3 Large Egg Yolks 2 Tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar Small cup of Olive Oil Salt and pepper to taste Teaspoon of English mustard/Dijon mustard
Equipment:
Cup to measure Spoon Fork or whisk Mixing bowl Empty jar with air tight lid Method:
1. Put the yolks and white wine vinegar with some salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and start whisking. 2. Whisk in the oil a few drops at a time. 3. After half the oil has been whisked in add the teaspoon of mustard. Taste the mixture so far and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 4. Whisk the rest of the oil in using the same method. Once thoroughly mixed carefully pour the mixture into a jar and refrigerate. The mayonnaise should last just under a week.
Inspiration:
Duff. The biggest fan of Mayonnaise.
Serving Suggestion: (Serves 2)
Finely chop a medium sized red onion and mix in a bowl with a can of tuna and a good serving of mayonnaise. Lightly toast 4 slices of brown seeded bread. Place on a baking tray and spread the tuna, mayo and red onion mix on top. Splash a dash or two of Worcester sauce and add some grated cheese. Whack in the oven until the cheese has lightly melted. Done!
The one item of food we struggle to use from our Abel and Cole delivery (see Abel and Cole post) is citrus. Oranges, clementines, you name it we always have something in our fruit bowl.
I have been struggling to think of ways to use up these oranges. We don't really need orange juice, we rely on Tropicana; a firm favourite at home. So as the weather has been lovely and warm recently I thought I would try my hand at making Orange Sorbet.
Orange Sorbet (without an ice cream/sorbet maker)
Ingredients:
Juice of 4/5 small/medium sized oranges or clementines or mandarins (the rind of 3) 250 ml Water 150g Golden caster sugar or caster sugar 50 ml Fresh Orange Juice
Equipment:
Medium sized pan Fork Grater Tupperware Container Measuring jug
Method:
1. Grate the oranges for the rind. And leave ready and waiting in a bowl. 2. Measure out 250 ml of water and pour in a pan on a medium heat. 3. Add the caster sugar and stir constantly until it has dissolved. 4. Add the rind and cook for a further 2 minutes continuing to stir. 5. Turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the stove. Add the juice of the oranges/clementines as well as the double shot of orange juice. 6. Pour into the Tupperware container and allow to cool. 7. Once it has cooled pop the container in the freezer. Most people will not own an ice cream/sorbet maker, I certainly don't. Therefore to prevent crystalisation you will need to stir the mixture with a fork every hour (if you can). This will help the blend of the mix. Continue this process until the sorbet mixture is completely frozen. If you have a food processor you could blend the mixture to make it smoother. If not, you can just serve it as it is. Perfect for a sunny day.
Inspiration:
A typical dessert from an Indian restaurant served in halves of orange skin. Orange Sorbet is also considered quite a healthy alternative for a dessert and features heavily in dieting recipes. Serving Suggestions:
My favourite cocktail is 'Silver Mercedes'. I first tried it at a TGI's back home. So if you would like to add something naughty to your sorbet, try this.
Shake or blend 125 ml of Champagne (or any fizzy white wine) a shot of vodka (or two if you like it strong), 50 ml of Cranberry juice with 2 small scoops or orange sorbet and serve in a large wine glass. Yummy!
At work I was recommended an organic food delivery company called 'Abel and Cole'. www.abelandcole.co.uk
They pretty much do what it says on the tin. Fresh fruit and vegetables (amongst meat, dairy and bakery products) delivered to your door every week. We never seemed to have enough fruit and veg at home so I started by ordering a medium fruit and veg box. Each week the contents change depending on what is in season. You can even specify what you like and don't like. It is £15.95 with a 99p delivery charge. The produce is all organic and sourced from local independent companies. They try their best to consider the environment in everything they do. The fruit and veg arrives in a cardboard box which gets collected on the next delivery and re-used. A weekly leaflet is also included with useful information about what is in this weeks order and recipes to help you use up everything.
They even send you an email reminder just in case you want to add anything else to your order like meat, poultry, fish etc with appropriate deadlines. The fruit loaf goes down quite well in our household :)
So far everything has been delicious and fresh. We have even tried things we would never have bought. £15.95 might seem quite expensive but I can assure you would spend more in a supermarket and wouldn't get as fresh or yummy produce.
I would thoroughly recommend trying them out...www.abelandcole.co.uk
Cajun Salmon with fried new potatoes, bacon and rocket.
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 Salmon fillets
Bag of small new potatoes
2 rashers of bacon
Small bag of rocket leaves
4 spring onions
Cajun spice
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Equipment:
Baking tray or oven proof dish
Tin foil
Medium sized pan
Chopping board
Sieve
Start by preheating the oven to 180° C and boil the kettle. Get a chopping board and thickly slice the new potatoes. Once the kettle has boiled, pour the water in the pan and add salt. Once the water is boiling add the potatoes. Parboil them for 10-12 minutes.
Whilst the potato slices are cooking prepare your salmon. Place each fillet on a separate piece of tin foil. Sprinkle Cajun spice over the top of each bit of salmon. Add a little bit of salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil on top. Wrap up each piece of salmon in the tin foil and then place them on your baking tray or over proof dish. Once that is done leave them ready waiting on the side.
Once the potatoes have been parboiled. Drain with a sieve and place back in the pan on a low head. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Use scissors to cut each rasher of bacon into strips and add to the potatoes and stir. Leave on a low heat for ten minutes. Stir occasionally.
Put the salmon in the oven. It should only take 20-30 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t over cook.
After the potatoes and bacon have been slowly sizzling for 10 minutes increase to a medium heat. Keep stirring to ensure everything cooks evenly and doesn’t burn. Add more olive oil if necessary. Continue to cook for a further ten minutes.
Chop the four spring onions finely and add to the potato and bacon in the pan. Stir and turn off the heat whilst leaving the pan on the hob.
Check the salmon is cooked (should be light pink not dark pink). Cook for a further 5-10 minutes if not. If it is take it out and leave it on the side with the tin foil still covering the salmon.
Add half a bag of rocket (or just under) to each plate after washing.
Sieve the potatoes, bacon and spring onions and share between both plates.
Place the salmon on top and use the remaining oil from the tin foil packet round the sides of the rocket.
And there you have it. It should be easy to adjust the recipe for more than two people.
Inspiration:
The Heron’s Nest where I used to waitress (a long time ago)
Ingredients: 
