Lemon Drizzle Cake

I love lemon desserts and I also have a major sweet tooth. This cake is so heavenly, it's literally pure joy with each bite!

I'd been craving lemon drizzle cake for a while, so to satisfy my cravings I googled a recipe from the Queen herself, Mary Berry!

You will not be disappointed! The sponge is so moist and springy, it has the perfect amount of citrus and it's just soooo moreish!
Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 225g butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 275g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp. milk
• 2 lemons, grated zest only

For the crunchy topping:

• 175g granulated sugar
• 2 lemons, juice only

Grease and line a rectangle roasting tin (30 x 23 x 4 cm) with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C/160c fan/gas 4.

Measure all the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and beast well for about 2 minutes, until well blended.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, scrapping the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula to remove all of the mixture. Level the top gently with the back of the spatula.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about half an hour, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and is beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes then lift out of the tin while still in it lining paper. Place onto a wire rack to cool.

Crunchy topping added & left to cool before cutting

 To make the crunchy topping, mix the lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl to give a runny consistency. Spoon this mixture evenly over the tray bake whilst it is still warm. Any mixture that falls onto the paper, spoon back onto the cake. Cut into squares when cold and store in an airtight container.

Tastes amazing!!

Update: The Best Lasagne EVER!!

So I have made a slight amendment to my lasagne post and it now tastes utterly divine!


I incorporated a few steps from the lasagne I made during my Italian master class at the Novikov restaurant in Mayfair and I'm really pleased with the end result

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped into 1cm cubes
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 500g minced beef
• 1 glass dry red wine 
• 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 1 courgette, chopped into 1cm cubes 
• 10 basil leaves
• 9 sheets fresh lasagne
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 bag of mini mozzarella balls 
• 50g cold salted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
• Salt & pepper

For the bèchamel sauce:

• 100g salted butter
• 100g plain flour 
• 1 litre milk 
• 100g grated fresh Parmesan
• 1/4 freshly grated nutmeg

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion, carrot, garlic (with the skin left on) and celery for 5 minutes. Add the minced beef and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until coloured all over. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Pour in the wine, stir well and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the wine has evaporated. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, the tomato purée, the courgettes and the basil, lower the heat and continue to cook for 1 hour, uncovered, until you get a beautiful rich sauce. Stir occasionally. After about 30 minutes, taste for seasoning. The meat sauce is now ready, pick out the garlic and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, and make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the cold milk, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes whisking constantly. Once thickened, stir in half of the Parmesan cheese with the nutmeg, season and set aside to cool slightly. 

Spread a quarter of the béchamel sauce in the base of a deep 2.2-litre ovenproof dish. Cover with 3 lasagne sheets, cutting them if necessary to fit the dish. Spread with half the meat sauce then scatter some of the mozzarella balls on top, top with a third of the remaining béchamel sauce. Cover with 3 more sheets of lasagne and then with the remaining meat sauce and scatter the remaining mozzarella balls. Spread over half of the remaining béchamel sauce. Add a final layer of lasagne sheets and gently spread the rest of the béchamel on top ensuring that the lasagne sheets are completely covered. 

Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and scatter over the cubed butter. Grind some black pepper over the whole lasagne. 

Cook on the lowest shelf of the oven for 30 minutes then place the dish on the middle shelf, raise the oven temperature to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy all over.

Straight out of the oven & ready to serve!

Tapas Series: Prawn Pil Pil

I loooove prawns!!! I also love garlic and spice so this dish is a favourite of mine when it comes to tapas! If this isn't on the menu then I will sulk!

This dish comes out with the sauce still sizzling so it's all very theatrical and exciting! You must have some crusty bread to soak up all of the delicious sauce!!

Ingredients:

• 500g raw king prawns
• 500ml olive oil
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (add more if you like it really spicy!)

Peel the prawns but leave the tails on. Heat the oil and butter together in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once it starts to foam, add the garlic and chilli flakes. Stir and cook the garlic for a minute or two until golden brown.

Add the prawns and cook for around 3 minutes, or until they turn pink on both sides. Sprinkle with the paprika and pour into a serving dish.

All of our tapas selections ready to eat

Tarte au Citron

I love lemon desserts, they're just so fresh and clean tasting and are the perfect end to a meal.

Tarte au citron, or lemon tart is just so moreish and yummy! I could honestly eat this all day, every day! Plus it's part of your 5 a day so it's not all bad, well, that's what I tell myself!!

This is a Mary Berry recipe and with the Great British Bake Off being aired at the moment, there is no better time than to get your bake on!

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 225g plain flour
• 150g cold butter, cut into cubes
• 25g icing sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp. water

For the filling:

• 9 large eggs
• 300ml double cream
• 350g caster sugar
• finely grated zest and juice of 6 large lemons

You will need a 28cm loose bottomed tart tin.


To make the pastry, measure the flour, butter and sugar into a food processor. Whizz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs and then add the egg and water. Whizz again until it forms a ball.

Roll out the pastry thinly onto a floured work surface until it is just a little bigger than the size of the tin. Line the tart tin with the pastry, letting the extra pastry hang over the sides of the tin. Place on a baking sheet and then chill in the fridge for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6. Line the tin with non stick paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until pale golden brown.

Take out of the oven and remove the baking beans and paper. Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a sharp knife. Return the empty pasty shell to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is completely dry. Set aside to cool.

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 3.

Measure all of the filling ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth. Carefully pour into the pastry case.

Carefully transfer the tart case and tray into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until just set but still with a slight wobble in the middle. The filling will sink down a bit once cooled.

Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Transfer to a serving plate then dust with icing sugar to serve.

All bakes and ready to trim the edges

Lemon Chilli Prawn Linguine

I decided to make a slight amendment to my prawn linguine recipe, and boy is it good!! The lemon and chilli work in perfect harmony and makes this dish fresh and tasty.

It's quick and easy to make and it's full on flavour, perfect for a midweek dinner after work or on the weekend if trying to impress friends/loved ones!

I butterflied my prawns but you don't need to if you're short on time!

The below is based on a serving for 2 people:

Ingredients:

• Linguine or spaghetti (enough for 2)
• Olive oil
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• Dried chilli flakes (to taste...I love it hot, hot, hot!!)
• 1 pack of king prawns, deveined and butterflied
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons
• Fresh or frozen basil
• Crème fraîche
• Ground black pepper
• Fresh Parmesan (optional)

Start off by putting the linguine in a saucepan filled with salted water with some olive oil (the oil helps to ensure the pasta doesn't stick), put on to boil.

Once the pasta is almost cooked, put a large frying pan on the stove and add a little olive oil. Once heated, add the crushed garlic. Cook for a few minutes on a low heat then add the prawns and toss to cover them in the olive oil and garlic then add the chilli flakes and plenty of ground black pepper.

Add the lemon juice and zest and ensure it is all coated. Cook for a few minutes, then add the chopped basil leaves.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of crème fraîche and ensure it has melted and all mixed well. You want a thick sauce.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain then add to the prawns and stir to incorporate everything together. Add some grated fresh parmesan and mix.

Serve up then add more parmesan and black pepper.

Enjoy & bon appétit!


Don't forget to follow me in Instagram @atableavecjulia

Tapas Series: Sautéed Chorizo in Red Wine

Here is another dish I cooked for my tapas night with my good friend, Anj, and also for my parents when I went to visit them in France last month.

I love chorizo, it's just so yummy and moorish and has the perfect amount of spice to it!

The red wine sauce is nice and sticky and the entire dish is so full of flavour! All the dishes I made worked really well together and I just really love sharing food, and the idea of having lots of little amounts of different meals....I always end up eating myself into a food coma though!!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g cooking chorizo, cut into chunky slices if large, who left whole if small
• 100ml red wine (don't scrimp and buy cheap wine to cook with!!)
• 1tbsp clear honey
• handful fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gentle sauté the onion for a few minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes.

Push the onion and garlic to the side of the pan then add the chorizo. Brown all over, then add the wine and stir in the honey.

Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes or until the sausages are cooked through and coated with the sauce. Add a splash of water if the pan is looking dry. Serve scattered with parsley and some crusty bread to soak up the beautiful sauce!


Don't forget to follow my Instagram @atableavecjulia

Tapas heaven!

Tapas Series: Patatas Bravas

This is such a typical tapas dish and it literally translates as "spicy potatoes". I've had this dish in a few tapas restaurants and wasn't overwhelmed, it looked as though they just poured a cheap tomato sauce over the fried "chip like" potatoes and added mayo on top.

This recipe is how it should be! The potatoes are slow cooked in the oven for an hour and are sooooo heavenly!! The sauce does not come out of a bottle and has a nice kick to it....and no mayo in sight!

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 227g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. tomato puree
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• good pinch chilli powder
• pinch sugar
• chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

For the potatoes:

• 900g potato
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Prepare ahead by heating the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for abut 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato puree, paprika, chilli powder, sugar and salt and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer for 10 minutes until pulpy. Set aside for up to 24 hours.

To serve, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spread over a roasting tin and toss in the oil, then season. Roast for 40-50 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and golden.

Tip the potatoes into a dish and spoon over the reheated sauce, then sprinkle the chopped parsley on top.


Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @atableavecjulia

Our tapas spread!



Caribbean Series: Fried Plantain

Plantain looks like a banana and is an utterly amazing side to any Caribbean dish.

You need to choose one that looks really bruised and battered, this will be perfectly ripe and sweet when cooked. I'm literally craving some right now whilst typing this!! I love plantain but it does need to be ripe or it won't taste too good!

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• Plantain (1 will serve 2 people)

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot.

Meanwhile, chop the plantain into bit sized pieces (diagonally or horizontally).

Once the oil is hot enough (I like to cut a little piece of plantain to through into the pan to test the oil. If it's hot enough the oil should bubble and the plantain will start to go golden) add the chopped plantain.

Turn once they start to turn golden. Keep turning until both sided are nice and golden.

Place on some kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil and serve once ready to plate up your meal.

Crayfish, Lemon & Chilli Ravioli

I treated myself to the KitchenAid mixer and it was love at first sight! It is on the pricey side but to me, it's an investment as I will be using it very often.

I purchased mine in red and it's beyond beautiful! It's a dream to use and easy to clean....which is a bonus as who wants to spend ages cleaning fiddly parts, especially after slaving away in the kitchen for hours??!! Not me!!

So, for my first use of my new toy, I decided to make pasta! I was laying in bed one evening, unable to sleep and conjured up the idea for this recipe.

It's light, flavoursome and fresh. If you're throwing a dinner party or wanting to cook a special meal for someone, then this would be a perfect starter! Or create a bigger portion (as I did) and have as a main meal. It's so yummy and I can't wait to make this for my parents when they are next visiting.

I used scotch bonnet as I can no longer stand normal chilli....it literally does nothing for me anymore! My English pallet has evolved and I can now handle my spice!! If you cannot handle anything too spicy then use half a scotch bonnet or a normal red chilli will be fine.


Recipe:
For the pasta dough:

• 250g semolina
• 250g 00 flour
• 8 whole eggs
• 10ml extra virgin olive oil
• 5g salt

For the filling:

• 2 packs of crayfish
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 scotch bonnet, cut very finely
• 2 garlic cloves
• olive oil
• freshly grinded sea salt & pepper

For the sauce:

• juice of half a lemon
• 25g butter
• 8 sage leaves
• Parmesan & black pepper to serve

Place the flour, semolina, salt, eggs and olive oil in a mixture and blend on a medium speed until it forms a ball.


Take the dough out of the mixer and onto a well floured work surface. Knead until a nice dough forms that isn't too sticky. Wrap in cling film and rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes.
After the dough has rested, run through a pasta machine (or with a rolling pin until you reach your desired thickness). You want the pasta thin, as if it is too thick, your pasta will take a long time to cook and be quite stodgy.


Once you have your pasta sheets, ensure they are put on a floured work surface or they will stick! Now comes the fun part....using a pastry cutter (the size you want your ravioli to be) cut out the shapes from the pasta. Once you have the desired quantity, leave on the counter until you are ready to use.

Ravioli all ready to cook

To make the pasta filling, put the crayfish in a food processor along with the chilli, lemon rind and some salt and pepper and blitz.


Put some olive oil in a pan and once heated, add the garlic. Once lightly cooked through, add to the crayfish mixture and ensure it is well incorporated. Have a taste and add more seasoning/chilli/garlic/lemon if required.


Once you are happy with the taste, start to form small balls to place in the middle of a ravioli. You don't want to be stingy with the filling but you do need to leave a rim of pasta so when you place another ravioli piece on top, there is an edge for them to bind together. Once the filling is in place, put your finger in a bowl of water and carefully wet the edge (not too much water or it will turn to mush!). Then place the second ravioli piece on top and pinch them together to secure.


Continue this process until you have created all of your ravioli.


Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Carefully put the ravioli in the pan and cook for several minutes until cooked through.


Whilst the ravioli is cooking, put a pan on the hob and heat up the butter and oil. Once it starts to foam, add the sage leaves then take off of the heat. Add the lemon juice and mix well.


Once the pasta is cooked, drain but save some of the water to add to your sauce.


Put the sauce back on the heat then take the sage leaves out. Add the ravioli and toss through.


Serve the pasta and carefully arrange a few of the sage leaves to garnish. Add some fresh black peper and parmesan.


Et voila!! Your ravioli is ready to demolish!!

Herbed Crab with Saffron & Chilli Mayonnaise

I love crab but don't eat it often as it isn't really readily available in the supermarkets, and if it is, then I'm being blind as a bat!

It was my boyfriends birthday the other month and I wanted to cook him something really special, and this was the starter I chose.

It's so fresh, flavoursome and most importantly, it isn't heavy and won't fill you up so you can't fully enjoy your main course!

I'd never made my own mayonnaise before but it is very easy and straightforward. With any leftover mayonnaise, you can keep in a tight jar and use in sandwiches, with fish, as a condiment with a BBQ.....the list is endless!

I would say this would be the perfect starter for any dinner party.

Serves 4.

Mayonnaise ingredients:

• 1 red chilli
• 2 large free range eggs
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 290ml sunflower oil
• Pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 1/2 tbsp. boiling water for 15 minutes
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Juice 1/2 lemon

Crab ingredients:

• 225g white crab meat
• 3 large handfuls of mixed fresh herbs (I used chives, parsley & coriander)

Using metal kitchen tongs, put the chilli directly over the flame of a gas hob, turning occasionally, for 5-8 minutes until completely blackened (or char under a hot grill). Put the charred chilli in a freezer bag, seal and leave to steam for 5 minutes, then rub off the skin and roughly chop the flesh. Leave to cool.

Whizz the egg yolks, vinegar, chilli, mustard and a good pinch of salt in a food processor, or whisk in a large mixing bowl with am electric mixer, for 2-3 minutes until well combined. Put the sunflower oil in a jug, then very slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture whilst whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken. If it doesn't thicken after a couple of minutes, stop adding the oil and whisk until the mixture thickens up a little, then continue adding the oil as you whisk. If at any point the mixture looks as though it is getting greasy or starting to split, add a small splash of cold water and keep whisking. You may also need to whisk in a splash of water if it gets too thick before you've added all of the oil - stop now and then take a look at the mixture. Once you've incorporated all of the oil, you should have a thick mayonnaise. Briefly whisk in the saffron and it's soaking water and the crushed garlic. Taste and season, adding a bit of lemon juice if you like - it should be quite sharp.

Mix the white crabmeat with the chopped herbs and season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Pile into 4 small bowls, put some mayo in some other small bowls and serve with some rustic toasted bread.

This needs to be served immediately so dress the crab meat as soon as you are ready to serve your starters.

Ready to serve! Yum!!

  



Caribbean Series: Jerk Chicken Salad

Not every day rice and peas, sometimes a light healthy meal is what the body needs!


I know I have some health conscious people reading my blog and I wanted to make a jerk dish with all the flavour but without the calories....this is it!


I have used a dry jerk rub for this dish and it's quick and easy to make! I recommend doubling up the jerk seasoning and storing in an airtight jar. That way, it's on hand to use whenever you fancy making up some jerk chicken.


I added some left over chilli sautéed potatoes to this salad which made it taste utterly amazing and gave it a slight extra kick!


Jerk dry rub ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. onion flakes
• 1 tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp ground dried thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground Jamaican allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp dried chives

Mix together all the ingredients and store in a tightly closed glass jar.


Salad ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• salad leaves of your choice, enough for 2 people
• 12 plum tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 avocado, chopped
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper
• Coconut oil

Place the chicken breasts in a dish and sprinkle with a generous amount of jerk seasoning. Rub into the chicken and turn, then sprinkle with more season and rub into the chicken ensuring all the chicken is coated. Cover and leave to marinade over night.

Jerk rub marinating on the chicken

Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks. Using a Dutch pot or a heavy based casserole dish, add 2 tbsp. of coconut oil on a medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook through.


Whilst the chicken is cooking, make a vinaigrette with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add 2 parts oil to 1 part balsamic then add some freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Mix well. Add the salad leaves, tomatoes and avocado and gently mix ensuring everything is covered with the vinaigrette.


Once the chicken is cooked, add to the salad and mix. If using leftover sautéed potatoes then add along with the chicken.


Serve onto plates and enjoy your healthy but full of flavour salad! Who said healthy food was bland??!

Tapas Series: Ham & Cheese Croquetas

I had never tried tapas until I went to Nerja, Spain in June this year.

I am 33 and I have missed out BIG time!! Why have I never tried tapas until recently?? I now have an urge to eat as much as I can to make up for lost time!!

What I love about it is, you order lots of different dishes and you just dip in and sample everything. It's a social meal as you share it with your fellow diners and really get stuck in.

There are so many dishes to choose from so there is a high chance you'll order too much, or that could just be a problem my friends and I have!

I have a friend coming over for dinner for a long overdue catch up and what better food to cook than tapas?

This recipe is slightly time consuming but can be frozen so make ahead if you know you will be short on time.

These are just a little piece of heaven in your mouth....honestly, trust me!! These are pure bliss, forget the party....this is a full on rave in your mouth with each bite you take!!

The smoked ham and melted cheese against the crunch of the breadcrumbed coating......oh my god!!! I'm craving more of these as I am typing this!!!

The tomato and chilli jam really brings this dish to a new dimension. The jam is so full of flavour, isn't too spicy and has a nice sweet element to it. This jam would be amazing served alongside a cheeseboard also!

Makes 24.

Ingredients:

• 25g butter
• 1/2 small onion,. finely chopped
• 50g plain flour
• 250ml milk
• 140g sliced smoked ham, diced
• 50g mature cheddar, grated
• 50g Gruyere, finely grated
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. double cream

For the coating:

• 2 large eggs
• 50g plain flour
• 140g fine dried breadcrumbs
• sunflower oil, for deep frying

For the tomato & chilli jam:

• 300g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g Demerara sugar
• 100ml red wine vinegar

To make the croquetas, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onion for 3 minutes or until lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in the ham, cheese, mustard and cream, and season to taste. Cook for 1 minute more until the cheese has melted, stirring constantly.


Pour into a bowl and cover with cling film to stop a skin from forming. Leave to cool, then chill overnight. The mixture needs to be very stiff to form the croquetas. Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and, with wet hands, roll into 24 small oval shapes and put on a tray. Beat the eggs in a bowl, put the flour on a plate and half of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.

The croquetas rolled and ready to coat

Roll each of the croquetas lightly in flour, then in the egg before coating in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Use the remaining breadcrumbs to top up the bowl half way through the coating process. Chill for 30 minutes.

All coated & chilling in the fridge

Meanwhile, make the tomato & chilli jam. Put all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely with a lid, and cook for an hour, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Leave to cool before serving.

My tomato & chilli jam

Fill a large saucepan one-third full with sunflower oil and heat to 180C (or use an electric deep-fat fryer). Using a metal slotted spoon, lower 6 croquetas into the oil and cook for 1.5 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil, and continue cooking the rest. Serve with the chilli jam for dipping.

All ready to eat....nom nom nom!

Look at all that gooey goodness!!

Clotted Cream & Strawberry Ice Cream

I have the biggest sweet tooth and am a huge lover of ice cream. Not just any kind, as the cheap stuff doesn't do it for me....Ben & Jerry's, Carte D'Or (the praline one tastes just like Nutella!!!!) and real handmade Italian gelato!!


There's nothing I like more than going on a stroll with an ice cream cone with 2 or 3 scoops....be rude not to try several flavours, and just enjoying the taste and company I'm with.


I love Cornish ice cream with fresh strawberries and wanted to make an ice cream that conjures up my love of this.....and boy have I hit the jackpot with this bad boy of an ice cream!!


It's so rich and creamy, but not sickly and the strawberry swirl compliments it perfectly.


You could add some crumbled shortbread biscuits into the mix before freezing so make it a strawberry shortcake ice cream!


Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 125g caster sugar
• 2x 227g tubs of clotted cream
• 250ml full fat milk
• 1 pallet strawberries

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and whisk for several minutes until well combined. Add the clotted cream and milk and whisk well.


Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine, according to the manufactures instructions.


Hull and halve the strawberries, then blitz to a lumpy purée. Once the cream is almost frozen but not solid, add the purée mixture in slowly whilst swirling to create a ripple effect.


Transfer to a freezer proof container and freeze until solid.


Take out of the freezer 5-10 minutes prior to serving to ensure it is soft enough to scoop.

Caribbean Series: Macaroni Pie

To me, you can't have any kind of Caribbean chicken dish without macaroni pie!! It's a cardinal sin, the entire world would come to a halt....ok, maybe not, but I would sulk if I didn't get any and nobody wants a stroppy Julia!

Why is it called macaroni pie, you ask?? Good question! Unfortunately, I can't answer it so if you really want to know the answer then you'll just have to Google it! I'm content enough with just eating the mighty fine stuff and couldn't care less whether you call it macaroni pie or macaroni cheese, as to me, they are both pretty much the same!

I have used 4 different kinds of cheese, it may seem a lot but trust me on this, this bad boy is the stuff dreams are made of!! I bought some in to work for a colleague to try and she literally hounds me on a daily basis to make some more!

Ingredients:

• 37sg macaroni
• 20g butter
• 2 tbsp. plain flour
• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 packet of grated mature Cheddar
• 1 packet of grated mozzarella
• 250g grated Red Leicester
• 1 packed grated parmesan

Cook the macaroni on a pan of salted water. Once cooked (you don't want to over cook this as it will cook further in the oven) drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat until melted. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute until the mixture is just bubbling.

Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring rapidly to avoid any lumps from forming. Stir until the sauce boils and begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered.

Stir in the mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, stir occasionally for 5 minutes or until thickened, remove from the heat.

Stir in half the packet of grated Cheddar and mix well until all the cheese has melted and is smooth. Add the macaroni and stir well until combined.

Pour half the mixture into a 2L glass or ceramic dish. Sprinkle half the remaining Cheddar, half the mozzarella and half of the Red Leicester.

Pour the remaining macaroni on top and finish off with the rest of the cheese then add half the packet of parmesan cheese on top.

Bake in the oven at 350F/180C for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Et voila!! Your little piece of heaven is ready to serve! You can thank me later!!

Ready to eat with my jerk chicken & rice and peas...yum!

Devilish Chocolate Brownies

So I recently purchased the Chocolate recipe book by Eric Lanlard and it is utterly amazing! I literally want to dive into the recipe book and devour every single recipe in it!


I decided to make his devilish chocolate brownies first, as who doesn't love brownies??


These are just so chocolately and moist, and every bite literally takes me to chocolate heaven and I never ever want to return.....EVER!!!


If you, like myself, are an avid chocoholic or you know someone who is, then I beg you try out this recipe!! You shall not be disappointed!


The recipe calls for dark chocolate chips but I had used milk chocolate to make it a little less rich.

Makes 16

Ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 75g plain flour
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 100g milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a 19cm square shallow baking tin and line the base with baking paper.


Melt the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, then leave to cool for a few minutes.


Beat in the eggs, then sift in the flour, cocoa and salt and fold in until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in the chocolate chips.


Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the top starts to crack but the centre remains goey. Turn off the oven and leave the brownies inside for a further 5 minutes before removing. Leave to cool completely in the tin.


Cut the brownies into 16 small squares and remove from the tin. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Caribbean Series: Rice & Peas

Rice and peas is in fact rice and kidney beans, and not peas of the green kind. It's delicious and nutritious and complements jerk chicken (or any other Caribbean dish) perfectly.

Now, you can use a few other beans but today we shall be using the kidney kind.

Ingredients:

• 1 can kidney beans, including the liquid
• 1 can coconut milk
• 100ml water
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 scallions, finely chopped. Including the green part
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups white long grained rice (rinsed and drained)

Drain the liquid from the kidney beans into a measuring jug. Add the coconut milk and 100ml of water.

Add the liquid, beans, garlic, chopped scallion and thyme to a large pot. Add the salt & pepper and bring to the boil.

Add the rice and add more water if needed. Bring to the boil on high for 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low, and simmer covered until the liquid is absorbed (this will take around 15-20 minutes).

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Caribbean Series: Jerk Chicken Rub

I love Caribbean food...the taste, smell and look of the dishes conjures up pure happiness for me. There is just so much flavour in all their dishes and it takes me to a very happy place!

I've been on a quest to find a good jerk recipe and my boyfriend bought a recipe book for me which I love. There are 3 different jerk recipes and this post is using the "rub technique".

I'm going to write up individual posts for each of the dishes so it enables you to reference with ease.

My first attempt at cooking, I made jerk chicken (using the rub), rice and peas, fried plantain and macaroni pie. I was nervous as my boyfriend is Jamaican and his mum was an exceptional cook, so I had a lot of pressure to get this right!! I was more than happy with the end result and so was Darren. We decided to use some guava jam as a glaze when there was about 10 minutes left of cooking time. You don't have to do this, but it does add a nice fruity element to the dish.

Look out for my dry jerk rub recipe which I will be attempting soon and will add to the blog. I want to try the different jerk varieties so I can work out which I prefer and turn out the most authentic to what you would get from a Caribbean shop/carnival food stall.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 finely chopped scallions, including the green parts
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground Jamaican allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 to 6 scotch bonnet, finely minced
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pack of chicken thighs

Using a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and grind to a paste.
Smooth over your chicken thighs ensuring all the meat is covered. Cover and leave to marinate overnight.


Once ready to cook, heat some olive oil in a Dutch pot or a heavy casserole dish and sear the chicken until nicely browned. Cook in the oven until the chicken has cooked through.


Serve with rice & peas, plantain, macaroni pie and coleslaw......all of which will be coming to my blog soon!


Any leftover paste can be stored in the fridge in a tightly closed jar for up to 1 month.


Chicken marinating in the jerk rub

All the food I had cooked, ready to serve!

Scones

Scones are so typically English and you can't have a cream tea without them!

With their rich and fruity texture, teamed with clotted cream and jam they are just pure bliss!

Typically washed down with tea, I like mine with a glass or two of Champagne! What can I say?? It's the French in me!

With clotted cream & strawberry jam

Ingredients:

• 225g self-raising flour
• 40g golden caster sugar
• 75g soft unsalted butter
• 50g raisins 
• 1 large egg, beaten
• about 2-3 tablespoons milk to mix
• a little extra flour

First shift the flour into a large bowl then add th sugar and rub in the butter into the dry mixture until the mixture looks crumbly. Now sprinkle in the dried fruit, pour in the beaten egg and add 3 tablespoons of milk.

Start to mix to a dough with a knife, then bring the mixture together using your hands - it should be  a soft but not a sticky dough, so add more milk (a teaspoon at a time) if the dough seems too dry. Form the dough into a ball and turn it out onto a lightly floured working surface.

Now, with the a floured rolling pin, roll it out very lightly to a thickness of about 3cm. This thickness is vital, the reason so,e scones don't rise enough is because they are too thin.

Then take a pastry cutter and tap it sharply so that it goes straight through the dough - do not twist or the scones will turn out a strange shape!

When you have cut as many as you can, knead the remaining dough together again and repeat. Then place the scones on a lined baking tray, dust each one with icing sugar and bake near the top of the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Once they are done they will have risen and tun golden brown. Remove from the oven and onto  cooling rack and serve very fresh, split and spread on clotted cream and jam.....or you could just eat them with butter.

I am craving these again as they are just so delicious!!!

Let me know if you make these and tag me in your photos on Instagram - atableavecjulia

Vegetable Lasagne

I love pasta dishes and fancied a non-meat dinner so thought I would make a roasted vegetable lasagne.

It's so tasty and comforting and with our summer being a tad of a let down, is the perfect meal for this season!

For all you meat lovers out there....fear not!! I promise you won't miss the presence of meat in this dish as the flavours are just so good!


Ingredients:

• 2 small aubergines, cut into 2.5cm chunks
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky strips
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 450g courgettes, sliced
• 225g fresh lasagne sheets
• 50g Parmesan

For the Béchamel sauce:

100g salted butter

100g plain flour 

1 litre milk 

100g grated fresh Parmesan

1/4 freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas mark 7. Mix the aubergines, onions, peppers, garlic, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and a little seasoning in a bowel. Transfer to a large roasting tin and cook for 30 minutes, or until soft.


Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the courgettes over a high heat for 4 minutes, until browned. Tip onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.
Remove the roasted veg from the oven. Stir in the courgettes. Lower the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6.


Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the cold milk, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes whisking constantly. Once thickened, stir in half of the Parmesan cheese with the nutmeg, season and set aside to cool slightly.


Cook the lasagne according to the packet instructions, separating the sheets and draining on a clean tea towel.


Spoon a thin layer of the béchamel sauce over the base of a buttered 2-4 litre shallow ovenproof dish. Cover with 4 lasagne sheets, overlapping them slightly. Top with half the vegetables, then one-third of the remaining béchamel sauce and another 4 sheets of lasagne. Repeat once more. Spread over the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.


Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.


Serve with a salad.

Caramalised Banana Cake

I love cake and I love bananas, so add them together then you have one very content woman.

Ensure you use ripened bananas, otherwise they will be slightly hard once the cake is cooked, and not soft and delicious.

This cake is delicious on it own or served with Oreo ice cream!

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• 80g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 150g light brown muscovado sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 4 large ripened bananas

For for the cake batter:

• 240g plain flour
• 21/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 120g unsalted butter, very soft
• 3 large eggs
• 150ml soured cream

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and lightly grease a deep 23cm round cake tin, lining the base with baking parchment.

To make the topping, put the butter and the sugar in a small saucepan snd cook over a medium heat until melted and combined. Add the vanilla and mix together. Pour the caramel into the cake tin and spread in an even layer. Cut the bananas in half lengthways and arrange on top of the caramel, cut-side down.

To make the batter, put all of the ingredients in a large bowl with 1/4 tsp salt. Use an electric mixer to beat together on a low speed until the batter is smooth and evenly mixed. Pour the batter on top of the bananas and level out with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 55 mins - 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake begins to to look too dark, cover with foil after 45 mins. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to a plate.

This cake is best served warm so reheat your slice in a microwave for 20 seconds if not eating straight away or over the next few days.

Serve on its own or with ice cream....it goes exceptionally well teamed with Oreo ice cream!

Bon appétit!! 

Moelleux au Chocolate 

I am utterly and completely obsessed with chocolate! I don't think I could function if I had to go without the heavenly stuff for more than a day....I would quite literally go "cold turkey".

This dessert is for the chocolate lovers of this world, the people who rejoice at the very sight and smell of chocolate, who dream of the stuff and couldn't possibly live another day without it...low and behold, even those who still have their sanity intact and aren't too bothered about chocolate (I don't trust you people, how could you not love chocolate?!) will love this!

Moelleux au chocolate is a chocolate lava cake, as soon as you break into the moist sponge this glossy chocolate sauce just oozes out and takes you straight to heaven!

Let's get straight to the recipe before I run off to Waitrose to buy their entire chocolate stock and eat myself into a food coma!!

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

• 170g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 170g butter, cubed
• 170g light brown sugar
• 85g plain flour
• 6 eggs, beaten

For the ramekins:

• 30g soft butter
• 30g unsweetened cocoa powder

Prepare 6-8 ramekins by brushing them with the butter and then dusting them with the cocoa powder. Make sure to tap out all of the excess cocoa powder.

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain marie (a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water), stirring occasionally. Alternatively, melt them in the microwave on a low setting. 

Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl. Mix in the melted chocolate eggs followed by the flour and sugar. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.*

Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the cakes for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are firm and the centres slightly runny. Test by inserting a toothpick in the centre - it should come out wet. Leave to rest for 2 minutes before turning the cakes out of the ramekins on to plates. Serve immediately, with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or fresh berries.

* baking your batter cold will make it slower for the heat from the oven to penetrate the middle of the cakes, which will make the centres more gooey. The ramekins filled with the batter can be covered with cling film (don't let it touch the batter) and kept in the fridge for several days. They can also be well wrapped in cling film and frozen, then baked from frozen (they will need an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven - test to see they are done as above).


Enjoy!!

Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb with Chilli Jam & Rosemary

This slow cooked lamb is pure heaven! So tender, juicy and melts in the mouth!! Not to mention the flavour that omits from the meat!

It's so easy to prepare and cook too which is an added bonus, and because it cooks slowly on a low heat, you're free to get on and do other tasks around the house....or sit on the sofa with a nice glass of wine! Perfect!

Ingredients:

• 2-2.5kg lamb shoulder
• 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus extra to serve
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250ml white wine
• 1 garlic bulb, divided into bulbs, unpeeled
• 4-5 tbsp chilli jam (Tracklements is what I used)

Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas mark 3. Put the lamb in a roasting tin. Make incisions all over the meat, then pull off and insert small sprigs of rosemary into them. Scatter the remaining rosemary around the lamb.

Drizzle the lamb with olive oil and season with plenty of sea salt and black pepper. Pour the wine around the lamb and cover with foil. Roast for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, lift the foil and scatter the garlic cloves around the lamb. Recover with the foil and return to the oven for half an hour.

Ready to scatter the garlic cloves & put back in the oven

Take the lamb out of the oven, remove the foil then pour out the juices into a jug/bowl. Leave the garlic in with the lamb. Spread the lamb with the chilli jam, then return to the oven for a further 30-40 minutes until tender and sticky. Remove the lamb and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, skim the fat from the reserved meat juices, then pour into a pan. Bubble over a medium heat until thickened and serve with the lamb.

I served the lamb with a gratin dauphinois (different recipe to the one already posted...keep an eye out for it as will be posted soon!) and veg!


Bon appétit!

Ready to serve!

Polenta, Chorizo and Prawns

I love king prawns, the bigger and juicier the better! Although they have to be ready to eat, I do freak out if they're served with heads and legs still intact and whoever is with me, will have to get them ready for me otherwise there will be tears involved!

Fear not, this dish (as well as all dishes I will cook with prawns) calls for peeled prawns to be used!

This dish packs a lot of flavour and is rather filling due to the polenta. It's a mix of Spanish and Italian and the outcome is divine!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g chorizo, skin removed and thinly sliced
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 180g pack raw king prawns 
• 100g quick cook polenta 
• 50g Parmesan 
• 25g butter
• 1/2 small pack parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in another pan, boil the vegetable stock.

Add the garlic and prawns to the frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the prawns just turn pink, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and keep warm.

Add the polenta to the vegetable stock and whisk vigorously for 1 minute until thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan and butter for 1 minute until melted. Season liberally. 

Serve the prawns and chorizo in their oils on top of the polenta, with the parsley scattered over the top.

Enjoy! 

Spiced Salmon with Beetoot, Feta & Wild Rice

I picked up this months Good Food magazine the other week and have cooked a couple of things from it already.

This recipe stood out for me as it looks so fresh, tasty and is healthy. Flavour is important to me, there is nothing worse than bland or unseasoned food! It makes me regret instantly the moment I put it in my mouth and I feel as though it were a total waste of calories!

This dish really hits the spot flavourwise and will become a midweek staple for sure.

I have changed the recipe slightly as I prefer cooking my salmon in the oven.

Serves 1.

Ingredients:

• 1 Salmon fillet, skinless & boneless
• Ground cumin
• Caraway seeds
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 60g wild rice
• 100g ready-cooked beetroot, cut any way you like
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 25g feta cheese, roughly crumbled

Place the salmon fillet on a sheet of foil and rub the olive oil into it. Gently sprimkle the ground cumin on top to coat the salmon in a light covering then add some caraway seeds. Season with black pepper then set aside.

Add the wild rice to a saucepan with 120g water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Leave to cook for 25 minutes. Prepare the beetroot, spring onions and feta. Put the salmon in a preheated oven (200C/392F).

Once the rice is cooked, add the lemon juice, spring onions and beetroot. Stir to mix then serve onto a plate and place the salmon on top. Sprinkle with the feta and finish off with a drizzle of olive oil.

Et voila! Dinner is served...bon appétit!