Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Soup

I spent the weekend at my parents house and my Mum and I made a trip to Makro. If you've never been to Makro, you should definitely go. It's quite amazing. It's like Ikea but for food and drink. As we were hauling out our massive crates of beer and washing up liquid on our industrial size trolley we spied a HUGE bag of peppers (we're talking 30 peppers) for about tuppence, so we grabbed them up to make soup. (I love making soup. I could happily write a blog just about soups. This one is now on my favorites list...) We can't deny it any more: the weather has turned. Cold. Yuck. And frankly there's nothing more soothing on a cold night than a steaming bowl of something runny and yummy. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Soup

Lots of red and orange peppers
Olive oil
A red onion or two
A whole bulb of garlic
Dried oregano and thyme
Salt and pepper
Vegetable stock
Handful of fresh basil

There are no measurements here. You can't really go wrong. I just went on instinct, threw in whatever I had to hand and it turned out great. Sweet and soothing and ever so good for you. This is a really virtuous meal that feels like a bit of luxury. And it's simple as pie.

Roughly chop enough peppers and red onions to cover the largest roasting tray you have. Break up the bulb of garlic but leave the cloves in their skins - just bash them a bit with your palm to loosen. Season well with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Coat everything generously with olive oil and whack in the oven at 180 for 20-30 mins, or until soft and juicy. 

When roasted, squeeze the garlic out of their skins, put everything in a saucepan and cover with vegetable stock. Simmer gently for 10 mins. Allow to cool then blend until smooth. 

Serve with a sprinkling of garlic tips and a crack of black pepper. Or a swirl of something creamy would work - creme fraiche or yoghurt would be great.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lemon and Almond Loaf Cake

My beloved is away again. And I don't feel like cooking. I'm realising just how connected those two things are. I love to eat, but I love watching him eat even more. Seeing him tucking into a new creation, or an old favourite, is my happy place. And with him gone, my happy place seems far away. 

So. 

I decided I needed to make something for me. A little treat. Something new and sweet and cozy and simple. Something that would make the flat smell delicious. Something that would take the edge off missing him...

Lemon and Almond Loaf Cake

Adapted from Nigel Slater's recipe.

200g butter
200g caster sugar
3 eggs
100g ground almonds
75g self raising flour
Zest and juice of two lemons

Grease and line a loaf pan. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 for fan ovens)

Separate the eggs. Whip the whites to soft peaks.

Using a mixer or electric hand whisk beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light in colour. Beat in each egg yolk with a third of the flour - this helps to prevent the mixture curdling - until well combined, but don't over-mix. Stir in the ground almonds and lemon zest (not the juice) and again, don't over-mix. Gently fold in the egg whites, trying to keep as much air in as possible.

Spoon the batter into the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes - test with a skewer and if it comes out clean, it's done.

Now you have two options...

1. With a chopstick, pierce the cake in 10 or so places, then squeeze the juice of the two lemons all over it (leaving a little juice for the glaze). Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

For the glaze:

6tbsp icing sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Mix the icing sugar and juice into a thin icing. Pour all over the cake and leave to set. Delicious.

OR

2. Gently heat the juice of the two lemons with 4 tbsp of sugar until dissolved into a syrup. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pierce the cake in 10 or so places with a chop stick and pour the syrup over the top.

Either way, it's brilliant. If you use the syrup method, the cake will be uber-moist, closer to a pudding. Wonderful if served with some whipped cream.

Store in an airtight container. This cake has the texture of a pound cake - it's very moist but still light. Because of the almonds this cake actually gets more moist over time, so it's better on day two...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Week (Day) of Salad

I've been away. But I'm back. And I've really missed writing this blog. Being home, and being back in my kitchen, is such sweet medicine. I can't wait to get stuck back in.

Now. I can't believe I forgot to tell you about last month's Week of Salad. Maybe because it wasn't really a week. It was a day. It was supposed to be a week. A virtuous, refreshing week of cleansing... which didn't pan out. It started well but after about 24 hours we ordered a take away. 

Ah well. Here are the two salads that we ate on the 'Day of Salad' - 

1. Tomato and Mozzarella with Muddled Basil Oil:

And 2. Sugar Snap Pea, Radish and Cucumber Salad with Wasabi, Lime and Sesame Oil Dressing

Both are simple and delicious. Easy to whip up. Easy to wolf down.

Tomato and Mozzarella with Muddled Basil Oil

Half some cherry tomatoes. Rip up a ball of mozzarella. Rip up half a small handful of basil. In a pestle and mortar, muddle the rest of the basil with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. It doesn't need to be completely combined - the basil should be pulpy and the oil should be infused. Toss in a bowl and eat. A classic and the very essence of keeping it simple.


Sugar Snap Pea, Radish and Cucumber Salad with Wasabi, Lime and Sesame Oil Dressing

Dice a handful of sugar snap peas, a handful of radishes and a third of a cucumber. Keep it quite chunky. In a small bowl, mix sesame oil, lime, salt, and a pea-sized lump of wasabi. Toss in a bowl and serve with a good grind of black pepper. Sharp, fresh, zingy goodness.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------