MOOD FOOD: That's what Cooking is all about ......

Cookie In a Jar..... Mood = Cookie monster

2012-01-22T13:10:00.000Z

When I first opened Baity i knew a few things, but boy have i learnt ALOT since 1 year and 2 months of operation. The main thing i learnt is that there are many people out there trying to do similar things and what separates you from the rest is your quality and being the best. Also have signature dishes or simple things like having the best brownie or cookie in town can make a difference.

Our cookies became quite popular with our clients as we experimented with the fillings and one of them is dates. Our date cookie sells like crazy and the moistness and chewiness of it just make is it superb.

At some points we just couldn't make enough to fulfil our demand for them so i came up with something that allowed out customers to be a bit more interactive and make them at home, without giving our secret recipe away. I first saw this idea on Bakerella with her cowgirl cookie jars and thought that it was A FANTASTIC idea.

So off i went to buy some cute little kilner jars and created and designed some logos and instruction labels and off they went. You can even make them on a stick if you like as a Lolly cookie. Great for the kids....

These cookies in a jar were and are so popular we sold 40 jars in 2 days and had a personal order for 40 more the following week. During Christmas they were even more popular and even now people are still enjoying them. They have been refilling the jars with other products when done so its good use for them. I fill mine up with home made pickles and olives when I'm done....

I think to create a brand with a great product that is easy to make and tastes great gives you the edge on other businesses.

I appreciate everyone who has bought them and enjoyed them and continues to do so.

Flavours: Date, Triple chocolate, White chocolate with Cranberries, Dark chocolate with sour cherries, oats and dried fruit..... etc etc

XX J

Sesame Seared Tuna Salad.... Mood = Improvisation

2011-10-23T18:39:00.000+01:00

I have so many delicious ingredients coming through my door all the time and sometimes get bored of cooking the same thing, which happens alot. In Baity, we always have a seared tuna steak with a delicious spicy salsa to go with it, and i made that as usual but had some left over pieces of tuna that were too small to make into gorgeous fillet steaks, so i improvised and made a delicious fresh crunchy oriental salad.

I used the bottom end of tuna which come to a point and greased it up a little with olive oil and coated it generously with sesame seeds. shaved some vegetables and made a delicious dressing and hey presto the result was beautiful, colourful fresh, crunchy and very very tasty. BUT you MUST ALWAYS USE fresh tuna for this as it is almost raw.

I think improvising is the best way of cooking as it really lets your mind go free. You have a chance to really let go of your usual routine of cooking i guess, and try something you always wanted to try or simply just be different.

This salad lasted in my counter downstairs for approximately 45 Minutes before being ravaged! I was so so happy to see the empty platter come up which proved to me that experimenting can be fun and also be very very worthwhile.

Recipe:

400 grams of fresh tuna loin from the tail end.
sesame seeds
Courgettes
moollis
asparagus
Red peppers
Soya sauce
chilli sauce
sesame oil
sugar
fish sauce
limes and coriander
chilli
Baby leaf salad

Method:

first shave your courgettes raw and place in a bowl

Peel moolis and slice finely

Chop the coriander and chilli

Mix with baby leaf salad

cook the asparagus heads for approximately 4-5 minutes. NO LONGER as you want a nice crunch.

Slice the red peppers into julienne strips

Mix all together with the baby leaf salad and this is the base for your salad

With the tuna, you want to oil it slightly, cover it completely with the sesame seeds and then begin to sear it. At first it seems that the sesame will fall off and wont stay on the tuna, but have faith and let it crust nicely on top.

Turn the sides to sear approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. You want it to cook nicely but not fully, leaving and delicious moist tuna steak in the middle.

Once you have seared you tuna leave it to rest for a moment and begin making your sauce.

Add 7 table spoons the soya to taste, with a table spoon of sesame oil, a sprinkling of fresh chillies, sesame seeds, 2 limes and a table spoon of sugar. You can also add some sweet chilli jam if have some to hand and a splash of fish sauce.

You can add more or less of things you like but you have to have the essence of the taste of what you are looking for. This sauce gets drizzled over the tuna slices which gets placed over the salad and served straight away.

USE A SHARP KNIFE when cutting the tuna otherwise you will rip it apart.

Enjoy with a nice glass of crisp sauvignon blanc.

Palestine.... Mood = Home Grown!

2011-10-20T19:45:00.000+01:00

Since Baity kitchen started..... Yes i know i use that line often but its true.... Since it started i got to search and research different products to sell at the deli and found some wonderful things along the way. First were the flowering teas, then came the cupcakes in a jar and the chocolate fondues. This went on and on and it just got better and better until i found a wonderful Palestinian olive oil that i could stock at my place. I have been to-ing and fro-ing about whether to stock this oil so not to upset people as we are in a very sensitive area where we have a high political view on things but seeing as i AM Palestinian i though it was only appropriate. Also since Ottolenghi's duo of Israeli and Palestinian team went down so well i thought that it would be just fine.

I am always a supporter of ALL companies that are small and family run and this has been the way since the beginning. What is the point of of supporting and stocking products that EVERYBODY has when there are better and more delicious products out there that are just waiting to be discovered.

This Olive oil is tangy a bit peppery and oh so delicious you almost want to eat it on its own.... But know that it is just not appropriate.....

I found this oil on the website of a supplier that i use for everyday products and then went to the link of the company profile itself.... Read on.

Palestine is the home of the olive tree, with some of the oldest olive groves in the world, some dating as far back as 1500 to 2000 years. The olive trees produce fruit that supports over half the population and can be seen dominating the agricultural landscape.
The Mediterranean climate, rich fertile soil and use of organic traditional farming methods, makes Zaytoun’s Palestinian olive oil a world outstanding product.
Zaytoun’s main challenge is to find a market place for Palestinian produce in the UK. We cannot do this without the support of our hundreds of distributors across the country. Zaytoun

If you are looking for a top of the range olive oil, then i have just found it. Available to buy at Baity Kitchen!

Honey roast vegetables.... Mood= Winter warmers

2011-10-19T15:03:00.000+01:00

Since opening Baity Kitchen last December our roasted root vegetables have been a very very BIG hit. They are simple, retain their flavour and have a moorish crunch and stickiness to them. We get a lot of requests about how we cook them and i always tell my clients that its the simplest recipes that always have the best results and this is one of them.

I do this with all my my root vegetables just the only thing i change is the honey, by using golden syrup or maple syrup. So it works with all three.

Whatever vegetable you use, be it sweet potato, carrots, parsnips etc, the best thing is to follow this recipe and it goes well with fish, meat or simply on its own.

The one is am showing in the photo today is for sweet potato as we make this everyday without fail come winter or spring.

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes cut into wedges
garlic in their skins
A bunch of thyme
Honey, Maple syrup or golden syrup
Olive oil
Salt, pepper

Cut the sweet potato down the middle and wedge it

Then sprinkle with salt pepper and drizzle with oil and the syrup and place on baking paper and break apart some thyme and place in a hot oven at 200 degrees on their sides.

This point is important as this will help caramelise them and make them sticky and chewy.

Place them in the oven and DO NOT MOVE them for at least 40 minutes and them turn them over and cook again for another 20 or so minutes till they have browned all over.

Serve them straight away.

Always make more then you think as you will want more and more.
So delicious and so so good for you.

Sweet potato has many nutritious qualities to it. Here is a little info i found on Wikipedia:

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B₆. Pink, yellow and green varieties are high in carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.
In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.
Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light-colored flesh, and their increased cultivation is being encouraged in Africa, where vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem. Despite the name "sweet", it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.^[24]
The peptic substance (0.78 percent total, 0.43 percent soluble) present in fresh tubers contains uronic acid (60%) and methoxyl (4-5%). Other constituents include phytin (1.05%), two monoaminophosphatides (probably lecithin and cephalin), organic acids (oxalic acid), phytosterolin, phytosterol, resins, tannins, and coloring matter.[2

Sounds good. eh?

Enjoy!

Summer opening of Buckingham Palace. Mood = Regal!

2011-08-16T16:41:00.004+01:00

Buckingham Palace is opening their doors to the public once again! The 19 enormous state rooms that are usually reserved for entertaining dignitaries from around the world open to the public in August and September, you really will be able to see how the other half live.

Summer Opening at Buckingham Palace

This year there is a special exhibition, which takes a look at the collection of Royal Faberge ornaments. The exhibition reveals the extraordinary talents of the Russian goldsmith, Carl Faberge and how his name became synonymous with the finest royal collection of in the world.

The Royal Wedding
The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, is also on display! Her Royal Highness worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress under the brand Alexander McQueen. The dress is on display alongside the shoes and earrings worn by The Duchess on 29 April, as well as the magnificent Halo Tiara.

Standard adult tickets: £17.00

Children aged 5-17: £10

For more information click here

Baity goes to Italy..... Mood= Italian Affair!

2011-08-12T18:01:00.000+01:00

When my brother told me he was getting married i was super excited for him. More than happy as his princess manana is an amazing girl.... But then he said Florence, and my heart began to beat even faster. I have been to Italy, but when i was very young. My parents took us on the orient Express and showed us the wonders of this country. But all i have are pictures and not real memories.

I was very excited and began to organise my trip. On the agenda was Portofino, Forte Dei Marmi, Pisa and Florence. It was an excuse for me to eat my way through Italy. And eat my way through Italy was exactly what i did.

At Baity kitchen, 90% of the staff are Italian and gave me lots of tips to on what to eat what and where. So i took their advice and did just as they said for a change..... :)

My trip began in Portofino. Simply beautiful and stunning. The weather was on and off during our 3 days there, but we made the most of it by eating our way through the time we spent there. The hotel we stayed in was impeccable and the food..... WAS DIVINE!

Fresh pizzas from a wood oven, Burrata mozzarella, tomatoes that actually tasted of tomatoes, and the truffles. If you want to get into my heart, the fastest way is to present me with truffles. I just adore them and one of my dishes, beef carpaccio was laden with them. Ooooh I'm in heaven just thinking about it right now.

The next best thing was going to Forte dei Marmi. It was just so cute and very much my kind of thing. The whole town is taken over by bicycles and a very quirky cute beachy scene. All the restaurants that we went to were just perfect serving up local fish and simple no fuss food that just tasted of what it was supposed to taste like. I just loved everything. The bresaola was soft and almost fluffy. No need to chew, no need to season. Langoustine were cooked to perfection, almost raw and so so sweet. I loved it there.

My favourite thing about being in Italy was the grocery shopping. I know they have supermarkets like we have over here in the UK, but the best part was the little family owned shops that have everything you want on one shelf, from deodorant, to chickpeas, razors to tinned tuna. The best was the hanging hams just behind the counter. I just wanted to put the whole thing in my suitcase. So yumm, and so beautiful.

Our next stop was Florence, were the festivities were taking place. We were a huge group of people for the wedding so the food sampling became immense as everyone wanted to go everywhere. And so we did. We went to little trattorias, fine dining and hotel restaurants. Each and everyone of these places were incredible. The atmosphere in Florence for me was electric. The city was magical and i think that contributed to the food. The views were almost museum like and i felt like i had stepped back in time. I ate so much i thought the dress for my brothers wedding was not going to fit anymore but i didn't care.

Florence was stunning, striking and simply wonderful. I didn't want to leave. But unfortunately all good things have to end at some point. But i am so glad it ended with the wedding of my Brother.

This Italian adventure was so far the best holiday i have taken in a long time simply for the food and the atmosphere. I would highly recommend this little tour to anyone who has the chance of taking it. And eat the steak fiorentina. I had one nearly every day while staying in Florence..... DELISH!!!!!

Next stop, the south of Italy....

Baity's guide to the perfect glass of Pimms!

2011-08-12T11:03:00.001+01:00

We LOVE Pimms at Baity Kitchen and even if it means drinking it indoors with the rain pouring outside, it still makes you feel fresh and summery!!!

It is definitely true to say that nothing quite beats a glass of Pimms on a summer’s day. Pimms is almost as much a tradition as the cup of tea with gallons of it being drunk by British people every year!

History of Pimms

It was James Pimm, in the 1840s that invented the Great British thirst-quenching drink!
He used gin, quinine and a secret mixture of herbs to be used as an aid to digestion, dishing it out in a small tankard!! This became known as the No. 1 cup!

After the Second World War, Pimms extended their range, using a number of other spirits as bases for new cups. Scotch lent its name to No. 2 cup while No. 3 used brandy, No. 4 rum, No. 5 rye and No. 6 vodka. Of these sequels, the vodka cup and brandy (now called Winter) are the only ones in production while original No. 1 cup still reigns supreme in popularity.

Pimms Recipes
Traditional Pimms No.1

Slice of orange

Lemon,

Apple

Cucumber

One sprig of mint

Add to two parts lemonade to one part Pimms

Watch how to make the perfect Pimms here!

Here are a few more Pimms recipes if you fancy mixing the classic up a bit!

Turbo Pimms No.1

As above but five parts lemonade, two parts Pimms, one part gin.

English Passion Pimms No.6

Take a shaker 2/3 full of ice and add 50ml of Pimms No.6, 25ml of Zubrowka vodka, flesh and juice of a passion fruit and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake well and strain into a tumbler full of ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint and two short straws.

Maximum Voltage Pimms No.6
Take a shaker 2/3 full of ice, 50ml of Pimms No.6, 25ml of Zubrowka vodka and 25ml of Cointreau.

Shake well and strain into a high ball full of ice.

Fill with soda water and garnish with mint.

Watch the pimms advert here!

Baity's Summer Design Top Tips

2011-08-09T20:17:00.000+01:00

So far, the British summer has left a LOT to our imagination. The long summer August days we were all dreaming about have already been slashed and on the 9^th August – the sky is grey and the winter jumpers are on (why do we live in England again - it certainly isn’t for the weather that’s for sure!!).

However, do not fear! Help is at hand. Baity Kitchen are offering their Top Summer Design tips – catering for all interior design needs, just simply follow our tips to get a fun, vivacious summery look (even if the weather outside contradicts the season!)

Bring the outside - inside!

Last month – we wrote about the latest interior trend, bringing the outside inside. Following on from that post here are some more ideas of ways to bring the outside inside.

Bring alfresco dining inside – using outdoor dining and tableware! Firstly find a summery tablecloth or picnic throw for your kitchen table, like this one that we used for our interview with RED magazine last month!

Bright, block, summery colours or even patterned, floral designs - the bolder and brighter the better!! Accessorize your table with outdoor dining-ware using plastic summery goblets, flutes or tumblers, fill them with some freshly mixed pimms with fruit, mint and ice or whatever else takes your fancy!! There’s nothing like a glass of pimms to make you feel summery!

In the evening light colourful lanterns, which provide romantic, ethereal lighting and enjoy a glass of wine – the perfect summers evening, even if you have to be inside!

‘Summer–up’ indoors!

All you have to do to make an indoor space feel a bit more summery is to bring a touch of colour. Try replacing cushion covers with bright zingy colours, bringing a breath of fresh air to a more wintery room. We recommend Baity’s brand colour - mint-green which will never go out of fashion due to its freshness.

Flowers are integral for this look. Simply putting single flowers in small jam jars are a cheap and easy way to create this look (like we do at Baity Kitchen!!)

Enjoy the summer – even if you have to stay indoors, sheltering from the rain!

BRING THE SUMMER INSIDE!!

Stitch and Bitch!

2011-08-05T17:15:00.001+01:00

STITCH AND BITCH

Knitting is proven to be one of the longest standing popular leisure time activities of all time! Dating way way back many centuries ago - back to the 11^th century.

The worlds love for knitting is arguably kept alive by the notorious stitch and bitch sessions that are run up and down the country and all around the world – (where people meet up to literally knit, chat and eat cake!!). There’s nothing like a good old chat with friends and the knitting is really relaxing and therapeutic!

At Baity Kitchen we LOVE the idea of ‘Stitch and Bitch’. Anything that involves a good old gossip and a piece of cake suits us perfectly and the knitting just tops it all off!

Stitch London, is London’s most popular knitting group – run by Lauren O’Farrell. At Stitch London they pride themselves on being a ‘Feisty but friendly stitching group and also an online stitching monster, crashing through the world like a radioactive woolly Godzilla with sticks and string’!

The free weekly knitting sessions are open to everyone and you don’t even have to be able to knit. They are happy to teach you for FREE…and they welcome cross stitch, crochet, and other types of handicrafts!!

For more information about Stitch London, click here!

Baity's Allotment!

2011-08-02T12:09:00.000+01:00

We just love our little garden/allotment – everyday it gives us totally organic, fresh and fragrant herbs which we could not live without!

Baity's list of ways allotments can change your life:

They provide you with a cheap source of fresh fruit and vegetables
They are organic as there is less contact with pesticides - which means that the fruit and vegetables that you grow are better for you
They give you a great reason to spend more time outside
They give you a good sense of achievement
They provide you with a positive focus
They are educational as you will learn lots of things your didn't already know about how to plant/grow various fruits and vegetables
They are a great stress release
They give you a great way to escape the pressures of modern living
They encourage you to spend time with your neighbours and create a good community spirit
Its a very sociable activity
They provide you with a fun form of exercise

To find about getting an allotment near you...click here

One of our favourite things to grow at the moment is strawberries. Now is the perfect time to plant strawberries outdoors (they can be planted anytime between late June – September) – in your allotment!

Top-Tips for growing strawberries

The ideal soil is well-drained and rich in humus
They prefer to be planted in full sun, out of the wind
They can produce fruit for five or six years
To prevent slugs, put down pellets or place grit or broken egg shells under each plan
Place a net over the plants to prevent birds and squirrels from eating the fruit
Pick any ripe strawberries so they don't rot on the plan
Check the plants every other day during the ripening period

How to plant your strawberries

Prepare the soil by digging over, removing any perennial weeds and adding manure

Plant with the crown at soil level and water well

Five strawberry varieties to try…

'Elvira' - a heavy cropper producing large, soft fruits from June to early July
'Hapil' - high-yielding variety with large, bright red fruits from early to late July
'Florence' - grows well in all soils and produces large, dark fruit in late summer
'Vivarosa' - one of the few varieties to produce pink (instead of white) flowers
Fragaria vesca - provides good ground cover in cottage gardens

When did you last fake it?

2011-07-29T10:17:00.002+01:00

WHEN DID YOU LAST FAKE IT?

Baity Kitchen has been looking into the report just published by cooking ingredient specialists - Very Lazy, about the truths behind the dishes served up on tables across the nation. It certainly makes very interesting reading!!

Have you ever been to a dinner party – and felt like quizzing the host about their perfect meal?

Well - you might have to take their word with a pinch of salt next time!! Apparently a staggering 72% of people in the UK admit to cutting corners with their cooking, with 1.6 million people in London passing off readymade food as their own! They also found out that over 4 MILLION people in the UK think it’s OK to pass off a ready meal as their own!!

We can assure you that this is NOT the case at Baity Kitchen, we make all our dishes from scratch every morning – no cutting corners for us I’m afraid. But to make things a little easier for all you ‘fakers’ out there, make sure you check out our blog this time next week for an easy to make recipe, perfect for dinner parties – and will help save you from having to ‘fake it’ next time you have people over!!

Click here to read more about the report.

Ridiculously Rhubarb!

2011-07-26T12:39:00.000+01:00

Ridiculously Rhubarb!!

Ah, the season of summer! It’s a time for sun, sand, and of course sumptuous summer foods. The theme for today is rhubarb, which doesn’t have the most amazing reputation among fruits or vegetables. But as with anything, if you cook it well and add the right ingredients, you can come up with some dazzling and delicious dishes!

For starters, here’s one from right here on Baity’s Mood Food Blog - a scrumptious Smoky Apple and Rhubarb Cake, click here for the recipe…

But...if you’re looking for something a bit more refreshing for a hot summer’s day, here is a delightfully cool recipe, perfect for a summer evening!

Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

Ingredients

For the ice cream

1 lb (450 g) trimmed rhubarb
8 oz (225 g) sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
15 fl oz (425ml) whipping cream

For the crumble

3 oz (75 g) plain white flour
2 oz (50 g) butter
2 oz (50 g) light brown muscovado sugar
½ level teaspoon ground ginger

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C).

Equipment

You will also need a shallow, 11 x 7 inch (28 x 18 cm) baking tin and a 3½ pint (2 litre) polythene freezer box, 8 x 8 inches x 2½ inches deep (20 x 20 cm x 6 cm deep).

How to make it - 15 minutes

 1

First of all, make the crumble by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl and using your hands to rub the butter into the flour, so that the mixture comes together to form small, pea-sized balls of dough (rather as if someone had made a half-hearted attempt to make breadcrumbs from very fresh bread!) Now sprinkle this evenly into the baking tin and leave on one side.

. 2

Now cut the rhubarb into ½ inch (1 cm) lengths and place them in a large, shallow baking dish along with the sugar and lemon juice. Place the dish on a lower shelf in the pre-heated oven and put the tin containing the crumble mixture on the shelf above. The crumble needs to be baked for 10 minutes, then removed from the oven and left to cool. The rhubarb may need a further 15-20 minutes' cooking before it is completely tender: when it's cooked, take it out and leave it to cool a little before pouring it into a food processor or blender. Process until you have a smooth purée, then pour it into a measuring jug, cover and transfer to the fridge to chill.

 3

Before making the ice cream, use your hands to break up the cooled crumble and restore it to small, pea-sized pieces (if they're too big, the pieces are unwieldy to eat in the ice cream; if they're too small, they disappear). Next, stir the cream into the rhubarb purée, pour into an ice-cream maker and churn until the mixture has the consistency of softly whipped cream.

 4

Quickly spoon it into the polythene freezer box and stir in the crumble pieces. Put the lid on and then freeze for a minimum of 2 hours, or until the ice cream is firm enough to serve. To make without an ice-cream maker, freeze the cream and rhubarb mixture (without the crumble) in the box for 3-4 hours, then whisk and return to the freezer. Re-freeze for a further 2 hours, then whisk again and stir in the crumble before the final freezing. If frozen solid, the ice cream will need to be transferred to the main body of the fridge for about 25 minutes before serving to allow it to become soft enough to scoop.

This smooth yet crumbly ice cream concoction from Delia Smith is a gorgeously sweet treat guaranteed to give anyone a new-found love for rhubarb.

Baity’s favourite Summer Drinks

2011-07-21T12:02:00.001+01:00

Baity’s favourite Summer Drinks

HOT & COLD (perfect for July’s turbulent English Weather)

As we all know, during those scorching summer days there are few things better than an ice cold drink. And looking to winter, (or this year’s wintery July) there’s nothing that can beat a piping hot drink on a miserable wet and windy morning. Today on Mood Food we’ve picked out some cheery drinks which are perfect for both seasons.

Cucumber and Elderflower spritzer

Especially for those hot sticky summer evenings!

Ingredients

1 cucumber , ends trimmed
½ bottle white wine
200ml elderflower cordial
A few mint sprigs, leaves picked
2 x 1l bottles soda water , chilled

How to make it - 10 minutes

Chop the cucumber into a few chunks, then put in a blender or food processor with the wine and elderflower cordial. Whizz until well blended, then pour through a sieve set over a large bowl or jug.

Tip the contents of the sieve back into the machine, whizz again until pulpy, then sieve again into the liquid already collected. Add 1-2 tbsp of the cucumber pulp from the sieve into the liquid and discard the rest. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, fill glasses with a few ice cubes and some mint leaves. Pour in enough cucumber base to come halfway up the glass, then top up with soda water.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2010

****

Especially for those cold wintery mornings in July!

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 individual tea bags
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom seeds, crushed
1 whole clove
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2-1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sugar
Sweetened whipped cream, ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks, optional

How to make it - 15 minutes

In a small saucepan, combine the first six ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in milk. Return to a boil; boil for 1 minute, then strain. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Top with whipped cream and garnish with ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick if desired.

Recipe from Taste of Home, July 2011

Foodies Festival – Battersea Park 29th – 31st July

2011-07-18T15:26:00.002+01:00

One for the diary for all the food lovers is the Foodies Festival at Battersea Park on the 29^th-31^st July. Destined to be the ‘foodie’ event of the summer, the festival will provide entertainment for all the family including live music, hands-on food and drink master classes led by experts and plenty of samples to taste and buy! It is sure to guarantee a fun day out for all the family!

This year Foodies Festival is pulling out all the stops by introducing a brand new feature: the Great Taste Market, from the Guild of Fine Foods, featuring producers who have won a Great Taste Award in the last three years.

****

And if all that wasn’t enough, some of Britain’s leading Michelin-starred top chefs will be there to show you exactly how it’s done and to pass on some top tips including:

· Anna Hansen, Modern Pantry
· Omar Allibhoy, El Pirata (As seen on Channel 4 show Ramsay's Best Restaurant)
· Jun Tanaka, Pearl
· Gary Lee, The Ivy
· Richard Kirkwood, J Sheekey and J Sheeky Oyster Bar
· Phil Usher, Le Caprice

Baity Kitchen will certainly be heading down to have a few cheeky tasters!! Hope to see you there!

Interior Design – According to Baity Kitchen

2011-07-15T15:17:00.001+01:00

The word on the street at the moment is that ‘the outdoors’ is this season’s interior trend!

Green and blue, being the pervasive colours of nature have therefore become the desired duo for this season! At Baity Kitchen green and blue play an important role – being the feature colours of our name branding (the turquoise green/blue ‘B’), which also represents the “Evil Eye” symbol, used in the Middle East and Greece to ward off negative energy.

Sliding glass doors comprise the back wall of the restaurant which heighten the illusion that the outside is inside. This is a prominent feature for us!

An interesting fact about Green = Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye than most colours, and it is the second most popular colour (blue being number one).

Natural greens are seen as tranquil and refreshing and are considered to be the colour of peace and ecology. It has been proven that the colour green affects us, having the ability to relax mentality, alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety.

We hope that the green/blue features in Baity help lift the mood of our customers….along with our delicious treats!

Baity Kitchen Summer Garden Party - Mood = Celebration

2011-06-20T16:58:00.002+01:00

This month, Baity Kitchen opened it's doors to friends old and new to celebrate Summer, our garden in bloom and our successful first few months of trading! The sun shone for us as we all feasted on canapes and cocktails and looked forward to a fruitful future of Baity Kitchen!

Here are some snaps of the action....

Feel good food... Mood = Happy!

2011-06-13T15:29:00.004+01:00

We thought it fitting, being summer and all, to have a look at different types of food that could boost your mood, improve your sleep, reduce stress levels and just lift your spirits generally (especially after a late night).

Bananas: Most people are a bit wary of bananas as they have high natural sugar levels, but what you might not know is it contains tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin, otherwise known as the happy hormone, can improve your mood and help regulate your appetite, now who wouldn’t want more of that? It also has a natural anti-acid effect in the body, so for all of you who suffer from heart burn, banana might help solve your problem. Read more here...

Almonds: Although high in fats, almonds contain the right kind of dietary fats that the body needs on a daily basis. It has been found that almonds increase brain function, improve the skin colour and increase the growth of hair. And a random FYI for the day, they are classified as nuts but technically speaking they are seeds.

Asparagus: The question we need to ask here is what can asparagus not do for you? Not only does it boost your immune system, but it can assist in weightloss, improve your sex drive and it’s also great for skin and nails. We recommend this as a definite regular in your weekly diet.

We regularly serve dishes containing all sorts of fresh and “good mood food”. Asparagus is a constant in our dishes, so come along and try it!

3 Months and counting!.... Mood= Teething

2011-03-08T16:29:00.000Z

Baity Kitchen has been open for three months now and what a ride it has been. We have had a wonderful beginning and could not have asked for more. Our philosophy on the food is to be seasonal, fresh and tasty. Most of the time we improvise but have a few favourites that are always on the menu. This is what our customers prefer the most that there is a huge variety on the menu. There is always a dish of the day and a lovely fresh delicious soup with freshly made focaccia bread to go with it.

My chefs and staff feel like family and it is such a nice feeling to have coming to work knowing that we are all on the same team. Minus a few mishaps!

Baity kitchen has turned out to be more than i imagined. Our customers first comments are about the comfort of the place, the fresh and delicious food and the staff. They never seem to want to leave which is the whole point of Baity Kitchen.

We also love to interact with customers as much as possible hearing what they like, what they are looking for and even taking recipe suggestions from them. We have a pile of home recipes from them which we have created and served in the restaurant.

My most wonderful time of the day is when i get to the shop at 7 and receive all the deliveries and watch my mind go into a spin about what I'm cooking that day. Its always different and fun creating new things.

It has taken me a while to actually have a moment to sit down and write this post but today is the day for me.

The photos have been taken by my iPhone so apologies for the blurred images on some but my trusty faithful cannon must stay at home.

I hope you all enjoy what we are doing at Baity Kitchen and it becomes your new favourite Chelsea hangout. All your comments, good and bad are welcome to make us be the best we can be.

Also i have started Tweeting. If you would like to follow me on twitter please do so @baitykitchen.

Till the next post about the next level of Baity kitchen.

Much love to you all.

Baity Kitchen..... Mood = Home from home

2010-12-19T00:26:00.000Z

I have been working on this venture for quite some time with my business partner Christina! It has finally come to fruition. Baity Kitchen has taken its first breath!!!!

Baity means 'My Home' in Arabic and this totally represents what my new place is about. Home cooking with a twist. It has taken a lot of blood sweat and tears to make this happen and boy does it feel good. So after one week of no sleep and work work work, Baity has been going from strength to strength.

Zinc topped tables, with aquamarine chairs and beautiful paintings by Doris Riachy have made the place feel like home. The garden has been beautifully designed by my friend Claire and alot of work has gone into this by friends and family chipping in. The menu changes daily to suit my mood, and also to go with seasonal produce.

Menu samples:

Chicken and celeriac with yoghurt and mustard dressing
Macaroni and cheese with truffle oil
Marinated Poussin with garlic, mint, coriander and lemon dressing
Thai beef salad

Seared swordfish with red chilli salsa
Cod with cumin and tahini dressing
Fresh mil chocolate scones

Pastries from my friend Lady Marmalade
Fresh quiches of the day
Cauliflower and Parmesan soup
Apple and thyme tarts with demarera sugar
Courgette cake with lemon drizzle and raspberries
Fresh home made pizza
Focaccia bread with olives

I would like to invite you all to visit if you can and have a taste of home away from home.

Cranberry Craisin Muffin... Mood = Merry

2010-11-28T22:41:00.000Z

I don't know about you, but winter is one of my favourite times of the year. I love wearing the scarves, thick puffy coats and my lovely DOMAKAYA hat and Gloves that my friend KOKO makes. I Love the twinkling lights strewn along the streets of London and the Christmas vibe that is in full force over here. It puts me in such a good mood and for some reason i get very inspired to cook.

Now in this amazing time, there are also amazing foods to indulge in and i am like a bulldozer, non stop baking and non stop eating! On thanksgiving i made my client some muffins and they were just so moorish and juicy and full of colour and bite. they were covered with a lovely streusal topping which was an added bonus.

I used 2 kinds of cranberries for this and use vegetable oil instead of butter. The fresh cranberry gives this a sour and bursting punch, and the craisin (dried Cranberry) gives this a sweet and chewy texture. Both work together so well and make this a muffin not to be forgotten.

Recipe:

250g Mixed Fresh Cranberries and Craisins
150 ml milk
240g flour
115g caster sugar
115ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/4 t Bicarbonate of Soda
1/4 t salt
1 t Vanilla extract

Streusal:

35 butter
50 Flour
60 Sugar

Method:

Make your struesal first but mixing together the flour and butter to make a resemblance of breadcrumbs, like a crumble topping. then add the sugar and set aside

Mix the oil and sugar together

Add the eggs.

Add the milk and mix well, scraping down the sides!

Add the sifted flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda.

Add the vanilla and then add the cranberry mix.

Line a muffin pan with cases and fill all the way to the top.

Coat each muffin with the streusal and place in a hot oven at 180 degrees C.

Cook for about 20-25 minutes.

Eat warm with tea or just whenever you are feeling festive!

Love the holiday Season!!!!

Gemista ..... Mood = Stuffed, Literally!

2010-11-18T16:59:00.000Z

As you already know i am close to opening my new place.... And whats the best thing to do before opening; try new recipes with my business partners mother. Sia is a wonderful cook, as my mother is, and apart from her being Greek, that's the only difference between them. They have soul, passion and most importantly they love to eat.

Sia had been here for a few days and i didn't want to impose myself on her but i had to! I wanted some recipes for my Deli/Restaurant. And this one is not to be missed!

Gemista (pronounced Yemista) is a dish that i had in the island of Tinos this summer. It is simple but oh so delicious. It is stuffed vegetables with its own stuffing, rice, tomato sauce, salt and pepper mixed with the stuffing of other vegetables as well. On this occasion, Sia made aubergines, tomatoes, green peppers and long red peppers. In the mix was all the insides of these beauties, parsley and seasoning.

Who knew that such simple ingredients could create such a wonderful dish that is so moorish and so ridiculously tasty!

I was totally up for this as i am going to serve things that i have learnt during my experience these last 10 years and also new things that are suitable for this environment. Food that can be made in advance and prepared and packed for lunches, take aways and also sit down lunches and dinners.

This is a great option for someone who is vegetarian. And i am not a vegetarian, but this is on the top of my list. This dish is best served at room temperature to let all the flavours settle and soak.

Recipe:

4 aubergines
2 tomatoes
4 green peppers
2 long red peppers
2 full spoons of raw rice per vegetable
700ml tomato sauce (split evenly)
1 bunch of chopped parsley
2 potatoes peeled and cut in to large chunks
1 large onion chopped
150ml olive oil
salt and pepper

Method:

Cut the tops of the aubergines off and keep them.

Begin to scoop out the filling of the aubergine to leave a hollow center.

Keep the filling of 1 aubergine and chop it up.

Take out the centers of the tomato and also add them to the chopped aubergine.

Add the rice, half the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, olive oil and mix with chopped onion and parsley.

Mix this all together and have a taste to see if the flavour is satisfactory.

Fill the veg within an inch of the top and close with the top of the vegetable.

If you can fit the aubergine top in, just trim around the edge and seal it, like a cork in a bottle.

Place the long red pepper and aubergines lying flat and the green pepper and tomato on its bottom.

Get some more of the tomato sauce and mix with a little olive oil, and salt, also a spoonful of sugar and mix. Add a teacup worth of water to dilute it and pour around and on top of the vegetables.

Add the potatoes and place in the oven for about 1 hour and a half for at 180 degrees.

Turn half way through and then again just before serving.

You want the vegetables to be browning and almost falling apart. ALMOST!

I ate this dish for the next 3 days as she made so much and i have to say each day i ate it tasted better and better.

Easy to make, and wonderful to taste!

Smokey Apple Rhubarb cake.... Mood= Sweet and Tarty!

2010-11-04T23:04:00.000Z

I am exhausted! Really really exhausted. But all in the name of a good cause. I am about 4 weeks away from opening my own place and i am so excited. I have picked my packaging, designed my logo and got a colour scheme going that is very fresh but serious! I am so excited.

When you see everything coming together the way it has done for me, it makes it all so real and also so scary at the same time.

Christina (my business partner) and I were sitting working today getting our final things together, when i decided to get up and make this cake that i have been dreaming of for AGES! I had rhubarb in my fridge and had a lovely selection of apples roaming around my fruit basket and everything was JUST on the edge of doom.

I decided to make a really moist, sweet, smoky, tart spongy cake with caramelised apples and sticky rhubarb. YUMMY!

This cake is such a comfort to eat and so easy to make. You will make this again and again. The combination of the fruit and the seasoning so to speak make this such an indulgent cake.

Recipe:

5 Apples (1 large Bramley, 2 Pink lady, 2 Cox)
200g Red part of Rhubarb
1T of cinnamon
5T Golden caster sugar

330g sifted plain flour
1t baking powder
1t salt
240ml olive oil
370g golden caster sugar
60ml buttermilk
2.5 t Vanilla extract
4 eggs

Method:

Peel and core the apples. Cut them into medium size chunks.

Add chopped up rhubarb and mix with the apples, 5T of sugar and 1T cinnamon.

Leave in a bowl till you need it.

Preheat your oven to 180.

In your kitchen aid, mix the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and sugar together.

The add the flour, baking powder and salt sifting it into the mixed wet ingredients.

Add one egg at a time. (it looked like choux pastry for a while then combined together well).

Scrape down the bottom and the sides of your bowl to make sure it is all incorporating well.

Get a 30cm cake loaf tin or 11" loaf tin and line it.

Take your cake batter and place half of it in the tin (it may look thin and not enough but trust me it will rise alot).

Add half the mix of apples and rhubarb and scatter.

Add the rest of the mix and then scatter the rest of the rhubarb and apple mix all over the top.

Place in the oven and cook gently for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until your skewer comes out clean.

When it is ready, let it cool for about 10 minutes in the tin and then take it out and serve lovely soft slices with a dollop of cream.

Cant wait to make this for my mum when she gets back home from her travels!

Ghouls, ghosts, goblins .... Mood = Halloween

2010-10-30T15:43:00.000+01:00

Halloween is one of these 'celebrations' that seems so out of touch with reality and something more comical than it really should be. The history of something can be so dramatic, and you have to wonder where everything came from. I wrote about it in a previous blog post last year which is very interesting.

Either way, Halloween is MY FAVOURITE celebration as it lets you be young again and dress up like a five year old. Nothing Ghoulish and Scary about my costume tonight,,,, I am going as a chef!

This year i decided to go a little less history and a little more fun and made some lovely little cupcakes for a big kids party i am hosting for a client of mine. The recipe is my base for my red velvet just omitting the cocoa and the red colouring. The icing is simply icing sugar mixed with water till you have just the right consistency. Dip and then coat with any topping you like.

Makes for lovely decorative and bright cupcakes. Great for trick or treating!

One lovely blog..... Mood = Award season

2010-10-29T13:04:00.000+01:00

So i have been writing my blog for about 1 year, and how wonderful is it that i have received my first Blog award. I am so excited and ecstatic about this i can hardly contain myself.

This is a big deal that Dimah from Orange blossom water has thought to pass this on to me and 14 other bloggers. The world of food blogging goes way beyond my imagination as i didn't realise how big this world was until i realised how big this blog world was!

Either way, i am glad to accept this award and pass it on to 15 other blogger how truly deserve this.

Here are the rules of the award:
1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link, and thank them.
2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers, whose blogs you admire.
3. Contact those blog owners and let them know they’ve been chosen.

Thanks Dimah

Ellie @ Almost Bourdain
Angie @ Angies recipes
Monika @ Crumpets and Cakes
Zahra @ Edible moments
HH @ From Donuts to delirium
Maria @ Kali Orexi
Kirsten @ My kitchen in the rockies
Christina @ Sweet peas kitchen
Anna @ The hospitality Guru
Maria @ Scandi Foodie
Bel @ Ooh look Bel
Sally @ My custard Pie
Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy yums
Jamie @ Lifes a feast
Sommer @ A spicy Perspective

Make sure you check out all these other blogs. They are my Favourite reads!

Gruyere Cayenne Gougéres..... Mood = Perfect Breakfast

2010-10-26T00:21:00.000+01:00

In the morning i am the kind of person who loves something savoury if anything at all. I am quite a fussy eater when i first get up as in i don't really like to put that much in my mouth and stomach. I also always like to finish most meals with something savoury too.If i could eat the dessert at the beginning and the savoury last that would be my perfect meal.... Have any of you seen that movie, 'Remember me'? Well if you have you will remember the scene where the girl says this Robert Pattinson and as soon as she said that i totally knew what she was on about. Someone else got me.....

My favourite breakfast is not Waffles or pancakes, it would be scrambled eggs, with salmon or some Labné with cucumber and tomatoes and mint with lots of oil. So when i made this next dish it was totally up my street.

I love Gougéres and the fact that these little babies were filled with all that I love makes it even better. It turned out like a sort of soft scrambled egg with lovely soft melted cheese inside with crunchy melted Gruyere and topped with cayenne and smoked salmon. One lovely dish with many many components!

I added a squeeze of lemon right at the end to give it a little sharpness as it was all too creamy for me.

Also i was very naughty and bad as i didn't stay away from the oven while these were cooking. I opened the oven door and they slightly deflated. They are supposed to be more round like a profiterole almost, but savoury!

The way to make this is like choux pastry which is of course infamous with the above mentioned. Once you have made profiteroles, this will be a cinch. But if you have not then don't be too alarmed. It may sound a little daunting but it really isn't....

These are a perfect little treat and the best thing about this is you can make this recipe and freeze it for up to a month in its raw state, and if you already baked them you can keep them in the fridge and re-crisp them in an oven just before serving. Perfect.

You may even be lucky to find some lovely crunchy crispy cheese crisps at the corner of your gougéres like i did. Yumm!

Recipe:

310 ml of skimmed milk
140g unsalted butter
140g plain flour
1t salt
5 eggs
150 grated Gruyere cheese
1t black pepper
a pinch of fresh thyme
1 t cayenne pepper
1 egg for egg wash
1 pinch of salt for top

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 190 degrees C.

Sift the flour a couple of times

Place the salt, butter and milk in a pan and bring it up to the boil.

When the liquid has boiled, add the flour and mix vigorously.

This will create a batter that removes itself away from the pan which is great. This is what you are looking for.

You need to keep doing this till you feel enough liquid has left the mixture. Maybe a couple of minutes at best.

When it s done, place in a kitchen aid or mixer.

Begin but using a paddle or a whisk.

Begin to incorporate air and slightly cool it down because you need to add the eggs to it.

Add the eggs one at a time.

The mix may look like it is going to split but keep going. It will come together and become silky smooth.

At this point, add 100g of the cheese, pepper and fresh thyme and mix.

Get a prepared baking sheet and begin by making medium sized rounds. This recipe can make you many little ones, maybe 25, but i made 12 medium sized ones. This is enough for 6 people. I would serve 2 per person.

Once you have placed the spoon fulls of batter on to your baking tray, lightly egg was them and sprinkle again with Gruyere and a pinch of cayenne and salt.

Place in an already heated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes.

DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. If you do this will cause them to deflate.

Just be patient and wait. It will be worth it trust me. I was just a little piggy and could not wait.

Once they have finished cooking, let them cool down and then place the salmon on top and sever with a squeeze of lemon and parsley.

Perfect treat for any day. I had 4, but please don't tell anyone....

Whats your favourite breakfast?

Lemon 'Total' Yoghurt cake.... mood = 'Total'ly Indulgent

2010-10-18T17:42:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago i was sent an email by a lady who does the PR for 'Total' Yoghurt, asking me if i would be interested in making something for my blog with the yoghurt. As an Arab, and married to a Greek, my automatic reflex was to scream YES! I use the yoghurt all the time generally as no other will do.

Total full fat yoghurt is my favourite. I use it instead of Labné drizzled with olive oil and dried mint and some freshly cut tomatoes and cucumber with a sprinkling of salt. Eaten with crisp flat bread and hey presto that's my breakfast. I am more of a savoury kind of girl for breakkie!

But for tea time..... Oh that's a totally different story. I have been making many recipes for the upcoming opening of my new Deli/Restaurant. And this cake was such a pleasure to eat and to make as it is so easy. Great to serve with tea, coffee or even a glass of champagne. That's the way i like to have my cake... :)

This cake was made using TOTAL yoghurt. I adds a nice creaminess to the cake and also creates a very moist and soft spongy batter that has a bit of weight. It also uses vegetable oil. So its perfect!

Recipe:

180g all purpose flour (1 1/2 cup)
280g yoghurt (1 cup)
2t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 large eggs
2 t grated lemon zest
1t Vanilla extract
120ml Vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
200g caster sugar (1 cup)
65g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
80ml lemon juice (1/3 cup)

Method:

Put your oven on at 180 degrees or 350 degrees F.

Line a small loaf pan and set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and sift.

In another bowl mix together the Total Yoghurt, the 200g Caster sugar, the eggs, zest and vanilla.

Slowly whisk the flour mix into this, then add the vegetable oil and fold gently.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes.

While it is baking add the juice of lemon and sugar in to a pan and bring to slight rumble till all the sugar dissolves, set it aside till the cake is ready.

When the cake is ready, let it cool for about 15 minutes and then prick it with a few holes and drizzle the sweetened lemon juice over the top.

Let it cool and then serve.

This is an easy cake and full of zingy flavour. Great for the end of summer. You can substitute the flavour to any citrus fruit you like....

Buttermilk Scones.... Mood = Versatile

2010-10-16T18:21:00.000+01:00

One of the most British things i can think of is Afternoon tea. And nothing screams that more than Scones. The main type of scone that we serve here are with golden sultanas. Yumm. I do love the texture and taste and combination of scones, clotted cream and jam.

I have been doing a lot of parties recently which offered afternoon tea and cakes and i wanted to come up with different types of scone.. By all means these were not ground breaking variations, but they were indeed fantastic. I made a selection of Craisins (dried cranberries), Sultanas, plain and milk chocolate. They were a huge hit.....

I always make scones and have been following the same recipe for almost 10 years until i decided to try a new one and i am sooo glad i did. It is the BEST one i have made and eaten to date. The recipe originally comes from Tartine bakery in San Fransisco. It is wonderful and versatile to use it with any flavour. Oooh i almost forgot, i made this scone with grated cheddar, cayenne pepper and dill. Oh did that turn out to be good or what?!?!? LOVELY!. I swallowed it up and so did my other half.

This recipe would be a basic recipe, obviously omitting the sugar if you are making savoury scones....

Recipe:

680g / 4 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1T baking powder
3/4 t Bicarbonate of soda
100g caster sugar/ 1/2 cup (omit if you are making savoury)
1.5t Salt
255g/ 1 cup + 1 TB very cold butter cut in to cubes
375ml/ 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Currants, chocolate, craisins, nuts (whatever your choice) use 150-200g or nothing at all if you want plain.

Method:

Add flour, salt baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and mix.

Add sugar and butter and mix till you get a breadcrumb mixture.

Add the buttermilk and mix till you get a nice combined dough.

Cut the dough in 2.

Turn one piece out onto a slightly floured surface and flatten into a round shape and get your filling and place on top and roll till well combined.

Cut into 8 triangles and place on a baking sheet.

Coat with egg wash and place in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit / 400 C for about 25 minutes.

Serve with clotted cream and jam or plain.

These are delicious, and make for a great way to start the day. Your imagination is the limit as these work well with any flavour. I assure you this is not to be missed if you love baking and love a good meal in one bite.

Something i will be making a serving in my deli for sure. What a great bakery Tartine is. Makes me wish I live in San Fransisco....

7 Spice lamb ribs... Mood = Bloggaversary

2010-10-10T18:16:00.000+01:00

Who would have thought that this time last year i was writing my first Blog post. It was on a wedding cake i had made. Actually a cupcake wedding cake i had made for my friend Carole and her husband Eddie. It was so exciting for me as i didn't really know what i was doing and where it would end up. But here i am 187 posts and one year later and i still have lots and lots to say.

Its been really a very exciting and interesting year and i have met and befriended many people on the web who share the same passion for food that i do.

I was a little rushed and wanted to make something quickly and something that had ALOT of flavour. In the supermarket the other day, i bought some lovely ribs of lamb; like pork ribs but from lamb. I have never made anything with them before as in the UK we usually throw these cuts away as they never get used in home cooking. Maybe they get used for making stocks but i saw them and just grabbed them. What a great idea that was. It was the start of a beautiful dish....

I was rushing for a work dinner with my husband and i didn't want to have a massive lunch as we would be having dinner later, so this was PERFECT. Aubergines worked wonders with this as the smoky flavour really went well with the spices i used for the lamb. Turns out, i should have made plenty more as the dinner we went to had the most horrendous food. Oh well....

Recipe:

10-12 lamb ribs
1t Cinnamon
1t crushed chillies
1t nutmeg
1t smoked paprika
1t ground ginger
1t ground cumin
1t ground dried mint
1T olive oil
juice of half a lemon
salt to taste
2 Aubergines cut into large cubes

2T yoghurt
1t Dried mint

Method:

Cut the aubergines and place them on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil and salt

Add all the spices and rub them onto the lamb adding salt and oil and lemon juice.

Place them over the aubergines and put in a hot oven at 220 degrees C for about 20 minutes or more if you like the lamb well cooked.

Remove and serve with a pinch of Cayenne pepper and eat with your hands and some flat pita bread to help soak up all the flavours. Mix yoghurt and dried mint to serve on the side. Dip the lamb in as you please...
Just Divine!

Something quick easy and full of lovely flavours that will be great served at a buffet or in the middle of the table to share. YUMMY!

Here is to many many more years of food blogging. And thank you for being there supporting me through this wonderful journey. I am enjoying yours too...

Xxxx J

Saffron Paella.... Mood = Surf and Turf

2010-10-06T12:27:00.001+01:00

I don't know what has gotten into me lately but i am having instant cravings for things and needing to eat them NOW! No i am not pregnant. I checked, but i sure feel like i am. I think stopping smoking has rejuvenated my taste buds and my deep desire for food. Not that i didn't have it before, but it seems to have magnified everything.

I had such a busy day the other day discussing details with lawyers, landlords, architects, etc and all the while when they were talking to me, i was thinking of this dish. I was craving it as we spoke. I had not eaten all day and the longer the day went on the more i could not concentrate. Do you have those days, that are totally governed by your thoughts for food?

After my most exhausting day, i ran to the supermarket to get a few things to make this dish. So easy, so simple and not much prep. It all goes into one pan and you just let it do the magic while you watch. I love the combination of the chicken, chorizo and prawn mixed with the amber colour of saffron and copper of smoked paprika. It makes this dish decadent and truly something special for me.

My father in law bought me some Greek Saffron from his trip and i used it for this. It has been sitting in my cupboard for a while and now it had its use! Wonderful colour, smell and flavour!

Recipe:

1 large Spanish Onion
Splash of olive oil
500g of Bomba rice (paella rice)
1 pinch of saffron
2 t smoked paprika
150g chorizo
400g chicken breast cut into chunks
8 Large prawns
100g peas (frozen)
1 bunch of parsley
salt to season
Splash of wine
450-600ml of chicken stock

Method:

Cut and saute the onion with olive oil

Add the chorizo, chicken, saffron, smoked paprika and cook through till the chicken is coated and opaque.

Add the rice and cook for one minute to coat with all the goodness and add a splash of wine

Now add some salt and cover with your stock just till it covers by half an inch over the rice.

Add the peas and keep on a high heat for 5 minutes.

Then lower it to a medium to low heat for another 15 minutes. Do not stir it.

When it had nearly finished, add the prawns last thing and let them steam.

Fork it through and add chopped parsley and serve.

I am not usually a surf and turf person but i have to say this dish would not have worked any other way. All the different textures of meat and fish and their own individual flavours was incredible and really highlighted with the paprika and saffron. I would definitely make this again and again.

Cabbage, chilli and cumin salad... Mood = Good for you

2010-10-03T20:00:00.000+01:00

When i made my Tandoori chicken, i was thinking that i really wanted a nice crunchy raw salad to go with it that had a bit of bite. I had bought some cabbage from the super market the other day to make something completely different, but suddenly it got my attention and i thought that i would use them to make a delicious crunchy spiced salad to accompany this dish. You can serve this on its own if you like as it has weight to get through as a meal on its own.

Also cabbage is great for you as it is full of vitamin C, amino acids and has anti inflammatory properties. It is also used widely in diets as it is very low in calories. It also help with the thyroid, and also relieving swollen body parts! Who knew a small bowl of delicious cabbage salad would be so good for you.

This salad, has bite, flavour, and spice!

Recipe:

1/2 red cabbage
1/2 white cabbage
4 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons of lemon
2 teaspoons of salt
1 Tablespoon of cumin
chili flakes or Tabasco (to your taste)

Method:

Slice your cabbage into thin slices

Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour on top of the cabbage.

Massage the sauce into the cabbage to tenderize it a little and serve.

Enjoy on its own or accompanied by a chicken dish

Crunchy, tasty and good for you.....

Canapés and Bowl food.... Mood = Party season

2010-10-01T07:36:00.000+01:00

Recently there has been little time to scratch my head. I have a lovely new project on the way lots of catering jobs and most fun to do, writing this blog. The other week i had two lovely jobs for great clients and i am going to showcase some of the options they chose for their parties. So not much writing, but more looking......

On the menu was:

Salmon tartare canapé
Rare roast beef With truffle canapé
Steak tartare canapé
Spicy Asian Crab balls
Sesame seared Tuna on Moulis
Roast beef with garlic crushed potatoes and Jus
Grilled Halibut with wild greens in a mussel broth
Black cod with miso sauce and Jasmin rice
24 hour cooked lamb with cous cous and red wine jus
Banoffee tarts
Cake pops
Chocolate cake

Lamb Shank Casserole.... Mood = Winter approaches

2010-09-25T11:48:00.000+01:00

As many of you know, or don't know Ramadan ended about a week ago and typically we would have a huge celebration for dinner which would have included many of my mothers famous and wonderful dishes, many of which would have included lamb. She arrived just after so i made my husband and i a lovely delicious fall off the bone lamb dish in my new lovely Le Creuset Casserole that he bought me. I love lamb shanks and more than i love lamb shanks, i love a good sauce to go with it. This recipe does not fail. Let me tell you that from now.

The sauce is rich and full of flavour and really brings out all the goodness of this dish. I made this with a side of Sweet potato and nutmeg mash. OH MY!

I wont keep you waiting for the recipe as it is just so unfair....

Recipe:

4 lamb shanks
Flour for coating
2 leeks
2 large Spanish onions
4 carrots
1 tomato
4 cloves of garlic
Fresh sprigs of Thyme and rosemary
3/4 bottle of red wine
600ml of beef/chicken stock
150g Lardons
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of sugar

6 sweet potatoes
2Tablespoons of butter
1Teaspoon of nutmeg
1 small bunch of dill
salt and Pepper

Method:

Get your casserole pot on the hob and season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper, and roll them in the flour. Place some olive oil into your casserole and begin searing the shanks until they have turned brown. This may take about 6-8 minutes. But it s worth it. It will hep with the final result.

Once they have browned, remove them from the pot and add the tomato, chopped leeks, onions, carrots, thyme, bashed garlic, to the same pot with all the lamb residue.

Brown and soften the vegetables.

Once browned, add the lamb shanks and add the red wine and the stock. Place in the oven at the temperature of 150 degrees for the next 2-3 hours.

You will get the most wonderful aroma wafting through your house. You can go out and leave this as the temperature is not high enough for a fire or for burning.

You can make a lovely sweet potato mash while this is cooking.

Simply boil some sweet potato in salted water, with skins removed, once they have had enough time remove water, add about 2 Tablespoons of butter a teaspoon of nutmeg some salt and pepper and mash. You can add more butter and some cream if you like., But i didn't. I like mine quite rustic and chunky. Add the dill right at the end.

Now back to the lamb. When the lamb seems to be falling off the bone, remove them slowly and gently.

Sieve the juices from the vegetables and then place the liquid back to a pan and begin to reduce.

Let this come down by 2/3's

Serve the mash with a lamb shank on tip and drizzle the lovely rich sauce over the top. If you have any sauce left over place it in a freezer bag and put it in the freezer. You can use it on beef fillet, other lamb dishes, anything meaty and have a ready sauce that taste delicious just waiting for you.

This is such an earthy, Autumn dish and you are going to love it. It requires some patience at the beginning and then 3 hours later. But totally worth it. And definitely one to make.

Alexander Skarsgard.... Mood = Red velvet cake pop!

2010-09-22T11:46:00.024+01:00

I made a post about these a year ago and i have to say that i am not impressed with it at all. Needless to say that my photographic skills were horrendous, and also being taken with my blackberry as i did not have a proper camera to use at the time. My husband bought us a lovely camera at the beginning of this year and it is just a wonder. It make life easier and photographs more beautiful without even doing that much. So now these morsels of heaven get their deserved moment in the lime light.

I was going to dedicate these to a vampire by the name of Eric Northman from True Blood (Alexander Skarsgard), but my husband would probably get annoyed. The colour of the deep magenta and the dark chocolate are very eery and dark and thought they would suit perfectly. Also the depth of the flavour would represent his character. I'm sure he would love a BITE of these. But lets leave him out of it for now.Ill just say that it represents me! Which i think it does in some way....

So these cake pops are pretty easy. I have made them for the last year for clients and friends and they are just a treat. I made them for a friends birthday that i was catering for last weekend and the age group was 30-50 and they were enjoyed by all.

The recipe is simple to follow and is basically found here.
All you have to do is follow the method and continue to form the cake pops here.

Once you have followed the recipe, and bakes the cake, made the cream cheese icing, begin the prep.

Recipe:

300-500g Dark chocolate, melted
Candy/lollipop sticks
Tall glass

Method:

When the cake has been cooked, and the icing made, crumble the cake with your hands and then add some icing one handful at a time. This will help the cake keep its circular form.

Once you think you have enough icing mixed with the cake, begin by rolling the cakes into small golf sized balls and set them on baking parchment.

When you have rolled them all place them in the freezer.

While they are hardening melt your chocolate.

Take them out of the freezer and place your sticks 90% through each one.

Take each cake pop and dip into the melted chocolate and them swirl and shake off any excess chocolate and then place them in a tall glass to set.

Repeat with the rest and continue.

I added some sprinkles as they were still wet and you can do the same.

They will harden within a couple of minutes.

They can last for about 3-4 days but i doubt they will. Very delicious and very tasty little bites of heaven.

PS: I have also been away from blogging this last week because i have been super busy setting up and working on a a restaurant that i am opening in London, so i am sooooooooooooooo excited and cant wait to show you the progress of that as it happens. 6 weeks and counting.

Courgette olive oil cake.... Mood = Counter Intuitive

2010-09-15T15:01:00.000+01:00

I don't know if you have all met my friend HH over at From donuts to Delirium, but if you have not already stopped by to say hello, then you should. You will get laughter and fun and most of all good honest reports on all things foodie and also great recipes. I check her blog religiously. On one particular occasion, she had posted about a courgette cake. Yes you read it right, a courgette cake with lemon icing. Hmmmmmmm.... OK so we have all had carrot cake and other things, but for me i have never eaten nor seen a recipe for this before. It was the best thing i did that day.

I literally began obsessing about making it and was thinking how i was going to get out of a meeting to run home in time to make this before my husband came home from work. I like to do things and have them ready so he can see the finished result. It always looks so much better.

So finally my meeting was over i ran home and made this but multiplied the recipe by 2 as i knew deep down that it was going to be amazing. And boy was i right.

This was the most delicious and moist cake i have had. Olive oil is the secret ingredient. Not vegetable oil, but Olive oil. These types of chiffon cakes are just sublime and have such an exquisite taste and texture. The sheer fact that i made 2 and they were both gone in a blink of an eye says A LOT! I made the second one for my mother in law, and may i just say that she only got a slice by the time we saw her as my husband and i worked our way through it. How shameful.

Thank you HH for the wonderful recipe and i also blame you for my ever expanding waistline.....

So no for the gorgeous recipe that will not fail you.

Recipe:

3 small Courgettes, grated
240g all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t bicarbonate of soda
1 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground nutmeg
275g caster sugar
3 eggs
240ml extra virgin olive oil
2 t pure vanilla extract.

Glaze:

60 ml lemon juice
130g icing sugar
65g Granulated sugar

Method:

Put your oven to 180 degrees and begin by preparing your tin. I just grease it slightly and flour it and pour the excess out.

Beat the sugar eggs and olive oil together till they are nice and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes of whisking.

Then add the vanilla, and add the dry ingredients all at once, but mix it slowly.

Scrape down the sides and add the grated courgettes.

Once all the ingredients are incorporated, place into your baking tin, and bake for about 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan half way so you get even browning on the cake.

To make the icing, mix together the lemon and caster sugar and then the icing sugar and mix till smooth.

When the cake is ready let it cool for about 10 minutes and then place on a wire rack. Use a pastry brush and glaze the cake.

Let it set and then eat it!

Cut huge slices and don't be shy to gobble this whole thing down. Fan Bloody tastic!

Salted Chocolate Cookies..... Mood - Salty Sweet

2010-09-13T13:10:00.000+01:00

OK who here doesn't love chocolate....? I love it but it has to be good quality dark chocolate. There is nothing smoother than it melting in your mouth and leaving a lovely coating of goodness. I came across these little beauties but for the life of me cant remember who's website it was. If this is your recipe please let me know as THEY WERE AMAZING!

Firstly as much as chocolate is wonderful, there is nothing better than having a lovely sweet treat ready in half an hour from start to finish. I was so excited to see them shape up and crackle as they cooked. They looked so vintage and retro i wanted to frame one...

The balance of salt to sweet is incredible and so subtle. I used maldon kosher salt. It is flaky and crisp. I highly recommend you make these. You can make a big batch and keep the dough in the freezer for up to two months if you like. All you will need to do it is to cook them from frozen for 1 minute longer.

I made a batch of these for a friend of mine who has just given birth and I cant wait to see her and her new baby Elise..... I hope you enjoy them Carole.

Recipe:

150g all purpose flour
60 g Good Quality cocoa
1/2 t Bicarbonate of Soda
125g room temperature butter
110g Light brown sugar
50g golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon of flaky salt or Fleur de sel salt
1 t vanilla extract

Method:

Cream the butter and then add both the sugars , salt and vanilla.

Beat for a couple of minutes

Add the flour, cocoa, and Bicarbonate of soda and combine.

It will resemble crumbs. Make sure you mix everything well.

Turn this out onto a work surface and divide into two.

Roll them out and make logs and cling wrap them.

Place them in the freezer to set.

Once they have gone hard, take them out and cut into rings.

Place on a baking sheet and cook at 190 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Once they are done take them out. They will look like they are not done but just give them a minute to cool down and then serve them.

You can place them in an airtight container for up to a week.

But they wont last long!!!!

Spicy Sujuk..... Mood = Puff pastry heaven

2010-09-10T23:09:00.000+01:00

I am not sure why, but I am feeling in a bit of a middle eastern mood these days. I think this whole Greek Take over from my husband has made me miss my food so much. One of my favourite things in Life is PUFF PASTRY. It is the thing that makes me swoon. I can eat it with anything and all the time. Savoury, Sweet, Anything.

I had my mother in law and father in law over the other day and i decided to make them something that was quick and easy and soo soo delicious.

They are both very good cooks and i know they appreciate good food and also food that is quick to make. I had bought some all butter puff pastry ( please do not ever ever buy the puff pastry that has vegetable oil in it, it is NOT puff pastry!!!!) and i had some lamb mince. Now DO NOT be scared of all the ingredients in this as you will always use them. This recipe is from Silvena Rowe. She is very knowledgeable of middle eastern food and also very true to our food style and taste.

These little beauties are called Sujuk. They are a spicy sausage, but here it is going to be a mince that is flavoured in the same way as the sausage and place into a roll of puff pastry, covered with sesame and eaten straight form the baking sheet.

I promise you you will make these over and over again. From this recipe, you can get about 3 sausage shapes and about 18 small pieces when it is cut. I have made this now 4 times in the last 3 weeks.

Recipe:

500g minced lamb
2 garlic cloves (grated)
2 t ground cumin
2 t salt
1 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon
1.5 t ground coriander
2 t oregano
1 t chilli flakes
2 t smoked paprika
500 grams puff pastry
1 egg yolk
Bag of sesame seeds
Pastry brush

Method:

Get a bowl and place the mince in. Add the grated garlic and all the spices. Also season with salt. Make sure there is enough otherwise this will just taste of spices and the salt will help bring the flavours out.

Roll out your puff pastry and make sure you have 3 rectangles.

Place the filling length ways into the 3 rectangles and use the egg yolk to seal the edges. The fold and place the fold at the bottom. Squeeze the ends shut and glaze with the remaining egg yolk.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and make 3 small slits across the top of the pastry for effect.

Place in a hot oven at 200 degrees and bake for 15 minutes until it is golden brown on the top and serve.

These spicy sujuk are just DIVINE! My in laws just thought they were AMAZING and could not get enough of them, and i trust them as they are such foodies. This is one of my top ten favourite things to eat. YUMMY YUM YUM!

Chunky Muttabal.... Mood = Colourful

2010-09-08T07:37:00.000+01:00

My mother is still not here and i missing here A lot. It is also Ramadan and i usually associate this time of month with her cooking as she really brings out all the stops. Ramadan is a holy month of fasting and cleansing in the Muslim calender and unfortunately i am not able to do it as i am having a few problems with low blood pressure and anaemia. So i have to keep fully nourished. I always try to have at least 5 different kinds of fruit and vegetables in my diet daily. And i figure the more colourful your plate the better it is for you....

Talking about colourful, my mum makes a delicious muttabal. Muttabal is aubergine grilled for smoky flavour and the pureed mixed with garlic, chillies, tahini and lemon. It is also garnished with pomegranate seeds for that extra uuumph! I absolutely love it.

I decided to make my mums recipe but instead of pureeing it, i kept the aubergines nice and chunky and left the skin on which made for a really dramatic look mixed with the herbs and red jewel seeds.

Recipe:

4 medium Aubergines

2 cloves of garlic

half pomegranate

Bunch of parsley

Olive oil

salt pepper

1 red chilli halved and sliced.

Method:

* Cut your aubergines in length ways and then again. Cut down the width to make about 6-9 pieces from each half.

* Place on a baking tray and season with salt and olive oil

* Put in a hot oven, 200 degrees and let them roast till tender and cooked through, about 35-40 minutes.

* While the aubergines are roasting make the sauce which you should pour over the aubergines when they are ready.

* Mix the lemon, olive oil, chilli and parsley and season with salt and grated garlic. Mix together and let it infuse for a while.

* When the aubergines are ready, place them on a tray and slather the sauce all over the top and dress with the pomegranate seeds.

Serve and eat quickly as this will soon disappear.

Fresh, healthy, full of flavour and something that you can make in bulk as this tastes better day after day.....

Hasselback potatoes.... Mood = Sliced and diced

2010-09-05T16:44:00.000+01:00

So these have to be the most Beautiful potatoes that i have ever seen on a plate. I have seen these about but have never thought to actually make them, till one day i saw them in a magazine and thought that for my next dinner party i will make them. And boy were they a hit. It is amazing how small slices in a potato can make something taste so much better.

Don't forget we eat with our eyes before our tummies.... So Its natural to visualise the taste before the actual moment. I think this is why i love sushi so much, because it is so beautiful..... Now back to these beauties....

Hasselback potatoes.... They came from Stockholm from a restaurant called Hasselbacken where they were first served. What a great and simple idea. Usually they are made with salt, butter and garlic, but i added a little twist to mine, and you can do the same.. Just add whatever you fancy....

Recipe:

6 Medium potatoes
2 Garlic cloves
1 Pinch of Coriander powder
1 Pinch of Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of Fresh Thyme
1 Teaspoon of Fresh Rosemary
Salt
Olive oil
Squeeze of lemon

Method:

Wash and dry your potatoes.

Slice them about 3 mm apart going 3/4 of the way down.

Set them aside

Make your seasoning

Slice your thyme and rosemary, mix with a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 pinch of coriander powder

Rub this mixture into your potatoes in between the slits.

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.

Place your potatoes on a baking tray and cook for about 35 minutes or until they are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Serve alone or with a nice juicy steak like i did....

Sfiha, Fatayer, Lahm bil Ajeen..... Mood = Name calling

2010-09-02T11:42:00.000+01:00

By what name do we call this? Is it Fatayer, sfiha, or lahm bil ajeen? Which ever way you choose to call them, the end result is the same! DELICIOUS! The little meat bundles are just a taste of heaven, and once you start eating them, you cant stop. Trust me. Either that or i am a total PIG! This dish, or shall i say appetiser comes with many different names, but they all mean the same thing, depending on where you come from in the middle east. I know them as Fatayer, but the flat version with the same ingredients is called Lahm bil Ajeen, which literally mean meat with pastry. Simple and to the point.

There are a lot of recipes out there with yeast to help the pastry rise slightly but this does not need that, or the long waiting time. Just self raising flour will do.

I made these the other night for my husband because we really wanted to eat some Arabic food and i thought i would make him something that we would normally only have when we were out. I have to say that i liked these so much more than any other restaurant. They were juicy, fluffy, full of flavour and i could eat 10 of these without having a waiter give me strange look......

These are lamb based with an infusion of spices that will literally just bounce around your mouth. I know the list might seem long for ingredients, but trust me it take about 6 minutes to get both the pastry done and the meat mix.

Recipe:

Pastry:

400g Self raising flour
80g cold butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1 egg yolk
80g yoghurt
40 ml water
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of chilli flakes

Meat mix:

400g lamb mince
1/2 onion grated
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 apple cored and grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
1 bunch of fresh cut parsley
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of crushed chillies
1-2 teaspoons of salt
Pomegranate seeds to decorate

Method:

To make the pastry, mix the flour and butter to create a breadcrumb effect

Add the egg yolk, yoghurt and water and combine.

Before it has all come together add the chilli and the cumin seeds and knead the dough till it is slightly smooth.

Place in the fridge till you need it.

Mix all the spice, garlic and onions together and add the meat. Combine it all well and set aside.

Remove your pastry from the fridge and on a floured surface, place your pastry and cut into 3.This just helps you with control of the dough.

Roll the dough out and until you have reached a thickness of 1/2 cm.

Cut out 8cm circles and set them on a baking tray.This recipe should make 24 and you will have some pastry left over from cutting which you can use as well.

Place the meat mix in the center and begin by pinching in the sides.

Pinch once side and then another and another till you have reached a star shape, or even more so, a diamond shape!

Brush the pastry with en egg yolk to give colour while cooking.

Bake at 200 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.

If you find this too difficult, then you can just roll out up to 6-8 small pizza shaped ones, which are just as authentic and delicious. I did both.

Serve with fresh pomegranate seeds to add some crunch and punch!

This is great for a get together and when you just want to chill out with a no fuss dinner. One of my all time favourites.

Spiced chickpeas.....Mood = Nibbles

2010-08-31T10:47:00.001+01:00

I love snacking on things, and most of the time it ends up being something naughty. But i have recently discovered these gorgeous crunchy spiced chickpeas that are super easy to make and taste divine. If you like wasabi peas, or the idea of wasabi peas, then this is something for you to make. You can change up the spices every time you make this so as not to get bored. I used hot spices and it worked a treat.

This calls for dried chickpeas that you have to soak over night. I have a problem with canned food, so i steer away from it. But if you don't have dried chickpeas, by all means use tinned.

Recipe:

300g dried chickpeas
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Smoked paprika
Olive oil
Cumin powder
Parchment paper

Method:

Soak your chickpeas overnight

The next day, rinse them to get all the starch off and place them on a baking tray.

Sprinkle your chickpeas with your selected spices and add oil and salt.

Place the chickpeas in a hot oven around 200 degrees for about 35-40 minutes turning over every 15 minutes.

Let them cool down when they have finished to allow them time to harden and become crunchy.

Store in an air tight container.

Eat when peckish or when you just want to have something tasty at your fingertips....

Just divine!

Greek Moussaka.... Mood = Mini

2010-08-29T13:26:00.000+01:00

So as you all know my Husband is Greek and we can never forget that, as his influence is slowly creeping into all my dishes. This is not a disaster though, as Greek cuisine is delicious. So i set out to make something that is very traditional but with a modern style of presentation. I have a thing with presentation, and when i manage get it right, it makes all the difference. For me, moussaka, is fried aubergines, in a spicy tomato and garlic sauce. This is the way we eat it in Middle eastern countries, but in Greece, there is the addition of lamb and bechamel sauce. YUMM!

So i had my husband, his cousin and my business partner over for dinner and as i was feeding 3 Greeks this was a challenge, as a) i have never had moussaka and b)i didn't want to disappoint.

So Christina gave me a few tips on making this and i just followed her instructions adding my own touches here and there. So this is made in 3 steps, but you can multi task and make them all at the same time otherwise you will be here for hours...Well OK, not hours, but for a while...!

Recipe:

500g Minced lamb
5 fresh tomatoes
1 large onions diced
1 Tablespoon Tomato pureé
2 teaspoons of sugar
salt to taste and black pepper
2 medium aubergine sliced in rings
Vegetable oil

Bechamel sauce:

75 g butter
75 g flour
175ml milk (plus extra if you like bechamel thinner)
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

First slice your aubergines in rings about 1 cm thick.

Heat enough oil in a pot to be able to fry them. Place them in 2-3 at a time till they have gone golden brown.

Leave them on a paper towel to soak up any excess fat.

For the meat sauce, cut your onion into a small dice and using some vegetable oil begin to sauteé it till soft.

Add your cubed tomatoes and tomato pureé and season with salt, black pepper and sugar.

Add your mince and begin pan fry it. Usually i would say to brown the meat first and then add the tomatoes but this way, the meat soaks up the tomato sauce while it is browning and make all the difference.

Let the meat and tomato marinate together till you are ready to assemble.

For the bechamel, melt the butter, and the add the flour.

Add the milk after you have combined the above and cooked it off for a minute or two. Begin pouring the milk slowly at first to combine the ingredient and so mot to create lumps, and once you see it start to combine you can add faster. If you want it thinner just add more milk.

You can now add some salt, pepper and the nutmeg to season it.

Get a tray,a pie dish, whatever you want to serve this in and begin piling up.

Begin with aubergine, then meat, then bechamel and then start again. Once it is all assembled place it in a hot oven to brown the to.

And serve.

(I served mine in little pouches of parchment paper and tied with string just for a change from the typical look of how moussaka is served. You can do it too... Great for a dinner party)

So now for the verdict: they all said that it was as if they were eating their mothers Moussaka. How amazing is that. Honestly i felt so good to know that something so traditional was created in my kitchen and loved by all who ate it. This is one to make over and over.

My husband and i just woke up and first thing he said was "Can you please make moussaka again, Please?"

Tandoori Chicken..... Mood = Ethnic

2010-08-26T09:31:00.000+01:00

I love Indian food, and the only problem i have with eating this type of cuisine is that i am never sure about the nuts situation in the kitchen. I am allergic to nuts and have read many a horror story about people having anaphylactic shock after eating something that had almond paste in it or a peanut. So i tend to usually eat Indian food at friends houses or i make it myself. I was looking through some great blogs for inspiration and found some wonderful recipes, some of which i followed but changed slightly. The blog that totally got my attention is a beautiful and very helpful blog called Food for 7 stages of life. Have a look over there and you will see where i am coming from. Very authentic, beautiful cooking.

Tandoori chicken is one of my favourite Indian dishes and the colour, is just jewel like. It has such a deep tangerine burnt orange red that just grabs your focus and you just want to devour it. I never knew how to make this happen until i read the recipes and realised that red food colouring was used! How naughty is that! I though it was from the spices and the cooking method, but it turned out to be much simpler then that. The colour really does make a difference psychologically. I am not sure why, but it does.

This dish is simple to assemble but just needs time marinating for up to 24 hours so all the flavours and colours can get right in there. Also it tenderises your meat during marination.

I made mine with my naan recipe that is just to DIE FOR!!!! You have to try it. Naan is just my absolute favourite bread EVER!!!! I could eat it with anything and everything. I also served this with Cumin rice, mango chutney and some Greek Yoghurt. Of course that had to creep in somewhere ..... remember who i am married to.

Recipe:

1 Whole chicken
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons of turmeric
2 teaspoons of cumin powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 green chili
1 small knob of ginger
5 Tablespoons of yoghurt
1/4 teaspoon of red food paste
salt

Lemon and salt mix:

juice of one lemon mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt

Mix together and rub into chicken.

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together in a mixer and set aside

Cut your chicken in half and remove the skin and slice with gashes all the way through to the bone.

Place the lemon salt mix on the chicken and rub.

Put in the fridge for about 15 minutes and then rub the blended ingredients.

Now all you have to do is let this marinate for 24 hours.

The next day, or if you are impatient like me (i waited 4 hours), put your oven to 250 degrees and place your chicken in a baking tray and cook for about 35-50 minutes depending on your chicken size.

While your chicken is cooking you can make your naan bread and cumin rice.

Remove the chicken from the oven and serve

Enjoy with chutney, Naan and cool yoghurt. Simple and perfect. Oh, and don't forget to eat with your hands!!!!

Green tea and raspberry cake.... Mood = Frui-tea

2010-08-23T12:55:00.002+01:00

Green is not my favourite colour. But it does make for delicious things! Broccoli, Asparagus, Kale, seaweed, Mint, lettuce.... You get the point. But my all time favourite green thing has to be Matcha powder. Green tea is just so good in cakes, ice cream and desserts. The sugar to bitterness ratio is just perfect. I bought so much green tea powder and have been trying many ways to use it up and this was by far the tastiest yet subtle cake i have made. I found the base recipe of this cake on Piggys cooking journal, and altered the fruit, and the additon of the green tea. I also doubled the cake as that recipe was too small for my cake tin.

It combined raspberry, nectarines and green tea powder. Dense, delicious and decadent.

I made this for my ex boss and his wife and to be honest i was a little nervous, as i have never cooked for him, except at his restaurant. But this is very different as it is so personal and not his recipe. Strangely enough the two desserts i made were two that i had never tried before. Not very clever, but i always do this to myself.

Anyway, this cake was accompanied by an early grey bruleé which i have to say was so thick and creamy we went into a dessert coma for about 15 minutes. I got a thumbs up which is what counts. YAY!!!!

Recipe:

150g butter
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
150g self raising flour
1/4 t Baking powder
2 T Buttermilk or Yoghurt
1 nectarine
2 T green tea powder
1 handful of raspberries

Method:

Line small loaf pan and set aside

Beat your butter and sugar till you get a nice thick pale cream texture, and then slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Add the Vanilla extract

Add the green tea and combine.

Add the yoghurt or buttermilk and then the flour.

Do not over beat as this will result in a tough and chewy cake.

Mix well scraping down the sides and pour into your prepared tin.

Throw some raspberries into the cake but not too many.

Then slice the nectarines and place them along the top of the cake.

Add some raspberries around the nectarines and place in the oven at 180 for about 50 -60 minutes.

Let the cake cool down for five minutes and then release from the pan.

Serve with fresh berries on the side.

This cake is a big hit. I have made it several times since that dinner 2 weeks ago. You will love it. And it almost seems healthy. Raspberries, green tea, Yoghurt and nectarines. Sounds like a fruit salad to me!!!!

Mussakhan..... Mood = Passing Down

2010-08-20T22:52:00.026+01:00

Mussakhan is just one of those dishes that you cant stop eating once you have started, and you have to eat it with your hands. None of this silly fork and knife business please. The flavour is just more exaggerated when eaten by hand. I eat certain dishes like this because you really have to get into it, i think.

What is Mussakhan...? It is sumac coated chicken and onions that are caramelised and seasoned with pepper, salt, sumac and olive oil and eaten on Persian flat bread. It sis a Palestinian dish. I learnt this from my auntie Lamia. She is amazing. This is her speciality. Every time she comes to visit us, the day before she leaves she makes this for us. And it is just sooooo good. But not good for your flatulence if i have to be honest so be weary... :)

I made my mussakhan very on the spur of the moment, as it just came to me last minute. My mum usually marinates her chicken for a whole day before she cooks it, but i didn't have the time and I was CRAVING this. It has such a villagy feel to it and it literally is a poor mans dish, as the bread is quite filling and so are the onions.

I was just reading that in Ramallah, a place in Palestine, they have just submitted the largest Mussakhan and it has been accepted in the Guinness Book of Records. It is more than 4 Meters long and weighs more than 1,350 kilos. WOW! I would love to have a bite of that....

Recipe:

1 whole chicken
70g- 100g good quality sumac
4 onions, sliced
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Flat bread
Lemon

Method:

Marinate the chicken with the 1/2 the sumac, lemon and season with salt and pepper.

Slice your onions and cook them with olive oil, remaining sumac, salt and pepper, till they have just started taking a colour.

Cook your chicken in the oven till it is ready.

Slather it over the bread and then wrap it and place it back in the oven till it has warmed through again and then serve.

This is a very simple hearty full of flavour dish that you must must try.

Its sweet and succulent. The sumac really is the star of the show.

Mujadarra.... Mood = Mothers Inspiration

2010-08-17T23:37:00.000+01:00

I have been enquiring about recipes that are good for you and that are mouthwatering, and who is the best person to get this information from.... My mother. I love my mother and as much i love her, i lover her food, and her passion for cooking. It is easy for her, it is tantalising and more than anything she makes it accessible for anyone. Mujaddara is a green lentil poor mans dish which is cooked with cracked wheat, and caramelised onions. We serve it with chopped tomatoes, parsley and chili and garlic as a dressing. It is delicious....

I was asking her for some recipes with lentils and she came up with something along the lines of Mujadarra. But with a twist.

I was totally confident with what she was saying as i know that she knows her flavours as did my grandmother and my wonderful auntie, Shahla. So my mothers take on Mujadarra was similar to the original but with a slight twist. Adding rice, rocket and a lemon olive oil dressing . It was simply amazing.

My husband was at a work dinner and i was tired so i stayed at home. I was feeling rather nostalgic and looking through old photographs and diaries that i used to write as a child and decided that tonight was the night for my mothers dish. She is such a wonderful and amazing woman who brought up 5 pretty good kids, who were sometimes very very naughty, who lover her more than life itself. And she still had time to cook at least 5 dishes a day.....

My mother is beautiful and i think that when you have such a pure soul, you project that wonder in anything you do and this dish as with many other that she has given me inspiration for, shows where her heart and mind are. Health, honesty, and nostalgia. Not to forget love. I think you have to cook with love to create genius!

So this dish as with many other middle eastern dishes does not particularly look appealing but has the taste that explodes in your mouth of the earthiness and villagey feel that we were accustomed to. I love lentils and rice for that matter. Mixed with caramelised onions, lemon, and rucola..... well that's another story. Actually it is this story!

Recipe:

350g puy lentils
300g basmati rice
5 onions sliced into half moons
1 bag of rucola
Lemon
olive oil
salt

Method:

* Boil the rice in a pan as you would normally, add salt to season

* Boil the lentils in another pan but ADDING NO salt

* Slice the onions and pan fry them and caramelise them.

* When all the ingredients are ready separately, add them together.

* Add your lemon and olive oil mix and add the rucola.

* Place in a bowl and turn over and serve.

* Eat to your hearts content.

This dish is healthy, savoury and absolutely good for you. Full of protein and vitamin C.

Just my kind of dish.

Spiced Chorizo and potato..... Mood = On my Mind

2010-08-16T13:54:00.000+01:00

I love chorizo. It is actually a new thing with me. I have eaten some really bad chorizo in the past and it totally put me off till one day i just bought some that i was looking for. I had read about it in a magazine to be very good quality with a great taste and thought I should just do it!

The mild spicy smoky Paprika flavour of the chorizo is something i love and to combine it with my 'Batata Harra' recipe was on my mind for some time now.... What a great combination. I decided to make it last night as I was feeling a little bit UGHHH! These kinds of dishes really lift me up as they are my comfort food. I don't binge on chocolate or sweet things when i need a fix, but more on spicy, salty foods.

You can find my recipe for batata harra here.

Just add the chopped chorizo 1/2 way through to really get the flavour and colour out. Add coriander and lemon to taste and eat with pita bread. I made a sandwich yesterday. You can use sweet potato as well but for this dish i just used regular potatoes. Its your choice. It will work both ways.

Total Craving Fix!!!!

Spanakopita ......Mood = It's all Greek to me!!!!

2010-08-13T13:18:00.001+01:00

I have to admit that i am becoming a bit of a Greek..... My father in law is a fantastic cook and while I was in Greece I was reminded of him from time to time when i saw particular dishes. One in particular is ~~skanpopiropita~~ spanakotiropita whatever you want to call this dish its juts not easy to pronounce. It literally means, Spinach, cheese and pie.

The thing is, i always take it as a challenge when my husband eats something and it is AMAZING! I always have to make it better! Its just that competitive streak in me i guess. But i just want him to know that he can have it at home, better than he has ever had anywhere. Silly i know but that's just me!!!!

So while we were cruising on the highspeeds to Santorini, my husband had a spankotiropita on the boat and he said and i quote... "this is the best one i have ever tasted"! Immediately my mind went into a frazzle because a) i had never made one, and b) how am i going to make him the most popular Greek dish as soon as we get back to London better then the one he has just had which is apparently also better than his dads?!?!?! I began to sweat! So today that was my challenge.... And may i just say that the result was AMAZING!!!!

So Vefa's Kitchen was at my grasp, and i immediately followed her instructions. I did make a few changes so as to make it my own and it was just great. Very Greek, very cheesy and very good!

It turned out like a dream. Can i say that? ... A DREAM.

I was so impressed as i have only ever eaten Pavlos's dads version and they are pretty damn good. I made mine into little snails to make them a little more portable. They were so so cute ad so so delicious. I think the look of them adds to the taste.

Recipe:

Filo Pastry
One bag of spinach, ready washed
500g feta cheese
1Bunch of dill
1 bunch of chives
1 bunch of parsley
2 eggs
Salt
Pepper
1 t Nutmeg
Knob of Butter

Method:

Chop your spinach, and herbs well and add them to a bowl.

Add the crumbled feta, egg and seasoning and mix well.

Place aside and prepare your filo pastry.

Get 3 sheets at a time and brush with the melted butter.

Place a handful of filling near the short edge which should be facing you and begin rolling upwards.

Take the corners in to secure the roll and continue till you get to the end.

Turn into a snail shape slowly as they have a tendency to break because filo is like paper.

Repeat and then brush with melted butter.

Cook at 225 degrees for about 10 minutes or until they have turned golden brown.

Remove and serve warm.

Spanakotiropita is such a good meal as it has so much packed in to such a small area. I love it, it is easy to make ahead of time. Nice eaten hot, warm or cold. Something to have ready when friends come round.

Prawns with Ouzo...... Mood = An Italian In Greece

2010-08-11T09:01:00.000+01:00

In Mykonos, my husbands best friend Fillip insisted we go to an Italian restuarant. To be honest i was not entirely thrilled at the thought. Italian food in Greece. On an Island. It just didnt make sense. I wanted to eat the fresh fish that i had come for, not pizza and pasta. But let me say 1 thing.... I probably had one of the best Italian meals i have had in my life. Unfortunately i didnt not take any pictures during this dinner but will explain it to you. Firstly we had about 6 pizzas to share, mussles with chilli and wine, bresaola with wild rucola, every kind of pasta, nutella and mascarpone calzone and fruit pizza. Also about 6 bottles of wine which kept appearing at the table.

The restaurant we went to was in such a quaint area in Mykonos totally away from everything. It was called Bandana. Somewhere i would most definitely go again and would recommend anyone who happens to be in mykonos to make sure they get there.

My favourite thing at the table was a linguine with prawns and Ouzo. It simply was so fresh and the taste surprised me as i was not looking for it. I recognised it immediately as we have something that is exactly the same in Middle eastern countries called Arak.

I came back to London and decided to try and recreate this dish. So here is my version of it although, it was not as good as the original, but very very close.

Ingredients:

Linguine/fusilli
5 Tomatoes
4 Garlic cloves
Basil
Dill
24 Fresh prawns
Olive oil
200ml Ouzo
1 red chilli deseeded

Method:

* Slice the garlic and place in a pan with the olive oil on a medium heat. You dont want the garlic to get brown, you just literally want to simmer them and release the flavour.

* Cut the tomatoes into cubes and place into the pan adding soem dill and basil, salt and a teaspoon of sugar.

* Add the chilli

* Add the ouzo at this point and let the alcohol evaporate

* When the flavours have combined, add the prawns and let them simmer. Do not cook to quickly or ona high heat as this will turn the prawns rubbery.

* Mix and serve.

This is a very nice summery dish and the flavours are just incredible. So simple and so much impact. Try it to see what i am talking about and let me know your thoughts. I really dont like ouzo or arak but in this type of dish, it was the star of the show.

Beef fillet with Vinsanto Sauce.... Mood = The Sweet life

2010-08-08T14:42:00.001+01:00

As all of you are aware, i was in Greece and most of the Cyclades islands for my honeymoon. And during this wonderful trip and time, i had the pleasure of eating one of the most delicious meals. Simple, Perfect.

Fillet of Beef with vinsanto sauce and potatoes. Original dish here

I have been talking about this dish and more importantly about the sauce, to my husband and my mother in law for quite some time now and she requested that i make it for them for Saturday lunch. So i took it upon myself to make the sauce that i tried in Santorini and what happened next was just truly an experience for all taste buds. It was an explosion of goodness in my mouth. Just perfect.

The beef i get is from what i believe to be the best Butcher in London, called Jagos on Elystan street in Chelsea. If you have not been there, make a trip there and see for yourself.

I don't usually by fillet, but for this dish i wanted it to be tender and almost like butter. I am more of a rump or sirloin kinda girl.

I made my famous roast potatoes to accompany the dish. Recipe is below.

Truly something sensational. I was super impressed. i didn't know how it was going to taste. The sauce itself does take some time to cook but it is soooooo worth it. The recipe i have here is for about 4-6 steaks using alot of sauce but if you are being artistic and not having it literally dripping then it will make enough for about 10 steaks.

Roast Potato Recipe:

1kilo of kestral or king Edward potatoes

Sunflower oil

Garlic

Rosemary

Thyme

Flour

salt and pepper

Method:

Peel, cut and par boil your potatoes. When they have boiled slightly, drain water and place back in the pan. Shake them till they have a light fluff around them. This will help crack them to make them crispy when cooking.

Sift a little flour on the potatoes, adding salt pepper, whole garlic cloves, fresh thyme and rosemary. Mix well adding a little oil and place in a very hot oven. Turn occasionally and they will crisp and go golden brown. This should take about 45-60 minutes.

Sprinkle with some salt to drain excess fat off and serve.

Recipe for sauce:

1 garlic clove
4 shallots
1 leek, white part only
1 carrot
4 sprigs of thyme
large knob of butter
400 ml of red wine
350 ml red vinsanto wine
1.2 litres of good beef stock
300g beef trimmings ( i used a sirloin steak that i had chopped into pieces)

Method:

Chop garlic, leek, shallots and carrots and place them in a pan with melted butter.

Add the thyme and sauteé till slightly golden

In another pan add some oil and season the beef trimmings and sear it till it has literally cooked through all over.

When cooked place them beef in the vegetable pot.

Add the vinsanto into the pan that had the trimmings in.

Scrape down the pan using a wooden spoon and scrape away the residue. this will flavour the wine.

Add this to the vegetables and let it reduce by half.

Then add 1-2 glasses at a time of wine and keep reducing.

Add slowly. You DO NOT want to add it all in one go as this will removes all the flavouring that is coating the beef and vegetables. It has to reduce and then add more, reduce then add more. Till all the wine has finished and you are left with a nice reduction.

When you have reached this point, add the stock and let the sauce simmer for about one hour on a medium heat.

This will leave such a wonderful flavour.

When it has reached the flavour and consistency you want, put it through a conical strainer and leave it till you want to use it.

Serve with sauce at the bottom, potatoes, some rucola and then sliced beef fillet.

Something to remember for a long time.

Ah the sweet life.......

Man'ooshé.....Mood = MiddleEast Pizza

2010-08-05T22:51:00.002+01:00

The man'ooshé is as much a part of Middle eastern culture as tea and scones are in the UK, Coffee and cigarettes with France and souvlaki with Greece. They are typically eaten in the morning with breakfast and are a great way to start the day. I love my manooshé with a little bit of zaatar and plenty of cheese. Zaatar is a ground thyme mix with sumac and sesame and olive oil. It is delicious. I love stuffing mine with some tomaotes, fresh mint, cucumbers and lettuce. OH MY!

I read a blog called Taste of Beirut, and Joumana, the author of this blog simply has the most wonderful, honest fresh, lebanese cuisine on there, and this is where i got my manooshé recipe from and let me just say that i am now one of the happiest women alive! This is such a treat for me as i now dont have to go to beirut for the authemtic mini pizza. I know we have plenty of middle eastern shops around but it just not the same. Making your own is simply something else!!!!

I used Taleggio cheese for this as I didnt have anything else and it worked a treat. I called my mum to ask her if it was ok and she said yes ofcourse, as in Beirut they use all kinds of mixes to make this.

So you can find the recipe for the base here.
My mix is dried thyme and sumac blizted together then add some sesame seeds and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover the dough.

I cooked my Manooshé in a hot oven on a baking sheet at 250 for 7 minutes and then served them straight away.

Check out Joumanas other recipes as im sure they will become a part of your dinig rituals....

Thai style veal kofta.... Mood = Changing it up

2010-08-04T11:43:00.000+01:00

My mum is fantastic at cooking, infact i think that her food is probably the best food i have eaten. I am a professional chef and even my food does not stand up to hers. I was in Greece for a month travelling around and on one of our last lunches out i had Lamb koftas which were delicious. I suddenly remembered my mums koftas and decided that when i come back to London i would make something reminiscent of her but at the same time totally different.

I had really missed cooking while i was away and as soon as i came back the first thing i did was go to the supermarket and stocked up my fridge.

Veal Koftas were on the menu.

I made them a little thai style and a little chinesey and they were simply sensational.

My mix was simple quick and easy. The juices that came out of the koftas were just divine and were poured over my salad that accompanied them with a little lime and chilli. My husband was so happy when he saw what was for dinner as we had not had a home cooked meal for nearly a month.

I think my mother would be proud of me with this dish as it is always nice to step outside the box.

Ingredients:

500g veal mince
4 garlic cloves
bunch of mint
bunch of coriander
2 limes
3 tablespoons soya sauce
2 tablespoons chilli jam
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
small knob of peeled ginger

Method:

Get all the above ingredients, minus the veal and blitz in a food processor. This will create a liquid paste.

Add this paste to your veal mince and mix well.

When it has all combined, begin by taking some veal and pressing it between your fingers to make a small kofta and then place it on a baking sheet.

When you have finished making all your koftas, place them in the fridge for about 1 hour to set.

Get a frying pan nice and hot and add some vegetable oil.

Place your koftas in the pan but dont over crowd the pan as this will reduce the heat and begin boiling them, rather then fry them.

Serve with a small salad with the juices of the veal and some lime with some fresh red chilli.

These will be such a treat for anyone. And something that i am sure you will make over and over again.

My next koftas are pork with apple and thyme!

Doughnut muffin.... Mood = Simply the best!

2010-08-02T15:59:00.000+01:00

Ok so doughnuts are probably up there on most peoples list of favourite desserts.... But doughnut muffins are probably the best creation EVER! I have been scouring recipes for delicious and different things and this one just caught my attention from a lovely blog that i follow religiously since i found it! Caffe Ina is written by Sara, who simply has wonderful recipes to follow and i hope you will all find it as fun and full of goodies like i do.

So now back to my short and sweet blog about the most wonderful idea. They are bouncy, flavourful and just so divine the description of them is just not going to give you a proper account of what they are truely like. I literally foudn the recipe about an hour ago and began making them. I made one substituion as i didnt have any milk, so i used buttermilk instead which worked a treat! I would use it again. I think it gives it a richer deeper flavour.

So here it is....

Recipe:

170g golden caster sugar
1 large egg
340 g all purpose flour
10g Baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 pinch of cinnamon
60ml vegetable oil
180ml buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

large knob of butter melted
caster sugar with cinnamon mixed for dusting

Method:

Mix sugar and egg together till thick

Add flour, Baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix in with the egg and sugar mix

Add the milk and oil and whisk.

Pour into ready greased muffin tray and bake at 190 for 15-18 minutes.

Remove from pan and dip in the melted sugar and then coat with the cinnamon caster sugar and serve.

These little delicous treats are perfect hot or cold. They still have that moorish taste and for me, bring back so many memories purely from the smell. Nostalgia is simply one of the best things!

Enjoy and please have a look at Sara's blog!

Santorini..... Mood = Celestial

2010-07-29T23:16:00.000+01:00

Ok, so just to get the air clear, when i met my husband, i told him i had a few issues with claustrophobia, and heights. Boats were also up there but i figured how many boats are we ever going to go on.....Apparently alot!

On visiting Santorini, i felt my heart crack a little and my mind shatter with fear. There upon my gaze was the highest steepest mountain cliff i have ever seen. And we had to go up there to get to our hotel. I felt like a 2 year old kid. I called my mum and told her i wanted to get back on the boat and go home. She immediately told me to shut up and get in the cab and have some fun. So i did. My husband Pavlos was not in my good books at this time but helped with the idea of going up this cliff by suggesting i cover my head with my scarf and just pretend it was dark. Good idea!

After reaching the top, which is the best, (i felt like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman) i just had a moment where i had to relax to really appreciate what was infront of me. It was just the most incredible and most beautiful scene i have had the pleasure of setting my eyes on! Something to put on the "before you die list".

So our hotel was on the clifftop with a view of the caldera which is prime property over here in Santorini. There is not one millimeter that is not being used here for property and unless you own something now, it seems pretty unlikely that anything will come up in the near future. I was being told this information by many people so i thought that i would share it with you....This was not helping my problem with heights but sometimes you just have to let go and fill your mind up with information... Everything in Santorini is up here. Way at the top, so i figured other people may be feeling the way i did too.

The view and air are incredible up here. Something that cannot be explained in words.... So i shall not try to explain and let the photos do some of the talking.

The hotel we stayed in was called SUN ROCKS. It was just un real. I was absolutely terrified on the way up but when i saw the view i just thanked God that i get to see something like this. We had the most wonderful room, and the service was amazing! On our first night we were at the hotels 4 table restaurant, and we just had the best view and had it all to ourselves! Perfect!

We were offered a set menu which was delicious and fresh, simple and yet very different.

Starter was :
Melon jelly with crispy pancetta
Smoked scallop with balsamic
Tartare of vegetables with filo crisp
Crab salad
Sea bream with beetroot cream and courgettes
Fillet of beef with potatoes and vinsanto jus
Trio of sorbets
Mojito foam and strawberry spring rolls

To say that this was not a perfect meal would be LYING! Everything tasted sooooo Good! And the sunset that was occurring during our dinner was even better. Everyone has told me that the sunset in Santorini is the best you will ever see, and they were right!

The next couple of days were totally relaxing and we went down to the town. Very cute, very Greek, very fun. The donkeys were being pulled through the town, we saw some amazing craft work and of course found another sovlaki place to eat. My new favourite thing!

The island of santorini is defintely a place you should visit if you have the chance to be in that part of the world. Anywhere you go to eat would be great as you have the best view, food and weather in the world!

Mykonos..... Mood = The Pelican Brief

2010-07-27T10:02:00.000+01:00

Shortly after leaving Tinos, the smallest little island on earth with the least inhabitants..... We went on our journey to Mykonos. The infamous Island! The island famous for its 2 pelicans walking around the tourists and inhabitants. One of them named George who i had the pleasure of meeting.

It took no longer than 30 minutes to reach by seajet which was great as i am not a massive fan of boats. My husband and I chose to stay away from the main town and in a more secluded area in a resort and have the choice to go down town as and when we desired. A) for controling my spending on things i didn't need and B)to stay away from the mad rush that is summer in this gorgeous town.

Mykonos is beautiful. It is what i imagined and more, almost a cartoon version of what i imagined. The colours, the flowers everywhere, the clothes and jewellery filled streets were almost unbearable. But then again, charming. When it came time to choose food we were spoilt for choice. Every restaurant had similar offerings but it just depended on what you were looking for and if you knew where to go. Prices ranged from the extortionate to the modest and i have to say we were on both ends. One night our dinner cost us what it was for 3 nights at our 5 star luxury hotel!!!! I nearly choked....

The food in our hotel was by all means up to scratch and of very good quality and standard as was the beach next to us called Elia. Every portion was large, and i think the view and the atmosphere just makes a regular grilled fish taste even better. I am not sure if you know what i mean but it just tastes..... Better!

I am not a big fan of meat in the summer, and i am also in the land of Lamb, but i cant bring myself to eat it in these beautiful hot moments. So i always opted for fish, shell fish and salads, and my husband is going for more meaty, beefy dishes. He associates his home with souvlaki sandwhiches and big portions of meat. On the Elia beach, he ordered a mix grill and out came this enormous wooden platter that could have fed 4 grown men. Needless to say my husband took this as a challenge and attempted to eat it but alas..... Failed! Good try though.

I can't stay away from Kalamaraki and jumbo prawns, squid, octopus, Saganaki on this holiday and could eat it at every chance i get but i hate to be predictable so i had to change it up a bit. Which i am doing here in Santorini. I am writing this from the most beautiful hilltop hotel called Sunrocks! But that will be my next post.

I miss being in my own kitchen and cooking but as i write that, the most insane look crosses my face! What can i be saying? Missing cooking while i am being spoilt and treated like a princess?!? I guess its just hard unwinding! But i am more than happy to be here and enjoying every minute of it. I am DEFINITLEY not rushing home!

So i have tried as much as possible to take beautiful pictures of food that others have prepared for me and my husband. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as we enjoyed eating them....

See you in Santorini.....

Tinos Port..... Mood = Mini Market

2010-07-10T16:42:00.001+01:00

As we were leaving Tinos this is what we saw.... The most gorgeous little market where people older than your grandmother were selling the most beautiful fruit and vegetables. It really makes you think about your supermarkets, whats on offer and also presentation. We are a very clean anti bacterial culture and that seems so normal to us, but when i saw the fruit and vegetables in their boxes on the floor it just made me want to buy it even more. It was very rustic, and very real! Perfect little market of Tinos.......

Island Hopping..... Mood = Greece is the word!

2010-07-03T22:33:00.000+01:00

So i have been talking about this honey moon of mine for some time now. And i am finally here. Well you may be wondering why i am blogging on my honey moon, well the world cup is still on and my husband is watching Germany v Argentina as we speak. So i have some time to catch up on a few things.

So we arrived in Athens on the 1st July
to some beautiful weather and even more gorgeous food. I am a piggie and i am sure most of you are too. This is the land of food and history and i was not wasting any time getting my gnashers (teeth) into some good old traditional food.

Athens was a pit stop to the first Island of the tour.... We landed in Tinos for a friends wedding which is to take place tonight. What a lovely little desserted island. Simple and perfect to get a away from the chaos of london and responsability.

We are staying in a place that is not quite a hotel and not quite a bb. It is run by a wife and her husband and she is the chef, the manager, the cleaner, the life guard.... EVERYTHING. I love it. This is how things should be done. In modern cities we seem to delegate alot and lose touch with our selves and our clients. But here she knows what is going on at all times.

I have eaten every meal at the hotel as it is delicious, and quite frankly i went to town and there seemed to be not much going on there apart from clothes and jewellry selling, which is great too.

So on the menu was:

Saganaki: which is hard greek cheese coated in flour and then deep fried, served with a lemon that you have to squeeze over and eat while it is still hot.

Traditional greek salad

Kalamaraki: Squid Cut into rings and deep fried

Kalamari: Grilled whole squid and served with olive oil and lemon

Stuffed tomatoes

Pork loin with lemon sauce and thyme

Watermelon to finish off

Everything is cooked and prepared by one woman and served to all her diners. Everything looks great and tastes even better.

I honestly couldnt believe it when i saw that she didnt have a kitchen porter to help. Thats what i call multi tasking.

For breakfast, we were served complimentary cheese, sesame bread, orange flavoured cake, eggs and jam. unfortunatley i was so hungry i forgot to take pictures but you can get the drift by seeing the other images that she means business....

Recipes will follow as tomorrow she promised to give me a cooking lesson. I cant wait. Should be fun to be on the receiving end of it, as im usually the one doing the teaching.

So till my next Island which whill be Mykonos..... See you then.

Matcha Cupcakes..... Mood = Going Green

2010-06-22T09:41:00.002+01:00

Green tea was something i only tried maybe 10 years ago and i ate it as an ice cream. It was Delicious and creamy and had just a hint of flavour. Enough to make you want more and more. I don't know why i have not made something using green tea until now, but you know what they say better late then never.

Green tea is soooooooo good for you. Some evidence suggests that regular green tea in your diet will help prevent heart disease, and some kinds of cancer from forming. Also it is thought that it helps with weight loss due to polyphenols and caffeine. Green tea has also been thought to help with the prevention of dental cavities, kidney stones, aiding with bone density, and cognitive function. There are many researches done about the use of green tea to help with brain activity and neuro science. Under the Michael J Fox foundation, they are doing tests to aid people with helping rescuing damaged brain cells and protecting ones that have not been harmed yet.

Well i didn't know all this about green tea, but now i don't feel so bad after eating 3 cupcakes..... OOOPS!

So the recipe i used for this is my own . The vanilla base chiffon cake recipe but i just added Matcha (green tea powder). It worked a treat and like i mentioned before, chiffon cakes are my all time favourite.

For the recipe visit here.
Add 4 Tablespoons of matcha, adding it to the flour and sugar stage of the recipe

Fill cupcake holes 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes.

To make the icing, just follow the same method and recipe just adding up to 2 Tablespoons of matcha to flavour it.

Frost and refrigerate till ready to eat.

Who knew going green tasted so good and was so good for you.....

Summer cocktail.... Mood = Mojito Madness

2010-06-21T14:41:00.001+01:00

I love having a drink every now and then and a Mojito is first on my list when the summer has arrived and moods have gone up. I think there is nothing better than a cool refreshing drink with mint, soda, crushed ice, and rum..... Yumm!

My husband does not drink.... BUT he does make the best Mojito EVER. I even get him to make them for my clients as they think his are the BEST as i have heard them say. Its just a natural instinct to make things taste so good. You either have it or you don't. But this way i am going to show you how to make his mojito and make it in bulk. So you don't have to keep remaking the drink when you need and want it.

I was going to write this post last night when i was drinking it, but it would have been a disaster. The bulk method gives all the flavours time to infuse and really develop....

So my husband Pavlos's measures go something like this.....

Recipe:

1 part Bacardi
2 parts tonic water
3 T soft brown sugar
3 limes
bunch of mint
(This is per drink)

Method:

Bash the limes with a small rolling pin with the sugar. This will help create grit.

Add the tonic and Bacardi and mix.

Add the chopped mint leaves and stir, not forgetting the most important thing.... Crushed ice!
Serve

Now you can quadruple this recipe or even multiply it by ten. It works. I personally like mine very sweet, so at the end of the day it has to suit your taste.

Enjoy making these summer hits and be merry!!!! (drink safely too)