Cook Your Life

I'm Back!

So, after a prolonged absence living in the land of the luddites, I'm back!

I'm not going to give you any excuses about....no internet for months, or that I've moved, or started a new job, or had some truly major life changes (all of which are true!) but instead mention a few of the exciting new posts I plan on bringing you.

A Field Guide to Cocktails Book Review: This book is seriously addictive, fun reading and guaranteedto get your party swinging (although, not in that icky 'keys in a bowl' 70s way!)

Discover Californian Wine: A post on pairing the beautiful amber nectar that is Californian Organic Chardonnay.

Spring Has Sprung: A seasonal menu showcasing the best products to use right now.

So, once again, my apolgies for the recent lack of inspiration, but rest assured, as Arnie once said..

"I'll be back"

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

Tumbleweed....yep, I'm sure you've seen some rolling by during my conspicuous absence over the last month or so.

I've recently taken a dip in the 'Warm impermanence' that David Bowie once sang about and found I can just about tread water...things are changing here at Casa de Rachel!

I daresay over the next few weeks you might notice some more tumbleweed, eerie silences and a creaking emptiness whilst I get set up and have the intermiable wait for my broadband to be set up before I start posting from my new life.

I promise to jump back into the kitchen and blog with both feet once settled, and look forward to lighting up my stove for the first time in my new pad.

Wish me luck!

Borlotti Bean & Pancetta Soup

January = Borasic, broke, pot-less, skint, penniless, strapped.

Unless you're lucky enough to be carrying a black Am-ex in your back pocket, most of us spend the first month of the year eking out store-cupboard leftovers and searching out value products in the supermarkets.

The upside of this enforced poverty is that we can feel safe in the knowledge that the almost universal resolution of exorcising our over-indulged holiday appetite is helped along by only being able to afford vegetables.

Being a little warped, I find a perverse enjoyment in serving up dishes that cost very little and taste like they were paid for using the black Am-ex I mentioned earlier.

This soup recipe is luxurious, comforting and above all cheap. To get really silky smooth results, you can pass the liquid though a sieve before serving.

 

Borlotti Bean & Pancetta Soup

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 30m
Beverage Suggestion -  Chablis

Ingredients

400g or 5 Cups Borlotti Beans, pre-cooked
150g or 1.5 Cups Pancetta, diced
10g or 1/3 Cup Sage, finely chopped
10g or 1/3 Cup Flat Leaf Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 litre or 2 Cups Chicken Stock
1x Carrot, finely chopped
1x Celery Stick, finely chopped
1x Garlic Clove, finely Chopped
1/2 Leek , finely chopped
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
*Optional*1 tsp Balsamic Truffle Oil for drizzling (optional)
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste

Directions

1. Fry the bacon and vegetables in the oil until soft
2. Add the beans, stock and herbs
3. bring to the boil and simmer for 20m
4. Blend, and pass through a sieve
5. Season to taste
6. Serve, drizzled with the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic truffle oil (if using)

Happy New Year!!

Welcome to the year 2011.

Who'd have thought it! Back in the days of Glen A Larson's Buck Rogers; When even 1987 seemed like a million years away, I never expected to see the future Jetson-like world of 2011.

We are here though, in a world of communication and tasting opportunities I never imagined possible.

And although my bloody Mattel Hoverboard seems to have gotten mislaid in the post, I'm confident that we will see more leaps of tech fiction (proof in point that this is being typed on my iPad) and foodie fantasies come to life.

Writing this emerged from from my alcohol and gourmet-induced holiday coma I feel transformed and suddenly able to realise my dreams of becoming a bona-fide writer!

Yep, this year I intend to get off my procrastinated behind and set my life in motion, feel free to join me on my journey..

 

...... I might even give you a go on my Hoverboard when it arrives.

 

Ready Steady Chevre

Cheese.

I am what you could call a Turophile.

For me, cheese in any guise (aside from BabyBel and Cheese Strings; I do draw the line at something that's had more plastic surgery than the Bride of Wildenstein) is one of my favourite things to eat.

Seriously, if someone told me I might never again eat chocolate...I'd respond with a shoulder shrugging 'meh!'....someone tells me no more cheese, they would not survive.

 

I was therefore very happy to attend an event at the Divertmenti Cookery School in London (held by Sopexa and French Goats Cheese) called 'Ready Steady Chevre'.

 

The event was designed to champion French Goats Cheese and I was asked to be participate in a competition a la Ready Steady Cook.

On arrival I was greeted by the organisers and the lovely Sophie Wright who stands as the 'Easy Cheesy Chevre Ambassador'.

Following a miasmic and delectable tutored tasting hosted by Patricia Michelson  (La Fromagerie) I got down to the cookery challenge!

My opponent was the beautiful and talented Anne of Anne's Kitchen blog..I had my work cut out for me!

We were shown a secret bag of ingredients and had a small 'larder' of extras...and then after securing a helper each (I was lucky enough to work with Tracey from International Foodie fame...thank-you again Tracey!!) we had thirty minutes to create and cook two dishes using our ingredients and two types of Goats Cheese.

After some frantic, messy and made-up on the spot cooking, I produced Mediterranean Haddock on Warm Salsa, topped with Sun-Blush Marinated Goat Cheese and my (and the audience's!) favourite; Goat Cheese Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Toasted Pine Nuts.

The audience tried all of our dishes, voted and......................I won!!

 

That night I carted back sackfuls of hard-won Goats Cheese (ensuring a wide berth on the train) and crept into bed with a huge cheesy grin.

 

National Curry Week & Cobra Lager

Curry and beer are on most of Britain's favourite food list.  In commemoration of this national obsession, the mouth-watering beer company 'Cobra' have partnered up with National Curry Week 2010.(Which runs from 21^st – 27^th November)

For our delectation they have created ten new recipes pairing UK dishes, with well known Indian herbs & spices.

"The ten new delicious recipes – including ‘Devonshire cream chai’, a spice-infused take on the teatime classic served with chilli jam; ‘ha-ghee-s’, traditional haggis served with curry sauce; and ‘pie, madras & liquor’, an Eastern twist on the East end favourite –will be sold in participating regional Indian restaurants across the country throughout Cobra National Curry Week 2010, 200 years on since the very first curry house opened in Britain in 1810.

For those wanting to eat more traditional dishes, Cobra has also teamed up with 500 restaurants across Britain to offer a two for one promotion on main meals from Monday 21^st November to Thursday 25^th November with the purchase of Cobra Beer.

Log onto www.cobrabeer.com or www.facebook.com/welovecurry for details of the nearest participating curry house as well as the recipes and details of the curry houses selling the special dishes during National Curry Week."

 

I urge you to run down to your nearest Curry house and take advantage of a fun week of Indian Food and great beer that celebrate our diverse and spicy culture.

Leon: Naturally Fast Food Book 2 Review

 

I was recently sent a new book to review Leon: Naturally Fast Food Book 2.

Being somewhat sceptical of books that triumph the concept of 'Fast Food' I was really surprised to discover really fun and imaginative recipes.

It may seem very middle-class-London-fake-hippy when you first pick it up, but delve a little deeper and you'll find a book brimming with ideas that will keep everyone in the family happy; from moody teens to grumpy grannies this book really does have it all.

 

The publishers have done a great job at keeping the feel of the restaurant. The writing is warm, and funny, and you feel that the people putting the book together feel like a family.

It's set out like a colourful scrapbook that's jam-packed with secret tips and little asides that make you all warm and gooey inside (rather like their Caramelized Pear Flambe with quick real custard)

The book is split into lots of sections that include; Quick Suppers & Lunches, Puddings, Slow Cooks & Stews, Preserved Flavours.

All the recipes are simply explained and strikingly laid out, begging you run in the kitchen and get cooking, some of my favourites were 'Roast Carrots & Fennel in Parmesan Breadcrumbs', 'Chimichurri Sauce' and 'OT's Hot Cheese:Egyptian Gibna'.

The recipe that dragged me to the oven first was 'Sally Dolton's Museli Bars'. Much to my husbands disgust I am big fan of rabbit food muesli, and these moist treacly morsels were not only virtuous, but they tasted divine.

The directions were really simple, and the ingredients cost a fraction that a box of dusty, preservative-packed shelf-bought bars would have.

Overall I would heartily recommended picking up a copy of this book to stick in the stocking of someone you love...in return they can repay you with oodles of scrumptious, happy comfort food!

 

Pear & Ginger Smoothie

Hangovers suck.

This is a fact we all know, understand, and if you're anything like some 80 percent of the adult world..completely ignore.

Although I spend a huge amount of time devoting myself to the pursuit of physical fitness, I somehow fail to curb my intake of wine with dinner....don't get me wrong, I'm not talking Keith Richards levels or anything, but definitely a glass or two over what's recommended. I can't seem to help myself depsite the fact that I will feel pretty gloopy in the morning.

As you can imagine, this penchant for booze makes my Sunday morning Boxercise pretty tough going. To help counteract the sauvignon blanc coursing through my veins, I decided to mix up a detox style smoothie to drink before lacing up my boxing gloves.

Having recently been sent some Activia Pouring Yogurt, by the lovey folk at Danone, I had a ready-made base with which to add some Vitamin C loaded pears, crystallized ginger, honey and cinnamon. The result was super smooth and ensured I was able to punch my way through a punishing workout routine.

 

Pear & Ginger Smoothie

Makes 2 large glasses

Preparation Time - 5m
Cooking Time - 0
Beverage Suggestion - 

Ingredients

300ml Pouring Yogurt

100ml Semi Skimmed Milk

2 tsp Honey

1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 tsp Crystallized Ginger

3 Pears, peeled, cored and chopped

 

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender

2. Blend until smooth

3. Pour into glasses

 

Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

Ice Cold Rain, dark, dank afternoons and howling wind...November is a fantastic excuse to fill the house with scents of Autumn.

Spicy cinnamon, crackling pork, garlic-laden pasta sauces, roasting nuts, all these things make walking through the front door soaked to the skin and shivering easier to bear.

As you might have gathered from the recipes listed on this site, I don't really have much of a sweet tooth...flesh-ripping incisors maybe, but fairy cake nibblers not so much. I do however like the odd biscuit to go with my dose of afternoon caffeine (Which I like to make all the more Autumnal by sipping with a side of bourbon).

In an effort to do my bit for November's Peanut Butter Lovers Month (where do they get these ideas from!?!) I was inspired to bake a batch of legume based treats.

This recipe is a traditional American dough mix made using whole nut butter (a nod to my inner health freak) and an extra kick of salty-goodness. Yep, the 1/2 tsp of sea salt in these golden little patties provides a moreish tang that lifts them well above your average smart cookie.

 

Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes around 30 biscuits

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 15m
Beverage Suggestion -  Coffee (Side of Jack Daniels optional*)

Ingredients

130g or 1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature
50g or 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
50g or 1/2 Cup Caster Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
200g or 1 Cup Wholenut Crunchy Peanut Butter (No Added Sugar)
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
3x Baking trays

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/350F/180C
2. Mix the sugars and butter in a mixer (using the rubber paddle attachment) until creamed
3. Add the egg and vanilla, mix
4. Add the peanut butter, flour, salt and baking powder and mix until evenly distributed and a ball of cookie dough has formed
5. Pinch of balls, and squish into fat little coins, placing around 12 on each baking tray
6. Cook for around 12m until slightly golden at the edges (swapping the trays around during cooking to give an even distribution of heat)
7. Allow to cool

 

Happy Birthday to Me!

I thought I'd write a quick post to let you all know that despite reports to the contrary I'm still alive and cooking!

This past weekend saw me celebrating my birthday with aplomb!

I was inundated with gifts from those I love; Skulls in all shapes, sizes and guises (a strange penchant of mine) Giant bottles of Jaegermeister (thanks Tommy Lee for fuelling my new favourite dirty tipple) and Zombie Survival information (Remember the need for Cardio folks!) to name but a smattering.

Dinner was cooked for me and I ate like a queen...Cote de Beouf, Game Pie, Chocolate fondant..my waistline has surely grown a few inches to accommodate all the deliciousness!

I very much to forward to getting back in the kitchen shaped saddle and inspiring you to do the same..until then, I'm off to work off my red meat and alcohol over-indulgence with some hardcore exercise!