Jewelled Pearl Barley Salad

Ingredients

one cup full of pearl barley

one vegetable stock cube

1 red chilli- deseeded and chopped

a handful of fresh mint, parsley and dill- all chopped

3 cloves of grated garlic

one teaspoon of tomato puree

a pinch of paprika

half a teaspoon of cumin

3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

a juice of one lemon

the seeds of one pomegranate 

half a packet of feta- crumbled

a quarter of a cucumber- diced

2 tomatoes- diced

half a red onion- diced

a small handful of sunflower seeds

Start by rinsing the pearl barley in cold water and add this then to a saucepan of boiling hot water. Add a vegetable stock cube and leave to cook for around 25-30 mins. 

Whilst the pearl barley is bubbling away, make up the dressing. In a bowl add the olive oil, garlic, tomato puree, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper then mix together. Once the pearl barley has cooked drain it off and add to a large mixing bowl- to this add the dressing whilst still hot. Stir.

Whilst the pearl barley is cooling, prepare the pomegranate. A great way to do this is by cutting the fruit in half and then bashing the back of the skin with a wooden spoon. You will see then the seeds will drop out. After you have played 'name that tune' on your pomegranate you can move on to chopping up the cucumber, tomato, onion, chilli, and the fresh herbs.

Add all the fruit and the herbs to the pearl barley and stir. Finish by crumbling the feta over the top with a scattering of sunflower seeds.

Enjoy!

Chickpea and Halloumi Salad

Ingredients

1 tin of chickpeas

1 packet of halloumi

1 red chilli

a juice of a lime

2 tablespoons of Virgin Olive Oil

half a red onion

1 ripe avocado

bunch of fresh coriander

This is actually based on a recipe my sister found in a magazine which I just changed a tad to suit my taste. It is ridiculously easy to rustle up for a lovely lunch.

First start by slicing your halloumi- I would say around half a cm in thickness. Place under the grill and cook until golden. Leave on the side to cool.

Next drain and rinse your tin of chickpeas and add to your mixing bowl. Add to this a chopped fresh red chilli- you can less if you wish but I like spice but it is completely up to you. Dice half a red onion and also dice your avocado and add to the bowl. Chop around a handful of fresh coriander and then mix this in with the rest of the ingredients. Once this is done, your halloumi should have cooled down which you an then add to the salad. Squeeze half a juice of a lime and a good glug of olive oil to the bowl and stir. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper!

Your salad is then ready to enjoy. 

Fresh Mango Chutney

Mmm I love this salsa- it is fruity, zingy with a little kick and it is ridiculously versatile as it can be served with chicken, burgers... fish! It yearns to be added to your BBQ banquet.

Ingredients

1 ripe mango

1 fresh red chilli

1 lime

a good helping of coriander

salt and pepper

Yup- that's all the ingredients but oh boy are your tastebuds about to get a little flirtatious tickling action.

Cut the mango into small cubes (making sure to take the flesh off of course!) add to your bowl of choice. Add the chopped red chilli, coriander, the juice of one lime and not forgetting a little salt and pepper action. 

Stir. Serve and let the salsa work its magic.

Lusty Glaze, Newquay.

It had been a good 2 years since we had returned to our old stomping ground of Newquay. It's funny, I haven't really missed living there after moving to Plymouth but boy oh boy did it pull on my heart strings whilst walking to my old favourite- Lusty Glaze.

Lusty Glaze is a beautiful restaurant which is nestled on a small cove just outside of Newquay. It's a place that you would take your family and friends who are visiting the area. It's a beautiful spot and it definitely meets my requirements for my wedding reception- yes it really is a stunning venue. Not only is the surroundings breath- taking but the interior of the restaurant are tastefully yet simply decorated. 

I sat there with a big smile on my face- what more could I ask for? A stunning clean beach in front of me, my loving partner, sunshine glittering on the ripples of the sea, a chilled glass of prosecco in hand and I was about to experience a taste sensation. One word to describe how I felt- perfect.

I chose the dressed Cornish crab with a potato salad and a side order of bread and butter. My oh my... honestly my mouth is watering while looking back at my photographs. The crab was delicious- fresh, sweet and just bloody lovely! The potato salad simple with just a little red onion and parsley and a fresh crunchy salad. I know I didn't take a photo of the wholegrain bread but even that would make my Dad happy (a firm bread and butter lover) I felt like the chef didn't want to mess with the ingredients too much and rightly so as they allowed the crab to do it's thing. It was delicious and I just didn't want it to end. 

And it didn't end there- oh no. How could I leave this place?! I was happy to spend my whole afternoon at Lusty Glaze; good music was playing, a chilled atmosphere and the perfect place to people watch. 

We opted for the chocolate brownie with pistachio ice cream. Bloody hell- this was it. It tipped me over the edge. The brownie was warm, gooey, dressed in a warm chocolate sauce with a dollop of ice cream. I couldn't fault it. Nope, not one bit. I felt like Gregg Wallace- almost consuming my spoon during each mouthful of this 'good pud'.

So yes it was no surprise that I left feeling completely satisfied. Well done Lusty- you made me miss Newquay.

Raw Courgette Salad

Ingredients

2 courgettes

1 red chilli

a good handful of fresh mint

the juice of 1 lemon

a good glug of Virgin Olive Oil

a ball of good mozzarella

salt and pepper

This is a super quick and easy salad to prepare- it's a must during summer! It's so simple yet so affective. I beg you to give it a go- you won't look back. I promise.

Chop the red chilli into small pieces and add to the plate of your choice. Add the juice of one lemon and the olive oil to the plate. A good grind of salt and pepper. Chop the mint up and add to the plate. Next take a potato peeler to your courgettes- you only want to reach the seed part of the fruit as you want the ribbons of the flesh of the courgette only. I do this straight onto the plate to save on washing up so this salad gets double thumbs up from my boyfriend! Roll up your sleeves and toss the courgette around the plate making sure all ingredients have mixed together. Tear up the mozzarella into chunks and mix into the salad.

Done and dusted. Jobs a godden'

Smoked Salmon, Watercress and Dill Tart

Ingredients

Short Crust Pasty

For this recipe you can use the 'just roll' ready made short crust pastry which you can find in the fridge sections of your local supermarkets (or even in the frozen sections!) if you want to save time or you don't feel quite confident to make your own. I however, make my own pastry- the more you practice the easier and better you will find the results.

You can make the pastry by using a food processor however I prefer to use my hands as I can feel the consistency and texture of the mixture- but whatever floats your boat.  

4oz plain flour

pinch of salt

2oz butter

2-3 tbsp cold water

Add all the ingredients into a bowl a part from the water- making sure your butter is cubed as this will prove easier to handle. Rub the mixture together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Once you have reached this stage, add the water a little at a time and bring the mixture together- I personally do this in a sort of kneading technique. 

Once the mixture comes together into a little ball, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Whilst the pastry is chilling, preheat your oven to 200c and grease a 26cm tin ready for your tart. Don't forget to dust your work surface and rolling pin with plain flour. Roll the pastry out until it fits your tin with a little over hang. Now I would say don't trim the pastry at this stage as the pastry will shrink as it cooks so leave at leave a 1cm overhang. Next prick the base of the pastry with a fork then place a little baking parchment and baking beads (I don't have any so I use lentils) on the base of the pastry as this will stop the pastry from having air trapped underneath and making bubbles during the blind cooking. 

Once you have done this, pop into the oven until the pastry is hard but not too golden as you don't want it to burn during the cooking time with the mixture in. So I would say bake for around 10 minutes but keep your eye on it as it may need less!

After the tart cake is cooked take out of the oven and leave too cool. Once it is cool you can then trim the edges. Don't worry about being too neat- I like the 'rustic' look! 

Turn the oven down to 180c.

Filling

Smoked salmon (I use the smoked salmon trimmings for cheapness and also ready chopped!)

300ml of creme fraiche

Half a bag of watercress

2 tablespoons of dill

Juice of half a lemon

2 medium eggs

seasalt and pepper

In a mixing bowl add the creme fraiche, the eggs, the lemon juice, salt and pepper and whisk together. Next roughly chop the water cress and the dill and add to the pastry case. Flake the smoke salmon and add to the watercress and dill. Then pour over the creme fraiche mixture.

Add a little ground black pepper to the top of the tart.

Now slip your tart into the oven and cook for about 25 minutes and once again- keep your eyes on it! Cook until the mixture has turned golden and not wobbly!

Serve with a fresh crunchy salad and buttered new potatoes. 

Enjoy!

King Prawn and Samphire Spaghetti

Now this dish is super easy and very quick- and always a winning dish for a date night or dinner party.

This dish uses samphire- something that I have only recently been introduced to by my mother around 6 months ago. From first bite I questioned myself as to why I had never thought of trying it!

Samphire is an edible plant which grows along the coastline so it has a slight salty taste but it also has a sweetness which similar to the sweetness of peas. It is quite expensive but you don't need a lot of it. A handful of samphire costs around 80p and is available from most large supermarkets although I have been told by my Mum that she hasn't seen it other than supermarkets along the coast!

Ingredients

To serve 4

225g of uncooked prawns

a good handful of samphire

half a red chilli

4 cloves of garlic

a good glug of white wine

half a juice of a lemon

500g good quality spaghetti

olive oil

a knob of butter

parmesan for sprinkling

black pepper

Boil the water for the spaghetti- add a little salt to the water and add the spaghetti to the sauce pan. After around 4 minutes of cooking the pasta (I like my pasta to be al dente so in total I cook for around 8 minutes) I then start on the sauce.

To a large frying pan add a knob of butter and a drizzle of olive oil to stop the butter from burning. Add the finely chopped garlic and chopped red chilli (you can add more than half a chilli if you wish to have more kick but make sure not to over power the taste of the prawns and samphire) allow to cook for around a minute then add the glug of white wine- I would say around half a glass of wine. Add the juice of half a lemon then add the prawns.

When the prawns have cooked on one side, I then stir and add the samphire, plus a good helping of ground black pepper. I don't add any salt as the samphire is naturally salty and the lemon helps to enhance the salty taste. Cook for around minute or once the prawns are cooked. Next drain the spaghetti and add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta to give it extra taste and a little shine which helps when it comes to stirring in the prawns. Add the pasta to the cooked prawns- making sure to entangle all the ingredients together. Once on the plate sprinkle with a good helping of parmesan. 

Now enjoy the taste of the sea.

Prime Cafe Bar, Plymouth

It was Friday afternoon and after a busy few days at work, I decided that I was going to hang up my apron and allow someone else to cook for me that evening. I need somewhere cheap, laid back and whom would top up my wine glass up in order to unknot the pain of a stressful head and allow me to unwind.

We have been going to Prime Cafe Bar for the past few months for a coffee and maybe the odd Tunnocks Tea Cake (oh, you little fluffy ball of childhood memories!) it's a great little place which has that industrial vibe that I have always been one for. So when I thought of going somewhere to eat which was value for money with a decent range of alcohol on offer this seemed the perfect establishment.

We arrived to the cafe and drooled over the daily menu which consists of around 5 dishes which change depending on what ingredients they have in stock- some of which comes from the owner's parent's vegetable patch! The dishes on offer sounded homely and ranging from around £5.75- £7.00.

My choice was prefect for me- simple yet effective with their choice of ingredients. I was ready to devour the potato salad topped with chorizo which came with a green leaf salad. It was delicious- the bowl was crammed full of potatoes which had been mixed with mayonnaise, capers and fresh dill so sort of similar to a tarter sauce (I actually use capers instead of gerkins in my homemade tarter sauce) and then topped with grilled peppers, crumbled feta and yummy smokey chorizo. I did add a little dash of Tabasco too which just wrapped all the flavours together. The side salad had been jazzed up with a little sweet balsamic vinegar and sesame seeds.  I was very satisfied with this bargain dish which was worth every penny of £7.00. My only criticism was I found eating out of a bowl a little awkward especially as I wanted to combine the leaf salad with the potato so I would have preferred a plate but apart from that I left with a satisfied belly and the need to return sooner rather than later.

Chunky Monkey Slimmer's Slaw

Ingredients

3 small carrots / 2 large carrots

A quarter of a white cabbage

1 and a half small white onions

Half a cup of natural low fat yogurt

Quarter of a cup of low fat mayonnaise

Around a dessert spoon of Tabasco

Salt and pepper

This is to make a large bowl of coleslaw- enough for a good dollop on 6 plates- you'll be surprised at how far this goes. Trust me.

Method

This is a stupidly easy recipe and something which always makes an appearance at my BBQs. Super cheap too which is always a bonus!

Now you can either use a blender using the slicing blade but I find it goes a little mushy and as I prefer a deli style coleslaw I use just a knife. It doesn't take long so don't be so lazy- get chopping!

I usually slice the carrot in half then half again so you have a quarter which you then need to slice. Half the onion and then slice thinly. With the cabbage you just need a quarter of it which you then need to thinly slice. You may find you need to chop the odd bit in half.

Add these all to a large bowl. I would then start on the sauce but if you have a few hours to kill then wait to make the sauce otherwise the juices from the vegetables will make it go very watery.

When you have finished your brew and prepping the garden for the party begin; it's time to start on the sauce. 

I buy the large pots of yogurt and for this I would use a quarter of the tub for this coleslaw. I would then add around two dessertspoons of mayonnaise and a good helping of Tabasco then mix. Salt and pepper then add to your raw slaw. 

Done, Dusted. Jobs a gooden', 

Blanche's Bootiful Burgers

Ingredients

500g minced lamb 

1 red onion

3 large garlic gloves

1 egg

a good handful of fresh mint

a teaspoon of fresh rosemary

half a fresh red chilli

a handful of Japanese breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

~

Method

These are super simple burgers to make- perfect for the summer months and they will certainly make the boys wink.

Place the mince into a large mixing bowl. Finely chop the garlic and one small red onion- no need to be super neat. Add these to the meat. Personally, I don't cook the garlic and onions prior to adding to the burgers as I have never had a problem with them being raw or crunchy once the burgers have been cooked but hey whatever floats your boat!

To this you want to add one egg (make sure to keep your eggs at room temperature and NEVER in your fridge!) a good handful of finely chopped mint, the teaspoon of fresh rosemary, half a red chilli (up to you whether you want to keep the seeds in to pack an extra punch), the handful of Japanese breadcrumbs (I use these as I find it adds to the texture rather than just acting as a combining agent) then it's over to the seasoning- a good grinding of pepper and sea salt.

Leave the utensils in your drawers- it's time to get in there with the utensils you were born with; your hands! Make sure to mix for a good minute  as this will ensure all the ingredients are probably combined. You will see and feel that the ingredients will come together. Split the mixture into 4 patties and place in the fridge to set. Leaving them in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour will help the burger to stay together during cooking. 

Now it's time to light the barbecue- please, please make sure the coal is white unless you want your burgers to look like lumps of coal! 

After they've taken a good grilling-  why not add a little raw beetroot and tomato to your burger bun, a little helping of mayonnaise and a few salad leaves. Maybe a little of my Chunky Monkey Slimmer's Slaw (recipe to follow) to the side of your plate. You know it's right!

Enjoy!

Quay 33

After a exhausting 5 and half hour journey via coach from London to Plymouth I had been given the order not to cook as I was being taken out for dinner. Now, I just want to point out that it is very unusual for me to eat out in as many consecutive days- not that I wouldn't like to, it's just my purse, and my waistband do not approve of being tugged on a regular basis. But hey I was still on my holiday so why not!

It was a stereotypical summers evening and we decided to head straight down to the Barbican as I had been wanting to try a restaurant- Quay 33. A pretty place on the corner with it's light blue exterior and light wooden interior- it looks like somewhere you would take your Mum or the in-laws for lunch.

I had been craving calamari and luckily the restaurant cooked a fresh batch for me although it wasn't on their evening menu. I am not one for deep fried food as I do not enjoy biting into thick soggy batter with it's greasy overkill however calamari is the exception. Quay 33's calamari tasted fresh, well cooked and well seasoned with a good crispy batter, it certainly settled my craving. It was worth the risk.

My main was selected from the specials board as I fancied a nice fresh, crisp salad and the only option they had was a salad nicoise with a tuna steak. This is something I have never tried before- tuna steak. I am a huge lover of fish (which is almost an understatement and not a quality my marine conservation boyfriend admires the most) and it is rare when I do eat red meat so the thought of a 'meaty fish' had always put me off. So I had to bite the bullet and face my fears- 'I'll have the salad nicoise please.'

It was well presented with hard boiled eggs, olives and new potatoes. The only thing I found slightly disappointing was it being dressed in a little olive oil. I love olive oil on a greek salad but I felt with the potatoes and eggs it needed to be matched with a creamier dressing with plenty of seasoning. The tuna steak was not bad, I however couldn't stomach the whole lot. 

The restaurant was 'nice' but it didn't pull at my heart strings. There are a lot of restaurants on offer so due to it not quite reaching the 'wow' factor, I doubt I will be back in a hurry. 

London Living

It had been nearly 3 years since I had returned to London after leaving it behind to head for a life in the West Country. By joe did I forget what it was like to be in such foodie heaven!

Saturday 26th July 2014- A.M

I do apologise for the awful photograph- my creativity was at all time low that morning!

After an evening of a typical London Friday night meal, a.k.a 'a liquid lunch', I awoke to a rather bad head and a belly which was almost digesting its own lining- I needed food. I needed something salty and tangy. I needed the feast to seem almost unhealthy so it could suffocate my hangover. However I needed that slight healthy twist to make me feel I was nursing my poor stomach and liver back to good health.

We headed to 'Mi1k' in Balham- a funky Kiwi cafe full of vintage charm. It was a place that my friend said she could imagine me liking it mainly for the interior,  'go inside and look at the till! It's very you in there!' And boy was she right as the interior included old tins for utensils, a random doll's head which was bigger than the one I have in my flat.

I ordered a 'Sweet Maria' - sweetcorn fritters, grilled halloumi, avocado, kasundi with a wedge of lime. Damn did it hit the spot- the fitters were not greasy and they still maintained the sweetness of the sweetcorn which matched magically with the saltiness of the halloumi. It was a big success and it definitely worked wonders for my poor mistreated body.


Saturday 26th July 2014- P.M.

I used to spend a lot of time in Brixton- eating in Franco Manca's or Asmara or Negril. Since I had left did it decide to up its game. I wandered the Brixton Village Market like a child in a candy shop; my mouth drooling from the scent of a mixture of Mexican, Italian, Japanese, French, South African culinary delights. I was becoming too excited. It felt like I was on holiday and the world's cultures were under one roof but the trouble was- I wanted to try them all!

We decided to take a seat at Carioca- a little Brazilian place with seating outside making it feel all very quaint and lovely. The bonus of course was that you could bring your own bottle. So off I skipped to the bar opposite to purchase a bottle of Prosecco. Okay so I didn't quite match the Brazilian theme with my choice of beverage but hey did we make it up with drinking their caipirinhas later on- which were VERY strong and super tangy. Delicious!

Anyway back to the point- the meal. For starters I decided on the fish cakes. They were packed full of fish and coriander with no potato in sight thank god! They were not mushy, instead they were filled with chunks of fish and they were served with a delicious light, sweet tomato sauce with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 
Onto the main and this is probably the moment when the Prosecco was taking affect and I had started to banter with their friendly staff. I had chosen a butternut squash and chorizo salad- BEAUTIFUL. Now I am hoping it wasn't the bubbles reacting in an over enthusiastic way but again the sweetness and the smokey, saltiness wrapped itself around my tongue and I was happy. Very happy indeed and I left the restaurant wanting more.

Sunday 27th July 2014 P.M.

After a walk from Balham to Clapham Junction I was ready to tuck my napkin into my blouse and consume enough food to feed a small family.

My friend wanted to take me to The Banana Tree, a restaurant which describes itself as 'Indochina'. A restaurant with a dark wood interior and an array of industrial style lamps hanging low in front of you. She decided to take me there as having travelled around South East Asia I have a huge love for Asian cuisine.

For my starter I selected Nem Noung Coriander Meatballs followed by a Seafood Kari Santan Melayu curry. My meatballs were nice but the Nuoc Cham dipping sauce sold it to me- almost similar to a Teriyaki sauce only better! The meatballs I felt needed a little more coriander and maybe extra zing of chilli. I could see the fun side of wrapping it yourself however I probably didn't look my most attractive whilst attempting to eat them- it was not something I would advise you to attempt on a first date, maybe stick to eating them in front of your best friend.
The Melayu curry I have to say was a disappointment. It was all a little bland, it needed more of a kick. It was a red curry so needed a little more spice of the chilli and it just didn't taste salty enough- like it needed more fish sauce and a little more lime. It was lacking that fishiness which I had tasted in curries over in Malaysia so I felt a little deflated. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't traditional- they were probably catering to our English tastebuds!

and so it begins...

I have been thinking for a few months now about writing my first food blog. My love of food is becoming more of an obsession in recent years. It's reached the point where I visualise my friends and family groaning at the sight of yet another photograph of my daily diet flashing up on their social network feed. It's time I took those photographs to feed the fellow 'foodies' out there.  I am from a family of food lovers. Often food is cooked and eaten together around the kitchen table. Music playing, wine flowing and I have to say it is a lot to do with my mum. 

My mother is a lover of Italian food after growing up with a family of Italians for neighbours. They gave her her first mushroom to taste, they taught her how to cook pasta and she watched them cook delicious tasting sauces they had cooked from scratch. This which was completely foreign to the food my Grandmother prepared. My mum grew up to be a firm believer of cooking from scratch.

My own story starts at around the age of 4 and it revolves around discipline. Preparing the daily family meal was usually when my mother found things a little too stressful. Dinnertime was when myself and my siblings would start squabbling. With a husband who would be still working upstairs (freelance illustrator) my mum would soon reach the end of her tether and would select a perpetrator to be dragged off to the kitchen and told to stand on the 'naughty stool' with their index finger placed over their lips. When I was 'the chosen one' I would soon stop snivelling and I would begin to watch the way my food was being cooked. This is when I feel I can pinpoint the very moment I became inspired.From then on (at an early age) I was shown how to use a sharp knife in order to prepare vegetables. Not long after I was preparing the odd family meal. I soon  became aware that I had a heightened sense of taste and smell to which my Dad would often select a 'secret ingredient' to put into his own cooking- to which I often guessed correctly.

Fast forward 25 years and I am constantly in the kitchen. The moment I awake, I am already day dreaming about what I can cook that evening. I feel excited when I can try new recipes I have created especially when I witness the enjoyment it can give to friends and family. Not only that but I also feel I have expanded my tastebuds due to my travels of Australia, Europe, South Africa and South East Asia. I have attended cookery courses in Thailand and Vietnam with the hope to try more. It is not only down to the cultures I have experienced but what is on my own front door- the array of restaurants now on offer and not forgetting the numerous of cookery programmes I watch and cookery books I read.

Food is, without a doubt, my obsession.