forage in the pantry.

A Wiltshire born foodie and wine lover with a passion for cooking! Having upped and fled to London, by day I graft in the wine industry, by eve in the kitchen. Oh and on cloud nine, as a food stylist...!? A day in the sanctuary of the kitchen armed with apron, Magimix, my camera as an extra prosthetic limb and some humble jazz breezing away in the background- I'm happy. With a delicious recipe collection worthy of its own museum, here I share with you some of my favourite and trusted recipes, new challenging dishes and experiments and the odd review. I'll cook anything on offer throughout the seasons.....my only exception is tuna. There will be none of that. I cook wholesomely from scratch when possible and frankly, the more challenging, the better! All photographs, writing and food styling are my own creations so if only here to browse and drool....please continue. And I love to hear from followers so please get in touch with requests...!

[forageinthepantry]

I’ve upgraded and moved!!!

After 3 wonderful years of blogging I’ve made the leap and upgraded to a shiny, sparkling, tempting and even more delicious blog space.

For all my dedicated followers, please now find me here for all your foodie needs and keep on sharing! 

http://forageinthepantry.co.uk

[forageinthepantry]

Nori Hummus and Raw slaw Wraps

Raw food (i.e. food that has not been cooked, treated or processed in any way above 115°F) seems to be all the craze at the moment with the idea that above this selected temperature food starts to loose essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, with a background in physiological science and a keen interest in nutrition I am fully aware of the nutrients that our bodies need and so for me (although a keen health freak and yogi)  it is hard to see the true benefits of a 100% raw diet. Saying that, dabbling in the craze can only leave you happy, full, and downright smug and righteous.

So last weekend in the hot and sunny weather and with the influence of Wimbledon’s top athletes competing as we ate, I took my sceptical mother to Nama, Notting hill an artisan raw food ‘oasis’ for lunch. And I was hugely pleased and excited by it! Albeit we chose well, I would not have been left as happy had I chosen the raw ‘pizza’ (courgette and walnut cracker base topped with vegetables). However, a hearty salad and a falafel raw ‘wrap’ left us nourished and smiling as we washed it down with pear, cucumber, cinnamon, maple and apple juice and matcha lattes.

So home again and inspired I headed to the kitchen to use some of Nama’s influence in my mid week dinner. Influence is the word here. This is not technically ‘raw’ but its a damn good compromise.

Makes about 4 (with leftovers)

1 small red cabbage

1 yellow courgette

1 green courgette

Large bunch mint, coriander and parsley

2 tbsp sesame seeds (lightly toasted)

1-2 limes

1 x hummus recipe

2 avocados

1 x packet roasted seaweed sheets (Nori sheets)

Spiced herby Hummus

1 can chickpeas

1 red chilli

1 bunch coriander and in addition, either mint, parsley, basil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 red chilli, roughly chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp yoghurt

Salt and pepper

Splash of extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ heaped tsp of the following mix of ground spices (For the ground mix, toast 1tbsp of each fennel, cumin, coriander , black mustard and  fenugreek seed with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamon pods and 1 star anise in a dry frying pan until hot, fragrant and beginning to pop. Remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine).

Start with the vegetable ‘slaw’. In a processor, shred the cabbage and courgettes until fine and mix well. Finely chop the herbs and add these with some seasoning. Add the sesame seeds and lime juice and set aside.

Make the hummus. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a processor (expect the oil) and pulse to a coarse paste. You may need to wipe the sides down as you go. Add a splash of oil to loosen if you like.

Cut your avocados in halve and then slice each halve into chunky chip shaped sliced.

Now assemble! Spread a layer of hummus in the middle of a sheet of Nori. Top with the slices of avocado and then with a layer of slaw.

Fold the short ends in and then roll (with the long end facing you) the nori seaweed wrapper over the filling tightly and press together.

Slice in halve on the diagonal and enjoy!

[forageinthepantry]

Thai Green Curry (and paste)

I am always so hugely disappointed when I click on the recipe link for a Thai Green Curry from a fellow blogger only to find the words....’add 2 tbsp of curry paste? Pastes vary from kitchen to kitchen and especially from supermarket to supermarket. Being a believer in ‘cooking from scratch’ not only does it taste more than a thousand times fresher but you actually know wants going into it. Who knows what goes into those jars in Waitrose....?

So with a free evening ahead and a hungry pair of stomaches to feed, I knocked out a fresh and fiery paste from scratch and devoured what I have hailed ‘The Best Thai Green Curry Recipe’. Courtesy and thanks to Bill Granger naturally with a few ‘forage in the pantry’ amendments. The entire recipe from start to end takes no more than 1 hour full round especially with a food processor so don’t be put off by the extra effort of making your own paste. It will be well worth it I guarantee.

NOTE: This paste recipe makes more than enough for the below curry. Perfect for popping the rest in a sealed tupperware in the freezer for a quick healthy meal when you have less time.

Serves 3

Curry Paste

1 tsp coriander seeds 

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp light-flavoured oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 lemongrass stalk, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 spring onions, chopped

Handful of chopped coriander stems

3cm knob of ginger, chopped

4 green chillies, deseeded, chopped

Curry

1 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp green-curry paste

125ml chicken/vegetable stock

300ml coconut milk (full fat)

2-3 large kaffir lime leaves, torn, (or 3 strips lime peel)

3 chicken-breast fillets, cut into chunks 

200g baby sweetcorn

100g green beans

1 tbsp caster sugar 

2 tbsp fish sauce 

1 tbsp lime juice, 

To serve: Steamed brown rice, torn basil, chopped spring onions, chopped coriander, lime wedges

Start by making the paste. Heat a dry frying pan until hot and toast the coriander and cumin seeds for a few minutes until fragrant. Crush in a pestle and mortar. 

Add to the bowl of the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and blend to a coarse paste. Place in a tupperware container with a lid.

For the curry, heat the coconut oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan or wok and fry the 3 tbsp of curry paste for about 2 minutes.

Add the stock, coconut milk and lime leaf and simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Add the chicken and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Finally add the corn and beans (or any vegetable of choice), the caster sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and simmer gently for another 5 minutes or so until cooked.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce or lime juice or sugar to sweeten.

Serve topped on some brown rice and scattered with some fragrant torn basil and sliced spring onions.

[forageinthepantry]

Amaretto Almond Brownies

When my recent package of Green & Blacks experimentation chocolate arrived at my desk word soon transfused around the office that there was chocolate around. That said, with a weekend of chocolate haven on the cards, it wasn’t long before the first brownie request was publicised. Chocolate is a perfect match for many wines ‘don’t you know’. All the more reason to open a bottle of something vintage then...?

Working within the wine industry my brownies naturally had to contain some form of alcohol! Amaretto and crunchy almonds to the rescue.

(Adapted from Brandt’s recipe)

Makes about 15 large brownies

185g unsalted butter

100g Green & Blacks ‘Butterscotch’ bar

100g Green & Blacks Dark chocolate

3 large eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

260g caster sugar

65g ground almonds

40g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

50g toasted flaked almonds

8-10 amaretti biscuits, roughly crumbled

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line a brownie tin or tray (around 20cm x 20cm)

Melt the butter in a saucepan and then snap in the chocolate in small pieces and stir. Once the chocolate has thoroughly melted, whisk to combine. Leave to cool to room temperature

Combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on high speed for a minute or so until pale, fluffy and aerated.

Sieve together the flour, cocoa and almonds.

When the chocolate has cooled whisk it into the sugar and eggs.

Finally fold in the flour mixture until well combined

Stir in the flaked almonds and all but a handful of the crumbled amaretti biscuits which you can save for the topping.

Pour into the prepared baking tin and scatter over the remaining biscuits.

bake int he centre of the oven. Timings are now a bit up to you. I baked mine for about 25-30 minutes (as I’m always scared of having a really raw brownie!) But these are a particualry gooey sort so won’t suffer too much from a few minutes longer and end up ‘cakey’ at the edges. Bake for 20-25 for a soft centre.

Leave to cool completely in the tin before cutting. Ideally (I know this could come as a shock) leave for a few hours or in the fridge overnight to firm up a little to make them easier to cut.

Devour with a rich strong coffee or amaretto shot. I’d suggest the former if its a Monday back at work in the office.

[forageinthepantry]

Chocolate Mint Tart with Sugared Pistachios

My recent adventure to the colourful delights of Morocco has naturally fuelled my blogging obsession once again. I have, for this week at least, exhausted the classic tagine and now have only sweet treats on the mind. Green & Blacks recent emphasis on colour in our taste and perception can not only be reflected in their packaging but I couldn’t help but see this mirrored in Morocco which is a country that is summed up by colour and flavour. A feast for the eyes. With teasing fresh mint tea available in Morocco at any opportunity (whether requested or not) I stole this flavour inspiration using Green & Blacks new ‘Mint Crisp’ bar.

If you’re a chocolate connoisseur you’ll already have noticed Green & Blacks new bars - ‘Thins’ - so this won’t come as surprising news. Long ago I spotted the ‘Mint Crisp’ flavour and stocked up. I love this new format or bite-sized slices of flavoursome chocolate. Ironically here I’ve used the new ‘Thins’ bar in this recipe....which won’t make you that. But hey, the mint brings back the buzz of the Medina’s and Riads.

This tart is rich and dense. If you’re not a mint fan then feel free to make this soley dark or try using G&B’s salted caramel thins in stead. The crunchy topping adds a lovely texture but again can be substituted with pecans, walnuts, or almonds (which would go particularly well with the salted caramel bar). Devour with some clean simple ice cream or fruit.

Pastry

1 x quantity of shortcrust pastry (see here for recipe) made with additional small handful of desiccated coconut.

Filling

150g Green & Blacks ‘Mint Crisp Chocolate’

100g Green & Blacks dark 70-80% chocolate

100ml single cream

250ml whole milk

3 beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

50g pistachios

1 tbsp caster sugar

4 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 large lime, zest only

Start by making the pastry case according to the link above and using a deep 20cm wide pastry case. Add a handful of coconut to the flour if you like.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Set aside your blind baked pastry case while you make the filling.

Mix the cream and milk together in a saucepan and heat until just about to come to the boil.

Remove from the heat and break in the chocolate in small pieces. After a few minutes mix together until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted into the cream. Use a whisk to throughly combine the cream and melted chocolate.

Leave to cool until lukewarm.

When lukewarm, beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Place the tart case on a baking tray and fill 3/4 full with the chocolate filling.

Place the tray on the oven shelf and once its stable, fill the tart to full with the remaining mixture (or as much as will fit int your tin! I had a little left over)

Bake for about 20 minutes until just set and shiny.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile make the topping. Crush the nuts in a pestle and mortar until finely crushed but with a few chunks here and there.

Toast the coconut in a dry hot frying pan until just beginning to colour golden and then add to the nuts. Stir in the lime zest and the sugar and combine.

Once the tart has cooled, use this mixture to scatter over the top of the tart.

[forageinthepantry]

Roast Poussin, Creamy Leeks and Smoked Salt Fried Gnocchi

I’m no pasta lover (sorry Italy...and Nigella) but I am an occasional fried gnocchi lover. OK I may have been a tad patriotic on the cooking method but it turns out that fried gnocchi are a bit like mini roast potatoes. Bitesized. Dangerous. But delicious. After a continuous dose of Thai and Asian inspired dishes recently, followed by a delicious and flavour packed trip to Morocco, I fancied a bit more of a classic this evening. French poussin and mustardy creamy leeks were a delicious and comforting contrast to my ‘Englishly’ cooked Italian potato dumplings. Crispy and golden and seasoned with smoked salt.

Serves 2

250g gnocchi

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp smoked salt (optional)

2 large leeks

1 large garlic clove, crushed

250ml single cream

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Handful flatleaf parsley, chopped

1 x poussin

50g unsalted butter, softened

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place your poussin on a baking tray and smother the skin and legs with about 30g of the butter and season well.

Place in the centre of the oven and roast for about 40-45minutes until cooked. Baste with the juices a few times during cooking.

Once cooked, leave to rest before serving.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter with a splash of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Slice the leeks in halve vertically and slice into chunks. Gently and slowly soften the leeks for about 15 minutes of so until really soft. Add the garlic and cook out for another few minutes.

While the leeks are softening and the poussin is cooking, cook the gnocchi. Boil in salted water for 2 minutes and then drain well. Leave to dry out a little for a few minutes.

Heat a frying pan on a high heat and add the sunflower oil. Fry the cooked gnocchi with the smoked salt in the oil until crispy and golden. Keep warm.

When the poussin is nearly cooked and ready, turn the heat up a little with the leeks and add the cream. Simmer a little to thicken.

Season well and add the mustard and all but a handful of parsley and stir thoroughly. Keep warm while you carve the poussin.

Remove the meat from the oven or from where it has been resting. Carve off the breast and wings.

Serve the creamy leeks in a warmed serving bowl and top with the poussin. Scatter round some fried gnocchi and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Drizzle with a dash of lemon infused or plain extra virgin olive oil and serve!

[forageinthepantry]

Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins

A recent speedy meal before an evening out for cocktails with my sister. Cocktails are pricey so it was a ‘use up the fridge’ meal....cheap, and always pleasantly surprising I find. What started as a quick bite consequently and unsurprisingly turned into my need to photograph and blog the whole scenario resulting in me having to wolf them down and then jump out of my running gear and into something more bar worthy....

Speedy meal for one!

Serves 1

1 large sweet potato, stabbed all over with a knife

1 red onion, sliced into half moons

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp cumin seeds

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Zest of half a lemon

A few slices of goats cheese, crumbled

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Heat a frying pan to a medium high heat. Add a splash of oil and soften the onions for about 10 minutes until soft and just beginning to brown. If they are catching, turn the temperature down.

Meanwhile, cheat cook your potato in the microwaves for 7 minutes or until the middle is soft.

Cut in half and leave to cook slightly. It will be very hot!

When the onions are soft, turn up the heat and add the balsamic. Simmer gently until the onions are sticky and syrupy. Add the cumin seeds and remove from the heat.

Scoop the flesh of the potato into a large bowl. 

Place the skins on baking tray and drizzle with a little oil and season. Crisp them up in the hot oven for a bout 5 minutes or so (check to make sure they don’t burn!)

Meanwhile, season the potato flesh in the bowl and add the chopped parsley, onions and crumble in the goats cheese.

Mix thoroughly. When the skins are crisp, remove from the oven and stuff with the mixture.

Place back in the oven for 5 minutes or so to warm through.

Devour with a crisp fresh salad.

[forageinthepantry]

Fillet Steak, Red Bordeaux and a 60th Birthday

What a truly fantastic and relaxing week. May is my favourite month. Not only is it is filled with selfish Birthday treats but my favourite ingredients are coming into season! The days are light and longer, a natural prescription for the post February Vitamin D deficiencies we all seem to develop if my fellow London commuters are anything to go by! So, a May holiday break back to my favourite place in the world down at Lands End. I’ve been visiting this little village haven since I was seven where I ironically celebrated my own birthday. I will never forget the patio bbq and days spent thrashing around in the surf. Was it warmer in May 16 years ago or was I just better at embracing the cold!? However I am not the 60 year old this year that this post proudly boasts. This year, it only seemed natural that we’d return here to my pa’s mutual favourite home-away-from-home to celebrate his 60th Birthday. Smooth beer, fresh fish and chips, sea air by the lungful, feisty surf and the stickiest chocolate cake....what could we all want more!? Well....fillet steak and a flashy red bordeaux would go down nicely...?

RECOMMENDED ACCOMPANIMENT:  Mellow music, sunsets dog walks on the beach, lighthearted chatter, slurping, chewing, all topped off with a competitive and crude (at times) game of scrabble. Followed by coffee and chocolate cake! Seemed to work for us anyway!?

Serves 4

Green vegetables and some hearty homemade potato wedges are a great accompaniment here! The sweet, slow cooked juicy onions act as a delicious sauce that doesn’t detract from the flavour of the steak. Fillet steak, with very little flavoursome fat, is not the most notorious for being full of flavour hence why classic blue cheese or peppercorn sauce are often used. But I wanted a sauce here that wasn’t too powerful!

4 fillet steaks

2 large white onions

2 red onions

Thyme leaves

1-2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

Salt and Pepper

Vegetables to serve

Hand cut potato wedges to serve

If you can, remove the steaks from their packaging/wrapping in the morning and place on a wire rack or plate to ‘dry’ a little in the fridge.

Start with the onions. Heat a frying pan to medium low heat. Slice the onions in half and then slice into think half moons. Heat 1-2 tbsp of light oil in the fry pan and very gently soften the onions for about 15 minutes. Keep the heat low and make sure they don’t begin to catch. You want to end up with lovely soft, sweet onions that are just begging to brown.

Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Add the chopped garlic and the thyme leaves and cook for a further 5 minutes or so. Once ready, cover and set aside but keep warm.

Remove the steak from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Season all over well with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little oil. If you like, slice a garlic clove in halve horizontally and use it to rub over the steak flesh. It just adds a subtle flavour. When ready to cook, heat a frying pan to a high heat. Fry the steaks on the below timings to your liking. As the last few seconds come around, spoon over about a 1tsp of butter per steak and baste.

Its really important to rest the steak after! I cannot stress this enough especially with fillet steak! Don’t be tempted to just slap on the plate and eat. The meat needs to rest so the juices that are forced to the centre during cooking can settle out and diffuse out within the meat. This is where the flavour is! It also provides you with those all important juices for adding to your onions.

Once cooked to your liking, place the steaks on a large piece of foil and wrap up tightly to rest and collect the juices. Rest for at least 10 minutes.

Reheat the onions if needed and cook any vegetables you wish to serve with this

After 10 minutes, open the foil and steaks. Pour and resting juices into the warm onions. Serve the steaks topped with a generous spoonful of juicy sweet onions to act as a sauce!

Cooking times:

I’m a medium rare steak lover so I always go for this timing so I’ll admit I’ve never tested the others accurately! But I presume they do the trick! All based on a 2cm thick steak. As a rough guide, add 1 minute for another cm.

Blue: 1 minute each side Rare: 1½ minutes each side Medium rare: 2 minutes each side Medium: 2¼ minutes each side Medium-well done: 2½ – 3 minutes each side.

Steak Choice:

Everyone seems to have their favourite steak cut and there are many that are simply not popularly seen especially in supermarkets. Each cut has a purpose and is great for different occasions, recipes or side dishes and sauces.  Below is a very brief guide to help with some of the more well known and eaten cuts. First, a few things to note when choosing.

FAT: The fat content is important for two reasons. It is where the flavour is! When it cooks, the fat melts into the meat. This not only adds flavour but helps keep the steak succulent!

LOCATION: The more tender the steak, the less work the muscle has done. Therefore, a relatively unused muscles such as the loin will be more tender, and therefore usually more expensive

Sirloin: melt-in-the-mouth and succulent with some fat marbling. Lots of flavour but lacks flavour compared to a rib eye for example.

Rump (and my favourite cut): A large steak with huge flavour. It needs a long time to hang and a good cooking time as it can be tough if rare.

Fillet/Loin: Buttery tender and soft. Little or no fat so therefore very little flavour. It also cannot be hung and aged for long. My advice on a day to day basis is to opt for any other steak for economical and flavour reasons as you’ll be much more satisfied!

Rib eye: Lots of fat marbling provides a rich flavour.

Minute steak: Thin, cheap, can be cooked quickly. It can be tough however but if often seen for use in sandwiches!

T bone: The cut is part sirloin, part fillet so the cooking time is hard to judge...and then there is the cumbersome bone...

[forageinthepantry]

Charred Broccoli, Almond, Lentil Salad

Using up leftovers is one of my favourite challenges! And hence where my suitability for Masterchef would come in....ahem. If anyone reading this is from the admissions team (fat chance) then PICK ME! Anyway, my yearly voyage to my most favourite place in England, Sennen Cove at Lands End, is fast approaching and with only two more sleeps and two more meals I was challenged to use up the innards of the fridge in a creative yet tasty way.

Charred purple sprouting broccoli and almonds tossed with earthy lentils and balsamic red onions. Healthily delicious.

Serves 2

4 oz Puy lentils

1 large red onion, sliced into slithers

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove

Large handful flat leaf parsley

Handful flaked almonds

Purple sprouting broccoli for two

Simmer  the lentils in boiling water for about 18 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan to a medium-hot and toast the almonds gently for a few minutes until just turning golden. Remove from the pan and set aside when done

Heat 1 tbsp of light oil in the pan and turn the heat down. Gently and slowly soften the onions for about 5-10 minutes until sweet and soft and just beginning to colour. Add the chopped garlic and fry for a few more minutes. Season.

Turn the heat up and add the balsamic. Simmer until reduced for about 1 minute and the onions are coated in a sticky sweet glaze. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Par-boil the broccoli for 1-2 minutes and drain well. Heat a griddle pan until hot and charr the broccoli on all sides for a few minutes on a high heat.

Meanwhile, drain the cooked lentils and season well. Add the onions and parsley and stir. Finally add in the charred broccoli and finally some of the almonds, reserving the majority for the topping to keep them crispy and crunchy!

[forageinthepantry]

Spanish Lamb Shanks

I adore slow cooked dishes especially as it usually involves a a budget friendly cut such as lamb shanks. My favourite way to cook meat, besides the barbeque obviously...But while the first May bank holiday weekend delivered us a beautifully sunny and fresh evening, the morning hadn’t been as promising for a barbie. My sodden raincoat and squelching trainers sat drying in the sun were evidence enough. With not much time in my working week to knock out a slow cooked creation, the bank holiday offered the perfect opportunity. So a slow cooked, tender, succulent lamb shank in a glossy, sticky sauce studded with manly chunks of chorizo and vege was a definite good alternative. Scattered with fresh mint served on some creamy silky parsnip mash we went to bed with happy stomaches. Oh and we might have finished the meal with some bank holiday brownies. Ahem....

Serves 4

4 lamb shanks

300ml hot beef stock

350ml red wine (Rioja is suggested)

200ml balsamic vinegar

4-6 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

Handful of fresh rosemary, leaves picked

125g chorizo, sliced

1 red onion, cut into wedges

2 carrots, sliced into chunks horizontally

Fresh mint to serve

Olive oil

Freshly cracked black pepper and salt

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Heat a large casserole dish on a medium high heat and add a good splash of olive oil. Season the lamb shanks well and brown on all sides in the pan until golden and crisp in places then remove to a plate.

Using the same pan, heat the wine and vinegar and boil for about 5 minutes to simmer off the sharpness of the liquids.

Add the bay leaves, rosemary, some seasoning and the hot stock. Peel the garlic cloves and crush lightly with the back of a knife. Finally add these and the lamb shanks submerged in the liquid.

Place in the oven for 2 hours with the lid on.

After 2 hours, remove from the oven and baste. Add the chopped onion, carrot and chorizo and turn the oven up to 180°C. Remove the lid and place in the oven for a further hour to brown and reduce the sauce.

After this time the meat should be deliciously tender and falling off the bone. Remove the dish from the oven. Place the lamb shanks onto a warm plate and cover with foil while you deal with the sauce. Bring the liquid to a boil on the hob and simmer for about 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce (Add 1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp of cold water if needed and whisk this in to thicken further). Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Place the lamb shanks back in the glossy sauce and pop in the oven to keep warm while you prepare the side dishes. I served mine with creamy parsnip mash and purple sprouting broccoli.

Serve one shank per person in a warm bowl a top some creamy mash with some vege and sauce. Scatter over some fresh mint and enjoy!

[forageinthepantry]

Sticky Soy and Sesame Pork

Speedy and delicious. If you get embarrassingly excited at the idea of sticky sweetly glazed tender strips of pork on soft oozing coconut rice then I suggest you give this recipe a try. Another long week at work, Friday nights recipe choice had high expectations to satisfy a variety of needs. I craved nothing more than comfort, flavour and relative speed. If you serve this on plain rice then you’ll have an even speedier dinner in minutes but I can never resist a coconut infused creation. Except coconut water. Whats the fad about? Dishwater disguised in a eco-friendly carton. Having been found on numerous occasions unashamedly desperately corkscrewing a hole into a fresh coconut only to slurp the fresh juicy ‘milk’ from inside with a straw this is a far healthier (economical) and dramatic way to get your coconut hit! Its fresh and delicious. Plus you get the joyful task of angrily throwing the empty coconut onto a hard floor (outside recommended) to crack it open to access the meaty pure white flesh. Perfect for grating into curries, porridge, use in cakes (see here) or into your coconut rice!

Serves 2

Sticky Pork

1 pork fillet, sliced into thumb sized slices

1 knob ginger, chopped

1 small red chilli, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 spring onions, chopped

1 bunch coriander, stems and leaves chopped separately

1 heaped tsp cornflour

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp runny honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Sunflower oil

2 tbsp sesame seeds

50g salted peanuts, crushed lightly

Coconut Rice

4 oz brown rice

1 can coconut milk

Good handful desiccated coconut

1 lime, zest

Handful chopped coriander to serve

Green vegetables to serve

Begin with the rice. Warm the coconut milk in a saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water (you may need to add more water as it cooks). Bring to a light simmer but be very careful as the milk will boil over if left unattended on a high heat.

Let it simmer on a fast simmer for about 25 minutes. You want to end up with cooked rice that has absorbed mostly all the liquid but is still loose so it oozes on a plate. Keep an eye out and add more water if it dries out before fully cooked.

When cooked and still oozing, add the desiccated coconut, chopped coriander and lime zest and keep warm.

Start on the pork which is a pretty speedy process so have your green vege and warming plate ready to go not soon after!

Combine the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water in a jug. Add the soy sauce, sesame, vinegar and honey and mix well.

Heat a frying pan or wok on a medium high heat. Quickly flash fry the chopped chilli, spring onion, garlic, ginger and coriander stalks in a splash of sunflower oil until softened. Add the pork and turn up the heat to get a nice colour on the outside.

Fry for about 5 minutes or so until the pork is just cooked but still soft and not dry. Immediately add the soy mixture and stir quickly.

This will thicken and bubble and glaze the pork. If it turns too thick too quickly loosen with a splash more water!

Remove from the heat to prevent it overcooking and add the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds.

Serve atop your coconut rice scattered with extra coriander, any spare sesame seeds alongside your green vegetables with a wedge of lime.

[forageinthepantry]

Coffee and Walnut Brownies

Leftover Easter eggs. Still you cry! Yes, as a dark chocolate lover you don’t need much hence why I have a vat of the stuff still sitting patiently in the pantry. Brownies anyone?

Without doubt the best, most trusty brownie recipe and one I’ve always gone back to time after time. My only concern each time I make it is the sugar content. But we are talking about brownies here which come with a certain set of health flaws anyway. Courtesy of Green & Blacks but highly adapted here to reflect one of my favourite cakes, walnuts for crunch and coffee beans for surprise.

Makes about 20

200g unsalted butter

100g dark chocolate (70%) Green & Blacks

350g dark brown soft sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g self raising flour

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

Pinch salt

100g chopped walnuts

2 tbsp coffee beans, ground into chunks in a pestle and mortar

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 28cm x 18cm brownie tin with parchment (or a similar size)

Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

Stir in the sugar and instant coffee granules until combined.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla well in a bowl and then whisk these continuously into the chocolate mixture until well combined and glossy.

Gently fold in the flour and salt.

Finely, stir in the chopped nuts and crushed coffee beans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until crispy on top but still soft inside. The edges may cook quicker leaving the middle pieces gooey and dense.

Leave to cool completely (yes I know...amuse yourself here) until cold. Then cut into enormous pieces. Serve with some cool creamy ice cream.

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Asian Crab Bon Bons with Miso Sweetcorn Puree

Finally an evening to experiment in the kitchen! As much as I adore feeding dinner party guests, I am always far to scared to experiment on their adoring high expecting tastebuds. With the need to please and deliver some delicious food, I always default to my staple flavours and ingredients. But tonight...with only myself to potentially disappoint I tried out a new dish. After a long week, some downtime in the kitchen was hugely appreciated. And the good news is it did not disappoint! When I create new recipes in my head they morph and change throughout the day as I change my mind or get inspired by the those Portobello market stalls. So what started out on my morning commute as a typical French styled and flavoured fish and crab dish was quickly violated by those tempting devious Thai and Asian flavours I adore. Earthy miso spiked sweet corn puree, savoury soy glazed warm kale, dangerously crispy chilli crab bon bons a perfect accompaniment for some plump sea bass.

Serves 2

Miso Sweetcorn Puree

1 can sweetcorn drained (about 250g)

1 tbsp miso paste

1 lime

1 tsp sesame oil

Heat the sweetcorn in a saucepan just to warm through.

Place in the bowl of a food processor with the miso, 1/2 the lime juice and the sesame oil

Blitz to a very fine paste for 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more lime juice if needed

Keep warm while you make the rest of the meal.

Crab Bon Bons (makes 4 golf ball sized)

100g crab meat, mixed white and brown

1/2 small red chilli (heat strength dependent on taste), chopped finely

Small bunch coriander, chopped finely

Zest 1/2 lime

Small bowl of fine brown breadcrumbs/panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 egg, beaten

Around 50g plain flour

Sunflower oil for frying

In a large bowl, mix the crab together with the chilli, coriander, lime zest and a small handful of the breadcrumbs and season.

Shape together with your hands to form into 4 tight balls. They mixture might be quite wet and delicate so be careful. You can add more breadcrumbs here to help.

Combine the coconut and the breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Place the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls.

Now roll the crab balls first in the flour then delicately coat in the egg. Finally roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the rest and place them on a plate. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to firm up.

When ready to cook, heat a pan of oil to about 4cm high or enough to just cover the bon bons. Heat the oil and test the temperature by dropping a small piece of bread into the oil. If it sizzles and begins to turn golden brown - its ready! Make sure it isn’t too hot though or the outside will brown and burn before the middle is hot.

Fry the bon bons in the hot oil until golden all over. Once ready, drain on kitchen towel and keep warm until needed.

To serve

2 sea bass fillets

Kale

1 tbsp soy sauce

Coriander for garnish

When ready to cook, boil a large pan of water. When boiling remove from the heat and add the kale. Let it cook for a minute sitting in the hot water before draining. Let it drain well. Season and then coat in the soy sauce. If there is too much water retained in the kale, pop back on the heat and glaze the soy over the kale.

Heat a frying pan on a medium high heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp of oil. Season the fish and fry for about 3 minutes skin side down, turning for the last 30 seconds or so until cooked.

To serve, spoon a generous spoonful of the sweetcorn puree onto a warm serving plate. Top with some soy glazed kale and the fish. Add your warm crispy bon bons and scatter with coriander. Drizzle with a little soy if you like!

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Saganaki Kefalotyri

This evening I tried Saganaki. No its not a new yoga pose or a miso based cocktail but a Greek cheese. As a halloumi addict I felt a nagging pinch of betrayal to the Cypriots as I experimented with this new ingredient that has recently landed on our English shelves. Yet another speciality that we have been spoilt with access to!

I can only describe the taste as that which you get from the fried, crunchy, cheeky and gooey cheesy bits you get from the side of a cheese toasty which has managed to leak provocatively from the inside and burn and fry on the hot metal of the toasty machine. Saganaki in Greek is said to mean ‘frying pan’ so this was exactly how I cooked it. And this cheese pan fries amazingly, crispy on the outside but gooey in the centre. Fried with a little oil, floured first if you like, and some toasted sesame seeds. The only thing that would have made it better is a drizzle of runny sweet honey. This is often served as a dessert in this way too. However I served mine here with a simple fresh salad to counteract the fried cheese.

Serves 2

1 x packet of Saganaki (see here for where to buy)

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp runny honey (optional)

2 avocados

1/2 red chilli, chopped finely

1/2 small red onion, sliced finely in pinwheels

2 spring onions, chopped

Handful rocket leaves

2 gem lettuces

1 large lemon

1 large sweet potato, chopped into wedges

1 tsp cumin seeds

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Drizzle the sweet potatoes wedges with a little oil and season. Add the cumin seeds and toss to coat. Roast for about 35 minutes until crisp and tender.

Meanwhile assemble the salad. Chop the avocado into slices and place in a large serving bowl. Add the chopped chilli, red onion slices, spring onions and season well. Squeeze over a good amount of lemon juice, about 1/2 the lemon, and set aside.

Heat a frying pan to medium high heat and add 1 tbsp of a light oil. Cut the slices of cheese in half on the diagonal. When the oil if hot, fry the cheese for about 1 minute on each side until a golden crust forms. Just before removing from the pan, drizzle over the honey and sesame seeds and heat for a few more seconds before taking off the heat.

Use a spatula to remove the cheese to a paper towel to drain some of the excess oil.

When ready to serve add the salad leaves to the avocado mix and add a touch more lemon juice. Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and toss the salad to combine. Check the seasoning,

Place a heaped pile of salad in a serving bowl. Add a few potato wedges and top with the cheese, sliced again if you like.

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Spiced Spatchcocked Quail and Beetroot Barely Risotto

Pearl barely has become my new favourite alternative to Aborio rice for use in a risotto. Ok its not ‘authentic’ Italian but it has a delicious nutty taste, a beautiful texture that goes deliciously with earthy beetroot and is packed full or nutrients. This dish is delicious served with lemony dressed rocket, some tender spice roasted poussin and a gooey quail egg. But remove the meat and its a vegetarians dream. Serve this to your meat hating buddies in place of the stereotyped mushroom risotto or quiche and you’ll be in their good books.

Serves 2

1 x spatchcocked poussin or 2 small quail. Alternatively use chicken legs or breast

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp spice mix (see here)

120g pearl barely

1 pint hot chicken stock

125ml red wine

1 small red onion, chopped finely

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

1 sprig thyme, leaves picked

200g cooked beetroot, pureed in a food processor (save a piece and cut into cubes for texture if you like)

Handful finely grated parmesan

1 knob butter

1/2 lemon

Rocket leaves to serve

2-4 quail eggs

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Season the bird. Coat in the dry spices and 1 tbsp olive oil and use your hands to rub the mixture into the meat.

Place on a lined baking tray and roast at a high heat for about 40 minutes for a spatchcocked poussin/quail. Baste with the juice twice during cooking. Once ready, remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before carving to serve.

Meanwhile while the meat is cooking, make the risotto. Heat half a knob of butter with a small splash of oil in a saucepan. Very gently sweat the red onion in the butter for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a few more minutes. Season

Turn the heat up to medium high and add the pearl barely. Toast in the pan with the onion stirring all the time. Next add the wine and simmer off until reduced.

Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, adding more only after each addition has been absorbed. Continue for about 25minutes or so until the pearl barley is tender. Keep adding stock until the barley is cooked but don’t drown the mixture especially towards the end of the cooking time or it will be too runny.

When the barley is cooked, stir through the beetroot puree and cubed beetroot and taste and season again. Bring back up to the heat to warm through.

Add the grated cheese, another knob of butter and a generous squeeze of lemon juice and remove form the heat. Place the lid on top and leave it sit and rest while you see to the quail eggs.

To cook the quails eggs to a soft boil, simmer them in a briskly boiling pan of water for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and then plunge into cold water. When cool enough to handle, remove the shells. 

To serve, spoon a generous spoonful of risotto into a warmed bowl. Top with a handful of rocket dressed with plenty of lemon juice and seasoning.

Carve the bird as required removing the legs and the breast meat. Place on top of the rocket. Slice your eggs in half at the last moment and finish the dish with their runny yolk centres and a good grinding of fresh black pepper.

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Gingerbread Latte Ice Cream, Salted Pistachio Brittle

Its Easter, a foodie occasion so I cannot forgo a dessert menu without this icey sweet delight. Coffee is such a crowd pleasing and moresih dessert flavour (if you’re a caffeine lover) as it naturally tops off a dinner and satisfies those bitter fans and the sweet toothed. From tiramisu to coffee cake I love it. But in ice cream....well need I say more. With the subtleyly of the ginger and cinnamon it makes for a ironically warming flavour in this cooling ice cream. Acoompanied with a warm lava centred chocolate fondant it was the perfect finale to Easter lunch.

Ice Cream (Serves 6 modestly)

300ml single cream

1 can condensed milk

2 tbsp coffee granules

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

Heat the cream until just coming up to the boil. Add the coffee and spices and whisk until all combined off the heat.

Leave to cool.

Whisk in the condensed milk until thoroughly combined and transfer to a container or tupperware to store int he freezer.

Freeze until set! You can remove it from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving to make it easier to serve.

Salted Pistachio Brittle

Very general measurements and method here! If in doubt use a sugar thermometer.

200g caster sugar

160g roughly of golden syrup

3 tbsp water

60g pisatchios, crushed

1 tsp malden salt

1 tbsp unsalted butter

Line a baking tray with non stick parchment (grease with oil if you want)

Crush the nuts and mix with the salt and set aside.

Mix the sugar, syrup and water in a pan. Heat on a medium high heat but do not be tempted to stir. Allow it to melt and begin to caramelise and bubble. Leave for 5-10 minutes or so bubbling away until the syrup beings to turn golden. Watch very closely here as you don’t want it to catch and burn or turn too dark. When a golden brown colour add the butter and remove from the heat and quickly pour onto the baking tray.

Immediately scatter over the salty nuts evenly and leave to set. It will harden quickly, within 10 minutes! Once poured out and still soft though you can move the tray around to make it thinner if required by tilting.

Once set, peel from the parchment and break carefully into shards for each guest

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Indian Fish

You can use any fish here. I made this with a generous plumpy salmon on Mother’s Day, a clean mango ribbon salad, coriander lime chickpeas and Peshwari naan. However, sea bass this evening served with pistachio, coriander and cinnamon raisin rice and greens was equally as delicious and adoring. Both with this creamy, cooling cardamon laden, lime spiked yoghurt splashed slap-handedly over the spicy garam marsala crust is enough to satisfy even the most adoring Indian take-out stalker.

Serves 2

2 x salmon or seabass fillets

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp olive oil

150g natural yoghurt

Juice and zest 1 lime

1 tsp ground cardamon

Mix together the garam masala and oil in a bowl and coat the fish fillets with your hands. Set aside in the fridge to marinade for 2 hours or so

Meanwhile, mix together the yoghurt, lime zest and juice and the cardamon. Season and taste.

If using salmon, preheat the oven to 200°C. When ready to cook, bring a frying pan up to a high heat. Add 1tbsp of olive oil.

When hot, add the fish skin side down and hold down to prevent the skin curling up.

Fry for 2 minutes until eh skin is lovely and crisp. If using sea bass, fry until just cooked and turn onto the flesh side to finish cooking for the final minute (about 3 minutes cooking in total). If using salmon, fry until the skin is crisp and then place in the hot oven for about 7 minutes depending on their size. If they are thick fillets (2inch or so) allow this time. If thinner (1cm or so) allow about 5 minutes, Do not overcook!

Serve the spicy, warm and soft fish fillets with a spoonful of creamy yoghurt and scattering of fresh coriander leaf.