taste2taste

June 29, 2015

Baking Scones with Mum (& Marguerite)

Scones – a perfect summer afternoon tea with jam, clotted cream and perhaps a glass of iced tea or even champagne!

I have lots of happy memories learning to bake with my Mum. My passion for food, baking, cooking and career in food design and development was fuelled by Mum and Grandma (Mum’s Mum). Mum has a big box file of recipes collected from magazines, newspapers, family and friends with hand written notes on hints, tips, tweaks & comments on the outcome. We would have a rummage through the file to decide what to make. A particular favourite was Marguerite Patten’s cake recipes and following my Facebook tribute to Marguerite I decided to make scones as a thank you to Mum & tribute to Marguerite, an iconic British cookery writer, who sadly passed away recently.

For our American readers, this recipe is for British scones, which have less fat in the recipe versus American scones/biscuits. Read on, the final picture showing the serving suggestion should explain why!

Here’s the basic recipe…

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June 27, 2015

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Summer Festival Beet salad – don’t believe it just munch!

Ingredients for Salad

I love a festival – music, dancing, street food, and an ice cold beverage. I was inspired to make a Summer Festival Beet salad to celebrate the legendary Glastonbury festival in the UK – music for your tastebuds! This salad is my take on Paula Mcintyre- the cookery writer and BBC radio broadcaster’s suberb beetroot, kohlrabi & grilled scallion salad that she demo’d at Borough Market, London on Thursday. It’s quick to make, tasty & healthy too.

Ingredients:

3 small to medium beetroots, I use different coloured ones (candy Heritage)

6 large spring onions (continental in UK, scallions in USA)

2 ripe but firm nectarines

1/2 a small celeriac

For the dressing:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons runny honey

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

75ml extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Slice the spring onions (scallions) in half lengthwise. Keep the ends on whilst chargrilling to keep spring onions from breaking apart.

Brush with olive oil and cook on a hot chargrill pan just till you get the stripes and they start to wilt. Remove, cool and chop into strips about 3 cm/2 inch lengths, discarding the ends.

Chargrilling Spring Onions (Scallions)

Peel and finely slice the beetroot with a sharp knife or mandolin, please watch those fingers!

Peel and chop the celeriac into thin matchsticks.

Stop celeriac discolouring using lemon water

Halve the nectarines, remove stone and slice into chunky pieces leaving skin on.

I am listening to Hot Chip & Mark Ronson as a bit of electronic dance & funk helps me get into my chopping festival groove!

For the dressing just whisk the honey, mustard & vinegar until combined. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Honey Mustard dressing

Add to the veggies and fruit and serve. Great with BBQ chicken -see yesterday’s post or for meat – free lovers just add some fresh mozzarella or crumble some soft, young goat’s cheese on top.

Don’t believe it just munch!

Summer Festival Beet Salad

June 27, 2015

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July 4 – Time for a Barbecue but with a Twist and Taste of the Levant

The biggest holiday of the American Summer approaches.

The charcoal alight!

In just over a week, the Stars & Stripes will be decorating everything that doesn’t move and some things that do. The scent of gunpowder from fireworks and outdoor grilling will fill the warm seasonal air, as America celebrates its independence from us Brits.

So, what more apt at this time of the year than to share some of my family’s favorite recipes for barbecues with you (meat, sides and booze) and I promise, hand on heart, this will be a burger and hot dog free zone. But, if not these mainstays of BBQ land, what? My preference is for something spicy, fresh and ethnic and in this, my first post for the big day, I will explore an easy to prepare recipe of Middle Eastern origin which deliver this in spades.

With a wonderful blend of dusky exotic spices and a taste of the Levant, it is the delicious and savory:

Middle Eastern Chicken

Herbs and Spices needed to make the coating for the Chicken

Ingredients (for 4-6)

2-3 lbs Chicken legs
2 tbsp Ground Cumin
1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Paprika
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon (juice only)
Salt & Pepper to season
Fresh Cilantro (coriander) to decorate

Preparation

Chicken coated in the spicy rub

Mix the ingredients (except the cilantro and chicken legs) into a large bowl (5 mins)
Now drop those Chicken legs into the bowl, rub the mix all over them and refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight (5 mins or 2 hrs+ it’s up to you!)
Get that charcoal hot add some mesquite wood chips, if you can find them
Then pop the legs straight on the grill. Cook ’em until the skin starts to char and crackles.
Meanwhile, chop that cilantro / coriander and (if you like) slice some lemons into wedges for garnishing.
Sprinkle the herbs on the chicken when you remove it from the grill