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: 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: 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: ham mint & cucumber gebab

For when you absolutely have to eat something that tastes great, but simply cannot afford the calories, or, the carbs . . . 'this magnificent feast here represents the LAST of the petty cash . . . slow down chew your food.'

ham mint & cucumber gebab

gem lettuce mini kebab

IngredientsMakes: 214g (4)

28g	(4)	gem lettuce leaves
48g		cooked ham
114g		cucumber
10g		mint jelly
5g		lime juice
4g		chilli
4g		coriander stalks

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: guinea fowl chinese leaf wrap

guinea fowl chinese leaf wrap

guinea fowl tagine w/ salad topped w/ couscous - in asia you find all manner of things wrapped in leaves - psychologically its a kebab! ; )

IngredientsMakes: 332g (2)

66g	(2)	chinese leaf
81g		green leaf & orange beet	(recipe below)
132g		guinea fowl tagine	(recipe below)
53g		couscous chermoula	(recipe below)

Method

Sometimes leftovers make te best recipes! This is a great example of one of those recipes!

Made from bits and pieces of yesterdays guinea fowl tagine & couscous

It's simplicity itself. Take a large chinese leaf and load it w/ salad and guinea fowl tagine including sweet potato & chermoula then top w/ couscous, make sure to get some flaked almond in there!

Fastest dinner ever!

green leaf & orange beet

green leaf w/ courgette ribbons & mange tout dressed w/ orange beetroot & lemon vinaigrette

IngredientsMakes: 419g (1)

100g		orange & fennel poached beetroot	(recipe below)
82g		chinese lettuce
20g		mange tout
120g		courgette
50g		mixed green leaf
40g		lemon vinaigrette	(recipe below)
6g		olive oil
1g		salt flakes

Method

Make the orange & fennel poached beetroot first - this take about 1 hour.

The rest is pretty fast . . .

Shred the chinese leaf coarsely & fine shred the mange tout.

Top & tail & peel the courgette, then lay it on the counter and pull the peeler along it's length to make ribbons.

Once you get to the seed core turn it 90 degrees and repeat until all four sides have been done and only the seed core remains. Dice the seed core into small cubes.

Dice the beetroot to the desired size and add some of the liquor.

Mix all the ingredient in a salad bowl and toss to coat evenly.

orange & fennel poached beetroot

beetroot poached in orange & apple juice w/ a little ginger & fennel - great cocktail beet, for salads and sides

IngredientsMakes: 360g

180g		beetroot
120g		orange juice
120g		apple juice
20g		ginger
2g		fennel seeds
40g		sugar
20g		cocktail onions
6g		sherry vinegar

Method

Peel the beetroot and cut into 1 inch pieces.

Put everything in a boiling pot with a lid on and bring to the boil.

Then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 45mins.

Check it occasionally and remove an scum.

Keep it topped up with water so that it covers the beetroot.

Once cooked let it cool and decant into an airtight container.

If using steamed (already cooked) beetroot let it simmer for 5mins, then leave it for an hour to infuse.

find Couscous Chermoula here! : )

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.