Cook Your Life

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

 

Melanzane alla Parmigiana & Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel

This is the second of my reivews for a couple of the amazing wines available here in grey old blighty all the way from sunny California.

Today I've paired the rich and spicy Lodi Zinfandel from Ravenswood with a hearty vegetarian Italian classic of smoky aubergines, garlicky tomato sauce and a mountain of gooey cheesy lushness!! This recipe is great by itself or as a side to some garlic and herb Roast Lamb Shoulder.

If you haven't visited yet and arn't sure about all this American hooch, then check out the Discover California Wine site, it will help explain all the many wonderful varietals and give you plenty of booze for thought when planning a trip to the 'home of the brave'.

If you're already at home with some of the heavier, spiced South African reds, then you will definately enjoy the tobacco infused intensely fruity Zinfandel, it goes perfectly well with the bonfire season. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 35m
Cooking Time - 1 hr
Beverage Suggestion -  Zinfandel

Ingredients

2x Aubergines, sliced into rounds
410g or 2 Cups Marzano Tomatoes (tinned), chopped
1x Red Onion, finely Chopped
2x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
250g or 2 Cups Mozzarella, sliced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
10g or 1/3 Cup Basil, chopped
1x Red Chilli, chopped and seeds removed
4 tbsp Red Wine
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
50g or 1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated1 tbsp Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste

 

Directions

1. Salt the aubergine rounds and leave for 30m
2. Rinse and dry the aubergine
3. Heat the griddle pan until it is smoking
4. Lightly oil each round, and griddle until marked
5. Set aside the aubergine
6. Fry the onion, garlic and chilli in the remaining oil until soft
7. De-glaze the pan with the red wine
8. Add the tomatoes, puree and basil
9. Stir in the aubergine
10. Season to taste
11. Layer the tomato mixture and mozzerella in the oven-proof dish
12. On the final layer of cheese, sprinkle over the parmesan
13. Bake at Gas Mark 5/375f/190c for around 30m until bubbling and golden on top

 

 

Puy Lentil Masala

If you've read any of my previous recipes you might be forgiven for thinking that ninety percent of my diet is Italian food. Okay, so maybe that's a little generous, but it's probably not far off.

One thing I don't eat very often is curry. Now, that's not because I dislike it, or have any major aversion to tumeric, but it is a cuisine that I've not yet (note the word 'yet') attempted to master.

That said, this weeks recipe is so easy, tasty and (sorry) vegetarian that I thought I'd share with you the one Indian dish I can cook with my eyes shut. Well, not literally, obviously...that would be stupid...and messy.

 

Puy Lentil Masala

Serves 2

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 30m
Beverage Suggestion -  Pale Ale

Ingredients

400g or 2 Cups Puy Lentils, cooked
1x Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ground Nut Oil
1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
3x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1x Green Chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
15g or 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Yoghurt
1/2 tsp (each) Tumeric, Garam Masala, Crushed Fenugreek Seeds and Ground Coriander
3 tbsp Tomato Puree
100ml or 1/2 Cup Water
Sea Salt to taste
10g or 1/3 Cup Coriander, finely chopped 

Directions

1. Fry the garlic, chilli, onion, ginger and cumin seeds in the nut oil for 5m
2. Add the puree and spices, cooking for a further 5m
3. Add the lentils, yoghurt and half of the water
4. Simmer for 20m, adding more water if required
5. Add the coriander and salt to taste

 

 

Butternut Squash Macchiato

The scent of smoky, fired meat on a BBQ, wrapped in the chill of quickly darkening evening, means Autumn is well and truly settled into its pipe and slippers for 2010.

This is my favourite time of year for food. Rich game meats, smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, cosying up to mugs of steaming chocolate topped with bourbon (oh, that could just be me!) and even more reason to spend my weekends over a hot stove all add up to a happy Fall.

Butternut Squash is an Orange Winter Squash, with a sweet pulp that can be roasted, pureed or even used as a sweet pie filling. Spicy fall flavours are it's best friends, and this soup is smooth and silky. The light froth made using salty ricotta cheese add a subtle tang and turn a humble veloute into a special dinner party indulgence.

Butternut Squash Macchiato

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 25m
Beverage Suggestion -  Californian Chardonnay

Ingredients

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
15g or 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to taste
100 ml or 1/3 Cup Double Cream
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1x Garlic Clove, finely chopped
500ml or 2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 tbsp Ricotta Cheese

Directions

1. Place the shallot, squash and garlic in a heavy bottomed pan with half the butter and olive oil
2. Fry gently for around 10m until the squash is soft
3. Add a splash of Stock, blend into a puree
4. Sieve
5. Add the rest of the stock, stir though
6. Simmer for 10m
7. In a seperate pan, mix the cream and cheese
8. Stir over a low heat with a little extra salt to taste for around 5m
9. Season the soup to taste
10. Pour the soup into bowls
11. Whisk the cream cheese mixture with a cappuccino frother/whisk until bubbles are produced
12. Spoon the froth over the soup to serve

Walnut & Black Olive Pesto

Today's recipe was borne of necessity..As Tyler Durden might say, I had a fridge full of condiments and no food! I'm rarely short of red wine, so I based my appetite on something that would work well with a glass (or four).

So, after scouring the kitchen and garden for vaguely edible items, I was able to find a bag of wholewheat penne, some garlic, a hunk of aged Parmesan, a grody red onion (totally fine once the first few layers were removed!) a handful of walnuts and a tin of black olives.

Baring in mind that the search had taken a glass full's worth of wine time, I needed to work fast on creating a dish to go with the rest of the Rioja. This led me to The Pesto Plan.

It's pretty much a given with me that if asked what I'd choose to eat in a rush, the answer would be Pesto. Simply stirred into steaming hot olive-oiled pasta there really is no comparison. The robust and earthy taste of this version also works beautifully slathered over hot seared chunks of moist lamb.

Walnut & Black Olive Pesto

Serves 2

Preparation Time - 10m
Cooking Time - 15m
Beverage Suggestion -  Rioja

Ingredients

30g or 1 Cup x Parmesan, finely grated
10g or 1/3 Cup Flat Parsley, stalks removed
10g or 1/3 Cup Basil, stalks removed
30g or 1/3 Cup Walnuts, toasted
25g or 1/4 Cup Black Olives
1/2 Small Red Onion, finely diced
1x Garlic Clove
4 tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Fry the onion in 1 tbsp of olive oil, until soft & caramelised. Allow to cool
2. Place all the ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor
3. Pulse until all ingredients are combined (Scraping down the sides where required)
4. Add additional olive oil if the mixture is too dry
5. Add Black Pepper to taste
6. Remove from bowl and serve

Ricotta Gnocchi

I've moved! If you're a regular visitor to this blog, you'll notice some big changes! 

Following my amazing adventure at the 2010 Food Blogger Connect event earlier this year, I was inspired by my fantastic fellow foodies to update my blog to make it a more friendly social place to visit.

This has been a mammoth task and I hope the changes inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook your own life!

Today's recipe is a far cry from the spongey insipid varieties available in the supermarket. My version is easy to prepare in advance and fried in herb butter until the outside is golden and the centre is full of delicate cheesy love.

 

Ricotta Gnocchi

  

Serves 4

Preparation Time - 40m
Cooking Time - 8m
Beverage Suggestion -  Sauvignon Blanc

Ingredients

 

250g or 1 Cup Ricotta

1x Egg, lightly beaten

50g or 1/2 Cup Parmesan, grated

1 tbsp Parmesan, grated (to serve)

80g or 3/4 Cup ’00’ Flour

1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt

15g or 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter 

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1x Sprig Rosemary

1x Garlic Clove, peeled

 Directions

 

1. Mix the egg with the cheese

2. Add the dry ingredients

3. Gently mix and knead to create a light spongy dough

4. Place the dough on a floured surface & gently roll into sausage shapes with your (floured) hands

5. Cut into rectangles and indent the centre, so they look like little pillows

6. Chill until required (minimum 30m)

7. Fry the gnocchi in the butter and oil with the garlic and rosemary

8. When golden on one side, turn

9. Once cooked on both sides, remove from the heat

10. Serve with the butter mixture from the pan and sprinkles of parmesan

 

Melting Camembert

I have a confession to make...

I harbour a secret crush on all things 80s. (Tiffany and leggings not included) 
This retro-romance started with Steve Guttenberg, as Mahoney in Police Academy when I was in my teens (oh alright, so 20 years later, I still think he’s cute) and lives on in my love of Hair rock and movies like Roadhouse, The Lost Boys, The Breakfast Club and Die Hard.
Inspired by mullets, hairspray, shoulder pads and spandex I created a reassuringly retro starter of Melting Camembert, This artery busting melting pot of goodness is best served with some Easy Garlic Bread to dip, a large glass of Bordeaux, and a side salad of Motley Crue. 

Melting Camembert

Serves 2
Preparation TIme - 5m
Cooking Time - 5m
Beverage Suggestion - Bordeaux

Ingredients

1x Camembert Du Normandy (in wooden box)

1x Sprig Thyme, leaves removed

1 tbsp Port or Red Wine

1x Garlic Clove, finely sliced

1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Directions

1. Slice the cheese horizontally, remove plastic, and place one piece in the lid, and the other in the base of the box

2. Wrap some foil around the bases of each half

3. Peirce the open top of the cheese with a knive

4. Insert the garlic, and thryme

5. Drizzle on the port/wine allowing it to sink into the holes

6. Sprinkle over the pepper

7. Cook in a Make little holes with the knife in the top of the cheese

8. Place in a pre-heated oven, Gas Mark 5/375f/190c for 5m, or until the cheese looks molten in the middle