tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63109750734366435092024-02-22T21:27:58.952+00:00Scoff in the cityLondon girl's musings on food, plus recipes (mostly healthy, usually veggie)Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-88802960697236693482016-06-27T09:17:00.003+01:002016-06-27T09:18:28.763+01:00Moving house, a dog-eared recipe folder, and how do you store recipes?I'm preparing to move house. There are boxes everywhere. As part of this process, I'm sorting through a folder of recipes, mostly clipped from magazines. There are hundreds of recipes here, going back 15 years or more. Some of them are on newsprint that is beginning to turn yellow.
There are some I've now made so many times I no longer need a recipe, and others that I've yet to make. The best Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-12896700720089945712016-06-24T13:36:00.000+01:002016-06-24T13:40:05.072+01:00The last asparagus dish - griddled asparagus with roasted vegetables and pasta So here we are. Late June already. When I bought two bunches of asparagus at the farmers' market this morning, he told me this was the last crop of the year. I wasn't surprised by this news, but it's still a little sad.
So I decided to make something new. Asparagus griddled to bring out its smoky notes, set against sweet roasted peppers and tomatoes, and some olives for a salty hit. I served it Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-6520629969962862012016-05-20T22:06:00.005+01:002016-05-22T09:55:23.524+01:00The 7 best healthy asparagus recipesI love asparagus. Now that the English asparagus season has started I'll be eating it as often as possible until the end of the season in late June.
Trouble is, a lot of the classic ways to eat asparagus involve lashings of butter or hollandaise sauce (still basically butter, made even more delicious). Or cheese. Or cheese and pastry (eg asparagus quiche or tartlets). All of which doesn't bear Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-34605332387308741972016-05-15T21:24:00.000+01:002016-05-15T21:26:33.508+01:00Asparagus, ricotta and toastSometimes you just can't beat toast. Quick, easy, and with the right toppings (whether it's just good butter or something fancier) downright delicious. Oh, and it's a great way to give a new lease of life to bread that's gone slightly stale.
New season English asparagus doesn't need too much to make it a delicious meal. Here I've griddled it to seal in all the flavour, then perched it on top of Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-17257545912541553612016-05-08T22:22:00.001+01:002016-05-08T22:24:08.473+01:00Tagliatelle with asparagus and mushroomsSpaghetti carbonara is a classic dish, but what if you want a dish that is vegetarian and fairly healthy? Clearly the answer is not carbonara. This dish though, is maybe the next best thing. The mushrooms give it loads of flavour, then you have the luxury of the new season asparagus.
Although there are plenty of variants that include cream, the classic version of carbonara is made just with Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-29661510471529176162016-04-24T11:06:00.003+01:002016-05-07T20:40:09.854+01:00Eggs baked in garlic riceMy second wild garlic dish of this spring is a variation of a dish I've previously made with spinach. It's got plenty of big flavours, so the punchy wild garlic works a treat. But not to worry if you don't have wild garlic - just use spinach plus a few garlic cloves.
It's not necessarily the most beautiful dish, but the taste more than makes up for it - good cheesy, starchy comfort food with allSarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-80329186232897656732016-04-12T22:01:00.001+01:002016-04-12T22:01:30.340+01:00Spiced lentils, kohlrabi and wild garlicHurray for wild garlic season again. It's with us for just a few short weeks (during which time I am quite likely to smell of garlic). Then it's gone for another year, to be followed by the British asparagus season, and I'll know that summer really is on the way.
It took me less than five minutes to gather half a carrier bag full of wild garlic in the Surrey hills last week. Some of it made its Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-49499098901178650722016-04-04T19:00:00.000+01:002016-04-06T22:10:45.444+01:00Root vegetable tagineRoot vegetables might not be the most exciting things to have in the fridge, but with a bit of encouragement they can be as delicious as the most exotic ingredients. I like to roast them to bring out the sweetness, then add layers of flavour with spices, herbs and harissa paste.
The word tagine has come to apply to a wide variety of dishes, as long as they're looked in one pot, with vaguely Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-85851215145242177212016-03-30T21:27:00.002+01:002016-03-30T21:39:50.628+01:00Charred broccoli, lentils and beetrootCharred food seems to be all the rage right now. Charred (you might say burnt if you were being less pretentious) vegetables in particular are something that I'd barely encountered, at least outside of barbecues, until recently. Whether the trend began as an error by an inattentive chef (a bit like the legend of the origin of tarte tatin), I couldn't say. In any case, aubergines and peppers Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-41953823030218766402016-03-15T21:24:00.000+00:002016-03-15T21:35:35.879+00:00Broccoli and cauliflower with tomatoes and cheese Broccoli and cauliflower - humble veg that get a star billing in this dish, with delicious results.
Cooking the vegetables in the tomato sauce means they soak up some of
the flavours. The olives and the cheesy topping also helps to make them
moreish rather than virtuous. In fact I like to think of it as the lovechild of pizza and cauliflower cheese, but with more veggies and less fat, so you Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-84905273550312758992016-02-27T19:41:00.005+00:002016-02-27T19:41:53.330+00:00Salty and sweet: pear and blue cheese pizzaI admit, when I first saw the word "pear" in close proximity to "pizza" I was sceptical. Fruit? Really? (I know there's a school of thought that says pineapple is an acceptable pizza topping, but I think I left that school about 20 years ago.)
But actually the sweetness of the pear is perfect with the salty blue cheese. I'm often a fan of the classic tomato sauce on pizza, but the slowly cooked Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-30346528218657792692016-02-22T21:56:00.002+00:002016-02-23T12:44:15.443+00:00Winter pilaff with red onions, leeks and olivesThis dish was born from some huge red onions I picked up at the farmers market yesterday. Almost the size of swedes and with glossy purple skins, they were the stand-out buy on the vegetable stall, not to mention being cheap as chips (actually much cheaper, gram for gram).
Then there were the leeks that were lingering in the fridge, waiting to be used up. Both leeks and onions are faithful Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-24781359572673177552016-02-07T21:42:00.002+00:002016-02-07T21:42:25.871+00:00Savoury bread and butter pudding"Bread and butter pudding? Surely that's a dessert?" I hear you cry.
It can be a delicious main course too. It's still a great way of using up stale bread, plus any odds and ends of cheese you have lying round. Despite the name of the dish, I skip the butter to keep the fat content down, especially as I'm using cheese too.
The recipe is almost infinitely adaptable - try different cheeses, leaveSarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-19657920007855022692016-01-17T16:30:00.004+00:002016-01-17T16:30:50.034+00:00Black bean soupI love all kinds of beans and lentils, but black beans aren't a variety I've cooked with too often.
I've used the canned kind in chilli in the distant past, but generally kidney beans are my go-to variety for a chilli (sometimes with chick peas too). Cannelini beans or other creamy white beans are what I turn to for dips and Italian-inspired dishes such as stews and soups. And then chick peas Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-17793212548641472212016-01-13T22:56:00.000+00:002016-01-17T15:49:08.856+00:00Chick peas with leeks, squash and broccoliAnother healthy yet deeply satisfying salad. This one has all the vegetable goodness of broccoli, leeks and squash, protein from the chick peas, and then a flavour hit plus good fats from the almond and red pepper pesto. It's great for packed lunches, too.
Ingredients
Makes 4-6 portions
3 leeks
1 small to medium butternut squash
2 tsp olive oil
1 small to medium head of broccoli
2 bell Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-5004442167644983322015-12-29T17:54:00.000+00:002015-12-29T17:54:11.163+00:00Salad of leeks, potatoes and pear with blue cheeseSo Christmas has come and gone again. If you're anything like me, this means you'll have some odds and ends of Stilton or other blue cheeses hanging around. You could use them up in this substantial salad, which also happens to be about the healthiest way I can think of to use up blue cheese.
I take the view that a salad doesn't qualify as a main meal unless it's really substantial, and Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-26136396449234631352015-12-26T18:07:00.000+00:002015-12-26T18:07:02.747+00:00Deep purple saladI sometimes have mixed feelings about red cabbage - especially when it's over-spiced and served as a side dish that obliterates every other flavour on your plate. Instead, here's a quick, light red cabbage dish that also happens to work well with leftover Christmas turkey, ham, pork pie or cheese - or just for when you want something lighter if you've eaten a bit too much over Christmas and New Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-89493369376025491462015-11-09T22:22:00.001+00:002015-11-09T22:24:16.074+00:00Ode to aubergines Aubergines seem to be my vegetable of the moment. Maybe it's the generous plumpness, the glossy purple-black skins. Or it could be the way that cooked well, they almost collapse into a velvety softness.
But I think it's the fact that they absorb other flavours so obligingly, whilst having just enough flavour of their own. I particularly like them with spices, and / or paired with a rich tomato Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-50330743151121013212015-10-25T21:47:00.000+00:002015-10-25T21:47:11.490+00:00The 5 best green tomato recipesIt's the time of year when anyone who grows tomatoes might have some green ones left on the plant, with no chance now of ripening. So I thought I'd put my favourite recipes in one place for anyone wondering what to do with green tomatoes. And not a jar of chutney in sight...
1. Green tomato and lentil curry
Filling, warming and spicy - with amazing depth of flavour, considering that Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-42268727225160360372015-10-15T22:37:00.002+01:002015-10-15T22:37:20.479+01:00Green tomato and lentil curryHere's a recipe for anyone who has unripe green tomatoes left on their tomato plants, and doesn't fancy making chutney.
And if you don't have green tomatoes, it's just as good with red ones. Or you could swap the tomatoes for spinach, or cauliflower, or whatever vegetable takes your fancy.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1in root ginger, finely Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-84645580569411077802015-10-10T21:21:00.001+01:002015-10-10T21:21:27.842+01:00Spanish vegetable stewHere's another autumn dish - filling and delicious, but with a few flavours of summer in there. And it's packed with vegetables. Aubergines seem to be cheap and abundant at the moment, and this is one of my favourite ways to use them. The other good thing about this dish is that it doesn't require much preparation, just a bit of time in the oven while you get on with something else.
This is Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-49609667577806519352015-10-04T21:30:00.000+01:002015-10-04T21:30:57.942+01:00Easy salad for autumnAutumn is here and sunshine becomes a precious commodity. I'm eating tomatoes while they still taste of something, but I'm all to aware that this won't be the case for much longer. Savoy cabbages are in all the shops - my favourite type of cabbage, with their crinkly leaves and a flavour that manages to be well-developed without any bitterness.
I had not used Savoy cabbage in a salad Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-25509478106550712972015-09-20T11:36:00.000+01:002015-09-20T11:36:40.658+01:00Spiced runner beans and lentilsRunner beans feel like the most English of vegetables, more often found in gardens or allotments than in the shops. I don't often buy them - they can be hard to find in the shops - but I was happy to get these from a friend's vegetable garden.
Then I went down a not-very-English route, with warm spices, red lentils for body and a tin of tomatoes for extra depth.
If you don't have runner Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-76665330715526543012015-09-10T22:11:00.001+01:002015-09-12T19:43:32.219+01:00Salad of roasted tomatoes and rocketSummer is fast disappearing, so I'm enjoying tomatoes while I can - they never taste the same when they haven't had the benefit of sunshine to ripen them. I find peppers to be more consistent year-round, but they still feel like a late-summer ingredient. So here's an easy salad that just needs a bit of time in the oven to draw out the sweetness and emphasise the flavour of the vegetables. Then Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6310975073436643509.post-75012967879124104262015-08-23T21:35:00.001+01:002015-08-24T21:53:58.729+01:00Wheat berries paella-styleI've tried a new ingredient this week - wheat berries. Or perhaps not that new, because this is simply whole wheat, an ingredient I eat in different forms most days in things like bread, pasta, bulghur wheat and so on. I bought the wheat berries from my local Turkish shop, where it was labelled as "Natural wheat". It took me a while to discover that this was the same thing as wheat berries Sarah Brealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07095913194941597594noreply@blogger.com0