Roasted Celeriac Soup

As it's January and we are enjoying plenty of lighter dishes; including soups.  I made this as an experiment for the first time today and it was absolutely delicious and I'll 100% be making it again soon.

It's completely vegetarian and vegan; so ideal if you are doing Veganuary or generally following a plant-based diet; but it's equally good for those who still enjoy a bit of everything too.

Celeriacs' can be a bit of a faff to prepare, but this recipe is well worth the initial effort and the rest of it is completely low maintenance too. The end result is a thick and creamy tasting soup - really hearty but super healthy too.

The below serves x4 portions with each portion approximately 200 calories.

Roasted Celeriac Soup

Here's how:

• x1 celeriac (approx 600g)
• x2 large garlic cloves
• x1 large white onion
• 1.5 pints vegetable stock
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Firstly whack the oven onto 180 degrees. 

Now to prepare the celeriac, firstly use a vegetable peeler to remove the outside, dark, gnarly bits of skin. There may be a slightly green tinge underneath, as a posed to the white and creamy depths of the celeriac - it's fine to leave these green bits so you don't lose too much of the celeriac.

Once peeled, carefully slice into 3-4 large slices, and then chop into about 2cm pieces and place into a roasting tin.

Now peel the onion and remove the ends then roughly chop, again into about 2cm sized pieces.

Peel the garlic cloves and throw into the roasting tin with the onion.

Drizzle with the vegetable oil and then season and place into the oven for 35 minutes.

When you remove from the oven, the onion should be charred and have a lovely, smokey flavour which will add to the soup, and the celeriac should have bits that are slightly browning.

Now remove everything and place into a large saucepan and pour over the vegetable stock. 

Use a blender to blitz till thick, smooth and creamy. 

Now gently heat on the hob until warmed through. Enjoy!

Slimming Friendly Fake-away Char Sui Pork

If you have ever enjoyed char sui pork in a Chinese restaurant you will know it is utterly addictive and delicious. It usually calls for a fatty part of the pig, the belly, shoulder, or butt and the fat really helps to keep it moist and tasty.

But in my quest to continue to eat delicious things whilst trying to shift some extra Christmas pounds as well as get bikini ready for a trip to Cyprus coming up, I did a little experimenting and have come up with this version which uses a much leaner cut; pork fillet which is lower in fat and calories, inexpensive and easy to source in most supermarkets. In fact by switching the pork belly to pork fillet you save 200 calories per serving; and 24g of fat! I omitted from using the copious amount of brown sugar too – whilst you don’t get the final glaze, that is synonymous with char sui, it already has the sweetness from the honey.

Some of the ingredients – such as red bean curd and Shaoxing wine are a little more niche but you will find in any Asian supermarket; and once you have Shaoxing wine add a drop to any stir fries – it’s super tasty.

The below serves x4 people and a 140g serving of the Char Sui Pork equates to 328 calories. I served with a small portion (approximately 75g) rice, and some quick fried bok choi and pak choi with a drizzle of Oyster sauce.

It’s best to marinate meat overnight – but a few hours will also be good.

For a Friday night fake away – I can thoroughly recommend and will be making again soon. 

Slimming Friendly Char Sui Pork Fillet

Here’s how:

• 450g pork fillet
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4cm piece of ginger
• 4 tbsp low salt soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
• Red Bean Curd 3 pieces
• 3 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp hoi sin sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp black pepper

Firstly you need to make the marinade which is all of the ingredients, bar the pork. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger and place everything together into a large zip lock bag or in a bowl – combine well then take out about 3 tablespoons of the marinade and place into a small pot – this will be the sauce to drizzle over the meat once cooked. Keep in the fridge.

Now with the pork, take a sharp knife and all over the fillet, make a few incisions, not too deep, but enough for the marinade to get inside of the meat.

Place the pork fillet into the bag, do up and then use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat ensuring it is fully immersed and covered. Now place into the fridge and allow to marinate for as long as you can – overnight is good.

As pork fillet is very lean and without fat, it’s important when cooking to not allow it to dry out and become tough so if you cook it on a wire rack over an oven proof dish half filled with boiled water, this will help that process. I don’t have fancy equipment for this at all – I used a roasting tin, covered with the wire rack from my grill.

Pre-heat the over to 180 degrees and when warm enough, place the meat onto the wire rack, above the tin, then use a brush to cover the meat all over with the marinade.

You will roast for 35-40 minutes in total, but every 8 minutes, take out the meat and brush again with the marinade. The second time you take the meat out to brush it again, turn the meat over.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to rest. Now place the retained marinade into a small saucepan and gently heat through.

Slice the meat, once sufficiently rested and serve with the sauce drizzled over with your choice of accompaniments.

Red Lentil and Chorizo Soup

I love a hearty soup and am a huge fan of lentil soups as they are super filling and nutritious too - my Chunky Lentil, Bacon and Kale Soup is one of our family favourites and especially with thick, crusty bread. 

This soup is an ideal January recipe - it's cheap to make using mostly store cupboard items that are undoubtedly already sitting in your cupboards; plus if you're on any kind of new year diet or detox, soups are always on side and this one is around 300 calories, even with tasty fried chorizo in tow. 

Red Lentil and Chorizo Soup

The below serves a family of four as a main course.

Here's how:

• 140g cooking chorizo
• 1 red onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 carrot
• 320g red split lentils
• 2 roasted red peppers (I use the jarred variety from Lidl)
• 1x tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 pints chicken stock (I used homemade but Knorr Chicken Stock Pots are great)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Firstly place a heavy bottomed pan  on a low heat on the hob.

Chop the cooking chorizo into small pieces and add to the pan. Gently toss every minute or so until some become nicely charred and use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked chorizo and set aside for now.

Now peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic and add to the pan in the chorizo juices.

Peel and dice the carrot and add to the pan.  Allow to gently saute and add the cayenne pepper at this point. 

Now place the red split lentils (I usually give a very quick rinse first) into the pan and allow to be coated in the oils. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt and the white pepper.

Roughly chop the roasted red pepper and add to the pan and finally cover with the chicken stock.

Allow to cook through for 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through, then remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. 

Blitz in a blender, Nutribullet or use a hand blender and return to the heat to warm through. 

When hot enough dish up and divide the cooked chorizo between portions and scatter on top as a delicious, meaty garnish. 

If you're looking for more soup inspiration this month here are a few of our other favourite family soups,

Asparagus Soup with Crispy Bacon
Restorative Green Soup
Mexican Mushroom Soup
Alphabet and Hidden Vegetable Soup
Mediterranean Soup
Curried Parsnip and Spinach Soup
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Roasted Tomato & Basil Soup

Alphabet and Hidden Vegetable Soup

This soup recipe was one I've played with recently in a bid to get more vegetables into my youngest's diet as she is currently going through a fussy phase but she absolutely loves soup. 

Tomato based with some 'hidden' vegetables, and then packed out with alphabet or mini animal pasta shapes and topped with a cheese on toast 'crouton' this is delicious for all ages and is especially warming during this cold, wet weather.

You can pack with whatever vegetables you have in tow, but I use tomatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, celery and leeks and thoroughly blend so none of the above are detected by Beatrice. I always roast the tomatoes and peppers too to add a nice charred flavour - but you can throw them straight into the soup if you're short on time.

Alphabet and Hidden Vegetable Soup

Here's how:

• 450g tomatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 red onion
• 3 celery sticks
• 2 peppers (I use red and yellow)
• 2 leeks
• 1 clove garlic
• 2.5 pints vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Handful basil leaves and stalks
• Salt and pepper
• 200g alphabet or animal pasta
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Optional:

• x4 slices of sour dough, ciabatta or even baguette
• Handful grated cheddar

Firstly whack the oven onto 220 degrees and cut the tomatoes and peppers in half. Remove the centres of the peppers, place onto a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper and roast for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile pour the oil into a heavy bottomed pan and place on a low heat. Peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic and finely slice the leeks and celery and add to the pan. 

Peel and dice the carrot and add to the pan to fry off for a few minutes.

Now remove the basil leaves from the stalks and set aside, chop the stalks and add to the pan. 

Add the roasted tomatoes and peppers to the pan and cover with the stock, season and add the bay leaf. Cook for 20 minutes on a slow simmer and then remove from the heat, add the basil leaves now and allow to cool a bit. 

Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions and whilst cooking blitz the soup well and return to the pan and begin to warm through. 

Once cooked, drain the pasta and add to the soup pan and stir through. 

Assemble your cheese on toast and place under the grill. 

Once the soup is cooked through and piping hot, and the cheese on the toast is melted, ladle the soup into bowls and allow any for young children to cool down a bit before serving. I like to serve the cheese toast croutons half in, half out of the soup. Enjoy!

Beef Stamna

This is a fantastic slow cooked Greek beef stew which I came across during my couple of seasons in Corfu some decade ago and is so hearty and comforting as a dish - it is like a hug in a bowl. 

I've played around with this quite a bit as there aren't a mass of recipes available online for it - the basis comes from this Mamtas Kitchen recipe but I have tinkered with it quite a bit - depending on my family's tastes and preferences, what I've had in stock and most importantly, how I remember it from Corfu myself.

It can also be made with lamb if you prefer, but I've only ever had it with beef and don't be alarmed by the large amount of cinnamon - by the time it has cooked out, it's just really aromatic and flavoursome. I prefer the consistency using white wine, rather than red too, but feel free to experiment. I also transfer the slow cooker dish to the oven to melt the cheese - and last week we had the Stamna a day after cooking - and it seemed even better than normal, so is a great batch cook idea. 

You can also cook this in an ordinary casserole dish in the oven at a very low heat of around 140 degrees for several hours.

Traditionally you would find this dish served individually in earthenware dishes which remain very hot - I always make a family sized dish, and dish up individually into cold bowls - which helps prevent burning little ones' mouths.

The below comfortably serves a family of four with some Dirty Greek Fries and crusty bread on the side. I cook in my slow cooker all day and the end result is a rich, glossy sauce and melt-in-the-mouth meat that falls apart at the touch of the fork. In a word, delicious.

Beef Stamna

Here's how:

• 500g beef shin (you could also use braising steak, or stewing steak)
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• Large pinch of salt
• Black pepper
• 1 large white onion
• 3 large carrots
• 4 large potatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 jar passata
• 4 heaped tsp cinnamon
• 2 heaped tsp paprika
• 1/4 freshly ground nutmeg
• Pinch of white sugar
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 glass dry white wine
• 500ml beef stock (I use a Knorr Beef Stock Pot)
• Large handful grated hard cheese (Cheddar, Grana Padana, or even a Red Leicester works here)

Firstly cut the meat up into decent sized chunks and set aside. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil into a pan and place onto a medium heat.

Now place the plain flour into a bowl and season very generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir a little and then place the beef pieces into the flour and move around to ensure they get a good coating of flour - this will ensure the sauce thickens nicely later on.

Now add the cinnamon to the pan and mix the beef around so it gets a good coating. Allow to cook for a minute or so.

Place the beef into the now hot pan and allow to just brown off a little on each side, then place into your slow cooker (or casserole dish). 

Now pour the white wine into the still hot pan and allow to de-glaze the pan of any excess flavours and after a minute or so pour everything into the dish.

Next prepare the vegetables - peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic and add to the dish.

Peel the carrots into thick slices and place into the dish. 

Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes; rinse them off a little, then place into the dish.

Add the remaining spices (paprika and nutmeg), the pinch of sugar, the passata, Rosemary and the made up stock. Now season one more time, mix together, pop the lid on and leave to cook for 6-8 hours on the slowest cooker method - or if using the higher/speedier mode then for 3-4 hours.

Don't touch the lid for the first two hours, but after that give it a stir every hour and watch it thicken, and fill your home with the most delicious aromas.

Once getting ready to serve pop the oven on high - grate the cheese up, and place a little mounds in various spots across the cooked Stamna dish and place the interior part of the dish into the heated oven and once the cheese the melted, you are ready to dish up. Enjoy!

If, like me, you love a hearty Greek dish in the colder autumn and winter months here are a few more you may enjoy:

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

Souzoukakia - Greek Meatball Bake

Pastitsio - The Greek Lasagna

Moussaka

Prawn Saganaki

Spanakopita - Greek Spinach and Cheese Pie

Greek Briam - Vegetable Stew

Greek Chicken One Pot

Top 10 Foodie Must-Do's in Cornwall

We recently visited Cornwall for the second time in a couple of years and enjoyed a fantastic family holiday filled with plenty of delicious offerings.

With x4 under 5's in our number, my sister-in-law and I actually did a lot of the catering - particularly breakfast and a few dinners too, as well as a mean set of packed lunches, but we did find the time to enjoy some really tasty treats out and here is my selection of the top ten must do foodie experiences whilst staying in Cornwall.

1. Crab Sandwiches

Crab Sandwiches overlooking Port Isaac

A crab sandwich with just a hint of mayonnaise a squeeze of lemon and plenty of seasoning is a real thing of beauty when the crab itself is fresh, sweet, juicy and delicious. 

You could get a fancy pants one in any given restaurant around Cornwall, as they appear on many a menu, but you would do just as well in a simple sandwich shop such as Fresh from The Sea in Port Isaac and then if you can find an idyllic spot like the below picnic bench overlooking the view you’ll be hard pushed to beat that food memory.

2. Cream Teas

Cream Teas at The Harbour Hotel, Padstow

The Cornish way of serving a cream tea is always jam first, and then cream on freshly baked fruit or plain scones; and you’ll find these served in bakeries, cafes, restaurants and hotels all over Cornwall - it is after all a speciality. 

If you are staying somewhere and self catering a visit to a bakery such as The Chough Bakery in Padstow will equip you with all you need to prepare them at your designated holiday home - Roddas Cream is mandatory here and they do travel well - last time I brought more than a dozen home for my work team. 

But it is a real treat to enjoy a pot of hot tea and a selection of scones out somewhere nice - The Harbour Hotel in Padstow is a great venue. It offers scenic views over Padstow harbour and if you're lucky to visit on a bright day, those views are exceptional. My sister-in-law and I actually found it a welcome haven during a rainy storm. The scones were fresh and delicious, the staff friendly and the decor modern. Best of both worlds.

I'm also told the cream tea at The Scarlet is exceptional - but sadly we haven't made it there yet - next time.

3. Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips from Stein's Fish and Chips, Padstow

It would be a travesty to visit any seaside hamlet for a length of time and not enjoy fresh fish and chips, and in Cornwall you are spoilt for choice. 

Whilst this is certainly not an ad for Rick Stein, Stein's Fish and Chips at Padstow harbour is a fantastic place to start and you’ll be hard-pushed to find fresher, flakier cod (if that is your fish of choice) with a perfectly crisp batter and the chips are a joy too - crisp on the outside, with fluffy insides. They do a good selection for children too with goujons and smaller cod bites available - these went down amongst our four under 5's.. 

It even travels well as we bought it back to our holiday home in St. Merryn a ten minute drive away.

4. Ice Cream

Me and Bea enjoying the Reeves ice cream at Port Isaac

Driving around Cornwall you’ll be amazed at the number of cows grazing in fields so it isn’t really any wonder that Cornwall is home to some great ice cream farms. We visited Callestick Farm in Truro and can vouch for their rum and raisin, caramel, strawberry and lemon ice creams with passion. The farm also has a pretend cow where the children can learn how to ‘milk’ which provided ample fun for my two, as well as an adventure playground and several farm animals so is well worth a stop. 

We also tried several Roskilly’s ice creams during our stay, although sadly we didn’t make it to the farm in Helston - it is on our list for next time. Their vanilla ice cream is incredible - super creamy, strong with vanilla and just delicious.

Special mention to the super quaint three wheeler ice cream cart, Reeves, at Port Isaac too - Beatrice and I can vouch for their mint chocolate chip and strawberry flavours..

5. The Mariners

Meeting Mr Paul Ainsworth at The Mariners

Beef Burger at The Mariners, Rock

Haddock and Chips at The Mariners, Rock

Whitebait at The Mariners, Rock

Children's Sausage and Mash at The Mariners, Rock

We had the good fortune of visiting Rock - a short boat taxi of £4 per adult from Padstow on the very day that Paul Ainsworth’s latest Cornwall venture, The Mariners, opened; and we couldn’t resist an impromptu lunch. 

We had the luck of Chef being in the kitchen too, and being the fan that I am I couldn’t resist a sneaky selfie with him even though I was a little star-struck. .

Regarding the food, what you will find here, are absolute pub classics, just executed incredibly well. My sister-in-law enjoyed a delightful Ploughman's, I a juicy beef burger, with crispy bacon, cheese and all of the trimmings, served in a toasted brioche bun and with addictive thin and delicious French fries. Glen and my brother-in-law had the fish and chips, haddock this time, and Paul declared it 'the best fish and chips I've ever had' - praise indeed. The children devoured sausage and mash - which arrived so appetising, that I almost regretted my own choice. We also enjoyed an appetiser or salty, flavoursome fried whitebait which were eaten in moments by our table.

Beautifully adorned with a splendid dark wood and well stocked bar; with well informed, polite staff, Mariners is very reasonably priced for the quality of food on offer and well worth a visit to the Rock. If and when we return - we will undoubtedly be trying to book for Sunday lunch.

6. The Cornish Arms

Goan Cod Curry at The Cornish Arms, St Merryn

Children's Ham, Egg and Chips at The Cornish Arms, St Merryn

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Stewed Rhubarb

The Cornish Arms is a long-standing favourite with tourists and locals alike and is another Rick Stein venue. It is casual inside and you do get the occasional dog in the restaurant so be warned if like me, you're not very dog friendly. There is also a beautiful garden area and this backs onto a field full of sheep which is great when you have children with you like we did for keeping them entertained.

One again, you will find pub classics on the menu at The Cornish Arms - done really well. Ham, egg and chips, scampi, hearty pies with mash potato but alongside the well executed classics you’ll also find inspiring little dishes such as my Goan Cod Curry which was delicately spiced but packed a punch and was served with rice and roti and went down a treat. We made it to pudding and mine was to die for. A sweet vanilla panna cotta with the perfect wobble and served with my favourite fruit, rhubarb stewed and delicious with just the perfect amount of tart. Fantastic.

7. Fudge

Roly's Fudge Pantry, Padstow

Roly's Fudge Pantry, Padstow

My brother-in-law and I were probably the worst instigators of the fudge buying during our week-long stay, both guilty of a sweet tooth and our usual place of purchase was Roly’s Fudge Pantry in Padstow. 

Their sea salt fudge and vanilla fudge is exceptional and the great thing at Roly’s is you fan see them actually preparing the fudge on site from the window and when in-store which intrigued my eldest daughter no end. We had to bring some home as gifts and we enjoyed our own haul on the 5 hour car journey home.

8. Cook with local seafood

My Seafood Spaghetti with Saffron and Chilli

In any good fishing or seaside town, there is always good quality, fresh seafood to be found and if you enjoy cooking as I do, or if your budget doesn't quite stretch to eating out every lunch and dinner - then it is a great opportunity to experiment with the local produce.

There are tons of simple enough dishes you could do at home - pan fried mackerel perhaps, sardines cooked in a little garlic butter and coated in parsley and sea salt, or perhaps a seafood supper of fresh, cold seafood with bread and butter - lovely.

I cooked one of my favourite dishes for the family - my Seafood Spaghetti with Saffron and Chilli with increased quantities, utilising fresh and juicy prawns, squid and mussels all purchased locally to where we were staying just outside of Padstow. 

9. Rick Stein's Cafe Breakfast

Avocado on Toast at Rick Stein's Cafe, Padstow

Chocolate Waffle at Rick Stein's Cafe, Padstow

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg at Rick Stein's Cafe, Padstow

Cornwall is a place where a lot of exploring, often on foot is necessary and so a good, hearty breakfast is advisable. Most days, my sister-in-law and I shared breakfast responsibilities at our glorious holiday home (Blue Seas Container - St Merryn). But we decided to have one day where we had a treat breakfast for us both to enjoy and our venue of choice was Rick Stein's Cafe - in Middle Street, Padstow. 

They have a plentiful menu including a full Cornish breakfast, egg's Benedict and an array of delightful pastries to name a few. I enjoyed avocado on toast which was sublime, my sister-in-law the eggs with smoked salmon which she enjoyed immensely and Bridget had a real treat breakfast a waffle topped with rich chocolate sauce, nuts and marshmallows. A welcome treat and definitely worth a visit.

10. Picnics on the beach

Easy Sausage Rolls for Beach Picnics

Frankly my summer childhood memories are mostly of beach days either here in the UK, or abroad and they inevitably, always involve a picnic of sorts. I'm trying to ensure this tradition continues into the next generation. There is something just wonderful about picnics over the sand with the sound of the sea as a back drop. 

We mostly packed arrays of sandwiches (crab of course) and a few other fillings, as well as sausage rolls, salads and plenty of snack items for the children. 

Holidays are always expensive - but my breakfasting at our holiday home and packing up picnics for our beach days, we saved a few pennies for nicer meals out.

Shakshuka - Spicy Tomato and Pepper Baked Eggs

This spicy tomato and pepper baked egg dish - originating from North Africa, is a winner for any weekend brunch or leisurely breakfast. It packs a punch and whilst this is for one or two people, you can always up the ingredients quantities to make it go further.

You can also throw the dish into the oven once the sauce is complete, and you've cracked the eggs in if you prefer, but it only takes minutes on the hob too.

Serve it with toasted, buttered bread and a spoonful of natural yoghurt. 

Shakshuka - Spicy Tomato and Pepper Baked Eggs

Here's how:
x4 tomatoes or x1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 red chilli
1 pepper (I used green but any colour is fine)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried cumin 
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 eggs
30g feta cheese
Handful fresh parsley
Salt
Black Pepper
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp olive oil

Firstly place the olive oil into a frying pan or ovenproof pan and place on a low heat.

Peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic and finely chop the chilli. Slice the pepper and add all of this to the pan and increase the heat slightly.

Whilst that is cooking down, chop the tomatoes (if you are using fresh ones) or open the tin. 

Once the peppers, onion, chilli and garlic have begun to soften, add the tablespoon of tomato puree and the caraway seeds, paprika, dried chilli flakes and cumin and mix. 

Allow this to cook down for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes and about 3 tbsp water. Season generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt and mix. 

Allow this to cook for at least five minutes. 

In the meantime, crumble the feta and roughly chop the parsley and set aside for garnish.

By now the tomato and pepper sauce should be bubbling away, if you're satisfied with the consistency, make a couple of wells or 'holes' in the sauce, so the egg can be cracked directly onto the heat of the pan and do just that. 

Now scatter the feta all around the dish to almost melt whilst the eggs cook. Also directly season the egg to your own liking. 

At the same time, pop your bread into the toaster and butter. 

The egg should only take 1-2 minutes to cook through - you ideally want the white cooked through, with a still-runny yolk. 

Once ready, I always serve at the table on a wooden board in the original cooking dish and just scatter over the parsley leaves. Add the tablespoon of natural yoghurt and serve. Enjoy!