An apology followed by a summer of Kitchen-based experimentation.

Well I feel that first I must offer an apology-come-explanation for the total absence of culinary ramblings over the last two months.  Holidays, graduation, life and flat hunting have consumed more of me than I have succeeded in consuming yummy treats.  However whilst many of these things still rumble on, I can take it no longer and have succumbed to a near full immersion into the twists and turns of the kitchen.

Order of the day presently is to practice as many random different things as I can bring myself to try in  an attempt to adjust more easily to life as a chef in training.  However this has begun with the somewhat underwhelming realisation that not only do I rarely use the oven (being more naturally a hob-top cook) but that I had in fact only baked potatoes on one previous occasion.  Therefore to rectify such an embarrassing reality for a prospective cookery school student, this first summer edition will record a baked potato recipe, which bravely seeks to revive the humble and often maligned topping, cottage cheese.

Get your jacket on!

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 x baking potatoes, washed, scrubbed and rubbed with salt

1 standard tub of plain cottage cheese

A handful of parsley, finely chopped

The juice of half a lemon (although add to taste)

1 spring onion finely sliced

1 tomato, finely chopped

1/2 red chilli finely diced

Salt and Pepper to taste

A knob of butter for each potato (really makes the difference!)

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 4-5.  Prick each of the potatoes all over with a fork and then place on a baking tray.  Bake for about 45minutes -1 hour, or until cooked through, soft in the middle and the skins crispy.

2) Meanwhile tip the cottage cheese into a bowl, add the chopped parsley and lemon juice, and season. The cheesy filling is done.

3) Mix the tomato and chilli together, add a little salt to taste.  This little salsa will finish the potatoes.

4) Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and set on each serving plate.  Cut a cross across the top of the potato and pinch between the cuts until it puckers up and reveals the fluffy flesh inside.  Pop the butter into each potato top and then add a tablespoonful or two of the cheesy filling and top with a teaspoon of the tomatoey salsa.

Serve with a little side salad and enjoy.  The lemon and parsley make the humble cottage cheese a light and refreshing summer topping for the cheap and wonderfully cheerful baked potato.  Give it a try, I don't like cottage cheese and I loved it.  Healthy too!

Summer Crumbles bringing a touch of sunshine!

Summer signals the arrival of the soft fruit season and even in this unreasonably soggy weather, provides a proper taste of British produce.  This week I decided to dabble with a couple of crumble recipes using fruits that should be available fairly locally.  However for me once you have some quality fruit, the most important thing about a cracking crumble is the topping.  So here's the recipe I've come up with and use for all my crumble cravings.

Tasty Crumble Topping (serves 4)

4oz Butter, cold and cubed

40z Demerara Sugar

5oz Plain Flour

2-3oz Rolled oats (Porridge Oats)

Method:

1) Put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, reserving half of the oats.  Rub the ingredients together between your fingertips until the butter is combined with the dry ingredients and resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Then fold through the remaining oats.

2) If you have time, chill the topping in the fridge while you prepare the fruit, or if it is more convenient you can prepare this up to 6 hours in advance.  It is well worth doing this as chilling really helps to improve the texture and the final crunchy surface of the cooked crumble and helps to reduce the likelihood of your crumble being soggy. Now for the fruity fillings...

Crumble Number One: Apricot, Raspberry and Nutmeg

Sublime.

1 x Tasty Crumble Topping mix

4-6 Fresh Apricots, washed and quartered

120g Fresh strawberries, quartered/halved depending on size (just make sure they are all cut to similar sizes)

1/4 Freshly grated nutmeg

2 tbsps Honey

2-3tbsps Water

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.

2) Arrange the fruit evenly in an ovenproof dish, drizzle over the honey to sweeten and add the water.

3) Sprinkle over the crumble topping, so that all of the fruit is covered.

4) Grate over a little nutmeg and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking after 30minutes. When you check the crumble, light fork over the top to mix up the crispy surface and to allow more of the crumble mixture to crisp up. It is ready when the fruit is soft and cooked through, when prodded and top is golden brown.

Crumble Number Two: Rhubarb and Raspberry

1 x Tasty Crumble Topping mix
4-6 sticks of Fresh rhubarb, washed and diced into 1 inch pieces
200g Fresh Raspberries
2 tbsps Honey
3 tbsps Water
Optional: Sprinkle of ground ginger or cinnamon


Method:


1) Preheat oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5.
2) Arrange the fruit evenly in an ovenproof dish, drizzle over the honey to sweeten and add the water.
3) Sprinkle over the crumble topping, so that all of the fruit is covered.
4) If adding the ginger/cinnamon sprinkle that over the top, and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes and running a fork over to increase the amount of topping that is able to brown.   It is ready when the fruit is soft and cooked through, when prodded and top is golden and the luscious fruit juices are bubbling up the sides.

Delightfully Rhubarby!

Both of these are wonderful served up with a generous scoop of good vanilla ice cream or if the British summer has really excelled itself, a large helping of custard to warm you up! Indulge away, and let us know what you think!

Spears, peas and green beans: the natural victory call!

Late spring heralds the arrival of some truly spectacular edible delights, specifically the humble British-grown asparagus.  Perhaps testament only to the geekish thrill that locally grown produce evokes within me, or exposing my deep affection for vegetables in general, but for me the asparagus encapsulates everything I love about food...  Bear with me.  First and foremost because it is only at its peak in Britain from late April to May the window of time to appreciate such an incredible green heightens its desirability.  Eating it at this stage, it's at its best.  Secondly, its flavour is pretty unique.  But the way it just erupts straight up out of the ground, one stem at a time, declaring its arrival with all the deportment of royalty.  That is just magnificent. Google it if you don't believe me! Anyway, enough ruminating about the greater merits of vegetables - exam season would appear to have rather overcooked my imagination... In light of my new found freedom I made this spring vegetable risotto with a group of mates as my victory cry!  Simple and stunning to look at and devour, this is a proper belter.  Especially if you are looking to impress!

The finished article...

Speartastic Spring vegetable risotto (serves 4)


Asparagus spears (about 3 per person), woody ends broken off, stems finely sliced but spear tops reserved
A handful of fine green beans, trimmed and cut into 4cm pieces
Two handfuls of frozen peas (if you have fresh ones - amazing!)
4 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 glass of white wine
1 litre of chicken stock (vegetable stock works fine too)
Arborio risotto rice,  4 handfuls (1 per person) and then 1 extra handful for luck.
A small handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
30g grated cheddar
A small knob of butter
Some grated parmesan for serving
Salt and Pepper to taste.
A good lug of olive oil to get things started...


1)  Sweat off the garlic in a heavy bottomed saucepan, on a medium heat for a minute or two until it begins to soften and then add the rice.  Stir constantly so it doesn't burn, and fry it off for a couple of minutes until it begins to look slightly translucent.  At this stage add the glass of wine.  It will hiss at you as the liquid hits the pan, stir constantly.  Turn the heat to a gentle simmer.
2)  As soon as the harsh alcoholic smell has dissipated and the rice has soaked up the wine, add your first ladle full of stock.  The key with risotto is to add the liquid gradually letting each new addition of stock be absorbed before adding the next, and continuous stirring.  By keeping the risotto rice moving you are massaging the starch out of the grains and it is the high starch content which gives risotto the creamy, unctuous consistency.
3)  Repeat this process until the rice is tender to eat but holds its shape, in fancy wording - until it's al dente.  It should take between 15-20 mins to reach this point.
4)  While the risotto is forming, in a separate saucepan bring some slightly salted water to the boil.  As soon as the rice is tender, take it off the heat, add the butter and cheddar and cover with a lid.  While the rice is resting, firstly add the frozen peas to the pan of water, they go in at minute 5 (it's an imperfect count down 5-3-2-1).  Then at minute 3 add the green beans. At 2 minutes the asparagus spears and finally with 1 minute to go the sliced asparagus discs. Then after a minute all the veg should be cooked through.  Drain the greens and rinse immediately with cold water - this helps to preserve the vibrant green colour.
5)  Once drained, remove the asparagus spears and set aside for serving.  Fold the remaining veg into the risotto mixture and also add the chopped basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
6)  Spoon the risotto out into serving dishes, top with the spears and finish with a scattering of grated parmesan.

Risotto is so easily adaptable, so get searching for recipe inspiration and create your own! I get my basic method from Jamie Oliver and it's worked for years.  Love it!

Chicken tonight? Accidental joy!

Finals looming.  The fridge half empty - pessimistic, I know. And a rather rumbly stomach.  These are the ingredients necessary, it would seem, to provide the inspiration required to create a better version of a household regular - the chicken tonight sauce.  I have to say that I happened upon this very much by accident, and in an effort to produce a healthy, carb loading, protein stacked dinner (for pre/post exercise purposes).  However it turned out to be not only healthy (ish) especially when accompanied by good old brown rice, but also a soothing supper for a revision wrought mind and body.  Here's how I made it...

My Chicken Today Revision Remedy (serves 1 extremely hungry individual, or 2 normal people)

2 chicken breasts, diced

1/2 aubergine, 1cm diced 

1/2 pepper (Colour of your choice) 1cm diced

1 large field mushroom, 1cm diced

1 Leek, sliced to about the thickness of a £1 coin

200ml vegetable stock

1 level tbsp plain flour, to thicken

A sprinkle of dried thyme

1 beef tomato, sliced in half (or 2 regular tomatoes)
40g Feta cheese, cut into cubes

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

A lug of olive oil for cooking

1) Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the chicken on a medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until it is starting to pick up colour round the edges.  Then add the vegetables (except the tomato) and fry off for a further 5-7minutes, until it starts to soften.  Then add the thyme and the flour and stir it through until all traces of flour disappear.  

2) Add the vegetable stock, stir and place the tomato halves skin side down in the pan as well. Then cover and leave to simmer for 15-20 mins until the liquid begins to reduce and thicken a little, and the tomato has softened and can be broken up.

3) At this stage everything should be cooked so it's just a case of bringing the dish together.  Fish out the tomato skin, which should easily come away from the flesh, and also remove the tough core of the tomato.  Break up the remaining flesh and stir through the sauce.  Then crumble in the feta cheese and stir it through.  Now turn up the heat and watch the cheese transform the saucy, making it silky and rich.  Taste it and add the black pepper. Once all the cheese has melted and the sauce is rich and creamy in texture it's ready to serve.

Serve it with some brown rice like I did or with potato wedges or whatever carby accompaniment you fancy. I reckon it rivals a jarred sauce pretty steeply.  Yay for chicken and cheese!

Banoffee Joy - Even if you think you don't like it!

Tucking in with a little ice cream to
complete such decadence!

Puddings are not really my forte.  I eat them.  But unlike my close friends who flourish in the kitchen with flour and eggs and produce masterpieces of sugary heaven, I usually find the whole experience hyper-stressful... at least unless accompanied by excited compadres.  So it was with an optimistic outlook I decided to attempt to put together a dessert for a best friend's birthday.  A highly prized favourite, banoffee pie seemed the obvious and only choice to make, and having consulted a handful of slightly conflicting recipes, I plumped for a method which combined what I thought to be the best bits of all of them.  Fortunately the gamble paid off.  Now I have learned two valuable lessons from this sweet experience.  Firstly that cleaning a saucepan that is covered in caramel is as good a work out as a visit to the resistance machines at the gym that you pay £25 a month to use - sugar and condensed milk is definitely cheaper!  But secondly and most importantly, I really like banoffee pie and therefore am now  a humbly disproved sceptic.  The pie was constructed from a few BBC food/GoodFood recipes and I added a few dashes of ground cinnamon to the cream for a spicy twist.  After all toffee, banana and cinnamon - can't go far wrong there!  Furthermore the aforemetioned friendling loved it too - win!

The Pie chilling in the fridge... It improves after about 12 hours
so  this is definitely a pudding you can make in advance.

A Saturday in my stomach...

Having managed to organise my life sufficiently enough to squeeze in a supermarket-based venture before the last flourish of university life and exams, the fridge actually possessed some variety of potential food combinations for a slightly dull Saturday in April.

Therefore I decided that in light of such fortuity I should record the diet of the spontaneous cook faced with a weekend of frantic essay writing.  Breakfast being a fairly standard cocktail of muesli, milk and tea, lunch became the first opportunity for experimentation of sorts. 

Muffin and Avocado Joy!

And so was born my rather leafier interpretation of guacamole accompanied with an English stalwart - the toastable muffin! Aha. 

Spiked with a little red chill, a glug or two of olive oil and a handful shredded spinach and parsley the humble avocado emerged triumphant in a display of soft, green luxury.  

The avocado mix could easily be served up as a side salad

 or a great partner to a chargrilled chicken fillet for a 

summery teatime satisfier...

But then having enjoyed such felicity at noon, what could possibly be reserved for dinnertime delight?  Chicken and tarragon - a classic combination - though the use of such a herb (a relative of the anise family think aniseed/liquorice/star anise in flavour) was a new avenue for me.  Joined by the zest and juice of a lemon, cream and sweet, silky sweet potato mash it turned into quite a crowd pleaser!  Success!  One lesson learned though was certainly that you generally need more chicken than you think - so be generous when cooking for multiples of people... Anyway wrap your eyes around some of this grub!

Creamy, sweet and silky Chicken with Lemon and Tarragon

Meringues, berries and ice cream: a beautiful disaster!

A girly weekend away, sun, sea, and sand? Not exactly, April drizzle and country gales instead.   But the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the cosy surroundings of a stone cottage more than made up for weather without whelm!  Of course a weekend away would be incomplete if food were not to feature prominently.  Perhaps the simplest and greatest creation to emerge was our interpretation of a classic dessert, Eton Mess, definitely student-proof and no less delectable for it.  Take a look!


Chilly Meringues and feel good fruit catastrophe... 


Four scoops of vanilla ice cream, slightly melty
8 mini meringue nests (or 4 normal sized ones), crumbled
Mixed summer fruit ( we used frozen berries, defrosted.  But fresh are great if you can find some!)


There is really only one stage to this recipe.  Fold the ingredients together lightly, so the fruit begins to marble through the meringues and ice cream.  Then spoon into serving dishes/glasses (glasses look fancy!) and finish with a few shaving of chocolate white/milk, or if you, like us feel nostalgic for childhood bliss, a couple of chocolate buttons!

Porcini, Blinis and a sprinkling of celebration!

Well it might be a slightly unusual request but I do like to be different and so as my birthday swung around once more I decided that cooking for the family, who would hopefully be supplying presents, would be a particularly enjoyable end to a joyful day.  Of course the offer of food brimmed with  anticipation as my family appear to have caught on to that fact that I am in the process of honing my enthusiastic, if not always successful, culinary skills, and so a feast of tantalising treats needed to be the order of the day.  However, it obviously couldn't prove to be a too time consuming exercise as it is nice to spend some time with those who come to visit.  Sooo looking for food that it is speedy and impressive and preferably something that I have previously attempted... Aha, I thought - risotto is my most triumphant and tested dish, but let's knock it up a notch and put posh mushrooms in!  And then how about some snappy little smoked salmon appetisers together to get things startered (ba dum bum chhhh).  Bob's your uncle... Well he's mine actually!

The platter...

I concocted three creme fraiche toppings for the blinis: Chilli and lime, Lemon and dill and a simple twist of black pepper and chive.  Each little blini was then finished with a few ribbons of smoked salmon and then a garnish of dill or chive for the herby ones.

Now on to the mains...

Three mushroom risotto with wild garlic pesto and crumbly cheese (serves 5)


1 red onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
A pack of Arborio rice (risotto rice) 1 handful per person, with a smidge extra for luck
2 Packets of ready made vegetable stock
1 pack of dried Porcini mushrooms, rehydrated (follow packet instructions, and reserve some of the water used for rehydration to add to the stock)
100g Portobello mushrooms, peeled and finely diced
5 or 6 large Chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
A large glass of white wine or prosecco
Olive oil, for cooking
A generous knob of butter
A handful of Wensleydale or a cheese of your preference for crumbling over 
Wild garlic pesto, for drizzling over
A handful of chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Sweating down the veg...

1) Firstly in a separate pan, pour in the vegetable stock and about 200ml of the mushroom soaking liquid in to this pan. Put it on the heat and keep this stock mix at a rolling boil.  You will need this later.  2) Add a good lug of olive oil to a heavy bottomed saucepan and get it on a medium heat.  When the oil has warmed up add the celery onion and garlic and sweat these down for at least 5 minutes.  They should become slightly translucent and soft but shouldn't pick up any colour. Then add the porcini, chestnut and portobello mushrooms and fry them off too until the darken and soften.
3) At this stage add the rice and keep stirring so it doesn't burn, each grain should be coated in the oil.  After about 2 minutes the should start to look slightly translucent too, now add the wine.  If you're doing it right the pan should hiss a little as the alcohol hits the dry heat from the pan.  Now keep the risotto moving, stirring and massaging the rice releases the starch from the grains and this is what creates the delightful oozy risotto texture.
4) When the alcohol has cooked away (the harsh smell should fade) after couple of minutes lower the heat a little and add the first ladle of stock, stirring all the time. As each ladle of stock is absorbed add another, it is important to add the stock slowly and to keep stirring so that the starch is released as the rice cooks and that you keep the risotto moving so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan and burn.  This process with take about 20 minutes.  Taste a little rice after about 15 minutes though, this will help you gauge whether it needs more or less time.
5) When the rice is soft but still holds its shape and a little bite, turn the heat off, add the butter and salt and pepper to taste and cover the risotto for a couple of minutes while the butter melts.  Let it rest.  Then stir the butter through and serve, with a drizzle of pesto, crumble the cheese over the top and finish with a shower of parsley.

The finished article. Omnomnom!

Risotto is really versatile so once you have the base of onion, celery, garlic and rice, you can mix up flavours and combinations, use red or white wine - get playing!

Midsummer malaise in March...? Novel!

The weather this week has been just absurdly beautiful. The parks around the city are awash with bathers of the sun variety and wafts from the eager barbecue enthusiasts have been drifting in through the suddenly flung wide windows of an otherwise rather chilly student home.  Such a blessing of sunny weather demands a different set of foody delights than might be expected toward the evening of March but nonetheless an impromptu picnic and a few left overs gave me a highly quaffable set of sarnies!

Picnic perfection :)

Cheats Chargrilled Veg and Wensleydale Sandwich (makes 2-4 sandwiches depending upon appetite and quantities)

1 Courgette, washed and sliced into long pieces (a speed peeler works really well for this)

1 Red Pepper, de-seeded and cut into strips

A generous amount of Wensleydale cheese, cut into slices

Half a tsp of Paprika

A little olive oil for frying

Salt and Pepper to taste

A handful of chopped parsley

Some good slices of bread ( I used a malted, seedy loaf and toasted it)

1) Put a frying pan on a high heat and then add the olive oil.  When the oil runs round the pan easily and is hot, add half of the courgette and pepper slices.  They should sizzle as they fall in.  (You don't want to overcrowd the pan so you may need to do this in more than two batches so they cook properly).  

2) Give the veg a toss or a stir now and again and they should begin to take on some colour and soften up a bit.  After about 2 minutes they should be almost done, so sprinkle over a little of the paprika and toss it through.  Cook for a further minute and then remove from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining veg.  

3) When all the veg is cooked return all of the batches to the pan and let them sizzle away a little longer.  It tastes better if the pepper skins get a little blackened.  As soon as the mix has reached this stage and smells wonderful and smokey, stir in the parsley and then remove from the heat.

4) Assemble your sandwich, layer up the cheese and veg and tuck in.  

This recipe assumes that most student kitchens don't have a griddle pan - hence the cheat.  I don't have one (sadface).  But if you are lucky enough to own one, oil the veg in a bowl and then put said oily veg on to the smoking hot griddle pan. Always grease the food not the pan in this instance - top tip!

This sandwich is just awesome sat in the sunshine with good company.  Maybe try different veggies, or dress it with some pesto, or ketchup? The possibilities are endless.

Chargrilled veggies pre-sandwich assembly...

Roly Poly... made with beef?

Being entirely incompetent when it comes to gymnastics, the only kind of roly poly I have any affiliation with is the puddingy jammy kind.  Bizarrely however, while this classic British dessert seems to have been a regular on the school dinner tray for many of my chums, I had yet to sample it's jammy delight until I made it a few weeks ago with the much-needed supervision of one of my best friends, who handily is a much more enthusiastic baker than I.

Raspberry and White chocolate Roly Poly... somewhat demolished.

Anyhow this recipe proved a tad challenging as it seems suet dough rises quite substantially... and so broke free from its baking parchment cocoon and so was slightly crispier than intended and not exactly round...  It was however rather delightful, smothered in custard and washed down with a cup of tea.  It never ceases to amaze me that beef suet works in sweet things too.  I mean, who would put actual meat with jam?  That would be weird and result no doubt in a Rachel-esque Shepherd's pie/Trifle Friends incident... mmm feet.  BBC Good Food once again hit the spot and I am now on the first rung of the roly poly ladder.

Sometimes simple really is just as satisfying...

The curse of third year, the imminent dissertation deadline and impromptu colds have rather overshadowed my inner gastronome over the past weeks.  However the tide has now turned and the kitchen once again is my domain... much to the dismay of my housemates... Ah well such an absence means there has accumulated something of an archive of edible excitement which lends the next week or so to much greater activity on my part. So without further-ado here follows some food that has helped to maintain my sanity and general well being.

These two little belters could be forgiven for being a tad tame in the recipe department really when compared to the rich complexity of crème brûlée or the depth of a hearty bolognese, but somehow when deadlines are dominating every minute of the day all the simple things just make life better...

Beany brilliance!

Bibliography Beating Beans on Toast


2 slices bread, toasted and generously buttered (if you have good quality bread in, that really transforms things)
2 Handfuls of baby spinach, torn up
A dash or two of Hendersons relish (or worcester sauce)
Half a 400g tin of baked beans

1) Heat the baked beans up on the stove as per, and while this happens sort your toast out.
2) When the beans are very nearly done add the Hendersons and the torn spinach leaves and stir through, they should start to wilt.
3) Take the beans off the heat and fold through the grated cheese.  Then pour the beany mixture over you toast and tuck in...

This is really simple, but very nutritious, quick and a great way to brighten up a classic student staple.  (You could even try whacking the beany toast under the grill for a couple of minutes with a little extra cheese sprinkled on top for a Welsh rarebit-esque twist!)

This next idea could be a cheeky pudding or maybe even a breakfast hit, but the white chocolate really does make all the difference!

Heavenly...

Blueberry, Honey and Chocolate Yoghurty Yums


3tbsps unsweetened Natural Greek Yoghurt
2 generous squidges of runny honey
A handful of fresh blueberries
A couple of squares of white chocolate, crumbled



... Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl, drizzle over the honey, 
scatter the blueberries on top and finish with a sprinkle
 of white chocolate. Beautiful!

Fast-track Pukka Parent Tukka?

The visit of the parents looms and so the search for the perfect and practicable parent-proof lunch begins.  Not too easy, not too hard, not too expensive and not too time consuming... Do want to spend some time with them after all, especially seeing as they've come all this way and brought fresh supplies of toilet roll and pasta.  A few googles for inspiration later and Cottage Pie topped with Parsnip and Potato mash has it... served with a cheeky side of broccoli (so they know you can locate, cook and eat things with vitamins in, as well as execute that culinary delight the pot noodle to perfection).  So if you need to pull something out the bag, try this little belter!

Just out of the oven...

Parsnippy Mashtastic Cottage Pie (serves 4)
(Make sure you have a decent sized ovenproof dish!)


300g minced beef
3 rashers good smoky bacon, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
300ml beef stock
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 level tsp Dried mixed herbs 
A glass of red wine (optional)
A splash Worcestershire Sauce
3 or 4 large Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Large knob of butter
Splash of milk
Salt and Pepper
50g grated cheddar cheese
1 tbsp plain flour
Splash of olive oil


1) Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 5.  Put the Parsnips and Potatoes in a large sauce pan cover with cold, salted water and put on a medium heat.  When it comes to a simmer, cook for 15-20 miutes, or until they are both tender when prodded with a fork.
2) Meanwhile in another large saucepan fry the chopped bacon for a couple of minutes on a high heat until it starts to take on a little colour, then add the beef mince and brown for 3-4 minutes.  Once nearly all the mince has changed colour, add the chopped onion and carrot and sweat down for a further 5 minutes, until all the mince has browned, the bacon has taken on some colour and the veg has started to soften.
3) Add the plain flour, mixed herbs and bay leaf and stir it through.  The mixture should seem quite dry at this point.  When all the flour has dissolved, add the tomatoes and break them up with your spoon.  (At this stage make sure the the pan is on a medium heat.) Add the beef stock, and wine and stir.  Then cover with a lid (or a piece of greaseproof or foil if you're without a lid) and simmer for 20 minutes.  Then remove the lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the mince mix is thick and saucy. Add a splash of Worcester sauce at this point.
4) At this stage the potatoes/parsnips should be done, so drain them in a colander and then return to the saucepan and let them steam off for a few minutes (this lets them dry off and makes the mash have a better consistency).  Then crush them with a masher (or potato ricer if you're posh) and when they are all floury, add the butter.  Stir this through and then add the milk, as much as you need until its a spreadable consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5) At this point your mince should be ready. Taste and season if necessary.  Then remove the bay leaf, and spoon the mince into an ovenproof dish.  Give it a little shake so it is even and level in the dish.  Then cover with the mash, level it with a spatula and prod a little cross in the centre to let steam escape as it cooks in the oven. If you're feeling cheffy put a few patterns in the mash with your fork too.  Then sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Serve up with some greens: a few cheeky florets of broccoli, fine green beans, or peas work really well.  And don't forget to crack out the Bisto for a generous helping of gravy!

Plated and ready for parent appraisal!

But this hearty fayre wouldn't be complete without an equally hearty pudding... And so Blueberry Crumble Cake with some scrumptious ice cream satisfies the student sweet tooth as effectively as it does placate the parents' consternation at the state of your room... or overdraft!  Google it, this recipe is awesome and great to make with housies too!

Nom nom and away! :)

Blowtorch brilliance, brûlée, and the odd naked lemon - not the average Saturday night in...

What better Christmas gift could there be than that longed-for Daddy of the kitchen gadgets - the blowtorch.  This magnificent beast of the kitchen makes for, not only an exciting cooking experience (gas lighter fuel can be prove to be quite disobedient it seems), but also is the key to one of my favourite desserts - the elusive Creme Brûlée.  Fortunately given that I am not the only one to enjoy it, a dear friend did not complain too much on receiving said blowtorch in December and since then we have awaited a convenient moment to put our flaming tool to the test.  Such an opportunity presented itself last weekend with favourable results indeed!  Aha - victory! No curdling of the custard, a successful bake and then the moment of truth, with flame in hand and sugar a-sprinkled the caramelised golden top developed before our eyes... and here's the proof!

Basic Brûlée served with Lemony Biscuit curls and Pomegranate jewels.

We used a straightforward BBC Food recipe for the brûlée itself and found a further recipe for the Lemony biscuits that accompanied it.  A recipe that used the zest of FIVE lemons! What madness is this?! What is one supposed to do with FIVE naked lemons? It's a jolly good job that Pancake day was but a few hours away and so each lemon could fully realise its potential in batter-based bliss!

At last the long-awaited white chocolate and cranberry combo - last minute valentines anyone?

I concede, it is no longer January and this recipe is long overdue... but perhaps it is just in time to solve the desperate dash to create something decadent and steeped in allure this valentines afternoon?  Or instead to tumble headfirst into an unhealthy relationship with legendary knights in shining armour, Ben and Jerry, and an accompaniment of Bridget Jones... Either way this White chocolate and Cranberry shortbread recipe is delightful, so get up to your elbows in flour and enjoy!  I've adapted it from one I found on an Australian baking site - good old Aussies!

White Chocolate and Cranberry Shortbread (makes at least 24)

• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 125g icing sugar
• 2 tsps vanilla essence
• 300g plain flour
• 75g  Dried Cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 100g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 
  
• • (If you fancy it add the zest of half an orange too, in my head this sounds awesome!)
• • 1. 
       
• • 1. 1) Preheat oven to 160°C/Gas mark 3. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl until very pale and creamy (this will take elbow grease).
• • 1. 
       
• 2) Stir in the flour, craisins and chocolate (and orange zest). (This part takes a generous amount of elbow grease). Once the flour has started to combine with the butter mix and break into little lumps of dough get your hands involved and squeeze and turns the dough to bring it together.
• 
  
• 3) Take tablespoonfuls of the dough and rolls into balls using your hands. Place, about 5cm apart, on the trays. Use a fork to flatten slightly. If you have time place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill, but this isn't crucial so you can just bake them straight away.
• 
  
• 4) Bake, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15-18 minutes or until slightly golden. Leave them out on the trays for about 5 minutes to cool and then lay them onto a transferring to a cooling rack. Wait until they are completely cooled and have hardened up and put then into an air tight container to store (they will keep for about a week).  
• 
  
• You can tuck in as soon as they have cooled and they will be delicious, but these shortbread seem to be at their best about two days after baking... Nom!

Bitten off more than you can chew? Hmm just a tad, we are stuffed!

End of exam celebration food definitely should be a tad more flamboyant than the average student dinner.  So in an effort to reward and impress some dear friends I concocted a somewhat ambitious menu for a quiet Wednesday evening... Dissertation put to one side and after a little deliberation, not to mention slight disappoint with the (until now) trusty co-op up the road I settled for this little ensemble: Lemon, Rosemary  and Garlic baked Chicken thighs, with sticky roasted carrots, savoy cabbage with bacon and parsnip seasoning and a decadent creamy mashed potato.  Then to follow, assuming that the pudding stomach can be located in the midst of all that gorgeousness - pancakes with homemade blueberry 'jam'.

Plated and looking yumtastic!

Using a flavoured butter worked really well with this chicken dish to ensure that the flavours penetrated deeply and but remained aromatic too.  The sweetness of the roasted carrots really enhanced and balanced with the other elements of the dish, the saltiness of the bacon and cabbage mix and the creamy mash and garlicky chicken.

The pre-oven ensemble.

The real crowning glory and surprise of this meal though has to be the impromptu decision to attempt a cheats blueberry jam.  Taking less than 10 mins and done alongside the pancakes it glams them up a treat and looks divine too with that rich, deep purpley sheen.  Here's a how to, if you fancy it!

Cheeky cheat's Blueberry Jam


100g Fresh Blueberries, washed
2 tbsp Runny Honey
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon


1) Heat the blueberries in a saucepan on a moderate heat until their colour seems to darken. Then add the lemon zest and honey and stir gently.  (*Tip - A silicone spatula works really well for this as it sticks less than wooden spoons).  Maintain the heat and as soon as it starts to bubble add the lemon juice and continue stirring gently.
2) Let it boil for about 2-3mins until about half the fruit has burst and it has reduced by half, then turn off the heat and leave to stand on the hob.  As it cools it thickens up so don't be concerned if it still seems a little on the thin side.

After a couple of minutes it's ready to pour over pancakes, to pump up a vanilla cheesecake, or if you let it cool completely to spread on to freshly buttered toast. Nom!

Well maybe the Scots can provide an excuse to brighten a dreary January afternoon...

Burns night approacheth at apace and this must mean that January is nearing to a close.  Surely this is an encouraging prospect for all those who subscribe to January being acknowledged as the most depressing month of the year. Hats off there January! But before we all get too excited the Scottish tradition of Burns night provides the opportunity to indulge in a cheeky bit of baking!


Whiskey Shortbread (Takes about 40mins)


300g Plain Flour
200g Butter, cut into chunks (it helps if it's really cold, straight out of the fridge)
100g Caster sugar
About 50ml Whiskey (whatever kind you like, blend or single)
A little extra caster sugar for dusting


[You'll need a baking tray or rectangular tin about 30cm x 15cm]


1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and line your baking tray with greaseproof paper/baking parchment. (If you rub a little oil on to the tin before you line it, the paper stays where you want it!)
2) Put the flour and butter into a large mixing bowl and rub together with the tips of your fingers, working the butter through the flour, until the mixture resembles a breadcrumb texture.  Then add the sugar to the mix and fold through with your hands so that it is evenly distributed throughout.
3) Add the whiskey in two additions, folding it through with your hands, this just helps to make sure it runs evenly through the shortbread.
4)Tip the mix into the tray and spread it out evenly. Then using your knuckles/finger tips, push into down into the tin so it compacts and looks more like it will be a biscuit when cooked. 
5) Prick lightly all over with a fork and then bake in the oven for 15-25 mins (it will depend on your oven, especially in student houses) and until it goes slightly brown on top and around the edges.
6)When its done, remove from the oven and after resting it for about 5 mins lift it out of the tray with the baking parchment and onto a cooling rack.  Score it with a knife to make it easier to cut into chunks when it's cooled and then dust it with the extra sugar.  Wait until it's cooled and then tuck in.


(Handy hint - this shortbread seems to improve in flavour and texture after 2-3days, so when it's cooled, whack it in an air tight tin and wait for the magic to happen!  Fab with a cup of tea too!)

Have I just woken up in the Medieval era? No... but the heating isn't on and it's -4 outside. Hello carbohydrates laced in sugar!

After a particularly mild Christmas, University exams and looming dissertation deadlines have summoned January into an untimely onslaught of frosts to numb those few surviving brain cells into submission.  Calling all hot and comforting carbohydrates - urgently required in student houses all over Britain! (Well certainly those in the Northern half).

These magnificent marshmallowy chocolatey brownies are the result of another BBC recipe search and with a little modification - or just a lack of cocoa powder and a forgetful cook - they turned out to be quite the crowd pleaser. Here's a little peek to get those tastebuds tingling!

Although they look a little overdone, think bonfire night toasted marshmallows and embrace the gooey caramel and deep chocolate hit! They are also surprisingly light!

However sometimes the chill wintry evenings demand a heartier solution and for that the classic student favourite Spaghetti bolognese receives a seasonal revival.

Parsnippy Bolognese with Bacon and Basil (Serves 2)


150g minced beef
1x400g tin plum tomatoes
1 large parsnip, diced into 1cm chunks
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
A large handful fresh basil (finely chopped with a sprig of leaves reserved)
A generous squeeze of tomato ketchup
A generous lug of Henderson's/Worcestershire Sauce
About 100ml of stout (the beer is optional but it makes it pretty special!)
4 slices smoked bacon roughly chopped
A good pinch of salt and pepper
A handful of grated cheese for serving.
200g spaghetti 
A little olive oil 


1) Fry the bacon in a little oil for a few minutes and then add the diced parsnip and stir on a high heat until they start to colour and brown around the edges.  Season with freshly ground black pepper. Then remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
2) Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the spring onion and garlic and allow them to sweat off for a 2-3 minutes before stirring in the beef mince.  As the mince begins to brown, return the parsnip and bacon mix to the pan and stir through. Keep stirring as the mince begins to brown.
3) Once all the mince has browned keep stirring and stir in the Henderson's relish and ketchup. It should start to smell a little like a really good BBQ sauce.  Then add the tinned tomatoes (they will be whole so you will need to cut/squash them in the pan with your spoon and stir them through).  Have the pan on a medium heat and as the bolognese begins to bubble, add the beer and stir through.  Then cover with a lid or tin foil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
4) After about 10 minutes stir and add about half the chopped basil and the extra unchopped sprig.  Replace the lid/covering and simmer for a further 10 minutes.  At this stage put the pasta into a separate pan, add boiling water (it's just quicker this way) and bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until al dente.
5) After the 10 minutes has elapsed stir the remaining basil through the bolognese.  By now it should have a thick, saucy consistency.  Taste and season (it will probably need at least a little more pepper).
6) Drain the pasta and serve. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and warm the cockles of your heart!

A willing housemate with beer and bolognese in hand!

Dried Cranberries - the obvious stocking filler? Yes, cheers Mum!

Well with time evaporating ever faster for my Parents in the unrelenting build up to Christmas, times clearly called for some diversification in the present arena.  This was not felt more profoundly than in the contents of my stocking - yes we still do this little family tradition.  The normal cosmetic and confectionery items were present but quite unlike my previous festive experiences a dried fruit substance revealed itself from beneath glossy reindeer adorned gift wrap.  Dried Cranberries. 

Baffled not to say the least. Ta Mum, they're err great! But enough jest, this dried fruit is really versatile and totally awesome to create any number of student friendly food options.  That is not to say that I am well acquainted with such recipe gold, but internet really does come to our aid not to mention a plethora of TV chef offerings.  Cranberry sauce with real and dried cranberries? Soak them in your preferred tipple (I'd suggest not necessarily vodka - a stalwart though it seems to be in student accommodation) and then add to a fairly bog standard jar of mincemeat. A much more personal approach to quick mince pies - shop bought pastry and mincemeat and all the hard work is done.  See, homemade festive fayre is affordable and easy!

But it is now January and although my cravings for mince pies and mulled wine haven't quite yet been put to bed for another year, I want to do something else with my cranberry gift...  Quite fortuitously a friend of mine received a white and chocolatey christmas present and this confirmed for me the fate of my dried fruits.  Stay tuned for some White chocolate and Cranberry cookies in the month of January. Fresh for the new year, but still comforting enough to cheer those grey wintry days.

Pushing the boat out!

So hands up on this one - it definitely doesn't fit with a student budget.  But if there's any loan left over at the end of the year and you fancy splashing out this recipe is worth a shot!  It's a bit of a show stopper and in theory a patriotic favourite: Beef Wellington...

Now I made this for New Year's Eve as a kind of 'Cheers' to my folks for really sticking by me and also to see whether I could actually handle a dish that requires technical skills that I hadn't considered attempting.  After a bit of web searching and racking a brain overwhelmed a little with the endless Christmas cook shows on over the festive season I plumped for a BBC GoodFood recipe, headlined by Gordon Ramsay.

Now Beef Wellington is a classic British dish and basically consists of a fillet of beef which is encased in  puff pastry.  Fillet beef is pretty much the most expensive cut you can get but it's really lean and done like this it's extremely tender. You can definitely find it at a decent butcher so wherever you live - find one! This recipe is not without teething problems though as I discovered with my piece being smaller than Gordon's recipe example as it was only to serve three, but also not really long and cylindrical (which is ideal) but being wider and broader across.  This meant that the cooking flawed me a little at the initial roasting stage, trying to work out comparable timings and also please family members who all like their meat done to different degrees.  So that's something to watch. Lesson learned there Lizzi! Therefore I would advise making sure that the fillet is evenly proportioned and no wider in diameter than ... a tube of Pringles? Yeah that works.

Much simpler (and with a more immediate sense of satisfaction) was the flavoured butter I made to add to the veg once cooked before serving.  Here's a little hint at it if you fancy giving it a go.  This is definitely an easy and totally affordable way to jazz up a student meal and impress if your cooking for others and just a great way to pimp up old faithful - the frozen pea!

Garlic and Parsley Butter 


50g Butter (salted or unsalted whatever you have, though preferably not spread!)
1 clove of Garlic, finely chopped
A pinch of salt
A handful of finely chopped Parsley

1) Take the butter out of the fridge preferably about 10 minutes before you want to work with it as allowing it to soften slightly will make things easier.  Then cut it up in smaller chunks, this will make the flavourings easier to combine and also help to distribute them more evenly through the butter.
2) Before you add the chopped garlic and while it is still on your chopping board, sprinkle the salt over it and with the flat of the knife against the board squash the garlic and mix the salt into it.  The salt is abrasive and so will help to form a garlicky paste - this will mean the garlic is distributed throughout the butter.  Also the salt will help to bring out the flavour of the garlic.
3) Once it has formed a rough paste, add it to the butter and mix together with a fork.  It may be difficult to get the mix going but if the butter has warmed enough it shouldn't prove too difficult.
4) When all the garlic is mixed in, add one third of the chopped parsley and mix.  Once the first lot is mixed through add the second and then repeat the same process with the remaining parsley.  As you stir it through you will notice that some parts of the butter mix are less concentrated with the parsley so as you add the remaining thirds of the herb, fold it in to those sections, perhaps cutting the butter sandwiching the parsley in the middle and then pressing the two halves as you continue to combine the mix.
5) Once all the flavours are evenly distributed, lay out a piece of cling film about A4 size on your worktop.  Place the butter in the centre and fold the top of cling film down so it meets the opposite edge. Then take the side of the cling and roll the butter parcel along you worktop. Repeat this action and quite quickly the cling film should twist at each end and soon you ought to have a little parcel resembling an oversized Quality Street sweet.  Then just twist these edges in your fingers (tie them together in a bow if you like) and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before you want to use it.  It just allows the flavours to work through the butter and makes it easier to cut off chunks.

Then when you have boiled potatoes or carrots, broccoli or peas [insert fave veg here] just add your butter leave to melt for a minute or two stir/shake through the veg and serve!