Tickled pink

Whilst recipes are all fine and dandy, a large part of this blog is meant to illustrate the progressive growth and development in my meagre photographic skill.

So let this be the official starting point where I free myself from the trainer wheels of the AUTO function of my new fancy camera.  Hold on to your hat's folks I am experimenting with aperture. There is a whole new world of artsy fartsy focusing now at my beck and call.

Flouncy flamingos somehow seem the perfect backdrop to the lurid pink vibrancy of the salad. Actually they were the accidental heroes of this sunny Sunday photo shoot, but some how they capture the slight hysteria beetroot always brings to the kitchen.

Stained fingers and astringent pickling juices are not my cup of tea. So this is the route I tend to take to weave the beautiful earthy veg into the mix. I prefer not to peel the beetroot, a good soak and scrub does the job and then the raw beetroot is grated along with a carrot or two to form the base of this addictive and refreshing spring salad.

 

Beetroot salad

1 large beetroot

2 carrots

1 orange cut into dainty segments

A handful of green herbage (optional)

 

For the dressing

2 Tbs good quality white wine vinegar

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

1.       Give the beetroot a good soak, and peel the carrots, grate coarsely and combine all of the grated goodness.

2.       Make the dressing by popping all ingredients in a jar and shaking like mad.

3.       Pour the dressing over the carrot and beetroot then artistically slot in the orange segments and sprinkle about the green herbs.

Cupboard Love

Quite possibly the world does not need another brownie recipe – it is a genre compressively covered; however this one is a welcome addition. Able to be whipped up in a matter of minutes this cheery looking tray bake uses pantry staples to dramatic effect.

I happened to have frozen berries on hand, but they are mere window dressing to this dense and moreish treat. You can creatively dabble with requisite contrast in flavour and texture. Why not try substituting handful of raisins that have been plumped up in rum or an ethereal combination of figs and glace ginger to give a fragrant twist.

Either way it yields a divinely dark and moist slab of cakey goodness. Sugar, butter and cocoa are all heaped on the high side in this recipe to give a richness  that is quite difficult to resist.

 

 

Quick and Easy Brownie

200g butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup slivered almonds

½ cup frozen berries

1. Preheat oven to 160 and line a shallow rectangular tin with baking paper.
2. In a small saucepan melt butter and sugar, allow to cool slightly then add lightly whisked eggs and vanilla.
3. In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa and nuts. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well.
4. Fold trough frozen fruit (reserving afew for the top)
5. Pour into tin, smooth out to sides and then artfully place any extra berries and nuts.
6. Bake for 40 mins or until crusty on top and a skewer inserted to the centre comes out clear.
7. Allow to cool in tin, before cutting into delicate squares.

 

Salad days

A little bowl of something crunchy and delicious is my little treat. Actually the mere act of being home and tinkering about with nice lunches is probably a bigger luxury in itself. I won't bang on about why I have ditched bread from my daily routine- what I will do, is show you the greatest hits of lunches past.

 

None of them took more than 5 mins to whip up, and none of them used anything clever - they are just a delicious mish mash of tastes and textures and in the realm of a thousand times nicer than a boring old sandwich.

 

 

A little lunchtime trip to Asia - shaved cabbage, leftover chicken, a handful of peanuts and plenty of herbs and lime.

Yes I have hopped on board the quinoa train. A Lebanese fatoush of sorts, with a nice added bonus of leftover roast lamb bits!

 

 Ohhhhh! a weensy taste of summer. 2 fat peach halves with goats cheese, grilled until brown and artfully plonked on some peppy rocket. The joys of seasonal fare!!

And its lunchtime in Mykanos with this little number. Haloumi cheese how I adore you and your squeaky, salty, oozy ways.

 

 What's on your radar for lunch today?