Peppermint Brownies

Chocolate Brownies

Welcome back sun, all is forgiven. I love the sun, we don't know each other well given that i grew up in Scotland. People reminisce of long hazy childhood summers, i remember getting a tractor to school after being snowed in on the farm. Did earn me a little kudos though, useful when bartering playtime treats. The weekend incorporated some of my favourite things; food, the world of vintage & family. Mr & Mrs Robinson were down which was fun as always. We headed to Vintage at South Bank &amp an eclectic mix of 1920's -1980's clothing, jewelry, homeware, sewing bits, Cream Teas & 50's style makeovers. So much fun & i could have lost myself for hours. The stall holders were all die hard vintage fans, & it was evident that they rock the look full time. I added to my scarf collection with some rather natty choices, the Houseboy sadly doesn't share my love of second hand items, doubt i will be getting him into a vintage velvet smoking jacket any time soon.

Being on the South Bank it would have been rude not to have swung by Borough Market for lunch. Sooooo many options though , it was a toss up between delicious looking Green Thai Curry & Duck Rillet Sandwiches. The duck won & i have to say it was epic... although it must have been at least 3 spin classes worth of calories (such a dirty word) Bah, a moment on the lips & a lot of happiness i say. The evening found us in central London celebrating the engagement of friends. Always happy to celebrate love & perfect matches it was a lovely evening of chilled prosecco, canapes & banter. The venue was a new one for me. The Burlington Arms on Old Burlington Street is an intimate & cosy pub which works very well for private hire. 

Sunday i did what all Scottish girls do in sunny weather. Headed to the park with not a jot of sun cream on, lay reading on my tartan rug & then expressed surprise when i turned the colour as raw steak. A lesson i fear i will never learn... The Houseboy, despite being raised under the Australian 'Slip, Slap, Slop' policy is also a suncream dodger. When we met sailing in Croatia (romantic huh?) he proudly stated he was rocking the 'neopolitan' look... white, pink & brown. I didn't let that put me off. Next weekend we are heading off to Switzerland (very very excited) to do some outdoor pursuits, drink beer & work on our yodelling. I have a head start on that one. I have watching the Sound of Music more times than is strictly healthy. I will be stocking up on factor 50 & wearing an ankle to neck sun suit. (stay tuned for the failure of that venture)

I know that i have already covered Brownies, but i have been craving brownies for days & fancied doing some experimenting on flavour & texture. It was a toss up between mint or pistachios & given that Mrs Robinson bought me some chocolates this weekend & i didn't have any pistachios, hey presto peppermint brownies. They are intensely rich & minty. It's pretty hard to stop at one. The bones of this recipe is a Stephanie Alexander recipe from her cook book The Cooks Companion a fantastic book with a great variety of recipes & suggestions. It was a lovely gift from the Phillip's & Jordan's high praise of her skills is well deserved. As he says 'Stuck? Just ask Stephanie'. The only change i have made is the bendict bittermints (my very most favourite chocolates in the world) in place of 120g of dark chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 180g unsalted buter
• 3/4 cup coco powder
• 1 1/2 cups castor sugar
• a few drops of vanilla essence
• 4 eggs lightly beaten 
• 100g plain flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 5 bendict bittermints chopped up

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160c. Line a 20cm x 30cm with baking paper & set aside. Melt the butter & mix in the coco powder. Add the eggs, vanilla & sugar, mix in gently & then add the remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared tins & bake for 20-25 minutes. (i have to say that my batch took nearer 45 minutes for some reason so be prepared) until firm on top. Allow to cool in the tin before cutting into squares. Then eat them all before other people do, because these little gems will fly!

My beautiful new measuring cups

Bolognese Cannelloni

Gin & Tonic

I can't tell you how guilty i feel about the lack of blogging lately! I love writing it & never struggle to waffle on about things, it's just trying to find the time to sit down & do it. Well tonight's the night, the Houseboy is cooking Prawn Stir Fry & police, camera, action is on tv (one of my guilty pleasures...) Perfect creative atmosphere. So as usual it's been busy in London town lately. The Lipchucks thew a extremely fun 30th for Dirty Dave complete with frozen Mojitos, Strawberry Daiquiris & Liz's amazingly inventive canapes. With a beach theme there was a healthy dose of Hawaiian shirts & the odd grass skirt (i mistakenly thought people were going full fancy dress...) Luckily they have lovely patient neighbours who happily ignore horrendous renditions of 80s classics...

Readyfields Farm Tents

The following weekend we spent a brilliant weekend 'glamping' (posh camping with proper beds) in Nottinghamshire which was amazing fun. Featherdown Farms is a company which advertise glamping on nearly 30 farms across the UK. We choose Readyfields Farm run by David & Lesley who were incredibly welcoming. A beautiful working farm with a mix of chickens, donkeys, a huge horse called Brian & a energetic pack of blood hounds it's perfectly located for a weekend break from London. It was all about beer & BBQ & dodging showers of rain (i did notice the odd person dodging having a shower full stop. You know who you are) All the tents were fully set up with a wood burning stove, sink & loo. And more importantly beds! i love camping but if offered a choice between a paper thin foam mat & sweaty sleeping bag or a comfy bed with pillows i know which one i will go for every time. We started the Saturday with some clay pigeon shooting which was enjoyed by all, there were some pretty good shots knocking around. On the Sunday we all went for a bike ride with the hounds through the local village, hilarious due the variety of bike size. The Houseboy had his knees round his ears for most of the time, but was well worth it. After our cruisey cycle we headed back to the farm for homemade pizzas cooked in a huge outdoor wood burning oven. Happy happy times.

The boys in charge of the BBQ

My birthday seems to have gone on & on & on which has been pretty brilliant, i think by the time i turn 50 i will be demanding a month long celebration. One present i received from the Houseboy's super kind parents was an amazing turquoise Le Creuset pot which has seen some heavy use! (as i'm writing this it's in the oven filled with Beef in Red Wine for the freezer) Perfect for casseroles & pot roasts i really think that the range is unbeatable. The Houseboy's parents live in 'Bloody Paradise' a beautiful town in Australia so unfortunately i can't cook them up a feast, but they at least can see the evidence of it's use here! I also received some fabulous cook books  (people do know the way to my heart) which have hugely inspired me. So excited to bash out some new recipes.

My favourite cooking pot.

Mr & Mrs Brown's fantastical European travels are sadly over & they made a brief stop over in London on the way home to Sydney. Always game for a laugh, usually the last standing & great entertainers they are going to be sorely missed. A usual catching up with them involved food, drink & more food. One evening we headed to the Walmer Castle in Nottinghill, the pub has a Thai menu which was pretty good, the Fish Cakes were particularly good & the Pad Thai also a winner. The prosecco was even better. My head the next morning not so much. The Rose pub in Fulham was also frequented. Excellent food, beautiful garden & lovely staff, its perfect for a leisurely Sunday lunch. I would love to run a little restaurant or cafe, problem is, i would most likely eat all the profits.

 

The Scariest cycle gang i know

The inspiration behind making this dish is two of the naughtiest boys i know - Poppy & Chisholm who gave me a fantastic Italian cookbook full of regional dishes. It's great to make in large quantities & freeze. Nothing better than realising you have Sunday night dinner waiting for you in the freezer after a overly social weekend. This makes a fairly big portion, there may be some bechamel sauce left over, but it's better to have too much than too little.

Ingredients:

 

Bolognese

• 750g beef mince
• 200g chirizo (a ring not sliced)
• 1 & 1/2 onions
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tins of plum tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 large glass of red wine
• 2 boxes of cannelloni tubes
• s&p
• grated parmasan (to sprinkle on top of dish)

Bechamel Sauce

• 850mls milk  
• 10 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves & 1/4 of an onion)
• 80g butter
• 40g plain flour
• s&p

Method:

Kick off proceedings by turning your oven to 180c. Take an oven proof pot & heat up a good splash of oil. Finely chop the onion & garlic & cook gently. While that's happening pull the thin skin of the chirizo & chop as finely as possible. (its always will be a little lumpy) Turn up the heat slightly, add the chirizo & cook for 5 minutes. Then add the mince & quickly brown. Once nicely browned add the wine, tomato paste & tinned tomatoes. Season well & place in the oven (lid on) & cook for 1 1/2 - 2hrs. Check regularly, you may need to skim a little oil off the top. Once its done take it out & leave it to cool.

While the bolognese is cooling you can make the white sauce. Add the milk, peppercorns, bay leaves & onion to pan & gently heat to simmering point, making sure it doesn't boil. After 5 minutes of infusing take the milk off the heat and strain into jug. Then take the butter & melt making sure it doesn't colour or burn, otherwise it will effect the flavour. Add the flour & using a wooden spoon stir together vigorously to make a smooth paste. Add roughly 25mls of milk & stir in well, once the milk is fully incorporated add the next bit until all the milk has been added. Make sure the each stage of milk is fully absorbed to avoid lumps. You should now have a nice smooth sauce. Season to taste.

Take the now cooled bolognase & start to pack the cannelloni tubes making sure you fill them as tightly as possible. Lay in an oven proof dish & pour the white sauce over the top. Sprinkle with grated parmasan & bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve with a rocket salad.

Blood Hound

Moroccan Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burger with Tzatziki & Orzo Salad

It's been quiet on the blogging front - who would have thought that i could be quiet for longer than five minutes? Anyway things have calmed down & i am back on track (if i ever was on a track to start with) It's been all about tennis, cycling, bbq's, summer days & birthdays. I love a good game of tennis & when Mrs Robinson & i were growing up we were lucky enough to have a grass court to play on every summer, Mrs Rhodes is an expert tennis player & one of the most competitive i know (a family trait baring myself) but we are always trumped in the fashion stakes by Jerry who always, without fail sports the most dazzling persil induced whites including wristbands & knee high socks. It always pays to psych out the opposition by dressing flashy. Wimbledon was a great day & we struck lucky with the weather, we started to line up at 5am & managed to get general admission & tickets to court 1 later on. The girls & i made a huge picnic which caught the eye of a radio presenter who interviewed Liz & i for Radio Wimbledon which was pretty funny, given i'm not very good at being on the spot & have a tendency to spraff. Yes surprising i know.

Couscous Salad

The Lipchuck's hosted their first BBQ in their Fulham pad which was delicious & great fun. They like their food as much as we do & are always game for a good feed. Apart from a good dose of meat expertly cooked there was an array of brilliant salads. Liz made a very good Potato Salad, i love the fact that people have their individual ways of making dishes, it makes life & eating so much more interesting. The Houseboy always says 'you don't make friends with salad' but that's rubbish, salads don't have to be boring side dishes, they can be the main attraction. Frankly it's what you make of them. I take lunch to work most days & always enjoy making up new combinations. My current favourite is 'Giant Couscous with salmon, flaked almond, spring onions & apricots'.

 

Liz's Potato Salad

I also celebrated my birthday at the weekend, i'm not 21 anymore, but not quite old enough to collect my free bus pass. I was very lucky and received some amazing gifts including the most beautiful paintings from my family by the Scottish artist Jolomo who i love. I can't wait to hang them, i'm just waiting for the second one to arrive in London. When i have my first house (the piggy bank needs a little work first...) i'm going to fill it with gorgeous paintings & of course a magical kitchen where i can play out my obsession with jars, labels & filling spices to my hearts content.

Another of Liz's great salads

The House boy was a star over the weekend, cooking me a delicious meal of Grilled Seabass with Salsa Verde & New Potatoes & then on the Sunday taking to The Ledbury for one of the best meals i have ever experienced. The tasting course was just fantastic & it's almost feels like a dream. There was course after course & each one was unique. The head chef is Brett Graham an Australian who has trained with the best of them. I could probably write a ten page essay on the meal, but for the sake of your sanity i will give you they highlights. "Lightly Poached Quails Egg with a Pea Puree & Toasted Bacon', 'Fois Gras Mousse with Gooseberries', 'Seabass with Potato Rissotto' & 'Guinea Fowl with Spinach Puree & Carrots' See? Utterly amazing! I would strongly recommend this restaurant to everyone, but it definitely is an occasion place. Saying that they do a very reasonable set menu, any takers? 

Orzo Salad

I don't eat a lot of lamb much to the Houseboy's disappointment, it's always been my least favourite meat, but i'm getting more into it, i'l eat anything with a good wack of garlic! I will never make it to mutton but spring lamb & burgers have got my vote. This meal has three parts to it, but they are all relatively easy & can be done round each other. It's a case of being organised & keeping your kitchen tidy as you go along.

Ingredients:

          The Burgers

• 500g lamb mince
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 red chili
• 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika (or normal paprika)
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic
• handful of coriander
• s&p
  
  The Salad

• orzo pasta 
• 2 handfuls of green peas (fresh is possible)
• 2 spring onion -finely sliced
• 45g pine nuts
• 1 small bag of rocket

            

          Tzatziki

• 350g greek yoghurt 
•  1 cucumber
•  2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, grated finely
• s&p

Method:

Start by making the lamb burgers. Crush the garlic, finely chop the chili, onion & coriander & place in a bowl. Add the remaining burger ingredients & combine well using your hands. Shape into pattys (this made 3 large one) Set aside so all the flavours mix together.

Now start on the salad. Put the orzo on to cook according to the instructions on the packet. While it's bubbling away place the finely sliced spring onion, pine nuts & rocket in a bowl. Two minutes before the orzo is ready add the peas to give them a quick cook. Drain & leave to cool.

Now its time to grill the burgers-this should take 20-30mins. While they are cooking you can whip up the tzatziki. Half the cucumber long ways & scoop out the middle. Carefully grate the cucumber onto thin clean cloth. Gather the cloth together & gently squeeze as much liquid out as possible. Transfer into a bowl & add the remaining ingredients mixing well. Check the burgers are ready & take out if cooked-leave to rest for a few minutes. Take the cooled orzo & peas & mix in with the other salad bits. Serve up!

One of my new paintings by Jolomo