Roasted Field Mushrooms

These were made by my lovely boyfreind , salty garlicky goodness

4 large mushrooms
1 small white onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic grated
4 tinned anchovies finely chopped
Handful of grated parmesan
Herbs de provence
Pepper

1. Soften the onions and garlic in a pan with a little oil , mix with anchovies, herbs de provence & pepper.
2. Spoon the mixture over the mushrooms, cover with the parmesan and roast in the oven at 180degC for 15 minutes.

Salmon wrapped in Prosciutto with Broad Brean , Courgette and Fennel Salad.

Salmon wrapped in Prosciutto with Broad Brean , Courgette and Fennel Salad.

This was Friday nights dinner , broad beans from the vegebox are getting pretty large, once steamed for a few minutes and definitely need peeling , but I am proud some of the courgettes have survived a slug attack it is  worth squeezing them in a tea towel and they can make a dressing a little watery  . The dressing is slosh of olive oil and fresh lemon juice, a little salt pepper

Fennel goes really well with the lemon and the  salty meat and fish combination , while a lot of the herbs seem to be suffering in the rain the fennel goes from strength to strength it also delicious with another seasonal favorite beetroot

The salmon is wrapped in prociutto brushed with a little olive oil and roasted in the oven for 15 minutes at 180degC.

Chimmichurri Sauce

Definitely not a sauce for those not enamoured of garlic or chilli , Chimichurri is a delicious green sauce or marinade from South America that I can feel doing me good as I eat it . Delicious with chargrilled BBQ steaks or fish we had it last night with  lovely Sirloin steaks and new potatoes.

Chimichurri

Makes enough for 8 servings

5 cloves of garlic minced
Large bunch of parsley , oregano & thyme finely chopped
1 large green chilli chopped
1 tsp of red chilli flakes
5 tbsp of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of olive oil

Mix together all the ingredients and leave them to mature for at least 4 hours

July Salads

Thought I better balance out my meat fest post with some evidence  that I am still getting my five a day with plenty of lovely seasonal foods from the garden and vegebox

Broad Bean , Butter Beans , Tarragon and Feta Salad

200g of broad beans removed from the pod
200g of butter beans
100g of feta
Handful of tarragon leaves
Zest and juice of a lemon
Dijon mustard
Slosh of olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

1. Blanch the broad beans in boiling water, if the skins are tough they may need to be peeled.
2. Mix with the butter beans crumble over the feta and tarragon leaves
3. Whisk together the  lemon , mustard , olive oil  ,salt and pepper
4. Dress the salad

Roasted Aubergine, Courgettes, Tomatoes,Olives, Goats Cheese & Olive Salad
Serves two

1 large aubergines cut into 1/2cm thick slices
1 large courgette cut into 1/2cm thick slices
Handful of cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
Sliced hard goats cheese e.g. St Helen’s Farm
Handful Fresh Basil Leaves

Dressing
3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of oil
Salt and Pepper

Layer the aubergines and courgettes on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with 2bsp of olive oil season with salad and pepper
Place in a hot oven 200degC for 15 minutes
Lay on a plate and squeeze over the tomatoes
Sprinkle over the basil leaves and cheese

Tomato, Red Onion Parmesan and Basil Salad
Slice the red onions and tomatoes
Dress with basil leaves grated parmesan cheese
Balsamic Vinegar , Olive Oil , Salt and Pepper

Marinated Anchovy , Green Bean and Red Onion Salad

Blanch the green beans and mix with marinated anchovies , sliced red onion and finely chopped parsley
Dress with lemon juice and olive oil

Hamper for a Camper from Natoora

I recently  got offered  a hamper from Natoora .  Hampers sometimes bring up thoughts of tinned spam and Quality Street,  but this is another league offering delicious Continental and English seasonal food, meat cheese , wine and fresh vegetables boxes,  with 24hr delivery anywhere in the UK,  its like Borough Market online

I am a total UI ( User interface) freak  , and this site is a real pleasure to use , details on each item include proper provenance,  clear pictures and  suitable accompaniments including wine  . Everything arrived perfectly packed with freezer blocks, each item wrapped in greaseproof paper with neat labels. The hamper arrived just in time for a camping trip.

I chose a range of cheeses, meat and vegetables . Although we get some lovely English cheese round here it’s pretty hard to find anything continental other than Brie . I even printed out some notes about each cheese from the website. Each cheese was a decent size ,not just tasting amount and at a good level of ripeness

(clockwise from top left)

• Langres a french cows milk cheese was deliciously oozing with background of smoked bacon
• Morbier semi-soft French cows’ milk cheese named with a layer of ash in the middle and a nutty aftertaste.
• Banon a northern Provence goats milk cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves and tired with raffia and straw. This helps to preserves the cheese which has a fruity and woody flavour

For dinner on the campsite I cooked a pasta sauce using Nduja Calabra a soft spanish salami the  flavour is at first quite sweet, then explodes with the full force of chilli pepper.

Nduja Calabra pasta sauce

Feeds 4

2 large onions
50g of Nduja Calabra
500g of tinned tomatoes
2 sprig of fresh oregano

1. Fry the onions in the Nduja Calabra til softened
2. Add the tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes , add a few leaves of oregano
3. Serve with freshly cooked pasta

Another great liver BBQ recipe this time using chicken livers and  prosciutto. from the hamper I have borrowed this recipe from from the Two Fat Ladies. Sweet, salty deliciousness especially with a dash of balsamic vinegar.

Chicken Livers and Prunes wrapped in Prosciutto

6 chicken livers cut in half
12 slices of prosciutto
12 prunes

1. Simply wrap a prune and half a raw chicken liver in a slice of prosciutto
2. BBQ or grill for just a few minutes on each side

I suspect some of my foodie freinds will be receiving gifts from Natoora over the next few months and they are offering free delivery right now ,so it’s a good time to try some new foods.

Feeding the masses

A few weeks ago I went for dinner with my boss and one of our advisors , Dave, after a couple of glasses of wine Dave mentioned a conference  his university were running and invited us to the fringe event buffet to be held in his flat in Exeter.
“We are not sure who is doing the catering?”
Quick as a flash my boss said with a slightly evil glint in his eye,  “You should get Becky to do the food”, not for the first time I thought it may have been a mistake to tell my boss about my blog.
However we were eating dinner at the Anchor and Hope , I was in foodie paradise and did I mention the wine.
so somehow I found myself saying,  “Alright then, no problem”

A few weeks later  I was busy wondering how I am going to make a buffet for 40 people, 200 miles from my home. I decided on large trays of salad which could be prepared during the day, that would mean once prepared I could enjoy the party, thankfully Ikea sell large plastic tray for just 99p though I looked a bit strange buying twelve of them.

Dave welcomed me at 7am and showed me the basics , like the crazy Star Trek oven and once the ingredients arrived, only missing a few items , requiring a little innovation on my part. Later after many hours of chopping , roasting and grilling and with a new found respect for Masterchef contestants I loaded the fridge with groaning trays of food.  Cooking such large volumes of food requires serious patience and organisation what I wouldn’t give for a prep chef.  In fact after 6 straight hours on my feet  I managed to forget to photograph all the salad in the excitement of the party starting but they included

• New Potatoes in vinagrette
• Grilled chicken with steams green beans ,grapes and tarragon in a lemon dressing
• Salmon with lentils and wilted spinach.
• Grilled Courgettes with Mint and Feta.
• Roasted Aubergine, Peppers , Artichoke Hearts, Olives and Goats Cheese with basil leaves and balsamic vinegar
• Roasted Butternut Squash with toasted chick peas , chilli , grilled haloumi with fresh coriander and tahnini dressing (recipe below)
• Marinated Beetroot with rocket , thyme, toasted walnuts in a creamy horseradish dressing (recipe below)

For pudding I had a flash of inspiration in the morning and decided that with a some international visitors,  I wanted to give them a  homage to a Devon cream tea layering up fresh strawberry jam , whipped cream and fresh strawberries

It was really lovely seeing everyone eating my food and I blushed a lot at the compliments and shared many recipes. An American said he had been dreading English food , our reputation proceeds us , but my food had changed his impression completely. I don’t think I will be going professional just yet, or ever, but I am really glad I challenged myself.

Roasted Butternut Squash with toasted chick peas , chilli , grilled haloumi with fresh coriander and tahnini dressing

1. Cut the butternut squash into 1cm cubes, place in roasting dish and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
2. Cut the chillis in half and remove seeds , roast with the butternut squash for 20 minutes at 190degC
3. In a seperate tray toss the chick peas in a little oil and paprika & cook in the oven for the same time as the butternut squash
4. Slice the haloumi in 1/2cm thick slices , heat a griddle pan and grill the haloumi until brown on both sides and firm
5. Add mix the haloumi with a little fresh lemon juice let it down with a little water
6. Lay the squash , chickpeas together on the tray and layer over the haloumi roasted chillis and some fresh coriander .
7. Dress with tahini dressing

Marinated Beetroot with rocket , thyme, toasted walnuts in a creamy horseradish dressing

1. Boil the beetroot for 20 minutes til soft still warm dress with a little pepper , olive oil and  balsamic vinegar.
2. Toast the walnuts in the oven at 190degC  or in a hot pan for a few minutes
3. Mix together equal parts horseradish and creme fraich add a few springs of thyme
4. Layer beetroot and rocket on on a tray with scatter over the walnuts and dress with the horseradish dressing
5. Delicious served with cold roast beef.

Scones

225g self raising flour
55g butter
25g caster sugar
150ml/5fl oz milk

Method
1. Heat the oven to 220C
2. Rub the butter into the flour
3. Stir in the sugar and then the milk to get a soft dough.
4. Turn on to a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm thick. Use a 2cm cutter to stamp out rounds and place on a baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.
5. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden.

Fresh Strawberry Jam

200g of strawberries sliced
20g of sugar

1. Bring the strawberries to a gentle simmer til they have broken down
2. Add the sugar
3. Leave to cool

Strawberrys, Brownies and Meringues cheating with readymade meringues this was a big hit with a bowl of cream on the side.

GW Dundas Butchers My Local Food Hero

 I pretty much swore when I moved in with LBF that I would reduce his carnivore instincts. However,  I had not reckoned on the power of GW Dundas and his delicious meats. Gary Dundas has two branches a few miles apart in Breaston and Draycot , our closest is to the Breaston branch it’s walking distance.

We were having a quiet Saturday , so I wanted to stop by and say thank you for the lovely liver from Friday and I remembered my camera. A tiny shop,you can get two people inside and unlike many butchers the produce is not piled high although there is plenty of dry-cured bacon and sausages. Dundas does have everything you can imagine out the back requests are often accompanied by hacking and sawing , joints are beautifully tied and nothing is packed in plastic. For people of my mums generation this is the norm but I am of the supermarket generation and still look with awe at butchers, especially in an area dominated by massive Tesco and Asda.

Dundas stands independent and proud. I am nominating Dundas butchers for a The Good Food Market Kitchen Local Food Hero 2009. In their fourth year these reward local  farm shops to food producers, online businesses, restaurants nominations and voting  close on the 7th of August 2009. 

So as I tuck into todays offering a lovely beef joint we have rare roasted, I offer up a few of Dundas wares

One day I  casually ask Nick to get some pork ribs an we get something I would make Fred Flintstone envious, we BBQd these pork ribs.

As for Kidneys and these beautiful little jewels were so firm I didn’t want to cook with them but wear them a la Florence and the Machine Lungs album cover

Shoulder of Lamb beautifully rolled and tied roasted with rosemary, garlic and fennel seeds.

Beef Brisket sweet and tender after its slow cooking with vegetables but still holding it’s shape.

BBQ Lambs Liver with red onions , parsley and lemon

Who knew anyone could be more infectiously enthusiastic about seasonal food than Hugh Fearnley Whittigstall and then the BBC finds Valentine Warner a self confessed glutton for fresh seasonal food. A man whose eyes and mouth widen constantly at the sight of the latest seasonal produce. His  show What to Eat Now gives you the best of the season . The current series is summer the topic for this weeks episode BBQ .Warner  covered  a range of BBQ meat , fish and veggires with spicy sauces chimichurri and salmoriglio, I counted more than 12 recipes in a single episode. One thing stuck in my mind as a must try a quickly as possible  BBQ liver,  as a total offal obsessive liver is cheap and healthy and delicious.

BBQ Lambs Liver

One lambs liver makes two large liver steaks or you can cut into strips and place on skewers. Brush the steaks with a little oil ,BBQd  for just a minute on either side keeping them pink in the middle . The taste was exquisite rich liver,  smoky from the BBQ  served with a squeeze of lemon , red onions & fresh parsley to cut the richness of the meat.

Usually we end up with pitta bread when BBQing but again inspired by Warner I wanted to try cooking flat bread on the BBQ people having been doing it for thousands of years and it really was very easy so no more shop bought.

BBQ Flat Bread
4 cups of mix wholemeal and plain flour
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of oil
2 tbsp of yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

1. Mix together the ingredients to form and dough
2. Knead for 5 minutes, leave for a further 5 minutes
3. Divide into 6 , flatten each and place on the hot BBQ grill for a few minutes either side. The bread can be placed straight on the grill bars no pan is required.

The liver would have been enough but like Warner we are gluttons and these little lamb chops have been in the freezer a while

BBQ Lamb Chops

Tiny lamb chops marinated overnight with rosemary lemon and garlic cooked in a few minutes over the BBQ served with olives and sundried tomatoes

Courgette Fritatta

A couple of months ago we planted some tiny courgette plants, I have watched them survive a major aphid and caterpillar attack , seen flowers grow and wilt and finally they are   large enough to eat.

I wanted a supper dish when courgettes could shine  We picked four 4 inch long courgettes and dinner was ready in minutes from just one pan.  The frittata of  sweet onions and courgettes and salty parmesan was delicious. This may be the summer of the frittata from the tweet declaiming a courgette onslaught it will definitely be a summer of courgettes

Courgette Frittata

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 white onion, finely sliced
4 courgettes, diced
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp of grated parmesan
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan fry the garlic, onion and courgette until tender. Season the egg with the parmesan, salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables in the pan, cook for a few minutes
2. Place under a hot grill and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the egg is set and golden on top.
3. Serve with salad

Lettuce, Lentil, Bacon and Walnut Salad

Back from camping and after a quick scope round the garden hungry for lunch. Surprisingly some  bacon leftover from camping fry ups and for some pretend healthiness a little salad.

There was only a little lettuce left in the bottom of the salad drawer, not enough to make a proper salad,  so I cooked up some lentils. With a balsamic vinegar dressing dressing and few toasted walnuts. Chicory or fennel would work perfectly in this dish too.

Lettuce Lentil and Bacon and Walnut Salad

Serves two

1/2 head of lettuce
150g of puy lentils
1 stick of celery finely chopped
1 tbsp of chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
2 rashers of bacon
1 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of walnut pieces

Dressing

2 tbsp of fresh parsley finely chopped
4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of honey
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cover the lentils, bay leaf & celery with boiling water.
2. Simmer gently for 20minutes , they should still have some bite to them.
3. Once cooked cover with cold water.
4. Chop the bacon,  garlic into slices fry until the bacon is crispy for the last few minutes add the walnuts,
5. Mix together the vinegar , honey, oil , mustard , parsley & salt and pepper,  to make a dressing.
6. Dress the lentils in the dressing
7. Layer the lettuce and lentils in a bowl.
8. Top off the salad with the bacon, garlic and walnuts.