New year - fresh start!


Hi All,

I know I haven't added anything in a while....all is about to change. I have started a new venture with a funny cameraman. This will take off in the new year. I am also taking photos of all the food I cook. This will be added in due course.

Please click and view the links below for the first four episodes of warmbeercoldsoup the films on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0YO3nLiho0


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msu9nx3o_jA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrnL0mGycIc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWDopPDu464

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Mark

tuna steak & fine bean rocket salad with pesto and balsamic vinegar



With the bank holiday just around the corner, why not treat yourself and friends to a tuna steak and fine bean  rocket salad.

We all have had the tuna sandwich, now try a tuna steak, simple and easy

enjoy



Heat a frying pan on a medium heat with olive oil and wait till the pan slightly smokes, place the tuna onto the pan away from yourself to prevent possible splashing of hot oil. Cook for two minutes on either side, season the steaks when cooked to reduce drying out effect, remove from pan and add lime or lemon juice.

Cook the green beans in saucepan of boiling salted water for six minutes, when done, remove beans and place in iced cold water to cool down.

Place the tomatoes on a tray, sprinkle wit olive oil and season, retain tomatoes on the vine to add to the flavour and presentation of the dish.

add to the salad, green beans, olives and rocket leaves, dress with pesto, balsamic vinegar or oils of your choice.


Summer Berry and Pimms Jam

Well it's summer and the great British tradition of jam and conserve making season is upon us.  My summer berry and Pimms jam is so fruity it makes Lord Byron's sex life look dull and boring.  If you are lucky enough to grow your own berries then this is perfect, unfortunately, for me it meant a trip to Sainsbury's!  My summer berry jam is perfect when spread generously over a plain croissant, I tried an almond one but it was too sweet for me.

1kg Strawberries (stalks removed)
200gms Raspberries 
1Kg Sugar
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Star anise
100ml Cold water
A generous slug of Pimms

Remove the stalks off the strawberries, whilst warming the pan over a gentle heat.  Place the strawberries and raspberries in the pan with 100mls of water and keep on gentle heat for 8-10 minutes, stir on occasion.  When the mixture begins bubbling then you can mash the fruit.  Now add star anise, cinnamon stick and sugar.  Keep stirring the fruit and sugar to marry well together.  After five minutes of cooking you are likely to get a white film over the top feel free to remove this.  Continue to cook for a further five minutes and then remove off the heat and add Pimms.  Allow the mixture to cool before adding to your sterilised jars.  


The Joys of Summer


The British have a wonderfully romanticised view of eating outside.  The French and Italians have the picnic lifestyle off to a tee, but I am not sure we know how to go about it. When I am driving down the motorway it makes me laugh so much to see people eating jam sandwiches and drinking luke-warm tea by the roadside; how can that be fun?  What with all that traffic flying by it looks a bit silly really.
  
The weather is partly to blame for us British not being very good at the picnic lifestyle.  However, the weather does not need to be 80 degrees plus for us to go outside; it just needs to be dry, if it is a little chilly, put a Jumper on. When the weather is nice we tend to pack too much stuff for our picnics; you are not going away for 2 weeks with Ray Mears in the wild woods . So keep it simple please; there is no need for endlees pork pastries but saying that the Scotch egg is a great example of picnic food; totally self contained and ready to eat. Why not try some crusty bread as well hang on; the Ploughman lunch is tailor-made for picnic fare all you need is Ham , scotch egg , crusty bread, cheese, some salad. thats about it.  Sorry you do also need branston pickle, as well maybe some mustard, cold beers or wine and then you are ready to go. 
  
So with all this nice weather lets get outside and enjoy ourselves a little bit this summer.

Fish-farers breakfast vs Continental breakfast

The French eat croissants by the ton. The crescent shaped bread has been with us since the middle ages and some people say it is in worship of the moon; sounds a bit silly to me. The modern croissant dates back to 19th century Paris.



Fish-farers breakfast.

Sardines are an oily fish and therefore, a fantastic source of omega 3.  There is really no better way to start the day than this dish, it will keep you going until lunch.



 Sardines
 Olive oil
 Salt Pepper
 Smoked bacon

Heat a pan and add olive oil. Wait untill the pan is nice and hot before adding your fish.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side . You can cook the bacon at the same time as the fish and in the same pan. Serve with soda bread, yum.

A French Style Potato Salad.

New Potatoes
Wild Rocket
Creme Fraiche
Lemon Juice
Salt Pepper
Capers
Wholegrain Mustard
   
 
 Pork Chops
 Thyme
 Garlic
 Lemon juice
 Salt & Pepper
  


Pork chops these can be marinated in the morning before going to work. Place the new Potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 min. Add cooked potatoes in to a mixing bowl with creme fraiche, lemon juice, wholegrain mustard with capers and rocket; mix together and serve.  Cook the pork chops for 3 min on eachside before serving.

Jellied Eels

When we think of Jellied Eels we think of the Eastend of London and Millwall FC . Eels and mash shops have been with used since the 18th century which was a great source of cheap fastfood for the working class of London. The eels were cut up in to small pieces and cooked in spice, water, chillies and mustard seeds. When the water has cooled down the water will set and preserve the Eel meat. Chilli vinegar, traditional vinegar and black pepper are traditionally used for seasoning. You can used balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and herbs like chervil for seasoning as well.


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