Slow Cooked Tomato and Pepper Soup

To follow on from my earlier post here is a quick and easy recipe that I cooked up yesterday which uses everyday ingredients and 3 of my top 8 herbs and spices.

So here goes, a recipe for Slow Cooked Tomato and Pepper Soup.

I cooked mine in the slow cooker so that I could just leave it while I went off and did other things. Slow cookers are brilliant for those of us who don't have the time to spend hours standing over a hob continuously stirring the contents of big pot. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook this easily on the hob instead.

You will need :

1 onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp of olive oil
75g lardons (you can simply leave this out if you need it to be vegetarian)
75g red peppers (I used seedless baby peppers)
100g fresh tomatoes, preferably small sweet ones. (I used sugar drop tomatoes)
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 heaped teaspoon of dried basil
Handful of fresh basil leaves (optional)
400g chopped tomatoes (I just used tinned ones)
1 large clove of garlic
Parmesan shavings (optional)

I have put optional next to those ingredients that are nice additions but won't ruin the recipe if they are left out. If you don't have lardons you can use bacon rashers sliced up into little squares.

Method:

All you need to do is throw everything (except the fresh basil leaves and parmesan) into the slow cooker. Add about 200ml of cold water put the lid on and set to high. Leave the contents happily bubbling away for about 2 hours. If needs be you can leave it for longer, it won't spoil. That is the beauty of slow cookers. If cooking on a hob, bring to the boil and simmer for about half an hour.

About 10 minutes or so before you are planning to serve the soup, pour the contents of the slow cooker into a food processer and give it a quick wizz. Don't over do the wizzing though you don't want to make a puree. You want it smooth but with some chunks left in for texture. Alternatively, if you have one, use a hand held processer. It will probably be slightly less messy.

Once the soup is a nice soupy consistency pour back into the slow cooker and stir in the fresh basil leaves. If you are not using the fresh leaves you can just serve it up at this point, as it is.

Finish by creating a small pile of parmesan shavings in the centre of the bowl, et voila!

Easy peasy but delicious!

Enjoy.

8 Herbs and Spices No Kitchen Should Be Without

It would seem these days that the media just simply cannot get enough cookery. I don't think there is ever a time of day when there isn't a cookery show of some sort being aired. This is a good thing!
These programs can inspire us to try something different, to experiment and learn about another culture all through the power of food.


But how many times have you had the urge to dust off your cookbooks and cook yourself up a treat after watching one of these programs. You scour your many, rather too pristine looking cookbooks, and finally find a delicious looking recipe which doesn't seem too difficult. You scan the ingredients list mentally ticking off the ingredients you know are already sitting in the cupboard waiting for their moment of glory. But then it happens! You start reading off ingredients like saffron strands, cardamon pods and star anise. Do you happen to have these knocking about your kitchen? No, me neither. Your enthusiasm for the project starts to dwindle, you put the cookbook back on the shelf and go and make yourself beans on toast instead. It happens a lot.

Once upon a time cookery was surrounded by an air of snobbery. It was associated with dinner parties and posh restaurants. Only those who had the time, the money and of course the saffron threads could really appreciate the fine art that is food. I think that there is still an element of this to be found in certain types of cookery writing today.

However, it is such a shame to be put off cooking just for the lack of a few herbs and spices. I believe that you can have near endless culinary possibilities with just 8 simple, and inexpensive herbs and spices in your kitchen cupboard. Here's a quick run down:

1. Garlic

This miracle little bulb can be used in nearly every genre of cooking you could think of. It's not just used to stuff snail's shells, it is used in many curry dishes, works well in pasta sauces, chilli dishes and adds a wonderful flavour if you're just roasting it with meat, fish or vegetables. And, of course, who can ignore the prodigy that is garlic bread.

For those of you seeking a more intense experience, try a raw clove steeped in olive oil. Just don't try and kiss anyone afterwards.

2. Coarse Black Pepper

There is a reason why I am saying course pepper here. I'm not just being a pepper snob. Fine ground pepper is okay but I find that using coarse pepper gives more of a punch and therefore adds a little extra spiciness to a dish. Of course, you could always crack the peppercorns yourself but having a jar of coarse black pepper within easy reach of the cooker is far easier and just as effective.

Black pepper again is just as versatile as garlic and in fact they often go hand in hand together in to the pot. I use black pepper in nearly everything I cook.

3. Chilli flakes

Chilli is my not so secret weapon when it comes to adding a bit of flare to a ordinary boring dish. If you always have it at hand you can always throw together a simple curry or, more obviously, a chilli.
It should not just be reserved for the obvious dishes though; just by adding a few chilli flakes to a simple bolognese can give it a little kick which will warm your cockles up nicely. Also, try adding a few flakes to a simple stir fry to spice things up a bit.

Don't fear the chilli. Just because you don't like a hot curry or chilli doesn't mean you should dismiss this wonderful little pepper. Start by added very small amounts, i.e. a very small pinch and build up. I assure you, you will soon become hooked.

Chilli is not just reserved for the main course! Try adding it to a chocolate cake, hot chocolate or chocolate mousse.

4. Cumin Seeds

No curry dish is complete without cumin seeds. It is a staple in a lot of Indian cooking and with it in your spice repertoire your won't go far wrong. Cumin has a warming flavour that works well in a lot of dishes and not just in Indian cuisine. Ground cumin will work fine but I prefer the depth of flavour and texture that you get from the seeds.

This spice is one of my favourites for adding to vegetables like carrots or potatoes for a simple but delicious side dish.

5. Garam Masala

You may have started to notice a theme developing here, and yes I cannot deny it, Indian cooking is by far my favourite style so I may be a little biased. Bear with me I do move on I promise. I have included garam masala because it is a wonderful coverall kind of spice, or more precisely, a mixture of spices, which can be used to knock up a simple curry with little fuss. Different brands have slightly difference blends so it might be worth trying a few to see which one suits your palette best.

6. Ginger

In my eyes ginger is the king of all spices. It is used frequently in curries (sorry!), far eastern and oriental cooking. It can be used in cakes and puddings and can also be enjoyed as refreshing beer or a hot soothing tea. There is nothing this little rhizome can't do.

For a savoury meal treat try frying up some slices of ginger with beef. The zingy taste of ginger works beautifully with the earthy beef and is a staple in Oriental cooking. Also, give pickled ginger and white fish a go, it is a marriage made in heaven.

For the sweet-toothed among you try ginger and orange together in a sponge pudding. The zing and the zest work together to create a delightfully spicy and refreshing treat.

7. Basil

Fresh basil leaves crunched up and sprinkled over olive oil drenched tomatoes with mozzarella is as near to heaven as you are going to get. However, if you are like me and find it impossible to keep a basil plant alive for more than a day you can opt for the dried stuff in a jar. The flavour won't be anywhere near as intense but it will be enough to make a simple pasta sauce delicious.

I find basil works beautifully with most white fish, especially if your enlist the help of garlic and a spot of lemon juice and is the natural partner of tomatoes and cheese. But don't restrict this sweet and warming herb to just these few dishes. Try sprinkling over a coconut rich Thai curry. The flavours blend beautifully together and the little speckles of green break up the monotonous colour of the sauce.

8. Coriander (Cilantro)

I know I promised to move away from the curry theme but no list of herbs and spices would be complete without coriander. And while it is true that coriander is a main stay in most curry dishes it should by no means be restricted to this type of dish alone.

Coriander is slightly citric in nature and therefore works great with fish dishes and seafood. Try sprinkling over king prawns or calamari, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Due to it's fresh cooling nature it works wonderfully in salsas or sprinkled over tomatoes, cucumber and even watermelon.


So there you have it, my top 8 herbs and spices that no kitchen should be without. With this small selection you will me able to make a multitude of delicious dishes (and not just curry) with little fuss and expense.

Happy cooking!

The Harvest

The sun is shinning, the skies are blue so there is only one thing for me to do. Yep, that's right folks I'm going to don the wellies, put on my gloves and head down to the allotment.

There is nothing quite like growing your own food. It can be very rewarding. To see the fruits of your labour sprouting out of the ground can give you a comforting sense of mother nature's awesome power. Your mind boggles at the seemingly infinity possibilities and you can think of little else other then what delicious fare you can conjure up from all this produce.

However, it can also be heartbreaking. You have toiled for months and one day you have a beautiful crop promising a wonderful bounty only to discover the next day it has all been eaten by a freak swarm of some evil critter, hell bent on ruining your life.

Oh the joys of the allotment!


We have only just got our allotment after being on various waiting lists for over a year. It is already established with a gluttony of turnips, beetroot and carrots which are just begging to be dug up and roasted with a nice herby butter.

There is just one slight downside; it has been left unloved for months and as a result the weeds have moved in and set up home. There is a lot of work to do but let's face it, that's part of the fun, right?




Before we can get the plot back to it's former glory we need to harvest all the goodies that are already in the ground. So with spade in hand, lets get to work!






After a couple of hours of pulling, digging, sorting and bagging we eventually had ourselves an assortment of tasty vegetables ready to take home and transform into something delicious.

So now it's time to decide what to do with all these wonderful vegetables.

I feel a recipe coming on...






I cannot take credit for this following recipe. It's one I found whilst researching and it looked so simple but tasty I just have to give it a try.

Shredded Root Vegetable Pancakes:

Credit - Eating Well

And here it is: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/shredded_root_vegetable_pancakes.html

I find it almost impossible to follow a recipe without adding something or substituting an ingredient for something else.  That's one of best things about cooking; taking inspiration from others but making it your own with a few little twists. In this particular case, I had to use wasabi instead of horseradish because that was all I had in the cupboard (don't use anywhere near as much, 1 tsp is plenty). I used turnips as well as the beetroot and the carrots and used fresh coriander instead of dill. I am not a fan of dill. I also used gluten free flour owing to the fact my husband Jon is intolerant to gluten.

Nonetheless the little pancakes turned out great and I served them up as a side dish to nice bit of roast chicken with roast potatoes.

Fun Food Facts:

• "Jack-o-lanterns were originally carved out of turnips. It is only when the tradition reached America that pumpkins started to be used instead." - www.turnpitime.co.uk

• "One of the earliest known benefits of beetroot is its use as an aphrodisiac during the Roman times. And it wasn’t all folklore as it has been found to contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones." - www.lovebeetroot.com

Coming up soon...

Halloween special - including my attempt at carving a turnip!

If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see in future posts please feel free to leave a comment below.

Heaven in a Mug

Through the rain battered window screen of my little Fiesta I tried to see through the gloomy mist as I made my way home from work. Wet and cold all I wanted to do was get home. Get into my fluffy slippers and curl up with a nice hot drink. After the day I had had neither tea nor coffee was going to satisfy me. There was only one drink that could cure my autumnal blues and that my friends is mug of steaming Hot Chocolate.

I am quite partial to a hot chocolate and regularly reach for the tin of powdery goodness, however, today calls for something more, something more luxurious, something more decendent. Today, I must capture Heaven in a Mug.

I hastened to the supermarket and quickly gathered the necessary ingredients to prepare this magical fabled drink of the gods. I hurried home through the gloom but now with a lightened heart at the prospect of soon being able to hold in my hands the smooth sweet taste of heaven.

What I will share with you now my friends is the secret to how to make the drink that has the power to lift the heaviest heart.

You will need the following ingredients:

40-50g of 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate
1 level tsp of Nutmeg (freshly grated)
1 generous pinch of Red Chilli (fresh, very finely chopped)
1 cup of Whole Milk
2 floz of double cream (whipped)

1. Whip the double cream until it is stiff.
2. Melt the chocolate in a pan until smooth. If you have an electric hob and can't control the heat easily use a larger pan of hot water and melt the chocolate in a smaller pan over the top. You are much less likely to burn the chocolate.
3. Add the nutmeg and chilli and stir in well.
4. Add the milk a little at a time stirring all the time to avoid the chocolate becoming stuck to the pan.
5. Once all the chocolate has dissolved into the milk turn up the heat a little and bring it up to almost boiling.
6. Pour into a big mug, spoon in a couple of spoonfuls of whipped cream on top and grate a little chocolate over the top.

You are now ready to curl up on the couch and be transported to heaven.

Enjoy! x

Winter is coming!

It's the first day of October and there's a definite chill in the air. So what better time to start thinking about big hearty food to keep your belly warm and happy! Therefore I have decided to share some of my winter recipes for you to try out.

To celebrate my first ever post I thought I would share a brand new recipe cooked up in the kitchen tonight - Shoulder of Venison with a Mushroom and Spinach Sauce.

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 portions of Vension Shoulder
100g Smoked Bacon Lardons
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
200g of Mushrooms
2 Balls of Frozen Spinach
1 Medium Onion finely chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic
Flour (quantity unknown)
Generous Pinch of Salt
A Couple of Pinches of Roughly Ground Pepper
1/2 Pint of Vegetable Stock
A Generous Splash of Worcester Sauce
1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
2 tsp Dried Rosemary

1. Rub the Vension with some of the salt and pepper and put to one side.
2. In a large oven proof pan fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil just until the onions softened but not browned.
3. Add the salt, pepper and rosemary to the hot oil and mix in but don't put it back onto the heat.
4. Add the Vension and the lardons to the pan and cover with the vegetable stock.
5. Put the pan in the oven, with a lid on, at approximately 180 degrees for about 45mins. Check every now and again there is still enough stock to cover the meat.
6. After approximately 45 minutes remove the pan from the oven and using a fine sieve to drain out the oil, stock and lovely meat juices into another pan. This will now be used for the sauce.
7. Add the mushrooms and spinach (defrost spinach first) to the oven pan along with the meat and onions etc.
8. Put the stock pan over a very low heat and add the flour a tiny bit at a time until the stock begins to thicken into a sauce. While the mixture is still quite watery add a good couple of squirts of tomato puree, probably equal to about a table spoon. Also add the Worcester Sauce at this stage, the amount is up to personal taste but less is usually more. Keep adding the flour a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If you go too far and the sauce becomes very thick remove from the heat completely and add a little bit of water at a time and stir well.
9. Pour the sauce over the meat, onions, spinach and mushrooms and stir in well.
10. Put back into the oven for another 15 mins at 180 degrees.
11. Remove from oven and serve up. Serve with potatoes (mashed, roasted, boiled any way you prefer) and a selection of vegetables.

Enjoy!