Tried and tested online recipes using store cupboard essentials

One thing I have learnt during this pandemic is that I was a secret stockpiler before it was cool. I've been quite pleasantly surprised and a little shocked at how much I have squirrelled away in my cupboards. My store cupboard may look a little different to yours as I have a habit of always picking up random ingredients. But hopefully you might have some of the same ingredients and will be able to give these a go. One thing I have been enjoying recently is being a bit more creative in the kitchen as I usually only get the chance over the weekends. Here is a round up of some recipes I have sampled and ones I'm definitely adding to my regular rotation. I have made a note of things you can sub or what I have used instead.

Mushroom and lentil pearl barley risotto from Jack Monroe
If you're looking to cook on a budget or you have lots of random tins to be used up then you need to head to Jack's blog pronto. I love how inventive the recipes are and really think outside the box. I have no idea where the bag of pearl barley came from but I'm not complaining! Tinned lentils are a great lifesaver. They're already soaked and cooked so are really easy to chuck into vegetarian dishes. Add them to salads, use the instead of mince in a lasagne or pop them in a rice dish to bulk it out a bit. I used frozen spinach as my greenery option and it turned out great. Scattered with a generous helping of parmesan cheese, we really enjoyed this for lunches throughout the week. I can imagine myself making it again during this lockdown!

Seeded wholemeal soda bread from BBC Food
Soda bread is a great option if you're struggling to source yeast from the supermarket. It's best eaten on the day of baking with a generous slab of butter. I used all pumpkin seeds because that was what I had in the cupboard and it came out delicious! This is a great option if you need a quick bread as it's so simple to make. There is no need to wait for it to prove, you stick it straight into the oven once it has been tied. Try not to make the dough too flat as it doesn't rise much.

Brown butter rum banana bread by Milli Taylor
If you haven't seen Milli's BBBB doing the rounds on Instagram then you must be living under a rock. You can find the recipe in her highlights on her Instagram page. I didn't have any rum as it's not something I drink but I found a non-alcoholic version which I had been gifted in a Holland & Barrett goodie bag. Milli suggests using tea as a substitute to soak the fruit. Once again I had to make a few substitutions as times are strange. I used currants as my fruit and dark brown sugar. The substitutions worked perfectly and it is the best banana cake recipe I've tried. I absolutely loved it! I have plans to make it over the weekend again.

Pizza dough from BBC Good Food
Pizza is my all-time favourite food. I would eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I had the choice. But for some reason I'd never attempted my own dough. I always felt a bit intimidated but decided lockdown was as good a reason as any to pop my cherry. This recipe asks you to grill it outside but I whacked my oven up to the highest temperature. I let it warm up for 30 minutes and then cooked each pizza for 15 minutes. I managed to get four pizzas from this recipe. I'd love to try lots of different toppings and not be restricted by my lockdown fridge. So many ideas!

Chocolate and oat cookies from Thida Bevington
Yet another recipe I had seen popping up all over my Instagram feed. I finally had some time to try it out! The recipe can be found in Thida's highlights on her grid. I dropped off a few care packages on friend's doorsteps and they said these were the best cookies I've made. I loved them and can't wait to experiment with different flavoured chocolate. I have some Reeces Pieces chocolate chips in the cupboard which I think will work perfectly.

Grilled potato salad from Bon Appetit magazine
I am obsessed with Bon Appetit's Test Kitchen on Youtube as well as the website. I tend to stick to their savoury recipes as working in cups whilst baking is not the one for me. It seems to be a reoccurrence in my kitchen where I keep finding random pieces of veg to use up before it goes completely bad. I came across this recipe when I was looking for an idea for potatoes to have with some pork kebabs I had found in the freezer left over from a BBQ last summer! It had a great Asian vibe going on thanks to the rice wine and fish sauce. It made a lovely change from the traditional potato salad I make with mayo and vinegar. I used a white onion instead of a red, scattered a standard red chilli over it and vetoed the fresh basil as I didn''t have any.

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Exploring Europe: Bunker Del Carmel, Barcelona

Last weekend I went to Barcelona for a girls trip and wanted to do something that was new for all of us. Enter the civil war anti-aircraft bunkers aka Bunker Del Carmel. Located at the very top of Gaudi's Parc Guell, the bunkers are now pretty derelict and covered in graffiti. But you aren't visiting to see the bunkers, the reason everyone makes the trek is for the stunning vantage point at the top. You can literally see the whole of the city! Be sure to do a loop as you won't want to miss any of the views.

Make sure you wear some sensible shoes because the trek is pretty full on. Our Fitbit registered we walked up 42 flights of stairs. Flip flops just won't do! You can get a bus most of the way which leaves you with only a ten minute walk to endure. We got the bus from Sagrada Familla to the entrance of Park Guell and did the walk from there. Although at times it seems back-breaking, I'm really glad we did it as it was lovely to walk through the park. I'd recommend downloading the FREE NOW taxi app as Uber doesn't work. You can wait for a bus to take you back to the city centre but we opted for a taxi because it was pretty dark and we couldn't be bothered to navigate the public transport. Taxis are in short supply in the area which is why the app comes in handy.

We raided the supermarket before to put together a picnic and treated ourselves to a couple of bottles of cava to enjoy when we got to the top. We arrived around 5pm for the sunset which was happening around 6.30pm. It was pretty busy with people who had the same idea as us - lots of people were tucking into snacks and beer! We found a spot to lay down a blanket and set about making ourselves comfortable. It is pretty dusty up there so I'd recommend brining something to sit on. Don't forget to bring a bag to keep your rubbish in one place. Don't leave anything behind!

Sadly it was a cloudy day so the sunset wasn't the best but it was 100% worth it. I can only imagine how beautiful it would be if the clouds had played ball! We ended up sitting around chatting for over three hours until it got completely dark. It was such a lovely way to finish our trip and talk about everything we had done. It was still pretty busy by the time we left but I'd keep your wits about you as soon as it gets dark because it isn't very well lit.

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Five of my favourite food documentaries on Netflix

I am obsessed with making food, watching food and thinking about food. In short, I am always thinking about my stomach. I'm really interested to hear the about different cultures and thought process about food. I love how it has the ability to evoke certain emotions and bring people together. My favourite type of documentaries are the ones which pair food and travel together. Two of my ultimate passions! Netflix has some great food documentaries if you're on my wavelength. Here are five of my favourites on Netflix.

1. Ugly Delicious
Consisting of eight different episodes, Ugly Delicious focuses on iconic dishes sties into American culture. Presented by restauranteur David Chang, the show dives into the history of each food which defines the United States. You have pizza, fried chicken, Shrimp, tacos, home cooking, BBQ, fried rice and anything stuffed. It takes a step back into time and analyses the different waves of immigration over the years, detailing how it shaped existing dishes and what extras they bought to Americas with them. It absolutely fascinates me how closely food is tied to politics and this delves straight into it! Make sure you watch his second documentary series called Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner too.

2.  Street Food
If this show doesn't make you want to jump on a plane straight out of the UK then I am afraid there just might be something wrong with you... Since coming back from Malaysia last Feb I have become obsessed with street food and feel extremely sad it's not really much of a thing in Europe. Trying the different types of street food was the highlight of our trip to Malaysia. This series visit nine different cities all over Asia and focuses on one particular stall who is unbelievable at the dish they make. It informs you of the origin of their story and all their trials and tribulations. I love how it offers you an insight into the culture and history of each city, explaining why food is so important.

3. Salt Fat Acid Heat
This cooking documentary series is hosted by chef and food writer Samin Nosrat. Samin learnt her trade at Californian restaurant Chez Panisse before branching out and working in Italy before writing her own cookbook Salt Fat Acid Heat. Consisting of four different episodes, each named after one of the most important principles of cooking which help make it taste delicious. She goes to Italy to see how they work with olive oil and create the most delicious looking focaccia. Mexico is also on her list of places to visit as she learns about how they work with acid in their dishes. One episode takes her back to her roots as she heads to Chez Panisse. My favourite episode was when she headed to Japan to see how they cooked with miso which is now one of my favourite ingredients.

4. Rotten
Now two series in, Rotten focuses on the problems on supplying food. It looks at popular and on-trend food and investigates on how the popularity is affecting the world around us in terms of corruption, fraud and consequences. Each episode focuses one on type of food and interviews people who work in the trade, manufacturers and distributors. It really does make you think about the food you're consuming and encourages you to make better choices.

5. Chef's Table
If eating out is one of your passions then you will love this programme. Each episode does a profile on some of the most renowned chefs in the world. There are six series so lots of get stuck into, making it perfect for a lazy weekend at home. I loved hearing about what inspired their culinary journey and where their influences came from. My list of restaurants to try has grown even longer since watching their programme!

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#52recipes: recipes 42 - 46

Alison Roman's baked eggs with chickpeas and chorizo from Dining In

Chickpeas are my boyfriends nemesis so obviously I try to cook them in lots of different ways to try and make him come to his senses. I hit the jackpot with this recipe! Connor told me this was his favourite way of eating them. I think the crispness really helped, it gave them a lot of texture. We enjoyed it for dinner with lots of crusty bread. Baked eggs just aren't for breakfast!

Ottolenghi's aubergine and lamb koftas

These made me feel like a pro! It tasted just like a dinner I'd pay for in a restaurant. The end result of the koftas was juicy and flavoursome. The aubergine salsa was a fantastic finishing touch and really bought the dish together. I'd definitely make this again if I was looking to impress anyone!

Meera Sodha's Gardener's World pilau from Fresh India
We ended up just having this on it's own without any curries to accompaniment it. It was really filling and works just as well as a main meal as it would as a side. It tasted really fresh and was the perfect dish for a balmy summer's evening. The leftovers made a great packed lunch for the next day.

Ottolenghi's tahini and halva brownies
I cannot say enough about how delicious these were! They are up there as my favourite brownies I have ever made. Halva and chocolate are a match made in heaven. They were perfectly gooey and I loved the double nutty taste of the halva and tahini together. Why isn't tahini used more in baking? It's a revelation! 

Ottolenghi's chilli fish from Simple

It's not often I come across what I would class as a dud from the world of Ottolenghi but this chilli fish was disappointingly average. There was hardly any heat to it and it was just a bit bland. The overriding taste was of tomato and it just wasn't what I was expecting from this dish. Definitely not one I'll be in any rush to make again.

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Where to spend the day in London Bridge

The London Bridge area is one of my favourite places in London. You have the River Thames to enjoy, Borough Market to stuff your face, numerous pubs to enjoy a beer and landmarks such as the Shard to enjoy. If you can find hotels near the Shard to stay, you won't have to worry about catching the last train home. 

First up on any itinerary should be a trip to the incredible Borough Market. Yes it can sometimes feel like a tourist trap but it is 100% worth a visit. You'll be greeted with some incredible food and will want to go with empty bellies. I recommend heading to Borough Kitchen and sampling some of the food stalls. All under cover, get there early so you can grab a seat and table. You should seek out the juicy jerk chicken from Rudies and have a huge scotch egg from Scotchtails. If you love Spanish tapas than Brindisa Kitchen Bar is perfect for all your croquette needs. 

You'll never be able to sample all of the food on offer in one day so I like to go around my favourite stalls to buy products to take home. Nothing beats a picky tea right? I always have to make sure to pop into Spice Mountain. They do an insane amount of different spices, lots of which you'll never find in your local Tesco! The Brindisa shop is perfect for cured meats and unusual cheeses. If you're a fan of olives then you must take a detour to Borough Olives for a pot. The sweet peppers are also worth trying. It's essential to buy a cinnamon swirl from Bread Ahead to save for later. Controversially I prefer them over their doughnuts!  

When the crowds of the market get too much, sneak down the side roads and make your way to the Anchor pub. Although it looks directly over the river you'll nearly always find a seat as it is pretty big. Take your time to walk upstairs to seek one out. It also has a fantastic terrace overlooking the Thames, a fab place to enjoy a glass of wine during the summer months. Or even the winter months if you're prepared to wrap up warm!

Once you've quenched your thirst and had a wander along the river, no doubt you'll build up your appetite again. Flat Iron Square is a pretty new food market. They often show sports on a large screen so it's great if you want to catch a match. It's filled with a few bars and a undercover selection of food stalls. It's a lot less busy than Borough Market so you should be ok to get a seat. This time we opted to hunt down Mother Clucker for their chicken strips. Make sure you ask for their Guinness gravy. You won't regret it!

Do you have a favourite place to visit in the London Bridge area?

The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com but all views are my own

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My 2020 food challenge

Instead of a New Years resolution last year I opted for a New Years challenge. Since I discovered my cooking passion about three years ago I've been really keen to try and better myself in the kitchen. I set myself the challenge of trying 52 new recipes from my endless collection of cookbooks and bookmarked recipes on the internet. I smashed it and had so much fun doing it! I felt like it really pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to try new things.

This year I decided to concentrate on my baking. I was talking to my friend's dad at a wedding and he was speaking about the fact he hadn't bought a loaf of bread for about 30 years. Instead he batch cooks them and keeps them in the freezer for when he needs them. I don't have anywhere near enough freezer space to do this but it did get me thinking about baking bread. Dough is something I have always shielded away from as yeast tends to make me a bit nervous. I have had some disasters in the past and its put me off.

But I decided this is the year that I master bread and dough. I've made a pact not to buy any loaves of bread and only eat it if I have bought it myself. I have noticed just how much bread I eat as I have been craving it something rotten! I want to try my hand at everything. Brioche, sourdough, loaves, buns and rolls. I'm hoping it will become second nature to rustle up a loaf of bread. Let's be honest. Is there any greater smell in the world than the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven?

I have already made a couple of things including an olive oil loaf from Good Food and a garlic pull apart bread from Olive Magazine. They both came out delicious but could still do with a lot of work to get them perfect. Looks like I'm going to be busy!

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Restaurant review: Breddos Tacos, Clerkenwell, central London

Tacos are one of those foods that I don't eat often but when I do, I wonder why the hell I don't eat them more often. For my birthday lunch last week I decided to opt for Breddos Tacos. I had tried their tacos at Taste London a few years back but had yet to visit their sit-in restaurant in Clerkenwell. This all changed last Thursday and now I'm already planning a trip back with friends. Spoiler alert... It was absolutely divine!

We booked a table for 12pm as I had a birthday surprise to look forward too. I would recommend booking because it's an area popular with city workers and the restaurant was heaving by 12.30. You don't want to miss out on getting a table! We arrived pretty hungry and definitely had eyes bigger than our bellies when we finally ordered.

I am a sucker for guacamole so will always, always order that if I see it on the menu. This version came with a mountain of chips and had a slight kick to it. I loved the added extra of the pistachio crumbs to add some texture. It was a fairly big portion and was more than enough for two people to share. Our second starter was the Queso. I had such high hopes for this but it just fell a little flat. It didn't really have any flavour, just a generic cheddar cheese flavour. A bit of a disappointment.

First up were the Baja fish tacos which were insanely good. Seriously I'd go back and order just a dozen of these all to myself. The batter was so light and they certainly didn't scrimp on the filling. The habanero mayo tied it all perfectly together. Next up were the confit pork belly tacos. These were a little chewy but the flavour was on point. I loved the contrast of the fresh cucumber. I'd recommend getting the Masa fried chicken tacos to try. Again with that gorgeous habanero mayo, I loved the addition of the red cabbage. We couldn't resist leaving without trying a burrito. Something we totally didn't need but we took one for the team. Bursting at the seams with spinach, black beans and avocado, we opted for the one filled with tender braised beef shin. It was tasty but not a patch on the tacos we tried. I'd definitely opt for the tacos over a burrito any day and advise you do the same.

Service was pretty attentive and our food came out in timely fashion. It's in a great little location in central London, not too far from the Barbican. It isn't one of the cheapest places I've eaten in London but it was worth every penny. I'd highly recommend anyone making a special trip to that part of town. I'm after the cookbook now to try and recreate those tacos at home!

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What I've been cooking #11: Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman

I am sure I have mentioned this before but I am obsessed with anything Alison Roman cooks. I am constantly watching her videos on youtube, follow along with her stories and always looking for any excuse to cook one of her recipes myself. I just adore all the flavours she puts together. She just knows what works. Nothing Fancy is her newest cookbook concentrating on entertaining friends and family but without any of the stress which can come with it. The book is about 'having people over' rather than entertaining. The recipes can easily be halved but I usually cook them as they're written then enjoy leftovers for a few days. I really couldn't recommend this book more and it is one I refer to at least once a week since I have had it. It is a beauty of a book!

Lemony turmeric tea cake
I have made this twice now and it is still one of my favourite lemon cake recipes. The trick is to really slice the lemons thin before you put them on top of the batter as they are prone to sinking. It gives you a bit of a sour shock when you bite into the cake and come across a sunken lemon. The numeric colours this a vibrant shade of yellow which makes a great talking point when you cut into it.   The sponge is so soft and light thanks to using yogurt in a cake,

Tiny, salty, chocolatey cookies
These didn't turn out very tiny in the end! But they were delicious. They had a brownie texture rather than a traditional cookie one. They come out of the oven extremely soft and are still quite delicate by the time they harden up. I think this is why Alison suggests to make them as small as you can. You need smaller balls than you think as they are prone to spreading!

Overnight Focaccia
This was not as quick as I first imaged it would be, it has a lot of proving time! But it was absolutely worth the extra effort as it was delicious. Next time I would add more red onion and maybe some rosemary. It's a great recipe to make on a Friday night to enjoy over the weekend. You can have it dipped in a pasta sauce, as a sandwich or used to dunk into a soup.

Sticky roasted carrots with citrus and tahini
I love a honey roasted carrot and this is basically a step up from them with maple syrup being used instead of honey. I loved the use of tahini although my boyfriend did find it a bit overpowering. Alison really knows when to add citrus to a dish to give it an almighty kick. This will be great served with some grilled fish or as part of a Sunday roast.

Slightly sticky walnuts with sesame and sumac
I made these for our New Year Eve's gathering and they went down a treat! The walnuts were so incredibly moreish and I loved the sweetness of the maple syrup with the slightly tart flavour of the sumac. I would definitely make these again when I host a dinner party. They'll be great to shove on the table for guests to nibble as you're finishing up in the kitchen with dinner.

Labne with sizzled spring onion and chilli
I made this to take round a friends evening when she invited a couple of us round for a catch up. It was really simple to do and very refreshing. I couldn't get the oil to go a bright orange like the book. But I read in reviews that not many people could so I don't feel as bad now! I would definitely make this again if I had some friends over. It makes a nice change from hummus.

Slow roasted oregano chicken with buttered tomatoes
Ever since I first picked up this book I had been dying to try the cover image. Hannah gave me the push to finally cook it! This was great. The chicken was really juicy and I loved the buttery tomatoes. It isn't my all-time favourite roast chicken recipe but I would definitely recommend trying it out.

Spicy pork meatballs in brothy tomatoes and toasted fennel
I didn't get a picture of this as it was pretty dark by the time this was finished. But I have to recommend you make this! We ate it with huge hunks of bread and it was one of our favourite dishes from the book. It was the ideal dish for a dark, winter's night and I imagine it will work just as well in the warmer months. It felt very indulgent yet not too heavy.

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Exploring Ireland: Monea Castle, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland

We did the drive from Derry to Dublin back in July and passed through a few places in Northern Ireland we had yet to visit. We stopped off halfway at Enniskillen for some lunch. After a quick search on Tripadviser to see what was nearby, we stumbled across Monea Castle and decided to give it a whirl. As with so many attractions in Northern Ireland, the castle was deserted and we luckily had it all to ourselves.

Dated back to 1618,  it became the residence of the governor of Enniskillen in 1688. The castle was gutted by a fire in the 1700 and abandoned, that is the ruin you see today. It is free to enter and to be honest there isn't too much to do. But on a dry day, its a little gem to walk around and explore. There really is something special about having a ruin all to yourself. It feels as if you are on a secret that no one else knows about. I wouldn't go out of way to visit it but it's well worth a stop over on a road trip. I imagine it would be lovely in the summer sunshine with a picnic! It's not too far from the Fermanagh Lakes so would be good to combine the two.

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#52recipes: recipes 37 - 41

 

Kimchi and gochujang noodles from Bon Appetit
I saw this about three times on Instagram and took it as a sign to make it! I had randomly picked up some kimchi from our local Asian supermarket so had this languishing in my larder. I overcooked the noodles but this was so incredibly simple to throw together - making it perfect for a weeknight. It had just the right amount of heat and was so addictive, Definitely one I'm going to add to my bank of recipes..

Ottolenghi halva and walnut loaf
Halva is one of those ingredients I had no idea even existed until mid 2019. But I've discovered it's a great ingredient for baking to help bring something extra to the cake. This Middle Eastern sesame and honey sweet treat is very sweet by itself. But it really comes into its own when you bake with it. It helps to add a great nutty flavour. I'd say it's kinda like tahini. I can't wait to use it in more bakes. I'd highly recommend this recipe if you haven't popped your halva cherry. It'll make you fall in love with it!

Roasted red pepper hummus from BBC Good food
I love Hummus and swear by this recipe on Jamie Oliver's website made by blogger Leyla. But for a girls night I wanted to try something different. I came across this red pepper hummus recipe on BBC Good Food and decided to give it a shot. It was a bit of a labour of love as I decided to roast the peppers myself rather than buy them ready-roasted but it worth it. It's still not as nice as my normal hummus but was still delicious with lots of crisps dipped in it!

Meera Sodha's cucumber and mint raita from Fresh India
I genuinely think this book was my most used of 2019 and I'm still excited by it to try even more recipes. I want to make more of her snacking recipes and this raita was a start! It was unbelievably simple to do, hardly took any time at all. It tasted really refreshing and is delicious on warm summer evenings.

Diana Henry's Mumbai toastie from Simple
I couldn't find a photo of this which is a shame as it was stunning. I absolutely loved it and still can't quite believe I have yet to make it again! Over the last year I have really started to enjoy making more of an effort for breakfast at the weekend. It feels so indulgent when I only have wheetabix during the week at my desk. This was like a pimped up version of a cheese toast - the added chilli was a revelation.

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