Watermelon Margarita Wedges

Cut a watermelon into triangles/wedges (halve, then quarter lengthwise, then slice)
Place in a large container (with a fitted lid)
Pour tequila over
Squeeze over fresh lime

Let soak/infuse over night (give it a shake every so often if you have time). You can leave the squeezed lime wedges in with the watermelon.

Before serving, arrange on a platter and sprinkle with Maldon salt.


The original recipe is from Martha Stewart and calls for Triple Sec, but true to my nature, I forgot to check the recipe and just went with what I remembered. And it was marvellous. What an amazingly delicious, refreshing solid cocktail on a warm day (erm...or any other day...)

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Granola Porridge/ Oatmeal

I have never been a massive porridge fan. Until now. I made this mixture for my granola bars but decided to make porridge with it when I ran out of the Ready Brek that Olivia has every morning. And that's it now, no more Ready Brek for us. I should sell this stuff!

I make a massive batch and keep in a big plastic contained on the counter. This is why I am not a good baker... The throw in whatever you think will suit method is more my style. So I did.

I find it much easier to make the dry mixture in bulk, then add to wet ingredients when you are ready to cook.

To make porridge, add twice as much milk as porridge (1 cup oats, 2 cups milk). 

Here it is, and please adapt with whatever you like in yours. Apologies for not providing measurements, though this way, you make it the way you want it! 

Oats (Buy cheap oats, it really doesn't matter)

Dessicated coconut

Brown sugar 

Dried fruits: raisins, cherries, dates, apricots, banana, pineapple, mango.... (I buy bags of mixed, dried fruits + exotic dried fruits + dates + dried banana)

Seeds (I use pumpkin seeds)

A little salt

Cinnamon

So, to make breakfast, give the tub a good shake, grab a cup of the mixture, throw it in a pyrex bowl with 2 cups milk and microwave (stir after 2 mins).

I sometimes add a little honey (1 tbsp for 2 portions) as I cook it (microwave or stovetop).

To make granola bars, melt some honey, butter and a little olive oil together in a bowl in the microwave, then add oats, a little at a time, until it's sticky, but not too dry or wet. Cover a baking tin with baking parchment and press mixture down firmly. Bake at 150C for 25 mins. These are the moistest, fruitiest, most delicious bars ever!

My recipe is very loosely based on Ina Garten's home made granola bars, though I didn't add nuts and didn't toast the oats before baking.

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Vietnamese Coffee - Hot or Iced

Morning all! 
I have a new morning staple now and I love it! 
First of all, I am completely addicted to Vietnamese coffee, after being served this in Majorca (!). 
It is also amazing as an Iced coffee, just pour over a glass full of ice cubes (yes, liquid can be boiling hot. There will still be ice cubes and the drink will get cold). 
I prefer to make my coffee with instant espresso powder for richness. Put 2 tsp powder in a mug, fill with boiling water and add 2 tsp sweetened, condensed milk. Be warned, this is a sweet coffee but oh so delicious! 

Image source

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Orange Marmalade with Whiskey and Ginger

1.5 kg oranges
2 lemons
2.5 l water
3 kg sugar
2 thumbsize chunks fresh ginger
100 ml whiskey

Scrub oranges and lemons, then place them in a big pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hrs under a lid.
Remove with a slotted spoon and let the fruit cool.
When cooled, halve the fruit and remove any pips.
Peel the ginger (always do this using a teaspoon), cut into chunks and put in the food processor. Run until cut fine, then add the fruits; skin, pith and all. Run food processor until you have achieved the desired consistency.
Pour the sugar into a large pot, then add the mixture from the food processor. Add water, mix well and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hrs until liquid has reduced, stirring occasionally. At the end, turn up the heat and boil liquid until you reach the desired consistency.
Let liquid cool 15 mins before adding whiskey. Stir well and add to clean jars, using a jug to pour.
The liquid is so hot, it'll sterilize your jars and even create a vacuum. Simply pour in the liquid, leaving a little room for expansion, screw lid on tight, then turn the jars upside down to sterilize the lid also.
Once cooled, store in a dark, cool place.
Take extreme caution when working with this as jam can cause severe burns.

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An easy way to "wrap" Christmas presents

This year, we are not wrapping any pressies. Instead, I've been the Chinese supermarket, who does wholesale for catering, and bought a huge load of brown paper bags.
I plan to stencil each bag with a cute pattern, either from doilies or stencils that I use for Nordic Touch, then just staple the top shut so that the gift is not on display.

Cute, clever and easy!

I have made 5 different designs here, you can buy them from my shop, Nordic Touch at a really good price!

Visit my shop, Nordic Touch for affordable and unique interior accessories - the perfect place to pick up a gift!

Basmati Lemon Ginger Rice

I am not normally a big rice fan. At all. I think rice tends to be bland and always have considered it a base for food, something that mops up the sauce.

Not any more.

As previously mentioned, I always save lemon halves, whether I have used the juice or zest of both. Even if they have been juiced, there is always some pulp left that will flavour your rice. So, my freezer has a bag full of these "shells".

I add a couple of halves of the lemons, a nice chunk of ginger, peeled and roughly sliced (I'd buy a chuck that's about twice the size of your thumb) and a chunk of butter (say...3 tbsp?)
Boil this up with water, then add your rice as usual.

Serve the rice in a bowl with the lemon and ginger still in, but warn your guests so they can pick them out ;)

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Easy and Delicious Chicken Curry

Chicken curry (serves 4)

This recipe is as authentic as it gets. My mother was served this by an Indian friend and begged her for the recipe. I believe it was a family recipe.
It is fragrant, just hot enough, very flavourful and extremely easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 ts cumin seeds
• 4 medium sized onions, finely chopped (use food processor)
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 ts fresh ginger, grated
• 4 ts garam masala
• 3 ts turmeric
• 3 ts salt
• 1/2 ts red chilli powder (or more to taste)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1.2 kg chicken fillets, cut into approx 1 inch chunks

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir for 30 seconds to release the aroma.
2. Add onions and cook till golden brown, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add ginger, garlic and the rest of the spices and stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the tin of tomatoes and cook the mixture for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens.
4. Add the chicken and make sure all pieces are coated well in the mixture. 
5. Pour in 150ml water, bring back to the boil and let simmer for 12-15 mins on medium heat under a lid. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

Check for seasoning. Add more salt/chilli/garam masala to taste.

If you want a thicker consistency, add a little more water.

Serve with naan bread or rice of your choice. My favourite rice (so much so that this is the ONLY way I will cook rice from now on), is Basmati lemon ginger rice.

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The 3 day* pasta challenge

*This was supposed to be a week long pasta challenge, but I have to admit I am getting a little sick of pasta now and need a little break (my Italian friends will kill me for saying that!)...

...I designed this challenge for myself to clear some room in the cupboards and use up some bits and bobs I had in the fridge. I decided each meal had to be made up largely of things I already have in, although I'm allowed to supplement with one ingredient. I love what I call "fridge cleaner meals", and this has been fun!

Day 1: Beef/Broccoli/Boursin Pasta

I had some marinated beef left, 1 head of broccoli, some parmesan and a whole Boursin cheese.
I boiled penne pasta (reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid) and added a whole Boursin cheese + the leftover grated parmesan I had in the fridge. To make a sauce, I added pretty much the whole cup of cooking liquid.
I sliced and fried 5 cloves of garlic in a generous amount of olive oil (this helps with the sauce later) and added the sliced beef (just to warm it and coat in the garlic oil) before adding to the pasta.
Lastly, I sauteed the broccoli florets and added these to the pasta also.

Day 2: Salmon & artichoke pasta with cream cheese sauce

I decided to bread the salmon by first rolling it in flour seasoned with salt and blackened seasoning, then dip in egg, then cover in parmesan breadcrumbs. For a healthier option, I grilled the salmon rather than frying it.

I boiled the pasta and threw in the rest of the frozen peas I had in the freezer in the last 4 minutes or so of cooking, drained (again, reserve a cup of the cooking liquid), then added a small tub of Philadelhia cheese with chives. I then sauteed a tin of artichoke hearts (quartered) with some chilli flakes and pepper, then added this to the pasta before topping with the grilled fish.

Day 3: Puttanesca

My twist on an old classic! I mashed 5 cloves of garlic and a whole, red chilli (chopped, with seeds and all) with a bit of salt in a pestle and mortar to make a sauce. I covered this in olive oil and left it to "marinade" in the oil until I was ready to start cooking.

I cooked pasta as before, sauteed chopped, black kale (never cooked with this before!) in a pan, then added a whole tin of anchovies (oil and all), waited for the them to dissolve, then added the whole chilli/garlic mash and the rest of the capers I had in the fridge. After sauteeing the mixure to release all the flavours, I added some chopped olives and a tin of tomatoes, heated through and added to the pasta.

This is a pretty potent mix, not for the fain hearted. But if you like strong flavours, like me, this is gooood!

Fig & Walnut Bread

(For bread machine)

I use a Russel Hobbs so check the instructions on your machine to make sure you add the ingredients in the recommended order.

360g water (tepid)
1.5 T oil
520g white flour
80g rye
2.5 t salt
2.5 t sugar
200g dried, chopped figs
11g/ 1 sachet yeast
1 cup chopped walnuts

This makes a large loaf (in my machine, anyway).

Ideally, serve with butter, cheese and a good chutney. Delicious and simple!

Black Bean Avocado Salsa with Corn

This is amazing. So good. It's crunchy, sweet, hot and savoury, all at the same time! Adapted from Guy Fieri's recipe.

I have served this over my Mexican Lasagne, in Fajitas, Tacos and with tortilla chips and it all works so well!

Ingredients

• 2 corn on the cob
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing the corn
• 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 2 ripe but firm avocadoes, pitted and diced
• One can black beans, drained
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• Juice of 1 to 2 limes
• 1 red or green chili, finely diced
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A handful chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the grill over medium-high heat.

Rub the corn with olive oil and place onto the grill and cook until nicely charred on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Allow to cool slightly prior to removing the kernels and transferring to a large bowl.

Add the cherry tomatoes, avocados, black beans and onions to the grilled corn kernels.

Mix together the 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, cumin, garlic, lime juice, chili, cayenne, and salt and black pepper to taste in a separate bowl. Whisk together, as you would to make a vinaigrette, and pour over the corn mixture. Mix together gently so everything is coated well, and then fold in the cilantro and scallions.