This combination of flavours tastes absolutely gorgeous and compliments many dishes – my husband enjoys it with burgers and I think it adds a new level to a salad. Unfortunately no picture does it justice ..so here goes:
Ingredients:
200 g Feta cheese chopped in to small chunks
150 ml sour cream 2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp honey Handful of chopped mint
Method:
Put all the ingredients in to a bowl and mix thoroughly until smooth.
Place in fridge until serving.
I think the finest meal is one where you have the opportunity to have a multitude of different flavour combinations – probably why I love a roast dinner with all the extra trimmings.
A barbecue is one such opportunity – a plate can be laden with a multitude of little bits of this and that.
This is one such dish.
Ingredients:
1 large white onion – finely chopped Zest and juice of 2 limes
1 large green pepper – finely chopped 600 g of cranberry sauce
Mint – large handful chopped Coriander – large handful chopped
Method:
Put all the ingredients in to a large bowl and combine thoroughly.
This salsa is perfect with meat, fish and salads – an all round great accompaniment.
I put the salsa in to the empty cranberry sauce jars. It will last for at least a week in the fridge (if not devoured beforehand!)
I don’t have a very large back garden – about a fifth of an acre – but the space is put to good use. Because the house is up for sale, I haven’t planted the vegetable plot this year…probably should have done as we haven’t sold yet!! The garden has a variety of fruit trees – Victoria Plum, Grenadier Apple, Egremont Russet and James Grieve desert apples, Damson, Bartlett and Conference Pear, Gooseberry, Red / Blackcurrant bushes and Rhubarb. Each year these wonderful plants provide a vast quantity of fruit – so much last year that I had to buy another chest freezer! This year, due to the odd weather, the gooseberry bushes have borne little fruit and the plum tree is clearly resting after a bumper crop last year. However, all other trees are covered in ripening fruit.
The chickens indicated this morning that the red and black currants were ready for picking – red and black juice stained beaks were a real give away! So… half an hour later 2 bowls were filled…still masses left to pick off the laden stems 🙂
and so begins the making and baking…pies, cakes, puddings, cassis, flavoured vodkas, jams etc.
I think this is one of my favourite flavour combinations. Because there are pieces of ginger around the top of the cake it means you get a delicious ginger hit with every mouthful.
This works best with fresh rhubarb which is in plentiful supply at this time of year.
Preheat oven to 180c / gas mark 4. Prepare an 18 cm round tin. I use Prestige cookware
Ingredients:
170 g gluten-free self-raising flour 150 g light muscovado sugar
170 g softened butter 4 eggs (3 if using non gf fl)
1 stem of rhubarb chopped and each chunk split in half lengthways then softened by roasting in oven.
3 pieces of stem ginger – 2 finely chopped and 1 chopped in to larger pieces for the top of the cake.
Method:
Mix all ingredients (except rhubarb) together until smooth.
Fold in rhubarb half the rhubarb and the finely chopped ginger..
Arrange the remaining rhubarb and ginger around the top of the cake.
Bake in centre of the oven for about 20-25 mins.
Perfect for a light supper on a hot summer’s day 🙂 . The wonderful thing about this dish is that it is delicious both hot and cold.
The number of servings depends upon what is served with the dish – serves 2 if on its own or with a small salad or 4 if served with additional vegetables and new potatoes. Gas mark 5 / 190 c Oven proof pan
Ingredients:
1 spiralised courgette 6 eggs – beaten and seasoned with pepper
2 spring onions finely chopped handful of grated cheese olive oil for frying
Method:
Gently fry the courgetti and onions for a couple of minutes. Add the grated cheese and beaten egg. Put the pan in the oven for 10 – 15 mins until the frittata is just set.
Ingredients:
2 pints of stock – chicken or vegetable
Selection of vegetables peeled and diced – I used 3 potatoes, 3 large carrots, 1 large white onion, handful of frozen peas.
Salt and pepper
Dash of Worcester sauce
1 tsp of dried mixed herbs
Method:
Put everything into a large pan – I use my Prestige Pressure Cooker ( middle weight) to drastically reduce cooking time.
Put on to the heat and stir for a couple of minutes. Lid on and bring to steam for about 10 minutes (in a pan 25 – 30 mins)
Remove from the heat and allow to cool until pressure gone. Blend half of the mixture and recombine with the remaining soup.
Put the carcass and remains of the chicken in to a large pan – I use my Prestige Pressure cooker.
Add a couple of pints of water. Put on the hob – Pressure cooker middle weight and stream for 20 mins once pressure reached – only sufficient heat to cause a gentle steam. (in a pan – simmer for 40 mins.
Sieve the contents to separate the stock from the solids – if the chicken pieces are wnted – sift through the solids.
Well it seems that never smoking, drinking very little ( I mean very little) alcohol, never abusing my body with drugs, eating a very healthy and well balanced diet and leading an active life and being a sensible weight just isn’t enough. I found out this week that I have an unwanted companion – of the malignant variety. At this point I then felt I should smoke 20 cigarettes – normal or ‘herbal’, drink a bottle of whisky (don’t even like whisky – sorry all those people I have just offended) and eat a whole rack of doughnuts. Obviously, I didn’t!
After feeling sorry for myself and wallowing momentarily in self -pity I then started to think logically.
Because I have never smoked or done drugs, drink all most no alcohol, eat a very healthy and well balanced diet, lead an active life and am a sensible weight, I am in the best position to beat the b…er!
My battle commences…
This only took a couple of minutes to prepare…my favourite sort of meal😀
Serves 3 as a main dish with new potatoes. Would serve 4 – 5 as a starter.
Ingredients:
Large handful of spinach and watercress for each person
4 spring onions – chopped
Large piece (10-15 cm) cucumber chopped in to cubes
Greek yoghurt
3 smoked mackerel fillets – skinned and flaked
Handful of dill – chopped
Pomegranate seeds to garnish.
Method:
Put prepared onions,cucumber and mackerel in a bowl and add 3-4 heaped tbsp of yoghurt. Mix together. Add most of the dill – keep some back to sprinkle over as a garnish.Serve out on to watercress/spinach and top with dill and pomegranate seeds. New potatoes complement this dish very well 😀
So many people still think a salad consists of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. Glances of pity are thrown in the direction of my husband when he states we had a salad for lunch!!
This delicious salad was simply a combination of soft boiled quail eggs, chopped avocado, chopped plum tomatoes and grilled halloumi sitting on a bed of watercress 🙂
Jo's food bites. 