the bless kitchen

[theblesskitchen]

PEA PASTA Serves 4 360g pasta (penne/orecchiette/macaroni/whatever is in your cupboard) 250g smoked lardons (or 10 slices smoked streaky bacon, finely sliced) 300g frozen peas 2 heaped tbsp creme fraiche Handful of fresh mint, finely chopped 150g Parmesan cheese, finely grated Get the pasta cooking in a pan of simmering water. Get a glug of oil in a large frying pan on a med/high heat and add the lardons. Fry until golden. Add the peas and after a minute or so add the creme fraiche and mint. Drain the pasta lightly and add to the creamy pea mixture. Add the parmesan, stir through and serve.

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CARROT, PINE NUT & RAISIN SALAD Serves 6 as a side dish 4 large carrots, peeled 1 tbsp poppy or cumin seeds 1 tbsp pine nuts or sunflower seeds 2 tbsp raisins salt and black pepper Really large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped for the dressing: juice and grated zest of 1 lemon 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp runny honey Grate the carrots on a medium-grade grater. Set aside in a large bowl. Now make the dressing. Put the lemon juice and zest and olive oil in a small bowl and mix together. Add the honey. Pour the dressing over the grated carrot. Toast the poppy seeds and pine nuts in a dry frying pan, then scatter them, and the raisins, over the carrot. Season with salt and pepper. Stir everything together well, really mixing in the poppy seeds, and leave to marinate for a couple of hours. Mix in the coriander before serving. [By Sarah Raven]

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CHICKPEA CURRY Serves 4 glug of olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 heaped tsp curry powder 25g grated fresh ginger 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained 400ml tin of coconut milk 250g button mushrooms, halved juice of 1 lime 1/2 savoy cabbage, shredded 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce bunch of fresh coriander, leaves chopped Fry the onion and garlic gently in the oil until soft. Add the curry powder and ginger. Next, add the chickpeas, coconut milk, mushrooms and lime juice and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for a further 5 mins. Remove from heat and stir through the soy sauce, fish sauce and the chopped corinader. Serve with basmati rice.

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SUMMER STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE Serves 12, 28cm flan tin 1 x sweet shortbread pastry case, baked 150 ml double cream 60g caster sugar 300g mascarpone 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed and reserved 600g strawberries, halved 2 tbsp apricot jam, melted Whisk the double cream with the sugar, mascarpone and vanilla seeds until combined. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the cooled pastry case and cover with the halved strawberries in a random pattern. Brush with the melted apricot glaze and place the tart in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.

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SAUSAGE BURGERS Makes 12-15 burgers (about 7cm diameter) 1kg quality sausagemeat 1 red onion, finely chopped 1/2 tsp chilli flakes 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary salt and black pepper flour for dusting Put the sausagemeat into a large bowl with the onion, chilli flakes and rosemary and mix well with a fork. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a floured surface and shape into burgers. These can then be fried, grilled, barbecued, or cooked in the oven. I prefer to cook in oven at 220C for half an hour. Serve with cheese and fennel seed scones, a good chutney or relish and an orchard salad. [Recipe by Sarah Raven.]

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ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP Serves 6 4-5 Red Peppers (600g) 600g Ripe Tomatoes 1 Red Onion 3 Garlic Cloves Pinch Chilli Flakes 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 500 ml Veggie Stock Salt & Pepper Preheat oven to 180 degrees / gas mark 4 Eighth and deseed the peppers. Halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Put all veg in roasting tray with the chili flakes. Mix the vinegar and oil and pour over the veg. Make sure everything is well coated then roast for 45 mins. Pulse the roasted veg in a food processor or with a hand blender in a saucepan and thin with the vegetable stock. Season to taste and serve.

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TARRAGON PESTO We like this pesto in chicken salads and on pizza. Makes 1 jar 70g fresh tarragon leaves 50g walnuts 200ml extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled 50g grated Parmesan Salt and pepper Place the tarragon, walnuts, oil and garlic into a food processor, or a suitable jar for a hand blender, and blend until smooth. Stir the Parmesan into the mixture and season to taste. Keep refrigerated with a layer of oil just covering the top of the pesto. To make it last even longer you can also freeze it into ice cube trays and just pop a couple of cubes out when needed.

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PARMESAN POPSICLES Makes 20 popsicles 100g grated Parmesan Dried chilli flakes Fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or dried rosemary if you can't get fresh) Wooden skewers (cut in half) Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange skewers on the baking paper. Make a little pile of parmesan over one end of the skewer (about 1 teaspoon / 5cm diameter). Sprinkle with rosemary or a little chilli flakes. Place in the oven for 5 minutes until they just begin to turn a little golden. Allow to cool for a minute or 2 before placing on a wire rack to cool fully. Once fully cooled they are good to go! These can also be made in advance and then kept in an airtight container for 3 days

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CHERRY TOMATO AND SAUSAGE BAKE Serves 6 2 kg cherry tomatoes 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary 4 bay leaves 1 tbsp dried oregano 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 12 sausages olive oil balsamic vinegar salt and pepper Preheat oven to 190C. Put the tomatoes into a medium/large roasting tray with the rosemary, bay, oregano, garlic and sausages. Drizzle well with the oil and balsamic vinegar (about 2-3 tbsp of each) and season with salt and pepper. Toss it all together. Position the sausages on top of the tomatoes and stick it in the oven for 30 minutes. Bring out of the oven, give a little shake and turn the sausages over. Put back in the oven for 15-30 minutes more. Once cooked you should have a nice rich tomatoey sauce. If it seems a bit too thin then remove the sausages and place the roasting tray on the hob to cook it down a bit more. Then stick the sausages back in. We like to eat this with rice or chunky fresh bread.

[theblesskitchen]

Everything we bring To this place Finds a place here Every case that we carry can be consigned here Every load we are lifting can be left Every secret we are slaves to can be spoken here Every terror that torments us can be told. There is room here for anguish For the agony of abandonment There is ground here for grieving For the weeping wounds of loss In this circle of safety At this fireside of faith There is space for story and song There is room for revelation and renewal Here is hope And healing Here is forgiveness And freedom Here is connection And correction And coming to our senses At this source Whose depths are never ending This river That will never run dry At this table Whose banquet of abundance Knows no bounds No wrong Is too wrong To be righted here No tragedy too twisted To be turned For everything we bring To this place Finds a place here And every load we are lifting can be left Words: Gerard Kelly

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MINI STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES Serves 6 75g shortbread biscuits 30g butter, melted 75ml double cream 40g caster sugar 150g mascarpone 1/2 vanilla pod, seeds removed and reserved 250g strawberries, halved or quartered if large 1 tbsp icing sugar Bash up the shortbread biscuits to make biscuit crumbs and combine with the melted butter. Distribute the biscuit between 6 ramekins and using the butt of a glass, press down so the biscuit is smooth and even. Whisk the double cream with the sugar, mascarpone and vanilla seeds until combined. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit base of each ramekin and top with the halved strawberries. Using a sieve, sprinkle a bit of icing sugar over the strawberries. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.

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BAKED CHICKEN WITH GREEN OLIVES Serves 4 1 jar pitted green olives 4 chicken legs 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped zest of 2 lemons 250g cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper Preheat oven to 220C. Place the chicken legs in a baking dish, skin side up. Place 2 halves of garlic under each leg of chicken. Drain the olives and rinse with cold water. In a small mixing bowl, combine the olives, parsley, lemon zest, tomatoes, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spoon this mixture over the chicken. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Serve with new potatoes and a well dressed green salad. We like to serve this with our warm potato salad.

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WARM POTATO SALAD Serves 4 1.2kg new/salad potatoes, halved if large (red skinned ones look the best) 2 handfuls green beans, stalky tops removed (optional) 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 2 handfuls of fresh herbs of your choosing, finely chopped (e.g. mint and flat-leaf parsley) 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp whole grain mustard 2 tbsp red wine vinegar salt and pepper Steam the potatoes until tender, adding the green beans (if using) for the last few minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the herbs, onion, oil, mustard, vinegar, half tsp salt and a couple of pinches of pepper. Add the mixture to the cooked potatoes (and beans) and toss to combine. Serve warm. This is also great the next day, cold, on a summery picnic.

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SPICY COURGETTES This is so quick and simple, and tastes great served with cous cous salad and merguez sausages! Serves 4 olive oil 2 courgette, diced 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1x400g tin chopped tomatoes Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the courgette. When courgette start to soften, add the spices and mix through. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 mins or until sauce has started to thicken.

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SPICED SUGAR In celebration of Pancake Day, this is our new favourite topping.. 800g sugar 4 cloves seeds of 1 cardamom pod 4 bay leaves grated zest of 1 orange 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg Place all ingredients in food processor, or using a hand blender, whizz until fine like icing sugar. Sieve whizzed ingredients and then store in a kilner jar. Add or take away ingredients to taste and improvise. Sprinkle on top of lattes or buttered toast, use on pancakes or in baking.

[theblesskitchen]

Welcome. Sit down, rest. Eat and drink to your fill- Know that you are blessed. Let our hospitality become a warm reality. From cold or animosity. From the moment you crossed the threshold, you were adopted into our family. Let us learn to love together from each other, by both laughter and lament. Let us put aside our differences and enjoy peace, Let our our constant chatter, be the comforting patter of rain on a tin roof. Let us surprise each other with our beautifully bespoke stories, our lows and our glories. Encourage us with your creativity. Let's share ideas and craft memories. Stay until your heart is filled with enough hope for your next adventure. Share the moments we made, with those you meet. That they too may take weight from their feet. And remember, because you braved to belong, you are always a citizen of the kingdom that both does and doesn't belong to us. Amen. Words: Ben Tanton

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MATT'S RICE Serves 6 360g basmati rice 1 medium onion, finely chopped large knob butter, plus extra to serve 4 cardamom pods 8 cloves 1 cinnamon stick 600ml hot chicken stock or vegetable stock Cook the onion in the butter for around 5 mins until softened. Add the spices and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in the butter before stirring in the stock and salt. Bring to the boil and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn the heat down low and leave to cook for 10mins. The rice should've absorbed all the water and will just need fluffing up with a fork. Add a knob of butter before serving.