recipe: prawns in garlic w/ prawn & beetroot salad

prawns in garlic w/ prawn & beetroot salad

IngredientsMakes: 415g (1)

165g		prawns in garlic	(recipe below)
250g		prawn and beetroot salad	(recipe below)

Method

Make the salad first, then the prawns when needed.

prawns in garlic

prawns lightly cooked w/ a simple garlic & tomato sauce

IngredientsMakes: 365g (2)

20g		evo
8g		garlic
180g	(6)	large prawns
0.5g		salt flakes
60g		tomatoes
150g		water
4g		chicken stock cube
2g		greek basil

Method

Add the oil and garlic to small frying pan, letting it sizzle for a minute on medium heat.

Turn the heat up, and add the seasoned prawns they should sizzle.

Leave until red the turn, once both sides red remove from the pan onto a warm plate.

Add the diced tomato and cook until soft then add the stock and boil until the sauce has reduced to a nice consistency.

Add the prawns back and chopped basil & toss to coat the prawns.

Dress w/ greek basil & serve immediately. (Chives, plain basil & oregano all work well.)

prawn and beetroot salad

IngredientsMakes: 488g (2)

60g		cooked prawns
80g		lemon juice
126g		tomatoes
86g		steamed beetroot
44g		mango
68g		cucumber
33g		sugar snaps
1g		salt

Method

Peel & dice as necessary, and mix in a salad bowl.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: wonton wrappers (Hong Kong-style / Cantonese-style wonton wrappers)

When I moved out of London back into the English countryside, finding wonton wrappers was like finding a hen with teeth (more interesting / entertaining TED version) so I had to learn how to make them. Surprisingly easy; make the dough: flour, water, egg yolks & salt. Put it in the fridge for 30m, knead it for ten mins. Cut it into 4, then roll them out into squares. Dust them with cornflour, STACK THEM ON TOP OF EACH OTHER then roll the stack! 

The clever bit is rolling out ALL four sheets at the SAME TIME! Whaaa? Yep roll them all at the same time. 

Because the corn flour has no gluten it stop the sheets sticking together, and acts like a super fine lubricant powder. Once they're paper thin, get your ruler out and cut them into 9x9cm (3x3inch) squares. Stack them and use as required, you can also freeze at this point

yellow wonton wrappers

IngredientsMakes: 400g (80)

370g		wonton dough egg	(recipe below)
50g		cornflour

Method

Cut the dough into 4 and roll into squares.

Dust surface and dough w/ cornflour - lots - this stops the wrappers sticking together!

Layer on top of each other and roll until paper thin.

Cut into squares 3.5 inches / 9cm wide.

wonton dough egg

rich wonton dough - w/ egg yolk - for siu mai (shaomai / shumai), wonton dumpling, noodles etc

IngredientsMakes: 370g

300g		plain flour
155g		warm water
25g		egg yolks
2g		salt

Method

Mix water 2/3 boiling, 1/3 from cold tap - make 65C water.

Mix all ingredient into a dough until it comes together.

Wrap in greaseproof paper to a plastic bast, leave for 30m.

Take out of wrapping and knead dough for 5-10min until smooth.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: crab cakes

The brown crab (Cancer pagurus) is a UK seafood powerhouse, thriving along all British and Irish coasts from rocky intertidal shores down to offshore depths beyond 100 meters. As nocturnal predators, these crabs inhabit reefs, boulders, and soft seabeds, where they feed on molluscs and smaller crustaceans.

While brown crab underpins one of the UK’s most abundant and valuable inshore shellfish fisheries — available year-round via static pots (creels) — this abundance shouldn't be mistaken for infinite availability. Maintaining healthy stocks and protecting their delicate marine habitat requires responsible management, including regional minimum landing sizes to safeguard breeding populations.

I got these from the fishmonger whose pitch is next to mine. He always has a massive queue of people that trails right across my pitch. By the time they finally get to him, they're quite often munching on some arancini, a couple of slices of tortilla, or a scotch egg from my stall. Anyway, I digress! On this particular day, there happened to be some brown crab left — pretty unusual — so I snagged them in exchange for some scotch eggs!

Using freshly dressed brown crab makes all the difference in achieving a rich, authentic flavor for these luxury crab cakes.

crab cakes

luxury golden crab cakes

IngredientsMakes: 510g (6)

400g	(3)	crab meat
20g		lemon juice
200g		eggs
55g		spring onion
6g		aromat
3g		vegetable oil

Method

Mix all the ingredients and leave to infuse for 30 mins in the fridge.

Put a tablespoon of mix into a hot non stick pan and flatten into a pattie.

Cook on a medium high heat until golden turn once.

Don't crowd the pan, two batches of three at a time.

For extra crisp dust them with a mix of 50/50 corn flour plain flour, and glaze the pan with oil or butter before cooking.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: pork, chicken & chorizo wontons (dim sum / broths)

pork chicken chorizo wontons

IngredientsMakes: 1680g (60)

300g	(60)	yellow wonton wrappers	(recipe below)
1380g		pork chicken chorizo dumplings mix	(recipe below)

Method

Put a teaspoon of mix ~23g into the centre of each wrapper.

Dab two opposite corners w/ water and pull the corners in together & twist to close.

Leave as little air - preferably none - as possible inside the wonton.

Line your steamer w/ oiled grease proof paper, or spray w/ oil if it's a plastic steamer basket.

Steam for 8mins. Remove & place on another sheet of oiled grease proof paper.

Allow to cool and use as required. Perfect for freezing once cooled.

yellow wonton wrappers

pork chicken chorizo dumplings mix

mix for fried patties, gyoza, steamed naked dumplings or wontons

IngredientsMakes: 1575g

110g		soaked black fungus	(recipe below)
300g		squid tubes
5g		mustard powder
25g		plain flour
100g		eggs
10g		salt
110g		chestnut mushrooms
150g		shiitake mushrooms
5g		olive oil
5g		fish sauce
100g		red onions
5g		olive oil
190g		roast chicken	(recipe below)
450g		12% pork mince
100g		chorizo
30g		sweet pickled onions	(recipe below)
30g		pickled jalapeno
20g		chives

Method

Put the 30g wood-ear / black fungus in cold water to soak until completely flexible ~1hr.

Make dumpling binder by making a smooth paste of the squid tubes, mustard powder, plain flour, eggs & salt in a food processor.

Dice the chestnut mushrooms & shiitake mushrooms cook until starting to brown in olive oil & season w/ fish sauce.

Dice the red onion and sear in an oil glazed pan until starting to char.

Chop / break up the rest of ingredients and mix everything w/ the dumpling binder.

Fry off a small piece in a small nonstick pan to check the seasoning.

soaked black fungus

10g of wood ear fungus will weigh 40g after it’s finished soaking

IngredientsMakes: 40g (1)

10g		black fungus
30g		water

roast chicken - any of these methods will do

IngredientsMakes: 1450g (1)

1		chicken

Method

Bake 220C / 60m, rest 20m w/ oven door ajar.

Bake 230C / probe 65C rest 20m w/ oven door ajar.

Bake covered in foil 160C / 2h

Spatchcock, dust in salt & smoked paprika 220C / 45m, rest 15m

sweet pickled onions

red onions pickled in sugar & white wine vinegar - great for salads & kebabs or where you need a little lift of acidity

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: large maki roll trout & chives w/ carrot rice (Japanese inspired sushi roll)

large maki roll trout & chives w/ carrot rice

large sushi roll w/ low carb carrot & sesame rice - trout, chives

IngredientsMakes: 200g (8)

2.2g		nori
125g		carrot and sesame sushi rice 400	(recipe below)
75g		trout
8g		chives

carrot and sesame sushi rice 400

low carb low cal sushi rice substitute

IngredientsMakes: 730g

150g		sushi rice
26g		vinegar
230g		water
20g		sugar
4g		salt
400g		carrots
10g		sesame seeds

Place all the ingredients into a rice cooker and stir so everything is evenly distributed.

Set to white rice and wait until cooked ~20mins.

Use wet hands when handling the rice so it doesn't stick to your hands.

100-150g for large rolls - full size maki rol.

50-70g for small - half size maki rolls.

Serve w/ soy & wasabi, and if there are other types of roll, pickled ginger too.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

visual recipe: large maki roll trout & salad w/ carrot rice (Japanese inspired sushi roll)

trout fillet cut along the centre & folded over - remove the skin & blood line - seen here in the middle

cut into maki roll pieces - the lengths don't have to be in once piece

assemble with your favourite filling - I made 5 different types this time

trout & salad, trout cucumber & ginger, trout & red pepper, trout & home grown yellow cherry tomatoes

trout & salad - 6 cut - 8 works well too

Serve w/ soy sauce or ponzu & wasabi, and if there are other types of roll, pickled ginger too.

lets eat!