Saving what's Soft, Soggy or Stale : Fruit Salad

Over the past few weeks, I think I've noticed the words "food waste"  being mentioned more than ever before. Be it news stories, magazine features or even Jamie's Money Saving Meals, the advice that we should REserve, and not REject the tail-end of our weekly grocery shop has been resounding. Whilst freezing fruit's a neat little tip encouraged by both Jamie & Tesco's, I've found another useful way to revitalise fruit that really is on its last limbs. 

Come on, we're all guilty of throwing out that browning banana, the rapidly wrinkling apple, a few shrivelled grapes or strawberries that are slightly on the soft side. Sometimes, too, fresh fruit simply hasn't lived up to the colourful promises it made - think pale pears or plain peaches. This salad is SUCH a hit in our household that fruit seldom goes to waste anymore. In fact, when odds and ends are spotted hanging about in the basket, fruit salad has been demanded all summer long. It's ideal if you're fasting (more later) at the moment, it's as easy as 1-2-3, and, really, makes the fruit we sometimes eat with silent resentment, sing. 

What You'll Need: 

- Fruit
- Single Cream
- 1/2 can Condensed Milk

What to Do:

1. Chop up any, and I mean any, fruit you want [to get rid of].

2. Wash it all and, depending on quantity of aforemetioned chopped fruit, swirl over 1/2 - 3/4 of a can of condensed milk. Follow this up with single-cream, mixing well, until it has reached your desired consistency.

3. Chill in the fridge for an hour-ish and simply indulge for an absolutely delectable dessert or simply a cool, refreshing snack. 
SL x

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

Then, of course, there were the pizzas. Bar some arancini and a cheeky Mcdonalds (where they served Miami Fries...?), we ate nothing but pizza. In Rome it's often baked in large rectangular trays and sold in square slices by weight. This is known as Pizza al Taglio and the sheer abundance of it, that too in vegetarian varieties, made each mealtime choice a bittersweet one. Artichoke or asparagus, olives or onion, which to have? I'd take mental note of aaaaall the combinations (sometimes 5+) I'd liked to have tried and tell myself that I'd come back the next day - this never happened though, as the next pizzeria on would just add another 5 contenders to my toppings-to-try list. Yes, my eyes are alot bigger than my stomach.

Now, I was about to indulge you in yet another picture overload but I stopped dead in my tracks when I realised, no matter how beautiful, you all know what pizza looks like. Plus I wouldn't want you to think me... odd, photographing all this food when there is... well, so much history, culture, colour & wonder in every corner of the city. It does seems to happen all too often that I return home with more photos of food than of places and people. But I guess it's just as well because they sure come in handy on gloomy days, should I be reminiscing, and in need of a visual aide to recreate the essence of sunnier memories. 

I've [already] tried reworking some of the fabulous combinations I encountered (call it pizza withdrawal) and I will follow up with recipes but for now, I think, enough about pizza. 

SL x

Do As the Romans Do

You didn't honestly think I was going to start with anything BUT the food, did you?? Of course not. This is Italy we're talking about and quite frankly our days were planned around pizzeria perching and punctuated with stop-offs at various gelaterias. A typical day, really, went something like this:  
Breakfast. Coffee. Gelato. Pizza. Gelato. Gelato. Pizza. Gelato. I'm going to come to the pizzerias another time (trust me, they deserve an ENTIRE mention of their own) because today I want to focus on ice-cream, ice-cream and only ice-cream. Luckily for us it was a scorching 32°C throughout the holiday - even luckier, then, that our daily route from Ostiense (where our hotel was) to the Colosseum and beyond (Via Del Corsa, Trevi Fountain etc) was lined with quaint little ice-cream parlours vending every variety of gelato under the sun - from pecsa to panna cotta, limone to liquirizia, they had 'em all. 
What's baffling, though, is that no two gelaterias seemed to have the same selection - some favoured sticking to the traditional recipes (like hazelnut, coffee, chocolate & strawberry) whilst others' USP was innovation and invention. The prize for the wackiest we found goes to The Gelateria Punto Gelato...

I can imagine some of you recoiling at the very thought of this curious concoction, but, I tried it (how could I not?) and I assure you, it was the lightest, most refreshing sorbet I could've ever imagined. Sure it was peculiar, distinctly tomatoey and bordering on savoury... but it had a subtle sweetness and... well, it was just delicious really! 
I made a point of not having the same flavour twice and boy was that a good call 'cause I can't remember disliking a single one of them. Here are a lot of pictures of gelato for you. Try not to drool. 

SL x
Gelateria Punto Gelato, 00186 Via dei Pettinari 43, Roma, Italy.

Some More Brunch: Beetroot Risotto

I've had a thing for beets since the very first time I saw them nestled in at the Pizza Hut salad bar, glinting conspicuously in the light like purply-pink jewels. But I was a little young then and my palette only stretched as far as croutons and cucumbers. Unfortunately, my memory too had been tainted by the boiled, soggy mass that'd once been served up for "school dinners" (it had proceeded to dye my mash a lucid shade of mauve - I went hungry that lunchtime). So it was only recently when mum bought some home, fresh, that I figured if it looks SO beautiful, there must be a way to make it taste just as good, right?

It didn't take a lot to be honest - once [not soft] boiled, salted and peppered, it's brilliant in salads, as a side or just a snack. So tasty, in fact, that for a long time there was little temptation to experiment at all. But it has fast become a weekly grocery staple and as autumn steers us from summers salad to simmering stews, what better for weekend brunch than a super simple, mega comforting risotto?

What you'll need - 

50g Butter 1 splash Olive Oil 1 Onion, finely chopped 1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped 400g Arborio Rice 1.2 l Vegetable Stock (2 Oxo cubes dissolved in the same amount of water does it just fine) 500g Fresh Beetroot 100 ml double cream  1 Handful Freshly Chopped Dill Salt & Pepper (& cayenne pepper, entirely optional) to taste Squeeze of Lemon Juice 2tbsp sugar
What to Do - 
1. Heat the oven to 180C. Peel & trim the beetroots (use kitchen gloves if you don’t want your hands to get stained) and cut into large wedges. Place them on a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet. Then, toss them with 1 tbsp olive oil and seasoning, and cook for 1 hour, or until the beets are soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a non-stick pot over a low flame. Don't heat the pot first and then add the butter as it will burn and smell funny. Once the butter's melted, tip in the onion and garlic and cook until slightly translucent and wonderfully caramelised. (N.B. the desired effect is mellow sweetness, not intense flavour).
3. Add the rice, stirring until coated in the butter and then begin adding the vegetable stock, 300 ml at a time. It's important to stir at least once a minute or so and don't be tempted to add all the stock at once. 

4. When the rice is al-dente, and the beets are well-roasted, remove them from the oven. Whizz ¼ of them to make a purée and then chop the remainder into small pieces. Stir the beetroot purée, chopped beetroot, salt, pepper, lemon juice and sugar ( cayenne optional) through the risotto and leave to bubble for a few moments.   
5. Finally, plate up, top with fresh dill and a dollop of sour cream should you so wish. Don't, no matter what, be alarmed by the vibrant colours on your plate - that's how it's meant to be!  

Now, I know very well that beets are something of a love/hate thing (and let's face it, they do turn out an alarmingly pink risotto) and I'm yet to meet someone who doesn't enjoy a long, lazy brunch. So yes, turning this out on the table may seem a little dicey, as the last thing you want is a less-than-comforting meal. Though I'm in no doubt, if you are perhaps accompany with these twice-baked potatoes, or some Mexican scrambled eggs? 

Enjoy! SL x

Review: "Eat Your Way Around the World"

If there's one thing I miss about India [besides family, food, noise, vibrancy and the general palava all over the place] it's the huge American style malls that seem to be cropping up everywhere and the grand food courts they entail. Yes okay, Westfields and a handful of others have cottoned on to the idea (Thurrock's is particularly impressive), but they boast not even a fraction of the variety you find in say the Oberoi or Inorbit malls of Mumbai. Lets face it, deciding what to eat in large groups [read indecisive families] can always be tricky and ultimately result in a compromise. The solution? The Indian food court - buy what you want from wherever you want yet be able to enjoy your respective meals together.

And as we Indians go, we're well accustomed to the 'queue up for your food' system. If you don't believe me, tell me if YOU've ever been to an Indian wedding with table service...? Nahhhh, table service, what's that? We're pretty used to queuing and waiting our turn pushing and shoving to raid a buffet and pile our plates sky high. So I guess it comes as no surprise that as far as the new Jimmy's World Grill in Watford goes... well it's a smashhit success, with my bunch at least. Remember this post? Let's say Jimmy's is the perfectly cross-bred child of Elaichi and the Red Hot World Buffet - countless variety, value for money and best of all, a chocolate fountain! Give it a try if you haven't already, it is Friday after all. 

Happy weekend guys!

SL xx

And then there's gourmet @ gabriel's

So I've been mulling over just how long it feels since I last wrote here with some semblance of regularity and whilst pouring over past posts, it dawned on me that I left you right here, on an incomplete walk along London's Southbank. Now, if Saturday was about the speediest sofa supper one can muster, today is about identifying what is irrefutably Italian in essence - Pizza Margherita at Gourmet Pizza Company. Now, don't get me wrong 'cause I'm all for doughy American crusts, rich Pizza Hut pizza sauce and an overload of melted, oozing cheese (mmmmmm) but it can be nice sometimes to go authentic too. This one, and Franco Manco's have stolen my heart. 
SL. x
Visit Gourmet Pizza Company at 56 Upper Ground, Gabriel's Wharf, London SE1 9PP

Impromptu Pauses... and Petits Pizzas

A pinch and punch for the first of the month, happy June guys! And on that note... since when does the year go January, April, June anyway?!? Long time no see is a helluvan-understatement if ever I heard one... so hey, how are y'all doing and what has everyone been up to? I'm guessing nothing as jaw-droppingly thrilling, mind-bogglingly enthralling nor outrightly outrageous as how I've spent my May (which would be, urm, binge eating, job-searching + watching reruns of "Desperate Housewives", before you rush to judgement...). 
BUT summer's finally here and I [hope I] am back with a bang; I've a line up of all posts fun, funny and funky... but let's talk Friday nights first. 
It's been a long week, you've had a bad day and you're hungry enough to eat the moulding cheese knocking around your fridge drawer (you're too tired to throw it out, of course). Delivery times are ludicrous and let's be honest, you don't want to risk ordering from the local Chinese, lest you strangle somebody down the phone. Alas, ever had THAT Friday feeling?! 
Solution:(ignore fancy looking vegetables please, these are from lunch earlier in the day):
1. Split slightly stale breakfast muffins in half. N.B. pittas, tortillas and two-day-old-really-chewy-baguettes also do the trick. Just keep it mini.
2. Cover with tomato puree, a small sprinkle of sugar (balances the sourness) and toppings of your choice (which can just be a slice of cheese - preferably not a moulding one though - if you're feeling that worse for wear) and flash under a hot grill for 5 mins MAXIMUM. 
3. Voila. Slump, switch on tele and watch weeks worth of Desperate Housewives/Big Bang Theory/Everybody Loves Raymond reruns.    SL x

Peaches & Cream

Yes, this was a long time coming, I know. Ahhhhh gateau...need I say anymore? As much a nice Victoria sponge is ideal with an afternoon cuppa, or cheesecake is perfect for that stolen midnight couch treat, I find there's nothing quite like a fresh cream cake (except maybe a cupcake!) to top off an already indulgent meal - palatable and thankfully, light enough to be stomachable. 

Now, in light of just HOW much was consumed during the preceding celebratory lunch, I wouldn't be surprised if you were disgusted that we still managed to chomp through cake for afters. BUT. You've gotta trust me here, because really, gateaux are more cream than cake, more air bubbles than butter blobs. And yet it really does quench that craving for something sweet. So. Give it a go. If you don't like peaches, try passion fruit. Or raspberries. Both delectable in combination with white chocolate. Just an aside for you though, while we're at it. Don't blame me if once you start, you just can't stop. It's so remarkably light, you'll never feel you've had 'enough'. Honest.  

To have yourself a peachy time, you will need -  

- 175g unsalted butter, softened

- 2tbsp grated orange rind

- 175g caster sugar

- 3 medium eggs

- 100g white choc, melted but then cooled

- 225g self-raising flour

- 300ml double cream

- 40g icing sugar

- 125g almonds, blanched then skinned & chopped

For the peach filling - 

- 1 can of peaches, chopped

- 300ml double cream

-50g icing sugar

What to do - 

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C & lightly oil & line a 9 inch round cake tin. Cream the butter, orange rind and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one and then add in the cooled white chocolate. 

3. Add the flour and 175ml of cold water in 2 separate batches. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin & bake in the preheated oven for an hour and a quarter, or until firm. 

4. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wiring rack. To make the filling, whip together the cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form, and then fold in the peaches (reserve a few for topping, if you like). 

5. Split the now (hopefully!) cooled cake into two layers. Place one layer on your serving plate and spread with the peach filling. If you're lucky and somehow end up with too much, feel OBLIGED to eat it. 

6. Top with the other half of the cake and now, whip the other 300ml of cream with the icing sugar until, again, soft peaks form (deja vu, I know). Spread over the top and sides of the cake.

7. And finally, press the almonds into the side of the cake. You can sprinkle some on top too should you wish, of you can top with more peaches, like I did. 

8. If you can help yourself, refrigerate. If you can't... well, not my problem ;) 

Enjoy!

sl x

The Missing Week, in Instagrams*

*... of food, of course.

Right. I have one day off. And about 20 minutes to get my derrière showered, dressed, beautified (DON'T snigger, I heard that!) and out the door... so excuse the brevity and hastiness this post is quite clearly dripping of. BUT, be back tomorrow - 'til then, Happy Sunday.
1. Sunshine in the City at last.
2. Masala Chai - who needs to go to India anymore?!
3. The things you're resigned to reading when you finish the Metro cover to cover and the train still refuses to budge. 
4. Hangover cure.
5. Yes, more food. At least homemade though. #lunchdates
6. Columbia Road Flower Market - a feast for the senses, a beating for the wallet.
xx

Food: White Cross Street Market

If you live or work near the Barbican then you’ll probably know all about Whitecross Street Food Market - personally, it was something of a revelation a few summers ago... but it's come to be a bit of a go-to lately. It's fabulous, fresh and filling food for well under a fiver be it Thai, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Brazilian, Chinese or the traditional Friday fish & chips. Pie and mash, soups and sandwiches, salads, falafal, or maybe you fancy a curry? It’s all there and then some. Every day (though there is by far a lot more choice Thursday-Friday) from about 11 to 3, trucks + stalls boasting authentic, freshly prepared & lip-lickingly delicious cuisine from all around the world line this otherwise non-descript EC1 street, transforming it into an aromatic wonderland for foodies. It makes for a captivating atmosphere too, almost carnival-like, a vibrant, bustling melting pot of suit-clad city workers, many clearly regulars, tourists + food lovers.

Of the tried and tasted, I'd award first prize to possibly the most delicious Kachori Chaat known to mankind (outside of the homeland of course), a bowl full of steaming hot vegetable jalfrezi served with made-as-you-wait chappatis coming in a close second. The Vietnamese vegetable dumplings are worthy contenders (cheap as chips, literally, £1.50 for 4!) and while we're talking chips, this market certainly knows how to serve 'em crispy, crunchy and piping hot. I'm yet to try something Mexican at the Luardo's van (the queue's always too long by the time I get there - indicator, perhaps, that it's one of the better eats?) but I'm happily going to bumble my way through the stalls one by one.. of course for the pure and selfless reason of reporting my findings back to you...

...stay tuned ;)x

Visit Whitecross Street Market, Whitecross Street, Barbican, EC1 Monday-Friday 11am onwards.

Easter Brunches - the Full and Final

Seeing as the sun finally showed it's smiley face for pretty much the first time this year (yes, if you don't live in England, it is April but we still seem to be in the midst of an ice age), what better than a summery Spanish frittata to make the sunshine seem just that little bit warmer - I found sweet red peppers, red hot chilli flakes and golden fluffy potatoes did just the trick. Yum yum!
Now, if you're much of a tapas-tempté, you've probably savoured at least one tortilla-liplickingly-delicious-española in your time. That is the wonderfully dense concoction made by frying potatoes + onions, adding beaten egg and cooking to a thick omelette that's later sliced into squares and served as a snack. 
And so, being the type-A control geek that I am (need answers to everything right away) I couldn't help but wonder if the frittata-tortilla enigma is merely a classic 'tomay-to/tomah-to' case. Alas - the bane of my breakfasts - what is the real difference? I did end up having to google around for a plausible answer but much to my dismay, I'm still not clear on the perceived differences between frittatas and tortillas. Some sites suggested differences in traditional serving temperatures whilst others theorised on potential variation in cooking techniques; "flipping" vs. "flashing"(the skillet under the oven, GOD what were you thinking?!) - who knows?
No sweat as fortunately, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" ;) So here it is, another great morning pick-me-up with hangover-killing potential as potent as my Mexican Scramble.
What you need: (measures are per person)
- 2 eggs - 150g fluffy potatoes (Maris Piper, Yukon, King Edward - good spuds are key!), peeled and sliced to 1/2 cm discs - 1/4 pepper oven roasted or ready-grilled from the jar - 1/2 onion, roughly chopped - salt, pepper, chilli flakes & fresh parsley to taste - 30g grated Manchego cheese - 2 tbsp olive oil
To Serve: 
- flour tortillas - any extras you fancy - baked beans, roast tomatoes, sauteed mushroom, avocado salsa etc... options 2 + 4 are advisable.
What to Do: 
1. Begin by boiling the potatoes in slightly salted water until they reach the al-dente phase (hold their shape but tender to the bite).
2. Drain the potatoes & heat the olive oil on medium heat in a heavy-based pan. You want a pan that's relatively deep as you're not after making a crêpe style omelette. Add the onions and sauté gently trying not to brown them - we want sweet, semi-translucent caramelliness (mmmmm, hungry just thinking of it!)
4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl, seasoning to taste. Add 1/2 the parsley and cheese, beating well into mix. Preheat your grill to approximately 200 degrees C. 
5. Add the peppers and then the potatoes to the pan. Be careful not to be too vicious stirring lest the potatoes crumble! Pour over the egg mix and, having reduced the heat slightly, allow to cook through for 7-10 minutes. 
6. When the bottom and sides look well set but the top-middle is wobbly-bobbly, extinguish the heat + sprinkle over remaining cheese, parsley and a spritz of fresh black pepper before transferring to the grill. 
7. Be sure to watch carefully here - I'd say it'll take no longer than a few measly minutes for the frittata to puff up in all its golden glory. Careful pulling it out of the oven too, the handle will be hot (DUH). 

8. Slice into lusciously thick wedges, serve as you may, with all the condiments you please but certainly as quickly as you can. 
Enjoy! 
xo

Celebrating a 60th

As someone who's always had her birthday on a Bank Holiday (thankfully the date we celebrate Christmas doesn't vary year on year!), I've never really known what it is to spend a birthday in the flow of day to day routine. I've only ever had to work once on the 25th in my whole, entire life (unfortunately the big 21) but I know I've always thought myself lucky to be with friends and family and mark it as a day different from any other. 

And so it was a great deal of both relief and excitement that we brought in a very special birthday this Easter Weekend (no, not mine, I'm not that old yet), with plenty of time, food and fortunately sunshine to celebrate it with. As birthdays go in our family, we're all about chilled out rather than charged up, pyjama parties over ostentatious affairs - here's how we indulged Papa Bear on his special day.

1. Presents + balloons (you're never too old for balloons).

2. Birthday Brunch (also Easter Brunch No 3) - Spicy Red Pepper Frittata.

3. ...a very brief cessation before sitting down to a home-cooked full Indian thali.

4. There's got to be birthday cake. I know what you're thinking... how on EARTH did we have room? We can always accommodate ;) White chocolate & Peach Gateaux - recipe to follow.

5. Following a sloth fuelled seven star snooze, some games and a round of bowling (proud to admit I lost just one game).

6. And finally, early evening drinks at The Grove Mansion Lounges.

Ahhh, why do birthdays go by quickly? 

I'll be back with recipes and some reviews so stay tuned - 'til then, good luck beating those Tuesday Blues.

x

Easter Brunches, Part 2: A Mexican Scramble

...and here it is, Easter Monday already, finale to the four days of feasting, transition from "Long weekend soon!" to "Ah well, at least we have a short week this week," complete. So how has everyone spent it - a) eating, b) lounging c) working d) holidaying, e) socialising? All bar 'd)' apply over here but if the fact that it's now 5pm and I've eaten two huge meals in my pyjamas is anything to go by (I had to starfish on my bed for an hour after meal 2), it seems eating has definitely been the essence of this Easter. We've got enough leftover to feed a hundred for the entire week (no, I'm not kidding) and a fridge so full that trying to retrieve milk for a simple cup of coffee results in eggs and the ketchup bottle catapulting into your face (again, not kidding, I just finished cleaning up). 
Alas, I'm sad it has to end because it's the most relaxed I've been in a long time - no moving date looming on the horizon and no nerves about starting a new job. So I'm off to make the most of what's left but here's recipe 2 of the Easter brunches. I know yesterday's recipe was a slightly fiddly one (worth it though, trust me) and sometimes you want a quick fix, one pan in, one plate out for two to share - if you're all about the duvet picnic, this one's definitely for you. Here it is - Mexican Scrambled Eggs a la Nigella, tweaked to suit my spicy streak. It's not only one of the tastiest ways to start the day but also one mighty cure for a hangover. Let me know how you get on.
What you need:
- Vegetable Oil - 2 soft tortillas - 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered - 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced - 1 spring onion, roughly chopped - 1-2 small green chillies, finely diced (+ red chilli flakes, depending on taste) - 4 eggs, beaten & seasoned with a splash of milk
- Waffles, to serve.  
What to Do: 
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Roll the tortillas into tight cylinders & snip them into long strips with a pair of kitchen scissors straight into the hot oil. 
2. Fry until crisp + golden & then decant onto a plate. 
3. Add the tomato, spring onion, pepper & chopped chilli to the frying pan, cooking until they begins to turn a luscious golden brown. 
4. Put your waffles on to toast!
5. Turn down the heat, put the fried tortilla strips back into the pan & add in the beaten eggs, continuously moving everything around in the pan, as you would for scramble. 
6. When the eggs begin to set, turn off the heat and stir through until they are at a consistency of your liking. 
7. Pile onto a nice spacious dish along side a stack of nicely browned waffles & dive in! 

Enjoy!
xx