Meal Plan w/c 22nd September

Monday: Tonight is soup night, and we're having my favourite soup- country vegetable. This will be served with some rye bread and parsnip crisps.

Tuesday: We haven't had a stir fry in ages so I'm going to make one to have with some hoisin salmon and coriander rice.

Wednesday: Tonight is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, so I'll be trying out some traditional Jewish recipes. According to tradition, having fish on the table is an omen for blessings in the year to come. The fish should also be served with the head on, based on the Deuteronomy verse "May we be heads not tails" or in other words, leaders not followers. So, fish will be on the menu, most likely a salt baked sea bass. I also want to have a go at making challah- a sweet, yeasty bread which looks quite laborious but delicious. 

Thursday: I haven't used my pasta machine in a while, which is a shame as I've finally cracked the pasta making. I'm thinking of making some ravioli. Butternut squash is in season, so I'm going to use this as the filling with some pine nuts and a rosemary sauce.

Friday: I keep saying that I'm going to make my own Bibambap and tonight I'm definitely going to do it. There are so many components of the dish to get right- the beef needs to be well marinated and tender, and the rice needs to be sticky but not stodgy. If all goes wrong we can just go back to our local Korean restaurant!

Saturday: We've been having mackerel for a while, so I'm going to try and get some rainbow trout this weekend. I'm going to serve it with a beurre blanc (we had some in Normany and it was delicious) samphire, and garlic potatoes. 

Sunday: Game is finally trickling down into the shops. Last week we had a delicious venison casserole and I'm going to go to Borough Market to see if I can get some guinea fowl. I'm loving all the seasonal veg at the moment, so we'll have lots of that with some goose fat roast potatoes. We're also making the most of the wonderful fruit at the moment in out desserts. So far we've had plum, pears and figs. Apples are great this time of year, so I'm going to make a dessert based on them- maybe an apple and clove pie with custard... Mmmm!

Seasonal Cooking- Plum Cobbler

Last weekend I was seduced by a stunning display of plums at Borough Market. British plums are currently in season, and are delicious when used in baking. The flavours in this cobbler are kept very simple to allow the natural flavours of the fruit to be the star of the dish. The "cobbles" are a bit like a sweet dumpling and absorb the yummy plum juices that are omitted whilst cooking. Seeing the filling peeking through makes this dessert all the more appetising. I served mine with custard, but some double cream drizzled over would work well too.

Ingredients

For the fruit filling 

1kg British plums

2 heaped teaspoons plain flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

40g Demerara sugar

Zest and juice of one orange

For the Cobbles

150g self raising flour

50g caster sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp baking powder

50 ml milk

30g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree. Cut the plums in half and remove the stones. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle over the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Grate the orange zest over the top and squeeze over the juice. Bake the fruit for around 30 minutes or until soft.

2. To make the cobbles, place the flour and baking powder into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and add the milk and egg. Mix thoroughly- the mixture should be stiff but spoonable. 

3. When the fruit is cooked, transfer into an ovenproof serving dish. Seperate the cobble mix into about six pieces and roll up into dumpling like balls. Place these over the fruit, leaving gaps so that the fruit can be seen. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the cobbles are golden brown

Serve immediately with cream or custard. 

Meal Plan w/c Monday 15th September 2014

Monday: After a week of over indulgence in Normandy, we are starting the week with a simple dinner of ham and lentil soup with wheaten bread. I'm also going to bake an orange and almond loaf cake for Leo to have with his afternoon tea at work.

Tuesday: Having been on a three week hiatus, we are back to the quiz tonight. Dinner will have to be something simple that can be heated when we get home. Maybe a lamb jalfrezi... 

Wednesday: Figs are back in season so I'm thinking of buying some to make into a savoury tart with caramelised red onion and goats cheese and some peppery rocket on the side. Leftovers will be ideal for lunch boxes as it keeps well for a few days and is delicious eaten cold.

Thursday: Scottish Referendum day! To celebrate we are going to have a traditional Scottish dinner of ham and haddock pie with rhubarb Cranachan for dessert. Plenty of whiskey will be on standby for watching the results into the "wee hours".

Friday: I keep fantasising about getting a rack of pork ribs, marinating them in something delicious and then slow cooking them for hours until they are soft and succulent. This to me seems like the perfect Friday night dinner, but Leo seems unconvinced... I shall have to talk him round. 

Saturday: Oily fish night- mackerel or trout with some samphire and baby potatoes. If I have time I might try and salt bake them, as it's totally delicious.

Sunday: With the nights getting cooler, it is a great excuse to make comforting pies and casseroles. Some types of venison should be available now, and if I can get my hands on some, I'm going to make a venison casserole with truffle mash and braised red cabbage. Pears are lovely this time of year, so for dessert we're going to have a pear tarte tatin with chantilly cream.

Lamb Kebabs with Red Cabbage Salad

 

 These kebabs are great to have after a Meze and are perfect alongside a tangy red cabbage salad. Packed full of herbs and spices, they are a welcome addition to any barbecue, but can be cooked under a grill if the weather is bleak. 

Ingredients 

 For the kebabs

500g lamb mice

1 red chilli, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Small bunch of coriander, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tsp ground allspice

Half tsp black pepper

Pinch of salt

 

For the salad

One red cabbage, shredded 

Juice of one lemon

Glug of olive oil

1tbsp sumac

2 gherkins sliced (optional) 

Method

1.Using your hands, combine all the ingredient in a large bowl and mix until well combined.

2. Take a palm sized amount of the mixture and roll into a sausage shape around six inches long.

3. Place in the fridge to firm up and allow the flavours to develop for sound thirty minutes.

4. To make the salad, place the cabbage in a colander, sprinkle over the salt and scrunch it into the cabbage with your hands. Leave to soften for thirty minutes.

5. Rinse the cabbage under a cold tap to wash the salt off, and let the water drain out. Transfer the salad to a bowl, stir in the olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle the sumac over the top. Add the gherkins if using.

6. To cook the kebabs, place under a hot grill for fifteen minutes, turning the kebabs occasionally until evenly browned. Eat immediately.

Meal Plan w/c 1st September 2014

Monday- We have some beef fillet left over from last nights carpaccio, so I'm going to turn it into a tasty Mulligatawny soup which we will have with sourdough bread.

Tuesday: I fancy making smoked haddock fishcakes tonight with homemade tartare sauce on the side. Light but filling and a perfect dish for this awkward stage in the season.


Wednesday: I haven't made ravioli in a while (mainly because I've never quite gotten it right) so I'm going to give it a go for our vegetarian night. For the filling, I'm thinking either wild mushroom or spinach and ricotta. I may even make both if I'm feeling ambitious!


Thursday: Tonight we are having a celebratory dinner, so I'm going to cook something luxurious (perhaps shellfish linguine) and we'll wash it done with a fine champagne.

Friday: The plan is to fly off on a spontaneous holiday to Spain today. Airline food being what it is, I'm going to make us a nice lunch that can be easily transported and that will sustain us for a day of travelling.

Saturday: Fingers crossed we will be in the sun by this stage, so dinner will most likely be a yummy barbecue on the roof. I'm going to make a jerk chicken marinade to take over with us and pray that it gets through border control!

Turkish Meze

(Clockwise from top: Baba Ganoush, Tomato and Green Pepper Salsa, Hummus, Mint and Cucumber Raita) 

These Meze are a wonderful starter when paired with fresh pitta bread. Each one has its own distinct flavour but they compliment each other perfectly. They are easy to make in advance, but look and taste very impressive.

Baba Ganoush

This silky, smokey dip is the ultimate aubergine recipe. The aubergine should be charred (either on a barbecue or until a hot grill) until it is black and the flesh is sunken in. It can be very messy if they burst, so keep a watchful eye on them whilst they cook.

Ingredients

2 large aubergines

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp tahini

Juice of half a lemon

Method

1. Cook the aubergine under a hot grill until the skin is black and the flesh has sunk. Then scoop the flesh into a sieve and leave for twenty minutes until the excess liquid has drained out.

2. Mix the tahini and garlic together until they loosen. Stir in the garlic and aubergine. Mash the mixture with a fork for a smoother consistency. Serve at room temperature.

Tomato and Green Pepper Salsa

This serves as a great counterpart to the heavier Meze dips. It's beautifully light and flavoursome and takes seconds to make.

Ingredients

300g cherry tomatoes

Small green pepper, finely chopped

30 ml olive oil

Heaped tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method 

1. Blitz the tomatoes, parsley and olive oil in a food processor, briefly. You want to leave some texture in the tomatoes as opposed to a smooth sauce.

2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the green pepper. Season to taste and serve chilled.

Hummus 

Hummus can be pretty much any flavour you like, but as it's part of a Meze and there's already a lot going on, I decided to keep it simple, using only a hint of paprika for seasoning.

Ingredients

400g chickpeas, drained

3 tbsp tahini

3 garlic cloves

salt, to taste

30 ml water, optional 

30 ml olive oil

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp paprika 

Method 

1. In a food processor, blitz the chickpeas, garlic and tahini until smooth. 

2. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice and some water, if necessary, to loosen up the mixture. 

3. Mix in the paprika and add some salt if you wish. Serve at room temperature.

Mint and Cumcumber Raita

This dip is so light and refreshing and also works well as a side to spicy meat dishes (like the lamb Kofte).

Ingredients

60g Greek yogurt

30g cucumber, finely chopped

2 tbsp mint, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

A pinch of salt

Method

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and serve chilled. 

Meal Plan w/c 25th August 2014

Bank Holiday Monday: We were supposed to go to Notting Hill Carnival today, but were put off by the torrential rain. Instead, we had a cosy day in and had afternoon tea of Irish coffees and courgette and walnut cake. Dinner was the leftover barbecued jerk chicken from Sunday with rice and peas (so at least we had a bit of carnival atmosphere!). 

Tuesday: The weather is still decidedly bleak so we are having chunky bacon and lentil soup with a homemade malted and seeded loaf on the side to warm us up.

Wednesday: Tonight will have a Turkish theme- I'm thinking lamb koftes, homemade pitta breads, baba ganoush and a selection of other mezzes. This may or may not be a thinly veiled excuse to break out the baklava...

Thursday: We will have a fresh, vibrant salad with some prawn pil pil and a potato salad on the side.

Friday: Inspired by our new favourite Korean restaurant, we're going to have a go at making our own Bibambap. I'll get some nice beef from the butchers which will combined with colourful vegetables, a sticky rice and a hot, spicy dressing.

Saturday: Last week we salt baked a sea bass and were very impressed by the results. The fish was wonderfully succulent and perfectly cooked. We will have another go this weekend, with a different fish.

Sunday: The main course hasn't been decided yet, but for dessert I'm going to make a pear and frangipane tart, accompanied by a warm chocolate sauce. Can't wait!