Scandinavian Salmon

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Sweden is currently at the top of my list of must visit destinations and it has been for a while….a long while. My sister has sadly even beaten me to it on a work trip. I have an idealistic stereotype which I’m apprehensive to shatter by visiting the glorious country which, along with a lack of sustainable funds (its expensive I hear?) may be the reason for the delay in my foodie voyage. Delicious, healthy and cleanly styled food I can’t help but be drawn to it. This and the fresh and varied landscapes coupled with the beautiful people earns it top position. A foodie pilgrimage coupled with some outdoor adventures I will get there in 2015! But for the time being I had to settle for my own style of Scandi cooking. It was either that or Ikea and frankly Ikea just doesn’t cut it.

Serves 2

  • 2 salmon fillets (Mine were Alaskan and delicious….although not exactly Scandinavian?)
  • 4 oz Puy lentils
  • 2 small beets (about 250g or so)
  • 1tsp caraway seeds
  • Bunch dill, chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp soured cream (with a dash of lemon juice and some light seasoning)
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.Cut your raw beets into chunks, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper and the caraway seeds. Roast for about 30 minutes in a baking tray until tender and a little charred at the edges.
  2. Meanwhile, simmer your lentils in boiling water for about 18 minutes until tender but still with a slight bite. Drain and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the dill, lemon zest and a tsp or so of red wine vinegar to the warm lentils. Then add the roasted beets while still warm.
  4. Set aside and keep warm while you cook the salmon.

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5. If frying (alternatively grill skin side up) heat a frying pan until hot and add a tbsp of light olive oil. Season the fillets and fry, skin side down for about 4 minutes depending on the thickness. Flip and fry for the final minute to seal the flesh side.

6. Serve the salmon on top of the beety lentils with a generous spoonful soured cream.

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Beets, lentils, dill, lemon, soured cream, salmon,

Gingerbread Latte Macaroons

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Its official. The John Lewis advert has graced our televisions and Starbucks have out their red cups so Christmas is fast approaching! Yay! For those who know me will know I’m a Christmas fan through and thorough…however I can’t have celebrations too early. No songs before December 1st and no tree until at least the first week! So festive flavours are a tasty and subtle introduction to the festive season. After a couple of delicious novelty Christmas coffees shared on a chilly Sunday evening after a lovely weekend last week I was inspired to make these. Its been a whle since I’ve knocked out a batch of macarons but these were dying to be made.

Makes about 15

Macarons

  • 90g eggs whites (about 3)
  • 30g golden caster sugar
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 200g ground almonds
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch nutmeg

Buttercream

  • 1 heaped tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 80g butter, unsalted and softened
  • 40g sieved icing sugar
  1. Line a baking tray with parchment and preheat the oven to 140°C.
  2. Whisk the eggs whites until soft peaks. Add the sugar bit by bit whisking until glossy stiff peaks form
  3. Blend the almonds, icing sugar and spices in a food processor until fine.
  4. Fold 1/3 into the eggs whites (you can be more heavy handed with the first 1/3)
  5. After this fold in the rest, being careful to retain as much air as possible.
  6. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe consistent macarons onto the baking tray. mine were fairly large. The size doesn’t matter as long as they are all the same!
  7. Leave to rest and form a ‘skin’ (delightful!) for about 20-30 minutes
  8. Bak for about 15-20 minutes depending on their size.
  9. Leave to cook before lifting from the parchment.
  10. Blend the butter cream ingredients together until blended. Spoon into another piping bag and pipe onto one macaroon half. Sandwich together with another empty shell and repeat with the rest.
  11. Eat with a warm coffee or store in an airtight container!

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Rump Steak, Herb Fire Sauce

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Work has been stressful recently I’m not going to lie. So after another long and challenging day I eagerly donned my well worn trainers, embarrassing (but necessary) high vis and rucksack and took to the road and ran home. I love running home after work, its a great way to relax blow the cobwebs from my mind and cleanse my lungs….until I hit Earls Court that is and the bus fumes. Alas.

My run usually involves daydreaming about recipes and what I’m going to cook along with other things. After a long week and some serious after work power yoga sessions I’ve been eating healthy but quick to make suppers and I craved a steak and a little time spent in the kitchen. So….I made a well needed detour past the butchers and nabbed myself a lovely dark, dry piece of rump steak with an unhealthily large piece of flavoursome fat along the back and continued my run home…noticably faster.

Inspired by a chimichurri sauce this to be honest was made on the spot with leftover herbs, plenty of chilli and some lime. I have tried to remember what was added so use this as a guide. Add a touch of anything to balance the flavours and eat with joy! I packed a lot of chilli into mine…it was hot!

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Serves 2

Green Sauce

  • Large handful flat leaf parsley
  • Large handful fresh basil
  • Large handful coriander
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ¼ red chilli (if a hot one)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ¼ red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 btsp lime juice
  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil

To serve

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, chopped into wedges
  • 2 rump steaks
  • Green beans, asparagus, broccoli or choice of vegetables
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the potato wedges on a baking tray, season generously and drizzle with oil. Roast for about 30-40 minutes until tender and crispy round the edges.
  2. Meanwhile make the sauce. Add all the ingredients except the oil, lime and vinegar to a food processor and season. Blend until chopped. Add the lime and vinegar and blend again. Add enough oil to loosen and bring the sauce together into a thick but spoonable ‘paste’. You don’t want it too runny – more like a salsa.
  3. Heat a frying pan until hot and add a dash of oil. Season the steaks with freshly cracked black pepper and salt. Sear the steak on their edge on the fat side for about 1 minute to render down the fat and allow you to fry the steak in this lovely flavoursome oil. The time will depend on how much fat you have on your steak.
  4. Once rendered and crisp, fry your steak for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes each side for a piece around 2 ½ cm thick (this will give you medium rare). Once cooked leave to rest wrapped tightly in foil for 5 minutes.
  5. When ready to serve, slice your rested steak and drizzle with any resting juices. Serve alongside the roasted potato wedges and any vegetables of your choice. Spoon over your punchy sauce and enjoy!

Drink with nothing but a cold beer of water……..I opted for beer.

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Bream and Herby Quinoa

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Simple, healthy, super quick and will hit the spot for flavour. I live off suppers like this throughout the week as they can be made within half an hour and grains and pulses like quinoa are so versatile to play with depending on whats in your fridge. My fridge this evening included bunches of fresh herbs, half a red onion and a fading packet of lonely pine nuts. Feel free to add whatever you have to hand: Chorizo, leftover chicken, stray vegetables or some lemony crumbled goats cheese….

Serves 2

  • 120g quinoa/bulgar wheat mix (I used this one)
  • Large handful of each: Basil, dill, coriander, parsley, chopped
  • 1 red onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Handful pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 sea bream fillets
  1. Simmer the quinoa in water for about 10-15 minutes until ready and soft (follow packet instructions for different types) Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Heat a frying pan until hot and dry toast the pine nuts until just starting to colour and smell fragrant then remove and leave to cool.
  3. Heat a little oil in the frying pan and soften the onion for about 5 minutes until starting to turn translucent. When soft, add the ground cumin and stir for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and stir this into the quinoa with the pine nuts and herbs.
  4. Season and stir in the lemon juice and zest.
  5. Heat a frying pan until hot. Season and score the skin side of your bream fillets. Add a dash of oil to the pan and fry skin side down for about 3 minutes and then flip over for the final minute to finish the cooking.
  6. Serve on top of your herby quinoa with some lemony or spiced yoghurt if you like!

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Spinach Pearl Barley Risotto

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Today felt like a Tuesday. Never good if its Monday! After spending half my weekend at work for various reasons, today was a really long and eventful day. I was looking forward to nothing better than stirring a glossy silky risotto in the kitchen all day. I think I may actually prefer pearl barely here (or this evening anyway). Although not as creamy as those made with Aborio rice, barely gives an added texture and bite here. Served healthily and simply, meat free with a soft poached egg it could not have hit the spot better!

NOTE: Same risotto making rules apply…see tips here for the best!

Serves 2

  • 150g pearl barley
  • Chicken/vegetable stock (about 800ml)
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 3 large knobs of  butter
  • 1 large glass dry white wine
  • 150g spinach
  • Handful chives, chopped
  • Large generous handful of fresh grated parmesan (plus extra for garnish)
  • Zest 1 lemon, juice of half
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs, fresh and at room temperature
  • Additional extras to add: Handful of rocket; scatter with fried chorizo; shaved parmesan; top with fish or chicken…
  1. In a large saucepan melt a knob of butter with a tsp of oil until starting to sizzle. Add the onion and cook slowly and gently until soft and translucent. Meanwhile, heat your stock in a saucepan on low.
  2. Add the garlic to the onion and cook for a few minutes before adding in the pearl barely. Turn the heat up and fry the barley for a minute or so.
  3. Pour in the wine and allow the alcohol to burn away slightly and absorb. Once this is done, reduce the heat and add your first ladleful of hot stock. Keep at a light simmer and continue adding stock as soon as the previous addition has been absorbed. Never let it get dry though. Keep stirring to release the starch to give a creamy risotto.
  4. Keep adding until the pearl barley is cooked with a slight bite. This may vary and will be longer than risotto rice. Mine took about 30 minutes. Make sure the texture remains loose.
  5. Meanwhile, blend your spinach and chives in a food processor of chop finely, with a little oil to loosen.
  6. When the barely is ready and the mixture is like a runny porridge, add the spinach, lemon zest, juice and some seasoning – lots of black pepper! Get another saucepan on to simmer gently for the eggs.
  7. Stir the risotto until thick but still unable to hold its shape – there is nothing worse than risotto that ‘sits’ on the plate like mash. It should always need a bowl!
  8. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and the remaining butter and pop a lid on and leave to rest.
  9. While resting, poach your eggs in barely simmering water for a few minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny.
  10. Stir the melted cheese and butter thoroughly into your risotto and serve in shallow bowls topped with your soft poached eggs!

And served with a delicious Chilean Riesling available here

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Indian Lamb Cutlets, ‘Speedy’ Black Daal, Roti and a Mango Salad

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After countless (well 4) visits to London’s Dishoom – a modern buzzing Indian restaurant – it was only a matter of time before I attempted an Indian themed supper blog post. The first time I visited this spice scented hub I was recommended to sample their ‘house black daal’. I was blown away. It was delicious: ‘dark, rich and deeply flavoured’ (their words) It certainly was. I’ve since geekily been dreaming about it and so I have attempted my own version here with homemade (albeit thicker) roti.

Made with black lentils (urda dal) unlike your normal daal, they are hard to find it seems? Ok I admit I didn’t look that hard but if they are casually (and naively) added to your shopping list don’t expect them to conveniently locate themselves on the shelf for you. In my haste I ended up buying a packet of ready to serve (I KNOW! This won’t become a habit, it was my only option) Merchant Black Beluga Lentils which have a slightly more gelatinous texture when cooked. I used these to make my own ‘speedy’ daal. I hear Dishoom simmer theirs long and slow for 24 hours which clearly makes these the ‘bees knees’ but my version was surprisingly and deliciously a very close match. Packed with spice and comforting cinnamon for a devine creation served loose textured with homemade roti. Daal can actually be served as a main dish but I made mine here as a side to a fresh lime dressed salad full of mango, mint, shaved fennel and radish and the most tender and succulent Indian spiced lamb cutlets I’ve had to date.

NOTE: I’m always thoroughly impressed at the quality of the meat at my local butchers back home. It really drums home the emphasis to buy your meat locally and not from your average Tesco not just for local support but the quality is infinitely better.

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Serves 2

Daal

  • 1 x 200g packet of beluga black lentils
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ red chilli, chopped
  • Knob ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 small tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • Small handful chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp salted butter
  1. Put the lentils in a pan with the cinnamon stick and cloves and cover with enough boiling water just to cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the spices to infuse and the lentils to continue to turn mushy.
  2. Meanwhile fry the onion in a little oil until soft. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for a few more minutes until everything is soft and the raw each has been cooked out.
  3. Add all the dry spices and fry for 2 minutes.
  4. Add and cook out the tomato puree and then remove from the heat.
  5. Drain the lentil and keep any cooking water. Remove the cinnamon stick and the cloves ideally if you can.
  6. Use a masher to coarsely mash the lentil to break them down.
  7. Add enough of the drained juices (and more boiling water as I had to do) to create a creamy loose texture.
  8. Stir in the spice mix and coriander.
  9. Make sure it is sloppy in texture before whisking in a knob of butter for a glossy finish to the dish.
  10. Serve scattered with coriander and with homemade roti.

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Lamb Cutlets

  • 1 heaped tsp garam masala
  • 1 ½ heaped tsp dukka (see here or buy locally)
  • 6 lamb cutlets
  1. Marinade the lamb in the spices with a tbsp or so of oil.
  2. When ready to cook at the very last minute, heat a pan until hot (use the one that cooked the daal spices for a nice base flavour)
  3. First render the fat from the outside by standing eat cutlet on its side until the fat is crispy. Then cook for 2 minutes each side on a high heat for deliciously pick meat and crispy outside.
  4. Leave to rest for 5 minutes wrapped in foil.

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Mango Salad

  • 1 mango, peeled and sliced
  • ½ fennel bulb, shaved or thinly chopped
  • 6 radishes, sliced
  • ½ red onion, sliced thinly
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Handful mint, chopped
  • Handful coriander, chopped
  • Juice 1 lime
  1. Mix the ingredients together and squeeze over the lime. Drizzle with a little oil is needed.

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Roti

  • 225g self raising flour
  • 140ml water
  • 1 tbsp Nigella seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Mix the flour, seasoning and seeds together in a bowl.
  2. Mix in the water or enough to bind the mixture together to form a dough. Use a fork to do this.
  3. Knead lightly until smooth and rest in a bowl for 30 minutes or so.
  4. Roll out on a floured surface very thinly.
  5. Heat a frying pan until hot. Fry for a few minutes on each side untileach is golden and beginning to char. The roti will puff up and form lovely bubbles.
  6. If not eating immediately, once cooked, pop in a preheated warm oven to keep warm and supple until ready to dip generously in your daal.

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Pear and Cinnamon Cake with Lotus Buttercream

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I

wanted to create an Autumn cake that would fit with the seasons. Having been a bit of a stranger to baking recently, a gloriously empty leafy weekend back home seemed like a good time to reassure myself that The Great British Bake Off hadn’t detered me from the cake world! Pears seemed like a good choice here and I’m a cinnamon addict. After recently discovering the delights of ‘Lotus spread’ I felt it needed a place in one of my recipes so is used here in a crunchy coffee tainted buttercream. The chocolate leaves are a nice Autumnal touch here for a special occasion but feel free to leave these off if life is far too short in your eyes…

Makes 2 small cakes or 1 large one

Cake

  • 740g pears
  • 40g butter
  • 3 tbsp light muscovado sugar
  • ½ heaped tsp cinnamon
  • 200g butter
  • 200g sugar
  • 200g self raising flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
  1. Peel, core and halve the pears and diced.
  2. Heat the 40g butter, sugar and cinnamon in a frying pan until melted.
  3. Add the pears and cook until the pears and softened and the caramel thickens and coats the pears. Set aside to cool.
  4. Preheat the oven to 170°C. and grease and line 2 small cake tins (15cm wide) or one large one (24cm spring form tin)
  5. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
  6. Add the eggs bit by bit with a little flour if it curdles.
  7. Fold in the flour and baking powder
  8. Finally fold in the pears and their syrup and spoon into the tins.
  9. bake for about 35-40 minutes until springy to touch and cooked in the middle. Leave to cool.

NOTE: Cake tin size: I used two small tins. This isn’t really a recipe that could make a tiered cake due to the pears which make it more of a dense cake. So either use 2 small tins for 2 cakes or one large one. I also had some extra mixture so made a few muffins (which will take about 20 minutes to bake) as gifts to take to some willing friends.

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Topping

  • 160g unsalted butter, softened
  • 80g ‘Lotus biscuit spread’, crunchy
  • 90g ish icing sugar
  • 40-50g dark chocolate
  • Handful mint leaves
  1. Start with the chocolate leaves. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over some simmering water until melted.
  2. Use a pastry brush and coat the back of the mint leaves very thickly. Done too thinly and they will snap when ready. Don’t worry about doing these really thickly. Lay over a rolling pin to dry and pop in the fridge.
  3. Once set, remove from the fridge. I won’t lie, this bit is fiddly and I think I only ended up with 2 whole leaves. But, the effect is still good. Make sure your hands are really hot and carefully peel the mint leaf from the chocolate. Repeat and set these aside carefully.
  4. For the buttercream, cream together the butter, spread and as much icing sugar to taste. This is a guide and your tastes will vary.
  5. Spoon into a piping back and use to pipe your cakes
  6. Decorate with the leaves and serve!

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BBQ Chicken, Lime Slaw, Cheesy Polenta Chips

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I love American food but it can be pretty big and diabetes inducing at times. But it can be done in a more refined way. Who doesn’t love the taste of spicy, sticky BBQ sauce lathered chicken. And as if not enough, a cooling, creamy and sharp tangy lime slaw is as welcome here as an ice cream in the Sahara.Tempted by spicy sweet potato chips I went for an alternative (like my demeanour) and a more health conscious unbeatable crunchy cheesy polenta chip. They were awesome. Girls, this is not date food mind (well first date food) I think there was more sauce on my face, hands, table and elbows (yes elbows…!) than on the chicken. Made to be devoured in the most unclassy fashion with a beer on a windy rainy October.

NOTE: This BBQ sauce recipe is very much like this one here. Use either!

Serves 2

Chicken

  • 2 chicken legs, jointed into thigh and drumstick is you like
  • ½ tsp cumin seed
  • ½ tsp fennel seed
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Zest and juice of ½ orange
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 75ml ketchup
  • Sprig of thyme and rosemary
  1. Crush the cumin and fennel together in a pestle and morta with the rosemary and thyme.
  2. Add to a bowl with the rest of the marinade ingredients and add the chicken.
  3. Leave in the fridge to marinade for about 1 hour.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken in a dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
  5. After this time, turn the heat up and remove the foil. Cook for about 10 more minutes until the skin and topping is crispy and the chicken is cook through. I popped mine under the grill at this point too to get a really sticky crispy coating.

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Slaw (pretty much open to any crunchy raw vegetables. I used a mix of the below)

  • 1 red pepper, sliced thinly
  • Handful of sugar snap peas, sliced thinly
  • ½ small cabbage
  • 1 small carrot, sliced thinly, grated or julienned
  • Bunch mint, chopped
  • Bunch coriander, chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 1 tsp mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper
  • Zest of 1 lime, juice of half
  1. Mix the vegetable together in a bowl
  2. Add the herbs and the lime zest
  3. Add the mayo, yoghurt some good seasoning and the lime juice together in a mug and stir well.
  4. Use as much as necessary to coat the vegetables.

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Polenta Chips

  • 100g fast cook polenta, plus a little extra for dusting
  • 400ml (half water half milk)
  • ½ small chilli, chopped
  • Handful coriander, chopped
  • Large handful grated parmesan
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Oil/line a shallow soup bowl or baking tray that will hold the polenta and create about 2cm thickness.
  2. Heat the milk and water in a saucepan until it just comes to the simmer.
  3. Season the polenta well and add to the hot liquid in a thin stress stirring all the time. Keep stirring and it should begin to thicken very quickly and bubble. Keep stirring for a few minutes before adding the cheese, coriander and chilli. Keep stirring until it is thick like custard or porridge. Remove from the heat.
  4. Pour into the greased bowl.tray and smooth out to the thickness of 2cm. Chill quickly and leave to set for about 20 minutes.
  5. When cooled and set, turn onto a chopping board and cut into chip sized chunks. Dust with excess polenta
  6. Fry in a hot pan in a little oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with flaky maldon salt.

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A food wine and a venison fillet….

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I adore this wine (one we sell at work…you can get it here, hint hint). However recent drinking has reinforced my opinion that this is definitely a food wine (i.e. to accompany a deliciously made supper) as I enjoyably and freely found out as I scrambled clumsily to finish making dinner for my guests while sipping merrily on this spicy syrah (on an empty stomach…you see where I’m going with this!?) Its full of flavour and packed with spice but its 14% with some chewy tannins so it needs a good piece of steak or similar.

We enjoyed ours with a piece of pan fried, charred venison fillet/loin, garlicky and creamy cauliflower puree and some buttery green beans. I was intending on making a Syrah butter sauce….but….we drank it. Oops.

Serves 1-2 (depending on the size of the venison)

  • 1 venison fillet
  • Pinch fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 juniper berries
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  1. In a pestle and mortar crush the peppercorns and the berries until ground. Place in a bowl with the thyme and some seasoning.
  2. Add about 1-2 tbsp of light olive oil and rub the venison fillet in it.
  3. Chop the garlic clove in half horizontally and use it to rub the sides of the fillet (it didn’t like to use it in the actual marinade as it burns easily when cooked)
  4. Leave to marinade for about 1 hour or longer
  5. When ready to cook, heat a frying pan until hot.
  6. Sear the meat in the pan with a little oil on all sides until a nice crispy outside coating has formed. Do this for literally 7-8 minutes for a lovely blushing pink medium cooked fillet.
  7. Once done, remove to a piece of foil and wrap tightly. Leave to rest for 10minutes before slicing on the horizontal and pouring over any resting juices.

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Cool as a Wardlaw…

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If you’ve ever been on an activity watersports holiday you’ll know that you usually return home needing a rest with an aching body equivalent to a bed bound OAP. A week in sunny Greece wakeboarding by day and re-hydrating on cocktails by night with bowlfuls of Greek salads and hog roasts set me up for some inspiration on my return home. Sadly the limes don’t grow fresh from the trees in London so Waitrose will have to do.

After and intense day on the water followed by an ‘Ab attack’ class this refreshing, healthy and downright delicious drink was the perfect way to cool our angry abs. Post workout it started as this innocent cucumber, mint and crushed ice drink….

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But once showered and the clock hit 6pm it even more deliciously turned into this….a gin laced version we got the barman to ‘knock up’. I like to call it the ‘Cool as a Wardlaw’.

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Serves 2 (ish)

  • 1 small cucumber
  • Large bunch mint
  • 2 shots (Innocent) apple juice
  • 1-2 shots fresh lime juice
  • Crushed ice
  • Optional – 2 shots gin and cucumber to garnish
  1. Mix in a blender until combined. Add more ice or any other ingredient to taste and balance. I only watched in awe from behind the bar as this was made so measurements were by eye and were to taste. It tasted different each time, more savoury post-workout, sweeter and punchy with lime as an evening tipple. Experiment!

Use Innocent apple juice. Not only as my loving sister happens to work for Innocent but it is delicious and conveniently on tap for me. Plus, the halo seems to reassure you that gin is a good addition, yes a good addition……?!

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