Scallops with wild garlic and pasta

Organic Boxes

We are now into the 4th week of lockdown due to COVID-19 and we are very fortunate that we have had an organic box delivery for over 20 years. Initially, we used to collect our box from a local distribution point, then moved to Riverford, last year I set up an Abel & Cole organic box delivery as an alternative.

One weakness of many food delivery companies is that you can't have more than one address attached to your account, therefore I set up one account for my elderly parents with Riverford and another to be delivered to my workplace.

When there started to be an issue getting produce, just before lockdown, I tried to move my Riverford delivery from my work address back to my home address, but it could not be changed due to capacity issues.  I was able to organise a weekly Riverford delivery of veg, meat and milk to my parents. Fortunately, I was quick enough using Abel and Cole to set up a regular weekly delivery and the bonus is that I can still add to the order if I need to and they have a wider variety of produce available. I don't know what will arrive in my veg and fruit box though, therefore every week is a mystery.

During lockdown, it's easy to get into a food rut, so it's important to experiment with new recipes to keep the palate fresh.

What to cook for lunch?

I still had some wild garlic in my fridge and some fresh scallops from my delivery this week. What to cook? After some research at other recipes, I created the following recipe.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Linguini pasta
1 shallot finely chopped
50 g butter
2 tbsps olive oil
1 handful of chopped wild garlic
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
125ml white wine or vermouth
grated zest lemon
6 scallops
salt and pepper

Method

Put the pasta into cook, make sure you salt the water.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 25 g butter over a medium heat and add shallots, cook gently until soft. Add the chilli flakes, garlic and wild garlic and fry gently for 2 mins, add the white wine or vermouth and gently cook until reduced by half, season.

In a frying pan heat the 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat.. Wash and pat dry the scallops, season with salt and pepper. Fry scallops - don't move them around, wait 2 minutes until golden brown. Turn scallops onto other side and continue frying. Add the butter to the pan, and spoon the butter over the scallops.

When pasta is cooked, drain and add to the medium saucepan, toss with the garlic & shallot mixture. Add some freshly grated lemon rind and toss. Serve in a pasta bowl with more grated lemon rind and serve the scallops on the top.

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Isolation popcorn (butterscotch) - caramel popcorn recipe

Isolation popcorn - perfect for those movie afternoons.

There's nothing like the smell of hot popcorn, it's so quick and easy to make and great if you are going to sit down to watch a film or stream a live show.

It's the snacks that people will be missing during the Covid-19 outbreak, so this a perfect treat and only needs minimal ingredients. I add a large pinch of Maldon sea salt to the butterscotch as I'm making it, then you get a lovely salted caramel flavour.

If you love the popcorn that comes in bags, with a caramel/butterscotch crispness, then you will love this easy recipe.

Ingredients

For the popcorn:

1 heaped tbsp popping corn

1 tbsp cooking oil

For the butterscotch:

25g butter

25g golden granulated sugar

1 heaped tbsp golden syrup

Method

First pop the corn. If you have an electronic popper then use that (it dry pops the corn so no oil and very healthy).

Stove top method:

You need a large deep heavy-based pan with a lid to pop the corn.

Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat, add the popping corn stir, then cover with the lid. 

Gently shake the pan and you will soon hear popping start, keep gently shaking whilst holding the lid on the pan (you don't want popcorn snow in your kitchen), until the popping slows down. 

Don't leave too long, or the popcorn could burn. 

Take off the heat and remove the lid after 10 seconds (you hopefully won't have any more pops. 

Pour into a large mixing bowl. 

Check through the popcorn and remove any unpopped kernels.

Take a medium pan, add the butter, sugar and golden syrup and start to heat over medium heat. You can stir with a wooden spoon. It will get very hot, so be careful if you have young children around, this part is best done without them around. It will bubble and foam, keep cooking until it starts to turn colour, you need to keep stirring and watching it carefully at this stage, it will colour very quickly. 

When it has turned a lovely butterscotch colour, turn off the heat and drizzle over the popcorn in the mixing bowl. 

Use 2 wooden spoons, or serving spoons to toss the popcorn with the butterscotch. It will get very sticky and you may start to see spun sugar threads. Keep tossing the popcorn, so it doesn't stick into one huge mass.

As soon as cool enough to handle, you can start to break up the pieces.

If you want to make salted caramel, add a large pinch of flaked sea salt crystals to the butterscotch whilst you are making it.

Sit back and enjoy your film.

If you have any other flavours that you make, I'd love to hear your ideas.

I have discovered an amazing gluten-free popcorn available to pop at home on Amazon. It produces mushroom-style kernels like a well-known brand you can purchase in bags covered in butterscotch😉

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Turkey meatballs in tomato and basil sauce

As we eat mainly turkey, chicken and fish, I'm always trying to think of different ways to use a pack of turkey mince.
It's easy to become stuck in a rut and keep making turkey chilli, so tonight I was determined to make a different evening meal. This is quick, simple and easy to make.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:-

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion, finely chopped

Pinch salt

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

1 pot (70g) tomato purée (cirio do perfect sized portions)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh basil

For the meatballs:-
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 white onion, finely chopped

Pinch salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

500g turkey thigh mince

Pack of linguini or spaghetti (check measures on side of the packet and cook amount for the appropriate number of people.)

Method

Start by making the meatballs

Using a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatballs. Mix all the ingredients together well, using a wooden spoon or your hand whichever you prefer.

Prepare a tray for your meatballs to sit on ready to fry, place a sheet of parchment paper on the tray to make them easier to transfer.

Shape the meatballs in your hands, golf ball-sized is ideal, they can be popped in the fridge if you want to make them in advance.

Make the tomato sauce

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and fry the onions and pinch of salt gently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and fry gently for another 2 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, add the fresh basil. 

You can also use this tomato sauce as a base for a pizza or with pasta. 

Combining the meatballs with sauce

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the meatballs until browned on all sides. Be careful when you turn them, or they could break up, the trick is to leave them for about 1 minute before trying to turn them.
When they have browned all over, add the tomato sauce and enough water to cover the meatballs, stir carefully. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Turning occasionally.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.

Serve with fresh basil and parmesan to taste.

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Roast chicken

Roast Free-Range Chicken

There's nothing better than a roast chicken, but there are some tricks to bringing out the flavour.
I always buy a free-range chicken, as the flavour cannot be beaten and there are no nasty antibiotics or steroids fed to them.

Ingredients

1 free-range chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon mixed herbs
1/2 bulb of garlic
1 lemon
Maldon salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven Gas 5. Put the chicken in a roasting tray and pop a couple of the garlic cloves into the cavity of the chicken. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle over the mixed herbs, some salt and ground black pepper, massage into the chicken. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice of half of the lemon over the chicken and pop the other half into the cavity of the chicken.
Pop the remaining garlic cloves under the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours (20 mins per lb plus 20 mins) is my normal timings. Baste every 20 minutes.

Serve with roast potatoes and veg.

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Courgette, Caper and Chilli Pasta

When we need a quick lunch, pasta is always our "go to". It was time to raid the fridge for veggie, then time for me to get creative.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1/2 pack of gluten free macaroni

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 courgette, cut lengthwise in half, then each piece again lengthwise. Chop across into 1 cm chunks

1 clove garlic finely chopped

2 large tomatoes roughly chopped

2 tsp capers

2 pinches ancho chilli flakes

Zest 1/2 lemon

Water

4 stems fresh basil

Salt and pepper

Method

Put a large pot of water onto boil and add salt. Add pasta when boiling and cook according to the packet. Make the sauce whilst the pasta is cooking.

In a sauté pan over a medium heat, fry the onion until soft, add the courgette and garlic, fry for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped tomatoes, capers, lemon zest and chilli flakes, stir and lower heat to a simmer, stir occasionally. Remove the leaves from the basil, chop the stems and add the stems to the sauté pan and stir. Season with salt and pepper. You can add a splash of water if needed, if the pan seems dry.

Carefully cut the basil leaves into a rough large chop, add to the sauce, stir and turn off heat.

Check pasta is cooked, drain, reserving some of the cooking liquor. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir the pasta into the sauce, turn back on heat to allow the pasta to absorb the flavours, add a little of the cooking liquor to help the sauce get absorbed into the pasta.

Serve with a sprig of basil.

You can also sprinkle over some fresh Parmesan to serve. I also added a couple of drops of chilli oil over mine as I like the heat.

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Time to start my adventure with Fermented Foods

Why fermented foods?

There has been much talk about probiotics and gut health as a way for us to prevent infection and build a stronger immune system. I was prescribed probiotics by my doctor after a very nasty gastric bug. There are many ways to get probiotics and the most natural way is through fermented foods and drink.

How to start?

I bought a "fermenter" from Happy Kombucha, a great company where you can buy everything from sourdough starters, to Kefir granules, apple cider vinegar with the mother.

Quoted from their blog:-

Fermented Vegetables: Simple, Delicious and Rich in Probiotics!

"Fermentation can also add nutritional value to whatever you ferment. The bacteria produce B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and digestive enzymes not present before fermentation. During fermentation, good bacteria also helps predigest all the vitamins and nutrients in the vegetables themselves, making them more bioavailable to the body. The health payoff of this nutrient boost can be huge."

Tutorials and recipes

I've also discovered a fabulous blogger/youtuber, Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone who has a magical way of sharing her cooking tips, plus much more including how to sew. Going back to traditional ways such as cooking from scratch, renovating their farmhouse, creating a "handmade home". I've been watching her YouTube videos today on fermenting, so have put some cucumbers that arrived in my Riverford box this week, in my fermenter.

I'm also intrigued by the Instant Pot that I've been seeing pop-up on my feeds whilst surfing, a safe pressure cooker that may be much easier for my mum to use, so I've watch those videos today too.

My journey has begun, I can try after day 3 to see if sour enough, perhaps leave a little longer. I'm planning on buying some jalepenos chillis to ferment them, then it's time for sauerkraut which I absolutely love.

Ingredient supplier

The next thing to make after the basics is some Kimchi, but that will need a couple more ingredients, before I can make a batch.
Last time I bought my ingredients from Sous Chef, they have an amazing variety of ingredients, they also do a Kimchi Kit, which has everything you will need including the jar. It tastes so much better when it is freshly made.

Once the fermenting is underway, I've got a bowl of plums to turn into something scrummy, some jam, chutney and maybe some plum sauce. Preserving is great fun and fills the kitchen with amazing aromas, unless its chutney, which I cook when my husband isn't around, he can't stand the strong vinegary smell.

Roll on the season of mellow fruitfulness, I love it.

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Sourdough, the journey begins

Why Sourdough?

I've been fascinated about Sourdough for ages, loving the taste, but not actually making my own, I decided it was time to do some research.
I discovered the amazing book by Vanessa Kimbell and downloaded the Kindle version. This isn't just a recipe book, but a full introduction to working with sourdough plus the science behind it. I'm especially interested due to the gluten/wheat intolerance that happens in so many of my students.
The health impact of sourdough is incredible, there's so much to read.
Looking to find a sourdough starter, the BakeryBits website had a huge range of baking equipment including bannetons (the baskets used to prove the dough in) and also sourdough starters.
My order arrived on Friday, just in time for the weekend and gave me the opportunity to start refreshing my starter and making my first loaves.
I was amazed at the different method used to make the loaves. Much longer due to working with the sourdough starter, but also how the water is incorporated as the dough is folded.
It's also great, that after making the loaves, you can leave them proving in the fridge until you are ready to bake them.
My timings were slightly out this first time and I struggled to get the lame (cutting blade) to slice the top of my finished loaf, but I'm really pleased with my first attempt.
I've got a second loaf still in the fridge in a normal bread tin, so will bake that tomorrow to take to my parents.
Time to order a second banneton so that both can be sat in the fridge ready for baking.

This was the result of my first baking, it tastes amazing and I can't wait to start my second batch on Friday night, ready for a Saturday baking session.
The sourdough starter has been named Noah by hubby, it is the French starter from the Sourdough School and comes with a jar to keep it in and comes with flour and recipe cards.
There is so much you can do with the starter, time to look for recipes that use sourdough, my team at college need to be prepared for some different treats other than cupcakes and cakes.
If you have tried any great recipes and are willing to share, I'd be extremely grateful.

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Tapas style Crevettes (Jumbo prawns) with Tomato and Lemon

We love a bargain, especially when you find amazing produce in the reduced section of the supermarket. Today was one of those days, hubby came back with a massive bag of cooked crevettes that should have been over £7 reduced to £2, a perfect ingredient for lunch. After shelling them, I was left with at least 20 jumbo prawns to cook, I also had 1/3 of a gluten-free tiger loaf left.

I wanted to cook something that had some sauce to mop up with the crusty bread.

Tip - A quick way to freshen the bread is to pop it in an oven Gas 6 for about 10 minutes, this will warm it through and give it a lovely crust, so I did this once I started cooking the prawns.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
large prawns
juice 1/2 lemon
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
salt and black pepper

Method

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, add the shallots, garlic and chilli and gently fry until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the smoked paprika and prawns, fry stirring often for about 2 minutes, add the lemon juice and tomato, season with freshly ground salt and pepper and continue cooking, frequently stirring (3 mins). Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle over the parsley, stir well and serve with chunks of crusty bread.

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Cauliflower, feta and sweet corn fritters

When you want a veggie lunch and can’t think what to cook, delve in the fridge and see what appears.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 small tin sweetcorn

2 large cauliflower florets

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1/2 pack feta

1 egg

100g self raising flour 

Milk

Ground black pepper

Olive oil

Method

Put the flour in a bowl, add the egg and milk and whisk until smooth. Chop the cauliflower into small pieces (same size as the sweet corn),  chop the feta into similar sized pieces. Add the sweetcorn, cauliflower, spring onions and feta to the batter, season with pepper (you don't need any salt due to the feta). Mix all the ingredients together.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add enough olive oil to cover the base. Drop large spoonfuls into the pan, spreading slightly. Cook until they start to show the odd bubble and flip over. Cook until golden brown.
You may want to cook one first, and test the seasoning.

I served with a salad and some chilli sauce.

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Savoury vegetarian rice with butternut squash and cauliflower

With so much meat and dairy over the Christmas break, today was an opportunity to create a vegetarian rice based lunch. I peeled and diced a butternut squash yesterday and popped it in the fridge, ready to use, so was originally going to make butternut squash risotto, but discovered that I only had a small amount of risotto rice, so change of plans.
I decided to use a variety of different veg, using a rainbow of colour, it was a success so I thought I'd add it to my blog. This recipe is vegan.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 large handfuls, butternut squash, diced
1 large handful of cauliflower florets, break into small florets 1cm cubed
1/2 courgette diced
100g mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato,  chopped

1/2 mug long grain rice
1 Knorr vegetable stock pot
1 pint boiling water
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 large handful of raw cashews, toasted in a small pan.
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

In a large frying pan, over medium heat add the oil, the onion, squash and cauliflower, fry until the cauliflower starts to toast at the edges, keep stirring regularly. Add the courgette and mushrooms, continue frying until the mushrooms have softened. Add the rice, gently cook for another minute, stirring continuously. Add the stockpot, boiling water, tamari and tomato. Bring to the boil and simmer gently, stirring occasionally.
In a small pan, toast the raw cashews, you can add 1 tsp oil to help them turn golden brown. You must keep stirring as they toast as they do catch if you aren't careful. Remove from the pan onto kitchen paper. Add them to the rice while cooking and stir thoroughly.
After 15 minutes, check to see if the rice is cooked, it should be just cooked through. You may need to add more boiling water during the cooking if the rice looks like it is going to dry out.
When cooked, sprinkle over the fresh parsley and serve.

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