Rosemary Lamb Cutlets

Marinades are a great way to create flavour and are very simple to create.

You need a pestle and mortar and a bit of elbow grease, which is the trickiest bit!

You can use ANY herbs to flavour your lamb, rosemary is a classic, but thyme, lemon thyme, parsley or mint work just as well!

Ingredients for marinade:

Lemon

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Garlic (1-2 cloves)

Rosemary

I have not put measures next to the ingredients as it is to taste, the more you like a flavour the more you should add to your marinade.

Mix all ingredients together in the pestle and mortar, it will take a good dose of elbow grease to mince it all down, but it is worth it.

Rub dressing into lamb cutlets about an hour or two before cooking and leave in the fridge to soak up the flavour. The meat will turn slightly white from the lemon, but this is completely fine.

When you are ready to eat, grill for about 5-6 minutes on a med heat on each side.

Mmmm

Updated Brownies

I think I have found the perfect compliment to the chocolate brownies and that was avoiding the fruit altogether.

When I made the brownies last week, I substituted the fruit for an extra large portion of chopped walnuts. I used the original recipe from my blog borrowed from The Pink Whisk, but instead of covering with fruit I mixed in chopped walnuts and sprinkled some on top just before baking.

You can really add anything you like, fruit, nuts, dried fruits, it really is to taste, but there is something about chocolates and nuts that can't be beat! I suppose you could even add raisins and marshmallows and turn the brownies into rocky roads!

Whatever takes your fancy, eat and enjoy :)

Baked Rice

When I was a little girl my mum used to make a baked rice that was sooooo delicious and every time I think about it, it brings a smile to my face. I can still remember the excitement and the feelings of happiness it used to bring me when she used would cook it for Friday night dinner.

My mum can't remember her recipe, which included peas and corn, but here is my recipe for a really delicious dish.

This is best made after you have made some chicken soup, but any stock would work.

Ingredients:

Chicken soup (if using a Riceboy you will need about 4 1/2 cups of liquid)

Soup Veg, carrots, parsnip, swede and baby corn

Chicken from soup

3 cups of uncooked rice (Riceboy is an American product and works in American units, but you can use as much rice as required)

Salt/Pepper to taste

Spray oil

The recipe is to taste, so you can add as much or little as you like.

To make:

I use a Riceboy to make my rice, it goes in the microwave and comes out perfect every time.

Cook 3 portions of rice using chicken soup instead of water.

Cut up one or two portions of chicken and the veg

Mix the cooked rice with the chicken and veg and add salt and pepper if required.

Place in an oven proof dish (if possible grease the dish before adding the rice as it is less likely to stick and bake on.)

Spray the top with spray oil as this will help make the top go brown and crispy

Bake in oven until golden brown. I covered mine with foil and left it in the oven for the same amount of time as the roast veg. Just make sure there is enough liquid so it does not dry out.

Irish Soda Bread

Unfortunately there is no picture for this recipe, as we started eating it before I remembered to take a photo!

Soda Bread takes five minutes to make and is dead easy. It doesn't need resting or prooving time and is best served immediately (well cooled a little first!)

The Bicarbonate of Soda in the recipe is what helps the bread to rise, so you don't need any yeast.

Ingredients:

500g Strong Brown Bread Flour

500ml Buttermilk

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 tsp salt

To Make:

Heat oven to 190'c

Mix all dry ingredients together.

Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk, a little at time, a 100ml or so each go.

When all the ingredients are combined, turn out, kneed lightly and shape into a ball.

Press a cross into the top.

Bake in oven for about 45-50 minutes.

When ready tap the bottom, if the bread sounds hollow it is ready, if not continue baking for a few minutes longer.

Tips:

If you cannot get buttermilk, squeeze half a lemon into a pint of milk and leave to separate for a few minutes.

If your dough is a little dry after adding the buttermilk add a tablespoon of mayonnaise.

My Very Own Sweetcorn Soup Recipe

A while ago Rudi bought some dairy free Alpro single cream and has been asking me have a go at using it. My gorgeous hubby also loves soup, so after a little contemplation last night I decided to have a go at sweetcorn soup.

I cannot believe a recipe so easy, that I made up could be so delicious!

So after having a look online at about 5 different recipes, with little more than sweetcorn in common I decided to throw some flavours and inspiration together and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

1 x large onion sliced

2 x large cloves garlic

1kg bag of frozen sweetcorn

2 tbsp chicken stock powder

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

150 - 200 ml Alpro single cream (this is optional and you can also use regular single cream.)

Salt to taste if necessary

To Make:

Fry over onion and crushed garlic until softened.

Add the whole bag of sweetcorn.

Fry over until defosted and glossy (keep stiring, this will take less than a minute)

Add just enough water to cover corn, add stock, chilli and turmeric. Stir

Cook on a medium light until corn is tender.

Blitz with the hand processor.

Stir in cream.

Eat and enjoy.... mmmmm

This can easily be made in advance and reheated, just do not heat it on too high a light, otherwise it will burn.

You can also add smoked haddock or smoked cod to make it into a thicker, richer chowder soup. Its delicious and a meal all by itself.

A Few More Ways With Salmon

Before I write today's recipes I have to thank all of you who read my blog. It seems to be I have quite a following out there and I didn't even realise. Please keep reading I am really loving all the feedback.



I cannot believe how easy salmon is to cook, it seems to get easier and tastier every time!



I didn't really fancy our usual Chinese slant on salmon, so I 'invented' a few more recipes. It is a far cry to think I actually invented something this simple, but I threw the following flavours together.



Option 1:

Good squeeze of Lemon (about half a lemon per fillet, we like our flavours strong)

Small knob of butter on top of each salmon (prob about a tsp), if using salted butter you will not need to add salt

Chilli flakes to cover

Cracked Black Pepper

*Onion (spring if using fresh) and garlic

*We have a grinder with chilli, pepper, salt, garlic and onion, which makes life REALLY simple!



Option 2:

Grain mustard to cover fish

Honey to cover

Small knob of butter



Preheat oven to 180'c

Place salmon fillets in ovenproof dish

Cover with option 1 or 2

Cover dish with foil and bake for about 15 min.

If the salmon fillet is very small you might only need 12 minutes and if very large you might need 18 minutes. Also a metal baking dish will get hotter quicker, so you might need more/less time depending on your utensils. I use Le Crueset Stoneware.

To Die For Pavlova (Dedicated to Stuart and Bradley)

Its been a long time since I have blogged about cooking, but the new year has brought new excitement and inspiration and I am eager to share this recipe with you all. This really is a delicious dessert and even though would serve 6, we were 4 at dinner, scoffed the lot and relished every bite!

I made this up all by myself through a culmination of different recipes. You can use any fruit topping, but I was in the mood for raseberries and bluberries (plus the blueberries were on offer - bonus!)

Tips for making meringue:

1. Any vinegar, or lemon juice will do, its the acid that makes the mallowy centre.

2. Add the sugar AFTER you have whisked the egg whites into soft peaks.

3. DO NOT get any grease or egg yolk in the egg white otherwise you will never form any peak and it will be a disappointing goo!

Ingredients:

For the meringue

4 egg whites

250g caster sugar

2 tsp corn flour

2 tsp vinegar

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

For the topping;

300ml whipping cream (or double cream, but it is ever so slightly heavier)

1 punnet of bluberries

1 can on rasberries (you can use fresh or frozen, but I was being extremely lazy!)

icing sugar

1 or 2 tbsp caster sugar (depending on how sweet you like the cream)

To make the meringue:

Preheat oven to 180'c

Draw around a 8inch tin on greaseproof paper.

In a bowl whisk the egg whites into soft peaks, then whisk in the sugar until firm peaks are formed when the whisk is removed. The mixture will look shiney at this point. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the contents moving.

Sprinkle in the vinegar, corn flour and vanilla and gently fold in using a metal spoon. Do not over do it at this point, otherwise the mixture will go flat.

Spread mixture onto the greaseproof, inside the circle, smoothing the top and sides.

Place the meringue into the oven and immediately turn the heat to 120'c, cook for 1h. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven to cool.

When completely cool, remove from oven and build up the pavlova (you can make the meringue a few days in advance and keep in an airtight container).

Remove the meringue from the greaseproof paper and place on a serving dish

For the topping:

Whip the cream and sugar (depending on how sweet you want the cream, I chose 1)

Spread over the meringue

Sprinkle over the blueberries

For the rasberries:

Drain syrup

Place in a bowl

Add a sprinkle of icing sugar to sweeten to taste

Blend into a pulp, this can be done with a folk.

Spoon over the blueberries and meringue.

Eat and Enjoy. We certainly did!!!