Slow cooked squid and chorizo stew with garlic mayonnaise

I love squid, its cheap, versatile, good for you and tasty. You can also get it all nicely prepared at fish counters, ready for you to cut into rings.

When most people think of how to cook squid they think of quick cooking, to keep the squid tender, because tough squid is horrible. However you can also cook squid very long and slow and the result will be the same, a meltingly tender squid.

This dish takes a few hours to cook but minimal effort, and the result is delicious, do not miss off the garlic mayonnaise, it transforms the dish completely.

Squid and chorizo stew with garlic mayonnaise

50-100g chorizo
pinch of thyme leaves, dried works too
100ml mild veg stock
250g cherry tomatoes, left whole 
250g squid, cut into rings
250g potato cut into bite sized chunks
small handful of fresh parsley
one clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Crusty bread/ toast to serve

Heat a casserole pot and add the chorizo, heat gently until the oil starts to be released. Add the thyme and cook for another minute. 

Add the stock, careful it will sizzle and the cherry tomatoes. Pop on the lid and leave for 10 minutes over a gentle heat. After 10 minutes add the squid to the pan, making sure it is nestled in all the juices, return the lid and cook over a gentle heat for an hour. 

After an hour give everything a stir and add the potatoes, return the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes. 

Whilst the potatoes are cooking crush the garlic clove and mix with the mayonnaise.

When the potatoes have finished cooking stir through the parsley and divide into bowls. Top with the garlic mayonnaise and a final sprinkle of parsley. Serve with crusty bread/toasts for soaking up all the juices. 

Blueberry chia jam

I love blueberries, they feature heavily in my breakfasts and smoothies. I always have a bag in the freezer, its so cheap to but them this way and using them frozen in smoothies keeps the smoothies cold and creamy. 

Using chia seed to set fruits into a 'jam' is quick and results in a healthy jam not laden with refined sugar.

Blueberry Chia Jam

250g blueberries, fresh or frozen 
25g chia seeds
tablespoon of lemon juice

Place the blueberries into a saucepan and cook over a medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. They should release quite a lot of liquid.

Add the chia seeds, stir to combine and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking.  Cook until it has thickened and looks a jammy consistency.

Transfer to a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge. 

I love this jam as it is, if you need it a little sweeter, this may depend on your blueberries, add 1-2 tsp maple syrup to taste when you are first simmering the blueberries. 

I had this jam for breakfast a number of ways. I topped almond overnight oats (using this homemade almond butter) with pear and blueberry chia jam.

I made almond chia pudding topped with pear and blueberry chia jam, this was amazing. 

I also made cinnamon porridge and topped with pear and blueberry chia jam. 

Cardamom maderia cake

I imagine many people are just as excited as I am that 'The Great British Bake Off' is back. I also suspect that many of you are inspired to bake the baked good featured in the show, I know I am.

Last week was cake week and the contestants had to make a signature maderia cake, a frosted coffee and walnut cake, with sugar work, and a show stopping black forest gateau. I must admit, I at first thought that I had not made a maderia cake before but as soon as I heard the description and saw a picture I realised that I had made plenty, I was simply uncouth and called them 'loaf cakes', because of the tin used to bake them, well now I know the actual name for such bakes!

The maderia cake round made me realise that I had not made one for ages, and I surprised by Paul and Marys reservations about a cardamom and orange loaf cake because one of my personal favourites is a cardamom maderia cake. I have not made this since I was told to lay of gluten, so I crossed my fingers and got baking.

It turned out perfect. A dome, a crack, a close texture but not dense, and the beautiful perfect flavour of cardamom shining through. I can't recommend this cake enough it may not dazzle in the looks department but it tastes amazing and goes absolutely beautifully with a cup of tea.

Cardamom maderia cake

190g dairy free spread (I used pure)
190g golden caster sugar
The seeds from 10 cardamom pods crushed in a pestle and mortar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste

3 medium eggs
190g plain GF flour (I used dove farm)

1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons of natural soya yoghurt 

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C FAN and grease a 900g loaf tin, lining the base with baking parchment.

Beat the butter, sugar, cardamom and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. 

Beat in the flour, xantham gum and baking powder until just combined before finally beating in the yoghurt. 

Transfer the cake mix into the prepared pan and level before baking in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and a cake skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for a few moments before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

This week was biscuits. I wanted biscotti, one of the challenges to eat alongside the show. However I was a smidge short on time after work and so had to cut them while they were too warm, My biscotti are so so craggy but delicious never the less. I really want to share them with you so think I will just have to rustle up another batch in the next few weeks, this time on a weekend!

Vanilla almond butter

I have a confession. I love vanilla. It has a reputation for being plain and boring but I do not understand why. It gives such a distinctive flavour and I enjoy desserts and bakes flavoured purely with this exotic spice. Vanilla also complements and lifts so many other flavours such as chocolate and berry fruits.

Vanilla also pairs extremely well with nuts and, as I found out, lifts the already delicious almond butter to a whole new level. I am a big fan of making my own nut butters for a number of reasons 1) it is much cheaper to make my own 2) I know exactly what is going into it 3) I can experiment with new flavour combinations.

It could not be simpler to make nut butter, you simply need a powerful food processor and a little patience!

Vanilla almond nut butter

150g skin on almonds
1 tsp unrefined coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla paste

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend! First the nuts will turn to a fine flour-like texture, keep going and it will come together as a ball, jut let it keep going and you will be rewarded with a super creamy almond butter. The time this takes will depend on your processor. 

The amounts in this recipe make a small jar, I am definitely doubling it next time!

I have experimented with this almond butter a number of ways.

It is delicious stirred into porridge, especially delicious if raw cacao and a dash of maple are also stirred through, chocolate almondy porridge topped with a sliced banana is an oh so delicious and nutritious start to the day!

It is also fabulous in chia seed pudding. I made chia pudding with almond milk and left overnight, I then blended with a good dollop of almond butter and a third of a frozen banana, before layering up with a little extra banana. So good.

I also stirred a spoonful through pear overnight oats served with blueberry chia jam. More on the jam in a later post.

I also plan to experiment with other homemade nut butters... if I can drag myself away from this vanilla almond one that is!

Coconut and lime crème brulee

I love crème brulee, smooth and creamy with just the right amount of bitter caramel on top. It was often my go to dessert in restaurants but sadly, since I have been unable to have lactose, many desserts, especially my beloved crème brulee, are not an option when out.

However with the arrival of lactose free cream into my life I can make this beautiful dessert whenever I want. This recipe is a little less fraught then that of a traditional crème brulee as it is not baked in the oven, no worrying about whether your eggs will scramble! All the cooking is done on the stovetop and then the custard is left to set in the fridge. So no, not traditional but simpler and the finished result is just as tasty.

This version with lime and coconut is the perfect summer dessert, there is just enough lime to bring a subtle zing to the creamy coconuty custard, truly a match made in heaven.

This recipe uses lime zest so I am going to enter it into this months alpha bakes, this moth hosted by Caroline. I would recommend reading her blog for interesting bakes!

Coconut and lime crème brulee

serves 4

250ml lactose free double cream
300ml coconut cream
zest of two limes
1 tsp vanilla paste or the seeds from one pod
6 egg yolks
50g caster sugar plus a few teaspoons extra for the topping
1tbsp cornflour

In a pan heat the cream, coconut cream, lime zest and vanilla until just below boiling point. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 1 hour. 

Whisk the egg yolks with the 50g of caster sugar and cornflour. 

Pass the cream through a sieve to get rid of the lime zest. and then bring back to just below boiling point. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the egg, sugar and cornflour mix then return the whole mixture back to the pan. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously, until thick, it will be very thick but do not go to far or you will curdle the eggs!

Pass the thick custard through a sieve and then divide between four ramekins. Chill for at least an hour, preferably longer, to set.

When ready to serve sprinkle caster sugar over the top and caramelise with  blow torch.  

Spicy peanut butter and vegetable stew

Its cold outside and I am wrapped in a blanket, is it really the last day of July!? I need food that is warming and delicious but it is not really the time of year for meaty, slow cooked stews and casseroles, with plenty of root vegetables, it feels a bit wrong, not to mention many of the ingredients are out of season.

The sweet potato and chickpeas make this a substantial meal and the whole dish provides plenty of different textures, a good meal to feed those people who think a meal without meat is not a meal.

This recipe is warming, hearty and delicious, comfort food that nourishes from the inside out, a dish that can be eaten all year round. 

I love that this recipe contains both spice and peanut butter! The spice level can be adapted to suit our own palette.

Spicy peanut butter and vegetable stew 

serves 2, easily doubled

1/2 red pepper, diced

stick of celery. diced

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tsp hot smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

pinch of cayenne

100ml of vegetable stock

2 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
tin of chopped tomatoes

1/2 tin of chickpeas

good couple of handfuls of spinach or kale

brown rice to serve

yoghurt (soya if avoiding dairy) and chilli flakes to finish (optional)

In a nice big casserole pot sauté the pepper, celery and potato in a 1/2 tbsp of  oil of your choice (olive, coconut, vegetable, whatever) for 5-10 minutes, add in the spices and cook for a minute more. 

Combine the peanut butter and hot stock , just whisk to combine with a fork, and add this along with the tomatoes to the pot. Give it all a stir and pop on  lid, leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Check on it after 15 minutes, give it a stir and add a splash more stock/water it it needs it.

After 30 minutes add in the chickpeas and kale/spinach and cook, without the lid, for 5 more minutes.

Serve with brown rice, if you like, and a dollop of natural/greek yoghurt and sprinkle of chilli flakes.

  

Sausage and fennel carbonara

This dinner is a revelation. It came about after a busy day and raiding the kitchen for ideas. I normally plan every meal I am going to have in a week and then do the shop but this week got a bit out of sync.

I had a couple of leftover GF sausages, a third of a fennel bulb and as usual my cupboards contained pasta, eggs and garlic, there was even some parmesan in the fridge, so the dish made itself

I simply put some GF pasta on to cook, removed the two sausages from their skins and broke up the sausage meat into a pan and cooked until brown, continuing to break up the sausage meat as it cooked. I added some chopped fennel and garlic to the pan with the sausages and continued to sauté for a few minutes longer.

When the pasta had finished cooking I drained off most of the water and added in the sausage fennel mix. I also threw in a few frozen peas at this point as I felt the dish could do with more vegetables. I put the pan back onto a low heat, stirred in a couple of eggs, seasoning and a handful of grated parmesan.

This is a really flavoursome diner that I would actively chose to make again, its amazing what you can come up with after rooting through the freezer/fridge cupboards.

I try not to waste food but I suspect many of us could make a number of meals from what we already have stashed at home instead of buying new ingredients. Its worth thinking about when carrying out your next shop.