Luscious Laduree

Every now and again us ladies need a little time to ourselves to catch up with our girlfriends over tea, a glass of champers, and have a good gossip.

Of course you can do this at home, but sometimes a girl doesn't want to cook.  My favourite place in London for such afternoons is perhaps Laduree, Harrods, Knightsbridge, London.

Laduree, Harrods, Knightsbridge, London



The Shop

  

The shop




The shop

Sometimes there is a queue....but seriously it's worth it.....just think of all those light, deliciously sweet macaroons.....my favourites are:

caramel with salted butter

Madagascar chocolate

lemon

pistachio

oh and orange blossom

and blackcurrant violet

and rose

oh I love love love them ALL!

For those of you who don't have such a sweet tooth, the truffle omelette is to die for.....



Macaroons



The seating area is so baroque and luciously decadent, you will feel postively Marie Antoinette-esque.



The Orange Salon



Kitchen Fantasies 1

I, like many Londoners, and other city girls around the world, dream of a kitchen bigger than my own.

My mother always told me that: "the kitchen is the heart of the home" and I couldn't agree more.

I now dream of a large open plan kitchen and living room, where food, family and friends all come together as one.  A kitchen should be full of buzzy and free flowing, and full of love and life.....

Here is one of my dream kitchens from the TV show 'Brothers & Sisters'.  This all-star cast is a drama following the trials and tribulations of a mother, her five adult children and their children.  Whatever the weather, through good times and bad, this family end up in their mother's large, beautiful kitchen putting the world to rights.

This is exactly the type of kitchen I dream of having one day.....

Nora Walker's Kitchen - Brothers and Sisters

  




Nora Walker's Kitchen from - Brothers and Sisters

  




Nora Walker's Kitchen from - Brothers and Sisters

  




Nora Walker's Kitchen from - Brothers and Sisters



(I obtained these pictures courtesy of www.hookedonhouses.net/)

Helen's Little Helper

Kenwood KMix

This little piece of machinery is just perfect for those with limited storage space.

It is a medium sized food processor, that was fairly inexpensive, is dishwasher friendly, and does the job of a mandolin, grater, and everything else you would expect it to do.

This model was a gift from Alex when we moved into our first home together, and I must admit, it really is one of my most treasured gifts from him.  (Not everything needs to come from Cartier).

It is just so useful, and I use it all the time - especially when a dish requires copious amounts of onion.....I promise you, this little lady is a Godsend.

Now I must also share this little story with you........

Every time I look at my lovely Kenwood KMix, it reminds me of Alex's father, George. 

One day as George was slaving away in the kitchen, (yes it is indeed possible to get a Mediterranean man into the kitchen before the food is ready to be consumed!), manually grating onions and potatoes, he huffed and puffed, and exclaimed:

"I can't believe they haven't invented a machine to do all this bloody work for me"

I composed myself, stifled my shock and said:

"Ummmmm.......they have George, I think about 30 years ago........."

The silence was deafening........

The Truth about the 'Domestic Goddess'

Ahhhhhh the Domestic Goddess....a legendary woman, whose beauty and capabilities in the home are unrivalled.



50's housewife



A classic Domestic Goddess will always have the dinner on the table as her husband walks through the front door, adorned with pearls and perfectly rouged smiles.



Twinkle Toes

(gosh would you just look at all those sparkles!!)

Housework is always a pleasure never a chore....

These days we must not only be a culinary genius in the kitchen, a yummy mummy, the hostess of the mostess, happy, independent and retain the body of the slim 20-something we were when we met Mr Right



Vanity Fair March 2009

 (I think we all know that this girl does not eat carbs.....ever)

Vanity Fair March 2009

  I believe that each and every one of us, no matter how busy and frazzled, is capable of all six traits - perhaps not 100% of the time - but every woman is naturally able to look after her partner and her brood.

I think the word 'woman' should be changed in the Oxford English Dictionary to 'SuperWoman'.

Perhaps the secret is to try and remain cool, calm and collected, and also know all the tricks and shortcuts in the book.  The key is knowing what flavours compliment which products, and making relatively easy, tasty breakfasts, lunches and suppers that are not time consuming to prepare, leaving you more time with your partners, children, friends or dare I say it work. 

Of course this is not possible for every meal of every day of every week.....but this where I come in.....to try and give you hints and tips and recipe ideas to get you through the coming days, the weeks, the months, and years.

Hopefully I will also be able to help bring the joy back into your kitchens......as I cannot think of a better way to show your love to those in your life every day......

A little more about me....

Do you see the resemblance?  It's quite remarkable isn't it?  Obviously, I'm only joking.....

My fiancé Alex is a 33 year old Cypriot man whose insatiable appetite is really quite extraordinary!  When Alex first took me home to meet his parents in Cyprus, one of the first lines Kika, my future mother-in-law said to me was "Alexi says you're a good cook".  I knew then that food was VERY important in their culture.

A few days later, before Christmas, Kika gave me a Christmas gift.....she was giggling as she handed it to me, and said that she hoped I wouldn't take it the wrong way.

With only slight trepidation, I unwrapped the gift, and wasn't entirely surprised to see a copy of "Cyprus Country House Recipes"....Alex's family collapsed in laughter.  Kika then went through the cook book with me, pointing out which were Alex's favourite meals.

I am nowhere near as accomplished a cook as Kika when it comes to Cypriot delicacies, but I have tried my utmost to make Alex's favourites, and ensure he doesn't feel too homesick whilst in London.

I've relished learning about Cypriot cuisine, and have found it very similar in parts to many Italian dishes.  Cypriot meatballs, slow cooked lamb, grilled halloumi, Cypriot sausages, grilled lamb chops, and village salads are often on the menu in our home, in an effort to bring the sunshine of Aphrodite's Island to London.

I only wish we had a foukou so we could have souvla on Sundays....



Steamed Cod

For those of you watching the calories, this steamed cod is a great dish, delicious and low fat

You will need a steamer of some sort, any of these will do:

a bamboo steamer

or any regular household steamer

You will need:

3 large cod loins - preferably sustainable - or any other fish you fancy

shredded root ginger

splash of dark soy

splash of light soy

drizzle of sesame oil

shredded spring onions

fresh torn coriander

Arrange the fish on the steamer over boiling water

Scatter over the ginger

Cover and steam cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the pieces of fish - the fish needs to turn opaque

When cooked remove and sprinkle over the soy and oil, and scatter over spring onions and coriander.

Serve with boiled rice, pak choi............

........and LOVE.....

xoxo

Olive Oil

My future in-laws live in Cyprus and grow their own olives, harvest them and press them to make their own olive oil.  Unfortunately, living here in London we are unable to share their plentiful harvests and make do with our favourite from the supermarket.

This is my absolute favourite extra virgin olive oil.  I don't use it in cooking as it is pricey, but it's just fabulous in salads or just on it's own with warm crustry bread.

When doing a dinner party, I always find warm bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, olives, and crudite a great option when time is of the essence.

My pestle & morter

I love love love my pestle and mortar - I couldn't live without it - perfect for spice rubs, pestos, salsa verdes, even mayonnaise.

My parents had a lovely solid brass pestle and mortar from their travels.

One day when I have a big enough kitchen, and therefore ample storage space, I want a big, heavy stone pestle and mortar 

Club Sandwich

When Alex and I go on holiday, like most young couples, we spend an awful lot of time in our suite......So apart from the usual amenities, I do also tend to judge a hotel by their club sandwich! 

Silly perhaps, but I really do think it is the best room service meal to have when you've just woken up from a long nap, whilst still in your fluffy white robe.

So if the club sandwich is bad, I can only wonder what the rest of the room service menu is like.

After returning from one holiday where the club sandwich was particularly awful, I thought to myself it really can't be difficult, so at Alex's request, I gave it a go.

I think the most important thing to remember when making any sandwich, the cold cuts and cheese needs to be of a high quality - just because it's a sandwich for a lunch time bite, not a 3 course dinner, does not mean we need to scrimp on quality ladies!

3 slices of toast - I prefer granary, Alex prefers white

iceberg lettuce leaves - not shredded

thiny sliced tomato

1 sliced chicken or turkey breast

4 grilled streaky bacon rashers

1 slice of jarlsberg
shop bought mayo (FYI ladies - boys never notice the difference when you switch to low fat)

assemble as follows:

toast + mayo + lettuce leaf + tomato slices + bacon slices

toast + mayo + chicken + cheese + lettuce + toast

spear with four cocktail sticks

cut into quarters
I like to serve this on a piece of slate or else a nobbled, rustic chopping board.

Serve with fries.......

.........and LOVE.......

Four Cheese Macaroni Cheese

When I was growing up macaroni cheese was one of my favourite meals - my father would make it and he and my mother would disagree as to whether or not it should be runny or dry.

This is my interpretation - and it's always a winner!

500g packet of macaroni
150g good quality mature Cheddar
150g good quality Gruyere
50g Parmigiano Reggiano
100g Mozzarella di Bufala
1 large onion
500ml skimmed milk
25g butter/margerine
25g plain flour
2 heaped tsp english mustard
Pepper to taste
grated nutmeg
(You will NOT need salt because of the high salt content in the cheeses)

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celcius

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water quite al dente (remember you need to slightly undercook the macaroni as it will continue to cook later)

Over a medium high heat melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan, add flour to make a roux

Using a whisk, add the mustard, and then the milk to the roux, a little at a time until you've made a lovely, lump-free white sauce.

Finely dice the onion and add this to the white sauce and allow to bubble for a few mins, as you want to cook the flour and the onions

Grate all four cheeses and gradually add all of the Mozzarella, and almost all of the Gruyere, Cheddar and Parmigiano to the white sauce allowing it to melt

Grate about half a nutmeg seed and stir into the sauce

Also add some freshly ground black pepper to taste

Set the remaining cheese aside for the topping

Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce well, ensuring every last bit of pasta is coated thoroughly - even better if the sauce gets into the pasta tubes

Transfer the cheesy mixture into a oven proof gratin dish and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

When the topping is wonderfully golden and the cheese is bubbling on top, you know that it's ready

Serve with a green salad.......

...........and LOVE

Notes:- This dish is not for the faint hearted, and unless you have the metabolism of a teenage supermodel, it should probably only be consumed once in a while as a special treat!

You do not have to use all four cheeses as I have done, I just like the different flavours and textures that these four cheeses bring to the sauce. I also just happen to like my Mac'n'Cheese to be silky, luxurious and super indulgent.

You can also vary this dish by thinly slicing tomatoes and placing them on the topping - as my father used to do.

Or alternatively perhaps if you have some left over gammon or ham you can include that into the sauce.  If you do this, I would omit one of the cheeses, I would say the mozarella.

I made this dish and brought it to a Thanksgiving dinner, where 20 people practically fought over it!  I have been asked to bring it every year since......

Spare Ribs

My mother used to make these and they were a firm favourite amongst family and friends.

This is my interpretation of my mother's ribs.......

Here's what I used:

1kg Pork Spare Ribs

Half a bottle of tomato ketchup

Half a bottle of sweet soy

Several good slugs of Worcestershire Sauce

A long drizzle of honey or maple syrup or golden syrup - if you don't have any of these, soft brown sugar will do

a sprinkling of celery salt

a sprinkling of chilli flakes

a sprinkling of smoked paprika

a good grinding of black pepper

Mix all ingredients together with spices in a jug or bowl

(I find a jug easier as you can just pour over the ribs when you're ready)

Pour over ribs

Massage into ribs - don't worry about getting your pinkies dirty - your carats are tough!

Cover ribs and put in fridge, leave to marinade for as long as possible, preferably overnight

When you're ready preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

Lline a baking tray with foil to save hours of scrubbing later!

Place ribs on lined tray and cook for 30 mins

Do not put too much marinade on the ribs at this stage as during the cooking it will just burn and turn black!

Turn ribs after 30 mins, and pour over a little more marinade and return to oven for a further 20-25 mins

Heat the remainder of the BBQ sauce in a saucepan - remember you need to bring this to boiling point as there will be reminents of raw meat - and we don't want to

Sometimes Alex likes extra sauce so I make extra sauce now

Remove ribs from oven when cooked

Smother the gorgeous hot, sticky, caramelised ribs generously with the hot BBQ sauce and a sprinkling of chopped parsley and a shredded spring onion

Serve immediately with a large salad, finger bowls (warm water and a slice of lemon).....trust me your man, your children, and your guests will need these, and even the most polite and manicured person will get sticky fingers!

......and of course don't forget to serve with lashings of LOVE...xoxo....

Finger lickin' good......

.............even my future mother-in-law licked her fingers with glee and requested the recipe!

Perfect Roast Potatoes

As it's Sunday, I thought I'd talk you through the PERFECT roast potato.

I know this is one helluva statement, but believe you me, these really are the BEST roast potatoes in the world, tried and tested many many many times.

Potatoes
Goose/duck fat
Bulb of garlic
Rosemary
Malden sea salt flakes

My preference sways between King Edward or Charlotte potatoes, (as they're fairly resilient and won't fall apart when you par boil the), however, I usually make my mind up when I'm in the supermarket and can see the size and have a good feel/squeeze.

Being part Irish, I feel strongly that roast potatoes are of equal importance to the roasted meat joint or bird, so I always strive towards a generous mountain roast potates that are wonderfully golden and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

So let's start with your oven. (I'm a country gal and grew up with an Aga, so I often tend to forget to turn on the oven!).  Make sure your oven is preheated to a nice hot 220 degrees celcius.

Empty a fair amount of goose or duck fat into a roasting tin. If you cannot get your hands on either goose/duck fat, sunflower oil will do.
Be sure NOT to use olive oil, as we need super hot oil to roast potatoes in, (this will ensure the potatoes are crispy but do not absorb the oil making them greasy and fatty), as olive oil does not get hot enough, and furthermore burns and your oven and in turn kitchen, will fill with smoke.  I speak from experience.

Pick two, (or three if they're really lucky), large potatoes per person, of equal proportion.
Peel, and cut into two or three wedges.
Six smaller roast potatoes are always much better than two large ones - just think about all the extra crunchiness.

Place the potato wedges in cold, salted water, and bring to the boil.
When the water has reached this point, par boil the potatoes for 5 mins.

Drain the potatoes, and then return to pan to let any remaining water evaporate.

Put lid back on, and wearing oven gloves so as not to burn oneself, hold the lid down tightly and shake the potatoes vigorously.  A nice little workout for one's bingo wings too!

When you take off the lid, you should see that potatoes will look a littled damaged and fluffy around the edges. This is exactly what we want.

Now remove the hot roasting pan from oven with care
Remember this is full of VERY hot oil.

Place pan on hot at medium heat, so it doesn't cool too much.
Remember we want to hot oil to sear the outer layer of the potatoes.

Start adding your potatoes, ensuring that you coat all the surfaces of the potatoes and remember to be careful of spitting oil.  Nobody wants to see nasty pink blisters across the dining table.

Place in the oven for 20 mins, after which turn the potatoes.

Return to oven for another 20 mins after which turn again.

Cut the bulb of garlic in half nestle in between the potatoes. Add whole sprigs of rosemary.

Return to the oven for a final 20 mins

Remove from oven, and drain off any excess fat on kitchen roll.

If you wish sprinkle with freshly rosemary and sea salt flakes . . . Serve with LOVE



Super yummy scrummy and just perfect..!!

Sticky Spicy Chicken Drumsticks

I am a real carnivore.  I love meat!  I love it roasted, chargrilled, stir fried - all ways!

I also love to marinade meat. 

I think it's easy an efficient way to prepare a main dish, and I rarely measure ingredients when preparing and cooking food like this.  Yes this sounds dangerous to us ladies who like control and order - but it's a tip I've received from many women from the previous two generations.

Whenever you have a few minutes, throw, sprinkle or pour ingredients over the meat, squish it all together in a bowl, or for the more squeamish, a sandwich/freezer bag and leave the lovely marinade to permeate and tenderise the meat in the fridge for a few hours, although preferably overnight. 

Whenever you're ready just take the meat out of the fridge and pop it into the oven, or on the BBQ or under the grill.  Couldn't be more simple right?

Today I made these sticky spicy chicken drumsticks for Alex. 

It's been a typical cold, grey, drizzly February weekend in London, and much to my shame, Alex and I didn't leave the flat - not even to do grocery shopping.

I already had chicken drumsticks in the freezer, so defrosted them overnight, and this morning just slashed the flesh and added what I fancied from what was in my fridge and store cupboard:

a long drizzle of sweet soy

a few chopped garlic cloves

a smattering of chilli flakes - to your liking

a sprinkling of paprikia

a sprinkling of ground ginger

a sprinkling of ground cumin

half a lime - left over from last night's gin'n'slimline tonics

I slashed the flesh as I wanted to roast these drumsticks in a speedy fashion - Alex was very peckish and wasn't in a particularly patient mood.

I roasted the drumsticks on a baking tray, (with no oil), for 30 minutes at 200 degrees celcius, turning the chicken drumsticks once, to ensure both sides were lovely and caramelised.

I served this with a fresh green salad, and oven cooked potatoes wedges with their skins on, and of course....

.....with LOVE.....

Store Cupboard Essentials

I always keep a wide range of spices as these help me make a simple piece of meat or fish into something much more interesting.

I have everything from sea salt and black peppercorns to warm spices like ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cumin, coriander seeds, paprika, Chinese 5 spice, chilli flakes.

I also keep jars of dried herbs like tarragon, mint, parsley, chervil - as I sometimes forget to buy the fresh versions when in the supermarket - and these are a good substitute

I also keep a wide array of sauces to help brighten up simple dishes.

Here you will see: light soy, dark soy, sweet soy, chilli sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sweet chilli sauce, chinese rice wines, seasame oil, chilli oil.

The condiments I keep vary from time to time, however, these are the staples I couldn't live without.