My Grandmother’s Spinach Soup Served with Hard B...

My Grandmother is an excellent cook and I absolutely adore her food! Every meal she prepares is done so with love and care and is always full of the most beautiful flavours. A few years back when my husband and I were visiting Canada, she made this spinach soup and it has been on our minds ever since. I finally got a hold of the recipe and thought this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. It was just as good as I remembered although I did go a tad heavy on the salt. Never mind, next time I will be much more careful!

This soup makes a great lunch or light supper and it can even be used as an elegant starter – although I haven’t quite mastered the art of making a pretty flower out of hard boiled eggs yet (but I will keep working it!)

So here it is Raija’s Spinach Soup.

Ingredients

1 large Spanish onion finely chopped.

350 – 400 grams of fresh spinach well washed.

1 ½ – 2 tsp butter or a drizzle of olive oil (for sweating the onion).

2 Tbsp butter for making a roux.

2 Tbsp flour.

Chicken stock (approx 2 ½ – 3 cups) – I used Vegetable stock for mine.

Double cream.

Pinch of nutmeg.

1 clove minced garlic (optional).

Pinch of white sugar which helps give the soup some smoothness.

4 hard boiled eggs.

Directions

Melt the 1 ½ – 2 tsp or drizzle of olive oil in a pan. Be careful not to let the pan get too hot if you’re using butter as it may burn.

Add the finely chopped onion and mix well. Put a lid on the pot and allow the onion to sweat for a few minutes. Don’t let the onion get any colour. (I read somewhere that adding salt will prevent the onion from colouring and this is where I went wrong with my seasoning – I added too much salt at this stage! – so be careful).

In a second pot heat the spinach carefully – don’t add any water, butter or oil to the pot. The moisture in the spinach will be enough. The spinach should just go very slightly limp.

Once the spinach is just limp remove it from the pot and squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can.

Chop the spinach into small pieces and set aside.

Now it’s time to begin the roux. In another pot melt the 2 Tbsp of butter and then add the flour.

Do not let this mixture turn brown. Keep it on a moderate heat and gradually add the stock.

Mix it well and allow it to cook for approximately 3-5 minutes as you stir continuously.

Add the chopped spinach and onion to this mixture. Allow it to cook gently for another 5 minutes or so.

You can grate some nutmeg into it, or add some minced garlic at this stage. Also a pinch of white sugar will help give the soup some smoothness.

While the soup is cooking you can prepare the hard boiled eggs. Peel them and cut into halves or quarters.

When you just about ready to serve the soup stir in a good drizzle of double cream and mix well.

Serve with some freshly ground black pepper and the hard boiled eggs pieces arranged in the form of a flower.

Enjoy!

Or as my Grandmother would say in Finnish

Nautiskella!

Spinach ready – now it’s time to make the roux!

The Autumn Harvest: Last Tomatoes Of The Year...

Well it’s that time of year again. The nights are drawing in. There’s a noticeable chill in the air. Leaves are falling from the trees. Chestnuts are strewn along the ground. Birds and squirrels are busy fattening themselves up for the winter months. All of nature is readying itself for winter.

My garden is beginning to show signs of the cooler days and nights. Leaves are turning brown and my once prolific tomato plants are no longer producing the lovely juicy tomatoes that we enjoyed so much these past few months. This is what I believe to be my final tomato harvest of the year and I would like to do something special with them.

When I was younger I had an allergy to tomatoes. Fortunately this was an allergy I ‘grew out of’ because I adore tomatoes. I have a few favourite recipes for fresh tomatoes.

One is a simple – VERY simple pasta sauce that I sometimes make for lunch when I feel the need for a Mediterranean boost.

Luna Raye’s very simple tomato sauce for one.

Ingredients

A handful of cherry tomatoes (approximately 8-9).

1 clove of minced garlic.

Drizzle of olive oil.

Pinch of salt.

Directions

Heat a drizzle of olive oil (about 1- 1 ½ tsp) in a pan over moderate heat.

Add the tomatoes. You can put them in whole or chop them in half if you prefer.

Turn down the heat, add the salt and allow the tomatoes to reduce (10 minutes or so).

Give them a stir every so often and about half way through add the minced garlic.

It will smell fantastic!

Meanwhile put on some water for pasta – Penne is a good choice for this sauce – and cook the pasta according to packet directions.

Once the pasta is cooked drain it and add it to the pan with the tomatoes and garlic and give it a quick mix on the heat.

Season with black pepper and more salt if desired.

Tuck in and enjoy!

Tomato Sauce Extras

The thing about this sauce is that you can keep it very simple. However you can also add some extra ingredients such as caramelized onions, a splash of red wine, fresh basil leaves or parmesan shavings. It does work extremely well though with just the fresh tomatoes and garlic.

Another dish I like to make with fresh tomatoes is a chunky salsa sauce for corn chips. This is a great Happy Hour snack. It is tastier (and healthier) then store bought brands and is once again a very simple recipe.

Luna Raye’s very simple chunky salsa served warm (for two).

Homemade Chunky Salsa and Tortilla Chips

Ingredients

A handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half (approximately 8-9).

½ Spanish onion chopped in long thin strips.

1 tsp brown sugar.

1 pepper chopped in bite sized chunks. (green or orange peppers are great for added colour)

½ fresh chilli (or a pinch of dried chilli flakes).

1 ½ Tbsp of frozen sweet corn.

1 clove minced garlic.

Drizzle of olive oil.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

Heat a drizzle of olive oil (about 1- 1 ½ tsp) in a pan over moderate heat.

Add the onions and the brown sugar. Mix well and allow the onions to caramelize. Make sure the heat isn’t too high.

Once the onions have softened gradually add the minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and the chilli.

Stir until mixed in and then add the tomatoes and pepper.

Cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

At the last moment add the frozen sweet corn and mix in well.

Season with salt and pepper is desired.

Turn off heat and cover the pan.

Allow the mixture to rest while drinks are prepared.

Serve on individual plates with a side of plain salted corn chips.

Enjoy!

I am still undecided as to what to create with this final harvest of tomatoes! Sometimes however, it is nice to just enjoy the simple flavour of something as beautiful and perfect as a tomato grown in your own garden. I may just eat them exactly as they are while dreaming of what next year’s harvest will bring!

I wish all my fellow Canadians a happy, peaceful and abundant Thanksgiving weekend.

Final Tomato Harvest of 2010

Moving Day Macaroni And Cheese...

Today was moving day for my parents. My husband and I woke up early to help pack boxes and move things into my mum and dad’s new home.

I know that moving can be a very stressful time but somehow we managed to get everything done with a minimum of fuss.

One of the big tasks was clearing out the old kitchen. That meant using up as much food as we could in the fridge. Fortunately there wasn’t much left, just some vegetables that needed to be eaten.

A great way to use up vegetables (and to hide them from kids who otherwise may not eat them) is to make macaroni and cheese. This is a super recipe I got from mum which I have adapted to use up stray veggies.

Unlike macaroni and cheese that uses a traditional white sauce, this recipe has a tomato base which makes it really quick and very simple.

The following recipe is for 4-5 people.

Luna Raye’s Moving Day Macaroni And Cheese.

Ingredients

2 tins of chopped organic tomatoes

2 cups of macaroni (uncooked)

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, chopped finely

2 medium carrots chopped into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces

6 green beans cut into thirds

2 1/2 – 3 cups grated cheese (I use mature cheddar). Keep 1/2 – 1 cup for the topping.

1 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers, corn flakes or crisps for a crunchy topping

9 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters

Directions

Empty the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes into a large casserole dish.

Add the dried herbs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion and mix well.

Cook macaroni according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking prepare the vegetables. You can use pretty much anything. In the past I have also used celery, courgette (zucchini), pumpkin and red or yellow peppers. (I find green peppers can go slightly bitter when cooked).

Just make sure whatever veggies you decide to use are chopped finely as they will not be pre cooked. A little bit of texture is nice but you don’t want them too crunchy.

When all the veggies are chopped set the cherry tomatoes to one side.

Add the remaining vegetables along with the cheese to the tomato mixture in the casserole dish.

Once macaroni is cooked drain it and add to the casserole dish.

Stir everything around again to really mix it all up.

Cover with 1/2 to 1 cup of cheese and 1 cup of breadcrumbs or whatever you want to use for your crunchy topping.

Finally, scatter the quartered cherry tomatoes on top.

Cook at 180 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until bubbling.

Cover the casserole dish with aluminium foil for about 25 -30 minutes of the cooking time so the top doesn’t brown too quickly.

Enjoy!

Of course you don’t have to put any extra vegetables in this dish at all. It works just as well with the tinned tomatoes, macaroni and cheese (plus herbs, mustard and Worcestershire sauce). But it IS a great way to use up those stray veggies lurking in your fridge. It also gave us a much needed boost of energy to pack a few more boxes!

Smoked Salmon Pasta...

Last night my mum made her famous smoked salmon pasta. She put us all to work in the kitchen and the result was a delicious meal with plenty of laughs and stories along the way.

I did make a version of this dish awhile back but I used inferior smoked salmon which resulted in an unpleasant fishy mush. So if you do decide to make this dish it is worth getting organic ethically sourced salmon.

The original recipe is from Simply Recipes and is for two people. We just doubled everything and there was plenty for the four of us.

Here is the original recipe for two people.

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti or linguine

Salt

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup chopped shallots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine (can substitute pasta cooking water with Tbsp of lemon juice)

1/4 cup cream (mum uses low fat sour cream)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp lemon zest ( divided into 2 separate servings)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or dill

4 ounces smoked salmon cut into bite sized pieces

Fresh ground black pepper

Optional 1/2 cup lightly steamed broccoli cut into small pieces

Directions

Heat to boiling a large pot of salted water.

While water is heating lightly toast pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet.

Once pine nuts are lightly browned remove from heat and set aside.

Once water is boiling add the pasta according to package directions and cook till pasta is al dente.

While the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce. In a large skillet heat olive oil and add the shallots and garlic. Cook these over a medium heat for approximately 2 minutes or until softened.

Then gradually add white wine, lemon juice and 1 Tbsp of the lemon zest.

Increase the hear and let it boil down by half.

Then, for a slightly creamier sauce, add the cream and let it boil for a further minute.

The sauce should be done at the same time as the pasta. If not simply remove it from the heat.

Once the pasta is cooked remove a cup of the cooking water before draining it.

Drain pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. If it’s dry then just add a little bit of the reserved pasta water.

Add the smoked salmon, toasted pine nuts, parsley and the remaining 1 Tbsp of lemon zest.

If using broccoli you can add it at this point.

Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

West Side Story And Peppercorn Sauce...

Musicals have never been one of my favourite things but when I was given the opportunity to see West Side Story at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney’s Star City I couldn’t refuse.

Although I wasn’t really familiar with the story I knew it was based on Romeo and Juliet. I was surprised when I heard so many songs that I knew; I Feel Pretty, Somewhere and America are songs I have hummed in the kitchen while cooking. At least now I know where they come from!

The production was wonderful and the cast brilliant. Alinta Chidzey who played Anita was absolutely terrific and for me was the real star of the show. Another treat was the presence of an orchestra which really added some extra magic to the musical numbers.

The show was part of a dinner theatre experience. We were treated to steak with salad, potato wedges and a rich creamy peppercorn sauce. I decided that I wanted to try to make the sauce when I next got the chance. Tonight my dad threw some steaks on the barbi so it was the perfect excuse to make the peppercorn sauce.

It was much easier to make then I thought and what I loved was that it gave me a chance to cook with a new ingredient; green peppercorns in brine. This was delicious on steak and on the accompanying boiled potatoes.

Fortunately for everyone in the kitchen I refrained from humming any songs (I was too busy licking the spoon).

Luna Raye’s recipe for creamy peppercorn sauce.

Ingredients

3 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp green peppercorns in brine (drained and 1/2 of them crushed the other 1/2 left whole)
3 – 4 Tbsp of thickened cream

Directions

Heat butter in frying pan and add shallots and garlic.

Cook a few minutes until softened but be careful not to burn the butter.

Add the white wine and the chicken stock.

Cook until the liquid has halved.

Add the Dijon mustard, peppercorns and cream.

Cook for a further 2-3 minutes and season with salt.

Serve with steak, on burgers or over potatoes.

Enjoy!

Home Cooked Favourites: Calgary Pot Roast....

After more than a week of travelling through Sydney and Brisbane, we have reached our final destination of Mackay, Australia.

My family has always moved around a lot. We lived in Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. I eventually moved to the UK and my parents have been living in various parts of the South Pacific for the past 12 years.

We are still very close despite the many miles that separate us. Although we may not get the opportunity to see one another as often as we’d like when we do get together we always have a great time.

Preparing good food and enjoying fine wines (plus a martini or two) is something we ALL enjoy! We like to try new recipes but more than anything we like to cook some old family favourites that remind us of past times and places we have lived.

To celebrate ‘coming home’ to Australia my mum made one of my all time favourite meals; Calgary Pot Roast. It is a big tasty plate of home cooked comfort and a wonderful meal to share with friends and family.

It was a typical Sunday night meal we would have when we lived in Quebec. Usually served with green beans and mashed potatoes and a hearty red wine. Afterwards we would watch All Creatures Great And Small and I would dream of going to live in England and my dad would reminisce about the country where he was born.

For me this meal was not just about wonderful flavours. It was about being with my family, remembering good times and creating happy new memories too!

Luna Raye’s Mum’s Recipe For Calgary Pot Roast.

Ingredients

1.5 Kgs (3 1/2 lbs) of boneless beef
5 ml (1 tsp) dry mustard
2 ml (1tsp) salt
125 ml (1/2 cup) onions finely chopped
1 can (213 ml or 7 1/2 oz) tomato sauce
25 ml (2 Tbsp) white wine vinegar
2 ml (1/2 tsp) thyme (we used fresh)
1 ml (1/4 tsp) black pepper
2 cloves garlic minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 160 (325).
Place beef in casserole dish.
Rub mustard and salt into surface of the meat.
Top with the chopped onions and minced garlic.
In separate bowl combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, thyme and pepper.
Once mixed pour over the beef and cover tightly.
Bake for approximately 3 hours.

Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans.

You will have plenty of sauce left over in the casserole dish which can be put in a gravy boat and poured over the mash.

Another tip is to add about a 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms and a glass of red wine about 2 hours into the cooking time. It just gives the dish an even deeper and richer flavour.

Enjoy!

Focaccia Bread With Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Moz...

The other day the urge to bake struck again. This time I wanted to make some focaccia bread to have alongside a Jamie Oliver recipe for Chicken with Basil and Sweet Tomatoes. I thought it would be just the thing to mop up any flavourful juices (it was!).

I have baked focaccia bread before and it is relatively simple to make. The recipe I have used in the past calls for a bit more seasoning in the mixture and I have always enjoyed adding some extra toppings to it; olives, sundried tomatoes and caramelized onions being among my favourites. Here is the recipe courtesy of Terri McCarrell and All Recipes that I have used many times before.

Since the Jamie Oliver recipe had so many wonderful flavours going on, I decided to make a simpler focaccia (Focaccia alla Ligure) and garnish it with some sea salt. I sourced a different recipe for this bread from the brilliant site Rustico Cooking and although it turned out very well there was cause for concern. I activated the yeast according to the packet instructions but it called for slightly more water than the recipe needed. The result was very sticky dough. I kept adding a bit more flour but honestly I think I could have added the whole bag. So I left it to rise and waited to see what would happen.

What happened was that it rose successfully and I had twice as much of the sticky dough as before! I somehow managed to get it in the pan where it was left to rise for a further 45 minutes. (cat lovers may appreciate this – but at the precise moment my hands were completely and hopelessly covered in goo, Nutmeg decided she ‘wanted’ things. Water, food, cuddles, specially designed tents made from my collection of sarongs that I drape over cushions for her– you name it she wanted it. Patience is not her strong point and I got in trouble for making her wait! By the way ALL her food and water bowls had been cleaned and replenished before I started making the bread – she just enjoys being cheeky!)

Anyway I wasn’t able to ‘dimple’ the top of the bread because it was just too sticky. It actually didn’t look that bad and when it came out of the oven it looked, smelled and tasted fantastic! Although I had made it in anticipation of my chicken dish I couldn’t resist having a slice or two for lunch. I was in a Mediterranean frame of mind and so I decided on a simple open faced sandwich with tomato, basil, avocado and mozzarella.

It was simple, delicious and healthy. It was raining outside (finally some much needed rain!) so I sat indoors by the window and ate my lunch – it was like I had my very own plate of sunshine. These simple beautiful flavours just can’t help but put you in a good mood. It was just what I needed on a rainy Wednesday afternoon!

Luna Raye’s Recipe for Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Ingredients

Focaccia bread, large piece sliced lengthways. (You can use store bought but if you decide to make your own even better! Try either recipe I have mentioned above – they are both delicious!)

Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

1large vine tomato sliced

½ avocado sliced

5-6 good sized slices of buffalo mozzarella

Handful of basil leaves, roughly torn.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions

If you’ve made your own bread, allow it to cool slightly on a wire rack, about 20 – 30 minutes.
Once cooled cut a generous sized piece and then slice that in half lengthways.

Brush lightly with some extra virgin olive oil and place under a medium grill.

As the bread starts to brown slightly (about 5 minutes) add the slices of mozzarella and place back under the grill.

While the mozzarella begins to melt slice the tomato and avocado.

Once the cheese has melted (about 3-5 minutes, but keep an eye on it) take the focaccia bread out and put it on a plate.

Add the sliced tomato and avocado and season with salt and pepper.

Tear the basil leaves and scatter them over top.

You can finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil if you choose.

It’s best to use a knife and fork as it’s a messy one to eat – but often the messiest food is the tastiest.

Enjoy!

Focaccia with Tomato, Basil, Avocado and Mozzarella

Omelette With Fresh Herbs And Cheese....

There is a real art to making the perfect omelette. I will confess that I haven’t quite mastered it yet (they tend to be a bit on the mangled side), but I do like to try. For me the key ingredients in any omelette (aside from the eggs) are fresh herbs, freshly ground black pepper and some grated cheese. That’s really all you need for a perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner! Well actually add some freshly sliced tomatoes and a few slices of whole meal toast on the side, and you’re away!

Unfortunately our tomatoes aren’t ready for eating yet – but they are getting there. So for this meal we used tomatoes from our local farm shop. I really can’t wait till we can use our own!

Luna Raye’s Recipe For A Fresh Herb and Cheese Omelette.

Ingredients

6 eggs (I always used organic and free range).

Fresh Herbs:1 Tablespoon Sage finely chopped.

3 Tablespoons Curly Parsley finely chopped.

3 Tablespoons Tarragon finely chopped.

4 Tablespoons Chives finely chopped.

¼ Cup of grated mature cheddar cheese, (You can also use Gruyere).

Salt and some freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3 – 4 Vine tomatoes sliced and served on the side.

A few slices of buttered wholemeal toast cut into triangles.

Directions

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk.

Add the grated cheese and the chopped herbs and mix together.

Season with some freshly ground salt and pepper.

Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan and when melted add the egg mixture. It’s important NOT to let the butter brown as this means the pan is too hot.

While the mixture is cooking use a spatula to lift the edges of the omelette so that some of the uncooked mixture runs underneath.

When the omelette is set (or a golden brown colour) underneath it’s time to flip it over. It will still be slightly runny on top and as you flip it, it will finish cooking through.

This is usually where I cross my fingers and hope for the best (or more likely I call my husband in to deal with it so that I can go and pour the wine!)

NOTE: Tonight I finally realized where it was all going wrong. For too long I was trying to cook ‘Kent’s biggest omelette’ in my kitchen. This is NOT a good idea and it makes omelette management very tricky. More often then not a large portion of it ends up on the stove top (which I then have to clean – not fun!). So the key to success is a smaller pan and cooking each omelette individually.

Have fun experimenting with different herbs and above all – enjoy!

Fresh herbs for my omelette; Parsley, Chives, Sage and Tarragon.

Omelette with Fresh Herbs and Cheese.

Picnic Success: Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew ...

I am still recovering from last Saturday when my husband and I went on our first ever road trip since passing his driving test. We got some supplies the night before, namely an extra large cooler box. Perfect for keeping our picnic cool and also providing a great storage place for any treats we happened to pick up along the way. It is cherry season after all!

I woke up early and set about making the Spicy Cucumber and Cashew Salad. I had planned on making it the night before but got carried away watching several episodes of Burn Notice (Bruce Campbell is my hero!). Fortunately it is a very simple dish to make. The most labour intensive part is chopping and mixing.

We did make some adjustments to the original dish that chef Bill Granger showed on Saturday Morning Kitchen. He made a marinade for some chicken thighs and used half for the chicken and the rest as a base for a spicy salad dressing. As we just wanted the salad we followed his recipe for the salad dressing but added a few extra bits to compensate for the lack of marinade.

To view Bill Granger’s fantastic original recipe courtesy of the BBC Food website please click here.

This is how we made our version of this tasty salad.

Luna Raye’s version of a Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew Nut Salad with Vermicelli Noodles.

Ingredients

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 large red chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp of fresh ginger, minced

4 tbsp sugar

4-5 tbsp of fresh lime juice

250g of vermicelli rice noodles

1 large cucumber halved and thinly sliced

1 medium sized carrot halved and cut into thin strips

4 spring onions, sliced finely

Small handful of fresh mint leaves (we used apple mint from our garden)

3-4 tbsp unsalted cashews, crushed.

Directions

Put fish sauce in large bowl with lime juice and sugar.

Stir until all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the chopped garlic cloves, chillies and minced ginger to a pestle and mortar and crush and blend until you get a nice paste (it won’t be a smooth paste but everything should be blended up well).

Add this mixture (it should smell fantastic!) to the liquid in the bowl and give a gentle stir.

Cut the cucumber, carrot and spring onions into thin strips and set aside.

Cook the vermicelli noodles by putting them in a heat proof bowl and adding enough boiled water to cover them. I gave them a quick stir as I did this just to make sure they didn’t clump together.

I also snapped the noodles in half before cooking them – to make them a bit more manageable in the salad.

Leave the noodles to cook for 4 – 5 minutes. Once they have softened drain and rinse them in cold water.

Once cooled, add the drained noodles to a large bowl and gradually start to mix in the liquid (fish sauce, lime juice and dissolved sugar) and the finely chopped vegetables.

Toward the end add the finely chopped fresh mint and continue to mix until well combined.

Just before serving add the crushed cashew nuts.

Enjoy!

NOTE: I also wanted to mention a really helpful tip that Bill Granger shared as he was preparing his dish. Limes can be difficult to squeeze, and even rolling them on the countertop before hand sometimes doesn’t help. He suggested cutting the lime in half and then taking the very end of the lime off. This leaves you with a rather large ‘slice’ of lime which is much easier to squeeze. I tried it and it worked a charm!

We had a fantastic day out and really enjoyed our picnic. The salad made a refreshing change and in the current heat wave we have been experiencing it was just what we needed.
In our eagerness to tuck into the salad we forgot to put the cashew nuts on. Luckily we brought the bag with us but we hadn’t crushed them. My husband not having the patience to wait dumped a handful of cashews onto each plate. It still tasted great but I think in future we will crush them, if we can remember that is!

As we continued with our driving adventure (Ok we got lost!) we passed a sign saying cherries for sale. We turned down a lovely country lane and found a mother and daughter selling the most beautiful cherries out of their back yard, which led into their orchard. We got a pound of cherries and ate them all on the way home. It was a successful day and a very successful picnic. We did make it home eventually and it was no thanks to the sat nav!

Spicy Cucumber, Carrot and Cashew Nut Salad with Vermicelli Noodles

Underneath a Willow Tree, The Perfect Picnic Spot.

Perfect Picnic Food But We Forgot the Cashew Nuts!

Spicy Cashew and Cucumber Salad: The Perfect Picni...

The weather here in the UK has been absolutely amazing. It’s been hot and sunny now for weeks and I dare say we are getting used to seeing the sun. It makes a nice change from the usual grey drizzle of an English summer.

So to celebrate the end of a tough work week and get out in nature, my husband and I are going into the Kent countryside tomorrow to find the perfect place for a picnic. The big question is what type of food to bring. Sandwiches are always good. A selection of nibbles maybe? Quiche, potato salad and some hummus and vegetable sticks would also go down a treat.

Thinking about it we decided we wanted to try something completely different. Looking at the many recipes I have bookmarked to try, I found the perfect picnic recipe from last week’s Saturday Morning Kitchen. The guest chef was Bill Granger who made a wonderful looking meal of Spicy Chicken Thighs With Cucumber and Cashew Salad.

The recipe is actually in two parts. The first step is to create a marinade for some boneless chicken thighs. Once prepared, the chicken thighs are left to marinate in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Only 1/2 of the marinade is used for this. The rest of the marinade is used as a base to create a salad dressing for a cucumber and cashew nut salad with vermicelli rice noodles. This salad is served cold while the chicken thighs are served fresh off the grill.

We actually don’t want to make the dish with the chicken thighs for tomorrow’s picnic. We only want to make the salad! It seems like it will be light and refreshing with just the right amount of heat. I may play around with the recipe tonight so it’s ready to go when we leave first thing in the morning. I may add some shredded carrot to it as well, just to give it a bit more crunch and colour.

We are approaching tomorrow with an open mind so we aren’t really sure where we will end up. The one thing we do know is that we will have some delicious food to eat when we get to wherever we are going!

I hope you are all making the most of this glorious picnic weather. Please drop me a line and tell me about your perfect picnic foods.