Sunday 21 June 2015

My best ice cream ever.

It's just so simple, I had some double cream in the fridge that was nearing its past it date, so I beat it till this, added the similar amount of Greek Yoghurt,and 2 tablespoons of homemade lemon curd,and then drizzled some Damson purée into the mix, the purée was in the freezer,so I took about 3 tablespoons out to mix.  Freeze,and it never needs to be touched after that,as it freezes without any ice crystals forming, smooth and totally luscious. I.  Oops, I completely forgot to add that I also put in the seeds from a passion fruit to the mixture. 
Result is as shown

Saturday 20 June 2015

Entertaining, big time!

Over the past 10 days I have had friends here almost every day... Then of course. I'm totally worn out afterwards. 
The first evening I made a selection of Salads, tabbouleth, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, Waldorf salad, with Smoked duck breast, sliced thinly with  pink grapefruit plus an orange  on the top. Just fresh fruit fir pudding, but with some good cheeses.
Two nights after that, I gave other friends Chicken Ceasar Salad ,with home made Ceasar salad dressing, a  potato salad , cucumber and sugar snaps with a sesame dressing, and a tomato and red onion salad ,plus there was enough if the roasted  vegetables from Thursday to have again.
  We had an Avocado, Greek yoghurt and lemon cold soup to start with ,loosened with some chicken stock , and then I made an Apricot frangipani tart to finish.
The next day I had family to come  and eat the leftovers! 
The following day,  Only one to supper.  Can't even remember what we ate, so it must have been unmemorable. 
2days after that, an almost vegetarian meal. 
Starting with 2dips, a pea & Parmesan with garlic ,and a beetroot one with horseradish and orange zest,which was delicious. They looked so pretty together.
Then the meal... A quinoa Salad with courgettes, chopped preserved lemons ( home made, they're so easy) black olives, spring onions, mint , a red chilli,and roasted pistachios on the top. A salad of sliced fennel with barberries,dill, and Apple ,and a melon, cucumber and tomato salad,with a little cider vinegar.,and finally some Piedmontese peppers. 
A few slices of both Parma and Serrano Hams, a Chorizo sausage that  I bought in Cornwall ( very delicious) and made locally. 
Cheeses, and fresh berries to end the meal.
The next day,another friend who came to help eat the leftovers ( again!)
Finally last night I had a fairly large slab  of fresh Tuna, which I covered in a mix of crushed peppercorns, pink,green and black plus some  sea salt flakes and a little Dukkah,the Middle Eastern spice and nut mix. 
Flashed onto the griddle,and eaten with French beans , and courgettes that I had cooked in a sauce of red& green peppers, onion, and garlic, and spiked up with a little lemon juice as it tasted rather bland. 
No potatoes, no bread. A bottle of Prosecco however!
Enough fish  left over for me to have today  ,with a salad of course!

Monday 8 June 2015

I don't know what's happened to me, but it's a very long tine since I posted anything interesting.

There hasn't been much going on here,as once again I have been unwell! Therefore cooking goes on the back burner,and I seem to live off porridge, hot custard ,and cheese on toast if feeling peckish. Not a very culinary experience at all.
However, I have friends coming to eat at the end of the week, so I shall make a Feta cheesecake , or rather it will go into pots  ,and then be jazzed up with some cucumber in a sweet chilli and black olives there is so much great fresh fruit that we will have a good chice of what's best, and for the main course, it will either be PastaPuttanesca,  or a salad of smoked duck breast with  oranges and avocados ,and a potato salad with capers and celery mixed in.  
See how I feel on  the day