mwnch

Blinking heck, it’s been a while since I’ve been here… it’s nice to be back! Been spending too much time messing around elsewhere…

I managed to grow a couple of pumpkins this year and the obvious thing for me to do with them was to make soup – especially as Guy Fawkes night was coming up. So here, in its gloriously emancipated vagueness (no two pumpkins are created equal, therefore no quantities) is my pumpkin soup recipe…

From Barn Conversion 2010

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One of my favourite spring-time bonuses is here at last – asparagus…

Over the last few years I’ve waited for the first spiky green fingers to appear in the green-grocers every spring. Over this time I’ve developed a simple approach to preparing and eating them.

To cook, there are a number of equally good options:

I have an asparagus kettle, which is a tall thin lidded metal saucepan that allows you to place them top-up in boiling water so they cook from the bottom up. Quick and easy, simply boil for 4-5 minutes. This can be done equally as easily in a normal saucepan.

Alternatively and a great outdoor option, a dash of olive oil and a few minutes on a griddle pan or barbeque provides the extra flavour and attractiveness of char-grilling.

Finally, toss in olive oil and sea-salt and place on a tray in a hot oven for ten minutes.

To serve, there are a number of options I favour:

Best of all ~ Season with sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar and finish with shavings of parmesan cheese.

Alternatively, a hollandaise sauce or simply melting knobs of butter are delicious.

[Note for UK readers] Although imported asparagus is available all year round, please, please use UK grown asparagus in season – it’s the best you’ll get and is free from concerns over food-miles, sustainability and eco-friendliness.

I love Caribbean food, its spirit and its spices. (I love the Caribbean as a whole, but that’s another story – never leave me alone with a bottle of rum.)
A favourite ingredient and one that starts to cover the massive hole in my knowledge of this cusine, is everyday seasoning. A blend of: Paprika, coriander, chilli, garlic and celery.

I use Dunns River Caribbean Everyday Seasoning. Great on fish and meat as a dry coating prior to frying or grilling or as an addition to a marinade.

As much as I rattle on about fresh, organic, seasonal, local…. there are times when washing, peeling and chopping is just a bore.

For those times, I’ve found a great way to save time, without cutting too many corners is to use ‘very lazy’ chillies and garlic (there are others available that I haven’t tried yet). The content of the jars are preprepared and finely chopped, just add to your cooking straight from the jar and avoid the wash/peel/chop yawn.

They are preserved in white wine vinegar and so last a long time, just be careful that the vinegar doesn’t add a tang to your dish – I wouldn’t use on uncooked dishes.

Available in all good supermarkets (probably!)