Simple summer stew of tomato, merguez sausage and cannellini beans

August 29, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

Such a simple, summery stew to serve with just a green salad. if you can’t find merguez sausage, try using chorizo. This is so easy to throw together and full of flavor, thanks to the sausage.

Serves 4
A splash of olive oil
6 Merguez or Chorizo sausages
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1lb 6oz ripe tomatoes
7 fl oz chicken stock
2 x 15 oz cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
A good handful Italian parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or Le Creuset braiser on high heat. Roughly chop the sausages and fry until browned and beginning to crisp around the edges. transfer to a plate and lower the heat to medium.
Add the onion to the pan and fry for about 5 mins or until softened, adding the crushed garlic to the pan after a couple of minutes so it doesn’t burn.
Quarter the tomatoes, then add to the pan with the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season and stir, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the Cannellini beans to the pan with the browned sausages. Simmer for 10 mins or until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce is thickened.
Roughly chop the parsley, then stir through the stew. Divide it among 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and serve with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Meat · Poultry

Coq au vin

August 29, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

We had a really lovely coq au vin last night with close friends, sitting outside on the patio. It was one of those really simple recipes that is full of flavor and you can make ahead and put in the fridge overnight.
The depth of flavor to this dish is huge, especially as you caramelize the onions and mushrooms separately then add to the chicken them halfway through the cooking.
One time I served it with mashed cauliflower and a tomato, mozzarella, basil, avocado and red onion salad and it was divine. Another time I served it with mashed sweet potato and my “Easy cheesy zucchini bake” and it also went down a treat.

Serves 4 to 6
2 oz bacon fat or olive oil
4 – 5lbs chicken legs and thighs, seasoned well with salt and pepper
6 thick slices bacon, chopped
3 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
3 good sized leeks, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp flour
20 fl oz good red wine (one you would drink)
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp herbes de Provence
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
12 oz cremini or baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
A 14 oz bag of frozen pearl onions, defrosted then dried with paper towels.
3 oz butter

Preheat the oven to 325F
Heat the bacon fat or olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, like Le Creuset. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
Transfer them to a plate. Add the bacon, celery, leeks and garlic to the casserole and fry until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the flour and cook gently until it becomes a paste. Gradually add the wine, herbs and salt and pepper, stirring. Bring to the boil.
Return the chicken to the casserole, cover and put into the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the onions and mushrooms in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes until nicely caramelized. After the 45 minutes are up, add them to the casserole, and stir well.
Re-cover and continue to cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is well cooked through.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Easy marmalade ice cream

August 17, 2014April 8, 2025 Belinda1 Comment

Before you say “ugh” to yourself (or out loud) think about this recipe. If you don’t like marmalade but like oranges then STOP and read this or better still make it!
I happen to make a killer marmalade as we have 7 Seville orange trees in our garden that bear tons of fruit. My marmalade, however, is not the clear orange type with fine-cut peel, it’s a dark amber color that I allow to boil down until almost at burning point with a very coarse peel. It is divine and I have many friends asking me for it.
Turning it into ice cream is absolutely wonderful and you will be hooked.

1 1/4 cups marmalade (Store bought is also good if you don’t make your own)
1/2 tsp good vanilla extract
2 tbsp orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional, but lovely)

In a large mixing bowl combine the marmalade, vanilla and liqueur.
Stir in the half and half and cream.
Put in your ice cream maker and make according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When the ice cream is becoming thick, add the chocolate chips
When finished churning, put the ice cream into a container and freeze for 6-8 hours or overnight before eating.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Chilled spicy cucumber, avocado and coconut milk soup

August 16, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

Give me anything curried and I’ll walk miles for it! I love this because there is no cooking and it tastes as if you’ve been slaving for hours in the kitchen. You can vary the garnishes.

Two 12-ounce cucumbers—peeled, seeded and chopped
2 Hass avocados, coarsely chopped ( try just one to start with as it may be too thick with 2)
2 teaspoons Thai green or yellow curry paste (Try less to start with and taste it)
2 teaspoons sugar, optional
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
One 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
3 ½ cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (use lemon if you cannot find limes)
Salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, for garnish
10 cilantro sprigs, for garnish

In a food processor, puree the cucumbers until smooth. Add the avocados, curry paste, sugar, lime zest and chili.
Process until blended. Add 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth, the coconut milk and lime juice and process until smooth. Transfer the soup to a large bowl and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, toast the coconut over low heat, stirring a few times, until lightly browned and crisp, 3 minutes. Let cool.
Ladle the soup into small bowls or cups, garnish with the toasted coconut flakes and cilantro sprigs and serve.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Icecream

Fresh basil ice cream

August 16, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

There is nothing nicer than ice cream made from fresh herbs and it’s delicious served with fruit, raw or cooked.
This one is divine, especially served with strawberries and such a great color too. This recipe couldn’t be much easier and makes 1 quart.

2 cups basil leaves
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon zest
¼ tsp. salt
6 egg yolks

* Green food coloring (if you would like a vibrant color like this. I don;t always use it though)
Combine the fresh basil leaves, milk, cream, sugar, lemon zest, 4 – 6 drops food coloring (or more depending on how bright green you want it) salt, and egg yolks in a blender and puree until smooth.
Pour into a 2-qt. saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat and pour through a fine strainer; chill in the refrigerator.
Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Serve garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Icecream

Margarita ice cream!

August 15, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

In the hot summer months, what could be nicer than a Margarita for dessert!

Serves 6
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp tequila
3 tbsp Cointreau or Triple sec
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Pour the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur into a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cream and then softly whip until thick and smooth but not stiff.
Spoon into an airtight container to freeze overnight. This ice ream does not need softening before serving as it won’t freeze too hard due to the alcohol in it. It will melt pretty fast so don’t let it stand around at room temperature too long
Finely grate some lime zest over to serve

Baking · Do-ahead

Easy no knead Guinness bread

August 14, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

This is another great moist, dense and very tasty bread we had in Ireland. The addition of Guinness beer whether draught or canned, makes it so rich and flavorful. All it needs is some salty Irish Kerrygold butter and some smoked salmon!

This recipe makes one loaf and is better served fresh and slightly warm, especially as it’s a no-knead recipe.

5 ½ cups plain wholemeal / wholemeal all purpose flour
1 ¼ cups plain white / white all purpose flour
½ cup oatmeal
2 ½ teaspoons of baking soda or bicarbonate of soda
2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cups black treacle or molasses
½ pint draught or canned Guinness

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and lightly grease a standard loaf tin with butter.
Place all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs – I recommend working quickly as the mixture can easily become greasy if over mixed, or mixed using too warm hands.
Add the milk, black treacle or molasses and the Guinness. Mix to create a wet dough.
Grease a standard loaf tin, add the wet dough and bake in the oven for 40 – 45 mins or until the bread is well risen and cooked through.
Leave for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Eat while slightly warm if you like, or leave to go completely cold. Delicious with salty butter and Irish smoked salmon, cold meats or cheeses.

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Val's Ballinkeele brown soda bread

August 12, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

At the beautiful manor house of Balinkeele, County Wexford, Ireland, where we stayed for a night on our two week driving trip of Ireland, we got to know the young owners of this stunning property, Laura, Val, and their four young children. They live in the house, run a bed and breakfast in it and do all the cooking and cleaning themselves. At breakfast we were served this delicious bread warm from the oven. The recipe, which is easy to make, is Val’s handed down over the generations and it was to die for.

Screen shot 2014-08-12 at 7.05.08 PM

This was our bedroom and the view across the lakes and gardens was stunning.

After breakfast we strolled around the property, taking as many pictures as possible of the gorgeous lakes, pathways and gardens.

Dry Ingredients
14 oz wholemeal flour
3 oz plain flour
4 tbsp mixed seeds & nuts, (like pumpkin, sunflower, pine nuts, golden flax seeds, chopped nuts, or whatever you fancy)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Wet ingredients
14.5 fl oz buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey

Heat the oven to 450 F. Grease the inside of a 2lb loaf tin – cut a piece of baking parchment to fit the base.
Mix the dry ingredients together except for 2 tbsp of the nuts/seeds mixture, in a large bowl. In another bowl or a pitcher, mix the wet ingredients together, using a whisk, but don’t beat the mixture too much.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the wet ingredients in and mix well.
Turn the bread mixture into the loaf tin and pat down on the top with a fork or spatula. Scatter the remaining 2 tbsp seeds and nuts along the middle of the length of the loaf tin.
Cook at 450 F for 15 mins then turn down the oven to 375 F for the remaining 35 to 40 mins. Leave the loaf in the tin to cool a little and when cool enough to remove from the tin, it should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan

Chilled essence of tomato consomme

August 12, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

On our vacation recently, we had an amuse-bouche course of this chilled soup and it was absolutely divine. The tomato flavor is intense, yet delicate and it’s well worth trying as a lovely summer starter. It’s hard to believe that the clear liquid is actually the tomato consomme.

5 ½ lbs cherry vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
half fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme, roughly chopped
4 leaves tarragon, roughly chopped
A handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
2 pinches cayenne pepper
5 drops Worcestershire sauce
3 drops Tabasco sauce

To serve
4 basil leaves, finely sliced, plus 4 small sprigs
6 large plum vine tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely diced
good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together with 1 tbsp sea salt, cover with cling film and marinate for 6 hrs. Then, in a food processor, pulse the tomato mix in batches until roughly chopped – don’t over-chop them to a mush.
Place three layers of muslin cloth, or a new kitchen cloth, over a large bowl and pour the mix into the cloth. Tie up with string and hang in a cold place for at least 15 mins over the bowl to collect the tomato essence. Set aside the pulp. Taste and correct the seasoning, if necessary, then cool in the fridge.
To serve, spoon a quarter of the diced tomato into the centre of four bowls.
Carefully pour the chilled tomato essence around the tomato towers and garnish with the basil and a small drizzling of olive oil.