When out of the UK for a few years, I was missing those wonderful Covent Garden soups, especially my favourite – carrot and coriander. So after a fruitless search to uncover them on the supermarket shelves, I decided to get making my own version which I call comforting carrot, coriander and cumin soup, and I’m so glad I did. I like the alliteration, but the flavour’s even better, because nothing beats fresh home-made soup!  Carrots are a delicious root vegetable packed with carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
I’ve given this traditional recipe a little extra kick with the addition of cumin. I like to make mine pretty intense for extra comfort, but you can vary the amount to your own taste. I’ve kept the cumin content moderate in this recipe for you, so add or take away as you wish.
What you need:
What you do:
20 minutes to prepare – 20-30 minutes to cook
Makes 4 servings
Note: In general, carrot and coriander make for a great combination in soups. If you want to add a bit more protein, try this bacon, carrot, butter bean and coriander soup. It’s a bit heartier, so keep it in mind if you are quite hungry.
Continue readingWhy not try this wonderful hot apple tart with cream as a great pudding to celebrate any occasion – perfect as apples are in season all year round.
For more apple goodness, try these caramelised apples with real custard.
What you need:
What to do:
30 minutes to prepare (plus cooling time) 40 minutes to cook
Makes: 4-6 servings
Continue readingThis succulent scallops and spicy chorizo recipe is one of the fastest, easiest and tastiest dishes I’ve prepared. You’ve really got to try it. Rich in omega 3, and low in calories, scallops are in season now. Their soft succulence, combined with the rich spice of the Spanish chorizo is a heavenly combination. With the zest of lemon and the freshness of parsley your taste-buds will be zinging! This is a perfect starter for a special occasion. Add your splash of sophistication by serving in scallop shells. But hey, they taste just as good eaten from a beautiful bowl.
You will find fresh scallops in fish markets in January, or for those pressed for time, grab a bag of frozen ones from the supermarket, they taste great too.
You can find chorizo in most supermarkets. If you find one labelled spicy, go for that. You don’t need to add any oil to your pan, the chorizo has plenty. As you cook it, the paprika and oil release to create a wonderful rich colour in the pan. If you have any leftover, try chorizo braised in red wine.
What you need:
What to do:
1. Cut the chorizo into thin slices.
2. Put a frying pan on the heat and when hot, fry the chorizo dry for a couple of minutes only, until beginning to crisp on each side. You will see the oil released in the pan.
3. Put the chorizo in a bowl, then fry the scallops in the wonderful orange chorizo oil for around a minute each side.
4. Return the chorizo to the pan with the scallops, squeeze in the lemon juice and sizzle for a few seconds.
5. Serve in the thoroughly washed scallop shells or in small bowls sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley.
Note, if you are buying scallops in their shells, be sure to find out how to prepare them before cooking first.
10 mins to prepare and cook
Makes 8 starters or 4 main courses
A little more about scallops…
Do you remember Botticelli’s painting The Birth of Venus? It depicts the Greek goddess Aphrodite rising from a scallop shell! Could eating scallops be an aphrodisiac?
The logo of the petrol company Shell is based on the scallop shell.
Most species live in tropical waters, but several live in polar waters. It is the muscle part that we eat.
Spring is in the air! Well, perhaps not quite yet. But no matter the time of year, I enjoy the occasional treat to satisfy my sweet tooth. However, knowing that I am also eating fruits and veggies helps me justify these cravings.
Rhubarb comes into season in March and is readily available in the UK until May - so there’s still a chance to get some good rhubarb, just! Every year, as soon as I see it in the greengrocer, I pick it up so I can make a favourite of mine, rhubarb crumble.
This year I made this classic crumble pudding with a sweet surprise. In this recipe, the natural tartness of the rhubarb contrasts really well with the almondy sweetness of the marzipan.
What you need:
What to do:
A little more about rhubarb…
The edible part of the rhubarb plant, the stalk, is technically a vegetable, though we think of it as a fruit.
Rhubarb seems to have become a popular food in the 17th Century when cheap sugar became accessible.
Rhubarb is thought to have first been cultivated in China in 2700BC.
It is said that the Romans believed that people who ate rhubarb were barbaric in nature (possibly because of its natural bitterness) and that the name rhubarb may have been derived from the Latin word rhabarbarum meaning ‘root of the barbarians’.
Continue readingThe 5th May is a special day in Mexico. Mexican pride and heritage are celebrated in the Cinco de Mayo festival, when Mexican chicken mole, Puebla style is often cooked up communally.
Puebla is one of the three states that claim to be the founder of mole. There are myths and legends surrounding the origin of the dish. You can find out more if you want to because they are rather fascinating.
For some people, mole might be an acquired taste because it combines many interesting flavours such as chocolate and chicken. These two ingredients might not normally go together, but in mole and in this chicken thighs with a chilli chocolate sauce recipe, they are absolutely fantastic!
What you need:
What to do:
15 minutes to prepare, around 45 minutes to cook
Makes 3-4 servings
A little more about ancho chillies: Ancho means ‘wide’ in Spanish. These are dried; deep reddish brown chilli peppers about 7.5cm wide and 10cm long which have a sweet, hot flavour. When fresh, they are called poblanos. Anchos are flat, wrinkled, and heart-shaped.
Continue readingIn the US and parts of Mexico, record sales of avocados are recorded around the 5th May. The Cinco de Mayo festival commemorates the battle of Puebla between the Mexican army and French forces in 1862. It is celebrated most strongly in Mexico in the state of Puebla, and in some other regions to a lesser degree. It is a national holiday in the US where the date has become a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture, more than a commemoration of the famous battle. Authentic Mexican guacamole is made by the bucket-load around this time; portioned out on the streets at the festival, and made in countless homes and communities to share in celebration together.
Guacamole is said to have originated with the Aztecs as far back as the 16th century. The name is derived from an Aztec dialect and literally means ‘avocado sauce’.
Avocados are said to be one of the true super foods, containing a plethora of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. So if you make up a whole load of authentic Mexican guacamole to celebrate this May, you’ll be filling your body with wonderful goodness at the same time. (Also try this avocado and mango salsa with corn chips.)
Serve with a nicely chilled Mexican beer; in the bottle, with a little lime juice squeezed in, and a segment of lime sitting at the top of the bottle.
What you need:
What to do:
Less than 30 minutes to prepare, no cooking required
Makes 8 portions
Continue readingA little inspiration for a way to enjoy the first of the spring season’s asparagus…
Curly Asparagus Salad with Goat’s Cheese and Medjool Dates combines lengthy ribbons of peeled asparagus with sweet dates and crunchy peanuts, topped with a well-matured and hard goat’s cheese and drizzled all over with a balsamic reduction.
I have two other variations for this salad: sometimes I use toasted pine nuts and parmesan in place of the nuts and the cheese. At other times I use toasted flaked almonds and drizzle it over with a lime butter, topping off with lime zest and fresh coriander. All three variations are fun to make and yummy to eat. Enjoying asparagus raw is a great way to maximise on the nutritional benefits of this wonderful vegetable.
What you need:
What to do:
20 minutes preparation, 10 minutes cooking
Makes 3-4 servings
Note: For a hot asparagus dish, try this scrumptious asparagus and cheese pudding.
Continue readingI’ve given this classic soda bread recipe a little twist with the addition of walnuts, which I think work really well with the wholemeal version of the bread and are incredibly tasty in combination with cream cheese. Irish brown soda bread with cream cheese and smoked salmon would make a perfect light supper for those of you celebrating St Patrick’s Day, and whose tummies were heartily filled at lunch time with a roast welsh lamb with garlic and rosemary recipe. Irish flour is traditionally made from soft wheat so, if you can’t get hold of the real thing, you’ll get a more authentic result if you use a pastry or cake-making flour, as this is also made from soft wheat. I have heard it said that Guinness can be used in place of the buttermilk, but I’ve never tried that!
What you need:
What to do:
Enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine, or a Guinness if you prefer!
Less than 30 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook
Makes: 6 servings
Continue reading