Corn Salsa Salad

After a very long hiatus I'm back with more recipes....... on a very miserable week of weather here in England I thought I'd post a delicious uplifting Summery Salad to pick us all up!

Ingredients (to feed 4 as a side salad):

* 2no. Corn on the cob - cooked (you can use a tin instead but fresh is best)

* Large bunch of coriander

* Roughly 20no. cherry or baby plum tomatoes (quartered)

* 1no. Large Avocado (diced)

* 1-2no. Limes (juice only)

* 1 tbs Olive oil

* 1 tsp Tabasco (optional)

* 1 tbs Chilli jam or sweet chilli sauce

Combine all ingredients and voila - summer on the side!

You could also add prawns make and double your quantities and serve as a stand alone meal....

Pheasant Hot Pot

This is the perfect winter dinner party dish, or a nice alternative to the traditional roast Pheasant.

* 50g butter
* Salt and Pepper (to taste)
* 2 Small Pheasants or 1 Large Pheasant
* 200g diced Smoked Bacon or Pancetta
* 225g whole Sweet Chestnuts (these can be frozen or vacuum packed)
* 3 Leeks (sliced)
* 150ml White Wine
* 300ml Chicken stock
* 2 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly
* 1 Small Orange (quartered)

Note: You will need a croc pot or a heavy bottomed fry pan with a lid to cook this dish.
Note: This dish is delicious served with a mash of Celeriac and Potato and Red Cabbage (see tips below for making this extra tasty).

- Heat the oven to 150 degrees.
- Seal the outsides of the Pheasant in the pan (or croc pot) with a little of the butter then set aside to rest.
- Add the remained of the butter and once melted cook the Bacon, Leek and Chestnuts till fragrant, Bacon cooked and Leeks softened.
- Stir through the Redcurrant Jelly then gradually add the Chicken Stock and White Wine till everything comes to a slow boil.
- Remove from stove and place the Pheasants and Orange pieces in the pot with the vegetables and juices, cover with the lid and place in the heated oven.
- Cook for approx. 1 hour 20 minutes and if possible braise the meat with the juices every 20 minutes.
- While cooking, prepare a baking dish, you could also start making your mash accompaniment.
- Remove from oven and turn oven up to 200 degrees. Take Pheasants from pot and place on prepared baking tray, return to the oven for 15mins to brown the skin. Once cooked remove from oven and cover in foil – leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime remove oranges from the vegetable stew, then collect the juices from them by squeezing through a sieve, I then usually use this juice to cook Red Cabbage which I serve alongside the Pheasant. Alternatively you could add the juices back into the stew.
- Place the stew on the stove at a low temperature, so that is simmers and reduces whilst the meat is browning.
- Serve with Mash, Cabbage, Pheasant Portions and a ladle of the juices and vegetables; you could also put some Redcurrant Jelly on the table.

White Chocolate Tart with Berries

This is such an easy pudding to whip up - I always cheat and use shop pastry, that way the preparation time is next to nothing. It's really tasty and great complement to whatever berries are in season - enjoy!!

* 1 packet of shop bought Sweet Short Crust Pastry
* 300g of White Chocolate
* 300ml of Single Cream
* 3 Egg Yolks
* Seasonal Berries - my personal favourite is Strawberries

- Roll out the pastry till thin then line a tart case (26-30cms). Place the case in the freezer for 30mins to snap freeze.
- Heat oven to 150 degrees
- Remove tart case from freezer and place in oven, cook till the pastry starts to turn golden, then remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Melt Chocolate in the Cream over a low heat till combined into the thick creamy consitancy, then whisk in Egg Yolks.
- Pour mixture into tart case.
- Return to oven for approx. 40mins till chocolate filling has turned a pale gold colour and the edges of the pastry have browned.
- Allow to cool and serve at room temperature covered in seasonal berries of your choice.

Spanish Stew with Chicken and Chorizo

This has had rave reviews everytime I've cooked it. It's light, tasty and satifying and the chorizo gives it a lovely smokey flavour. This recipe serves 4 but could do 6-8 as a starter.

FOR THE STEW
* 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
* 1 Red Onion (finely diced)
* 4 Red Peppers (deseeded and chopped into squares)
* 160g fairly soft Chorizo (sliced)
* 2 Garlic Cloves
* 2 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar (Cider Vinegar will do if you don't have it)
* 3 tablespoons of Sherry
* 1 teaspoon of Sweet Smoked Praprika
* 600g of tinned Chickpeas (drained)
* 100ml of Chicken Stock (fresh or made from cubes)
* 1 bag of Spinach Leaves (approx 100g)
FOR THE CHICKEN
* 12 Chicken Tenderloins or 4 Breasts (halved to create thin escalopes)
* A little olive oil and lime juice to marinate the Chicken in (ideally do this at least 30mins before cooking)
GARNISH
* Handful of chopped Basil leaves
* 1 Tomato diced
* Freshly ground Black Pepper

- Heat the oil in a large fry pan or wok, then add the Peppers, Chorizo and Onion and cook for a few minutes till coated in oil and fragrant, then add the Garlic and Praprika and stir through.
- Cook for about 2 more minutes then add the Sherry and Vinegar, let the stew bubble and reduce slightly (about 5 mins).
- Add the Chickpeas and Chicken Stock and bring to the boil, then reduce and cook for a further 10 mins.
- While the stew is cooking BBQ or pan fry your Chicken till cooked.
- Stir the Spinach through the stew till wilted - you are now ready to serve.
- Serve in shallow bowls with a generous ladle of the stew on the bottom, the Chicken artfully arranged on top and garnish with a sprinkling of Basil and Tomato and freshly ground Black Pepper.
Delicious!!
NOTE: It is really easy to increase quantities for this dish just stick to these rules; 1 red pepper per/person, 40g Chorizo p/p, 150g Chickpeas p/p and 1 breast or 3 tenderloins of Chicken p/p.

Rose Water Tomatoes with Goats Cheese

This is my current choice for vegetarian canapes, the slow cooked tomatoes are rich and the rose water adds an extra flavour dimension.

* 1 packet of shop bought Crostini (bite size) - my favourite is one from Waitrose with chilli oil, alternaitively you could make your own by slicing up french bread, dousing it in oil and grilling in the oven.
* 1 large punnet of Cherry Tomatoes
* 1/2 a teaspoon of Rose Water
* Handful of chopped Oregano
* 1 generous tablespoon of Olive Oil
* 1 tub of Creamed Goats Cheese (about 150g)

- Place oil in a frying pan on medium heat and once warmed add the whole tomatoes, oregano and rose water and mix till all ingredients are coated in oil.
- Leave to cook for about 30mins till tomatoes are disolved and juices reduced, you will need to stir and check occasionally to stop tomatoes from burning - reduce the heat if nescesary.
- Generously cover the tops of Crostini in Goats Cheese (easily done with a bread and butter knife).
- Place a dollop of the tomato misture on top.
- Serve!
NOTE: Tomato mixture can be made up to week before hand, it keep like a fresh relish and is also yummy on it's own or with bacon and avocado!!

Taste of Summer

This light, refreshing and easy salad would be the perfect food to serve in the sunshine on a hot day with an icy cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc!!

(Serves 4 starter size and 2 for main)

* 1 bag of Rocket
* about 150g Guerre Cheese
* about 200g of thinly sliced Parma Ham
* 4 ripe Peaches
* ample amount of cracked Black Pepper
* drizzle of good quality Olive Oil
* Balsamic Glaze or that really gooey quality Balsamic Vinegar

Tip: If I don't happen to have a really nice Balsamic Vinegar I often mix a cheaper runnier version with a dollop of honey and this has the desired taste and effect too.

- Cut the peaches into 8ths
- Thinly slice the cheese into slithers (I find the best way to achieve these is with a vegetable peeler)
- Loosely break up the Parma Ham into bite size morsels
- Combine together rocket, cheese, ham and peaches then liberally grind on the pepper and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.

Bring on the Summer!!

Turkish Delight Pavlova

Apologies for missing in action and no new recipes for such a long time! However I have still been working hard to come up with new ideas so many more to come once more - Enjoy!!

I came up with the idea for this recipe when I was creating a Moroccan themed dinner party and needed something to finish the night with a bang!! We were heading into Autumn and the usual pavlova did not feel right for the that time of year. Then I saw the rose water in the cupboard and got inspired!!

Pavlova
* 4 egg whites
* pinch of salt
* 250g castor sugar
* 2 teaspoons of cornflour
* 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
* 1/2 teaspoon of rose water
* 1 teaspoon of pink food dye (optional)

Topping
* 400ml of double/whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
* 50g of castor sugar
* a couple of punnets of strawberries (deheaded and cut up into bite size bits)
* the seeds of 1 pomegranate
* a large handful of roasted coconut flakes
* gold leaf or silver ball balls (if you really want to push the boat out!)

- Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees
- Prepare a flat baking tray with baking paper and if you need the help draw on a circle of about 20cm radius as a guide.
- Beat egg white and salt until satiny peaks form, then beat in sugar a 3rd at a time until mixture is stiff and shiny.
- Sprinkle in cornflour, vinegar, vanilla, rose water and food dye if using, then lightly fold into the egg whites.
- Spead the egg mixture onto baking paper within your circle then smooth the tops and sides. - Place in oven for approx. 1 hour. If you are using a fan forced oven I would turn the temparture down after about 15mins to about 120 degrees as you want the middle of the pavlova to stay nice and mashmallowy. Also check on a pavlova at about 45mins as depending on your oven you may feel it is ready. When ready it should be lightly browned up still a little bit wobbly!
- Once cooked whip your cream, sugar and vanilla until firm.
- Decorate with the strawberries followed by pomegranate seeds then coconut flakes and gold/silver.

Tip: if strawberries are not in season sift some icing sugar over them a couple of hours before to sweeten them up! Happy eating!!