Chocolate Christmas Trifle

I used to be able to make lovely trifles, but my trifle mojo has been usurped by my boyfriend's mum who makes a very mean one indeed. So much so Lex requested I didn't make another for fear that it didn't live up to one of hers...! However, this creation puts my mojo firmly back in contention I am pleased to say. It started as a way to use up some (embarrassingly) out of date sponge flan cases. But upon further inspection they were rock solid. So a chocolate swiss roll was purchased and the chocolate Christmas trifle extravaganza was born. It has the perfect combination of sour raspberries and strawberries to counter the sweet jelly and not-too-sweet chocolate custard. Decorate as you wish, we wanted sparkly poo so had a heavy hand with the festive glitter ;-)

For 12-14 portions you need
1/2 chocolate swiss roll
1 tin strawberries, drained
1/2 pack frozen raspberries
1 packet halal jelly (or any other veggie jelly)
2 tbsp sweet sherry
2 tins ready to eat custard
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp boiling water
450ml double cream
decoration of your choice, we used chocolate vermicelli; glitter and stars for extra bliiiiiiiiiing

Slice the swiss roll into 1cm slices. Place these in the bottom of a trifle dish and cover with the sherry, raspberries and strawberries. Make the jelly up according to the packet instructions and pour over the base. Leave to set.

Meanwhile mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water to make a smooth paste. Add to the custard and mix well. Once the jelly is set, pour over.

Whip the cream to soft peak stage and put into a piping bag. Pipe over the custard and then go wild with the decoration. Eat, eat and be merry!

Proper Boozy Egg Nog

Christmas isn't Christmas without a belly full of dangerously alcoholic egg nog. Not in my book anyway.

For 6-8 glasses you need
1/2 pint double cream
1/2 pint milk
3 eggs
4 tbsp icing sugar
3 measures each rum, brandy and whisky
freshly grated nutmeg
cocktail cherries to serve

Place everything apart from the nutmeg and cherries into a blender and blend for 2-3 mins till smooth and thoroughly combined. Strain through a fine meshed sieve into a jug and decorate with lashings of freshly grated nutmeg. Serve topped with enough cocktail cherries to just make you start to feel rather sick. Hic.

Christmas Soup

So called as it's a taste of Christmas in a bowl :) A very quick and easy dish to throw together in seconds but tastes like you've spent ages making it!

For one hungry person you need
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped plus the leaves of some, finely chopped for decoration
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp veggie stilton
1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic
400ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tsp vegetable oil

Begin by sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion in a pan with the oil for 8-10 mins until tender. Add everything else, apart from the celery leaves and stilton, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins until the veggies are all cooked then add the cheese and blitz until the soup is lovely and smooth. Reheat, season and serve decorated with the celery leaves. Perfect December fare.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto (v)

I finally got round to watching some of the many, many episodes of Three Good Things I've had stacked up on my tivo box for the last few weeks, and in one of the episodes The Huge Furry Whipping Tool (as he is known in our house, Hugh FWS to everyone else...) made pasta with tomatoes and blue cheese. My boyfriend does *not* like blue cheese so I ditched that aspect and instead made some yummy pesto as my third thing. It perfectly used up some rapidly-going-past-their-best baby plum tomatoes that had been hanging round the kitchen for tooooooo long, and also allowed me to try out the Gourmet Garden, Fresh Made Easy basil and garlic combo in a fresh pesto. The verdict was deeeeeeeeeeelicious. Excellent.

For two people you need

2 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic

1 whole tube Gourmet Garden chopped basil

2 tbsp pine nuts

salt and pepper

1/2 pack ripe baby plum tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have to hand)

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

175g cooked pasta (I used shells to capture the sauce)

1 large handful fresh basil

Begin by marinating the tomatoes. Quarter them and chop into eighths if large, and place in  a bowl. Add 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic, the balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix gently and leave to one side.

Meanwhile heat a pan and gently toast the pine nuts till golden brown. Place 2/3 into a mini food processor bowl along with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic and the fresh basil leaves. Pulse for a few seconds till roughly combined. Add the tube of Gourmet Garden chopped basil and the remaining pine nuts and season to taste.

Cook the pasta and drain. Add the tomatoes and pesto and scoff down. Yum yum yum.

Thai Yellow Curry (v)

This was a very quick, throw it all together a la Jamie, creation earlier in the week where I *really* didn't feel like cooking at all. It also made the most of the delicious Gourmet Garden, Fresh Made Easy herbs and spices I am trying out for a blogging competition. Double win.

For one hungry person you need
1 small can coconut cream and same quantity of water (fill the can to measure and rinse it out)
Handful sugar snap peas
2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
3-4 mushrooms, thickly sliced
Handful spinach
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp each of gourmet garden crushed ginger; crushed chilli; crushed Thai spices; crushed garlic and chopped coriander
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp vegetable oil
Rice to serve

Begin by heating the oil in a pan and sauteeing the onion for a few minutes. Add the Gourmet Garden ginger, garlic, chilli and Thai spices and the turmeric powder and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the carrots, coconut cream and water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-4 mins then add everything else and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Serve steaming hot over rice and enjoy the taste of paradise on an otherwise bleak, wet and cold British December evening.

Festive Flapjacks

So called because the festive season calls for an added layer of luxury in terms of ingredients, and I CBA to melt two different types of chocolate to decorate them at any other time of the year ;-) Beware, these flapjacks are addictive and FULL OF CALORIES! But that's why they taste so good ;-)

For 12-16 bars you need
(sorry can only remember this recipe in imperial measurements!)
6oz butter
6oz sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
10oz rolled oats (not cheap ones, proper scottish decent ones but not jumbo ones)
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 glace cherries
100g each milk and white chocolate, melted

Begin by placing everything apart from the oats and chocolate in a large pan and letting the butter melt. Meanwhile, line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. Once the butter et al is melted, add the oats and mix well. Press into the lined tin and bake in a moderate (180 degree) oven for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden brown. Take care not to overbake or the edges and sides will become brittle and too crunchy when it's cooled.

Remove from the oven once cooked and leave to cool for 30 mins or so before sliding out of the tin. Leave on the baking paper to cool totally. Drizzle/spread over the melted chocolate in any pattern you like and then cut into bars once the chocolate has set. Deeeelishous!!!

Probably The Most Awesome Vegan Pie Ever (v)

OK, OK, I am feeling rather smug after tonight's dinner marvel, but it was delicious. Really, really delicious. And it was also very easy to make, and used up some of the veg that has been looking sadly up at me from the bottom of the fridge for the last week. Because it's vegan, there's no cream in the recipe, just some soya milk which makes a lovely creamy sauce. And this makes it a healthy choice too if you're watching the calories, what more do you need to convince you to try it ;-)

For 4-6 portions you need
1 sheet puff pastry, rolled out to .5cm thickness
1 leek, finely sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2-3 parsnips, ditto the carrots
4-5 mushrooms cut into chunky slices
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1/2 pint soya milk plus a little extra for glazing the top of the pie
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp stock powder
2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsely
salt and pepper

Begin by sauteeing the vegetables in the oil in a large pan. Cover with a lid and allow the veggies to steam fry for 5 mins or so. Remove the lid and increase the heat a little to evaporate off the mushroom juices.

Sprinkle over the flour and stock powder and allow to cook out. Add the mustard and slowly add the soya milk until it's all absorbed and the sauce is nicely thickened. Season and add the parsley.

Place the vegetables and sauce in a pie dish. Put the puff pastry on the top and seal the edges. You don't have to use a pie funnel but it will help to cook the inside out if you have one and prevent a soggy pastry lid. Crimp the edges of the pie and brush the top with a little extra soya milk.

Bake the pie in a hot (180 degree) oven for 30-40 mins until the pastry is golden, crispy and cooked through. Serve with baby jacket potatoes, steamed cauliflower and lashings of yummy gravy. Nomtastic.

Coconut Dhal Soup with Carrot and Parsnip (v)

This is a perfect autumnal warming dish, and it only takes a few minutes to make. I guess if you were Jamie you could do it in 15 mins, but I am not so did it in a more sedate 22 and made less mess than he would have... It used up some sad carrots and parsnips that were languishing at the bottom of my fridge nicely. It freezes well and you can adjust the quantities easily to feed more or less people.

For 2-3 portions you need
1 can coconut milk
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, bashed
1 inch piece ginger, grated
A little water, depending on how thin you want your finished soup
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp each mustard seeds and ground garam masala, tumeric, coriander, cumin
Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Splash chilli oil

Being by frying the spices in the oil until the mustard seeds pop. Add all the veggies and cover with a lid and sautee for a few mins. Add the lentils and fry for another 1-2 mins. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 mins until the lentils and veggies are cooked. Blitz to a puree and add some water if it's too thick. Re-heat and serve garnished with the fresh coriander and a drizzle of chilli oil. Delish!

Hoisin Glazed Tofu with Rice Noodles, Carrot & Coriander Salad

This photo got picked up by VeganFoodShare on instagr.am, go me! It really does taste as good as it looks, promise, and is a very easy quick after work recipe to create too.

For four people you need

Tofu
1 pack firm tofu, drained and cut into strips as per pic
1 bottle hoisin sauce

Salad
2 large carrots, coarsely grated
1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 red onion, sliced
Juice of one lime
1-2 red chillies, sliced (add more or less depending on how hot you want it!)
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Noodles
4 bundles rice noodles

Method

Begin by marinating the tofu in the hoisin sauce. This can be done in advance and left in the fridge (for up to 3 days). If you don't prepare ahead of time, leave it to marinate for 15 mins or so.

Place the noodles in a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave to soak.

Put all of the salad ingredients, reserving a little of the chopped coriander for a garnish, into an bowl and mix gently.

Place the marinated tofu in a shallow pan with a little oil and pan fry over a medium heat until the outside is sticky and glazed and the inside is hot.

Once the noodles are soaked, drain and refresh in cold water. Place on a plate and top with the salad. Put the cooked tofu on top and add a little extra of the hoisin marinade. Decorate with some chilli slices and coriander and then scoff. Delicious, healthy and so so tasty!

River Cottage Puy Lentils with Capers and Olives (v)

I wanted something savoury and tasty to go with a glut of potatoes, and an idle google suggested the savoury lentils in River Cottage Veg were just the thing. I have adapted the original recipe by adding extra capers and olives along with a diced red onion for extra tang and crunch.

For four portions you need
250g puy lentils
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed to release the juices
1 packet pitted green chilli olives
1/3 jar capers, well rinsed
2 tsp stock powder
1 red onion, finely diced

Place the puy lentils in a pan with lots of water. Bring to the boil and boil for one minute only. Drain and put back in the pan with just enough stock to cover them. Add the garlic and simmer for about 10-15 mins until the lentils are al dente. Once cooked, add the onion, capers and olives and leave to steam gently (off the heat) for 5 mins to infuse. Serve with a crisp salad. It's also lovely cold the following day for your lunch :)

Proper Potato Rosti (v)

These are a cinch to make, as long as you give them enough time, but taste amazing and are such a nice contrast to the ubiquitous chip.

For one rosti that feeds 2-3 you need
3-4 small to medium potatoes. Floury ones are best, waxy ones won't work!\
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp vegan marge (or butter)

Coarsely grate the potatoes. Heat the oil and fat in a large non stick frying pan till the fat bubbles. Place the grated potatoes in the pan and squish down to form an even layer. Season with salt and pepper.

Over a low to medium heat cook the potatoes until the bottom side is totally golden brown and starting to crisp. Place a dinner plate over the pan and invert, then slide the uncooked side of the rosti into the hot pan and cook for another 10 mins or so until both sides are golden, crisp and cooked. Serve as you wish. I had it with seasoned puy lentils and a soft side salad. Utter bliss and total comfort food :)

Double Chocolate Banana Cake (v)

This is an adaptation of Nigella's banana bread from her Domestic Goddess book. I got so sick of making the plain banana cake as although lots of my friends and family liked it, I wasn't that keen (unless I was eating the raw batter!). However, the addition of chocolate to it makes it utterly delicious. Why I haven't made this one before is beyond me, but I have now, and so must you :)

For 2 x 2lb loaf cakes you need
6 very ripe bananas, mashed to a puree
25g cocoa powder
100g sultanas
75ml southern comfort (or other booze of your choice)
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarb
100ml sunflower oil
150g caster sugar
100g plain chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preferably soak the sultanas in the booze overnight, but if you're short of time, place in a saucepan and heat gently then leave to speed soak for 15-30 mins.

Mix everything together and scrape into two lined loaf tins. Bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 45-60 mins until the cakes are risen and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool. Eat with copious cups of tea.

Side Salad (v)

Yeah, I know, you hardly need a recipe for a side salad right? Well, I was asked to do some simple basic recipes as part of the Vegan MoFo, along with what I normally blog, so here you go :) This is my fave side salad for all sorts of things, but most especially pasta.

For one person you need
Mixed salad leaves
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Red pepper
Red onion
Salt and pepper
Balsamic syrup
Olive oil

Place the lettuce leaves in a bowl and then top with the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and pepper. Drizzle over balsamic syrup and 1-2 tsp oil before seasoning and consuming. Yum.

Pasta with Courgette, Tomato and Lemon Garlic Sauce (v)

This was a spur of the moment, what on earth do I cook for dinner, how can I use up some languishing ingredients dinner and very tasty it was too.

For 2 portions you need
1 courgette, cut into slices then quarters as in pic
6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
pasta of your choice

Begin by cooking the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil gently and sautee off the courgette until softened and lightly browned (keep the heat quite high to ensure it browns before going mushy). Add the tomatoes, zest and garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins to warm everything through. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and then place in the sauce pan and coat everything with the sauce. Scoff. Nom.

Roasted Squash, Carrot and Onion Soup with Chilli (v)

It's definitely autumn here now: cold, misty, and in need of filling, warming food! This soup hits the spot fair and square. It's a delicious combination of velvety smooth pureed squash and warming chilli and spices. A doddle to make, but luxurious to eat.

For 2-3 portions you need
1 spaghetti & 1 acorn squash (or equivalents of other squashes!) deseeded and cut into rough slices, skin on
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3-4 carrots, cut into rough chunks
1 tsp each of cumin, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2-3 birds eye chillies
1-1.5 litres of vegan stock (depending on thickness of soup desired)

Place the squash, carrots and onions onto a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle over the spices and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 30 mins until soft and cooked.

Scoop the squash off of the skin and place in a pan along with the onions, carrot and chillies. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Puree using a stick blender, check seasoning and serve with oodles of fresh crusty bread. Delicious!

Cauliflower (non)Cheese (v)

And so the Vegan MoFo has begun, and here is my first offering... Made yesterday as part of a roast dinner requested by my boy, this is cauliflower baked in a tangy, tasty mustard sauce. Just like cauliflower cheese, sans the cheese...

For 3-6 portions, depending on greed and other bits with it you need
1 cauliflower, de-leaved but left whole
2oz vegan margarine
2oz plain flour
1 pint soya milk
salt and pepper
1 tsp french (Dijon) mustard
1 tsp english mustard

Place the whole head of cauliflower in a pan and add 1-2 cms of boiling water froma  kettle. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for 10 mins. You want the tougher base cooked in the water, with the florets steamed. Once cooked, drain and leave to cool.

For the sauce, place the marge and flour in a pan and melt to form the roux. Once it's mixed together, gently heat and allow to cook out for 2-3 mins. Add the soya milk in stages, mixing well between each addition to minimise lumps forming. I find a whisk the easiest to use but not in a non-stick pan! Once all the milk is mixed in, allow the sauce to cook thoroughly and thicken. Season with salt and pepper and add the mustards and mix well.

Place the cauliflower in an oven proof dish and pour over the sauce. Bake in a hot oven for 15 mins until bubbling and delicious. Serve as you wish, we had it with roasted spuds and parsnips and steamed cabbage. Delicious on a murky, yukky autumnal day.

No meat, no diary, no eggs, no honey...

Yep, for the next month, I am vegan only as I'm contributing to the annual Vegan MoFo event. I'm hoping to adapt some of my most popular recipes into vegan ones, as well as trying out new recipes. A lot of what I make is already vegan as I'm not a huge dairy eater but I will miss eggs. A lot. So time to try out some different egg substitutions in cake recipes. Any ideas or suggestions welcome!

Nigella's Nutella Cheesecake

Yeah. I know. Another recipe from *her*. I'm sorry. I can't deny it. I do like her recipes. They work. They're easy. And I like them... This is adapted from the original (p175 of Nigellissima) as I didn't have any digestives, and not quite enough nutella. But OH MY GOD it tastes amazeballs. I am the size of a house now. Send help...

For 12 portions you need
600g cream cheese
400g nutella
250g gingernut biscuits
75g soft butter
60g icing sugar
toasted chopped hazlenuts to serve (optional)

Begin by pulverising the biscuits and butter in a food processor until they are well combined. Turn out into a silicone cake mould and press down.

Put the cream cheese and icing sugar into a free standing mixer and mix, slowly, until combined. Add the nutella and mix well. Pour into the cake mould and leave to stand in the fridge for at least 2 hours (I didn't hence it oozing in the picture...).

Carefully remove each slice and sprinkle with hazlenuts if you want them. Scoff. Resist the temptation to eat more than you really should you your belly will feel like mine. But oh my it's worth it!!

Foraged Blackberry Jam (v)

According to one of the contestants on the Great British Bake Off, young people have forgotten skills like jam making <snarl>. Yeah, I can't stand him either, but for lots of other reasons too. Anyway. It's not true. I have been making jam, and chutney, and jelly, for years. So <sticks tongue out> to you. Jam making is not hard and does not involve any particular skills. You just need to know the right balance of sugar to fruit and whether or not you need to add more pectin. And you must must must sterilise your jars properly if you want to store your jam for a wee while. This jam was made from foraged blackberries from Baildon common. We were lucky enough to get a kilo in one visit, but the fruit freezes well if you can't pick that much before getting fed up being pricked by prickles or stung by brambles...

For 8 mini (225g) jars you need
1kg blackberries
1kg sugar. Any sugar is fine but preserving sugar is easier to melt and jam sugar already contains additional pectin
juice 1 lemon if not using jam sugar
Wax discs to seal the jam

Start by placing a saucer or small plate in the freezer. We will need it later.

Sterilise your jam jars, lids and any other utensils you will use to put the jam from the pan into jars (e.g. ladle etc). Do this by either putting in a hot dishwasher cycle or by washing in hot soapy water, rinsing and placing in the oven at 75 degrees for 10 mins. Make sure everything is still warm before you bottle the jam.

Place the fruit and sugar and lemon in a large, heavy based pan. A preserving pan is ideal but if you only plan on making one batch of jam don't bother with buying one, a normal pan is fine. Slowly (this being the operative word) melt the sugar. As you heat the fruit will start to break down releasing juice which will mingle with the sugar and aid the process. Don't rush this bit, it should take about 15-30 mins. Once the sugar has fully melted and there are no sugar crystals left, bring to the boil.

Boil rapidly for 5 mins and then start to test for a soft set. To do this, take your plate from the freezer, remove the jam from the heat, and place a small dollop on the cold plate. If after 30 seconds you can draw a line through it with your fingernail and it doesn't immediately get filled with liquid the jam is ready. If not, reboil for a further minute and keep testing until you reach soft set.

I like my jam smooth so I blitz with a stick blender before bottling. Transfer the jam to the sterilised jars and seal with a wax disc. Loosely place the lids on top, and leave to cool before tightening. Don't put labels on until the jam jars are cold or they will fall off! Leave in a cool, darkish place and enjoy in deepest winter.

Thai Massaman Curry (v)

We had a Thai extravaganza at the weekend (can you guess from recent blog posts ;-)) and this was pronounced deeeeeelicious by both boyfriend and son. Result.

For four greedy portions you need
1 tub massaman curry paste (I like the Thai Taste one but it contains shrimp paste, use one without obviously if you want it to be vegan...)
1 can coconut milk
1 onion
2 courgettes, sliced
1/2 pack each mange tout and green beans
1 head pak choi
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1-2 sweet potatoes (equal quantities to the squash), peeled and cubed
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce if vegan

Begin by frying the curry paste and onion for a few minutes. Add the squash and sweet potato along with the coconut milk. Season with the sugar and fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for 10 mins. Add everything else and cook for 3 mins until the remaining veggies are al dente. Serve with sticky rice and sigh with pleasure as the fragrant, rich curry fills that hole in yer belly.

Thai Style Tofu 'fish' Cakes (v)

Spicy, salty, hot and delicious. Everything Thai inspired street food snacks should be. And vegan too, yay! This satisfied a craving for fish cakes and was dead simple to make. They are lovely straight from the deep frying pan, but equally store well for a few days and can be successfully reheated in an oven so make up a full batch and enjoy over a few days :)

For about 20 nuggets of deliciousness you need
1 pack tofu, pressed flat and well drained (it doesn't matter if it starts to crumble)
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4-6 chillies, depending on how hot you like your food!
2 tbsp thai red curry paste (I used a massaman one as it was already open)
1 bunch coriander stalks
About 1/4-1/2 cup plain flour
Oil for deep frying

Begin by placing everything apart from the tofu, flour and oil in a food processor and blending to a mush (you want everything really finely chopped and well combined). Add the tofu and pulse to blend until it's just mixed. Add flour until it reaches a thick sticky consistency.

Heat the oil in a deep pan until really hot (a cube of bread turns golden brown in 3 secs). Take small spoonfuls of the tofu mixture and drop into the pan, taking care not to splash yourself with the very hot oil. Leave to cook on one side for a few mines then flip over and cook the other side.

Drain on kitchen paper and either eat straight away or reheat in an oven. Lovely with prik nam pla (but make with soya sauce not fish sauce!) and sweet chilli sauce.

Cowboy Stew (v)

I don't know where the name Cowboy Stew comes from I have to confess. I first made this as a student so I think it's probably something to do with the fact that it contains beans and sausages and everyone knows that's what cowboys eat. Whatever, the etymology of the name is less interesting than the recipe. It's the perfect sort of dish for horrible weather like what we had today: wet, soggy, cold, blustery. This warms you from the inside and tastes lovely at the same time. Result.

For 4 portions you need
1 pack Linda McCartney sausages
1 tin baked beans
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tin drained black eyed beans
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 punnett mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 red and 1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
salt and pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp each of hendersons relish (veggie worcester sauce), soya sauce and mushroom ketchup

Begin by sautéing the onion in the oil for about 5 mins. Add the mushrooms and cook till the juices have come out. Add the peppers and garlic and fry for another 1-2 mins. Add everything else apart from the sausages and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 mins. Meanwhile fry the sausages until browned. Add the sausages to the pan of stew and cook for a further 10 mins till steaming hot. Serve with mounds of buttery mash, or whatever carb you feel like. Perfeck.

Butter Cookies with Rose Water

I adore these. They are so meltingly delicious from the (copious) butter but have a lovely light and clean delicate flavour from the rose water. They are ridiculously easy to make and even easier to eat heh heh heh. The original recipe is adapted from one by Ghillie Basan in Modern Moroccan (p140).

For about 20 cookies you need
200g butter
130g icing sugar
10ml rose water
250g plain flour

Melt the butter then add everything else to it and mix to a smooth paste. Chill in the fridge for 30mins or so. Pull of pieces of dough about the size of a walnut and roll in to a ball. Squidge down on a baking tray and bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 20 mins until lightly golden brown. Leave to cool on the tray for a few mins before transferring to a cooling rack and cooling thoroughly.

Nigella's Olive Oil and Almond Chocolate Cake (GF)

I got Nigellissima earlier in the week (think I might have already mentioned that...) and saw this in it as I was idly flicking through the pages. So I made it. It's d-i-v-i-n-e. Moist. Sticky. Gooey. So very very chocolatey. Utterly delicious in other words. Make it, you won't be disappointed.

For 8 greedy slices you need
For the cake
150ml olive oil
50g cocoa powder
125ml boiling water
2 tsp vanilla
150g ground almonds
1/2 tsp gluten free baking power *or* 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
3 eggs

For the icing you need
75g vegan spread
150g icing sugar
25g cocoa powder

Begin by mixing the boiling water into the cocoa powder till it's smooth. Add the vanilla to it and leave to cool.

Place the eggs, oil and sugar in to the bowl of a free standing mixer and beat on full for three minutes until fluffy and thickened.

Slowly drizzle in the cocoa mixture. Once this is added, add in everything else and mix gently to a smooth batter (it will be very wet, don't worry).

Scrape into a silicone baking mould and bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 45 mins. The outside should be cooked through and the middle moist when it's done. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Turn onto a wire rack once cool enough to handle.

Whip the vegan spread, icing sugar and cocoa together until light, fluffy and creamy. Spread on to the top and sides of the cooled cake and finish with a dusting of cocoa powder. Enjoy!

Nigella's Steamed and Sauteed Potatoes (v)

I have never, ever, steamed a potato before in my life. I mean why would you? Surely it would take f-o-r-e-v-e-r given how long they can take to boil. But Nigella recommends doing this as a way to ensure dryer potatoes, perfect if you want to sautee them afterwards as they won't be so steamed and claggy as they would be if they were boiled. But I broke with tradition last night after reading a recipe for steamed and then sauteed potatoes in her new book Nigellissima (p52). There were actually very good. I can't vouch for them being sweeter as she suggests they would be, but they certainly crisped up better than I have ever seen them do when sauteeing... This dish makes for a nice side dish. I had it with a fried egg for my dinner but obviously omit if you're vegan :)

For 2-3 portions, depending on greed, you need
3-4 waxy potatoes
pinch dried chilli flakes
pinch dried mint
1 tbsp olive oil
salt

First cut the potatoes into 1-2cm dice. Then steam for about 10 mins until just tender. Allow the steam to dry the potatoes (I find holding the steamer insert outside for a few mins is sufficient to allow them to start to dry). Pre-heat the oil, chilli, salt and mint in a pan and then tip in the potatoes. Sautee over a medium heat for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan from time to time. You want a nice even browning on the slices. Serve with whatever you fancy.

Salty and Spicy Green Beans (v)

I have been craving Thai food this week, and whilst what I wanted were tofu fish cakes, I didn't have any paste so I had to be creative with what was available instead... This combo of salty soya sauce, fiery chilli and toasted sesame hit the spot. It's lovely warm or cold and is a good quick and healthy side dish to make.

For two portions you need
1 pack green beans, topped and tailed as necessary
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp japanese rice vinegar
1 tbsp tabasco sauce (fresh chilli if nicer is you have some!)
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar

Blanch the beans in boiling water for 1-2 mins. Drain and refresh in cold water to retain their colour and stop them cooking further. Place all the other ingredients in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Immerse the beans and then scoff. Nomtastic!

Courgette Frittata

This recipe is the happy marriage between courgettes delivered in my Abel and Cole veggie box and an Asda magazine which suggested a similar recipe. It made for a quick and easy light lunch.

For four portions you need
6 eggs
2 courgettes, sliced into discs 5mm thick (or near enough, no need for a ruler!)
1 onion, sliced
knob butter
75g grated mature cheddar
salt and pepper

You need a smallish frying pan for this to ensure the correct depth of egg mix to the veggies in it. A lid is useful for helping to steam the courgettes as the pan will seem crowded to begin with.

Start by melting the butter. Once this is done, add the onions and fry for about 5 mins. Add all of the courgettes and cover with a lid over a moderate heat. Shake/stir the pan regularly to ensure no sticking.

Mix the eggs with the cheese and season. Once the courgettes are starting to become tender add the eggs and shuffle the pan about to ensure an even layer. Cook over a low heat until the base is nice and browned and most of the eggs are set. Heat the grill and transfer the pan to the grill to finish off. Serve hot or cold.

Baklava

This is not a dish for the faint hearted, cos when you see how much butter it uses you would be forgiven for having a heart attack there and then... But, you're supposed to eat in teeny tiny slices so it's all OK really. Promise. This has been made for the forthcoming Shipley Slump taking place on the 23rd Sept. Good job I'm on a diet or I'd be scoffing it all now and having to make another it smells SOOOOOOOOOOOO divine!!!!!

For about 40 pieces you need
Baklava:
1 packet of filo or feuille de brick pastry
250g butter, melted
2.5 cups mixed nuts (I used walnuts, pistachios and hazlenuts)
1/3 cup caster sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Syrup:
1.5 cups caster sugar
1.5 cups water
3 tbsp rose water
3 tbsp orange flower water
3 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup runny honey

Begin by brushing the sides and base of a swiss roll tin with butter. Lay 9 sheets of pastry into the tin, taking care to brush thoroughly and evenly with melted butter.

Take the nuts, sugar and spices (I can't resist adding a picture here they looked so pretty!) and sprinkle half the mixture over the butter pastry.



Place another two sheets of pastry on top, again brushing each carefully with butter, and top with the remaining nut mixture. Place the remaining sheets of pastry on the top, buttering each layer. Trim the edges and brush the top with the last bit of butter. Cut into small pieces using a sharp knife.

Bake in a moderate (140 degree) oven for 30 mins. Check, rotate the tin to ensure even cooking, and turn up to 150 degrees. Cook for a further 30 mins until the pastry is light golden brown, crisp and fully cooked.

Whilst the baklava is cooking, make the syrup. Place the water, sugar, honey, cloves and cinnamon in a pan and slowly melt. Once all the sugar is dissolved, bring to the boil and boil fast for 15 mins until the syrup is reduced, thickened and gorgeous. Carefully add the lemon juice, rose and orange flower waters (it will hiss and spit when you do this) and leave to cool for a bit.

When the baklava is cooked, remove from the oven and pour over the strained, fragrant syrup. Leave well alone for at least 48 hours, preferably longer, to let the syrup steep into the nuts and pastry. Serve with very strong coffee and forget about the calories...

Quorn Keema

I've made this a few times now and it's rapidly becoming a store cupboard staple on days when you have that frantic back-home-from-work-desperately-hungry-but-no-idea-what-to-cook moment. Cook this. It takes no more than 20 mins from start to finish, and tastes amazeballs. What more do you need :D

For 3-4 portions, depending on greed, you need
1 packet frozen quorn mince
1/2 jar curry paste
1 tin tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp oil
1 cup frozen peas
poppadums to serve

Begin by frying the onion in the oil for a few mins. Add the curry paste and garlic and cook out for a few minutes more. Add the quorn, tomatoes and peas and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer for 10 mins until everything is cooked through. Serve with poppadums and whatever else you fancy. It's even better the next day with chips ;-)

Kale with Carrots, Pasta and White Beans (v)

This got loads of likes earlier on instagr.am and it did taste as good as it looks. A very quick, healthy and tasty soupy stew to knock up on a working from home day the day after my organic box was delivered!

For two portions you need
1 onion chopped (I used three small ones from the garden)
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
2 huge handfuls kale, washed and finely shredded
1 tsp vegan stock
500ml boiling water
salt and pepper
1 tin butterbeans, drained
1 tbsp olive oil
small handful wholewheat pasta - I used spaghetti but anything will do

Begin by sauteeing the onion and carrots in the oil for 5 mins or so. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Reduce and simmer for 10 mins until the pasta is cooked. Serve and slurp with satisfaction. Nom.

Moist and Tangy Lemon Drizzle Cake

Apparently I make the bestest lemon drizzle cake in the world, according to my office colleagues anyway. And it's always a good seller on the stalls that I do. I put it down to the light and fluffy texture from using non dairy margarine instead of butter in the batter, the heady hit of lemon in the batter and syrup and the right combination of sweet and tangy. A number of people have asked for the recipe, so here it is :)

For 2 2lb loaf cakes you need
4 eggs
8oz self raising flour
8oz vitalite marge
8oz caster sugar
zest and juice of two lemons
about 4 heaped tbsp of icing sugar
a few drops of lemon essence if you wish

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees (fan). Begin by making the cake batter. Place the marge and sugar into a free standing mixer and beat on fast for 10 mins to incorporate loads of air. Break the eggs into a jug and lightly mix. Pour in alternating spoonfuls of egg and flour with the motor running on slow to ensure no curdling. Add the lemon essence if using. Stop and scrape down the sides towards the end to ensure even mixing.

Grate the lemon zest into the batter and mix thoroughly, remembering to add oddles of love :) Scrape the mixture into prepared loaf tins and bake for 20-30 mins till risen, lightly browned and springy to touch.

Whilst the cakes are baking, make the syrup by melting together the juice of the lemons with the icing sugar. I have to say I never weigh out the sugar so the 4 tbsp is a guesstimate. I aim for a mix of half and half juice and sugar. Melt slowly in a pan to dissolve the sugar. When the cakes are done, remove from the oven and pour over the syrup. Leave to cool completely. Eat and be the envy of your friends.

Vegetable Fritters (v)

Yes my blog has been sadly neglected recently, but I have moved house again and had a new kitchen fitted and and and and and.....

Anyway. These are dead simple vegetable fritters, one of the first things I made in my lovely new kitchen. They're very quick and easy to make and don't require the exact ingredients listed out below, so experiment and see what you come up with.

For 8-10 fritters you need:
1-2 courgettes, coarsely grated
1-2 carrots, treated like the courgettes
1/4 cup plain flour
1 egg (omit if you're vegan and use water instead)
zest of one lemon
2 handfuls fresh coriander, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for deep frying

Mix the grated veggies with everything else and season. Heat the oil and drop spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry for about 5 mins until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with salad and sweet chilli sauce.

Tomato and Garlic Sauce (v)

This goes well with loads of different things, and was delicious with the moroccan bulghar salad :)

For 2 portions you need:
1 can chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
pinch sugar
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

Place everything in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins or so until thickened. Serve as you wish :)

Moroccan Bulghar Wheat Salad (v)

The weather has been *glorious* for the last 10 days or so :) Quite strangely warm for mid March. In order to acknowledge this fact I made myself a bowl of yummy vegan goodness for lunch yesterday. I often make soaked bulghar wheat because it's quick, easy and filling. You can add whatever you have to hand, don't be put off by the long list of apparently random and weird ingredients. Make in bulk and enjoy over the week as the flavours develop and the fruit plumps up more and more.

For 6-8 portions you need:
1 cup bulghar wheat
2 cups stock
1 red onion, diced finely
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 pack chilli marinated olives
1/4 cup each of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts
2 tbsp ras-el-halout
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
1/4 cup raisins

Toast the seeds with the ras-el-halout until lightly toasted and spitting hot. Soak everything else in a large bowl and add the sizzling seeds to the mix. Combine well and leave to marinate. Serve with tomato sauce and salad leaves.

Becka's Bestest Ever Rocky Road

This went down a storm on the stall last week, and with good reason. It's the best recipe yet for rocky road I have been able to concoct. It's loosely based on Nigella's Rocky Road Crunch Bars but I have played about with the recipe after repeated makings (it's a hard life being a baker ;-)) and adjusted quantities and added in more yummy things. Hers are OK but imho they are a bit two dimensional and nowhere near as yummy as mine. Strong words, but try this and I promise you won't be disappointed!

For 12 bars you need:
150g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate (70% or above)
125g butter
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g rich tea biscuits, crushed a bit
100g rice crispies
100g whole glace cherries
100g marshmallows

Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup together in a double boiler (bowl over a pan of water). Once melted, add everything else and mix well. Turn out into a lined tray bake tin and smooth other. Leave to cool before cutting into squares and lamenting again about the size of your waistline.

Lime Drizzle Cake with Blueberries

The cake of the month for March is lime drizzle with blueberries. I often make lemon drizzle, but this takes the concept of light, airy sponge smothered in sticky syrup to a whole new level. For some reason I don't understand the blueberries always sink... (if anyone knows why please let me know!) but that doesn't seem to affect the taste. In fact, I think it's nice having a layer of quite sharp, ooey and gooey fruit on the bottom, below the cloud of light sponge flavoured with lime zest before the sticky top layer of syrup soaked cake. The original recipe for this was in BBC Good Food's 101 cakes and bakes. I've adapted it slightly by adding more lime zest to the cake batter and syrup and also using only blueberries. It works with any fresh berries tbh, tho raspberries, currants and blueberries are better than strawberries. The smell of the lime took me back to Thailand so I might make one with coconut and mango another time to bring back memories of Koh Phangan.

For two 2lb loaf cakes or one large tray bake you need:

For the cake

225g vitalite/softened butter

225g caster sugar

250g self raising flour

25g ground almonds (omit if allergic to nuts and use extra flour instead, you can't taste the almonds but they do give a lovely texture)

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs, lightly beaten

zest of 2 limes

juice of 2 limes

200g fresh blueberries

For the syrup

Juice of four limes

Zest of two limes

140g caster sugar

Begin by creaming the sugar with the vitalite/butter in a free standing mixer. Beat for 10 mins until light, fluffy and creamy. Add the eggs a little at a time, incorporating a spoonful of flour between each addition of egg to prevent curdling. Once all the eggs are added, mix in the remaining flour, salt and ground almonds. Grate in the lime zest and gently fold in the juice.

Mix in 2/3 of the blueberries and scrape into lined tins - either two 2lb loaf tins or one traybake tin. Scatter over the remaining blueberries and bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 25 mins till risen, golden brown and cooked through.

Meanwhile make the syrup by melting the sugar over a very low heat with the lime juice and zest. Leave to cool slightly whilst the cakes cook.

As soon as the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and prick all over with a fork. Pour over the syrup and allow to sink in. Let the cakes cool completely before scoffing. They will last well for a week in an airtight container, assuming you can resist the temptation to eat them!

Vegan Flapjacks (v)

I want to ensure that my vegan friends, and those who suffer from lactose/dairy intolerances, can join in the baking fun. So I have adapted my usual veggie flapjack recipe to a vegan version and road tested it today. I am pleased to report that it works. Really well. In fact I think I will ditch the butter version as this one is so good!

For 12 pieces you need:
6oz vitalite/vegan margerine
6oz soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
5oz rolled porridge oats
5oz scotch porridge oats

Begin by melting the spread, sugar and golden syrup together. Once this is done, add the oats to the pan and mix well. Turn out into a lined swiss roll tin and bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 10 mins. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins or so before removing. Slice into portions and try not to eat it all on one day...

Apple, Almond and Blueberry Cake with Vanilla

Yep. You guessed it. This is yet another recipe from Mary Berry's Baking Bible. P50 this time. And another recipe made and adapted to use up the contents of my cupboard. I had no apricots so I substituted dried blueberries instead. And I also added vanilla because I adore the mix of almond and vanilla together. My boyfriend declared this cake as GORGEOUS and was rendered speechless by it's deliciousness. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

For one cake you need:
250g self raising flour
225g vanilla caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
150g butter, melted
225g peeled, cored and chopped apples. I used a mix of bramley and pink lady
100g dried blueberries
50g flaked almonds

Line a square baking tin with parchment paper. Mix everything apart from the apples, blueberries and almonds together well. Fold in the fruit and then scrape into the lined tin. Top with the flaked almonds and bake in a moderate (160 degree) oven for about an hour, till risen and golden. Leave to cool and then eat. It's nice warm or cold and also freezes well.

Death by Chocolate Cake

This is another Mary Berry recipe from her awesome Baking Bible book (p95). It was made for my boyfriend's birthday cake, but I had some spare batter left over as my tins were a bit too small. Shame. So I baked it and Lex and I scoffed. It's also national chocolate cake day today, so what better reason do you need :)

For one 20cm/8" cake or lots of small ones you need:
Cake
275g self raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
11/2 tsp bicarb
215g vanilla caster sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
225ml sunflower oil
225ml soya milk

Icing
450g plain chocolate
200g butter

Combine everything together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly to ensure no lumps or tell tale white bits that Mary and Paul would chastise you over. Pour into lined tins and bake at 160 degrees for about 30 mins till risen and cooked. Obviously adjust the time downwards if making mini cakes. But you know that. Leave to cool slightly then turn out of the tins and leave to cool completely.

For the icing, melt the chocolate and once this is done, add the butter and leave to melt. Allow to thicken slightly before using or it will run everywhere. Smother cooled cakes in icing, top with chocolate sprinkles and finish with gold spray for extra sparkle. Receive undying love and gratitude from all who consume.

Mary Berry's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am in the throes of moving, so when I came across a recipe that used a can of condensed milk I thought to myself "a-ha!" as I always have some of this in the cupboard. And in the cupboard it sits. Lonely. Sad. Unloved. As I never know what to do with it, other than open the can, scoff it with a spoon and then feel really _really_ sick. My bro gave me Mary Berry's Baking Bible for my Xmas pressie and this recipe can be found in there. They're a cinch to make, and they freeze well too :) I have adapted the recipe slightly by using 100g white chocolate chips as I like the contrast of white with plain chocolate and they're sold in bags of 100g so why not chuck in the extra 35g I ask you....

For about 24-32 cookies (depending on how big yer gob is...) you need:
397g tin of condensed milk
50g butter
200g plain chocolate
225g self raising flour
100g white chocolate chips

Melt the butter and chocolate. Leave to cool slightly. Mix in everything else and then leave to chill until stiffened (this only takes 15 mins or so and it doesn't need to go in the fridge).

Pinch out quantities about the size of a walnut and roll into balls. Flatten slightly on to the baking sheet, leaving space for them to spread. I easily got 9 onto each baking sheet. Bake at 160 degrees for about 12 mins. Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a cooling rack.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Mmmmmm. Cake. Red cake. Silver frosting. Perfection in cake form. These were made for a birthday gal last week and went down to tremendous applause <becka bows modestly>. Strictly speaking they are not red velvet as there's no cocoa powder in them. I loathe chocolate cupcakes. So I don't make them. They are, really, vibrant red victoria sponge fairy cakes. But delicious nonetheless.

For about 32 cakes you need:
Cake
8oz self raising flour
8oz vitalite
8oz vanilla caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp red food paste (if using food colouring, reduce the amount of milk)

Icing
1 tub betty crocker ready made creamy frosting <becka blushes, look I am clearing out my cupboards ready for a house move OK>.

Beat the sugar and vitalite together in a free standing mixer for *at least* 10 mins, till very light and fluffy. You will probably need to scrape down the sides at least once during this period. Mix the eggs together and gradually add to the fat and sugar mixture. Add a spoonful of flour with each addition of eggs to stop it from curdling. Once all the eggs are added, incorporate the remainder of the flour along with the vanilla paste and food paste. Add some milk to slacken the mixture if it needs it.

Spoon into lined muffin/cupcake tins and bake at 170 degrees for about 15-20 mins till risen and lightly browned. Leave to cool.

Decorate with piped icing and top with a chocolate button and silver spray or whatever you fancy. Scoff and bask in the adulation of your friends.

Thai Cucumber Salad (v)

Every good Thai dish deserves something refreshing, cleansing and tasty to compliment it. And this delicious cucumber salad does just what it should. There's a sour hit from the vinegar but this is tempered with the syrup that sits alongside it. If you don't like your chillies to kick a HUGE punch, then let the salad sit for a while to reduce the fearsome heat. My mouth went numb when I ate this, but that was the idea so it was all good. Sooooooo gooooooooood!

For 2-3 servings you need:
Salad:
1 whole cucumber. cut into quarters, lengthwise, and deseeded, then cut into chunks
1 red onion, chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, julienned
2 large handfuls coriander, roughly chopped
3-4 bird's eye chillies, sliced finely

Dressing:
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp water
pinch salt

Bring the dressing ingredients to the boil and simmer till the sugar has disolved. Leave to cool. Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl and pour over the dressing. Allow to infuse. Eat. Wonder that you could create something so healthy and delicious and easy. Feel smug.

Thai Fish (or Tofu) Cakes

I adore fish cakes but have never ever made them before. And they were one of the things I didn't actually eat in Thailand. So I rectified that as soon as I got back. If you're vegan/veggie then tofu instead of fish makes a delicious alternative without the dead animal.


For 6 people as a starter you need:
300g fresh fish or tofu
3 tbsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce
3 tbsp red curry paste
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 egg (omit if you're vegan and add a little water if necessary to blend to a paste)
1 tsp palm sugar
juice 1 lime
1 inch ginger or galangal
oil for deep frying

Puree everything in a food processor till it goes sticky. If using fish, keep pulsing till it thickens and becomes really sticky. If using tofu, take care not to overmix, especially if doing the vegan version sans eggs.

Heat enough oil in a deep pan to deep fry. Place small teaspoonfuls into the hot oil and turn over after about 45 seconds to ensure even cooking. Fry till browned and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with a sour cucumber salad or sweet chilli sauce or frankly anything else you want to dip them in. if you have left overs they are delicious served in a cold salad of rice noodles with left over cucumber salad and soya sauce.

Thom Kaa Soup

I went to Thailand for Christmas this year with my son and we both really enjoyed sampling the gorgeous food out there. Since returning home I have been trying out some recipes and trying to recreate the delicious food we ate out there. This soup is based on one in the awesome Thai Food recipe book by David Thompson (p268; Chicken and Galangal Soup). Here, the chicken and galangal is substituted for seafood and ginger. If you don't eat fish, simply use fresh tofu cut into chunks instead of the seafood and use mushroom soya sauce instead of the fish sauce.

For 3-4 portions you need:
500ml veggie stock
1 can coconut milk
pinch salt
1 tsp palm sugar (or just use regular sugar)
3 stalks lemon grass, trimmed and then bashed with a pestle to release the juices
3 shallots, peeled and left whole
small handful coriander roots, finely chopped
4-5 bird's eye chillies, bruised (adjust to taste, I like mine HOT!)
10 slices peeled ginger (or galangal if you can find it)
3 kaffir lime leaves, left whole (use fresh if you can or dried if you can't)
250g raw tiger prawns
250g scallops
100g firm white fish
<substitute 500g tofu, cubed for the above if vegan/veggie>
2-3 tbsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce if you're veggie/vegan
juice of 1-2 limes (depending on taste)
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
3-4 mushrooms, thickly sliced


To serve:
additional bird's eye chillies, cut into thin slices
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
soya sauce
fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce

Place everything apart from the fish/seafood, mushrooms and lime juice in a pan and gently heat. Simmer very gently for 4-5 mins until the carrots are firm but beginning to soften. Add the fish/seafood (or tofu) and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 mins till everything is done. Take off the heat and season with lime juice and fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce.

Spoon the soup into bowls and serve with additional chillies and sauces to allow people to season to taste. It should be salty, sour, spicy and rich.

New year, new direction...

This first blog post of 2012 marks a departure in content for me. I'm no longer a veggie. And after thinking long and hard about whether to blog non veggie recipes I have decided to do it. Infrequently. And I can't be bothered to change the name of my blog *again* so it's staying as it is. I apologise in advance to any of you who are annoyed/irritated with this decision, but the blog reflects the food I cook and eat, and for the time being, that will not just be veggie/vegan cuisine. The majority of the recipes will be still veggie/vegan. But not everything will. I hope that this doesn't mean I suddenly lose loads of followers but if it does, so be it. Most recipes will include substitutions (based on my extensive experience of making meals without meat) so I hope that softens the blow a little bit. Nah, I thought not ;-)