visual recipe: fast bean shell soup

1st harvest of the season - raspberries, peas, broad beans, and a courgette

add garlic to the oil, sizzle for a minute

add onions

lid on, medium high, until onions have softened

chop the tomatoes

add to the onions

add spice

dig out lovage stock cubes from last year

break one up, add it in

mix in . . .

add boiling water

. . . dissolve

remove strings from the shells w/ veg peeler . . helps the stick blender not jam w/ stringy bits 

separate peas & shells

slice into quarters . . again helps the stick blender

add to the soup base

. . repeat for the broad bean shells . . 

add them too

bring to the boil & simmer w/ a lid on ~20mins until shells soft . . 

. . & edible

stick blend until smooth

pass w/ the help of a wooden spoon

chuck the stringy bit, there's always a few ven when you remove them ??? : /

fast bean shell soup, good for pizza bases, veg, fish, or . . 

 . . w/ sourdough toast or coutons

 

recipe: lettuce & asparagus w/ asparagus sauce

We're just at the end of traditional British asparagus season. It's incredibly short, lasting for just 6 to 8 weeks. It officially runs from St George's Day (23rd April) until the Summer Solstice (21st June)

Harvesting must stop by the solstice to allow the plants to grow tall, ferny stems and store enough energy in their underground roots for the following spring . . .

lettuce & asparagus w asparagus sauce

lettuce dressed w/ asparagus sauce topped w/ sautéed asparagus

IngredientsMakes: 360g (2)

150g		asparagus sauce	(recipe below)
20g		butter
160g		asparagus
1g		salt
80g		lettuce

Method

I started with a 250g pack of asparagus.

Remove the tough end bits by holding the last cm of the stalk and snapping off the head.

It will snap at a soft section near the bottom leaving you w/ a tender half & a potentially stringy bit!

Keep the tender bit for this and use the bottoms for the sauce.

Make the sauce first.

In a mixing bowl toss the lettuce in half of the sauce, place it in a warm serving dish & season it.

Sauté the asparagus in butter.

Lay over the dressed lettuce and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Serve asap. . .

asparagus sauce

rich buttery asparagus sauce w/ notes of roquefort

IngredientsMakes: 150g

90g		asparagus ends
5g		lovage stock cube	(recipe below)
150g		boiling water
15g		roquefort
25g		butter

Method

Use the tough ends snapped from the asparagus spears.

Place them in a really small saucepan, top w/ half a lovage stock cube, and pour on just enough boiling water to cover the asparagus ends.

Boil them for 7mins, then pour the stock out into a blender beaker, and cover the remaining asparagus w/ ice cold water to stop them cooking.

Once they've cooled but are still slightly warm return them to the stock in the beaker w/ a chunk of blue cheese and stick blend.

Pass through a sieve back into the small sauce pan to get rid of any fibrous bits.

Adjust the seasoning, then add a knob of butter and give it a final stick blend.

Use as required.

One of me mums experiments: Asparagus is the tricky to see one in the circular pot! First season.

Growing your own see RHS

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: spicy salami pizza - dough test no1 (new york pizza / Italian inspired)

new york pizza spicy salami no1

no cheese spicy salami new york pizza

IngredientsMakes: 236g (1)

240g		new york pizza dough	(recipe below)
20g		broad bean & tomato soup	(recipe below)
15g		salami milano
15g		chorizo
1g		salt
20g		chilli oil

Method

Heat oven to 250C.

Dust crepe skillet w/ ground rice or semolina.

Dust baking tray w/ ground rice or semolina.

Shape dough into disc and place on skillet. Cover w/ sauce & then toppings

On the large burner. Heat on high for 1min then medium for 1min in total for about 2min - 1+1 mins.

1+1 min soft bottom a little floppy.

1+2 mins rigid bottom no flop.

1+3 mins crispy bottom centre has crunch.

Tansfer to bake tray and into oven 250C / 8mins.

Drizzle w/ chilli oil & serve immediately!

new york pizza dough

minimal effort pizza dough

IngredientsMakes: 1115g (4)

15g		sugar
10g		dried yeast
30g		olive oil
420g		water
630g		00 flour
10g		salt

Method

Makes enough for 4 pizzaa ~280g per pizza.

Mix the sugar, dried yeast, olive oil & water and leave for 15mins to activate the yeast.

Add the salt to the flour, then add the wet ingredients combine into a smooth dough.

Place into a sealed plastic container and leave in the fridge for 72 hours.

BTW you can get very passable results after 24 hours!

Turn the dough out onto a flourless surface, and knock back until smooth & silky, form into a tight ball.

Cut the dough into 4 pieces and make a ball of each.

Place on a plastic tray & cover w/ cling film then leave for an hour to prove.

Once risen, the dough balls shouldn't really be touching!

broad bean & tomato soup

soup made w/ broad bean shells & tomatoes

IngredientsMakes: 685g (2)

60g		EVO
8g		garlic
2g		fennel seeds
100g		onions
240g		tomatoes
4g		salt
600g		water
300g		broad bean shells
5g		mustard powder

Method

Lightly fry the fennel seeds & garlic for about a minute then add the onions and a lid then turn the heat down to medium.

Cook until the onions are soft then add the tomato & salt & cook for another 5mins.

Use a potato peeler to shell the broad beans removing the stringy bits in the process.

Keep the beans for something else.

Chop the broad bean shells into cm chunks, this helps them cook but also means the stick blender won't get tangled with missed stringy bits!

Add the water bean & mustard and bring to the boil with a lid on.

Once boiling set to simmer & leave for 20mins.

Remove from the heat to a wooden board & blend smooth with a stick blender.

Pass through a sieve. Use as required.

Pimp w/ a little soft cheese & butter, serve w/ crusty roll or garlic bread.

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: smoked basa in broccoli & kimchi sauce w green veg (keto)

smoked basa in broccoli & kimchi sauce w green veg

smoked basa poached in broccoli & kimchi sauce over steamed green veg

IngredientsMakes: 800g (1)

255g		steamed mixed veg	(recipe below)
400g		broccoli & stilton soup	(recipe below)
150g		smoked basa fillet
65g		kimchi no7	(recipe below)

Method

This is a great use for leftover broccoli soup!

It's a solid keto dish, the kimchi has 3 months on the clock so should be pretty low-carb.

The sauce is reminiscent of a light asian curry, that goes well with the smoked fish.

It's low-carb, and quick to make. -

Bring the soup to a simmer in a high sided frying pan, then add the basa fillet, submerge it in the soup.

Put the lid on a leave the fish to poach for about 10mins.

Prep & steam the veg while it cooks.

Once the fish is ready - above 75C on a temp probe - add the kimchi.

Stir it in and leave it for 5 mins for the flavour of the ginger, chillies, the kimchi in general, to infuse into the soup.

Place the veg in a pasta bowl, with the fish on top and pour over the sauce.

steamed mixed veg

steamed mixed green veg

IngredientsMakes: 255g (1)

85g		green beans
85g		broccoli
85g		courgette

Method

Dice the courgette, break the broccoli down into florettes, then steam them and the green beans all together for 8 mins.

broccoli & stilton soup

IngredientsMakes: 6000g

300g		butter
375g	(1)	large onions
1150g	(11)	leeks
15g	(1)	tbsp ground black pepper
1890g	(5)	broccoli
500g		green beans
500g		swede
40g	(4)	lovage stock cubes	(recipe below)
2000g		boiling water
450g		stilton

Method

On a medium heat, using a 10L stock pot.

Sweat down the onions & leeks w/ the butter & black pepper until starting to brown, ~15m.

Add veg & cover w/ stock, crank the heat to max until boiling, then simmer until the broccoli is soft 15-20mins. Add the stilton and blend using a stick blender.

Dress w/ pea shoots & crumbled stilton to serve, or use w/ fish or vegetables.

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: pain perdu à l'Américaine (French toast American style with eggs / eggy bread)

french toast american style w eggs

pain perdu à l'américaine - eggy bread / french toast american style - topped w/ two low fat fried eggs

IngredientsMakes: 290g (1)

180g	(1)	french toast american style	(recipe below)
100g	(2)	low fat fried egg	(recipe below)
10g		sriracha chilli sauce

Method

I made this at the end of a long day.

I'd been very well behaved for two three weeks straight, I'd finished a piece of writing - which I'd been grappling with - and I just fancied something contraband-elicious, something carb-tastic.

This is what I ended up making; between the black pepper, the sriracha, and eggs and the french toast to dip into them, and the undertone of golden syrup I was in a state of bliss - total decadence!

It's the simple things. . . . i settled into a movie with a glass of wine . . . beaming with delight.

french toast american style

pain perdu à l'américaine - eggy bread / french toast american style

IngredientsMakes: 180g (1)

100g	(2)	medium eggs
100g		milk
1.5g		aromat
2.5g		black pepper
5g		sugar
5g		brown sugar
0.5g		salt
67g	(1)	thick sliced tiger bread
10g		butter
25g		golden syrup

Method

Whisk the milk, eggs, 1/4 tsp or aromat, 1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper, and a pinch of salt until the egg whites have fully broken down.

Place the liquid into a container large enough to hold the bread flat.

Place the bread into the liquid, leave for 2 mins, then turn it over and leave it for 10mins - so the liquid has soaked in completely.

Melt some butter in a pan on a medium heat, dust the top of the bread with a tsp of sugar and place the soaked bread sugar face down into the pan, and cook for 2-3 mins.

The sugar caramelises giving you a crispier sweeter finish.

For a warmer note, dust with brown sugar and cinnamon before cooking and you'll have the sweet smell of butter & cinnamon permeating the kitchen - if that doesn't get you going nothing will!!

Dust the with sugar and flip the bread and repeat, cook until golden on the outside and soft in the centre. You can tell how cooked it is by pressing on it as you would to test a steak.

I like mine soft in the middle, with a drizzle of maple syrup on top.

On this occasion I'd run out of maple syrup so I used golden syrup instead.

low fat fried egg

IngredientsMakes: 50g (1)

55g		eggs
1g		veg oil
0.5g		salt

Method

Heat a dry frying pan until it’s almost smoking hot.

Pour 100ml of cold oil into the pan, roll it around to coat the pan then pour out all the fat.

A tiny amount will remain glazing the pan.

Crack the egg in, break the white to get an even cook & a bit of a bubbly texture.

Season and put a lit on the pan. After about 30 seconds pour in a 20ml of hot water quickly replacing the lid!

The steam should finish the surface of the yolk.

Remove your perfect egg onto the awaiting warm buttered toast.

Smile with pleasure as you savour it . .

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.