on life's big questions and the taste of stuffed aubergines . . . imam bayildi

imam bayildi - swoon!

Over the years I have been accused of Winnie-the-Pooh-like tendencies. I suspect this is as much to do with having a very little brain and obsession with where my next meal is coming from than any really philosophical leanings. But every so often I start to ponder Life's big questions. Tiddly pom!

halloumi and strawberry salad with sweet chilli lime dressing

strawberry salad

If you have never had halloumi cheese before you are in for a treat. Uncooked, halloumi is a white, rubbery textured cheese, with very little flavour except for salt! However, once it had been grilled, griddled or fried and dressed with a little lemon juice or a light dressing, it becomes fabulously tangy with a curious "squeaky" texture. I also think that the salty halloumi works really well with sweet fruit, especially strawberries, in a savoury salad, but why not try it for yourself?

stuffed vine leaves

stuffed vine leaves
(dolma)

It is quite hard to imagine how a recipe for stuffed vine leaves esteemed at the court of the 7th century Persian king, Khosrau II, beloved by the caliphs of Baghdad and cherished by the Ottoman sultans, was recorded in her book of reciepts by Lady Ann Blencowe, daughter of a mathematician and cryptographer and wife of a Northamptonshire Member of Parliament in 1694. She must have been quite a gal to recognise the quality of this delicious Middle Eastern mezze.

five! four! three! two! one! blast off for delicious rocket soup!

rocket soup

If this rocket soup had a soundtrack it would be more Barney the Dinosaur than Goldfrapp, but nonetheless it is the perfect summer soup. It is very easy to make and not in the least sophisticated - light but intensely savoury with a hint of pepper. 

This soup was topped with a few crunchy croutons I had made with some stale sourdough bread and some oil that had been used to fry up some chorizo - heavily infused with paprika and garlic. Heavenly.

a trip around the garden: herby potato salad

herby potato salad

My favourite potato salad is made with mayonnaise, spring onions and gherkins, but this salad, dressed with a herby vinaigrette comes a very close second. Salads with mayonnaise can be a bit cloying and claggy, but this one is light and tangy and perfect on a warm summer's day.

the idiot's guide to making mayonnaise

homemade mayonnaise

I have mentioned before that I think that every cook should have at least one good sauce in their repertoire. Actually they should have more than one - enough to create the building blocks for other sauces. One of the best of these is mayonnaise.

you can never have too much of a good thing: strawberry and cream cupcakes . . . again!

yet more strawberry and cream cupcakes!

It was a friend's birthday and we were celebrating. I had made strawberry cupcakes . . . again. There are just some good things that you can never have too much of. 

I had an over abundance of fresh strawberries and decided to have a go at candying some and drying others, in the way that you would preserve tomatoes for a taste of sunshine in the winter. They weren't very pretty but tasted quite nice - an intense, sweet sharp flavour!

an investigation into eton mess

eton mess

My version of Eton Mess is a boozy, nutty (with hazelnut meringues), fruity confection of ambrosial heaven, which should be enough to satisfy any sweet tooth.

When you look for the nascence of Eton Mess, most cookbooks say that it has a 100 year old history originating at Eton College, where it was traditionally served at the annual prize giving and picnic in June. Hmmmn, something smells a little pungent! I just don't believe this story; it seems too romantic and contrived somehow, reminiscent of an Arcadian time before the First World War when everything was full of sunshine and strawberries. The sceptic in me felt compelled to investigate further. This was a job for Detective Kelly!

strawberry and hazelnut meringues

strawberry and hazelnut meringues

I wanted to make Eton Mess (a traditional British pudding of crushed meringues, strawberries and cream), and decided to follow Sarah Raven’s recipe for basil, raspberry and hazelnut meringues from Food for Friends and Family, using strawberries rather than her preferred raspberries.They were light and crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Just the way I like them - not bad for a first attempt at meringues!

chorizo and nutella: a winning combination!

chorizo and Nutella party bites

When Spanish pigs graze on acorns and olives, the resulting jamón ibérico de bellota ham is the stuff that dreams are made of, with a higher fat content and more flavour than other types of ham. It occurred to me that slices of ham with some kind of nut mixture might be a winning combination. I like the idea of companion eating - serving meat with the kind of fruit or vegetables the live animal might have eaten - so venison with blackberries, or pork with apple. I like the way they complement each other both in nature and in the kitchen.

three, two, one . . . perfect shortbread every time

shortbread biscuits

When you hear the countdown "three, two, one" you might be forgiven for thinking that I might have been infected by London 2012 Olympic fever. The thought of me in a set of starting blocks is enough to bring any self-respecting athlete up short (chortling with laughter, no doubt) and it is quite clear that Team GB are doing perfectly well without me (who knew?) No, 3:2:1 are the magic numbers when making shortbread; it is the time-honoured formula for measuring out quantities of the flour, butter and caster sugar. 

he goes to my head and intoxicates my soul: calvin trillin

Calvin Trillin's The Tummy Trilogy

You go to my head
And you linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning 'round in my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne . . .

. . . You go to my head with a smile
That makes my temperature rise
Like a summer with a thousand Julys
You intoxicate my soul . . .  

It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I wish I could tell you that I was awash with birthday champagne or even Pimms, but I wasn't. During the neo monsoon season that had cloaked Britain in grey clouds and downpours for months, I was in a foul mood. Things were bad. I didn't even feel much like cooking. Yes, it was that bad. I even cancelled my birthday drinks due to lack of interest (my own) and had returned to my cave to sulk.