Tomato & Olive Tarts

I've been looking back at all my posts- mainly because i can never remember what i have cooked in past months & have to check that i'm not repeating myself. Something i do a lot in life. Just ask the Houseboy. I definitely got through ingredients phases, for a while it was Spinach, then Chorizo, then a brief dalliance with anything pastry related. I guess we all have our favourites, or more likely get stuck in a rut. I once tried to make something new each time i cooked dinner but realised that i had taken it too far when the Houseboy practically cried with relief after i served him Sausage, Peas & Mash. Occasionally less is more. I just really like more.     

So i have been busy eating as usual, actually while i talk about me & eating - for those who don't know what i look like - i'm not some demonic twenty stone fiend, although granted i like to see myself as Miss Piggy to the Houseboys Kermit, im a fairly normal looking lady. I just really like food (& could indeed stand to loose a few pound - but who doesn't) At the weekend we strolled round the corner to see our nearest neighbourhood friends The Squire & his lady friend Miss Windler. A couple who like food & wine as much as we do we were highly anticipating Sunday lunch & boy o boy we were not disappointed. Proceedings kicked off wit a retro baked Chicory & Parma Ham, a dish i haven't had in ages. Chicory is a vegetable which easily forgotten about which is mean as it's a fantastic choice. The main was a rich & hearty Osso Bucco served with Polenta. The meat was from Randalls Butcher in Fulham & was absolutely delicious. The marrow was wobbly, the meat tender & the sauce rich. It made me want to eat it everyday. Which would probably kill me within eighteen months but would be worth it. I made a dessert of Apple & Raspberry Crumble (recipe to follow) to finish up. As expected there was more than one alcoholic beverage served so needless to say Sunday evening was spent lying on the couch watching films & dozing. A perfect Sunday!

This is really more of a putting ingredients together sort of dish rather than a recipe, but it's very nice & great to serve as a starter or make them smaller & serve them as canapes. I'm not being lazy i promise, the next recipe will be more substantial, in the meantime, shush & go & make this.    

Ingredients:

serves 4. 

• 1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry
• 1/2 jar black olives
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
• 3 spring onions
• 1/2 a garlic clove
• s&p

Method:

Pop a baking tray into a preheated oven of 200C. While it's heating up half the cherry tomatoes & black olives, finely slice the spring onions & crush the garlic. Mix them all together & season. Take the puff pastry & cut each person a postcard sized section. Prick all over leaving a border round the edge. Place the mix in the middle, brush the edges with a little milk. Using a spatula carefully place the 'puffs' onto the pre heated tray & bake for 20 minutes. Voila!

Smoked Mackerel Pate

Well last week was a pretty exciting week for a soggy January. My long anticipated Christmas present from the houseboy arrived & my Kenwood Chef Premier is now officially my most prized possession. You know you really love something when you kept checking to see if it’s still there (it always is-it’s too heavy to spout legs & take a wander & the poor houseboy has been warned about leaving finger prints) I am going to have to watch i don’t get too obsessed with buying attachments though. I can think of at least eight situations that a pasta roller, ice cream churner, meat grinder & sausage maker would save my life, but as you can’t swing a cat in our wee kitchen & the fact i got overexcited in John Lewis agin (damn those bright shiny sale signs) means additional accessories will have to wait. Will just get the mini grinder for now. And the pasta roller. And…maybe the sausage maker. The houseboy will come round to the last one, once he tries homemade sausages. I think.

The week also heralded my first ‘guest blog’ for fellow blogger Justin Orde who is part of Gill Orde Catering. Based in Bonny Scotland they are a family run team dedicated to outside catering and an events company from the heart of the Scottish Borders. They provide bespoke catering for all occasions, from intimate dinners to international product launches. Click here to have a read & find out more about what they do.

Right to business people. This weeks recipe is one of my favourites-perfect to use for canapés, starters, picnics, or in emergency breakfast situations. There have been a lot of breakfast emergencies since this arrived in our fridge.

Ingredients:
• 4 smoked mackerel fillets
• 225g cream cheese (like philadelphia)
• 4tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 clove crushed garlic
• 1tbps chopped parsley
• crushed black pepper

Peel the skin off each mackerel fillet & carefully de-bone, this can take time, buts its best done properly as no one likes a fishbone mid mouthful. Roughly flake the fish and mix with remaining ingredients. You can mix this using a food processor-but always use the pulse setting, you want all the ingredients incorporated well but not mixed into a smooth paste, you want some texture to it.

This goes really well with melba toast, rough oatcakes or as the image shows-blinis. More about blinis in a couple of weeks.