My default approach to new potatoes is to steam them in their paper thin jackets, along with a sprig of mint and then to serve with lashings of butter.   Delicious!  There is something so good about a fresh new potato – they are delicate, but also bursting with potato flavour, which can be lost from older spuds.     Roasted new potatoes are equally delicious, and it would be a shame not to try them out.

This year, the asparagus crop has been decimated by the weather.    The British asparagus festival was cancelled due to the weather and consequent lack of crop.   It is only just starting to come into the shops, and I was delighted to receive one of the first boxes of the season from Secretts.

Asparagus by post is a new concept for me, but it does make perfect sense.  The asparagus I received yesterday morning had been picked the day before, so it was as fresh as you can get – unless you visit a PYO or grow your own – so perfect for city dwellers like me.  It was beautifully presented, tied with a raffia bow and propped up in the box.   At £9.99 a box it is expensive, but at the same time a very affordable and different present for someone, and at this quality it is a luxury product.  I’d be delighted to receive another box – forget flowers when it is in season, I think that saying it with asparagus is an excellent idea.

The asparagus was delicious, so so fresh, crisp and tasty.   I nibbled quite a bit of it raw which I have not done before.   When prepping asparagus bend it to break the stalk, and it will naturally break in the right place.   Steam for a few minutes and then serve with lashings of melted butter, and lots of pepper and salt.

Recipe: Lemony New Potato Wedges

Simply cut your potatoes into wedges, place in a roasting pan with some golden rapeseed oil, a few slices of lemon and a clove of garlic.   Season well with salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven for about 40 minutes.   If desired scatter some shredded spring onion over 5 minutes before they finish cooking.

Many thanks to Secretts for my box of asparagus.  Order here or you can visit the farm to PYO.

Sending this to Ren’s Simple and In Season, this month hosted by Urvashi.

And to Laura’s One Ingredient Challenge, co-hosted by herself and Nazima at Working London Mummy - the ingredient this month is lemon.

Lastly a reminder about Breakfast Club this month, the theme is Fairtrade and there is a Fairtrade price from Steenbergs.  I’d love anyone to take part!

I think this may become my new favourite weekday summer lunch. Delicious, fast, fuss free, adaptable and uses up the last bits in those jars of antipasti and pesto at the back of the fridge, and a slice or two of staleing bread.  The pesto dressing livens up a dull lettuce, making it a treat to eat.

The trick to griddling the bread is to both liberally coat it in olive oil and to get the griddle piping hot.

Recipe: Antipasti Bruschetta

Serves 1

Thinly sliced bread – baguette or ciabatta work well, I used the remains of day before yesterday’s white loaf
Good glug olive oil – medium quality
Tomato
Mixed Antipasti – mine were feta stuffed peppers, olives and artichokes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Firstly place your griddle pan onto the highest ring on the hob to allow it to get really hot.

Meanwhile pour the olive oil onto a plate and press both sides of the bread in it to coat.

Roughly chop the antipasti and tomato and mix well.  Season to taste.  I added chives from my window box.

When the griddle is hot really hot toast the bread on it.  Press it down well with a spatula so you get good grill marks.  Flip the bread over to toast the other side.

Serve the antipasti and tomato mix atop the toasted bread.  Liberally season with sea salt.

Recipe: Pesto Salad Dressing

This is especially good with those crisp, generally boring lettuces, like iceberg.

Simply mix equal quantities of pesto and balsamic vinegar.  Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste.

Toss well with the salad.

Delicious.

Sending this to this month’s No Croutons Required hosted by Jac where the theme is antipasto!

And, as this has the potential to use up so many bits and bobs, to my event Frugal Food Fridays, hosted this month by Utterly Scrummy.

I made meringues at the weekend, and had some leftover egg yolks in the fridge.   With a choice of custard, mayonnaise, tortilla or frittata to use them up, I went for the lunch friendly option.

Tortillas and frittatas are variations on the same dish, both consist of an egg based omelette.  Traditionally the Spanish tortilla will contain eggs and potato and the Italian frittata will contain eggs and other ingredients.     Neither are to be confused with the Mexican tortilla which is a flat bread, used as a wrap.

Frittatas (and Spanish tortillas) are great for a quick lunch, they are also great both hot, warm or cold, being robust and transportable are perfect for picnics.   Whilst not being essential to the recipe I find that along with scrambled eggs the majority of egg based dishes benefit immeasurably from the addition of a couple of extra yolks, so I tend to make them after I have been cooking with egg whites.     I have tried using liquid egg whites for my meringues and macarons, but I do not really get on with them and prefer the results of “real” egg.

My mother’s traditional Christmas Eve supper consists of smoked salmon, with scrambled egg enriched with extra yolks left over from using the whites in the Royal icing for the Christmas cake.

With an empty vegetable drawer I used a handful of chickpeas, pinto & flageolet beans in place of the traditional potato, coupled with half a red pepper and a lone spring onion.   With the chickpeas and beans having more flavour and protein coupled with fewer carbs and a lower GI score I think it is a winning filling.

Adapt and throw in what you have.  I keep a box of mixed beans and chickpeas in the freezer ready to add to salads and pasta dishes, I fried them in with the peppers for a few minutes to defrost them.

Red Pepper & Chickpea Frittata

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients

Glug olive oil
½ red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 spring onion, chopped
150g / 6oz / ¾ cup cooked chickpeas (or mix of cooked beans)
5 eggs
2 – 3 egg yolks (or another egg)
Salt & pepper

Method

Add the olive oil to a (20cm / 8”) omelette pan and gently fry the peppers and spring onion until soft and starting to turn brown.

Meanwhile whisk the eggs and extra yolks and season with some salt and pepper.

Add the beans to the pan, stir and then pour the egg mixture over. Give the pan a gentle shake, then leave to cook over a low heat for about 5 mins.

When the egg is nearly set put the pan under a hot grill for a few minutes until the top of the frittata is has risen (it will look puffy) and is golden.

Flip out onto a plate to serve.

Click here for a printable recipe.

“April brings the sweet spring showers
On and on for hours and hours”

Michael Flanders – A Song of the Weather

I know it seems barmy to be blogging a salad recipe on a day like today; but the weather yesterday was totally different, bright warm and sunny, and perfect for this zingy spring salad, using winter vegetables.

Using crunchy cabbage and carrot, this spring ‘slaw stands up well to being dressed in advance, and thus is easily transportable.    Perfect with soup for a packed lunch, or as a side for a more substantial main meal.  I suggest using a smooth leaved cabbage rather than the stronger flavoured crinkly savoy.   Add more chilli if you like more heat.

Freeze any leftover coriander to use in Thai curries, or soups.  I bunch it into a plastic bag and then give it bash once frozen to break it up.   Half chillies last for ages in my vegetable drawer, and I freeze left over lemon juice in an ice cube tray.   Alternatively blitz coriander, lemon juice and chilli together for a base for a Thai green curry paste.

Zingy Spring ‘Slaw (Serves 2)

1/4 smooth cabbage – finely shredded
1 medium carrot – grated
1/2 green chilli – deseeded and finely chopped
juice from half a lemon
good glug olive oil
small handful of coriander finely chopped
One spring onion – finely chopped (optional)
Pepper & salt to taste

Bung all the coleslaw ingredients into a bowl and give a good stir.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Here are Flanders and Swann with the original song.

I have been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster this week,  and I have comforted myself with too much food, booze and coffee.     I have eaten so much that I have been almost unable to lie on my front, my usual sleeping position,  due my acquisition of a food stuffed, pot belly.  Booze and caffeine consumption have both further contributed to fitful sleep.  It is only Thursday and tomorrow I have a ticket for the Whisky Show.   I guess that there is no rest for a food blogger’s digestive system, so tonight I have tried to give my gut  a night off with a large bowl of greens.

Simply stir fried a heap of shredded greens with garlic, tamari and crunchy peanut butter.   Quick, simple, delicious and satisfying my craving for something healthy.   I used a mix of cabbage, pak choi, brussel sprouts & broccoli.   Most vegetables would work well, aim for a variety of textures and flavours.  cauliflower, kale, spinach, mange tout, green beans and bean sprouts would all be delicious.

To make a more substantial dish add a handful of noodles.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Stir Fried Greens with Satay & Tamari Sauce (serves 2)

Time taken: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Glug sunflower oil
Drizzle of sesame oil
About 6 handfuls of finely shredded green vegetables
1 tbs Tamari or soy sauce
1 espresso cup water
1 heaped tbs peanut butter

Method

Put the greens into a sieve and pour a kettle of boiling water over them.

Glug the oil into a large frying pan or wok and heat, add the garlic and stir until aromatic.   Add the greens and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

Chuck over the water and the tamari and allow to steam for a while.  Stir through the peanut butter.

Serve with a sprinkling of chilli flake if desired.

I love my local food co-op and am proud to support it, as it provides access to cheap and accessible fruit and vegetables to those that might not otherwise be able to afford them, but I have to confess that I sometimes inwardly curse at the presence of yet another bl**dy swede in the vegetable bag.

These chips are delicious, sticky and caramelized.  I served them with dips of ketchup, BBQ sauce and mayo.   Unlike potatoes, swede counts towards your five a day; although current thinking encourages eating a larger amount of fruit and vegetables for maximum health benefits.  I parboiled my swede to save on baking time,  I suspect the finished chips would be crisper if you only roasted them.  The only difficult part of this recipe is cutting up the fairly solid swede, you will need both a good knife and some strength.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Sticky Mustardy Swede Chips (serves 4)

1 medium swede – peeled and cut into chips
1 dsp honey (or maple syrup or agave nectar if you do not eat honey)
1  heaped dsp grain mustard
good glug of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Boil the swede chips for about 5 to 8 minutes until starting to soften.   Meanwhile heat the oven to 200C / 400F / GM6, add the oil to a baking tray a pop in the oven.   Drain the swede, add the honey and mustard to the hot (and empty) saucepan and give a quick stir, add the par boiled swede chips and give a good shake to coat them in the honey and mustard mix.    Put into the hot baking tray and return to the oven.   Roast for about 30 minutes turning 2 or 3 times.

Serve with dips or as a side in place of potato wedges or chips

In my last post about my co-op bags I promised a recipe to use all those last bits of salad vegetables lurking at the bottom of the fridge.   This is a simple citrus, zingy lentil salad.   I love lentils, cheap, quick, tasty, packed with protein and low GI to boot, they are a store cupboard staple.

I had about a third of an iceberg lettuce to use up.    Cucumber, spring onions and any other leaves would also work well.     Following the success of the braised iceberg, I cooked my iceberg in with the lentils for about 5 minutes, I would also cook any cucumber, but add leafier leaves such as rocket into the warm lentils.   A handful of fresh herbs would be delicious here too, if I had had tomatoes I would have thrown them in too.  I used a mix of half puy and half regular green lentils as that was what was in the cupboard.   f you do not have any harrissa a pinch of chilli or cayenne would be a good substitute.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Recipe: Harissa Lentil Salad with left over bits and bobs (Serves 2)

6 oz (150g) Lentils – Green or Puy or a mix
3/4 pint (425ml) Stock – I use Marigold
Salad leftovers – cucumber, iceberg, green leaves
Juice and zest of half a lemon
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp Harissa powder (I use Steenbergs)

Simmer the lentils in a pan with the stock for about 20 mins, adding some more water if needed, you want most of the water absorbed without the lentils being dry.    If using, shred the iceberg lettuce and cucumber and add to the lentils.  Cook for another 5 minutes.    When lentils are ready (soft but not mushy) remove from the heat, drain if there is too much stock which has no been absorbed.

Pour into a serving dish, add green leaves (if using them), stir in the lemon juice, harissa or chilli and olive oil.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Delicious warm or cold.

This summer I have been getting an iceberg lettuce every week in my co-op box and frankly I am a little bored of them.   Nothing conjures up an image of an 1970′s salad more than an iceberg.     Add some pale watery tomatoes, celery and chunks of cucumber and a good dollop of salad cream and you have something straight out of the canteen of my 1970′s primary school in the middle of Kent.

I recently read an article by Mark Bittman on The Charms of the Loser Lettuces.  I was struck by a comment on one of the recipes, which pointed out that if icebergs were not so long lasting and virtually indestructible, they would not be so loved by supermarket buyers and thus available so cheaply and easily.  The rare and scare (and expensive?) iceberg would probably popular with certain groups of foodies.   I hope that my tastebuds are not solely governed by rarity value and cost, but I am sure that there are some foods out there that are more popular because of their rarity rather than the merits of their flavour alone.

But back to the humble iceberg, its hardiness and crispness make it ideal to cook, it softens, but retains some shape and texture not turning to mush.    In fact it actually tastes pretty darned good – I would even venture to say it is delicious!   It is buttery, nutty and subtly bitter.  Add to that almost fat free, low calorie,  cheap, easy to prepare (using only one pot)  and satisfying and I have a winner.        For the more ravenous, serve it as a starter – I would even produce this at a dinner party.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Braised Iceberg Lettuce (Serves 4)

1 Iceberg lettuce
Glug olive oil
1/2 mug vegetable stock (I used Marigold)
Handful frozen peas
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Soy Sauce (to taste)

Cut the lettuce into quarters (through the stem so each segment stays together).  Add the oil to a casserole dish and fry the lettuce on all sides until it is starting to turn brown.   Add about 1.5cm / 1/2″ stock to the dish, put the lid on and turn the heat right down.   Simmer for about 15 mins, add the frozen peas, (here I left the lid ajar to concentrate the juices) and cook for a further 5 minutes.    Season with salt and pepper and serve.

This recipe is also delicious with a dash of soy sauce.     For a more substantial dish use more peas or serve with some crusty bread.    I imagine that you could also steam a piece of fish over the lettuce too.

Along with lots of other bloggers I was recently sent a coolbag crammed full with Total Greek yogurt, which I have greatly been enjoying using and cooking with.    It is still baking hot in London and I really do not want to spend hours slaving over a hot stove so I have been spending the minimal amount of time in the kitchen.   Tuesday is co-op day and this week my bag contained some beautiful new potatoes which needed to be made into a salad.    Instead of the usual mayonnaise I used some 0% fat Total and added cucumber and mint from my window box* to make a refreshing lunch.

This is another contribution to my series of easy, economical and healthy recipes of what to do with the contents of the co-op “boxes” for the Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project run by Sustain – also part of the Making Local Food Work programme funded by the Big Lottery.

*I am not a gardener and have to have an alarm on my phone to remind me to water my herbs, but mint seems pretty hard to kill, it seems to thrive on neglect and actually needs a very good prune on a regular basis so it does not turn into a triffid.   If I can grow mint on a window sill in central London I defy anyone not to be able to grow it anywhere.

Potato, Cucumber and Mint Salad

Handful baby new potatoes
Chunk of cucumber
Greek Yogurt (I used Total 0%)
Sprig of mint – roughly chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste

Remove any dirt and mud by gently scrubing the potatoes (but try to keep the skin on, it contains most of the nutrients and taste).  Pop them in a pan and simmer until done.    When cooked drain and slice thickly.   Whilst the spuds are cooking chop the cucumber into 1/2″ chunks.   Put a dollop of yogurt into your salad bowl (I thinned mine with a splash of water as it was very thick).  Add the cucumber, mint (reserving a little for garnish)  and season.  Allow the potatoes to cool a little then stir into the salad.  Garnish with the remining mint.    Enjoy warm or chilled.

Thanks to Total for the free product samples.

The English asparagus season is sadly coming to an end there only a few days left.    I hope I am able to find one last bunch before the season is over.

I usually griddle my asparagus;  simply blanch by pouring a kettle of boiling water over your asparagus, shake well and put on a pre heated griddle pan that you have drizzled a little olive oil on.   Griddle until stripy.    Serve with a knob of butter and a sprinkling of salt.

Labneh or strained yoghurt, is a popular ingredient in the Middle East and Asia, is similar to a mix between crème fraiche and cream cheese. It is used in both savoury and sweet dishes; because it has a low fat content it can be used in cooking and will not curdle.

I use it instead of crème fraiche and in dips such as tzatziki.

Ingredients

Natural low fat yoghurt – I use live supermarket own brand.
Salt (optional)

Line a sieve with a muslin cloth, and place over a bowl. Pour yoghurt into the sieve and leave in the fridge for 24 hours. The whey will drip from the yoghurt leaving a semi solid curd cheese behind.

Peel the cloth from the labneh and store in a covered container.

Save the whey for adding to dahl. I usually freeze mine.

The yield will be around half the amount of yoghurt used.