Wild Garlic and Potato Soup

I've several versions of wild garlic soup but this is my all time favourite.  I'll make a double batch today as the season is coming to a close and pop some in the freezer.

Ingredients

Large knob butter
3 or 4  generous handfuls of wild garlic leaves

2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

White pepper to taste
Flowers to garnish.

Method

Melt the butter in a large pan. 

Roll the leaves so they look like green cigars and then slice across into thin strips. 

Add them to the pan and cover 

I let them soften gently in the butter while Ipeel and chop the potatoes into cubes. 

When the leaves are wilted add the potatoes and the stock. Once it comes up to simmer then simmer until the potatoes are really soft. 

Blitz the soup using a stick blender until smooth.
Season to taste.  Add a swirl of cream and a few of the pretty flowers. Enjoy!

Hungarian Cucumber Salad

At last, I've found a really feisty cucumber salad.  It goes well with almost any dish and the bite of the vinegar and the crunch of the cucumber works so well.

Pinchitos de Pollo

Discovering this tapas dish whilst on a food tour of San Sebastian was one of the highlights of the experience, as were the padron peppers but I'll post that recipe another day.  These are amazing as a starter or as part of a BBQ.  Get the coals on honey!

Ingredients for 4 
3 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-size pieces
1 teasp cumin seeds, crushed
1 teasp coriander seeds, crushed
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, quartered
8 wooden skewers, 12-14 cm long, soaked in water.

Method
Marinate the chicken by placing it in a large bowl with the cumin, coriander, garlic, 12 dashes of olive oil and three generous pinches of pepper and two of salt. Drop in 4 lime quarters (unsqueezed). Mix everything together so that the chicken is coated in the oil and spices. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for up to 12 hours. When you are ready to cook, place a griddle plate on a high heat. Divide the marinated chicken pieces between the soaked wooden skewers.  Place the skewers on the griddle and grill for 2 minutes on each side.  Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Monday Mushroom Soup

Mushroom soup is a really such a simple soup to make. I like to use value packs of mushrooms as they don’t need to be perfect looking or all the same shape. Large open cup or field mushrooms will give the best flavour, simply wipe with a damp piece of kitchen paper to remove any bits of earth.  

Ingredients for 4

100g butter

4 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

700g mushrooms, wiped and roughly chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

Salt and white pepper

200ml double cream or creme fraiche

Freshly chopped parsley and finely chopped mushroom, to garnish.

Method

Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the shallots and garlic for 5 mins until softened but not brown. Add the mushrooms and fry gently for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the stock and season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Simmer for 10 mins until the mushrooms are very tender.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 mins, then puree the soup with a stick blender or transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.

Stir the cream into the pureed soup and heat through gently for 2-3 mins. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve in warmed bowls garnished with parsley and chopped mushrooms.

Prawns with Garlic and Chilli

So quick, so easy, so tasty!  Thanks to Madhur Jaffrey, Curry Easy, for this flavour packed starter, I think it has all my favourite flavours in one dish.

Ingredients for 4

12 raw jumbo prawns, peeled and deveined

¼ teasp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 teasp finely chopped fresh hot green chillies

2 tbsp olive, rapeseed or peanut oil

½ teasp whole brown or yellow mustard seeds

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

15 fresh curry leaves or 10 fresh basil leaves, torn

5 tbsp grated tomato, using coarse side of the grater and discarding the skin
White cabbage and carrot, shredded, serve as a garnish.

Method

Wash the prawns well. Leave in a sieve for a while, then pat dry. Put in a bowl, adding the cayenne pepper, some freshly ground black pepper, a quarter teaspoon of salt and the chillies. Mix well. The prawns may be covered and refrigerated until needed. Put the oil in a wok or frying-pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the garlic and stir once or twice. Quickly put in the prawns and curry leaves. Stir a few times. Add the grated tomato. Stir a few times. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the prawns cook gently, stirring until they just turn opaque, a matter of two or three minutes. Serve immediately on a bed of shredded white cabbage and carrot.

Tomato and Curd Cheese Tart

I came across a tub of curd cheese at the supermarket and bought it on impulse, without having a clue what to do with it. Thanks to BBC Good Food, for supplying this recipe that I've tinkered with to suit my tastes and to Drew's for their amazing tomatoes.  I'll serve a slice of tart with some dressed watercress and soft herbs. The addition of some buttered Jersey royals would turn this into a lovely main dish at suppertime. 

Ingredients for 8 starters

Pre made shortcrust pastry

Small bunch basil or flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped

175g curd cheese

8 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

A little olive oil, to serve

Handful mixed soft herbs and watercress, I like chives, mint and flat-leaf parsley, to serve.

Method

Keep the pastry in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Mix the chopped herbs and remaining cheddar into the curd cheese, then season. Heat oven to 200C. Roll the pastry until large enough to cut a round about 27cm across (use a dinner plate as a guide). Dust the work surface with flour, then roll out the pastry into a circle, lay it carefully into a 23cm fluted tin, prick the base with a fork and chill for at least 10 minutes, ideally 20 minutes.  Bake blind, using baking parchment and baking beans for 15 mins, then let it cool for 10 minutes. Spread the herby curd cheese over the pastry, taking it almost to the edge, then arrange the tomatoes on top in overlapping circles. Season and bake for 15 mins until the pastry is golden around the edges. Turn oven down to 150C and bake for another 30 minutes until the tomatoes look quite dried out and the pastry is cooked through. To serve, let the tart cool a little, then drizzle with olive oil. Toss the herbs and watercress with more oil, then pile in the middle of the tart to serve.

Asparagus with Poached Egg and Hollandaise Sauce

What more could you wish for than lightly steamed new season local asparagus from Great Witley, served on the patio with a chilled glass of Chase rose wine? I know you can buy the sauce ready made but the real thing is so much better and only takes a few minutes. Mouthwateringly good!

Ingredients for 2

10 asparagus spears, trimmed

Salt, large pinch

2 teasp white wine vinegar

2 eggs

2 slices of lightly toasted sourdough bread

A few snipped chives for garnish.

For the hollandaise sauce

1 medium free range egg yolk

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp water

110g clarified butter, warmed

A small pinch of cayenne pepper and salt, to season.

Method

Steam the asparagus over plenty of boiling water for 3-5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the spears). Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the vinegar. Whisk to make a whirlpool. Once it has settled, crack an egg in the middle. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, remove and keep warm. Repeat with the other egg. Now make the hollandaise by putting the egg yolk, lemon juice and water into a blender. Turn on the machine and then slowly pour the warmed butter through the lid. Season with cayenne pepper and salt. Pile 5 spears of asparagus on to each slice of toast. Top with a poached egg. Spoon on the hollandaise sauce and serve.