Beetroot Risotto

I peeled one more beetroot than I needed to make Borscht yesterday, so decided to make myself a Beetroot Risotto for dinner.

Most recipes call for roasted beetroot to be added once the risotto rice is cooked.  I neither had the time nor the inclination to roast one solitary beetroot so I added raw beetroot right at the start, hence the orangey rather than purpley red hue to the risotto. 

An additional benefit of cooking the beetroot with rice is that it mellows the earthy taste of beetroot which might make it more palatable to those less sure of beetroot.

Serves 2

180g risotto rice

1 small onion, peeled and diced

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

500ml hot vegetable stock

50ml white wine (optional)

1 medium raw beetroot, peeled and grated

1 large handful of chopped rainbow chard, shredded or baby spinach (optional)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

50g crumbled feta, grated parmesan, or extra mature cheddar (optional)

Soften the onion in the olive oil over a medium high heat. 

Once softened and translucent, stir in the rice and garlic and coat the rice grains in the oil.

Stir in the grated beetroot and any chopped chard stalks.

Pour in the wine if using, or roughly 100ml of the hot vegetable stock.  Bring the wine or stock to the boil and turn down to a rapid simmer.

Stir pretty much constantly with a wooden spoon.  Once you can see the bottom of the pan for a few seconds when the wooden spoon is dragged across the centre of the pan, add in another 100ml of stock.

Keep stirring the risotto, and adding more stock when needed, until all the stock has been added.  When you can see the bottom of the pan again, taste the rice to see if it is cooked.  If it is soft like al dente pasta it is cooked. If it is crunchy in the middle of the grain it needs more cooking.

If the rice needs more cooking, add another 100ml of just boiled water from the kettle and keep stirring as before.

If the rice is cooked, stir in shredded chard/spinach and cheese if using, cover, and turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes to wilt the spinach and melt the cheese.

Serve immediately

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Pumpkin Muffins

We regularly have a coeliac trick or treater visiting us the last few years, so I always make a gluten free treat.  This year I have made Pumpkin Muffins, using gluten free self raising flour rather than self raising flour, and the scrapings from inside a couple of pumpkins we've carved.

Any leftover muffins will be used for grab & go breakfasts, in lunchboxes, or snacks next week.

Makes 12

125ml vegetable or light olive oil

2 large free range eggs

250g pumpkin puree 

100-150g sugar

100g mixed dried fruit

2 tsp pumpkin spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp ginger)

250g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

Make pumpkin purée by simmering 250g of pumpkin in water for 15 minutes.  Drain and liquidise.  

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs into the oil, followed by the cooled pumpkin purée, sugar, dried fruit, spices and baking powder.  Mix well then stir in the self raising flour.  This is a quite a wet mixture, so unlike other muffin recipes don't be afraid to mix the flour in thoroughly, as the muffins still rise well having done this.

Divide into 12 muffin cases. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, until a metal sewer comes out of the central muffins clean.

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Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Oh my, why didn’t I try roasting pumpkin seeds in the air fryer sooner?

I didn’t have room in the oven last night for a tray of pumpkin seeds, so thought I’d try roasting them in the air fryer.  It works so well! 

Rinsed pumpkin seeds

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Paprika 

Salt

Rinse the pumpkin seeds to remove as much of the pumpkin flesh stuck to them as possible. I do this by covering them with water and swirling them around with my fingers. Most of the flesh will sink to the bottom of the bowl, leaving clean(ish) seeds floating on top. 

Drain the pumpkin seeds and roast them in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 180 C to dry them a little.

After drying, tip in a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, and paprika and salt to taste.

Return the seasoned seeds to the air fryer and cook for a further 10 minutes at 180C.

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Vietnamese Noodle Soup (Pho)

A little bit of leftover roast pork inspired me to make Pho (apparently pronounced 'fuh', like 'huh' but with an f)

It can be made with chicken, beef, pork, or tofu.  A lot of online recipes suggest homemade stock, and whilst authentic I made it with good quality stock cubes.  Even using stock cubes, the broth still requires a lot of spices.  I note that ready made pho broth is available in UK supermarkets, but no vegetarian option as far as I can see.

Serves 4

1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, halved and squashed
2.5cm piece ginger, sliced
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coriander seeds or ground coriander
¼ tsp Chinese five spice
8 black peppercorns
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1.5 litres good quality chicken (for chicken or pork pho), beef (for beef pho), or vegetable stock

4 rice noodle nests (I used wheat noodles as I didn't have any other noodles)

A handful of sliced cooked pork, chicken, or beef.  For vegetarians/vegans -a 200g block of sliced tofu, or 
1 large carrot, shredded or peeled into ribbon with a vegetable peeler
8 pak choi or Chinese Leaf leaves, cut into 2cm strips
Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
Small bunch of mint, chopped

4 spring onions, finely sliced 
1 red chilli, thinly sliced, or ¼ tsp dried per bowl
1 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced (optional)
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

In a saucepan big enough to take 1.5 litres, fry the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil over a medium high heat for about 5 minutes until lightly brown and caramelised.

Add the stock and the rest of the flavourings.  Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Whilst the noodles are cooking according to the instructions on the packet, chop/shred all the remaining vegetables and herbs.

When the noodles are cooked, drain and divide between four large bowls.  Divide and arrange the pak choi, carrot, meat/tofu/mushrooms (the mushroom slices can be browned in a non stick frying pan over a high heat to give a little more depth of flavour) on top of the noodles, followed by the coriander, mint, spring onions, chilli, and kaffir lime leaf if using.

Pour the hot stock over the four bowls when the 15 minutes is up, and serve immediately with a quarter of lime to squeeze over.

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Hot Chocolate con Chilli

It may look like ordinary hot chocolate, but this simple Mexican inspired version packs a little punch!

Serves 1

1 mug whole or plant milk 

1 tbsp 100% cocoa powder

1/8th tsp ground cinnamon 

Large pinch of chilli powder to paste

Add the cocoa, cinnamon, and chilli to a mug together with enough milk to mix everything to the consistency of double cream.

Fill the mug with more milk, stirring in the cocos mixture.

Microwave for 2 minutes on high power. 

If you don’t have a microwave pour the contents of your mug into a small saucepan and heat gently, whilst stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom, until piping hot.  Pour back into the mug to drink. 

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Choc Chip Banana Bread Breakfast Muffins

More Grab & Go breakfast muffins for my 17 year old son, which he likes to alternate with Bacon & Cheddar Muffins I posted earlier, as he runs out the door to catch the bus to college.

Makes 12

100ml vegetable or light olive oil

75g sugar (optional)

2 ripe bananas (I freeze overripe bananas rather than throw them away, specifically to make this)

225g self raising flour or gluten free self raising flour

100g porridge oats

100g dark chocolate chips or cocoa nibs

1 tsp baking powder

2 large free range eggs

Put all the ingredients, apart from the chocolate chips/cocoa nibs, into a food processor and whizz until smooth. 

Add the chocolate chips/cocoa nibs and whizz to mix them in evenly. 

Divide the mixture into 12 muffin cases.  I use a generous vintage ice cream scoop, which only made 10 muffins the last time I made them.

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes, turning them through 180 degrees half way through the cooking time, until golden brown.  They are cooked through when a metal skewer comes out clean when pushed into the centre.  If not, cook for a couple more minutes then check again.

Keep in an airtight container for 5 days, or freeze.

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Basic White Sauce

This basic white sauce is so useful - for lasagne, macaroni cheese, fish pie etc. I cannot claim credit for the method - Delia Smith should take that, for her all in one method.  No more lumpy white sauce for me. I find it works a treat, if you keep a close eye on it. I can be vegan, if made with plant milk.

Makes 600ml white sauce 

600ml cold whole or plant milk

1 tbsp vegetable or light olive oil

50g/2 heaped dessertspoons plain flour

Ideally in a non-stick pan, add all the ingredients and whisk with a silicone whisk (as you can see, my old non-stick pan has been scratched by using a metal whisk over the last few years) to break up any lumps of flour.

Heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula to stop forming into lumps on the bottom of the pan.

After a minute or so you should start to notice the sauce start to thicken.  Keep stirring.  Once it begins to bubble, turn the heat down the lowest and keep stirring until it is smooth and glossy.

If adding anything else (cheese, nutmeg, or garlic etc) add it now and stir in well.  

Use immediately, or keep over a low heat and stir regularly to stop a skin from forming.

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One Pan Salmon Biryani

A simple but flavour packed one pan Salmon Biryani.  If you don't have the individual spices listed in the recipe below, you can always use curry paste.  

Defrosted cooked prawns can be used instead of salmon, and a vegan version can be make with 2 cans of drained chickpeas instead of salmon or prawns.

Serves 6

500g Boneless salmon fillet joint cut into 4 fillets, or 4 boneless salmon fillets

250g baby spinach leaves 

1 large mug (300g) basmati rice

2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated

2 large garlic cloves

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

Recently boiled water

4 tbsp mild curry paste (only if not using the dried spices listed below)

1 heaped tsp cumin seeds

5 green cardamom pods

1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes

1 tbsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp dried mint 

2 bay leaves

In a large casserole dish with a well fitting lid, fry the onions gently in the oil over a medium low heat, stirring from time to time until golden. This takes about 20 minutes, giving you time to assemble the other ingredients.

When the onions are golden, add all the dried spices if using. Stir the spices in well then add the garlic and ginger.  Add the curry paste now if using and stir in.

Weigh the rice into a large mug and note where it comes up to inside the mug.  Add the rice to the pan, then pour in 1 & 3/4 mugs of recently boiled water, so the water comes 1cm above the level of the rice.  As this is a little hard to see with the spices or curry paste colouring the water, the dry end of a wooden spoon works well as a level indicator.  Crumble in the stock cube and mix in well.

Cover the rice with the baby spinach leaves, and then lay the salmon skin side up on top of the spinach.  Put the lid on the pan and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest and cook for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes remove the lid and peel off the salmon skin and discard.  If the skin doesn't come away easily, put the lid back on and cook for a further 5-10 minutes. If the skin does come away easily, flake the fish with a serving spoon. Again, if it doesn't flake easily and is not cooked through, put the lid back on and cook for a further 5 minutes.

When the salmon is cooked, turn off the heat and flake the salmon.  Mix the salmon and spinach into the rice. Serve immediately.

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Accidental Butter

I was making an ice cream order late one evening last week, and left the double cream whisking too long in my vintage Kenwood Chef. 

My ice cream order had to be put on hold until the next day, but I did have some lovely butter for my toast the following morning.

Makes about 150g butter

300ml double cream
Salt to taste

Whisk the double cream until it goes past the whipped cream stage, and begins to collapse down into what looks like cottage cheese.

Add a pinch or two of salt to taste. You could also experiment with other fillings at this stage such as chilli flakes, chopped herbs, crushed garlic. 

Give the butter one more quick whizz to mix in the salt/flavouring.

Get a small bowl of ice cold water ready next to the mixer. Quickly scoop and squish all the butter curds together with your hands and place them the cold water to stop it getting too soft to handle. 

Gently squeeze the butter into your desired shape whilst in the cold water.

Place in a seal container in the fridge. The butter will last as long as the best before date on the cream you used.

Looking at Sainsbury's website (October 2025), 300ml Sainsbury’s organic double cream currently costs £1.70, whereas 250g Sainsbury’s organic butter costs £3.15. 

NB the liquid left in the mixing bowl is buttermilk, which can be used in scones, soda bread, pancakes etc

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Kale Chimichurri

Oh my, Kale Chimichurri,  where have you been all my life?

Wikipedia describes Chimichurri as "an uncooked sauce used as an ingredient in cooking and as a table condiment for grilled meat. Found originally in Argentina and used in Argentinian, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and Brazilian cuisines, it has become widely adopted in most of Latin America. The sauce comes in green and red varieties."  

In addition to serving with meat this vibrant punchy sauce, not dissimilar to a Mexican salsa, it is a great vegan sauce for cooked beans or salad potatoes.

This Kale Chimichurri is based upon www.dishingupthedirt.com recipe for Pork & White Beans with Kale Chimichurri recipe. I have made my Feijoada (Brazilian Pork & Bean Stew) following a different recipe, but made Kale Chimichurri from this recipe (with cooked kale, and less olive oil).

200g cooked kale (keep some of the cooking water)

2 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled 
1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper 

Put everything into a mini food processor or liquidiser. 

Add a couple of tablespoons of cooled cooking water and liquidise to a pesto like consistency, adding a little more cooking water if required.

Serve with Feijoada, grilled meat, beans, or potatoes.

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Feijoada, Brazilian Pork & Bean Stew

Last night was the first slow cooker meal of the autumn/winter, prompted by a glut of beans.

It was such a treat to come home from tidying the allotment during the tail end of Storm Amy in southern England to dinner already cooked.

Serves a hearty 4

8 pork belly strips (I had 4, as my butcher cut me 4 massive one!)
4 cooking chorizo (I used 8 mini chorizo, or use 200g cured chorizo cut into 8)
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
A pinch of hot chilli flakes
2 cans beans (black, borlotti, pinto, cannellini), or 250g dried beans, soaked and cooked

If using dried beans, soak and cook these before hand.  Keep the cooking water.

Brown the pork belly and the whole chorizo in the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat, and place in the slow cooker in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker that is warming up.

Turn the heat down under the frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent.  You can brown the chorizo now if it didn’t fit in the frying pan with the pork belly. Add a little more olive oil if required. Spread over the pork belly in the slow cooker when soft.

Heat the liquid from the cans of beans or the equivalent of two cans of cooking water (about 400ml) in the frying pan, together with the vinegar, chilli flakes, and bay leaves.  When boiling pour over the pork belly and onion mixture. The liquid should just cover the pork belly at the bottom of the slow cooker (don’t worry about covering the odd piece of chorizo or onions).  If it doesn’t cover the pork, add little more boiling water from the kettle but go easy.  Slow cooker dishes can be quite watery as they do not reduce like casseroles in the oven or on the hob.

After 5 hours on High, stir in the canned/cooked beans.  Leave for another hour on High to heat the beans through.

Serve with white rice and a Kale Chimichurri.

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Bacon & Cheddar Breakfast Muffins

Grab & go breakfast for students (and their parents on the train to London to watch the Women's Rugby World Cup Final).

The trick to muffins that rise well is not overmixing.  As ever I have attempted a few short cuts, like adding the bacon and cheese to the milk mixture, and weighing the self raising flour straight into to the wet mixture to avoid mixing several times (and reduce washing up).

Makes 12

250ml whole milk

80ml light olive oil

1 free range egg

200g cooked bacon bits

100g grated mature cheddar

1 small courgette, grated (he was not impressed by this ingredient)

300g self raising flour (I used half wholemeal self raising flour, half white self raising flour)

Brown the bacon in a non stick frying pan. Add the courgette if using to soften it and evaporate off some of the liquid.  Leave to cool a little whilst you mix the other ingredients together.

Beat the egg, oil, and milk together in a mixing bowl.  Mix the bacon and courgette into the wet mixture well.

Weigh the self raising flour into the wet mixture and fold in gently, just until you can no longer see dry flour.

Divide into 12 muffin cases, and bake at 200C/180C fan in a preheated oven for 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown on top.

Leave to cool for 15 minutes before eating.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze and defrost overnight before breakfast.

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Soupe de Haricots Verts (Green Bean Soup)

I did more research for the French regional self catering/simple/camping cookery book I am trying to write during my holiday in France.

The discovery of a recipe from the Lorraine region (now part of Grand Est) for Green Bean Soup was a find, as I picked 3 kg on my return home to the UK.

This is a simple but hearty stew like soup, with a good green bean flavour.

Makes 4 big bowls

1 onion, peeled and diced 
500g French beans, trimmed and sliced in rounds as finally as you can manage
500g potatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed.
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 litre recently boiled water
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes 

In a saucepan, fry the onion gently in the olive oil over a medium heat whilst you chopped the vegetables.

Add the potatoes to the pan as you chop them, followed by the green beans, and the garlic. Stir every now and then, as the potatoes will start to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once everything is chopped and in the pan, add the crumbled stock cubes and hot water.

Cover and bring to the boil. Stir to check no potato is stuck to the bottom of the pan, then replace the lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft enough to crush with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, or a spoonful of double cream, or crème fraîche.

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