Family food adventures – because it's fun to play with your food
Generally when we think of roast lamb for a special meal, we picture a succulent slow-roast shoulder or leg; always delicious and a real crowd-pleaser too. But if you’re after something a little quicker but with equal pizzazz, then a rack of lamb is the way to go, with guaranteed oohs and aahs when you carve it into cutlets at the table.
Continue reading “Spiced rack of lamb with braised lettuce and herb mash”
This moussaka is one of my family’s favourite dishes. While it should serve six average people or provide tasty leftovers for lunch next day, it never does with my brood, who without fail return for seconds to polish it all off in one sitting. Continue reading “Easy lamb moussaka”
Autumn is almost upon us. We enjoyed the warmth of the sun yesterday on our bike ride under the Suspension Bridge towards Pill, but by the time we got home there was a distinct nip in the air. The blackberries are out in full force, the leaves have started to turn and we spotted conkers and acorns on the ground.
It’s a brilliant time of year. While summer is for picnics in the park and eating out, autumn marks the return of proper home cooking – making the most of the glut of glorious autumn vegetables; cooking up slow, hearty, satisfying dishes to warm the cockles.
It was good to return home from our bike ride to this spicy sausage chilli – an absolute cockle-warmer if ever there was one, and just what we needed after working up quite an appetite. I came up with the recipe to celebrate the return of #OrganicSeptember, the Soil Association’s annual campaign to encourage more people to go organic. Continue reading “Spicy sausage chilli for #OrganicSeptember”
Like many of my fellow food bloggers, I’ve been taking part in the #OrganicUnboxed challenge this last few weeks. The idea of the challenge is simple. Organic UK is sending bloggers a big mystery box of organic produce to see what easy, every day dishes they might come up with to inspire more people to switch to organic. In my excitement I failed miserably to get a picture of the organic goodies being unboxed. Which is why I’ve brought you a gratuitous shot of our cat Tango in the box instead. Now, hasn’t that brightened your day? Continue reading “Chilli beef pasta with Savoy cabbage and caraway for the #OrganicUnboxed Challenge”
I’ve been a Riverford customer for several years now, receiving an organic veg box full of seasonal delights on a weekly basis. This week for the first time I tried out one of their recipe boxes and was mightily impressed.
The recipe boxes contain fresh, seasonal organic produce, step-by-step recipe cards to help you create inspiring and vibrant dishes, and all the ingredients you need in exact quantities. All you have to do is cook.
Coming up with the recipes for the boxes are Riverford’s own talented bunch of cooks, including chefs from the Riverford Field Kitchen down in Devon, Kirsty Hale who comes up with the weekly veg box recipes, Riverford founder Guy Watson and his brother Ben. Every now and again they invite special guest chefs to create recipes too and at the moment it’s the turn of the Happy Pear twins, David and Stephen Flynn. Part of Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube, the Happy Pear are on a mission to get people to eat more veg. Continue reading “Thumbs up for… Riverford and The Happy Pear recipe box”
River Cottage. What a wonderful place. I could make myself at home there quite happily. I’d wash the dishes and clean the loos in return for bed and board and perhaps the odd cookery lesson. Although I’m not sure my family would be too happy about me deserting them. Unless there was room for them too of course. And the two cats. Yes, dream on Vanesther…
I was recently the guest of River Cottage, along with a host (a herd, a pride, a smorgasbord… collective noun anyone?) of other food bloggers for a very special day of cooking, feasting, photography and foodie conversation. For once I wasn’t the only one rearranging the table and photographing my meal before the first bite. Continue reading “Homemade soda bread and butter inspired by a trip to River Cottage”
During #OrganicSeptember we’ve been taste-testing a whole host of organic foods here at Bangers & Mash HQ. Here’s a round-up of our favourites… Continue reading “Thumbs up for… #OrganicSeptember”
If you are a bit of a foodie and/or follow any social media here in the UK, you’re probably more than aware that this month has been dubbed #OrganicSeptember. Everyone’s being encouraged to celebrate all things organic. The message is that by making a small change to your everyday shopping, we can make a big difference: swapping to organic food has huge benefits for people, animal welfare and the environment.
While most of us will agree that organic produce is better for our environment, better for animal welfare and, well, just a more natural approach, isn’t it hideously expensive to shop organic? I try to buy organic wherever I can, particularly fruit and vegetables. For instance I have a weekly organic veg box delivered by Riverford – although I tend to do this less during late summer and early autumn when we tend to have a glut of veggies in our own garden. But I doubt I could afford to go totally organic.
Or could I? Continue reading “#ThriftyOrganic three-course family meal”
My girls are usually rather excited when I’m sent goodies to review but when they caught sight of this latest delivery from the good folk at Clearspring they were more eager than usual to get their grubby mitts on the contents. Continue reading “Thumbs up for… Clearspring fruit purees”
Bangers & Mash 