Friday 31 May 2013

18 Degree This Wknd - BBQ'd Veg Salad


Come summer or a sunny(ish) day for the matter I'm up for a BBQ. This is a super simple dish that shows you how to use seasonal fresh ingredients to create the easiests of salads. For me this is what salads are all about. This is a great accompaniment for BBQ'd meats but as we're sticking to the vegetarian vibe it also works well with home made veggie patties, BBQ's halloumi, BBQ'd courgette and aubergine, smoked cheese also work well when livening up veggie burgers and salads, mixed vegetable and cheese skewers are also a winning move. Don't be afraid to try different variations of vegetables, the rainbow carrots, look even more appetising as does the chinese cauliflower and these both cook in exactly the same way as regular carrots or cauliflower. Give them a try.

This salad combines zesty simple flavours and it works just perfectly...try it. 



Caper, Black Olive, Lemon and Parsley Dressing

1 x Jar of Black Olives
1x Bunch Of Fresh Parsley (finely)
1 x Small Jar (250g) Of Capers
2 x Lemons (1/2 Zest Of One Lemon)
3 x Big Glugs Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & White Pepper (generous amount)


Feeds 6/8
Preparation/Cooking Time- 15/20mins
2 x Bunches purple sprouting broccoli (Ends chopped off and sliced long ways in half-decreases cooking time)
1x Chinese cauliflower 
1 x Big nob of butter
2x Crushed garlic cloves
Rock salt & black pepper
Cooked in a copper/metal pot on the BBQ- Make sure no plastic is put on the BBQ, it melts!
Oven gloves are a MUST.

Instructions -
Add the butter , rock salt and crushed garlic to the pan and rest the metal pan on the BBQ, on the grate rather than directly on the coals. Stir fry as you would on the hob. Cook for around 3/4 minutes. Serve while it's still hot and crunchy.

Rainbow Carrots, Asparagus, Courgette & Whole Onions
7/8 x Selection of Rainbow Carrots 
1 x Bunch of asparagus
1 x Courgette
Peel both your carrots and onions- and slice carrots in half. Wash and slice the courgettes, remove the ends of the asparagus.

Instructions - 
I cooked the carrots for 15minutes on 200degrees in the oven before BBQing them, this way they cook through rather than just blacken and remain hard. 

Once you've coloured and turned over the veg on the BBQ add the veg to the dressing above- mix throughly and serve. 
Depending on how hot your BBQ is cook for around 2/3minutes.
Also make sure you place the veg on the BBQ the opposite direction of the lines of the grate to ensure you don't lose any veg down the gaps. 







Wednesday 29 May 2013

ChateauMyGod -CHATEAU LUDAIX

CHATEAU LUDAIX X 40 PEOPLE & A 30TH BIRTHDAY

Book the Chateau here

IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE.



Lady of the Manner and Mother to birthday boy moments after closing our home made fashion show.


Few Drinks in.


Fleurs...bar


Fleur 
and Emran - Bartenders for the wknd



Really enjoying a bit of Oasis (not joking) & feeling the 90's Vibe


Ma & Pa of the Chateau


Ginger beared boyfriend :-)



Cows tongue on special...NOT into it


Horse of beef burger things...my A level french didn't stretch that far



OVER EXCITED FIRST NIGHT- BED BY 9!!


Fashion


What a shot!!!


Big on Pizza


After a short life and a long car ride up front our hog roast arrived :-(




Too much??


Not enough??



Want.


But it's a Chateau...


Speech time


Food
I covered the veggie red curry and the Thai green chicken curry while Mother Holland served up her famous duck shepherds pie with orange sauce, defo into this.


This is what the two look like on a plate together



An extra room for 2


Happy Birthday / Speech



Tart Tatin- delish


Posing


Enjoying themselves


Really enjoying themselves


Obsessed


Team Chateau




Tuesday 21 May 2013

Cheats Tart With A Sweet Salad- Just In Case We Do Have A Summer




Cheats Tart With A Sweet Salad
Goats Cheese, Crispy Oyster Mushrooms and Spinach Cheats Tart with Pomegranate, Orange & Gem Salad- 
Tart Ingredients- 
Pastry leaves or 7 to 10 layers if filo pastry
1 x Bag of spinach 250g
1 x Pack of goats cheese
1/4 Tub of cream cheese
4 x Medium eggs
2 x Big handfuls of fresh oyster mushrooms
1/4 x Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 Lemon zest
Salt & pepper
Parsley-finely chopped
2 x Garlic clove - crushed & finely chopped
Butter
Tart Instructions-
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
Cover the base of your dish with butter to prevent the pastry from sticking and add the layers of pastry leaves, making sure they overlap and using the butter to stick them together. If using filo pastry melt the butter first as the sheets are much more delicate, use between 7 to 10 sheets adding a bit of butter between each.
Cook the pastry for 6-10mins- keeping an eye out to not burn the edges..like I did!! 
Tip- Cover the edges with foil if they start to overcook and this will prevent them from browning any further and allow the pastry base to cook through.
 In a separate pan, cook the spinach in a nob of butter until it wilts.Season with salt & pepper before adding the nutmeg and lemon zest to the cooked pastry case.
 Whisk up the eggs and add a dash of milk.Season and add in the cream cheese in small lumps so it melts evenly within the tart.Pour this over the spinach and add the chunks of the goats cheese.
 Cook on 180 for 12/15 minutes until the tart loses it's wobble.
 In the meantime heat a frying pan over the gas for a minute or so then add a nob of butter and a small dash of olive oil to stop the butter from burning. Add in the oyster mushrooms, season and let them cook on a high heat until browned all round. A minute or so before taking them off the heat, add in your garlic and finely chopped parsley.
Once cooked add the mushrooms, garlic and parsley to the top of the tart and you're done.
 Pomegranate, Orange & Gem Salad- 
Ingredients
2 x Gem Lettuce- washed and leaves left whole
1 x Orange-sliced into segments
1 x Bunch of radishes - finely sliced
1 x Courgette - peeled into ribbons
1 x Handful of basil
1 x Avocado
 For the Dressing
1 x Pomegranate 
3 x Big glugs of extra virgin olive oil
2 x Big glugs red wine vinegar
2x tsp of dijon mustard
1/2 Lemon - freshly squeezed
2 x tsp of sugar
Rock salt & black pepper plus a dash of white pepper.

Instructions-
Prepare all ingredients as suggested above - thoroughly washing all veg
Combine all ingredients listed for the dressing, thoroughly stirring in the sugar.
Tip - Cut the pomegranate in half and use the back of a spoon to bash out the seeds, give each half a bit of a squeeze making sure you get as many of the seeds and juice out as possible.
Tip - Always add the dressing just before serving so the salad stays as crispy as possible.





Pomegranate, Orange & Gem Salad- 
Ingredients
2 x Gem Lettuce- washed and leaves left whole
1 x Orange-sliced into segments
1 x Bunch of Radishes- Finely Sliced
1 x Courgette- Peeled into ribbons
1 x Handful of basil
1 x Avocado

For the Dressing
1 x Pomegranate 
3 x Big Glugs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 x Big Glugs Red Wine Vinegar
2x tsp of dijon mustard
1/2 Lemon freshly squeezed
2 x tsp of sugar
Rock salt & black pepper plus a dash of white pepper.

Instructions-
Prepare all ingredients as suggested above- thoroughly washing all veg
Combine all ingredients listed for the dressing, thoroughly stirring in the sugar.
Tip-  Cut the pomegranate in half and use the back of a spoon to bash out the seeds, give each half a bit of a squeeze and make sure you get as many of the seeds and juice out as possible.
Always add the dressing just before serving so the salad stays as crispy as possible.