Saturday 22 February 2014

NYC EATS


NYC EATS

Bozu Williamsburg
EAT -
Party Bomb
Tofu Salad
Special Seafood Curry

Miss Lily's-West Houston
EAT -
Fish Tacos
Grilled Pork Ribs
Jerk Grilled Corn
Hot Pepper Shrimp
Drink - Jargaritas

The Little Prince -Prince St Soho
EAT -
Ceviche
Ratatouille
Tuna Cevice

Go for amazing sushi
EAT -
Ribs
Crab rolls

Hots Spots -
Rosemary-

Charlie Bird -


Thursday 20 February 2014

GET PREPPED FOR THE WKND -TRY MY Spanish Style Start to The Day




This dish offers a really tasty variation on a traditional start to the day while offering you the chance to not waste the leftovers of last nights dinner. Who doesn't love hash browns and who doesn't love an even more exciting version of them with the option of added spice? Perfect for a weekend treat when you've got a bit of time.

Spanish Style Start to The Day

Feeds 4-6
Cooking / Preparation Time - 45 mins 

Ingredients - 
5-6 x Large potatoes -Maris Piper are best or whatever you have leftover from your roast
300g x Fresh spinach - Thoroughly wash and pan fry until wilted
300g x Padron peppers - Wash and leave whole and pan fry with rock salt
Free Range/Organic eggs - Allow one per serving
2 x Handfuls of cherry tomatoes
1 x White onion - Finely sliced
1 x Spring onion - Finely sliced
1 x Handful of grated mature veggie cheddar
1/2 x Fresh bunch of coriander
1 x Medium red chilli - Finely sliced
Few glugs of olive oil
Few nobs of butter

Hollandaise Sauce-
125g Butter
2 x Large Egg Yolks (or 3 regular egg yolks)
1tbs x White wine vinegar
Sprinkle of rock Salt & black pepper
1/2 x Lemon juice

Instructions - 

If you've already scoffed all your leftover roast potatoes then start by washing the potatoes, leaving the skin on then chopping into 2 inch cubes and boiling in salted water for 12/15minutes until soft.
Once cooked drain and add to a roasting dish. Add a few glugs of oil along with a couple of nobs of butter and mix the potatoes up so all sides are covered. Season with salt and pepper and add the cherry tomatoes before placing under the grill on high and grill for 10 minutes until golden. Once one side has gone golden and and crispy turn the potatoes and sprinkle the cheese over them before returning to the grill for a further ten minutes until the cheese has melted and started to go crispy.
Whilst you're grilling the potatoes add the washed spinach to a frying pan and let it wilt. Once it's wilted and the water has evaporated remove the spinach from the pan and add a small glug of oil, the sliced onions and the washed padron peppers. Fry on a high heat with a sprinkle of rock salt and cook for 3/4 minutes until the onion are translucent but not golden and the padron peppers have softened. Put to one side or in the bottom of the oven to keep them warm whilst you fry your eggs and make up the hollandaise sauce.
Allow an egg per serving unless you're feeding particularly burley men and keep the eggs warm in the bottom of the oven if you've got a few to get done.
For the hollandaise sauce, melt the butter on a medium to low heat and add the white wine vinegar so both are warm, then gradually add the mixture to your egg yolks and whisk until thick, smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice and give it another thorough whisk. Use a hand whisk for ease or whisk away for a while longer by hand- You should serve these immediately once it's made or keep warm in a bain-marie.

I like to serve this up in one dish so everyone can help themselves plus it lets all the flavours combine and gives you one less job to do!
I served this on a chopping board but a serving plate or large bowl works just as well. Start with the potatoes and tomatoes then add the spinach, onions and padron peppers. Spread these over the top of the potatoes followed by the fresh coriander and finally your fried eggs. Top with the sliced spring onion and chilli if you fancy it.
Pan fried chorizo is an amazing addition to this dish, you can also get a vegetarian version which isn't too far off, it tastes pretty good - you can find it here http://www.veggiestuff.com/acatalog/wheaty-gran-chorizo.html




Friday 14 February 2014

HOMEMADE STICKY PEANUT BUTTER & CHILLI KALE CHIPS

Go crazy for Valentines day...


With everyone going mad for a kale chip, including Pret A Manger, I couldn't resist posting my own recipe and a slightly more indulgent and tasty one at that. 
I would say this counts as a petty good guilt free snack...You can make these up in bulk and add the  sticky chilli peanut sauce just before you're about to tuck in. If you're feeling particularly strict and can handle your spice then leave out the honey and peanut butter and opt for the chilli oil, it works just as well.

HOMEMADE STICKY PEANUT BUTTER & CHILLI KALE CHIPS 

Cooking / Preparation Time - 20mins
Feeds - 4/6 as a snack

Ingredients -
400g or 1 x large Bag of Purple/Green Kale - Washed then patted dry with kitchen towel and chopped into bite size chunks
1 x Large glug of olive oil
Generous pinch of rock salt & black pepper
1 x Tbsp of runny honey

Sticky Chilli & Peanut Dressing -
1 X Tbsp of peanut butter
1 x Tsp of honey
1 x Glug of olive oil
Small pinch of rock salt
Small pinch of white pepper
1/2 x Tsp of chilli flakes (more if you can take the heat)
1/2 x Medium Red Chilli - Finely sliced

Cooking Instructions - 

This is a great quick recipe to make some healthy(ish) snacks. Packed full of iron, they are a great alternative to crisps!

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
Start by thoroughly washing the kale, then roughly chop into generous bite size pieces and pat dry with kitchen towel.  Combine, the olive oil, honey, and seasoning until the honey dissolves into the oil then dip and coat each piece of kale in the honeyed oil. Next lay onto an oven tray, using the metal rack to allow the heat to circulate all around the kale and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. At halfway check the kale and turn to allow the other side to krispen up. 

Whilst the kale is cooking combine the peanut butter, honey, chilli flakes, fresh chilli and seasoning until throughly combined. Once your kale is ready generously drizzle your mixture over it ensuring all sides are covered. If you wanted to be super thorough then mix it through the kale in a large bowl. Taste for seasoning and spice. Serve warm or wait until cooled. YUM!






Wednesday 12 February 2014

(Very Nearly Carb Free) Fishy Fish Pie



(Nearly Carb Free) Fishy Fish Pie

Cooking / Preparation time - 40mins
Feeds - 6


250g of Fresh salmon - Pin boned, skinned and chopped into inch chunks
12 x King prawns - Heads and tails removed & chopped into three
250g of Smoked haddock - Pin boned, skinned and chopped into inch chunks
Glug of rapeseed oil
2 x Star anise
1 x Large bulb of fennel - Roughly cubed
1 x White onion - Finely diced
2 x Garlic cloves - Crushed & finely sliced
1 x Cup of white wine
1 x Pint of fish stock
1 x Fresh parsley - Washed and finely sliced
60g x Mature cheddar - Finely grated
White pepper / Fresh black pepper
Rock salt
2 x Tbsp of plain flour
1 x Large broccoli
1 x Large cauliflower

Cooking Instructions -

This is pretty close to being a carb free pie meaning it's a great option for those watching their weight this time of year. It's a perfect wholesome winter warmer without the usual guilt that comes with a nice, hearty meal. 

Start by washing then slicing both the broccoli and cauliflower into small florets roughly the same size.  Add to a roasting tray and season with rapeseed oil and salt & pepper roasting on 180 degrees Celsius for 10/12 minutes.
For the fish pie, combine the onion, garlic, star anise and fennel in a pan, adding salt and black pepper and cooking for 3/4 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the white wine and cook on a medium to high heat (to cook off the alcohol from the white wine) for a further 3 minutes. Next add in the fish stock and cook for a further 5 minutes before adding the flour and stirring until all the flour dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken. Prepare the fish and add to the onions, fennel and thick stock, adding the chopped parsley before taking the fish mixture off the heat, letting the fish cook in the hot stock off the hob.
Drain off the excess liquid/stock from the fish mixture and put to one side, you should have at least 1/4 of a pint. Pour the rest of the mixture into the bottom of your pie dish and then evenly add on the cauliflower and broccoli on top.
With the stock left over add in the grated cheese, saving a small amount to sprinkle on top later. Mix thoroughly then pour over the top of the broccoli and cauliflower, adding the remaining cheese on top. Place the pie back in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese starts to golden. Serve immediately with any type of greens you fancy.







Sunday 9 February 2014

Sunday Baking... Super Simple Lemon Drizzle Cake




Sunday Baking...

Super Simple Lemon Drizzle Cake

175g x Butter - softened
175g x Caster sugar
2 x Lemons
3x Free range eggs
100g x Self-raising flour
75g x Ground almonds
1 x Tbsp of milk
100g x Demerara sugar

INSTRUCTIONS -

Pre Heat to oven to 180 degrees.
Combine the sugar and butter together until it turns soft and fluffy and add the entire zest of one lemon.
Then combine all three eggs and a pinch of salt. 
Sift over the flour and fold in, then add in the almonds then add a tbsp of milk.
Add the mixture to your loaf tin - make sure you add grease proof paper first.
Cook for 50 to 55 minutes, check it's cooked by prodding with a skewer - none of the mixture should come out on the skewer if it's cooked through. 

For the lemon drizzle bit combine the juice of both lemons, the zest of one lemon and the demerara sugar then poke around 10 holes in the cake and pour over the drizzle mixture. Do this while the cake is still warm so the sugar melts. 
Let the cake cool and serve. 
SO GOOD!









Saturday 1 February 2014

Shakshuka- Quick Carb Free Brunch



Quick Carb Free Brunch 

Feeds 4/6
Cooking Time 1hrs
Ingredients -
1 x Red onion - Roughly chopped
2 x Cloves of garlic - Crushed and roughly chopped
2 x Tin cherry tomatoes
1x Medium red chilli - Finely sliced
Fresh oregano - Small handful, finely sliced
2 x Tsp of smoked paprika
Salt & black/white pepper

Garnishes -
1/4 x Cucumber - Finely cubed
Bag of lambs lettuce - Few sprigs per person
1 x Vine fresh cherry tomatoes - Finely cubed
1 x Spring onions - Finely sliced
Crispy fried onions - Small sprinkle per person (I cheat and buy these by the pot from the vietnamese but frying finely chopped shallots in oil works just as well.)
1x Egg per person (add these 3 mins before serving)

Combine the red onion and garlic in a large pan with a dash of oil and cook for three minutes until the onion starts to soften. Ensuring you don't brown the garlic, add the tinned tomatoes, chilli, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook on a medium heat and taste after 20 mins for seasoning and adjust accordingly. For more of a smoky kick add extra paprika or chilli. For the poached egg boil a pan of water,  instead of stirring the boiling water with a spoon, whisk it vigorously, before sliding in the egg (previously broken into a ramekin, with a drop of vinegar) and turn down the heat, cook for 2 minutes. Allow one egg per person. Or for ease just crake eggs into tomato sauce and cook for 3/4 minutes on the hob or in the oven.

To garnish: Chop as instructed and just sprinkle on top...serve and enjoy