Spring Sunshine and Seafood

Well I'm back after a gorgeous few days down by the coast. Britain has been blessed with exceptionally good weather this weekend and it looks set to continue into Easter Monday.

I've eaten a lot of seafood, as I always do when I go down to the coast; clams, dressed crab, fish soup, langoustines. It's my big treat as Rob doesn't like shell fish. On Friday we brought some fresh live mussels (and a slab of tuna steak for Rob) back to the caravan and I cooked up the following dish.

Mussels with Garlic, Saffron and Linguini



Clean the mussels well, scrubbing off any barnacles and pulling out the ‘beards’, the threads that protrude from between the shells. The rule with mussels is simple – before cooking discard any that are open and don't close when you tap them, and after cooking discard any that remain closed. You should also throw away any that have broken or damaged shells.

Gently fry a chopped shallot and chopped garlic clove in a knob of butter for a few minutes. Turn the heat right up and add a pinch of saffron, the mussels and a glass of white wine, then put on a lid and cook until all the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels and reserve the liquid in the pan.

You can serve the mussels as they are with the broth in which they were cooked, but they are also fabulous with linguini. If you choose the linguini option rapidly simmer the mussel liquid to reduce it before pouring over the linguini and mussels. Be warned, this is messy to eat, but deliciously so.

Eating mussels in polite company can seem a little daunting for the first time when faced with a bowlful of broth and mussels in shells. But it’s easy when you know how. Break the shells apart and use the shell with the mussel still in it as a spoon to scoop up the broth.

Nearly Easter!

I'm getting quite excited about the Easter bank holiday weekend now, I'm really looking forward to the break. Rob and I will be going down to his parents holiday caravan for a few days so fingers crossed for good weather!

I'm also very much looking forward to the round-up of the Easter Cake Bake . The entries are coming in thick and fast with some fabulous cakes. There's still time to enter - you have until Easter Monday.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter.

Let’s Celebrate English Food

3 cheers for Sam at Becks & Posh, who is championing English food in her ‘Fish and Quips’ event in celebration of St George’s Day, England’s national day.

English food has had a hard time over the years and even we as a nation have considered it bland and boring, preferring more exotic cuisines. But I do think that may be changing. British television chefs and food writers are showcasing English food more than ever, and rightly so.

For my part in this great event I give you the traditional and homely ‘Toad in the Hole’.



Toad in the Hole

Ingredients
6-8 good quality sausages
150ml milk
150ml water
2 large eggs
125g plain flour
2 tablespoons beef dripping or other fat
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220c.

While the oven is heating up make batter by beating together the eggs, milk, water, flour and salt and pepper until smooth.

Next brown the sausages in a frying pan with a little olive oil. While the sausages are browning put about two tablespoons of beef dripping into a roasting tray, then put it into the oven until very hot. Note: beef dripping adds a fantastic taste but you could use lard or oil.

Once the sausages are browned remove the tray with the fat in it from the oven, add in the browned sausages and pour in the batter. Put the tray back in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes until the batter is risen, puffy and golden. Serve with Roasted Onion and Thyme Gravy.

Now that is good English food.

Warm Bacon and Scallop Salad

Bacon and scallops are fabulous together. The smokiness of the bacon compliments the sweetness of the tender scallops so well. I had this lunch in the garden yesterday with a glass of orange juice and the sun shining down, and it was just wonderful.



Fry some strips of bacon and then remove them from the pan. Sauté the scallops in the same pan with a little butter and a touch of seasoning just for about 30 seconds to a minute each side over a high heat. Remove them and lay them on a bed of salad leaves with the bacon.

Slosh a little white wine into the pan and stir while it reduces, scraping all the bacon bits with a wooden spoon. When the wine is syrupy drizzle it over the salad.