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Posts from the ‘Quick and easy’ Category

Nov 1

2 Comments

Salmon, dill and fennel cakes, mixed greens, fennel salad

Salmon, dill and fennel cakes

Salmon is a rare treat for me. I only ever cook it when my husband is away as he not only refuses to eat salmon, but complains profusely about the cooking smell too. I enjoy having something that I only cook especially for me, it seems to add to the pleasure; a solitary, illicit supper.

Northern lights!I was in northern Norway last weekend, hoping to see the northern lights. We were lucky that they obliged us, dancing briefly but mesmerisingly across the starry skies. The stars themselves were also fabulous, with the milky way in full view, an unfamiliar sight for us city dwellers! I ate a lot of fish whilst I was there, although none of it salmon. Every dish I ordered seemed to come with a tangle of fennel shavings on the top.  I wouldn’t normally choose fennel as I don’t like aniseed flavours, but eating it like this was really enjoyable, adding subtle flavour, freshness and crunch, so I thought I’d try it myself with some salmon cakes.

This is a quick and light supper dish. You could make it more substantial by adding some noodles or rice maybe, but I like it as it is, with just green vegetables in a little light broth. Read more

Jul 14

Broad bean and mozzarella toasts

Broad bean and mozzarella toasts

I’m not one to pick favourites, but if I had to, broad beans would definitely be on my list. Their delicate, fresh green flavour is the epitome of summer to me. They have a wonderful affinity with the fresh lemon zest, fragrant basil and rich creamy buffalo mozzarella in this recipe.

Preparing broad beans is a labour of love. I always, always double-pod mine. For both flavour and aesthetic reasons, I like the bright green inner bean to be completely disrobed. Broad beans lead such a cosseted life,  enveloped in the thick, soft wadding that forms their pod; the vegetable equivalent of a cashmere blanket. The beans inside have a tough white skin which also needs to be removed. I have read many times that if you catch the beans when they are young enough, this white skin is edible, but I’ve never found it to be anything other than slightly bitter and so I remove it as a matter of course. Read more

Jun 11

3 Comments

Prawn, feta and watermelon lettuce wraps

prawn, watermelon and feta wrapsA crisp, crunchy, refreshing light lunch for a hot summer’s day. This is a quick dish to assemble, so minimal risk of the sun disappearing behind a cloud whilst you are in the kitchen.

Sweet, fragrant watermelon is perfect combined with the tangy, salty flavour of feta cheese.  The addition of prawns and a chilli and lime dressing makes for a lunch bursting with flavour. And so pretty too!

I bought a pot of ready-prepared melon rather a whole fruit, although the cubes in the package were a little large for this, so I cut them down into about 1cm pieces. Mix together around 100g of watermelon cubes with about 25g feta, also cut into similar size pieces. Add around 100g ready cooked prawns. Finely slice 2 spring onions and add to the mixture. Spritz over the juice of half a lime, a whoosh of tabasco (or finely sliced red chilli if you have it) and a scant drizzle of light olive oil. A generous hand with some fresh chopped mint and coriander plus a little black pepper finishes it nicely.

prawn watermelon and feta wraps

Pile the mixture on top of little gem lettuce leaves.  Makes around 4 topped leaves which serves 1.

Shopping list: little gem lettuce, pot of watermelon chunks, small block of feta, coriander, mint, 100g prawns, lime, chilli, olive oil, spring onions.

Apr 1

Potato cakes, smoked salmon, beetroot, ginger, watercress

Potato cakes, smoked salmon, beetroot, ginger, watercress

Potato cakes, potato farls, tattie scones…call them what you will, a stack of hot, buttery potato cakes is a great start to any supper, forming an amenable host to a variety of tasty toppings. I mostly just buy them ready-made, but this week I had leftover mash in the fridge so I made my own. They were so easy I really should do it more often.

My favourite way to eat potato cakes is what I think of as scandi-style: topped with soft, rich smoked fish, pepped up with the addition of hot horseradish or mustard. This time I went for something a bit different, making two little salads to replace the usual dollop of sauce on the side. Firstly, a simple mixture of beetroot and ginger, made with slivers of fiery pickled ginger, the sort you normally find in those little packets in a box of sushi. Secondly, some watercress and rocket to provide extra pepperiness and crunch, drizzled with a tangy goats milk yogurt dressing. Read more

Feb 25

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A warm salad of grilled aubergine and puy lentils

A warm salad of grilled aubergine and puy lentilsAfter a long day at work, supper needs to be super-fast. When I’m only putting my key in the front door at 8.30pm, I need something that requires minimal effort and intervention, nothing more than a little slicing, a little stirring.

A salad might not be the first thing that springs to mind, but when it’s getting late, I shy away from the default bowl of pasta and pesto, knowing that it will be still be sitting heavily in my stomach when my head hits the pillow just an hour or two later.  When time is of the essence, a pack of ready cooked puy lentils from my store cupboard stash of pulses is invaluable. The addition of some grilled aubergine, which can be left happily to its own devices, gently charring and softening away whilst I freshen myself up, makes for a light but substantial dinner. Read more

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