A Tea Time Treat

July 16, 2014



So I seem to have been hit by a bit of a baking bug recently and thinking about my Pastry chef days. Either that or I have hit a time in my Life when I actually DO have a sweeter tooth than I thought! 
  Thing is as you know by now I only write what I feel is right, when it feels right and so on… And this does. So lets just go with the flow!

  You will begin to see soon a pattern forming with the lovely Herb, Lemon Verbena. I am besotted with it! I am very proud of my little bush of it gleaming away against all my other Herbs. I love the smell and taste that it has in both Sweet and Savoury dishes. Savoury being so far of the Herby Chicken Goujons recipe I developed last month. So, now turn for a sweet dish.

 Lemon Verbena Fruit Shortbread with Lavender Sugar:

Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 12-14 round biscuits)

–  115 g of Unsalted Butter cubed and softened
–  180 g Plain Flour Sifted (plus a little extra when rolling)
–  55 g of Caster Sugar
–  finely Zest Half of a lemon
–  1 Tbsp of Finely Chopped Lemon Verbena
–  25 g of Dried Raisins and Dried Blueberries
–  A small amount of Lavender Granulated Sugar for sprinkling on top, (I infuse my own Sugar)
*Note: If you don’t like Lavender infused sugar, just use normal Granulated Sugar.

Method:

–  Preheat Oven to 170c


–  Place Flour, Butter and Sugar into a mixing bowl and start to mix with fingertips to allow to crumble.

–  Once starting to form together add in the fruit, zest and lemon verbena.Mix together until it forms a dough such as like this:



–  Start to roll out the dough to flatten to about 1/2 cm thick. It will start to stick and crumble especially if it is warm in the Kitchen.

– Cut out your Biscuits. I used a 7cm cutter:


–  Lightly Grease your baking tray, place the shortbread on allowing to give space to expand a little when baking. Prick the Shortbread with a fork and sprinkle on the Lavender sugar.

– Pop into the Oven for approximately 12 minutes or until starting to ever so slightly brown at the edges.

– Allow to cool on a cooling rack before tasting, If you can resist! 


Breakfast Boost Bars

July 15, 2014



I realise that this isn’t  a Recipe post that is a “New Thing” or “Trend” in the Culinary world,  but it is something that I always used to make and have been meaning to come up with a new recipe for a while now. 

  Today,  As usual, I had some bananas that were way overripe.  So instead of me putting them into a bread or muffin like I normally do, I decided to come up with a Bar of some sort.  Now I say, “some sort” because, well, I am not sure If this recipe is a Flapjack or a Granola Bar? as, in my eyes, it qualifies for both! 

   I have to say, I am not great at eating breakfasts, especially in summer.  I do get easily bored and like something that I can eat quite efficiently  whilst reading my emails, doing my “To Do list” for that day AND drink my morning Coffee. I know, its bad! But I have to find something that suits me, we all do! and I feel with these bars, it will certainly keep me going for a while. Lets hope it will help others too.
  Now I am no nutritional expert but I have tried to keep the recipe packed full of nutrients with the fruit, nuts and seeds. Also adding no extra sugar to the syrup.

  I can’t wait to let my Fiance try these before he goes for his morning run at the weekend.  He’s been trying to find that certain something that works for him as many others have their own energy fix before a run/workout.  I will let you know what happens there on that note at a later date. Not forgetting aswell how great these are for Children, for breakfast or as a boost over those summer holidays! 
  For now, I will be trying these as my breakfast hit for the next few days…These Boost bars are moist, chewy, packed full of goodness and they’re Vegan too!


Breakfast Boost Bars:

Ingredients:

(This mixture made 9 2″x2″ Squares)

–  100g of Soy Spread ( I used Pure Dairy Free)
–  100g of Golden Syrup
–  1 Tbsp of Raw Organic Coconut Oil ( I used Lucy Bee)
–  200g of Whole Rolled Porridge Oats
–  40g of Grated Raw Carrot
–  2 Over ripe Bananas mashed
–  40g Dried Soft Apricots
–  20g Pistachios (De- shelled)
–  40g of Dried mixed Boosting Berries (i.e Blueberries, Cranberries, Goji, Raisins, etc…)
–  Sprinkling of mixed Seeds for on top (i.e Sunflower, Pumpkin, Linseed etc…)

Method:

–  Preheat Oven to 170c

–  Melt the Soya Spread in a Heavy bottomed pan on a low-medium heat and add the Golden Syrup to it.

–  Into a small hand blender/mixer or processor blitz loosely all the dried fruit together and the pistachio nuts.

–  Add the Oats to the Pan and stir coating all the mixture. Then add the Coconut oil, Bananas and grated carrot to the mixture. Stir and turn off the heat.

–  Line a baking tray with baking parchment and add the mixture creating a nice rectangular even shape.

–  Pop into the Oven for about 20 mins.

–  After 20 minutes sprinkle over your seed mix and pop back into the oven for another 20 mins.

–  Once done, take out and allow to cool before cutting into squares/slices.

If you pop these in a larder/Pantry they will keep for a good few days if kept in a sealed cake tin.

Seasonal Scrumptiousness

June 27, 2014

A Couple of weeks ago, Friday 13th of June to be precise, Ben Jackson at BBC Radio Leicester popped over to my house to do another Fab Food Friday recipe.
  My Kitchen Garden was an array of  fresh herbs and the start of seasonal vegetables, so what a lovely way to pop into the garden and see what we could salvage.
  I decided to do a dish that Families or anyone could get involved in the making of these little beauties. I chose to do Chicken Goujons but made them more exciting with the use of all the herbs that went in there. One in particular that I feel makes this recipe stand out is the lemon verbena. If you like growing herbs, please go and get some now as its fab! 

  I find it really hard sometimes when I hear families say they don’t have time to make these because in the same time I made them, it would take longer to open a frozen packet job  *cringes*  and cook them in the oven. Children AND Adults will love making these.
  This is a Great Dish for this time of year. Its Seasonal, Zingy, Vibrant and using up herbs and vegetables from the Garden. 
  Lots of Sport going on at the moment, So just the Goujons alone with that dressing and an Ice cold beer is great when having your mates round. This certainly has gone down a storm for my Friends and Family already. 

Just click on this link to hear Ben and myself preparing, cooking and more importantly EATING this recipe…

 Herby Chicken Goujons with Seasonal Salad and a Ranch Style dressing:


Here is a photo AFTER we dived in there!

Ingredients:

Chicken:

–  1 x 460g pack of Skinless Chicken Thigh Fillets
(6 Thighs will make approximately 20 Goujons)
–  2 slices of stale bread (I used Sourdough)
–  A Handful of a selection of fresh herbs;
         -Lemon Verbena
         -Lemon Thyme
         -Sage
         -Rosemary
         -Oregano
–  1 1/2 spring onion (only green parts)
–  Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to season.
– 2-3 eggs whisked
–  3 Tbsp of Plain Flour
–  Tbsp of Rapeseed oil or any oil of your choice

Salad:

–  Jersey Royal Potatoes or New if you can’t get
–  Fresh fine British Asparagus (still in season now),Blanched and chopped into inch and a half pieces.
– A selection of Salad Leaves such (I used a “Living Salad”) Spinach, Watercress, curly etc would all work fine also.
–  A Handful of Fresh Broad Beans
–  A handful of fresh Radishes Sliced
–  Fresh Peas podded, could always use Frozen if need be
–  Edible flowers to decorate:
    – Borage
    – Sage
    – Rosemary

Ranch Style dressing:

–  2 Tbsp of Greek style Natural Yoghurt
–  2 Tbsp of Mayonnaise 
–  1 Tbsp of cider Vinegar or White wine vinegar
–  2 Tbsp of Finely grated parmesan cheese


Method:

–  Preheat your oven to 180-190c 
– Cook your Jersey Royal potatoes for about 15 mins
– Whilst they are cooking away, pop your herbs, bread, Spring Onions and seasoning into a Hand Blender or Processor and Blitz
–  Take 3 bowls, Place whisked eggs in 1, Flour in the other and your breadcrumb mixture in the 3rd.
–  Slice your chicken thighs into 3-4 pieces per thigh (long strips)
–  With one hand place the chicken into the flour, then egg, then Breadcrumbs. Repeat the process and put all onto a plate.
–  Heat up a frying Pan with a drizzle of your oil. Fry off the Goujons for a minute or 2 until starting to colour, then turn over and repeat.
–  Pop into the Oven on a baking tray for approximately 12 minutes
–  Drain off your Potatoes and Blanch your asparagus in boiling hot water for no more than 1 minute.
– Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process
–  Make up your dressing by mixing all ingredients together
–  Arrange your salad “rustically” with the added Peas, Broad beans and Radishes. Place the Goujons on top, drizzle with the dressing and decorate with the edible flowers! Done!








Going "WILD" For Wild Garlic

May 28, 2014

Last year when the lovely season of the Wild Garlic came upon us, I didn’t actually find any until, sadly, the end of the season.  I tried my best with what I did find but it had grown a bit too far on and the true flavour wasn’t there anymore.
  However, this year I found a great spot, practically on my doorstep! I was thrilled as you can imagine.
  However it has come to that time of the year where it has either gone, grown too big or has overgrown weeds over it.  I almost feel quite sad as there’s so much you can do with Wild Garlic, I absolutely LOVE its unique flavour and the prettiness of the flower buds. So now it is fizzling away till next year, if you can get hold of some still around. Do try a pesto with it. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks at least, or even do a pickle/vinegar?
  I realise that many people will have done this with Wild garlic and rightly so as we do it with other leftover herbs, so why not this? 
  Here is just a couple of things that I did with mine this year.  I do plan another recipe if my last batch lasts! 

Wild Garlic Pistachio Pesto:
(Makes 1 small Jar):

One thing I must add about this recipe is that pretty much whenever I do pestos’s I always like to use either pistachios or cashew nuts rather than Pine nuts. I find the pine nuts are more bitter, but that’s just my preference.

Ingredients:

(These ingredients depend on the size of your jar and also your taste) – Be as Flexible as you want with it! 

–  50g of Wild Garlic Leaves
–  20g of Pistachio nuts (shelled )
–  20g of Parmesan Cheese
–  Sprinkling of Pink sea salt (any good sea salt will do) and cracked black Pepper
–  1 Tbsp of Fresh lemon juice
–  2 Tbsp of Rapeseed oil ( olive oil can be bitter )

– Simply Place all ingredients into a Blender/Processor and Blitz! Add extra seasoning, oil or cheese if you need to.

This Pesto is great in all sorts of recipes, the list is endless! Once you have done this, you will never turn back.

And the result of this pesto? An obvious choice to pair with Pasta but this dish is what I keep devouring myself with lately. I am eating bucket loads of it as I love it! It’s such a quick Pasta dish to rustle up when you’ve had a busy day and can kick back with a large Glass of Wine. Perfetto!

Creamy Tagliatelle with Chicken, Mushrooms and Wild Garlic pesto:

(Serves approximately 1-2 people)


Ingredients:

–  Approximately 200g of Tagliatelle Pasta
–  1 Tbsp of Rapeseed oil (no more as there is oil in the pesto)
–  2 Spring Onions finely chopped
–  1/4 of Leek finely sliced
–  3-4 Chestnut mushrooms sliced
–  100-150g of Cooked Roast chicken shredded 
–  1/2 chicken stock cube crumbled into sauce
–  1 Tbsp of the Wild Garlic pistachio Pesto (as above ) more if you like it to be more of a garlic Flavour.
– A Good Splash of Dry White Wine (100ml)
–  150ml of Double cream

Method:

–  Cook the Tagliatelle to packet instructions.

–  Fry off the leeks and mushrooms until starting to soften.

– Add the Shredded Chicken, Spring Onion and chicken stock and cook for a further couple of minutes. 

– Add the Pesto, coating all of the mixture.

– Pour in the Wine, reduce a little and then add the cream. 

–  Drain the Pasta but use maybe 2 Tbsp of pasta water into the sauce. Place Pasta into the sauce and serve into warm bowls.


Finally, You may recall my recipe for St George’s Day when I made the Wild Garlic and fennel bread. 
 That bread actually lasted me a full week, which was great. They were some leftover and I didn’t have much room in the freezer so I decided to do a Panzanella, which is a traditional Tuscan summer salad.  There have been many different versions of this and mine isn’t very traditional, I added meat, mine was more dry and I added Wild Garlic, a kind of Italy meets Leicestershire’s Hedgerows! However it was a very lovely Lunch the day I made it.

Panzanella with Salami and Wild Garlic:




Ingredients:

(Approximately for 2 people)

–  A couple of slices of Wild garlic and fennel bread, torn into chunks for croutons
–  A handful Selection of Peppery Salad leaves (Rocket, Mizuna, Red Chard etc…)
–  1 Yellow Bell Pepper 
– 1 Red Bell Pepper
–  120g of Ripened well baby plum tomatoes
–  1-2 Tbsp of baby capers from a Jar 
–  Few slices of Italian Salami torn into pieces 
–  3-4 Basil leaves torn
–  1 Tbsp of Good quality Extra Virgin Olive oil
–  10 Wild Garlic flower Buds (already started opening) 
–  Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to season

Method:

–  Take your Bell peppers and either Roast in the oven until skins are starting to turn black or Burn onto a Gas flame (If confident) *Note, as I am a qualified and trained chef, I have done this many a time*

– Once black, peel off the skins revealing a lovely soft sweet flesh and slice lengthways 

–  Coat the Bread for croutons in a little Sea salt, Black Pepper and olive oil and either pop in a dry frying pan to toast or again you could place in the oven.

–  Arrange all of the ingredients in a bowl, drizzle with Olive oil and Serve. A simple, But impressive salad.























Lemon,ricotta and blueberry pancakes

May 16, 2014

In our House, one of our Favourite Breakfasts have to be My Blueberry Pancakes.  Wether it is someones birthday or just because we have a bit more time on a Sunday, having this really brightens us up for the day ahead.  They’re not too sweet, not too savoury and the sensation of Blueberries popping in your mouth is like Gigantic Caviar (of course without the fish taste)!  Even as a dessert… this would be great.  

  When I last did these, I decided to change my recipe slightly as I had some ricotta to use up. I had never put it in before and thought it should add an extra maybe creaminess, tang or even make them lighter?  Well, in fact, it did all three! The new recipe worked straight away, which is always a thrill! And they were better than ever! 
 This is my new improved recipe and My Fiance loves these better so there’s no turning back! 


Lemon Ricotta and Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

–  175g Self Raising Flour
–  2 tsp Caster Sugar
–  1/2 tsp Baking Powder
–  Pinch of Salt
–  1 Egg separated
–  200 ml Semi Skimmed Milk
–  1 Tsp Vanilla Extract or pod
–  100 g of Ricotta Cheese
–  1 Zest of Lemon
–  1 tbsp of melted unsalted Butter
–  Blueberries
–  Icing Sugar
–  Creme Fraiche to serve

Put the Flour, Caster Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Baking Powder and Salt into a bowl and then whisk in the Egg Yolk, milk and Ricotta until you have a nice smooth Batter.


Whisk the Egg White and Fold in to the batter.

Heat a non stick Frying Pan and use a very small amount of oil. When the pan is hot put a spoonful of mixture and flatten out with a ladle. Sprinkle some blueberries on top and you’ll start to see the bubbles forming, flip and cook the other side. 



At this point you could have a plate warming in the oven and start stacking them up to keep warm. 
 Serve the Warm Pancakes with a Sprinkling of  Icing Sugar and Creme Fraiche on the side.