Father’s Day: Treat Your Father To A Special Mea...

Today is Father’s Day. It also happens to be my sister’s birthday (Happy Birthday Lisa!) and I thought it was the perfect day to try a recipe I saw on one of my favourite cooking shows, Saturday Morning Kitchen. It aired on June 5th and featured the wonderful chef Michel Roux, who prepared Pork Sausages with a Pineapple Salsa and Rocket Salad.

What struck me right away about this dish was serving sausages with something other then the usual potatoes, gravy and Yorkshire pudding. Instead the pineapple salsa and rocket salad are a light and zesty alternative, absolutely perfect for a warm summer evening.

This is a very simple and elegant meal to prepare. The most labour intensive part of the dish is the salsa and that was much easier to make then I expected. I have never had pineapple salsa before but it was incredible. The pineapple combined with the fresh chilli, chill sauce and lime juice (and a bit of brown sugar) was sweet and tangy with a lovely bit of heat that came through wonderfully. It wasn’t overpowering at all. This is something I plan on making again and I think it would also go nicely alongside tuna or swordfish steaks.

The only adjustments I had to make to the recipe were with the herbs and the sambal oelek (Indonesian chilli sauce). Our coriander isn’t doing very well and I used the last few sad looking leaves which didn’t even come close to making up the 2 tablespoons needed for the salsa. So I used a combination of coriander, apple mint and a wee bit of lemon thyme. I also didn’t have the Indonesian chilli sauce but fortunately there was some Tiger chilli sauce lurking in the back of the fridge which I used instead. I’m not sure how much of a difference this made to the dish, but the salsa tasted pretty good in spite of these changes.

It was a fun and satisfying meal to make and what was so great was the way chef Michel Roux made it seem so effortless. It really showed me that you can create simple, wonderful meals that taste like they come from a 5 star restaurant, in your own home. Sadly my parents and sister live many thousands of miles away, so we weren’t able to share this special meal together. I do plan on making it for them when we meet up later this summer. So you guys have fair warning – get some white wine chilling in the fridge! On the show they suggested a Riesling which happens to be one of my favourite white wines.

For dessert we used up the left over pineapple and apple mint to make a fruit salad. We added some blueberries, strawberries and a chopped up banana along with a tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice. We served it with a generous dollop of vanilla yoghurt. It was a lovely way to finish the meal.

Here is chef Michel’s recipe again. Try it for yourself and why not share it with your loved ones, especially with dad (and any sisters who may be celebrating their birthdays).

Caramelizing the Pineapple For The Salsa

Pork Sausages with Pineapple Salsa and Rocket Salad.

Fruit Salad with fresh apple mint and a dollop of vanilla yoghurt.

Brewing With Love And Nose Rubs: Cat Cuddle Tea....

When I was younger I pestered my parents on a daily basis for a pet. At that time it didn’t matter to me what kind of pet, I just wanted an animal companion to cuddle up to and share my secrets with. Then one summer day when I came back from a solo visit to see my grandparents, I was greeted at the door by my mom, who told me there was a special surprise waiting for me. I will never forget the first time I saw Cinders. She was a tiny ball of gray and white fluff and to be honest I was terrified of her! She was so tiny that I was frightened I would hurt her if I went near her. I soon got over my worry and would often scoop her up for a cuddle. She was a remarkable cat who gave our family lots of love, joy and laughter for over 22 years.

As a teenager I did my share of babysitting but I was actually more popular as a cat sitter. I would look after people’s cats while they went on holiday and would shower them with as much love and affection as I could – so they didn’t miss their families too much while they were away. It was the best job I ever had! I looked after cats in Canada and the UK and made many wonderful friends (human and feline) along the way.

Now I do love all animals BUT there is something completely wonderful about cats. They hold a very special place in my heart and I know the world would be a miserable (and far less interesting place) without them. I am purrfectly happy in admitting that I am a total slave to my cat Nutmeg!

When I say I would do anything for her– I mean it! When she squawks I come running. Of course this has now resulted in me bringing her large glasses of water throughout the day (and night! – can we say ‘sleep deprivation’ everyone). In fact all she has to do is look at me in a certain way and I drop everything. Nutmeg does love a good cuddle and she often calls me over to have a wee snuggle and a mad cleaning session (I don’t do any cleaning – I am just expected to watch and admire).

Working from home means my day is wonderfully broken up with bouts of cat cuddling. This has created something which I call ‘Cat Cuddle Tea’.

Luna Raye’s Recipe For Cat Cuddle Tea.

Ingredients

1 tea bag (I love Clipper Organic Everyday Tea)

Water, just off the boil.

Milk and Sugar (or Honey) if desired.

Directions

Boil some water (being mindful not to overfill your kettle).

Add tea bag to your favourite mug.(My favourite is my Star Trek mug)

Fill the mug with the boiled water and gently poke at tea bag with a tea spoon.

While the tea continues to steep go and cuddle your cat.

Give ample nose rubs, chin scritches and haunch pats.

If your feline friend asks for a drink, pour them some water and bring it to them in a crystal glass. Make sure to hold the glass steady.

After they have had their water, bury your face in their fur and make smooch-y noises and praise them.

More nose rubs may be needed at this point.

Ignore cramp in your left side because you aren’t sitting correctly on the sofa (most likely because kitty is stretched out).

When 30 minutes has passed gently remove yourself from the sofa to check on your tea.

It should now be cold and unpleasant to drink.

Place unused milk back in the fridge and unused sugar or honey back on the shelf.

Get back to the sofa immediately to resume cat cuddles.

Enjoy!

Luna’s Cat Cuddle Tea Tips:

• As long as you haven’t added milk or sugar you can reserve the cold tea to give your house plants a nice boost. My great grandmother always used the cold tea left over in her tea pot for her African Violets – and they were always stunning and in full bloom.

• Place tea bags in a small dish and put in the fridge. They are wonderfully refreshing to use on tired, puffy eyes.

Some of Luna’s Favourite Cat Websites:

The Cats Protection League

Feline Cat Rescue

I Can Has Cheezburger

Catio Showcase

WhollyCat

Way of Cats

Come on and give me a cuddle - you know you want to!

Luna Raye's Cat Cuddle Tea

Nutmeg Unamused At Dragon's Inability To Give Nose Rubs

Bruschetta: A Delicious Half Time (Or Anytime) Tre...

Like many people this summer I will be watching the World Cup. I am not an avid football fan but I do enjoy the bigger matches and the World Cup is always exciting. During the England vs. USA game we needed some cheering up after Robert Green allowed the Americans to score an easy goal.

During the half time I decided to make a quick and easy bruschetta. This recipe is slightly different from traditional bruschetta recipes as I didn’t heat the tomato mixture before spreading it on the bread, but it is still full of flavour and goes very nicely with a chilled beer. We had Maple Moon Ale, an award winning ale from Joseph Holt’s Derby Brewery.

After our half time treat we felt slightly better about the match. We didn’t score another goal, but we didn’t allow another goal in either – which is something.

Luna Raye’s Half Time Or Anytime Bruschetta.

(If you want to make this at half time make sure you put the oven on 10 – 15 minutes in advance. So approximately 30 – 35 minutes into the first half of the match)

Ingredients

15 – 20 organic cherry or plum tomatoes.

1 clove of garlic, minced.

1 banana shallot finely chopped. (You can use any shallot but I prefer banana shallots as they are milder)

3 – 4 Tablespoons freshly chopped herbs. (I used Parsley, Coriander, and Sage) I would have loved to use some of my Basil but it’s struggling at the moment.

Pinch of sea salt.

Black pepper to taste.

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

2 – 3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

1 small baguette cut lengthways and then halved.

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place the cut baguette slices on a baking sheet and put in oven to slightly toast them. (You can brush a little virgin olive oil on them at this stage if you wish).

While the baguette slices are gently toasting in the oven. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a medium sized bowl.

Add the minced garlic and chopped shallot and mix well.

Add the sea salt and some black pepper and gently blend in the chopped mixed herbs.

Take the baguette slices out of the oven and spread the tomato mixture liberally over each slice.

Finish with a light drizzle of virgin oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the Parmesan has melted and the tomato mixture is slightly bubbling.

Keep a close eye on them as you don’t want them to burn.

They should be on the plate by the start of the 2nd half (although it does help to have a kitchen assistant to speed things along!)

Happily serves 2.

Half Time or Any Time Bruschetta

My Poor Basil

The Kent Coast: Fresh Sea Food By The Sea Side....

It’s been a long difficult winter for us here in the UK and this weekend when the sun finally came out many people like myself took advantage and headed for the sea side. The English sea side is truly an amazing place; pebbly beaches, penny arcades, ‘Mr Whippy’ ice cream cones and of course fish, chips and mushy peas.

One of the most wonderful stretches of coast line is the Kent coast. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to explore all of it, I do enjoy the walk from Herne Bay down to Whitstable. Just make sure to cover up with sun screen and a hat – the breeze coming in off the water easily takes away the heat of the sun and you don’t realize until too late that you are burning. It’s hard to believe the English sun can be so strong!

My walk began at Herne Bay, which has a pier full of penny arcades – a great place to get rid of a few 1p and 2p coins and maybe even win a prize! There are also plenty of fish and chip shops. Just the thought of a portion of chips wrapped in paper and generously covered with salt and vinegar is enough to get my mouth watering. Chips are actually pretty healthy (ok minus the generous sprinkling of salt) and they are a good way to fuel up for the long but scenic walk to Whitstable.

A pretty little town, Whitstable has a fantastic fish market where you can get all sorts of fresh fish and sea food. The market sells little tubs of cockles, winkles, prawns, crab claws and roll mops which you can tuck into right away. You can also buy freshly grilled mackerel in a whole wheat roll which is delicious, especially with the addition of tomato butter. Then of course there are the oysters. Served on paper plates with ice and fresh lemon wedges, you can pay a little bit extra to have them opened on the spot (I definitely recommend this option). Honestly I was never very sure about oysters, but once I tried them on the beach accompanied by a pint of local ale (raspberry wheat beer), I was well and truly hooked!

A big part of being a kitchen witch is making sure to take time and reconnect with nature on a daily basis. Usually I will go for a walk or potter around in my garden but when I get the chance, I love my trips to the sea side. The cool salty sea breeze, rolling waves and wide open spaces refresh and energize me. It’s a real joy to see excited dogs running into the water, kids with pails and shovels digging up treasure and sea gulls swooping and diving. Despite this abundance of activity the sea side is a great place to relax, unwind and really connect with nature.

For those of you in the UK I urge you to make time to appreciate the wonderful coast lines we have in this country – our sea side truly is a magical place. For those of you planning a trip to the UK, make sure you include a trip to the sea side, you won’t regret it!

Whitstable Oysters and Crab Claws

Whitstable Kent Beach Huts

The Lemon Posset Has Landed!...

Well here it is, my first ever lemon posset. I decided to garnish it with a bit of whipped cream and a few glace cherries. An experiment with making my own candied lemon peel ended disastrously – I will save that story for another day.

As for the actual dessert I still can’t believe how simple it was to make.

Now to get stuck in!

Here is the recipe I used, kindly shared by MARLENE28 at All Recipes.

Ingredients

750ml (1¼ pints) double cream

200g (7 oz) caster sugar

3 lemons, juiced

Directions

In a saucepan over medium high heat, stir together 750ml cream and sugar. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate until set, about 5 hours. Pour a little more cream over the tops just before serving.