My mini herb garden

Part of delicious food are the fragrant, aromatic flavours of herbs. Whether dried or fresh, they always add interest to any dish. The level of flavours are quite amazing and so different to one another. 

This year I was given a present of some seeds by a good friend so I thought I would start a mini herb garden. 

When I say mini I mean mini on a window sill!

I check them everyday and make sure there are no bugs. I feed them once a week with ready to use feed from the gardening centre and make sure the soil never dries out. I also water them late evening so the roots don't cook in the heat of the day.

My window smells wonderful and I can just snip off the herbs whenever I need them.

There is rosemary, parsley, coriander, thyme and basil. They all live together happily with my beautiful flower.

Have a go! You may surprise yourself!

Just Simple and Fresh

Hi!

I just love all these cheffy programmes but don't you find that they are somewhat complicated?  Requiring skills that only a professional would have and special equipment.... mmmm..not in my kitchen!

Simple and fresh is best! I don't know about you but I don't always have the time for very laborious dishes.

Here's a great favourite of mine! Russian Salad.

It's very easy and very filling..there are more complex recipes but I use this one as I find it easy to make.

Potatoes peeled and diced.
Carrots peeled and diced
Frozen peas
Hard boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Olives (sliced in half... No stones, please!)
Tinned tuna in oil

Put the vegetables in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until cooked but the last ten minutes pop the eggs in.(eggs not straight from the fridge but at room temperature).

Drain and put into a large bowl.

Shell the eggs, cut into 4 then into 8 pieces. Pop them into the same bowl.

Drain the tuna, flake it and into the same bowl.

Add the olives

Add enough mayonnaise to bind it so it is moist but not sloppy.

There you have it! It's best served very cold with crispy bread. 

Bon Appetite!

P.S:

Tuna is a semi-oily fish.  Its protein contains selenium, manganese, potassium, omega 3 essential fatty acids and it contains Vitamin B niacin, B1, B6 and folate, all of which keep our arteries from hardening.

Potatoes - are a good source of Vitamin C, potassium, fibre, 
Vitamin B, copper, tryptophan, manganese and lutein. Being alkaline potatoes help balance acidity, inflammation, high blood pressure and calms the nerves.

Carrots - are rich in beta-carotenes which help digestion and weight control. Carrots silicon which helps hair, skin and eyes because of the beta-carotenes, lycopene and lutein. And carrot tops make a great detox tea!

Peas- are full of Vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. It is an insoluble fibre so it's really good for your intestinal tract. It's great to fight infection, boost energy, immune system and helps men to improve their ability to fertilise a female egg.

Eggs - contain Vitamin D with help bones and teeth. It's also antioxidant and contains lutein and zeaxanthine, to name but a few, which help the eyes from losing sight. It help prevent cancer and heart disease. Try different eggs as some have different nutritional values. Don't over cook eggs as you will lose some of its benefits.

For more information on the nutritional information, you can Google it or look it up in specialised books on the subject like I did.

Chicken Nuggets

Hello all you Mums trying to please your children!

I know, I've been there..so much work, so much pressure and you still have to feed the family with something good and hearty that will give them what they need in goodness and nutrients and feed their wants and bellies!

Hay, Ho! Chicken Nuggets!.... But aren't they bad for you? 

No, they are not if they are home-made!

If you can manage it take the chicken breast off the bone or buy it already off the bone (it is more expensive) and chop up adding the flavour and seasoning you are accustomed to. Try to keep the salt content down as Too Much Salt is bad for everyone!(herbs and spices can compensate for the lack of salt).


Once the chicken breast is either chopped up or sliced....flour it, egg it, breadcrumb it and deep fry it at 180*C  until golden brown.

If the chicken is fresh you can freeze them so you have them handy for another day when you are too busy. If you have some chicken in the freezer and you make up the chicken nuggets then you must cook them once the chicken is defrosted. You cannot refreeze defrosted raw chicken!

They are so much more delicious than shop bought but I know everyone's circumstances are different...but please try this, even if it is with cooked chicken from yesterday or from the supermarket it is still better than a mince you have no idea about.

Please give it a go..you will love it, your kids and family will love you for it!

Your cooking companion. Isabelle

Lovely Produce

What a lovely day!

I wanted to say how much I love the local markets! They offer so much fresh produce..sometimes not as fresh depending on the vendor! No offence to anyone....! There is something intrinsic about shopping at a market...I do think it goes back way beyond us...to ancient civilizations.  Their local fair, imported goods and sheer determination to make a living from home grown vegetables, eggs and animals and home-made goodies like cheese, jams, breads, cakes, pies, pickles and so much more..I think that's why I enjoy it so much...just like many of us.

The Plus side of it is: we may not get the supermarket perfection of size, shape and colour but we do get flavour without the high cost and awful polystyrene and plastic packaging.  We can also haggle with the vendor, who loves his produce and wants to make a sale. I think both the vendor and the customer benefit..! I love a bargain...and I am sure the vendor loves a sale..so both parties are happy! Especially if you return because you just loved the freshness, excellence and flavour of the lovely local produce.

These are just a few the lovely things I found interesting in a market.

 These images are from Borough Market in London. Happy shopping!

The Colours of Summer

Hello there!

When the weather is warm and the sun out, I really like fresh tasty food that feeds my eyes as well as my stomach. There is such an abundance of fresh produce this time of the year that you are really spoilt for choice! All that deliciousness just waiting for you to pick up and take home.  

Today I prepared Pan seared Duck on potato rosti with a Mango and Yellow pepper salsa.

The duck I marinated over night in Chinese five spice, salt, black pepper, soy sauce and a dash of oil. When I cooked it I started it off in a cold pan, skin side down, as the famous chefs do, to melt the fat away and give it a crispy skin. There's no need for oil as the skin is fatty enough to cook the duck in.

I half cooked the potato, peeled it and grated it added seasoning formed a pattie and cooked it in the duck fat. Mine is a bit brown because of the soy sauce from the duck and its juices..but it's awfully tasty.

The salsa consists of mango, yellow pepper, orange segments and dressed with a dash of olive oil, a pinch of salt, fresh coriander and grated zest of the orange and juice of the orange and a good squeeze of lime. Give it a good stir and leave until you have everything ready.

I love salad in hot weather..you can make the salad you most like with this and it will be good.

There you have it! Delicious duck so full of flavour with its crispy skin and duck always goes well with something sweet..the mango and pepper salsa which gives you the sweetness of the mango, the crunchy texture of the peppers, the orange which gives it juiciness and the brightness from the coriander with a lovely dressing of oil, orange and lime juice and the zest of the orange which brings it all together beautifully.

Just look at the lovely colours of summer on a plate!

I hope you enjoy your dinner as much as I will. 

Bon Appetite!

  

One Week's Menu Ideas

Hi,

Another busy week ahead so I decided to put a menu together to take the stress out of racking my brains for what to make for dinner everyday. I hope it will inspire you to make something different or help you with your shopping list..it also means you can buy all things you need in one go and it will save you repeated trips to the shops and save you money. When you are in the kitchen you will know what you are doing rather than just wondering. You will have more time for yourself and/or your family.

1. Vegetable Lasagne (I love it made with lentils[cooked lentils added to a rich tomato sauce instead of meat] you can do it with layered mixed vegetables and a rich tomato sauce)

2. Prawn Risotto (If you don't like prawns change for porcini mushrooms)

3. Home-made Pizza (I love fresh made pizza and you can top it with whatever you like or have in the fridge. Get the kids involved..they'll love the gooey mess and they can make the own pizza with their favourite things)

4. Pan seared peppered Duck breast on a bed of mashed potato and cabbage.

5. Baked potato with Chilli con Carne and melted cheese (or veggie/quorn chilli)

6. BBQ spare ribs (I just love these at the end of the week) :P

7. Stir fried chicken and egg noodles or rice

Why not try to make your own menu...to inspire you take a look at your cookbooks and try something new..check out some of the famous chefs' recipes....I dare you to invent a new dish!

Time for a Picnic

Isn't it just lovely when the sun is out! Everyone seems to be in a better mood and the park is where a lot or most of us enjoy the good weather and the heat of the sun. This is the time to have a picnic. I really like as little fuss as possible so I can get out as quickly as I can. 

I made a Spanish potato omelette, took salad (ready to eat salad from the supermarket), some cherry tomatoes, cream cheese dressing, fruit and a crispy baguette...ourselves and off to the park.

I love this Spanish moist omelette, the silky egg (just cooked but not rubbery) and the soft nearly confit potatoes just melts in your mouth.  I love it when still warm and it is just great with a crispy salad and nature's little sweeties that pop in your mouth...cherry tomatoes. A delicious baguette never goes a miss with its crunchy outside and its soft, fluffy interior. Fruit...the easiest pud in the world..What's more, all of this is easy to put together and carry. There's lots of goodness, flavour, textures and freshness. A delightful lunch in the sun and open air.

Be Picnic Ready:

Have yourself armed and ready with:

- Clean plates, cutlery, glasses (whether plastic or paper),

- Serviettes

- A very pretty tablecloth just for your hamper

- Kitchen roll for all the mishaps!

- Water not just for drinking but for washing fruit and veg. If you don't have time to prewash your salad, then poke some holes at the bottom of the salad bag and pour water over the salad so it then becomes a make shift colander. 

- Freezer block to keep it all cool (I didn't when preparing this picnic)

- Salad, salad dressing and fruit (we can all have that in our fridges)

- Cold drinks

- Plastic carrier bag left over from shopping for rubbish.(I never ever leave my rubbish in the park).

Then all you have to add to all of this is something you like...like omelette, quiche, roast chicken, ham, eggs, hummus..just whatever you fancy and, of course, yourselves :)

Bon Appetite!