a little of wat you fancy..

A little of wat you fancy does you good, or at least that is what my Gran always said. I am a 24 year old culinary enthusiast with a huge cook book collection that has been sat on the shelf for way too long. So 2011 is the year for change. I am going to cook 1 new recipe each week be it from a book, a friend, a tv program or some other inspiration. I want to challenge my food rut and hopefully help inspire other people along the way who want to do the same.

Also I do realise 'wat' is missing a 'h' I really wanted the name and the properly spelt way was taken, hense the slight alteration!

NB Please note that all rights are reserved to any photography displayed on this blog

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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor

 

Well I made it to Australia and had my first hot Christmas which is really weird but it has been a fantastic experience so far. I have been bad with the one recipe a week resolution since I arrived as making new recipes requires my own kitchen and a bit of planning which hasn’t always been possible. So here are two recipes I did over Christmas as a means of a catch up for the 6 weeks I missed…oops!

I had a few people to get present for so I decided to make chutney for all my relations. My sister gave a foolproof quick to make recipe which I used and has gone down a treat. It is ready straight away and this recipe makes about 6 jars.

Nai’s Red Onion Chutney

Ingredients

  • 1kg red onions
  • 150g stick butter
  • 1 cup sugar (castor)
  • 2 tsp salt and same of pepper
  • 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/3 cup red wine
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

1)    Peel and slice onions thinly.

2)    Melt butter and hold your nerve until it becomes deep brown nut colour, careful not to burn though.

3)    Chuck in onions salt sugar and pepper. Stir well and then simmer for about 30 mins covered, keep an eye it doesn’t catch.

4)    Add rest of stuff and cook another 30 mins stirring regularly. Cook gently, don’t reduce too much and you can skim off excess butter that floats to top when it cools.

5)    Put into clean jars that have been blasted in the microwave for 2 mins on high then allowed to cool.

6)    Let the mixture completely cool before fastening the lids. Present with material covering the lid and a label.

Next is the figgy puddings! These are a relly cute idea that looks good, is relatively simple albeit a little fiddly. We had a big Christmas carols party at the family’s home I am staying so naturally gave people a hand in the kitchen. Anyway we made these to go out on Christmas Eve and they went down really well.

Figgy puddings

Ingredients

  • A pack of teacakes (the marshmallow chocolate covered biscuits)
  • White chocolate
  • Strawberry liquorish or some other red confectionary item
  • Green gummy sweets like snakes etc

Method

1)    Take the teacakes out and put them on a tray in the fridge so that they are nice and cool. In the meantime melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan with hot water in it.

2)    Take a sharp knife or scissors and trim really small pieces off the green gummy sweet which you’ll use later as leaves. Roll up the strawberry liquorish into balls for the berries.

3)    Let the melted chocolate cool slightly then put into a piping bag and then bring out the cold teacakes piping on the chocolate so that it looks like icing. Be warned the piping bag will probably get very hot.

4)    Before the icing has cooled assemble the berries and green leaves then place in the fridge again to cool. Serve when you are ready!

 

So this was my final week in the country for a while as I am off to Australia for a year for a bit of an adventure. Rest assured I’ll continue with the blog when I can, bringing you exciting recipes from across the pond. This week me and the boyfriend attempted Nasi Goreng which is an Indonesian rice dish we both love. We did look for recipes online but didn’t find anything we thought was right so ended up making a lot of it up. It worked fantastically and was a great way to spend an evening. As with any dish make sure you make it to your tastes so taste as you go along and add more or put in less ingredients to get it right for you! Nasi Goreng Ingredients Cooked rice (enough for 2) 200g meat of your choice (we used pork) 150g large prawns 1 onion chopped 3 cloves of garlic Red chilli (we used 2 large ones but it depends on your spice level) 1 1/2 tsp shrimp paste 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp whole peppercorns 1 tsp whole coriander seeds 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp brown sugar Juice of 2 limes 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger 3 tbsp sesame oil Vegetables to your taste (we used baby sweetcorn, sugarsnap peas and purple sprouting and if you want to make it vegetarian just omit the meat) Pickled ginger, fresh coriander and lime to garnish Method First make the paste so add 1/3 of the onion, garlic cloves, chilli, shrimp paste, turmeric, peppercorns, coriander, soy, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to a mixture or pestle and mortar and wizz/grind into a paste. Then in a large wok/pan heat a tablespoon of the oil and add in the meat and prawns with a few tablespoons of paste, fry until cooked through. Next add the remaining onion and other vegetables with another tablespoon of the paste and a few tablespoons of water to make sure the mixture stays a little moist. After a 5 minutes cooking the vegetables stir in the rice with the remaining paste. Keep stirring until the rice is coated in the paste and is piping hot. Make sure you try the mixture before serving to ensure it is how you want it then serve by pressing the rice down into a bowl then place a plate on top of the bowl and turn then both upside down. Shake it slightly so that the rice releases from the sides. Garnish with some lime and pickled ginger at the side with some fresh coriander on top. Enjoy! 

So this was my final week in the country for a while as I am off to Australia for a year for a bit of an adventure. Rest assured I’ll continue with the blog when I can, bringing you exciting recipes from across the pond. This week me and the boyfriend attempted Nasi Goreng which is an Indonesian rice dish we both love. We did look for recipes online but didn’t find anything we thought was right so ended up making a lot of it up. It worked fantastically and was a great way to spend an evening.

As with any dish make sure you make it to your tastes so taste as you go along and add more or put in less ingredients to get it right for you!

Nasi Goreng

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice (enough for 2)
  • 200g meat of your choice (we used pork)
  • 150g large prawns
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • Red chilli (we used 2 large ones but it depends on your spice level)
  • 1 1/2 tsp shrimp paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • Vegetables to your taste (we used baby sweetcorn, sugarsnap peas and purple sprouting and if you want to make it vegetarian just omit the meat)
  • Pickled ginger, fresh coriander and lime to garnish

Method

  1. First make the paste so add 1/3 of the onion, garlic cloves, chilli, shrimp paste, turmeric, peppercorns, coriander, soy, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to a mixture or pestle and mortar and wizz/grind into a paste.
  2. Then in a large wok/pan heat a tablespoon of the oil and add in the meat and prawns with a few tablespoons of paste, fry until cooked through.
  3. Next add the remaining onion and other vegetables with another tablespoon of the paste and a few tablespoons of water to make sure the mixture stays a little moist.
  4. After a 5 minutes cooking the vegetables stir in the rice with the remaining paste. Keep stirring until the rice is coated in the paste and is piping hot.
  5. Make sure you try the mixture before serving to ensure it is how you want it then serve by pressing the rice down into a bowl then place a plate on top of the bowl and turn then both upside down. Shake it slightly so that the rice releases from the sides.
  6. Garnish with some lime and pickled ginger at the side with some fresh coriander on top.
  7. Enjoy! 

I have been crashing at my boyfriends a lot recently and thought it was about time that I cooked a meal to say thank you. I went to the local ASDA to see what I could get inspired by and found a big bag of mussels on the fish counter for £3.50!! I couldn’t resist and thought I would do the French dish ‘Moules et Frites’ which basically is white wine and garlic mussels with French fries although you can also serve it with French bread if you would prefer. I am always a bit nervous about cooking mussels as food poisoning is always a worry. However if you make sure it is a fresh batch, are careful when you clean the mussels to discard and suspect mussels and if you listen to the old wives tale my mum told me and only buy them when there is a ‘r’ in the month then you should be set! This recipe is my Dad’s and is always a tasty addition to any table especially if you want to cater for a large group as it is a no fuss recipe. Enjoy! Moules et Frites Ingredients – serves 2 1kg fresh mussels 2 tbsp butter 3 sticks of celery sliced 2 cloves of garlic (or more if you want it super garlicy) 1 onion diced 1-2 glasses of wine 1/2 lemon juice (1/2 lemon for garnish) 2 tbsp chopped parsley Salt and pepper French fries or French bread to serve Method First things first you need to prepare the mussels. Normally when bought from a supermarket they will be pretty clean but you need to go through each one and scrape off any barnacles, pull off the ‘beards’ and making sure you discard any that are cracked or stay open after you tap them. Fresh mussels look black, shiny and should only pleasantly smell of the sea. The majority should be closed or if they have been in the fridge they will be sleepy so may be open but a quick tap on the shell should see them close. Discard any that smell really ‘fishy’, look dry or are mostly open. Keep them in the fridge until you are ready for them. Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the garlic and onions until they have softened. Add in the celery and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add in the cleaned mussels, white wine, lemon juice and add a lot of pepper and a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, shaking the pan every few minutes to allow the mussels to move around in the saucepan. Check after 10 minutes and if they aren’t done cook until the mussels are open wide and have gone a bit pink/orange in colour. Serve in bowls with fries or bread and a chunk of lemon. Make you have a bowl to put the shells in. Get stuck in!!

I have been crashing at my boyfriends a lot recently and thought it was about time that I cooked a meal to say thank you. I went to the local ASDA to see what I could get inspired by and found a big bag of mussels on the fish counter for £3.50!! I couldn’t resist and thought I would do the French dish ‘Moules et Frites’ which basically is white wine and garlic mussels with French fries although you can also serve it with French bread if you would prefer.

I am always a bit nervous about cooking mussels as food poisoning is always a worry. However if you make sure it is a fresh batch, are careful when you clean the mussels to discard and suspect mussels and if you listen to the old wives tale my mum told me and only buy them when there is a ‘r’ in the month then you should be set!

This recipe is my Dad’s and is always a tasty addition to any table especially if you want to cater for a large group as it is a no fuss recipe. Enjoy!

Moules et Frites

Ingredients – serves 2

  • 1kg fresh mussels
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 sticks of celery sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic (or more if you want it super garlicy)
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1-2 glasses of wine
  • 1/2 lemon juice (1/2 lemon for garnish)
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • French fries or French bread to serve

Method

  1. First things first you need to prepare the mussels. Normally when bought from a supermarket they will be pretty clean but you need to go through each one and scrape off any barnacles, pull off the ‘beards’ and making sure you discard any that are cracked or stay open after you tap them.
  2. Fresh mussels look black, shiny and should only pleasantly smell of the sea. The majority should be closed or if they have been in the fridge they will be sleepy so may be open but a quick tap on the shell should see them close. Discard any that smell really ‘fishy’, look dry or are mostly open. Keep them in the fridge until you are ready for them.
  3. Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the garlic and onions until they have softened. Add in the celery and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add in the cleaned mussels, white wine, lemon juice and add a lot of pepper and a pinch of salt. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, shaking the pan every few minutes to allow the mussels to move around in the saucepan.
  4. Check after 10 minutes and if they aren’t done cook until the mussels are open wide and have gone a bit pink/orange in colour. Serve in bowls with fries or bread and a chunk of lemon. Make you have a bowl to put the shells in.
  5. Get stuck in!!

Again this starts with another apology. I have still being doing one recipe each week (promise) however as I have moved house and am getting ready to go to Australia I haven’t always had as much time to blog.

Not to worry it is time to catch up now! It was my Dad’s birthday earlier this month and we thought we’d mark the occasion with some tasty food. Lidle do a fantastic deal on festive occasions where they have a whole cooked and frozen lobster for £5. I was also in ASDA the other day and they also have whole frozen lobster for around £7. We cooked lobster thermidor years ago so this was only the second time I had attempted a lobster dish.

As it was already cooked it was a case of waiting for the lobster to thaw and then extracting all the tasty flesh. If you don’t know how to do this look it up on google or some fish books have it in.  That said I do talk you through it in the recipe too so don’t worry. This is a Caribbean recipe from Rusty Lee’s ‘A taste of the Caribbean’. Hope you like it.

Lobster Sea Breeze

Ingredients – serves 2

  • I lobster cooked (if it is small add some king prawns, this makes it go further)
  • 1 onion diced
  • 5 tomatoes diced
  • 1 garlic clove chopped
  • 1 chilli pepper diced (use as much chilli as you are comfortable with)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 fl oz single cream
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Freshly crushed black pepper
  • 5 thyme springs (leaving some for decoration)
  • Rice and salad to serve

Method

  1. Firstly you need to get the meat off the lobster. Take a sharp knife and cut the lobster through from the head to the tail keeping the shell in tact if possible as this is used to serve. Swill out the clean shells with cold water and set aside.
  2. Remove the flesh (omitting the gills and intestines which are darker) and then break the lobster claws and remove the meat. Break the flesh up into chunks and set aside.
  3. In a saucepan heat the oil, sauté the onion and garlic. Add in the tomatoes, thyme (except a few springs for garnish) and chilli. If you don’t like a lot of spice then discard the chilli seeds. Let this simmer and reduce slightly and you can add a few tablespoons of tomato paste if you want it super tomatoey.
  4. Add in the chopped lobster meat and prawns. Allow the meat to heat through and the prawns to cook before adding the single cream. Cook for a further 5 minutes and sprinkle in the pepper.
  5. Put the tomato lobster sauce back in the shells and garnish with thyme. Serves with rice and salad.

Sorry I haven’t posted on here in a while. I have been rather preoccupied what with moving house, finishing my job an d then going to Greece for a friends wedding! No rest for the wicked and so consequently I haven’t been sat still long enough to post. I am now back at my family home for a few weeks and wanted to show you what I got up to last week.

One of my best friends got married last week to a fantastic guy and as a wedding present myself and my friend offered to make their wedding cake. We used the Hummingbird basic cake recipe I have already posted on here and made a huge lemon cupcake for the top then chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. We baked and decorated them out there and were pretty pleased with the result after 7 hours of baking!

However as with most things it wasn’t plain sailing and unfortunately the ‘fridge’ we put the cake in at the restaurant whilst we had the meal on the wedding day malfunctioned and turned into an oven. Consequently there was a slight situation with the main cake partially melting (!).

Luckily my friend was there whilst I was panicking, rolled up her sleeves and said “I work in conservation I can do this” (she does textile conservation) and set to work in the restaurant kitchen re icing the base whilst I re piped some of the icing on top. 

I was very happy for a glass of wine once we were done and the bride and groom loved it so that was the main thing. Nevertheless it still looked great in the end and here are the pictures to prove it!

This is my final week at my current address so I went round to some friends who live just round the corner for one last meal. I can never turn up empty handed so when they said they were cooking for everyone I offered to make a pudding. My boyfriend also came along and I had promised him a long time ago to make a Baked Alaska as it combines two of his favourite sweet things = cake and ice cream. I had made this before with my mum so this time I made it solo and I was mostly please with the meringue on top as it was crunchy on the edge and gooey in the middle perfect.

The other thing with a Baked Alaska is that because it melts you have to eat it all at once…shame! This recipe I got from Mary Berry’s Complete Cook Book.

Beth’s Baked Alaska

Ingredients – serves 8

  • Ready made flan sponge
  • 2 egg whites
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Tin of fruit – I used peaches

Method

  1. Unwrap your flan sponge (I know it feels like cheating but even Mary Berry told me to buy it) and place and a baking tray.
  2. Drain your fruit and assemble on the flan case. I often find the peach slices are too chunky so I cut each of them in half before adding them to the base. If you were like me and going somewhere then leave it at that for now and take the rest of the ingredients and a hand whisk with you.
  3. When you are about ready to bake put the oven onto gas mark 8/230c. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Whisk in the sugar a spoonful at a time and add a tsp of lemon juice. Keep whisking until the meringue is glossy and stiffer peaks start to form.
  4. Next scoop ice cream onto the fruit flan. I like to go for a good mound so get it on then.
  5. Now you need to work fast a spoon the meringue on top of the ice cream so that it covers it completely so that there are no gaps and you can’t see the ice cream through the white encasing. Sprinkle a little extra caster sugar on top and put in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the meringue goes brown.
  6. Serve and eat immediately!

I had a few friends over for dinner this week and I was shattered as it was the day after I ran a half marathon! Consequently I wanted something simple that I could throw together and wasn’t too heavy as I spent the end of last week carbo loading ready for the race.

This recipe is from a friend I used to work with who is also a big foodie. She made it for me when I went to visit her in her new place in London a few years ago now. Anyway I dug it out of my recipe book and gave it a whirl and it was fab!

Jess’s Smoked Salmon Tart and Summer Vegetable Tart 

Ingredients – makes 2 small tarts

  • 300ml Crème Fraiche
  • 3 eggs
  • 4oz smoked salmon
  • 4oz plain flour
  • 4oz self raising flour
  • 4 oz unsalted butter
  • Feta cheese
  • 1 tomato
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Mixed roast vegetables ( I did what was in my garden – courgette, beetroot, chard and mixed in some mushrooms)

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4/200c. Grease two 8 inch round tins (I use cake release which is just melted butter and flour sprinkled in to make a slight paste). Make the pastry by sieving the flour in a bowl and rubbing in the fat until it looks like bread crumbs. 
  2. Using a blunt knife mix in luke warm water until it forms a dough. Roll out the pastry and line the two tins.
  3. Combine the crème fraiche and eggs in a bowl, beat and season.
  4. Meanwhile bake your chosen vegetables for the vegetarian tart with some herbs – I used rosemary – and cooked until they had started to go brown (10-15 mins)
  5. Divide the crème fraiche mixture in two. Into one bowl add the vegetables and in the other add the salmon. Pour into the pastry casese and slice the tomato into wedges, decorate the top of each tart by placing the tomato slices in a circle. Sprinkle over the feta and bake for 20-30 mins until golden and the filling is risen and solid.
  6. Serve with new potatoes and salad!

NB you may need to put foil on the tarts part way through to stop the pastry burning.

I am off to Australia in a few months and as the count down has begun I am trying to see as many people as I can as much as I can. A lot of the time that involves having drinks and dinner. Last week an old friend came over for dinner which was a great excuse to find a super tasty new recipe to eat whilst we chatted about her upcoming wedding (VERY excited). This week’s recipe is from ‘Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals’ and it was stunning. I have to say he really did lie as this took around an hour. It is the prep that takes the time, maybe if I was a professional it would be 30 minutes but alas I am not and so it was more like an hour! Stuffed Cypriot Chicken with salads Ingredients – serves 2 2 chicken breasts 4 sun-dried tomatoes Large bunch of basil Bunch of parsley 1 clove of garlic 1 tsp oregano 50g feta 2 lemons 3 wholemeal pitta bread 1/4 white cabbage 1/2 onion 1/2 red chilli 1 tomato Green beans Olive oil Salt and pepper Method Pre-heat the oven gas 5/200c. Pile a small handful of parsley, some basil and sun dried tomatoes with a drizzle its oil and a pinch of pepper on a board. Crush over one garlic and chop up. Crumble over the feta and zest of 1 lemon and ensure it is mixed. Slice the chicken down the length of the breast on its side so that you have a pouch to stuff but the chicken flaps are still attached. Stuff the chicken with the herby feta filling and heat up some oil in a pan. Scrunch up a large piece of greaseproof paper and fallen out. Add the chicken to the pan and cover with the paper. Cook for 10 minutes or until crispy then put in the oven still covered. On the messy chopping board chop add some salt and pepper, a teaspoon of oregano, a crushed garlic clove and some lugs of olive oil. Take the pittas and wipe the breads in the all these flavours. Scrunch up a large piece of greaseproof paper and flatten then stack the breads on top of each other, cover then up in the paper and put in the oven. Meanwhile to make a french bean salad boil some water and add the trimmed beans, boil for a 5 minutes or until the beans are just cooked. Drain the water and place in a bowl with sliced tomato, chopped basil and season. For the second salad, the cabbage salad, slice the cabbage and onion really thinly. Add some parsley, basil, chilli to the bowl then ad the zest of the second lemon and juice of both lemons. Drizzle over some olive oil and season. Toss and take to the table! Serve all together with some tzatziki (a simple recipe for this is yoghurt, mint sauce, some ground cumin and diced cucumber).

I am off to Australia in a few months and as the count down has begun I am trying to see as many people as I can as much as I can. A lot of the time that involves having drinks and dinner. Last week an old friend came over for dinner which was a great excuse to find a super tasty new recipe to eat whilst we chatted about her upcoming wedding (VERY excited).

This week’s recipe is from ‘Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals’ and it was stunning. I have to say he really did lie as this took around an hour. It is the prep that takes the time, maybe if I was a professional it would be 30 minutes but alas I am not and so it was more like an hour!

Stuffed Cypriot Chicken with salads

Ingredients – serves 2

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 4 sun-dried tomatoes
  • Large bunch of basil
  • Bunch of parsley
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 50g feta
  • 2 lemons
  • 3 wholemeal pitta bread
  • 1/4 white cabbage
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 red chilli
  • 1 tomato
  • Green beans
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven gas 5/200c. Pile a small handful of parsley, some basil and sun dried tomatoes with a drizzle its oil and a pinch of pepper on a board. Crush over one garlic and chop up. Crumble over the feta and zest of 1 lemon and ensure it is mixed.
  2. Slice the chicken down the length of the breast on its side so that you have a pouch to stuff but the chicken flaps are still attached. Stuff the chicken with the herby feta filling and heat up some oil in a pan.
  3. Scrunch up a large piece of greaseproof paper and fallen out. Add the chicken to the pan and cover with the paper. Cook for 10 minutes or until crispy then put in the oven still covered.
  4. On the messy chopping board chop add some salt and pepper, a teaspoon of oregano, a crushed garlic clove and some lugs of olive oil. Take the pittas and wipe the breads in the all these flavours. Scrunch up a large piece of greaseproof paper and flatten then stack the breads on top of each other, cover then up in the paper and put in the oven.
  5. Meanwhile to make a french bean salad boil some water and add the trimmed beans, boil for a 5 minutes or until the beans are just cooked. Drain the water and place in a bowl with sliced tomato, chopped basil and season.
  6. For the second salad, the cabbage salad, slice the cabbage and onion really thinly. Add some parsley, basil, chilli to the bowl then ad the zest of the second lemon and juice of both lemons. Drizzle over some olive oil and season. Toss and take to the table!
  7. Serve all together with some tzatziki (a simple recipe for this is yoghurt, mint sauce, some ground cumin and diced cucumber).

I only have 2 weeks to go before I run a half marathon with a friend and my boyfriend so the training is going pretty well at the minute. I went for a run with my boyfriend this week and wanted to do something different for dinner that was quick and substantial. However as it was the day before pay day I didn’t have much to spend. So I dug around in my cupboards and freezer and got the ingredients together to make this recipe from www.bbcgoodfood.com, Sausage with oregano, mushrooms and olives. Luckily for me I had all the basics already and it turned into a really tasty quick dinner. I altered it slightly so that it is a bit more spicy so if you prefer it a bit more simple take out the chilli and paprika. I served it with spaghetti and garlic bread but you could serve with just bread or mash potato. Sausage with oregano, mushrooms and olives Ingredients – serves 4 450g sausages 1 tsp sunflower oil 2 tsp oregano 1 birdseye red chilli 2 tsp paprika 100ml red wine pinch of sugar 2 garlic clove 1 onion diced 400g can of tomatoes 200ml beef stock 100g pitted olives 500g mushrooms Basil leaves to garnish Method Cut the sausage into meatball size pieces. Heat a large pan and fry the pieces in the oil and the onion pieces. Add the oregano, paprika, chilli (whole), garlic and fry for one minute more. Tip in the tomato, red wine, stock, olives and mushrooms. I also had some marrow going so added that in. You can just use up anything else you have. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a little. Season and add a pinch of sugar if necessary. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with pasta, potato or bread.

I only have 2 weeks to go before I run a half marathon with a friend and my boyfriend so the training is going pretty well at the minute. I went for a run with my boyfriend this week and wanted to do something different for dinner that was quick and substantial. However as it was the day before pay day I didn’t have much to spend. So I dug around in my cupboards and freezer and got the ingredients together to make this recipe from www.bbcgoodfood.com, Sausage with oregano, mushrooms and olives. Luckily for me I had all the basics already and it turned into a really tasty quick dinner.

I altered it slightly so that it is a bit more spicy so if you prefer it a bit more simple take out the chilli and paprika. I served it with spaghetti and garlic bread but you could serve with just bread or mash potato.

Sausage with oregano, mushrooms and olives

Ingredients – serves 4

  • 450g sausages
  • 1 tsp sunflower oil
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 birdseye red chilli
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 100ml red wine
  • pinch of sugar
  • 2 garlic clove
  • 1 onion diced
  • 400g can of tomatoes
  • 200ml beef stock
  • 100g pitted olives
  • 500g mushrooms
  • Basil leaves to garnish

Method

  1. Cut the sausage into meatball size pieces. Heat a large pan and fry the pieces in the oil and the onion pieces.
  2. Add the oregano, paprika, chilli (whole), garlic and fry for one minute more. Tip in the tomato, red wine, stock, olives and mushrooms. I also had some marrow going so added that in. You can just use up anything else you have.
  3. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a little. Season and add a pinch of sugar if necessary. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with pasta, potato or bread.

So time to dig up my garden some more as it was starting to look like little shop of horrors! Suddenly I ended up with a shed load of beetroot from my garden and as much as I like pickled beetroot I thought it was time to try something new and exciting. On http://www.bbcgoodfood.com I found a gem of a recipe called ‘Spiced Beetroot and Orange chutney’ and I was sold.

 

Following my jam escapade where I made a ton of jam and ran out of jam jars (ie was emptying everything I owned from jars in my fridge into pots so that I had enough jars to use) I have been hording and was prepared this time. It tastes good so far but the recipe says it is supposed to be even better in a month so we’ll see how it goes then! If you want a go at this incredibly pink chutney the recipe is below! I had some sultanas which I also added into this recipe which was tasty but it is completely up to you! 

 

Spiced Beetroot and Orange Chutney

  

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg raw beetroot trimmed, peeled and diced (wear gloves!)
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 3 eating apples peeled and grated
  • zest and juice 3 oranges
  • 2 tbsp white or yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 700ml red wine vinegar
  • 700g golden granulated sugar

 

Method

  1. In a preserving pan or your largest saucepan, mix together all the ingredients well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender.
  2. While the chutney is cooking, prepare your jars by running through a short hot wash in your dishwasher. Or wash thoroughly by hand, then put in a hot oven to sterilise for 10-15 mins. Once the chutney is ready, let it settle for 10 mins, then carefully spoon into the jars and seal while still hot. You can eat it straight away but it will be even better after a month. Will keep for up to 6 months in a cool dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and eat within 2 months.