Birthday breakfast

I know Las Vegas is famous for the humongous breakfast buffets containing foods from around the globe piled up to the rafters ready for the hungover hoards. However, my favourite spot for breakfast in Vegas is the poolside cafe at the Bellagio, only hotel residents can dine there and in the morning the courtyard, in a quiet square shaded from the desert heat, is a serene and beautiful little oasis of calm. I love nothing more than sitting in the welcome peace (hard to find in Vegas) listening to the birds singing, the murmur of hushed conversations at the tables surrounding me, and the trickle of the pool fountains in the background. 

Breakfast here is a more decedent affair, my favourite being chewy golden bagels with lashings of rich creamed cheese and  smoked salmon. It's long been a tradition for me to make Christian this very same thing on his Birthday, and so this morning was no exception. 

Simply toast plain bagels lightly on both sides, and serve with good quality smoked salmon and a little pot of cream cheese on the side, lemon juice and cracked black pepper are an ideal garnish. 

Moroccan salad

I picked up so many vibrant recipe ideas when I was in Morocco and I like to whip up a spicy salad, inspired by the food I tried in Marrakech, when the weather gets warmer and the days are lazy and long. 

This combination of sweet, hot and salty is really delicious as you get little bombs of different flavours in each bite. It is perfect served with some crusty bread and butter. The quantities below served two people as a main course. 

Ingredients

1 inch cucumber, 1/2 red pepper deseeded, 8 stoned dates, 1 small jar of drained red jalapeño peppers, 2 inch cube strong cheddar cheese, small bunch asparagus, tin of cooked chickpeas drained thoroughly, 1 pack of smoked mackerel fillets, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the asparagus in to inch long pieces and drop in to boiling water for a couple of minutes until just tender, drain and set aside. Chop the cucumber, red pepper, cheese and dates in to small dice. 

Mix the chickpeas, asparagus, diced vegetables, dates and cheese in a large serving dish, add the red jalapeños, olive oil, lemon juice and toss, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Flake the mackerel and gently toss together, serve piled in to serving bowls with crusty bread on the side.

Stickiest toffee pudding

My husband Christian has spent many years looking for the perfect sticky toffee pudding, it's his absolute favourite dessert. We must have eaten hundreds of variations of this devilish dessert all over the globe in our time, if it's on the menu he will order it. 

I have to say, I've enjoyed the Michelin versions of deconstructed, aerated, toffee goodness, however, for me nothing beats the traditional  sticky sponge and butterscotch sauce. I have seen many recipes for the pudding over the years, including ones where you freeze the sauce in the cooking dish prior to adding the batter and baking, there's no need for complicated methods, my version is super quick, easy, and it tastes mega! 

Ingredients

100g stoned dates, 100g brown sugar, 2 eggs, 100g butter, 200g self raising flour, 1 heaped tsp baking powder, hot water, splash milk, 1/4 tsp each of clove powder, all spice and cinnamon, 1tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp dark coco powder. 

Pre heat the oven to 180 Celsius. 

Chop the dates and put in a bowl, scantly cover with boiling water and let rest aside. 

Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and the sugar looks less granular, add the spices and vanilla. Beat the eggs and gradually add to the mix stirring in between each addition. Add the flour, baking powder, coco powder and dates including their soaking water and using a spatula fold it all together as quickly as you can until it's thoroughly combined. If the mixture is a little thick use a splash of milk to losen it, the mix should be soft and drop off smoothly with a satisfying "pluff" noise.

Butter a baking dish really thoroughly and add your batter. Cover loosely with foil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes. To check if it's done insert a skewer or sharp knife to the centre of the dish, if it comes out clean it's done, if it comes out with batter on it pop it back in the oven for a further 10 minutes. 

Now for the butterscoth sauce: 

Ingredients

Medium size pot double cream, 4 heaped tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp butter. 

Place the cream, sugar and vanilla in to a pan and heat, stirring until it gently simmers. Next add the butter and gently beat with a whisk until well combined. Simmer gently for a further 5 minutes and your sauce is done. 

Spoon generous portions of your toffee sponge in to a bowl, drizzle over a good amount of butterscoth sauce and serve with either clotted cream or ice cream, heavenly! 

Pre London marathon meal

My husband and his brother are running the London marathon for Macmillan tomorrow (search virgin money giving for "Dianas boys") and I promised I would cook them a balanced meal beforehand. 

This dish is a great combination of lean protein, vegetables and carbohydrate. 

Ingredients

For the sauce: A selection of your favourite vegetables cut in to small dice (I used 2 red onion, 1 leek, 2 carrots, 2 red bell peppers,  1 handful spinach), 4 cloves garlic chopped, 4 rashes smoked bacon chopped, 1tbs olive oil, 2 tsp herbs de Provence, 1 run chopped tomatoes, 1 chicken stock pot, salt and pepper. 

Pasta of your choice, cooked according to packet instructions once the sauce is almost ready. I used quick cook tagliatelle. 

For the chicken: 1 whole chicken, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Preheat the oven at 180 Celsius.

 

Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season the top with salt and pepper. Put in to the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour. You can tell if the chicken is cooked by sliding a knife between the leg and breast, if the juices run clear it is cooked. If the juices are pink or bloody pop it back in the oven for 10 minute intervals until it is cooked through. 

Once cooked leave the chicken resting on a plate covered with foil until you need it later.

Whilst the chicken is cooking, make the sauce:

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan and add the vegetables. Gently fry on a medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the chopped garlic, bacon and herbs and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the tinned tomatoes, chicken stock pot and salt and pepper, cover and lower the heat, gently cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If the sauce looks too dry at any point put a splash of water in to losen it a little). 

After 30 minutes gently tip the residual resting juices from the chicken in to the sauce and added the spinach to gentle wilt (if using), then your sauce is done. 

Use two forks to shred the meat off the chicken breast and legs and add to the sauce. 

Cook your pasta and stir the drained pasta in to the sauce. Serve immediately in steaming mounds, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if you wish. 

Hangover heaven

I wasn't going to post anything today because I'm hungover and just wanted to get home from work and chill out infront of the telly. However, I whipped this up from some scrag ends of veg languishing in the bottom of my fridge and it was so delicious I felt the need to share! 

This super spicy, hot, and tangy broth is the perfect hangover cure.

Ingredients

1/2 green pepper, 1/2 courgette, 2 small red peppers, 1 small unwaxed lemon cut in to quarters, 2 chillies, 1 clove garlic, 1 pack lean turkey mince, 1 tin cooked chickpeas drained, 1 chicken stock cube pot, 2 tsp mild curry powder, 1 tbs olive oil, 2 cups hot water, salt and pepper to taste. 

Heat the oil in a large pan, Cube the vegetables and add to the pan to gently fry. Add turkey mince and chopped garlic, lower the heat and gently fry together, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes. Add the curry powder, chilli  and lemon pieces and gently for for a minute. 

Next add the stock cube, water, salt and pepper and chickpeas and bring up to a simmer. 

Simmer for 6 minutes until all the vegetables are soft and the turkey mince is cooked through. Remove the lemon pieces and serve hot and steaming. 

Saturday lunch

A weekend lunch with friends needent be complicated or stressful, I prefer a lie in and lazy breakfast followed by some simple prep, than spending my weekend slaving over a hot stove making complicated meals which take hours!

This lunch is so quick and simple to make, with minimal fuss and it tastes beautiful! 

Ingredients 

4 chicken quarters, 8 cooking chorizo sausages, 2 tins green lentils, 1 pack feta cheese, cup cherry tomatoes, small jar sundried tomatoes in oil, bunch of fresh mint, olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, black pepper, sea salt, honey, garlic

Place the chicken and sausages on to an oven proof tray, drizzle with olive oil, then scatter with salt, pepper and crushed garlic, pop in to an pre heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour, occasionally basting with the juices. After 1 hour take out of the oven, cover with tinfoil and let rest. 

Next, drain the tinned lentils and place in to a bowl. Chop the sundried and cherry tomatoes, cube the feta cheese, finely chop the mint and gently toss everything in to the lentils. 

Next, make a dressing by mixing 2 tbsp lemon juice with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. 

Stir the dressing in to the lentils along with 2 tbsp of the chicken and chorizo pan juices (not essential but a nice touch) and grate a little lemon zest on top. 

Serve the chicken, sausages and lentils along with a fresh crisp green salad and some sourdough bread to mop up the juices. Divine! 

 

Lovely leftovers

I hate waste, of any kind, pretty much any leftovers from last nights dinner can be revamped in to a delicious ensemble fit for any table. I'm well known for making the Sunday roast last at least 3 days, and veggie options shouldn't be overlooked either. 

There used to be a great little restaurant in London's Soho that did the best bean burgers I've ever had, unfortunately it's long gone, but this is my homage to that little place, using last nights leftover quiona. 

If you want to make this recipe from scratch simply cook quiona according to pack instructions and leave to cool before you start. This makes around 4 burgers. 

Ingredients

1/4 courgette, 1/4 red bell pepper, 1/2 red onion - all finely cubed, 1 tin red kidney beans drained, 1 cup cooked quiona, 2 tbsp defrosted peas,  2 tablespoons plain flour, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cloves, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, 

Gently fry the courgette, red pepper and onion in 1 tbsp olive oil until starting to brown. Add ginger and clove powders and stir. Leave aside to cool. 

Use a small chopper or a potato masher to mash up the kidney beans until they become a thick paste, if required add a tsp water to help the process. 

Mix the kidney bean paste and quinoa together until combined, then add the peas, cooked vegetables and salt and pepper and thoroughly combine. 

If the mix is a little sticky use a little of the flour to help it combine together. 

Divide the mix in to burger size portions and pat to shape, then gently roll in seasoned flour. Rest on a plate in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up. 

Heat the remainder of the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the burgers on both sides until golden brown and hot throughout. 

You can serve these burgers in a bread bun with ketchup and fries in the traditional manner, however I like them served with a simple salad scattered with seeds, and a dressing made from 2 tbsp natural yoghurt, and 1 tsp each of soy sauce, crushed garlic, curry powder, Dijon mustard and honey, simply divine!