Thursday, March 20, 2014

Easy peasy quick frozen yoghurt

This is so simple and is great if you have too many berries or bananas that are about to turn and you don't want to chuck them out. Pre frozen berries can also be used.
The fruit should be frozen cold but not rock hard and the yoghurt should be cold straight from the fridge.

Frozen yoghurt

300g frozen strawberries
500g yoghurt
2 tblsp honey

Start by giving the fruit a quick blitz in a food processor then add the yoghurt and honey. Taste for sweetness and add more if too tart and serve... Simples!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

St Patrick's Day Fish Cakes with Orange flesh beetroot hummus.

I These were concocted very quicky as we wanted to watch the local parade but also did not want any grumbly tummy's. The St Patrick's Day colour theme was completely by chance actually.
Considering there are not alot of ingredients, these salmon fish cakes pack a serious taste punch, so much so a friend took the remaining four to impress a new boyfriend and claimed all the credit.

I made the hummus the evening before and it keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for a week. Its delicious with cheese and crackers too, and can also be made with regular purple beets.

Golden beetroot hummus

2 medium sized beetroots
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2tblsp rapeseed oil or olive oil
200g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp tahini
lemon
oil
pepper
fresh parsley for garnishing

First off scrub the beets gently to remove any soil. Refrain for trimming or cutting them or the vibrant colour will be lost to the cooking water during boiling.
Bring to the boil in a large saucepan filled with water and then simmer till a sharp knife can be inserted easily and comes out easily. Resist testing for at least and hour as the more you poke holes in them the more colour will be lost. If you have an aga or range you can just put the whole saucepan covered into the bottom oven.

Meanwhile finely chop or crush the garlic and gently cook with the cumin in the oil over a very low heat. DONT BURN THE GARLIC.

When the beetroots are cooked drain and gently peel away the skin (use rubber gloves to prevent dying your hands). Place into a blender with the chickpeas,tahini, garlic, oil and cumin and a few twists of black pepper. Whizz to a smooth consistency. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice in to taste. Adding some boiling water can give a smoother less dense consistency.


Salmon Fish Cakes
1 large sweet potato
3 medium sized potatoes
2 salmon fillets
pepper
handful of flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
lemon
2-3 spring onions roughly chopped
1 small leek finely chopped
1 egg
150g plain flour
200g breadcrumbs i used some old -ish brown sourdough bread, but any will do or bought breadcrumbs

Roast the whole sweet potato in its skin in the oven. Place the salmon in an oven proof dish skin side down and put into the oven at 150 degrees celcius for approx 15 minutes depending on the oven and the thickness of the fillets.Once cooked remove and turn the oven temperature up to 200 degrees celcius so the sweet potato will roast a little quicker.
Boil the potatoes until just soft (not mushy).

Gently soften the spring onions and leeks in a little oil and butter over a low heat.

For the coating break the egg up lightly with a fork and pour onto a plate.
Put the flour onto another plate and the breadcrumbs onto a third plate.

Once all the components are cooked, scoop the sweet flesh from the sweet potatoes into a bowl, gently crush in the potatoes, i like to leave some chunks for texture.Gently break in the salmon and chopped parley. With a fork mix in the onions and leeks and season with pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice.


Shape the fish cakes as large or small as you wish. I got 4 large and 2 smaller ones from this mix.

Next the coating. One at a time dip the cakes into the egg first, followed by the flour and then with a clean hand into the breadcrumbs. When all are coated set into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius. In a shallow frying pan with a little oil gently fry the cakes on both sides till golden brown, place onto a roasting dish and into the oven for 7-10 minutes again depending on the size of the cakes.

Serve with a spoonful of hummus and veggies such as broccoli, peas or spinach.


Monday, March 3, 2014

Tapioca pudding with fresh raspberries

I absolutely love milk based puddings, rice pudding, custard and my all time favourite tapioca. It is relatively inexpensive to make and is something the whole family can enjoy. Its versatile too being both yummy on its own, with fruit or just a swirl of honey. You can also alter the amount of sugar used or substitute with honey or agave nectar.



Tapioca Pudding

50g Tapioca pearls
500mls full fat milk
25g sugar or 1 teaspoon honey/agave nectar

Place all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and gently bring to the boil stirring all the time to allow the sugar to dissolve. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until the pearls are translucent and the liquid is absorbed.
To make a creamier, richer pudding substitute half of the milk for cream.

Try omitting half of the sugar and swirl jam in at the end to satisfy the sweet tooth.


Sunday, March 2, 2014

Brown soda bread

When I first moved to Co.Clare and started working in a local coffee shop the older generation used to come in and ask for "brown cake"......... I kept offering them chocolate cake, only to soon find out it was brown soda bread they were looking for.
Very simple, tasty and not full of additives and stabilisers. This makes a small round loaf for larger families or just to freeze some double the quantities.



Brown soda bread

150g whole meal flour
150g plain flour
3/4tsp bread soda
250ml butter milk
1 egg
6g salted butter

200degrees celcius, gas 6
Sift the plain flour and the bread soda and stir into the whole meal flour. Rub the butter into the flours.

Whisk the egg into the butter milk. Make a well in the middle if the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in and gently bring the mix together with your fingers. Try not to overwork as this activates the gluten and makes the bread tough.

Tip onto a lightly floured clean work surface, wash and dry your hands and gently shape the mix into shape. Place onto a floured baking tray and cut a cross (to let the fairies out).
Bake for 30-40 minutes. It's ready when it sounds hollow when the base is tapped. Wrap in a clean, damp tea towel and allow to cool.

Roasted root veg pasta sauce

I called this pasta sauce but actually its also yummy with chicken and salmon. I have a thing about turnips they remind me so much of my Grandad he used to grow them on the farm and we'd pick them, wash the soil off and chomp away and no doubt get a pain in our tummy's i'm sure.


Roasted root veg pasta sauce

1/2 turnip
1/2 sweet potato
1/2 butternut squash
2 small carrots
1 parsnip
1 small white onion
1 large clove garlic crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
500ml passata
Fresh parsley
Honey

Preheat the own to 180 degrees celcius, gas mark 4.
Peel and roughly chop the turnip, sweet potato, squash, carrots and parsnips into large chunks (not too small or they'll be a little too caramalised). Roast them in the oven until nice a soft with some black pepper and oil i use rapeseed oil but vegetable oil is fine too.

Finely dice the onion and lightly soften in a pan with a little unsalted butter keep stirring so as it doesn't burn add the crushed garlic and the cumin and cook for 2-3 minutes, again being careful not to burn the garlic.
At this stage pour in the passata and turn the heat down, allow to simmer for a couple of minutes stirring all the time as tomato based sauces burn easily. A teaspoon of honey (or a pinch of brown sugar) will take away any bitterness from the tomatoes and will balance the sauce making it more palatable. If the veg is not ready yet just set aside.

When the roasted veg is nice a soft add them to the sauce and blitz. It will probably be quite thick so add enough boiling water to reach your desired consistency. Add a nice handful of finely chopped fresh parsley.