January 28, 2016
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Awesome Asparagus Soup

We are now in the midst of the so called ‘Big Thaw’ here on the Eastern Seaboard of the US.  Winter Storm Jonas ended up dumping around 20 inches of snow on my locale and has now drifted across the Atlantic and deluged London with a shed load of rain

5. Snow

What’s left of the snow after the Thaw

After the storm passed, I popped in to my local stores to replenish my fresh veggies etc. Whilst browsing the shelves (mostly empty that day because (a) people went on a crazy buying spree before the storm landed; then (b) the trucks had trouble getting through due to the epic snowfall)  I found a few bunches of Asparagus spears and a picture of a steaming bowl of soup popped into my head!

2. Basic Ingredients

The main ingredients

As soon as I got home, out came the pot and having located the other simple ingredients required, within just over half an hour what started in my minds eye was warming me up…..

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 8 oz Asparagus spears
  • 1 onion
  • 1 large potato
  • 2-3 sticks of celery
  • 2 cups (16 fl oz) of vegetable stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp of Marmite, or Vegamite (optional – use more concentrated stock as an alternative)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)
  • 1 tbsp of half n half (single) cream (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
3. Sauteeing the Veggies

Sauteed Veggies

Method

  • Dice the vegetables into small chunks
  • Add the oil and chopped veggies to a large pot and saute for around 5 minutes, or until they soften
  • Add the stock (Marmite), bay leaves and seasoning
  • Bring to the boil and add up to another 2 cups (16 fl oz) of boiling water
  • Simmer for 30 minutes
  • Blend with a food processor, or hand blender to form a potage then mix in the cream
4. Add stock and more water

Add stock, more water and simmer

That’s it done! This is a great soup whatever the occasion, I’ve served it for a starter course at a festive meal and also, like today, as a healthy snack. You can make it Vegetarian or Vegan depending on whether you add or delete the cream.

Its also great served with Smoked salmon on sourdough bread as I ate it today

 

 

January 25, 2016
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Bring on the Healthy- Poached Eggs with Avocado, Spinach & Asparagus – it’s Breakfast Week

So far it’s been a great start to the week, having stopped snowing in New York state and my co-blogger said the sun is shining.  As a big tennis fan I was happy to wake and hear not only Andy Murray but also Johanna Konta have won through to the quarter finals of the Australian Open – first time since 1984 for a female British player! In the UK it’s Breakfast Week  with a campaign to Shake Up Your Wake Up and raise awareness of eating a healthy and nutritious breakfast as a great way to start the day. I thought I would share one of my favourites.

Ingredients

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 small avocado, cut in half, stone removed & flesh roughly chopped
  • 4-6 spears of asparagus, washed & drizzled with a teaspoon of olive oil
  • handful of fresh spinach
  • 1 teasp of fresh shallot or 1 spring onion(scallion) finely chopped
  • 2 small fresh tomatoes, washed & halved
  • 1/4 teaspoon of fresh red chilli (mild-medium hot)
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh flat leaf parsley, washed & chopped
  • wedge of fresh lime
  • freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
  • few drops of white wine vinegar

Method

  • Combine the chopped avocado, shallot, red chilli, parsley and a squeeze of fresh lime, season with sea salt & pepper
  • Asparagus chargrilling

    Asparagus chargrilling

    Chargrill the asparagus over a medium/hot heat for 3-4  minutes, turning half way to get grill marks but not over cook

  • Boil some water in a large pan on a medium/high heat, add a few drops of vinegar and swirl
  • Crack the eggs into a small cup and add to the pan and swirl, keeping the water to a rolling simmer
  • Poach the eggs for about 2  minutes and remove onto some kitchen paper with a slotted spoon

To serve put the spinach on a plate and dress with a drizzle of olive oil, add the avocado mixture, tomatoes, asparagus,top with the poached eggs and season. If you’re not avoiding gluten a slice of sourdough toast makes a great accompaniment.

Poached eggs with avocado, spinach  & asparagus for Breakfast Week.

Healthy, tasty, gluten & dairy free  &  a great way to shake up your wake up!

 

 

 

 

January 23, 2016
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Cranachan -Scottish Dessert, Burns Night Delight

This weekend my thoughts are with co -blogger Simon, his family and friends battening down the hatches against the massive snow storm hitting New York & the East Coast of the USA with a vengeance.

Snowy New York, 8 inches and still falling!

New York State, 8 inches and snow still falling!

Hopefully with the storm over we can all celebrate  Burns Night, the birthday of famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. I used to work with Alec, a proud Scot and organiser of Burns Night Suppers. He would proudly recall the whole tradition of bagpipes greeting the guests,  piping in the haggis followed by reciting the poem “Address to the Haggis’. The supper of haggis, neeps (mashed Scottish turnips/English swede) & tatties (mashed potatoes) with  speeches, poems and singing accompanied by lots of toasts and several drams of  Scotch whisky. Cranachan, a Scottish dessert is often served and I decided to do my version that has a few twists on the original recipe and easy to make.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Ingredients - mostly Scottish

Ingredients

  • 25g (0.9 oz) coarse oatmeal (steel cut or pinhead)
  • 15g (0.5oz) whole  hazelnuts
  • 100g (3.5 oz) fresh raspberries
  • 70ml (2.4 fl oz) double (heavy) cream
  • 50ml (1.7 fl oz) Greek yoghurt ( 10% fat)
  • 1 teaspoon of caster sugar ( I use golden)
  • 1-2 teaspoons of good quality strong runny honey ( I use chestnut flower)
  • 1-2 teaspoons of Single Malt Scotch Whisky ( I use The Macallan 10 year old)

Method

 

Toast & Roll those Hazelnuts

Toast & roll those hazelnuts

  • Heat a frying pan to a medium heat, toast the hazelnuts for 3-4 minutes and keep rolling them around the pan so they don’t burn
  • Remove, cool slightly, place in a bag and break up roughly using a rolling pin

    Oatmeal & sugar's a toasting

    Oatmeal & sugar’s a toasting

  • Add the oatmeal and sugar to the frying pan and toast for 4-5 minutes, keep stirring until the sugar has melted and the oatmeal evenly toasted
  • Cool on a tray lined with some greaseproof paper
  • Take  70g (2.5 oz) raspberries and push through a fine sieve catching the puree in a bowl underneath

 

Cream whipped ready and waiting

Cream whipped, ready and waiting

  • Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, add the Greek yoghurt, whisky,  & a teaspoon of honey and swirl in the raspberry puree
  • Fold in most of the toasted oatmeal and hazelnuts, reserving a couple of teaspoons
  • Place in a glass, decorate with the rest of the toasted oatmeal and hazelnuts, a drizzle of honey and remaining 30g (1 oz) of fresh raspberries.

My Cranachan  – a Scottish Dessert  & Burns Night Delight or any other for that matter!