Pad Thai

Pad Thai

 This is not the best Pad Thai in the world( you have to go to
The Old Bakehouse at Castle Cary for that) but it is pretty good just the same!

You need

350g rice noodles
2 red chillies
2 garlic cloves,crushed
6 spring onions,chopped
2 eggs,beaten
2 tbsp sugar
juice of 2 limes
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
100g peanuts
300g cooked prawns
2 handfuls beansprouts
1 handful coriander
 

Soak noodles in hot water until soft.Drain.
Stir fry chilli,garlic,ginger and spring onions in oil over high heat.
When onions are soft,add eggs.cook for 1 minute until scrambled.
Add sugar,lime juice,fish sauce and noodles and toss together for 1 minute.
Add peanuts,prawns and beansprouts and cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with coriander,serve.

Italian Ugli biscuits

Italian ugly biscuits

100g roasted hazelnuts
50g dark chocolate
2 egg whites
110g caster sugar

heat oven to 180C

blitz nuts and chocolate until finely chopped
beat egg whites with a little sugar to soft peaks
add sugar and continue beating until thick and glossy
carefully fold in nuts and chocolate
spoon onto lined baking tray
place in oven and turn off immediately and leave alone till
the next day or make them in the early morning then they will
be ready for tea.
not pretty but delicious!

Stir Fry

Stir Fry

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 Bunch of spring onions
1 Red chilli
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Ground corriander
1 dessert spoon Thai curry paste
Tamari soy sauce (to taste)
4 large carrots
100g chestnut mushrooms
100g green beans trimmed
100g snap peas
1/2 head brocolli
225g raw king prawns
100g bean sprouts
125g (2 nests) medium egg noodles

Heat the olive oil in the wok on high heat until sizzling.
Saute chopped spring onions, chilli, cumin and corriander until onions are soft/translucent.
Add chopped carrots, mushrooms and green vegetables stirring continuously for 2 minutes on high heat, then reduce heat for 5 minutes and cover wok to allow vegetables to cook.
Add raw prawns and stir in the red thai curry paste. Increase heat and stir continuously until prwns turn pink (approx 3 minutes).
Add bean sprouts, cooked noodles* and soy sauce to taste. Stir on high heat for approx i minute and serve

* bring a pot of hot water to the boil. Add the noodles, take off the heat and leave to cook for 4 minutes or until noodles are soft. Drain the noodles and add to the wok as above.

This is the dish Clive always cooks when he is on his own or cooking for me and it is always different and delicious according to whatever veg are to hand. Cashew nuts are good too.
It was a life saver when he was in Saudi during the first Gulf  war and we were all banished to UK.

Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Veg

Maple glazed salmon

6o ml maple syrup

1 tbs soy sauce(tamari if pos)

1 garlic clove.crushed

pinch ground ginger

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 salmon fillets

Mix maple syrup,soy sauce,garlic,ginger and seasoning in a small bowl.

Place salmon fillets in an ovenproof dish and coat on all sides with the mixture.

If you have time cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1/2 an hour to 1 hour.

When ready to cook,preheat oven to 200 C (fan 180 C)400 F gas mark 6

Cook uncovered for 15-20 mins until centre is cooked through)

Above the fish in the oven at the same time you can roast your veg(this amount is good for 4)

6 oz green beans(cooked briefly in boiling water and drained-not entirely necessary)

1red and 1 yellow pepper,deseeded and sliced

16 cherry tomatoes

A cup of pitted green and black pitted olives

50 gm tin anchovies in olive oil(optional extra)

capers (optional extra)

chopped fennel(optional extra)

asparagus(optionaal extra)

Basil leaves- some to cook and some to decorate at the end

Sprinkle with olive oil and 1 chopped garlic clove

cook in the oven with the fish,putting the veg above the fish

15 mins should be good unless the salmon is very thick

you will see fish is for 2 and veg for 4 but I know you are good at maths!

Crayfish Salad

Crayfish Salad
 Actually  I do this delicious and simple salad with those tasty little brown shrimps too.
 I make a caeser dressing by whizzing

2 cloves of garlic
A few anchovy fillets in olive oil
An egg yolk
The juice of a lemon
Another slug of olive oil
A tbsp cream
2 tbsp grated Parmesan

I toss the dressing with rocket.
Scatter over the crayfish or brown shrimp.
Picola tomatoes make  a good addition

Summer-Fruit Brulee

Summer Fruit Brulee

You need

700Gg soft fruit(raspberries,redcurrants, loganberries,blackberries and blackcurrants)
                            ( frozen is fine)
110 g golden caster sugar
275ml whipping cream
295g Greek yoghurt
175g demerara sugar

Heat the fruit and caster sugar gently for a few minutes until the juices run
Transfer to a serving dish(10 x 6 inches)
Allow to cool
Whip the cream,fold into the yoghurt and spread over the fruit sealing the edges.
Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
About 2 hours before you wish to serve,spread the demerara sugar thickly and evenly.
Spray with water and caramelize  with a blow torch.
Allow to cool and then pop back in the fridge  to get a crunchy surface

Sugar Crusted Lemon Cake

Sugar Crusted Lemon Cake

This lovely cake is from the wonderful Fisherton Mill in Salisbury

You need

225g SR flour
225g caster sugar
150g soft butter
1 1/2 tspn baking powder
3 eggs
85ml milk
zest ftom 1 large lemon

For the topping
juice from the zested lemon
125g granulated sugar

Sift the flour into a large bowl.
Add caster sugar,butter, baking powder,eggs and milk.
Grate lemon zest and add that too.

Beat well for 2 minutes.

Pour into a 10 inch lined cake tin.

Bake for 40mins at 180C.

Combine the juice from the zested lemon with the granulated sugar.
Prick the surface of the cake whilst still warm with a skewer .
Pour the lemon topping over the cake.

Leave to cool.

Mary Berry says if you have forgotten to take the butter out of the fridge you can soften it in chunks in hot water for a few minutes and you get more juice from your lemon if you pop it in the micro  wave for a few seconds!

Five Minute Chocolate Pot

Five -minute  chocolate pot

This is an alternative chocolate pot,even quicker and no egg.

Sylvain Jamois developed it for Green and Black's Organic Ultimate Chocolate Recipes cookbook.

You  need

200g dark choc (70%cocoa solids) broken unto chunks
100 ml just boiled water
1 tsp vanilla extract
125 ml whipping cream
 

Melt the choc over a pan of simmering water or gently in the microwave.
Add water and vanilla slowly.
Mix until smooth
Add cream
Pour into 6 ramekins
Cool for at least 45mins

ENJOY 
Try blueberries and more cream on top.

Chocolate Pot Recipe

Chocolate Pot Recipe

This is the nearest I can find to the one I used to cook 35 years ago.

You need

100g scrummy dark chocolate
250g double cream
40g muscovado sugar
1 vanilla pod split and scraped or 1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg

Chop choc up small

Heat cream sugar and vanilla seeds until just boiling and remove from heat

Whisk and then place on top of choc in a food processor.
Wait 1 minute
Turn on just to combine.
Add egg and blend for 20 seconds

Divide between 4 ramekins(or expresso cups) and chill.
Overnight is best but 2 hours will do.

Serve with raspberries,mint leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.

Note this contains raw egg like mayonaise does so not for pregnant woman etc.
Also a drop of brandy, Grand Marnier, Tia Maria or the like make a welcome addition.

French Pancakes

We have just had pancakes for our Sunday breakfast.
This recipe is from Chef Romaine at the Residence in Mauritius circa 2007.

French Pancake

500gm plain flour
1 lt whole milk
8 eggs
200 gm sugar(natural caster sugar)
50 ml oil(sunflower)
25 ml vanilla essence

Stir well.

Romaine spread the batter with a ladle in circular movements.
We use a small wooden rolling pin on a stick too.
It makes them nice and thin.

Today I made half and that is enough for 4 people to have 2 each.
I put a handful of frozen blueberries (I do that to the porridge sometimes too)
 in the batter and we had ours with
maple syrup and lemon juice.

Clive's Bread

Clive has just made some bread.
Once upon a time I was the family breadmaker but when I was teaching and wrote a report for
Clive he retaliated and wrote one for me in which he criticised my bread making so he took over
and very well he does it too.
The original recipe Myrtle Allen's Brown Bread came from the cookbook Beard on Bread which
we found in a bookshop in Sausilito over 30 years ago.
By a quirk of fate when we visited our artist  friend Gaye on her Hippo houseboat in Sausilito she gave us the original recipe that Clive had handwritten for her when we all lived in Hong Kong.

You need

2 cups Canadian strong white bread flour
2 cups Canadian whole wheat flour
2 tspns salt
1 sachet (7g) dried yeast
2 cups lukewarm water

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
Add  water and stir until a dough is formed
Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
Return to bowl and leave to rise covered with a teatowel  in a warm place for 1 hour.
It has now doubled in size.
Place in a 2 lb baking tin
Make 3 cuts with a sharp knife in the top.
Leave to prove in a warm place until the loaf is above the top of the tin.
Bake for 35 mins at 190 c.(25 mins if you are using an Aga)
Remove from tin.
Cool on a rack.

Optional additions

3 tbsp mixed seeds or chopped dates and walnuts or raisins

If you like a good crust put a ramekin of water in the oven or spray 20 times with water inside the oven just before you put  the loaf in

Mackerel Pate

I made smoked mackerel pate for lunch today
 

200 g smoked mackerel filet (mashed)
50 g tin anchovies in olive oil(cut up with scissors)
1 dspn capers
1 dozen or so chopped black olives
200 g creme fraiche
100 g natural yoghurt
juice 1/2 lemon
black pepper
parsley

Simply combine and enjoy!

Seven Layer Cookies

Seven Layer Cookies

My lovely friend Helen gave me this recipe.
We have a holiday cottage and I usually leave these for the guests.
I think it might be one the reasons one German family have just booked for  their  8th visit!
 
You need
 
4 oz butter
1 cup digestive biscuits (crushed)
1cup dessicated coconut
1cup chocolate chips(or chopped chocolate)
1 cup butterscotch chips(or peanut butter or white chocolate)
1can condensed milk
1cup chopped mixed nuts

Preheat oven to 350F 180C
Melt butter in 13x9 in pan.
Sprinkle biscuit crumbs over meltd butter and press down evenly and firmly.
Layer remaining ingredients in order.
Bake 25 mins.
Cool before cutting.
Freezes well,but I doubt you will have any left!

Very Special Lentil Soup

Very Special Lentil Soup

Snow flurries today so this soup really hit the spot for lunch.
I have been making it for as long as I can remember.
The original Special Lentil Soup was in a book called
The Happy Herbivore by Jaime Lass and published in
Edinburgh in 1979 that my brother David and his wife
Sylvia gave me very many moons ago.

You need

8oz red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock (again I use Marigold vegetable bouillon
1 tsp marmite
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne
a little olive or sunflower oil
2 large onions chopped
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic chopped
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice and1 tbsp sherry

Cook the lentils in the stock until soft.
Add ginger, cayenne,marmite,salt,pepper oregano and bay leaves.
Saute the onons in the oil until soft,then add garlic and then mushrooms,
Turn for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms have just darkened.
Then add to the lentils and simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice and sherry just before serving.

Leek and Marscapone Risotto

Leek and Marscapone risotto for 2

Last night we had risotto for supper.
So simple,so few ingredients but so good.

2 leeks
1 litre vegetable stock(I  LOVE  Marigold Swiss Vegetable powder)
Butter
175g risotto rice
100ml dry white wine
1 heaped tbsp marscapone
A big handful of grated parmesan and more for serving
Salt and pepper to taste.

Chop the leeks  small keeping the green and white separate.
Cook first the greens and then the white for 5 to 10 mins until soft in a knob of butter.
Put the greens aside keeping warm for serving.
Stir the rice into the hot softened white leeks and when coated in butter add the wine.
Meanwhile have the stock hot and ready to add a ladle at a time when the wine has bubbled and evaporated.
Keep adding the stock until the rice is cooked.
Stirring and thinking beautiful thoughts for the best part of 20 minutes.
Then remove from heat add marscapone,parmesan and another knob of butter.
Season to taste Cover and leave for 3 minutes.
Then serve in beautiful bowls and top with the green leeks and more parmesan.
 YUMMY!

Supper Tonight...my take on Nigellas Thai curry

Tonight we're going to have one of my favourite meals. Originally Nigella's but over the years I have added and changed it as I have felt the need

This evening we're going to use Mussels as well as salmon and prawns.

Below is the standard recipe with the additional extras.

Enjoy!!!

Standard Recipe

1 tablespoon(s) Red Thai curry paste (or yellow)

350 ml Fish stock

3 tablespoon(s) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

2 tablespoon(s) caster sugar

3 Lemongrass (cut into 3 and bruised with flat of knife)

3 Lime Leaves (destalked and cut into strips)

½ teaspoon(s) tumeric powder

1 kilogram(s) Pumpkin (peeled and cut into bite sized chunks)

500 gram(s) salmon fillet (pref organic) skinned and cut into large bite sized chunks

500 gram(s) Raw Prawns (peeled)

1 packet(s) Pak choi (or any other green veg of your choice)

1 lime (juice)

1 bunch(es) coriander (to serve)

400 ml coconut milk

 

Optional Extras and Replacements

• If you don't have butternut squash use sweet potato
• You can also use mango
• Waitrose sell frozen spices which add flavour
• Can also use ground almonds to thicken the sauce if you like it that way
• Can also use Red Lentils
• Can use chickpeas instead of fish
• Can use spinach instead of pak choi
• Red pepper looks very colourful

Method

1. Skim the thick creamy top off the tin of coconut milk and put it, over medium heat, into a large saucepan or casserole with the curry paste. Let it sizzle and, using a fork, whisk or wooden spoon, beat milk and paste together until combined.
2. Still beating gently, add the rest of the coconut milk, fish stock, fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, lime leaves and turmeric. Bring to a boil and then add the pumpkin. Cook on a fast simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes, although different sorts of pumpkins can vary enormously in the time they take to cook; some squash take as little as 5 minutes.
3. You can cook the curry up till this part in advance, maybe leaving the pumpkin with a tiny bit of bite to it (it will soften and cook as the pan cools). Either way, when you're about 5 minutes away from wanting to eat, get ready to cook the seafood.
4. So, to the robustly simmering pan, add the salmon and prawns (if you're using the prawns from frozen they'll need to go in before the salmon). When the salmon and prawns have cooked through, which shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes, stir in any green veg you're using - sliced, chopped or shredded as suits - and tamp down with a wooden spoon.
5. When the pak choi's wilted, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, stir and taste and add the juice of the remaining half if you feel it needs it. Take the pan off the heat or decant the curry into a large bowl, and sprinkle over the coriander; the point is that the coriander goes in just before serving.
6. Serve with more chopped coriander for people to add to their own bowls as they eat, and some plain Thai or basmati rice.

Morning Porridge

 Recipe serves 2

Take 1 cup of oats(I like Flahavan's Irish Organic)
Add 4 cups of water
A handful of raisins
Two chopped dried figs
Four chopped prunes
Three chopped apricots(I like unsulphured)
Cinnamon and ground ginger to taste.
Bring to the boil and stir lovingly for 3 minutes.
Add soymilk towards the end.
Serve with yoghurt and blueberries
Clive likes maple syrup on top.
Yummy!
Enjoy!

Introduction

Marilyn Gibson has been exploring recipes and cooking for more than 20 years. She has lived in many parts of the world, including, India, Saudi Aribia, Hong Kong, USA. Her background is teaching. Since she and her husband Clive decided to have a family, she gave up teaching and concerntrated on raising the family of three boys. During this time, she has been passionate about food in all it's splendours. She can make the most mundane dishes into a work of art, and taste without a doubt a 5 star dish. Her cooking is far more interesting than many chefs on the market at the moment, and yet, she has kept this secret to herself and family and friends, We are delighted that she wants to share it with us and the wider public at large. Her wonderful out going personality shines through her taste in food and flavours. Her home is filled with many creative settings that makes a simple meal into a gourmet experience. She will charm you with her delightful presentation of each dish, and I hope you will experience what many have the pleasure of expereincing in her recipes of home cooking in this blog