Monthly Archives: January 2012

Tomato Bruschetta

January 29, 2012

I remember vividly the first time I had bruschetta. My best friend and I were visiting my family in New York when we were 18. At lunch one day, my Uncle Rab brought out this vibrant bowl of chopped tomatoes and fragrant herbs. I was immediately intrigued, and my phobia of raw tomatoes was forgotten, as if it had never existed. We didn’t even wait for the crostini to arrive before we dug in, engulfing all the flavors that make Italian cooking so popular. As my Uncle turned the corner with the crostini he was bombarded with questions about how this simple dish was made, and he happily obliged us with answers. Thinking back on this moment, I think it may be the moment where I started to think differently about food. I wanted to be able to make people enjoy and discover food the way my best friend and I just had.

I have changed the original recipe to suit my own tastes, as should you! This recipe easily doubles/triples as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Tomato Bruschetta
Serves 4

4 large tomatoes, diced
1 small white onion, finely diced*
1/3 cup basil, sliced
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 head of garlic, top sliced off
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
8 slices of a fresh baguette

Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Place the head of garlic into a small tin and drizzle with olive oil. Put into the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the flesh has browned and is soft.

While the garlic is roasting, put the tomatoes and onions* into a bowl with a liberal sprinkling of sea salt. The salt brings out the flavor in the tomatoes so don’t under-do it! Drizzle a little olive oil in to loosen the mixture and stir. Add the herbs, squeeze of lemon juice and black pepper to taste. Drizzle more olive oil if necessary. Put into the fridge until ready to add the garlic.

*Use your judgement when adding the onion. I love raw onion so I like a mixture that is about 2/3 tomato and 1/3 onion. If you don’t like raw onion, you can remove it completely or lessen the amount and up the tomatoes.

When the garlic has cooled to the touch, squeeze out the flesh into a food processor or into a small bowl to mash by hand. Drizzle a little olive oil onto the garlic and whizz until like a paste. Put about a tbsp of the garlic paste into the brushetta and combine. Return to the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Preheat the broiler or grill and places slices of baguette onto a baking sheet. Spread a little of the garlic mixture onto each slice, and toast in the oven. Top with the tomato mixture and serve!


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Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

January 23, 2012
I love to bake muffins. They are probably one of my favorite things to make (probably because you can have them morning, noon and night without judgmental looks from friends, family and/or strangers). These muffins are absolutely lovely. They are moist with a delicate lemon flavor, and the poppy seeds are beautiful, natural mini polka dots! Adorable!

I took the batch into work with me this morning and they were gone long before lunch. These will definitely be a staple in my kitchen! Maybe I could try them with orange zest, or maybe grapefruit… hmmm…

*The glaze is optional, but it totally boosts the flavor of the lemon if you are looking for a bit more zing! The muffins don’t need it as they are very moist, but it does compliment the muffins beautifully.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Makes 24

For the muffins:

4 cups plain flour
4 tbsp poppy seeds
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
Zest of 2 lemons
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain yogurt

For the optional* glaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon, depending on juiciness)
Poppy seeds for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC. Line or grease your muffin tins. Combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and stir til the ingredients are combined. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar on a medium-high speed until a pale yellow and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and blend well after each egg. Add the lemon zest and the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Turn the speed on the mixer to low and mix in the dry ingredients in two additions alternating with the yogurt, beating each time until just combined.
Scoop the batter into the prepared tins until about 2/3 of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick come out of the center clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

When the muffins are still warm, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush each muffin with a bit of the glaze and sprinkle with poppy seeds after every 3-4 muffins. The glaze hardens quickly, so be sure to sprinkle quickly!
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Food Bucket List

January 18, 2012
There has been a list circulating around the blogosphere and on Facebook with 100 Foods to Eat Before You Die. I love a ‘bucket list’, and this had me intrigued, because instead of a list I see a challenge. I scored a 55 out of 100, and in 2012 I plan on trying to make it much closer to 100 (even though there are a few I may never try! Roadkill? I think not!). There are quite a few things that I’ve just never had, even though I’d had the opportunity, so next time I will definitely remind myself to try something new! I guess another resolution to add to the list?


I’ve crossed off the things that I’ve tried.

What’s your score?


1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese


See the rest after the jump!



26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac
37. Cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

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Baked Eggs with Chorizo

January 15, 2012

I wasn’t up for the big brunch again this weekend. I figured something a bit lighter was called for after all the rich food I’ve been making recently, so I mixed together some of our favorite things about breakfast to make these delectable Baked Eggs with Chorizo. Oh yeah, and they’re SO EASY! Think the weekend couldn’t get any better? It just did.


Baked Eggs with Chorizo
Serves 2-4 (depending on hunger)

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
3 1/3 cups or 28 oz canned, chopped tomatoes
12 basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
16 slices thin chorizo (can sub salami or thin ham, etc.)
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and gently fry the garlic until golden brown and fragrant. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the sauce is ready, stir in the basil, reserving a little for sprinkling on the top. Stir in the salt, pepper and paprika.

Line a small baking dish or 4 individual dishes with the chorizo. Pour the tomato sauce over the chorizo and crack the eggs on top of the sauce, making little wells if needed. Bake in the middle of the oven for 13-15 minutes, until the eggs have set.


Serve with slices of a warm, crusty baguette.


Look how the edges of the chorizo have just crisped up in the oven? Gorgeous!

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Beef and Guinness Pie

January 15, 2012

It has finally started to feel like winter here in London. It was the second warmest winter on record over here, but the temperature has finally dropped and it’s actually quite nice to be all bundled up and cozy at home. It was actually my fiance’s idea to make this traditional British dish, and I’ve always wanted to give it a go. Now, since I’ve never attempted a savory pie before, I turned to a book that I knew would have an amazing recipe: Jamie’s Great Britain. As I flipped through the pages, what could be more appropriate for this chilly afternoon than a pie dedicated to William and Kate? I was smitten.


Warning: It seems like a lot of ingredients, but lots are pantry staples so don’t be intimidated!

Beef and Guinness Pie- Adapted from Jamie Oliver
Serves 10



For the filling:


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 knob of butter
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
3 fresh bay leaves (I used dried)
3 medium red onions, peeled
2 1/4 lbs shin of beef, in 1 inch cubes
sea salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 2/3 cups good local smooth stout
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
6 cups organic beef or chicken stock
2/3 cup pearl barley
3 teaspoons English mustard
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, to taste
1 cup good Cheddar cheese, shredded


For the pastry:


2 1/3 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup shredded suet or lard, shredded
1/2 cup butter
sea salt
1 large free-range egg, beaten

Put the olive oil, butter and herbs into a large casserole-type pan on a high heat. Roughly chop and add the onions, with the diced meat, the shin bone and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Mix well, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato purée, stout, flour and stock and stir until everything comes together to a simmer. Turn the heat down very low, pop the lid on and let it cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. When the hour is up, stir in the pearl barley.

Put the lid back on and simmer for another hour, then remove the lid and simmer for a further 30 minutes, or until the meat shreds easily and the gravy is thick. Spoon away any oil from the top, then stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce and finely grate in the cheese. Season to taste.

While the stew is ticking away, put the flour, suet/lard and butter into a bowl with a good pinch of salt. Use your thumbs and forefingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles cornflake shapes. Lightly stir in 1/2 cup of cold water, then use your hands to gently pat and push it together into a rough dough. Do not overwork it. Wrap the dough in saran wrap and put into the fridge until needed.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Ladle the hot meaty stew into the pie dish (9 x 13in, and about 1 1/2in deep, is about right). Use some of the beaten egg to egg wash the edges of the pie dish, then dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out the pastry about 1cm thick and a little bit bigger than your pie dish. Carefully place on top of the pie, then trim off any overhanging pastry. Pinch and squash the edges of the pastry to the dish. Egg wash the top, and cook the pie right at the bottom of the hot oven for around 45 to 50 minutes, or until your pastry is golden and gorgeous. Serve with greens. I served with Green Beans with Garlicky Caramelized Onions!
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Green Beans with Garlicky Caramelized Onions

January 15, 2012

Green beans are amazing vegetables. They are crunchy and sweet and can be cooked for a while without becoming too soggy. They’re great in pasta dishes, in soups and on their own as a side. I was craving caramelized onions, as one does, and decided that a whole side of those buttery, sweet strips of yumminess would be a bit indulgent. So add some garlic (my favorite) and some crisp, fresh green beans and you have a delicious side dish with all the decadent flavor of the garlicky caramelized onions!


Green Beans with Garlicky Caramelized Onions

Serves 4

1/2 lb green beans, edges trimmed
1 cup stock, any kind depending on flavor or taste wanted
1 large or 2 medium white or yellow onion, sliced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter, separated
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is heated, add 1 tbsp of butter and melt.

Add the onions and stir into the butter. After 10 minutes, add salt and stir. Add the minced garlic and stir into the onions. Lower the heat to low and leave to cook for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every few minutes to prevent any onions from burning. Once onions are to a rich, brown color remove from the pan and set aside.

Turn up the heat to medium high and add stock to the pan. Scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Add the green beans and cover pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove lid and stir. Cover again for 1 minute then remove lid from the pan. Let cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Add the remaining tbsp of butter, salt and pepper. Test the green beans to see if the are the right texture. If they are ready, turn the heat down to low and add the caramelized onions, stirring to incorporate them thoroughly into the beans. Serve!

I served these beans with a Beef and Guinness pie, and it went down a treat! Enjoy!

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Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

January 10, 2012

I have a fascination with rhubarb. When I was a little girl, my grandparents would take me to one of those chain restaurants that was famous for pie. As I peered into the glass I saw a whole array of pies that I never even knew existed; ones with huge cloudy tops that I learned to be the lemon meringue, ones with chocolate and ones with bananas or apples or blueberries or strawberries. Being quite the girly girl, never had I been so intrigued by a pie than the one that had a shiny, bright pink filling. So my love affair with rhubarb began, subsided for the teen years, and came back with a vengeance when I moved to London, where Rhubarb Crumble is a menu favorite.

I had to combine this British favorite with one of my all time favorites: the muffin. Tart and sweet, fluffy and crumbly, perfect!
Rhubarb Crumble Muffins
Makes 1 dozen, easily doubled
For the muffins:

2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp marscapone
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup soft brown sugar
8 tbsp butter, melted
1 1/3 cup rhubarb, chopped
1/2 an orange, zested (optional)


For the crumble topping:


1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Grease or line a 12 hole muffin tin.


Make the topping first. Add all the ingredients together and cut together with a pastry cutter or two forks. Set aside.


Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon and sift into a large bowl.


In a separate bowl, beat the marscapone until soft, then gradually beat in 1-2 tbsp milk until smooth and creamy. Beat in the rest along with the eggs. Stir in the sugar and butter, then add the rhubarb and orange zest (if using). Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together just until combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.

Top each muffin with a spoonful of crumble mix, making sure they are evenly, but not heavily, coated.


Bake for about 17-20 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.


Serve on their own, with a cup of tea, or with a dollop of custard! Yum!


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