visual recipe: cauliflower mash

cauliflower mash - cauliflower steamed & charred, garlic & hotdog onions - pureed

slice the stem with a mandolin - danger VERY sharp - use guard

boil in water w added vinegar

and leaves

steam the cauliflower curds above

steamed cauliflower

boiled & soused cauliflower stem

let the steam come off - minimise water content - maximise favour

butter

melt some butter in the pan

slice cauli - place sliced face down & char

charred cauliflower

add some hotdog onions

and some garlic & blend

a touch of butter to finish

cauliflower mash - add cumin seeds at the charring stage (w/ the butter) for a great humous / humus sub!

 

recipe: smoked haddock & tomato vlini w jamon serrano

The garden is starting to give now, and this is leftovers thrown together with bits - three cherry tomatoes & a courgette - from the garden. The cauliflower mash was leftover from a cauliflower humous experiment. A caramelised onion humous is a pretty good replacement - and would save making the hotdog onions & cauli-mash, which takes a little time!! Anyway a nice light lunch from bits & pieces. Smokey from the ham & the fish, sweet acidity from the tomatoes, base notes from the cauli-mash and fragrant light notes from the oregano and a touch of heat from the black pepper. All brought together with the sweet ginger chilli & yogurt symphony of the kimchogu . . . .  hmm.

smoked haddock & tomato vlini w jamon serrano

smoked haddock & tomato vlini served w/ jamon serrano

IngredientsMakes: 321g (1)

295g		smoked haddock & tomato vlini	(recipe below)
26g		serrano

smoked haddock & tomato vlini

thin discs of raw courgette w/ cauliflower mash topped w/ diced courgette kimchogu, smoked haddock & tomato

IngredientsMakes: 295g (5)

65g		courgette
35g		cauliflower mash	(recipe below)
125g		diced courgette kimchogu	(recipe below)
40g		smoked haddock
30g		yellow cherry tomatoes
0.2g		oregano
0.5g		black pepper

cauliflower mash - visual recipe

cauliflower mash w/ a light hint of cumin

IngredientsMakes: 460g (4)

25g		butter
1g		cumin seeds
520g		cauliflower
70g		hotdog onions	(recipe below)
10g		lemon juice
35g		butter
2g		salt

Method

Put the onion on to start.

Steam the cauliflower until soft but not falling apart then char it in a smoking hot oil glazed pan. Rub a stick of butter all over the pan, dust it w/ cumin seeds and quickly place the cauliflower flat side down in the pan.

Blend everything together until a smooth puree is formed.

hotdog onions

slow cooked thick cut onions - soft & slightly charred

diced courgette kimchogu

IngredientsMakes: 125g (1)

55g		courgette
70g		kimchogu	(recipe below)

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: lemon chicken w/ kimchi

lemon chicken w/ kimchi

golden crispy skinned chicken w/ a hint of lemon topped w/ kimchi & garlic & herb sauce

IngredientsMakes: 525g (2)

400g		chicken wings
20g		lemon juice
1g		lemon zest
200g		water
15g		garlic roule
60g		hm kimchi	(recipe below)

Method

Break down chicken putting aside breasts, legs, thighs & wings for another dish.

Cut the remaining pieces into wing drumstick sized pieces.

It says chicken wings in the recipe because that about the right bone to skin to meat ratio!

Plus this will work just as well with chicken wings cut in halves.

Season the skin and place them skin side down in a hot oil glazed pan.

Put the lid on and turn down min, leave for ~6mins to crisp the skin.

Turn the heat up high again.

Zest one half of a lemon onto the chicken, cut the lemon in half & squeeze the juice of the zested half in.

Put the lid on and leave for another 4 mins.

Then remove the lid & add about 200ml of water to deglaze & the roule stirring it in until it has dissolved.

Finally stir to coat and let the sauce thicken.

Use tongs to put the chicken pieces onto hot plate, top w/ the kimchi and pour the sauce over that.

Lush keto-ish snack.

hm kimchi

classic Korean fermented vegetables w/ ginger garlic & chilli

IngredientsMakes: 1750g

510g		red cabbage
300g		cabbage
260g		carrots
215g		red peppers
32g		spring onions
26g		garlic
250g		7.5pc brine	(recipe below)
21g		chilli flakes
50g		ginger
3g		smoked paprika
1g		sriracha chilli sauce
20g		sugar
30g		7.5pc brine	(recipe below)

Method

Make the brine the night before so any chlorine in the water evaporates - better for fermenting process.

Make 3L of 7.5% brine - 225g salt 2775g water.

The 240g in the recipe is approximately what finally ends up in the jar.

Shred the veg & garlic - all ingredients up to the brine - & cover w/ brine.

Put plate on top to keep veg submerged.

Leave for 12hours / over night. Remove from brine - keeping the brine.

If the veg is not salty enough return to brine for longer. If too salty rinse w/ fresh water & drain.

To make the flavouring sauce simply mix the peeled & chopped ginger w/ the chilli flakes, smoked paprika, sriracha chilli sauce, sugar & brine.

Mix this w/ the drained veg until it has mixed completely.

Pack the mix into a Kilner jar and top w/ brine. Insert a gauze to keep the veg submerged.

7.5pc brine

7.5% brine - salt solution

IngredientsMakes: 3000g

2775g		water
225g		salt

Method

Add the salt to the water and stir until it has dissolved.

Depending on what you are using the brine for it's often best if any chlorine in the water has been allowed evaporate off.

You can leave the water to stand in an open bowl for 24hrs, or you can bring the water to the boil and then let it cool down.

Pretty simple stuff really.

I think it was this recipe that gave me the idea for Kimchogu.

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: kimchogu (kimchi & yoghurt / yogurt)

I use this a lot, it's more kimchi than yogurt, and I love it. I quite often use is when I've got a bit of a hankering for mayo, but need something healthier - for your gut health & your waistline! I've given it a nickname so I don't have to keep explaining what it is in my recipes. 

Simply mix the two together and you're good to go. I usually make a honey sized jar at a time and store it in the fridge. It'll keep for a couple of months no problem.

kimchogu

kimchi & greek yogurt

IngredientsMakes: 140g

290g		kimchi	(recipe below)
160g		greek yogurt

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: low carb maki - prawn & chives (large sushi roll / Japanese fusion)

If you switch the cornflour for 10g coconut flour, and the surimi for flaked steamed fish it's leaning much more towards keto . . . I love these . . . I'm slowly building a repertoire of fillings. As you might guess, some things work, somethings, not so much! If you try any variations you're welcom to put them in the comments!

lsr low carb maki prawn & chives

large riceless sushi roll - prawn & chives

IngredientsMakes: 224g (8)

2.2g	(1)	nori sheets
42g		maki pancake	(recipe below)
100g		low carb maki lettuce & surimi	(recipe below)
76g	(4)	steamed jumbo tiger prawns	(recipe below)
4g		chives

Method

Makes one large roll. 8 pieces.

maki pancake

rectangular pancakes for low carb maki - trimmed pancakes in the photo

IngredientsMakes: 274g (5)

200g	(4)	medium eggs
20g		cornflour
180g		milk

Method

Makes 5 pancakes - 80g mix each

Using 27cm pancake skillet - large one!

80g x5 pancakes - weigh in 274g - ovals 42g each - 210g / 5

-

Stick blend all the ingredients together breaking up the egg whites.

Pour 80g mix onto the oil glazed pan.

Move the pan about so the batter completely coats the bottom of the pan.

Hold the pan above the flame, keep the mix moving to evenly coat the surface.

Keep moving the pan until all the mix has set.

Turn the heat down and wait until the pancake comes away from the pan easily.

Toss the pancake to cook the other side.

Turn out onto a suitably larg plate. Reapeat until you have 5 pancakes.

Hold a sheet of nori over the top pancake - widest edge toward you.

Cut 2 parallel lines across the pancake so it's 1 inch short of the depth of the nori.

The top should be an inch short of the nori sheet so it rolls properly.

This gives you 5 ovals and off cuts.

low carb maki lettuce & surimi

low carb rice replacement for sushi rolls

IngredientsMakes: 740g

460g		gem lettuce
50g		red onion
250g	(6)	fish sticks
10g		coriander

Method

Shred the lettuce. Peel & brunoise the red onion.

Squeeze all liquid from fish sticks - yield 220g - chop & mix w/ a touch of soy sauce.

Mix everything until evenly distributed.

Use 100g per large maki roll.

steamed jumbo tiger prawns

IngredientsMakes: 114g (6)

168g

(6)

jumbo tiger prawns

Method

Tempura style prep.

Cut inside muscle, break muscle along length.

Skewer, place on oil glazed pan, tbsp of water, cover w/ lid.

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: trout w/ rhubarb salad & butter courgettes

trout w rhubarb salad & butter courgettes

trout w/ rhubarb salad & butter courgettes

IngredientsMakes: 914g (2)

290g		seared trout w peas & broad beans	(recipe below)
224g		rhubarb & avocado salad w raspberry & verbena dressing	(recipe below)
400g		butter courgette w bean shell soup	(recipe below)

seared trout w peas & broad beans

seared trout w/ home grown peas & broad beans

IngredientsMakes: 290g (2)

224g	(2)	seared trout	(recipe below)
66g		boiled peas & broad beans	(recipe below)

seared trout

seared trout w/ crispy skin

IngredientsMakes: 100g (1)

120g		trout
4g		olive oil
0.5g		salt

Method

Put a non stick pan on on a high heat. Pat the fish dry w/ kitchen towel and place skin side up on a plate. Brush with olive oil and season w/ salt. Place the fish skin side down into the hot pan holding it flat w/ a spatula until it stops resisting. Turn heat down to low & cook 5-6mins until the skin is crisp and golden. Season the top just before turning - or it will draw water from the fish - turn and finish off the sides 30seconds to a minute each. Serve asap.

boiled peas & broad beans

lightly salted boiled peas & broad beans

IngredientsMakes: 66g

34g		peas
32g		broad beans

Method

Bring a small pot of salted water to te boil.

Add the broad beans, then after 1minute add the peas then after 2mins turn out into a sieve & drop into cold water until needed.

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.