food, reviews & life in my kitchen
Until recently, it had been years since I ate pork. Memories of chewy pork chops and roasts that didn’t really do it for me (sorry Mum!) completely turned me off to pork. It was only when pork escalopes appeared in my Abel and Cole meat delivery box that I was forced to reconsider. Initially very… Continue reading Pork with Apples, Sage and Cider Recipe
As the cold nights of October loom ahead, I can’t help but look forward to warming food served hot from the oven in steaming bowls of comfort. When you slow cook food in an oven, the rich scent of dinner wafts from the kitchen as it cooks, filling the house with a familiar scent that… Continue reading Slow-cooked curry sauce recipe
What says home cooked comfort food quite like a freshly baked cheesy lasagne straight from the oven? This recipe is like a hug on a plate, with rich hearty ragù sauce layered with creamy, indulgent béchamel sauce and soft pasta sheets, all topped off with a generous covering of gooey melted cheese. If your mouth… Continue reading Comforting homemade lasagne recipe
This recipe was actually created as a result of putting together 2 others that I love, and in all honesty, was a bit of an experiment. The starting point was a pack of organic stewing steak destined for a tagine served with couscous and pomegranate seeds. Sounds good, right? The only problem was that when… Continue reading Spiced slow-cooked beef with a saffron rice crust recipe
Roast dinners are simple, but comforting. The smell of roast meat cooking makes me think of family dinners around a table crowded with dishes of potatoes and veg ready for us to help ourselves. Having a roast has always been a Sunday tradition in my family, and even though I no longer live with my… Continue reading Cook the perfect roast potatoes every time with this easy recipe!
This is a really easy recipe, that’s perfect for a midweek pasta dinner. The leeks go perfectly well with the creamy ricotta cheese and this is really satisfying. Serves 3–4, cooking time 40 mins You will need: 3 leeks, trimmed 1 stick of celery 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs 250g ricotta cheese (1 regular… Continue reading Leek & Ricotta Lasagne recipe
In the winter, all I want to eat is comforting, hearty food, and especially over Christmas, I probably eat a little too much of it! In January I still want the comfort and to feel full, but with a bit of health and a lot of veg thrown in. It’s a great way to recover from the over-indulging, and I always feel better when I eat better. I don’t know if that’s psychological or not, but it’s true! There are lots of different recipes to choose from, but these are 3 of my staples which I fall back on time after time. They all pack a huge veggie punch, and don’t feel like diet food either! I’ve included a stir-fry, soup and curry recipe. The stir-fry is quick and easy to cook, perfect for staving off any Chinese takeaway cravings. The carrot soup is warming, and ideal to cook in a batch so there’s some for lunch the next day (or the whole week!) too, and a veggie curry which is one of my favourite Friday or Saturday night treats, and much healthier than ordering in.
The ultimate savoury taste of a steak and ale pie I difficult to beat, I love it best when freshly baked: puff pastry layers crackle under the knife, and dark, sticky gravy oozes out onto the edges of the pastry. I love chunky steak, sweet carrots and earthy mushrooms. I love rich saucy gravy edging slowly across my plate, muddling with muddling with creamy, buttery mashed potato. Drooling yet? I am.
Now that Halloween is over, the anticipation of Christmas festivities has moved to centre stage, with shops already sparkling with decorations and gifts. It’s clichéd, I know, but I really do love autumn and winter, especially now, in this little post-Halloween, pre-Christmas limbo. Crunchy leaves in vibrant red, copper and bright gold litter the ground outside, waiting to be walked in, kicked about, enjoyed, and jumpers and boots have made a convincing comeback in my wardrobe. There aren’t daily frosts just yet, but I can’t wait to see the beautiful silver spray of delicate, glittering lace over leaves and spiders’ webs in the morning sun. I don’t think I have long to wait. This morning I had to de-mist the car windows with the heating on max for a good 5 minutes before I left for work.
Rich and indulgent – everything a celebratory meal should be.
