There was a time when cooking meant boiling. And I mean boiling. That was the style in my mother's kitchen and every other kitchen of my childhood. My grandmother boiled food furiously although my mother at least turned the stove knob down a little. That's what those … [Read more...] about How to Boil Things
How to Cook Things
How to Poach an Egg
I like a poached egg plonked, all by itself, on a piece of toast but there are all sorts of ways to serve them. You can use toast, or muffins, grilled ciabatta, whatever you think tastes best. Layer the toast with a nice slice of prosciutto, or smoked salmon, or … [Read more...] about How to Poach an Egg
Zucchini Slices with Sweet Potato
To me it's zucchini, to others courgette. No matter what it's called, the action- packed zucchini can be cooked in a hundred wholesome and tasty ways. Zucchini can be steamed, boiled, grilled, stuffed and baked, barbecued, fried or shredded raw, it's your … [Read more...] about Zucchini Slices with Sweet Potato
How to Blanch Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas are just slightly more mature snow peas. The pods are more rounded in shape and they have a crisp texture and slightly sweet taste. You eat the whole pea, raw in salads, or cooked whole in stir fries and vegetable dishes. How to Blanch Sugar Snap … [Read more...] about How to Blanch Sugar Snap Peas
Winter Pastie
I've called this a Winter Pastie as I tend to make them in the cooler months. No reason really, just that I try to avoid the oven in Summer. This little recipe can easily fit into the frugal basket, you won't break the bank when you buy the ingredients. Mind you, the … [Read more...] about Winter Pastie
Slow Cooked Lamb Casserole
Yesterday I saw some good-looking lamb forequarter chops at the butchers and asked for four of them. Shoulder chops? he asked. Forequarter chops, I replied. He beetled his young brows. Why are forequarter chops called shoulder chops these days? Oh well, I wasn't … [Read more...] about Slow Cooked Lamb Casserole
Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup
Lentils were a midlife discovery for me, something like a midlife crisis. Yes, they're an essential source of inexpensive protein with dietary fibre, folate, vitamin B1 and packed with iron. They're also pretty tasteless. Combined with sweet potatoes and a few … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup
Slow Cooked Pot Roast
Pot Roast is a blast from the past, my mother used to cook this and I've only slightly adapted her recipe to suit the Slow Cooker. She wasn't exposed to garlic in her cooking days, but she knew a lot about swedes and other root vegetables. A tougher cut of beef takes … [Read more...] about Slow Cooked Pot Roast
Stuffed Butternut
Butternuts are beautiful! They're the perfect size and shape for stuffing; scoop out the seeds and fill with any stuffing of your choice. Pop the filled butternut in a steam bag and microwave for 3-4 mins on high or place in a colander of boiling water and steam till … [Read more...] about Stuffed Butternut
Pass the Polpettes please
Polpettes are basically meatballs but in this recipe there's no meat. These little beauties are made with mashed potatoes and feta cheese, flavoured with lemon juice and parsley. You can make them as tiny little balls, the right size to stick a toothpick in (if … [Read more...] about Pass the Polpettes please
Wonton Soup
Someone told me that 'won ton' means swallowing a cloud. Perhaps it does. And perhaps the wontons floating in this soup resemble clouds. You make wontons by spreading a square wrapper flat in the palm of your hand, putting a small amount of filling in the centre, … [Read more...] about Wonton Soup
How to Make Vegetable Stock
Stock can be made from many different ingredients, chicken, beef, fish, shellfish or vegetables but the easiest to make, and the most adaptable, is vegetable stock. When you use it, it's not so strong that it overpowers other flavours and, frankly, it's fast to make and … [Read more...] about How to Make Vegetable Stock
Rhubarb and Apple Crumble
Rhubarb is an excellent fruit for cooking, it's cheap enough and easy enough, for anyone to cook. Remember, never use the roots or the leaves! Here's a little dish for dessert pairing rhubarb with apple and topped with a crumble. Crumble originated in the Second … [Read more...] about Rhubarb and Apple Crumble
Roast Vegetable Pie
A warm hearty pie for the cooler months. Here's an easy little pie with roasted vegetables, flavoursome hommous and the excellent Cypriot cheese halloumi, all in a light golden puff pastry crust. Delicious! Cheese always goes well with vegetables and halloumi is a … [Read more...] about Roast Vegetable Pie
Carrot Soup with Orange and Mint
A Meal for One A really simple soup to make with ready-made vegetable stock. You can use any stock, or make your own home made vegetable stock Carrot Soup with Orange and Mint Ingredients 500ml vegetable stock 1 large carrot, diced 1/2 onion 1 clove of … [Read more...] about Carrot Soup with Orange and Mint
Slow Cooked Pear Sensation
These cheese-stuffed pears have sprung from an Ancient Roman recipe, at least I've served pears very like these as part of an Ancient Roman meal, as a tasty mensa secunda, the dessert. The Ancient Romans ate a lot of pears and cheese, although they would have prepared … [Read more...] about Slow Cooked Pear Sensation
How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
Baked Sweet Potatoes 1. Scrub them clean and put them directly in the oven on the middle rack. The skin will develop a delicious light crunch as the sweet potato cooks. 2.Coat them in a bit of butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over. Wrap in foil to hold in the … [Read more...] about How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
How to Cook Celeriac
Wonderful comfort food! An onion-flavoured root that turns into a great mash or bake. You cook celeriac as you would any of the popular root vegetables, roast them, mash them, simmer in a stew or blend them for soups. Here's a celeriac from my garden But let's … [Read more...] about How to Cook Celeriac
Pho Ga
If you want to make an authentic Vietnamese pho, you're looking at a long time in the kitchen. You will need to cook meat, and bone, in broth for up to 3 hours. After you've prepared everything else the time can run to 4 or 5 hours total. Don't want to spend that … [Read more...] about Pho Ga
Leek and Potato Soup
The popular potato soup emerges every Autumn. Warming on those cooler evenings, serve with crusty bread for a full meal. It's handy for St Patrick's Day too. Leek and Potato Soup Ingredients 50g Butter 450g Leeks 700g Potatoes 900ml Vegetable Stock 1 … [Read more...] about Leek and Potato Soup