Farewell January

This weekend has been one of little work and much needed relaxation. While I ought to feel guilty for not accomplishing the extensive list of things I had to do... I don't. Saturday Tom and I went for a really beautiful walk through the country side and Sunday I made a hearty beef stew.

Now, I seem to have found a passion for the Hairy Bikers' array of recipes. The fact that I'm almost attempting to recreate everything they've made makes me feel like I'm recreating Julie&Julia (the film or book)- except hopefully not in the exact way. I don't feel manly, hairy, or an urge to jump on a harley in order to recreate their culinary creations.

This explanation has a point... the beef stew I made last night was a recipe taken from the BBC Hairy Bikers' collection. Now, I didn't ever think I had a particular soft spot for beef stew. But, as a change from tradition I bought steak in the tesco 3-for-10 deal and had no idea what to do with it! So, stew it was. After having experienced the smell that consumes the kitchen while it cooks and the taste of a slow simmered beefy stew I have to confess a soft spot has grown. Both the recipes I have tried by them have tasted like comfort. I imagine sitting inside a really cozy room with a fire on a cold winter day- perfect for English winter weather (or all year round really...)

This was an extremely easy (dairy and gluten-free) recipe that allowed me to just chop things up, throw them in a pot, and get back to the work that needed to be done. It was a wonderful end to the weekend.

Ingredients:
30g/1oz gluten-free flour
450g/1lb braising steak- cut into cubes
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion- chopped
2 carrots- chopped
2 leeks- chopped
1/2 medium swede, chopped (Have fun cutting it. It's so hard!)
1 tablespoon honey
550ml/1 pint beef stock
2 large potatoes- cut into chunks
splash of white wine (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Place the flour in a freezer bag and add the cubes of meat. shake well to coat the meat.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the meat on all sides
3. Remove meat and set aside. Fry the onion in the same pan you used for the meat, adding more oil if you need it. Once the onions are browned add the carrots, leeks, turnips, honey and beef stock and return the met to the pan.
4. Cover and let simmer over very low heat for at least two hours.
5. About 30 minutes before serving add the potato and season to taste with salt and pepper.


This coming month is spilling over with birthdays so I will be including some cooking related gift ideas soon soon soon. Wishing you a happy farewell to January. The first month of the new year is nearly behind us. Bring on spring!

Lots of love and bon appetit. 

Malik comes for dinner...

After a long week, Friday was finally here! I think I can safely say one of the best feelings there is is the one you have when you realize you have two glorious days of weekend ahead. Having turned in my essay in the morning I took the rest of Friday off to go to my favorite cafe (mentioned in my last post) and nap! Then came cooking time... I probably should have started a tiny bit earlier but, it took about 2.5 hours to make a three course meal. I don't know if that's good or not but I was proud. My friend Malik arrived at 8:00 and the evening proceeded with good food, good wine and good company (and a lot of Beyonce).

We started with mushroom, spinach and goat cheese crepes

 

Our main was a rice pilaf with meatballs

And the dessert

(the most popular of the evening)

was carrot cake with orange marmalade, coconut, and vanilla frosting

 Mushroom, spinach and goat cheese crepes 

(makes 6)

For the crepes:

1 cup gluten-free flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup goat/soy/rice milk

1/2 water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dairy-free butter- melted

For the filling:

Spinach (fresh or frozen)

Goat cheese (your favorite kind. I use St. Helen's)

4 mushrooms- chopped 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix crepe ingredients in bowl until smooth. heat a lightly oiled/buttered griddle or frying pan at medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan and tilt to spread evenly. Let each cook until lightly browned and set aside.

2. While, or after, your crepes are in the cooking process- boil/steam spinach (amount based on preference- I used four cubes of frozen spinach) and in seperate pan cook mushrooms in oil. Drain both.

3. Mix cooked spinach, mushroom and goat cheese (again amount based on taste) until a creamy-like texture. 

4. Lightly spread the mixture around the entire crepe and roll. Ready to serve! 

Rice Pilaf and Meatballs

(serves 4-6)

For rice pilaf:

6 tablespoons dairy-free butter

1 cup rice

1.5 cups finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf- crumpled

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cumin 

1/2 cup raisins/sultanas

1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds

2 cups chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 190c. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in rice over low heat until grains glisten. Add the onion and cook until soft.

2. Put the mixture into a 1.5-quart casserole dish. Add the salt, bay leaf, cinnamon, almonds and raisons. 

3. Heat the broth to boil and mix with all other ingredients. Cover and back for 45 minutes.

For meatballs:

500kg ground beef 

1 egg

salt to taste

pepper to taste

thyme to taste

1. Mix ingredients in large bowl and form into medium sized meatballs. 

2. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat.

3. Fry until cooked through- set aside. 

                                  Carrot cake with orange marmalade, coconut, and vanilla frosting

                                                                   (inspired by BBC Food)

For the cake:

150 ml sunflower oil

100g/4oz soft light brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

75g/3oz golden syrup

175g/6oz Gluten-Free flour (I used Doves) 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1.5 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

200g/7oz grated carrots

75g/3oz sultanas

25g/1oz desiccated coconut

For the topping:

1 tub of Betty Crocker Vanilla icing (I will explain my cheating)

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut 

a pinch of cinnamon 

1. Preheat oven to 160c and grease a 18cm/7in round or square baking tin 

2. In a large bowl mix together the oil, sugar, eggs and golden syrup until completely combined. Mix the rest of the cake ingredients and pour into the prepared tin.

3. Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes until nicely risen. Insert a skewer/knife through center to check- if it comes out clean then the cake is ready! Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then take out to cool completely.

4. While cooling make the topping. Now, the recipe I was following called for cream cheese but that simply can not be in my dairy-free world SO I chose to use Betty Crocker (yes pre-made) vanilla icing as it was the only thing I could think of with the same consistency as cream cheese. 

5. Mix all the topping ingredients in a bowl and spread on cooled cake. 

6. Ready to serve and eat up! 

Lots and love and bon appetit!

Cafe Continental

If you ever find yourself in Durham, UK go to Cafe Continental! Of all the Durham cafes I have been to over the past three years this is by far the most allergy friendly one- as well as scrumptiously delicious. They are more than happy to change the food to suit your allergies and, as soon as they realize you are allergic to something they feel the need to inform you about everything that's available. While I usually apologize for being such a difficult eater, at this cafe I feel like they almost prefer me! It's a great place to go when needing a bit of a boost- which happens alot in you last year of university.

Tonight is the night for cooking... so keep posted for a long update with delicious food and pictures. I've invited a friend to dine with me and I'm sure he'll request to make a sly appearance in the photos so keep your eyes open for that little surprise. 

Lots of love and bon appetit.

Exciting News!

Apologies for my lack of cooking this past week. I have an essay deadline on Friday and have been struggling to get it done. As a reward for turning it in I have planned to spend all day Friday cooking so, there will be plenty to see and read then! My free time has consisted of searching for delicious recipes to try. I'm going to make a nice breakfast and dinner (with starters, main, and desert. YUM!)

While I have no new culinary adventures to share today I have just been e-mailed by a friend with some very exciting news. There is a cookbook, yes an entire marvelous cookbook, dedicated to those who can not eat gluten or dairy (The book on the left- incase it's not obvious). Now, I don't know how long the "Intolerant Gourmet", as she calls herself, has existed but I thank her, praise her even. I'm so excited to try some of her recipes. I know my excitement may be a bit overdone but, do keep in mind that I've been in my room writing an essay for about 2 weeks.

I hope that I've shed some new light on your allergy cooking experience with this new find.

Two things I now know to be true:
1: people really do write about everything
2: writing essays still sucks

Lots of love and bon appetit my cooking friends.

Chicken Pot Pie

After a week of working on a social policy essay I was in need of a nice break so, I took a risk and decided to make a chicken pot pie. I have never made any type of pie in my life. I was going to start with a dazzling (and incredibly easy) apple pie this weekend but, carpe diem!

Tom decided to help me so, we surrounded ourselves with all the ingredients and off we went. It was similar to what I assume a military operation would be like. We each had a job and swerved around each other flawlessly as if we'd practiced in drills. Somehow we managed to dress identically today, completely unplanned I assure you(!), so we must have looked simply ridiculous. I have to say, while I thought making a chicken pie would be scaring and exhausting it was actually quite simple. Each process is planned perfectly to allow for time to get all the chopping, mixing, and simmering done.

I have to say... this is easily the most delicious chicken pie I have ever eaten. We ate far more than was really necessary! Very filling and a perfect recipe when you're in need of comfort food. I'll stop raving now (it truly is absolutely and utterly amazing) 

On with the cooking...

The recipe is based on The Hairy Bikers’ creamy chicken, ham and leek pie (recipe on the BBC). I added mushrooms, onion, and parsley- simply because I love them.

Ingredients

For the filling:

450 ml chicken stock

3 chicken breasts

75 g butter

1 onion, chopped

2 leeks, trimmed and cut

2 garlic cloves, diced

50 g plain gluten free flour (I used Doves Farm)

200 ml milk (I used goats milk but soy or rice milk can be used although consistency may change)

150 ml double cream (Alpro soya sells single cream which I whipped to a double cream consistency)

bacon - amount depending on preference (I used 3 thick rations)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

salt and pepper- to taste

parsley- to taste

You can use store bought pastry but if making your own...

For the pastry:

300 g gluten free flour (Doves Farm)

150 g butter (any dairy free alternative- I use vitalite)

7 tbsp water (We used 8 tbsp but it was a bit too wet)

1 beaten egg to glaze top when finished

Preparation Method (taken from BBC Hairy Biker Boys - with additions by me):

1. Heat the chicken stock in a lidded saucepan. Add the chicken breast and bring to a low simmer. Cover with a  lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the water with tongs and place on a plate. Pour the cooking liquor into a large jug.

2. Melt 25g of the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the leeks and onion and fry gently for two minutes, stirring occasionally until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the remaining butter and stir in the gluten free flour as soon as the butter has melted. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. Slowly pour the milk (soy/goat) into the pan, just a little at a time, stirring well between each adding. Gradually add 250ml of the reserved stock stirring until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface of the sauce with cling ilm to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Put a baking tray in the oven to heat.

6. For the pastry, put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend on the pulse setting until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (or use a fork/hands like we did!). With the motor running, add the beaten egg and water and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Portion off a section of pastry for the lid.

7. Roll the remaining pastry out on a lightly floured surface, turning the pastry frequently until around 5mm/¼in thick and 4cm/1½in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and place it gently into the pie dish. Press the pastry firmly up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Leave the excess pastry overhanging the sides

8. Cut mushrooms, parsley and separately fry the bacon stripes.

9. Cut the chicken breasts into 3cm/1¼in pieces. Stir the chicken, bacon, mushrooms, parsley and leeks into the cooled sauce. Pour the chicken filling into the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg. Roll out the reserved pastry for the lid.

10. Cover the pie with the pastry lid and press the edges together firmly to seal. Trim any excess pastry.

11. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top of the pie with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated tray in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the pie is golden-brown all over and the filling is piping hot.

Happy cooking and bon appetit! 

Trial Run

Today has been one of those Sundays that just drags on. I wish I could say being lazy was something that I deserved and had time for but it isn't! So, as a break from lots of reading and research I decided to let my mind relax and let my hands cook. 

I made the promised recipe by B COMME BON for starters and a creamy chicken and rice dish for dinner. Both were delicious (my boyfriend Tom is delighted with me writing this blog and has assured me I can cook for him everyday of the week- how thoughtful of him). 

Starters! Mine doesn't look nearly as beautiful as the recipe I copied but it tasted fantastic. 
I used the bread from my first trial run on my breadmaker. I'm SO impressed. It's delicious!! 
Also, I used pear instead of fig and, have to admit, it was mostly because I already had a pear and didn't want to search for a fig. 

Ingredients (4 portions):

1 Pear

1 Aubergine

Goat cheese

Bread - a french loaf (brown or white)

Oil

Honey

1. Lightly spread oil and honey over the bread

2. Cut the Aubergine into thin slices and cover the bread

3. Coat aubergine with goat cheese (be generous- it's the best part!)

4. Cut pear into thin slices and cover goat cheese

Pop them into the oven for about 20 minutes (until pear and goat cheese is soft) and enjoy! 

(This was Tom's favorite dish)

Main:

Ingredients (one portion):

1 Chicken breast

Rice (for one)

Goat cheese- 1 tablespoon

Goats milk- 1 cup

Salt- to taste

Chilli Powder- a dash

4-5 Mushrooms

1 Leek

1 chopped garlic clove

1. Cut chicken into chunks and cook fully in oil

2. Add mushrooms, leek, garlic, goat cheese, goat milk, chilli powder and salt 

3. Let cook until sauce thickens (not completely though because dry chicken is never nice)

Both of these dishes were ridiculously easy and fun to prepare and eat. Now off to do more reading and wait until I can go to sleep! Bon appetit! 

It's here!

My breadmaker has arrived! 

I feel like I should warn anyone thinking about buying a breadmaker that they are heavier than you think. I asked for my lovely new gift to be delivered to my college address instead of my house to ensure that someone would be in to collect it. Thinking it would be a medium sized box, one my not so athletic arms could carry, was a mistake. I lugged it about 2 blocks until I called a friend to drive me the next 4 blocks- which I must say would have made my arms completely fall off! My arms were shaky from over exertion for about an hour. This could possibly be a sign that I should focus less on cooking and eating and more on exercise, but I'm going to ignore that and move on.

My breadmaker, who I have yet to name (Yes it must be named. My family names everything- including our thanksgiving turkey who was named Bonita this year! suggestions for the breadmaker?), has a snug place on my small countertop and will be used this weekend to make a recipe for pear, goatcheese and freshly made honey baked bread- a beautiful recipe traditionally using fig posted by B COMME BON. I'm looking forward to it!

I've also asked my friend Odile if she'd like to help experiment with more difficult recipes and she's thrilled so there will be plenty more pictures and food to come. I've got my eye on some special pancake and pie recipes. Bon appetit my food loving friends.

Soup

Bonjour. Today was my first day back at university after quite a harrowing train journey. Five hours on the train, only to get in trouble with the train conductor for a potentially criminal offense I had no intention of committing. To add salt to an already sore wound, I got home and immediately locked myself out of the house. Picture me standing outside my door completely disillusioned and unimpressed. Today has started off on a better foot. First... I got back into my house- always nice :) and I made a lovely pot of soup.

One of the best things about winter is the comfort food! My mother always says vegetable soups should have every color. Whether this is a culinary trick or her need for aesthetic pleasure, I have taken that rule to heart and use it every time I make a nice big pot of soup. This last month I was at home and my mother managed to make a purple, yes purple, cabbage soup. Attempting to avoid this the following recipe will have no cabbage :)

This is probably the easiest possible food item to make- it hard to mess up vegetable soup so it's a good place to start!

Today's soup has:
1 eggplant- cubed (1 aubergine for the Brits)
2 onions- diced
1 clove of garlic- chopped
2 carrots- peeled and chopped
1 swede - cubed (Probably the hardest vegetable I have ever tried to cut. Put some muscle into it!)
1 cup corn
2 or 3 handfuls of spinach
salt- to taste
pepper- to taste
chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
cumin- 1 teaspoon
rosemary- 1 teaspoon
3 chicken stock cubes

The spices are the fun part- that's where you can add an extra dash of this or that. I love the chilli powder because it adds the extra kick of flavor without scorching your tongue.

Adding chicken, noodles or rice is a nice addition to make it a bit thicker.

Like I said, an easy thing to start with on my first day back and it will serve for some great lunches this week! I'm getting a breadmaker soon which is what I'm honestly looking forward to most. Fresh bread every day when you wake up- what a luxury! Especially because it has a gluten free setting. Believe me there will be plenty more about bread related things to come. Lots of love and bon appetit!

Post 1.

Hi. About three years ago I discovered I was lactose intolerant and shortly after, gluten intolerant. Having just left for university the whole learning how to cook thing took on a whole new dimension. It's been fun though. I have found a deeper passion for cooking than I had before and, it remains a great form of procrastination! I have no real goal to fulfill here except to share what I've learned about eating out, traveling, and cooking with allergies. In the months to come I'll have an endless amount of assignments so I'll be starting with easy recipes with a few more complicated adventurous ones. So with that, bon appetit my allergic friends.