All posts tagged: dinner

Pearl barley summer salad

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Pearl barley is simply barley with all of the bran removed. Similar to wheat in terms of nutritional value, this chewy grain is perfect in stews and soups. I have just started using it in salads as it gives a great texture and fills you up! It’s also extremely cheap (around 50p for 500g) so provides a delicious meal without breaking the bank. This recipe was inspired by my recent trip to Petersham Nurseries. The delicious salad that I had there was made with faro but I substituted for pearl barley as it is more widely available. I’m also substituting my usual olive oil for a lighter and less fruity oil, rapeseed. This adds a light nutty and earthy flavour, which I think works better in a salad. It also contains 50% less saturated fat than olive oil so better all round really. Ingredients (serves 4) 150g pearl barley 6 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered 1 tbsp sunflower seeds 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 small butternut squash, cubed 6 flat mushrooms, sliced Rapeseed or olive oil …

Viajante bar snacks

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I went to a vintage clothes fair a couple of weekends ago in Bethnal Green and the venue was a minutes walk from Viajante so we decided to treat ourselves to a cup of tea after trawling through the endless rails of clothes. Viajante is situated in the Town Hall Hotel.The reception boasts beautiful art deco furniture and the Grade II listed building has been extended and modernised but has kept it’s original character. The restaurant across the hallway from the bar is designed by award-winning architects and features installations from fashion and lighting designers as well as some of the East End’s most brilliant young artists. Brilliant! We entered the bar to see a chandelier art-installation and an extremely good looking bar attender. We were then greeted by a polite and very welcoming waiter. I looked at the menu and was disappointed to be told that they don’t serve English breakfast tea or Earl Grey! So I settled with a fresh lime and soda water, which the waiter took the liberty of adding a …

Two ways with Hummus – recipe

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I just LOVE hummus. The humble chick pea is one of my favourite legumes because it is so versatile and tasty! I mostly add them to stews, my favourite being a curried chickpea and spinach stew. I haven’t made it for a while but it is sure to make an appearance on here soon. My recent trip to Hummus Brothers inspired me to make my own hummus dishes. I made enough so that we could have it for dinner and then lunch the next two days! I have always previously used extra virgin olive oil in my recipe but decided to omit it this time and add a drizzle on at the end. I’ll give you the basic recipe for hummus below and show you two ways of serving, one for lunch and the other for dinner. Ingredients 1 jar Tahini (roughly 250g) 300g dried chickpeas 70ml lemon juice (I used it from a bottle – very easy) 6 garlic cloves 1/2 tsp table salt (you may need more depending on how you want it …

Roast tomato, buffalo mozzarella and puy lentil salad

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I had never cooked Puy Lentils until I made this salad. We have recently just moved into a new kitchen and the dried pulses now stand proud in kilner jars so that I can actually see them! The Puy Lentils sat neglected at the back of the cupboard in our old kitchen for so long – so I decided that it was time to put them to good use. I roasted a whole chicken, along with some potatoes and served it with this salad. I roasted the tomatoes first in balsamic glaze, extra virgin olive oil and Cornish Sea Salt. There was also enough left over the lunch the next day, which was a huge bonus! Ingredients – serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side 200g Puy Lentils 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped 3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped 1 small red onion Glug of extra virgin olive oil 5 vine ripened tomatoes Drizzle of balsamic glaze Cornish Sea Salt 1 ball of good quality Buffalo Mozzarella A few sprigs of rosemary Glug …

Crayfish and Mushroom Risotto recipe

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I bought a tub of Crayfish tails when I was trying to do my 6 weeks without sugar. I was going to use them for a salad but after giving up (let’s face it I only lasted 6 days!), salads weren’t high on the agenda anymore. So I decided to cook a Crayfish and Mushroom Risotto. I didn’t have any fish stock in the store cupboard so I used Vegetable Stock instead but it was still absolutely delicious. Risotto is so easy to make, although you do have to keep stirring the pan so that it doesn’t stick but it’s a delicious treat. Ingredients (Serves 4) 20g butter 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed handful chestnut mushrooms, chopped in half 250g 100ml dry white wine 1 pint vegetable stock (I used Bouillon) 225g cooked crayfish tails 2 tbsp double cream 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp flatleaf parsley, chopped Method 1. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the onion until translucent …