of salted boiling water (about 7 minutes) until they no longer taste floury. Drain and refresh immediately in plenty of cold water. Drain well in a colander. Dress with a little sesame oil.  Cook any other vegetables that may need cooking.

Make a dressing with the grated ginger, the Chilli, some Miso, some Soy and the lime juice.  You will not need much as it is very rich. Get a nice balance of sweet (Miso), salty (Soy), spicy (the Chilli) and sour (lime). Mix the dressing through your noodles and vegetables.  Do not over dress or it can be sickly. Finish with plenty of seeds.

If you want to make soup then just add a little boiling water and check seasoning.

Perfect Pasties

As I was making the kids sandwiches, yet again, for their school lunch-boxes, I thought how nice it would be to be able to give them something different for a change. A home-made Cornish pasty sprang to mind.  What a great way of using up vegetables and nourishing the kids at the same time. 

Cornish pasties date back to the 13th Century, during the reign of Henry III. They were eaten by poorer working families who could only afford cheap ingredients such as potatoes, swede and onion. Meat was added later. Miners and farm workers took this portable and easy to eat convenience food with them to work because it was so well suited to the purpose. Its size and shape made it easy to carry, its pastry case insulated the contents and was durable enough to survive, while its wholesome ingredients provided enough sustenance to see the workers through their long and arduous working days. The crust (crimped edge) was used as a handle which was then discarded due to the high levels of arsenic in many of the tin mines.  Luckily, now a days we can eat all the pastry but the classic mix of beef, swede, onion and potato is set in stone and it would be considered sacrilege to modify these ingredients in any way.  

But your pasty does not have to be Cornish.  In fact it could come from almost anywhere and contain whatever you like or have to hand.  It is a fabulous way of using up left over root vegetables which always are in abundance throughout the winter months. Carrots, celeriac, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes and squashes all work fantastically well.  It could be meat free but it certainly makes a little meat go a long way. Just remember whatever you put in your pasty, it must be cut pretty small and must all cook in the same time. Because the ingredients go in raw, unlike most pies the filling must cook before the pastry burns.  But fear not. As long as the pieces in your filling are never any larger than about 1cm, it always somehow seems to work. 

My next top tip for busy cooks, is ready made, ready rolled shortcrust pasty.  The supermarkets have really got their acts together on the pastry front and you can find a good selection of all-butter pastries in the chilled or freezer section.  Check the ingredients and make sure that they contain little more than butter and flour and you can guarantee that they will be good.  

Last of all I recommend that you make up a large batch because they disappear really fast. They freeze brilliantly - I wasn't expecting you to get up a 5.00am and make them from scratch each morning for the kids lunch-box. I freeze them, uncooked and simply put them in the oven first thing in the morning and they are ready to go about 45 minutes later. Then straight in the lunch-box and they might even be still be warm by lunch time.  What better way to sustain your little miners.

Cornish Pasties

400g/14oz good-quality beef skirt or rump steak (very lean, no fat or gristle.)
200g/7oz waxy potatoes such as Charlotte (I didn't even peel mine.)
200g/7oz swede 
175g/6oz onions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
knob of butter
Ready rolled all-butter shortcrust pasty
1 egg, lightly whisked
Chop the potatoes into cubes, no bigger than 1 cms.  Peel the sweed and do the same.  Trim any fat or gristle from the meat and cut into small cubes, about 1cm.  Chop the onion fairly finely and mix together with the other ingredients and plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly grease a baking tray with butter or line with baking or silicone paper. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. (If baking from frozen then 160C.) Cut your pasty in to discs roughly 15cms wide.  I use a small bowl to cut round. Spoon some mixture into the middle of each disk and top with a knob of butter. Then bring the pastry around and crimp together.  I find the ready rolled pastry stick fine. Do not get the pastry wet or that will stop is sealing. A genuine Cornish pasty has a distinctive ‘D’ shape and is crimped on one side, never on top but I like mine the other way.  It is up to you. Just make sure it is well sealed and has plenty of filling. Put the pasties onto the baking tray and brush the top of each pasty with the egg. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes or until the pasties are golden-brown. (If baking from frozen allow up to 45 minutes.) 

Use your Veg

Sorry I have been away so long from my blog.  I am shocked to say it has been 5 months since my last post. Not that I should think many people noticed, but an increase in work-load and kids on school holidays over the summer, meant that demands on my time was so great, that hobbies such as blogging, were seriously neglected.  And once out of the routine and the more time that went by, writing my next post became a rather daunting prospect. I really began to feel quite apprehensive about it. Enough was enough - I knew that the time had come to battle my demons and just get on with it. 

What is more, I have another even more frightening event looming - some proposed cookery lessons, that I am organising in association with Riverford Organic Farms. These will focus on helping people make the most of their veg boxes each week and use up everything as deliciously and easily as possible. I really do know that it can be a challenge having a veg box and all too many people give them up. Thinking up new recipes, organising yourself and making the time to cook is hard and so, I have been really intent on devising the easiest, quickest, everyday recipes.  

There is always one or two ingredients left at the end of the week, which I insist on using before my next box arrives and this week it was some humble shallots. What is so great about being forced to use up leftovers is that this is exactly how new ideas and collaborations often occur, not always successfully but sometimes a triumph.  And this Shallot Tarte Tatin took no time at all. With only the addition of some balsamic vinegar from the cupboard and some ready rolled puff pasty from the freezer it made a fantastic quick supper but would have been impressive enough to serve for a party. It is so rich, almost meaty and really does not need any accompaniment apart from a nice crisp salad. Ever since discovering excellent ready made all butter puff pasty in the supermarkets I have been cooking endless variations of Tarte Tatin based on the classic Apple Tarte Tatin created by the Tatin sisters, which incidentally works wonderfully well with pears too, both fruits that are so in season right now. (Recipes to follow shortly).




Shallot Tarte Tatin
Make sure you have enough shallots to fill your pan.  They will shrink during cooking.
50g butter
500g shallots, peeled
1/2 cup  really good quality balsamic vinegar
small bunch of thyme, wrapped tightly in an elastic band
a sheet ready rolled all-butter puff pastry

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan that the shallots will fit in an even layer. Add the shallots and cook over a medium heat until they start to brown. Add the balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and enough water to cover. Add the thyme and poach the shallots until until they are completely cooked through. Add more water if necessary. They must be completely soft. Then reduce until the balsamic becomes syrupy. Check seasoning. Tip into a heavy, oven safe, metal frying pan. Spread out into a flat layer.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut a circle a little larger than the pan then lay it over the shallots and tuck down the sides. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed, golden and crisp. Invert onto a large flat plate, cut into wedges and serve warm. 

Another vegetable, or fruit actually, that I seem to have a glut of at the moment is tomatoes. With our terrible start to summer this year my crop, which I had hoped to keep me supplied throughout the summer, are only just beginning to ripen now. Most I fear will end up as Green Tomato Chutney but fortunately I had enough to make this Cherry Tomato Tatin. 

So, two great recipes for using up your veg which can be put together in no time at all and lots more ideas to come over the next few weeks!

Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin

It is important to reduce some of the liquid from the tomatoes otherwise your Tatin will be soggy.  The juices from the tomatoes should combine with the balsamic vinegar to make a delicious sauce. The tomatoes will shrink a lot so make sure you have enough.

50g butter
Enough cherry tomatoes to completely cover the bottom of your frying-pan
1/2 cup  really good quality balsamic vinegar
small bunch of basil
a sheet ready rolled all-butter puff pastry

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed, all metal frying-pan and add the tomatoes, a little salt, freshly ground black pepper and the balsamic.  Cook over a gentle flame until the tomatoes begin to release their juices.  Shake the pan to amalgamate the liquids and continue to cook until the balsamic becomes syrupy. Check seasoning. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut a circle a little larger than the pan then lay it over the tomatoes and tuck down the sides. Put in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is puffed, golden and crisp. Invert onto a large flat plate, cut into wedges and serve warm. 

Eat Your Veg

As I may have mentioned, one of my many jobs is trying to inspire people how to use up a weekly organic veg box. I go to peoples houses and in two hours cook up a lunch for up to 10 people, from a medium veg box. None of the recipes are complicated, but I have to admit that when I get home from work, often the last thing I feel like doing is cooking. So I am going to share with you the ultimate easy, quick recipe for using up lots of veg, which also keeps kids and adults happy alike and it is none other than "a bake".

A "bake" really doesn't conjure up a good image for me - vegetable bake, tuna bake, cheesy bake - just the names fill me with repulsion. But there is no reason why a bake should not be a beautiful thing and happily it is always all baked in one pan, which saves on washing up.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to it my kids, aged 5 and 7, they are happiest eating nothing more complicated that some meat or fish, some potatoes and some vegetables. But it is so important to keep it varied, interesting and full of flavour. So this first recipe is just very simply a selection of all your families favourite vegetables, baked all together with a lovely piece of fresh wild salmon.. Choose a selection of seasonal vegetables which compliment rather than overpower the fish. This dish also makes a great alternative to a roast at the week-end especially when entertaining. If you want to impress, make a lovely Salsa Verde , some Salmoriglio or even a delicious Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce to drizzle over your fish.

The second recipe is similar but involves sausages instead of fish. I choose a selection of sausages. Some plain ones for the kids, some spicy ones for the adults. Chorizo style sausages work particularly well and add a smoky note. The sausages stand up to stronger flavoured vegetables - onions, shallots, swede, celeriac or parnips. This is a really good way of using up vegetables at the end of the week from your veg box. And, if you have got a lot of veg to use up, you can always leave out the fish or meat and just have the baked veg. It is just delicious on it's own.

Fillet of Wild Salmon and Vegetable Bake 
I only eat wild salmon, when in season, as I find farmed salmon is too fatty for me. There seems to be a good supply of sustainable Alaskan Wild Salmon available, very reasonable and full of flavour. ObviousIy I would prefer to shop more locally than Alaska so If you are worried about your carbon footprint then at least make sure that the vegetables are locally sourced. The selection of vegetables is up to you but the is my favourite. Beetroot or bitter leaves such as Radicchio or Trevise are also lovely with salmon.  One last tip about salmon: don't over cook it.  As soon as you see white liquid coming out of the salmon, that is albumin and it’s a protein, and is a sign that you salmon is done. Remove immediately from the oven and your fish should be still pink and juicy inside.

2 generous slices of wild salmon, with or without skin
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed of excess outer leaves, save fronds 
2 baby courgettes, cut in half
Large handful of cherry tomatoes
Couple of handfuls of New Potatoes, boiled in salted water until cooked
1 Bunch of Asparagus, woody stem snapped off
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Cut the fennel into 4 or 6 pieces lengthways, depending on size.  Cut the potatoes in half or if very small leave whole. In a large baking dish toss all of the vegetables with 3-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Make sure the tin is big enough.  If the vegetables are too crowded they will sweat instead of bake. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Try and make sure that the potatoes are facing down and that the fennel is also flat side down.  The more surface area that comes into contact with the bottom of the pan, the easier the vegetables will brown. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove the pan from the oven and push the vegetables to one side. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and place it in empty space you made in the baking dish. Return the dish to the oven and bake
for another 10 minutes, based on thickness of the salmon. Scatter with the chopped fennel
fronds.

All sauce recipes are adapted from The River Cafe.
Salsa Verde
I vary this recipe according to what I am serving it with.  I prefer to go easy on the mint as it can end up tasting a bit toothpasty and instead I opt for basil, dill, chives or the fronds from the fennel tops.  Just get a good tasting balance.
1 large bunch Flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 bunch Mint leaves
Very good extra-virgin olive oil
3 Garlic cloves
100g Capers
50g Anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Red-wine vinegar

In a food processor chop the garlic, capers and anchovies. Add the mustard and vinegar, season and add some olive oil and purée until well amalgamated.  Add all the herbs and whiz and more olive oil to achieve desired consistency.

Salmoriglio
In a pestle and mortar, pound 4 level tablespoons fresh Thyme or Marjoram or a very good quality dried Oregano with 1 teaspoon sea salt until completely crushed. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Pour 8 tablespoons of very good, peppery extra virgin olive oil slowly into the mixture. Add a little freshly ground black pepper. 

Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce

2 tbsp. fresh young rosemary leaves, very finely chopped
12 anchovy fillets
Juice of 1 lemon
150mls very good extra-virgin olive oil

Place rosemary leaves in a mortar and grind as finely as possible. Add anchovy fillets and grind to a paste. Add lemon juice, mix well, and then, stirring constantly, add oil, a few drops at a time. Transfer sauce to a small bowl.

Sausage Bake with Vegetables
You can use all sorts of vegetables in this dish. I like to use up whatever I have left in the fridge.

Some good quality sausages
1 Red Pepper, cut into largish chuncks
A handful or two of cherry tomatoes
1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2 cms chunks
2 parsnips, cut in 4 or 6 lengthways, depending on size
4 small shallots, pealed
1 or 2 Red onions cut into 8 wedges
A handful of New Potatoes, cooked in pleanty of salted water, cut in half
1 Bunch of Asparagus, woody stem snapped off
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A bunch of thyme

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Toss all the vegetables in plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a large roasting tray with the sausages.  Make sure they are not overcrowded or they will sweat rather than bake.  Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring well half-way through.

"Awesome!"

I have to say that in our household we are not really cutting edge with the latest technology.  Partly a deficit of money and partly due I guess to our age, we often find ourselves several years behind the latest trend.  I remember taking delivery of my new computer in 2002 which was the size of a small house, and on the advice of a friend I connected to the Internet.  I just used to sit in front of it and wonder what on earth I was meant to do with it. E-mail was alien enough, let alone blogging. I had never even heard of it. Ten years later, I have just about got my head around blogging and everybody else has moved on to Twitter.


So when I tell you that Hugh has a new addiction, you can guarantee it is a bit out of date.  He has discovered Man versus food, probably about  four years later than most people and has been watching it obsessively on Dave on Monday nights, raving about  the fantastic food in America, especially the sandwiches.   Due to our lack of SKY he only discovered the channel Food Network UK a few weeks ago but now that he has, he seems to be able to watch Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives pretty much solidly, every night.  And now my life is a constant barrage of requests for burgers, pulled pork, Texan chicken hash, smoked beef brisket and every sandwich you can imagine - Po' Boys, Ruben's, Clubs, Bahn-mi, Hoagies and Philly Cheese Steaks.  Guy, the presenter says "awesome" in every sentence, about the same amount of times as most English people say "You know what I mean".  First there is a quick run through on how each dish is made.  The ingredients always seems to be the same no matter what it is they are making; salt, sugar, vinegar, ketchup (containing salt, sugar and vinegar) and barbecue sauce (also containing salt, sugar and vinegar) feature heavily.  Then a huge amount of meat, is piled into some receptacle, be it Ciabatta, French bread, a taco, a sub roll, or a tortilla for example and then it is covered in more sauce, usually containing salt, sugar, vinegar, tomato ketchup and barbecue sauce and then Guy attempts to get as much as is humanly possible in his mouth in one go before proclaiming it "awesome!".  


I have to admit, a lot of those sandwiches look great.  I have already given the Rubens a pretty good attempt and I also make a fine Falafel Sandwich.  I have confronted all sorts of wraps from Chicken Shawarma to Chipotle Spiced Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chilli Tortilla, but to shut Hugh up, I decided to give my hamburgers a re-assessment, just to make sure that they were as good as they could possibly be.  

First I started with the burger.  I did a bit of research and just as I thought, true burger fans would not settle for anything in their burgers apart from top quality beef and a little seasoning.  Nothing else because the beef should speak for itself!  I used the best I could find - organic, 28 aged Aberdeen Angus beef.  Next the burger bun.  I went for a nice floury bap which I lightly grilled before using.  Ciabatta works well but steer clear of the ready made burger buns as they tend to be a bit lame.  Next, the filling.  I wanted avoid all the usual, commercial sauces. I wanted something fresher and cleaner.  So I opted for a home-made cherry tomato, chilli and avocado salsa with lime and coriander for zing.  I also chose some char-grilled fresh red onion, a little salad and finally a slice of swiss cheese.  Why?  Because those are my favourites.  In my considered opinion, that is what works best for me.  And that is what is so great about cooking a burger at home.  Because you can choose exactly what you like.  So all I needed now was some large guy to turn up and try and eat the whole thing in about three mouthfuls and declare it "awesome!".

Cherry Tomato, Chilli, Avocado and Coriander Salsa  
This is identical to one of my favourite salads.  I just chopped everything a lot smaller and added a little more chilli.

One clove of garlic (very finely chopped)

Two Fresh Red Chilli (very finely chopped)

2 spring onions (finely sliced)
200g cherry tomatoes (quartered)
2 ripe avocados (pealed and chopped into large bite size pieces)
Juice of one or two limes
Bunch of Coriander (very finely chopped)
Glug of Olive Oil
Good pinch salt
Freshly ground pepper

Mix garlic, chilli, lime juice and olive oil together.  Season well.  Stir in rest of ingredients.  Make sure avocado is well coated in lime juice to avoid discolouration.

What's in a name?

I am sure you wouldn't remember but one of my favourite advertising campaigns ever, was when "Mr Dog" changed it's name to "Caesar".  Mr Dog was a dog food for "small dogs" and not a brand that I was familiar with, since I have never had a small dog. I don't even think many small dog owners were particularly familiar with the brand either, since they probably fed their dogs on dog food which was suitable for all dogs, regardless of size.  So to have an advertising campaign for a dog food, you had never heard of, changing it's name, just seemed bizarre.  Why bother?  Was this the brain child of some top advertising company?   Did they think that re-naming a dog food "Caesar" was somehow going to catapult this product from obscurity into the best-selling dog food list? And after the initial "Why?" which sprang to mind every time they ran this advert, came an even more strong sentiment of "So what? Who cares? So what if Mr Dog is now called Caesar?". 

So when I tell you that, as you may or probably more likely may not have noticed, that my blog has changed name, as a result of a complete crisis at sometime around 3.00am in the middle of the night a few day ago, when I decided somewhat over-dramatically, as one does at that time of night, that Urban Ethnic cooking could not go on any more,  I do expect you to exclaim - who cares?  Well I do!  Urban ethnic cooking was just a bit pretentious and long winded for me and I am much happier now to be witting under a somewhat less profound and ostentatious identity.  And, so why Checky's Kitchen? - well, my nickname is Checky and I spend most of my life in the kitchen!   

So, without no more to-do, this weeks blog.... I  have been making a lot of Samosas recently.  They are just perfect as a snack and I thought they might even be nice to serve up for friends on bomb fire night.  I have made them with sweet potato, pumpkin and butternut squash but I do think that the recipe below works best.  I have to admit that I have been using ready made pastry which you can buy from all good Asian shops.  You will find it in the freezer and it may well be called Spring Roll Pastry, which is the same thing.  It comes in all sorts of sizes.  I usually buy the largest unless I am making canapés.  They are a good time saver to making your own pastry but not as good as the real thing so I will be giving the pastry a go next week and I will let you know how I get on.    

Finally another favourite snack at the moment, Crispy Roast Chickpeas.  You can have lot of fun with flavours and I much prefer them to the savoury flavoured pop-corn trend. Chickpeas are used in so many world cuisines I am actually finding it hard to find a country that doesn't eat them, although not everybody calls them the same thing.  Half the world knows them as Garbanzo Beans.  I can just hear it - "Chickpeas have changed their name to Garbanzo Beans". No, I won't start that again.

Vegetable Samosas

I have been giving a lot of thought to good fats recently and I am always questioning what is the best fat to use when cooking? It is a bit of a minefield out there of information at the moment. When I was growing up they told us butter was bad and margarine was best. Now there has been a complete reversal of opinion apart from, rather worryingly, the NHS.

This time it was a tossup between butter and coconut oil. Olive oil, my usual oil of choice, was not appropriate for samosas and I am very anti-vegetable oil. Health wise, butter and coconut oil are both in a similar boat. Once considered bad boys for their high content of saturated fat, (coconut oil has a much higher ration of saturated fat to butter) opinion seems to have changed. It is now considered that it is more important that they are low in omega 6, compared to vegetable oils which are very high. Our bodies need Omega 6 and Omega 3 but in equal ratios. Unfortunately, we are consuming far too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3 and vegetable oil is the main culprit. I now try and use primarily olive oil (high in omega 3), then butter (grass fed cows are also a good source of Omega 3) and finally coconut oil which contains no Omega 3, but neither does it contain Omega 6 and it can withstand high heats and adds a great flavour. Just use them in small amounts!

Taking all this into consideration, I decided to use Coconut oil for flavour BUT to bake my samosas instead of frying, to dramatically reduce the amount of oil I was using.

Finally, a note on frozen peas. I know I shouldn’t be telling all you seasonal veg enthusiasts, striving to eat fresh and local produce but to me, a samosa needs peas, even in the winter. But you can add any vegetables you like.

Vegetable Samosas

If cooking for the kids, omit the chilli. To avoid any bad fats, you might want to make your own pastry.
Coconut oil
400 g Maris Piper (or similar floury) potatoes
250 g cauliflower
125 g frozen peas
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
Large knob of fresh ginger
1 fresh green chilli
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
½ a lemon, juice from
Bunch of fresh coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and chop the potatoes into rough 1cm chunks. Break the cauliflower into similar sized florets as the potato. Add the potatoes to a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. When nearly cooked, about 8 minutes, add the, adding the cauliflower and after a further 3 minutes add the peas. Bring back to the boil and cook for a final minute, then drain.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the garlic and grate finely. Scrape the skin off the the ginger and finely grate. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Heat some coconut oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes or so until translucent and pale. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and the spices and a teaspoon of salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook for a minute or two more and add the drained vegetables. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season to taste. Stir in the chopped coriander. Taste again. Add more spices or chilli to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Lightly grease a large baking tray with oil.

Lay out the filo pastry and cut it in half lengthways. Take your first sheet and brush with some melted coconut oil. Spoon in the filling right down one end and fold over in triangular turns until you reach the other end. (Please see youtube link.) Finally brush with a little more coconut oil and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for around 25-30 minutes, or until golden and piping hot through. Serve straightaway if possible.



Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

I'm really love these with all sorts of seasoning but anything with chilli lends itself particually well.  Check out Seasoned Pioneers for some of their spice mixes such as Cajun or Creole Spice Blend , Thai Seasoning Blend, Fahita Seasoning or Baharat or Ras-el-Hanout.  

One 15-ounce can chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Spice blend of your choice

Preheat oven to 180C.
Drain the can of chickpeas in a strainer and rinse with water for a few seconds to clean. Shake the strainer to rid of excess water. Lay paper towl on a baking sheet, and spread the chickpeas over. Use another paper towel to gently press and absorb the excess water. Roll around with the paper towel to also remove the thin skin where possible.
Drizzle the olive oil over the beans and coat. Roast for 30-40 minutes until the chickpeas are a deep golden brown and crunchy. Make sure that they do not burn.
Season with salt and spice blend whilst still warm.

Some Indian influenced Jewels

I have two quite special recipes this week, as they are ones I have been perfecting over a few months and I think they are both fairly unique.  The first is Roast Chicken which is first smothered with lime pickle.  The chicken and lime works really well together and with the Indian spices it is amazingly delicious.  You can make the lime pickle yourself or else buy some but make sure it is a good quality one.  The Indian spices are also fantastic with the accompanying roast vegetables.  I think it is just such a great use of a store cupboard staple.

You can also try substituting the lime pickle for Harissa to make "Harissa Chicken".  Again, you can make your own Harissa (recipe below) or Belazu make a particularly good one with real Rose Petals.  With both these recipes, I don't marinade the chicken for long.  This way, it is not too spicy for the kids, but I make a really kicking gravy for the adults, so every one is happy.  If, however, you do not have kids to feed, you could try marinating the chicken overnight, before roasting. 

Next a recipe for Saffron Rice with Roast Cauliflower and Crispy Fried Onions.  This is a sort of mix-up of lots of different things.  The Saffron Rice is originally a Persian or Iranian dish and served hot but I wanted to make more of a salad. I have added some green lentils and toasted cauliflower and it is delicious served at room temperature and a great accompaniment to the chicken.  The crispy onions on top are so easy and can be used in many different recipes.  Whilst making them, you get a delicious onion flavoured oil, which is great for seasoning not only this recipe but lots of different salads.  If your onions go soggy you can just crisp them up again in the oven but make sure you do not burn them!

Roast Chicken with Lime Pickle

Take you chicken out of the fridge a while before you roast it to allow it to come up to room temperature.  Only buy Free Range Chicken, if you can afford it.  It really is worth the extra money!  Remove any trussing.  Smother the chicken in Lime Pickle and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Turn up side down (breast side down) and place on a roasting tray in a hot oven at 180°C.  Roast for 20 minutes before turning the right way up and returning to the oven for a further 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.  Check to see if the chicken is cooked regularly after 45 minutes total cooking time.  Insert a skewer into the thickest bit of the leg, closest to the breast, and the juices should run clear.  When cooked, remove the chicken to a plate large enough to catch the juices and cover with tin foil.  Place the roasting tray on the hob over a medium flame.  Add a good glug of white wine and scrape up all the gunky bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add a good few tablespoons of Lime Pickle and taste for seasoning.  The gravy should have a punchy kick.  Add any further juices escaped from the chicken and serve. (The cooking times are for a fairly large, family sized chicken.  Adjust the cooking times accordingly.)

Harissa can be used to substitute the lime pickle on the chicken in exactly the same way and then also stirred into the gravy.  I will give you a fantastic recipe for "Roast Winter Vegetable Cous Cous" very soon, which is delicious with this version of the Chicken.   

Harissa Sauce

Put some roughly chopped red onion and some peeled cloves of garlic in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle generously with cumin and olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and roast in a medium oven until soft. Char-grill some red peppers and whole red chillis until blackened all over. Place in a bowl covered with cling film and leave to cool. Remove the skin and seeds. Whiz up all ingredients in a food processor with some olive oil, a preserved lemon or two and a bunch of coriander, until smooth.

Saffron Basmati Rice with Saffron, Roasted Cauliflower and Crispy Fried Onions

Crispy Fried Onions

Thinly slice a few large onions. Place in a saucepan and add vegetable oil to about half way to the top of the onions.  You don't want to use too much oil as the more intense the flavour the better.  The onions will cook down a huge amount.  Place on a medium heat and cook carefully until they have sunk below the surface of the oil.  Turn up the heat and deep fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn, stirring regularly, especially in the corners where the onions will cook most quickly. Drain immediately and break up any clumps.  Scatter onto some kitchen paper and leave to crisp up. Season lightly with salt. When cool pour the oil into a bottle for further use.

Meanwhile cook some basmati rice with salt and a generous pinch of saffron. Again, don't use too much water as you don't want to dilute the saffron too much. The rice should be a beautiful, deep orange colour.  When cooked, drain and refresh in cold water.  This is a salad and it is important that the rice is fluffy and separated.  Allow to drain again for at least an hour, if not more. Cook some Green Lentils very gently in plenty of water for about 15-20 minutes until tender.  You want them to still have a little bite and texture.  Drain for at least half and hour.  Next roast your cauliflower. Cut it into even size florets and make sure it is completely dry by patting it in between paper towels. Toss the florets with a good glug of olive oil, some salt, some freshly ground black pepper, a few teaspoons of cumin and some hot chilli powder or cayenne. Mix well and lay out in a single layer in a roasting pan. Roast in the middle of the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, then give them a good toss to ensure even cooking.  Roast for 10 minutes more or until the edges are brown and crunchy.  In a bowl mix the rice with some of the onion oil, plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Immediately you will taste the great combination of saffron and subtle onion flavours. You can add some finely chopped coriander if you like.  Add the lentils and cauliflower and check for seasoning. Pile onto a serving plate and heap crispy onions on top.

Really Lovely Roast Vegetables to serve with your Chicken

Choose from Carrots, Parsnip, Fennel, Celeriac, Swede, Butternut Squash and Pumpkin.

Cut up your vegetables into large chunky, bite size pieces.  Carrots, Fennel and Parsnips should be cut into even sized wedges, lengthways through the root. Toss with good olive oil, salt and pepper and lay out on roasting trays.  Each vegetable should be on a separate tray with plenty of room between each piece, to allow even cooking.  Roast until golden in a hot oven at 180 -200°C.  Only mix together when cooked.  Add chopped herbs if you like.

Onion Bhajees and other stories

I have just looked in the fridge and I have a glut of onions.  This is often the way when you have an organic vegetable box delivery.  There is often a glut of something, and this time it is onions.  Last time a made a batch of Onion Marmalade, which is delicious with fresh bread and cheese. 

I am tempted to make a classic gratinated French Onion soup but I know that my stock of stock in the freezer is currently very much depleted and although I don't think stock is always necessary for soup, for a really good French Onion soup you really need a beef or ox-tail stock as a base. 

Then I remember a huge bag of Gram flour that I bought, firstly because it came in a very beautiful bag and secondly because I had intended to make some Rotis, only to discover that Rotis use chapatti flour.  Gram flour is make of ground chickpeas (chana dhal) and is therefore gluten free, which is great for Celiacs, but not for Rotis.  Anyway, I remembered that I had seen a recipe on the back of the packet for Onion Bhajees.  The recipe, it turns out, apparently comes from their acclaimed cookery book "The Flavours of Gujarat" by Jane Breddy for Virani Foods, so I thought it was definitely worth a try.  Unfortunately it called for, amongst other things, rice flour, which I did not have. 

And then I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to accompany my onion Bhajees with some poppadums and homemade Indian chutneys. I had a craving for a delicious sour and spicy lime pickle, a sweet and aromatic mango chutney and cool and fresh cucumber and mint raita. So I decided to set off to Tooting, where I know there is a large Indian community, so there was bound to be exciting shops waiting to be found, and stock up on Indian goodies. 

I had not been to Tooting for many years, as when I lived in Shepherds Bush, Southall so abundantly satisfied all my Indian cookery shopping requirements. However, Tooting did not disappoint.  I found numerous shops selling every spice, herb, pulse or types of flour you could ever require.  Plus lots of lovely vegetables and fruit at great prices.  I picked up my limes, for my lime pickle, (5 for a £1) and mangos for my mango chutney (4 for £1), which I thought was quite a bargain.  I bought a selection of Poppadoms to fry at home. I have never made my own yet and I have heard it is not easy but the bought ones are great and come in a huge selection.  I particularly like the little baby ones which are great for a snack or canapé when entertaining.  I also like the large ones with either cumin (Jeera) of black pepper.

I also found some Panch Puran, affectionately known as Bengali 5-Spice, which is a combination of Fennel seeds, Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds and Nigella seeds which I am quite excited about, as they all flavours I love and I only recently discovered that there was a specific mix, which is apparently used in many traditional Indian dishes.  I decided to add some to my Raita to spice it up. I also bought some bunches of coriander (2 for £1.20) and mint (2 for £1) and finally found the dried Kashmiri chillis which I had been searching for, for weeks. 

The Onion Bhajees were delicious and lovely dipped in Raita or with a dollop of spicy, sweet mango chutney.  Unfortunately my lime pickle is not quite ready.  I will let you know how it turns out in 5 weeks or so.  Not much sunshine in England at this time of year!

Onion Bhajees

8 oz pure gram flour
1 tbsp rice flour
1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp dhana-jeera powder

2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tbsp turmeric

1 - 2 tsp salt

2 large onions, cut in half and sliced finely

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

7 fl oz water

Oil for deep frying

Sieve the gram flour into a large bowl then mix in all the remaining dry ingredients together with the onion slices and chopped coriander. Gradually add some water, mixing thoroughly until a thick batter is formed and the onions are well coated.

Heat the oil to a depth of 2" to 3" in a wok, karhai or deep-fat frying pan over a medium heat. When it is the correct temperature a drop of batter will rise immediately to the surface without turning brown.

Drop heaped teaspoons of the onion batter into the oil (take care not to make the Bhajees too large otherwise the centre will not cook). Fry a few at a time, turning if necessary, for about 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Repeat until all the Bhajees are cooked allowing time for the oil to reheat between each batch. Once finished deep frying drain the onions Bhajees on absorbent paper.  Deep frying the onion batter in sunflower oil is the healthiest option.

I got this recipe from a website on the net http://limepickle.com/chutneys-pickles/lime-pickle-recipe.html and it contains loads more information so check it out.

Lime Pickle

16 Limes
5 tbsp salt
3 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp white vinegar
250 grams mustard seeds
50 grams crushed fenugreek seeds
10 tbsp red chilli powder.
1 tsp asafetida powder
2 cups vegetable oil

If you can, put the lime pickle in a room where it will catch the sunlight or is near a radiator. This lime pickle recipe can be made all year round!

Cut limes into small pieces or quarters. Add salt, turmeric and white vinegar. Stir well making sure that every piece of Lime is covered. Then set aside in your storage jar.
Stir the marinade every alternate day for 4 weeks or longer until the pieces of Lime are quite soft and tender. Remember to seal the container when you have finished!
Add the crushed mustard, asafetida, red chilli powder, vegetable and mustard oil.
Mix well and wait for 1 additional week before using the Lime Pickle.

This mango chutney is really delicious.  It has more of a kick, is much more flavourful and less gloopy than the readymade varieties.  It is really worth the effort.

Mango Chutney

1.5kg (3lb) mangoes, peeled and diced
2 large red chillis, de-seeded and chopped
60g (2oz) fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon
500ml (1 pint) white wine or cider vinegar
750g brown sugar
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon allspice powder
1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil, stirring often. Cook for 1 hour or until mixture is thick.  If necessary drain the mango and return the liquid to reduce until really thick.  Adjust the seasoning.  I added more salt and chilli. Bottle and seal.

Raita Recipe

Raita also sometimes referred to as Raitha, is yogurt based and eaten as a sauce or dip. The raita recipe described below is a very popular side dish that goes well with hot and spicy Indian food.

250ml natural yogurt
½ cucumber, finely chopped
handful Mint leaves, washed and finely chopped
pinch of salt (add as required)

Panch Puran, toasted and finely ground

Coriander to garnish the raita

Mix all the ingredients together and adjust seasoning to taste.  When making this Lime Pickle recipe, note that setting aside should be at a comfortable room temperature, not cold.