South and a Little Bit East

Please go over to my new blog here:


South and a Litte Bit East

Quick Fried Noodles, Prawns, Mussels and Spring Onion

Currently watching River Cottage Three Go Mad, where 3 actors join the River Cottage team for a few days  to live off the land! Fab.  But I have very quickly popped Hugh on pause and took some time to post this recipe.
These noodles were super quick, fresh and tasty - even if I do say so myself!  Based on a recipe by Tony Tobins from the BBC Food Website, Fried Noodles, Prawns and Char-grilled Spring Onions, I made a few changes as below.


Time to prepare and cook: 30 minutes
Cost of ingredients approx: £6.50
Changes to recipe:  I didnt chargrill the spring onions, I added in some mussels and popped onto some fab asparagus!
Tricky bits:  None!
The full recipe is after the break......serves 2

Lettuce Gratin with Bacon and Chorizo

Can you spot it?  The lettuce that is?  In this gratin theres about 500grams of it!  Who would have thought it!  Or maybe I should say 'Hugh' would have thought it!  I found this recipe at the weekend whilst looking for something to do with two rather large heads of lettuce.
Its another classic from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a Lettuce Gratin. 


Time to prepare and cook: 35 minutes
Cost of ingredients approx: £6
Changes to recipe:  Added Chorizo and Red Peppers
Tricky bits:  None!
The full recipe is after the break......serves 4

Beetroot and Walnut Hummus

A lovely glut of beetroot led me to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls Beetroot and Walnut Hummus, if you have uncooked Beetroot like me then to cook it boil enough water to cover the beetroot.  Pop the Beetroot in and simmer until the outer skin rubs off (about 30 minutes).

I loveee garlic and so I popped some extra bits on top, and splashed some more lemon and olive oil over the top.  To serve I chopped up some toasted pitta bread!


Yummy!


Full recipe and instructions after the break....

Meringue Topped Summer Pots (Individual Queen of Puddings)

With the pea soup currently enveloping Greenwich, this is a little ode to summer before we hurtle headlong into winter and all its joys!

With meringue piled high and summery strawberry jam, sprinkled with coconut in the middle, this is all about the best of summer - but in individual portions!

Adapted from a recipe by Delia Smith called Individual Queen of Puddings

Serves 2
270 ml of skimmed milk
5g of low fat baking margarine
55g of breadcrumbs
30g caster sugar
1 lemon
2 eggs
2 tbsps strawberry jam or other
Shredded cocnut to sprinkle

Heat oven to 200c
Bring the milk to the boil on stove, remove from heat, add in butter, breadcrumbs, half the sugar and lemon zest, leave for 15mins to swell
Separate eggs
Beat yolks and add to breadcrumb mixture, divide mixture between two buttered ramekins
Place on baking tray in oven at 200c until set - approx 20 mins
Meanwhile in small saucepan, melt jam over low heat until runny
When puddings are set, spread jam mixture over them and spinkle over coconut
Now beat egg whites until stiff peaks, whisk in rest of sugar, pile high on puddings
Bake for further 15mins until tops are golder brown

Quick and Easy Pizza Dough Recipe

I love this pizza dough recipe - it never fails and you can find it here on the Allrecipes website by Gudny Bjorg Kjaerbo.

I normally use this to make a large rectangular pizza to share, the dough easily covers a 14 by 15 inch baking tray and makes about 15 squares, I then:

Spread on a full tube of tomato puree
Sprinkle on some low fat grated cheese.....and then whatever takes your fancy.
I used mushrooms, onions, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, ham and a sprinkle of pine nuts.

Bake at 190 C / Gas mark 5 for 20 to 25 minutes or until crispy.

Cut up and serve!

Bruschetta with Broad Beans and Asparagus

Even though Bruschetta can be the simplest recipe in the world it feels rather decadent having it for dinner rather than just as a starter but I couldnt resist making Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls Bruschetta with Broad Beans and Asparagus for our main meal.  It comes from his new book River Cottage Veg Every Day! (River Cottage Every Day).  Have a go, its quick and oh so yummy and definitely make double and eat it as your main!

Check out the recipe after the break