June is off to a good start – I’ve just returned from a gastronomic getaway that was truly inspiring!… Nick and I spent the long bank holiday weekend in the Lake District at L’Enclume. L’Enclume is one of only eight restaurants in the UK that hold three Michelin stars. I have been fortunate to eat at a few of these three-star restaurants which are close to home in London, but I must say the opportunity of staying the weekend at L’Enclume, gave us the chance to immerse ourselves in the full foodie experience and really appreciate the talent of 3-star chefs, it was a top treat! (I will be posting my full review soon – watch this space!..) I have hence returned home with lots of flavours spinning around my head and a revived attitude to cooking. Admittedly I will not be cooking to a Michelin star level, but I have been looking through my cookery books with a fresh eye. I am also keen to go shopping for some new cookbooks, yes, I know I have far too many already, but what can I say, it’s not the worst addiction I could have, is it?!.. I love any bookshop that has a good cookery section, one of my favourites is in Hatchards on Piccadilly. It’s tucked away on its second floor, one can easily while away an hour or two, undisturbed. I usually make sure I’m with Nick so I have someone to remind me I’ve outstayed my welcome – I send him off to nearby ‘Bury Brothers’ to peruse the wine (his weakness!) and arrange for him to come and collect me after an hour…

Visiting L’Enclume has reignited my desire to cook which is just as well as with all the bank holidays that we’ve been having in the UK over the past month my cooking routine has been rather spoilt. Fortunately, I had decided back in April which recipes I would be sharing this month, so everything is on track for Menu Mistress!…

Menu One is ‘Chicken Miso’ from Ottolenghi’s cookbook ‘Simple’, what’s not to like from a cookbook with a name like that? And yes, naturally this recipe for chicken thighs is super simple and perfect on a summer’s evening with a good green salad. Menu Two is actually from Delia Smiths ‘Winter Collection Cookbook’, yes I know it’s the summer(!), but trust me, this recipe is just as delicious alfresco as it is on a cold evening in the midst of winter! Finally, Menu Three is a vegetarian option from the team behind the London restaurant Moro. This recipe is from their original book, ‘Moro; The Cookbook’; perusing through it reminds me that I need to return soon to their restaurant in Exmouth Market to write a review! .. ‘Vegetable Turlu Turlu’ has Turkish origins, it’s rather like an exotically spiced ratatouille; served with a rocket salad and a yoghurt sauce it makes a delicious vegetarian supper alternatively, you could easily serve it as a side to grilled meat or fish.

I hope the weather in June will be kind to us and we’ll be able to eat at least one of these ‘menus’ al fresco! Remember to keep an eye out for my ‘l’Enclume’ restaurant review – in the meantime why not take a look at my reviews of other restaurants… here!

P.S. I’ve been listening to a new playlist in my kitchen which has an upbeat ’90s groove, perfect for that al fresco supper! (listen to ‘Music to Cook to…MenuMusic Twenty-Four’ here!..)

Menu One

Chicken with Miso, Ginger and Lime (Serves 6)

As the photo suggests, this recipe is a lovely sticky, unctuous affair. Taken from Ottolenghi’s cookbook ‘Simple’, it’s super easy all it needs is a good green salad and some rice – simple!..

6 Chicken legs (skin and bone in), skin scored a few times

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2½ tablespoons mirin

2½ tablespoons maple syrup

2½ tablespoons soy sauce

80g white miso

4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (30g)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lime, skin shaved into fine strips then juiced

40g coriander stems cut into 6cm lengths (reserve the leaves for a garnish)

2 red chillies, sliced in half lengthways and deseeded

10 spring onions, 8 sliced in half lengthways and 2 finely chopped (to serve)

Sea salt

1. Place the chicken legs in a large bowl with the oil and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix together.
2. Place a large frying pan on a medium/high heat. Once hot add half the chicken legs, skin side down and sear for 4-5 minutes. Then remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken, discarding the fat as you go, and set aside.
3. Place the mirin, maple syrup, soy sauce, miso, ginger, garlic, lime strips and juice in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add the chicken and stir well so that everything is coated.
4. Put the coriander stems, chillies and 8 halved spring onions in to a high-sided baking dish and place the chicken on top, skin side up (along with any residue dressing). Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and turn the chicken legs over (skin side down) and return to the oven for 30 minutes uncovered, turning the legs back over halfway through (skin side up) and basting a couple of times. The chicken will be golden brown, sticky and tender and the chillies and spring onions will be soft.
6. To serve, place a chicken leg on each plate and surround it with coriander, chilli and halved spring onions. Finally, drizzle the with sauce and sprinkle over the finely sliced spring onions and garnish with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with sticky white rice and a good green salad.

Menu Two

Seared Spiced Salmon Steaks with Black Bean Salsa (Serves 4-6)

This recipe is from Delia Smith’s ‘Winter Collection Cookbook’, but trust me, this recipe is just as delicious alfresco in the summer as it is on a cold evening in the midst of winter. It’s a year-round winner! (The original recipe uses dried black beans, but to save time I use tinned – so no overnight soaking!)

4-6 Salmon steaks

3 fat cloves garlic

2 level teaspoons rock salt

4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Grated zest of 2 limes (reserve the juice for the salsa)

A good pinch of ground cinnamon

A good pinch of ground cumin

15g pack fresh coriander leaves (reserve 6 sprigs and finely chop the remainder)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly milled black pepper

For the Salsa:

110g tinned black beans, rinsed and drained

350g ripe but firm tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

15g pack of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of 2 limes (reserved from the salmon recipe)

½ teaspoon salt

1. A few hours before you want to cook the salmon, crush the garlic cloves and rock salt together with a pestle and mortar until you have a creamy purée. Then add the grated ginger, lime zest, cinnamon and cumin, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped coriander and a good grind of black pepper. Mix everything together and spread a little of this mixture on each salmon steak. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for the flavours to develop and permeate the salmon.
2. To make the salsa simply combine the black beans with the chopped tomatoes, red onion, chilli, coriander, olive oil, lime juice and salt. Leave covered for a several hours to allow the flavours to develop.
3. When you’re ready to cook the salmon, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Brush a baking try with the olive oil and put it under the grill to heat up. When the grill is really hot, remove the baking tray and place the salmon steaks on it. Position the tray about 3 inches front the heat and grill them for 7 minutes exactly.
4. Remove them when the time is up and use a sharp knife to ease the skins off. Transfer to plates and garnish with the sprigs of coriander. Serve immediately with the black bean salsa.

Menu Three

Turlu Turlu with Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce (Serves 4)

Taken from the cookbook ‘Moro’, Turlu Turlu has Turkish origins and is rather like a spiced and exotically herbed ratatouille. The vegetables are roasted so are super sweet; it makes a delicious vegetarian main course served with a yoghurt & cumin sauce and a simple rocket salad.

500-600g courgettes, trimmed and cut into 2cm discs

1 aubergine, halved lengthways and each half cut into 4 wedges lengthways

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced

2 green peppers, halved, seeded and thickly sliced

3 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and each half cut into 3 lengthways

200g kohlrabi or turnips, cut into wedges about 2cm thick

2 medium potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

60g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

150ml tomato passata

1 small bunch parsley, roughly chopped

1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Yoghurt & Cumin Sauce:

200g Greek yoghurt

½ – 1 garlic clove

A good pinch of sea salt

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds, roughly ground

1. For the yoghurt sauce: use a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic with the salt to form a paste, then stir in the yoghurt and roughly ground cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Put to one side.
2. In a large bowl toss the aubergine, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, kohlrabi (or turnips) and potatoes with the olive oil, allspice, coriander seeds and a little salt and pepper.
3. Spread out the vegetable mixture in a large roasting tray, no more than a layer deep and place in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 45 minutes turning every 15 minutes to encourage them to colour and caramelise all over. Now gently stir in the courgettes and cook for a further 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile heat up the chickpeas with the passata and check for seasoning. Finally, add to the vegetables along with the chopped herbs and stir well. Serve with the yoghurt sauce and a rocket salad.

Coupe de Roulis Cocktail (Serves 1)

This is an unusual French cocktail which has delicate, fruity flavours – a touch of cherry and a twist of orange. It’s particularly good on a warm spring or summer evening – very sophisticated and very drinkable!..

30ml gin

30ml dry vermouth

15ml Cointrieau

20ml Maraschino (cherry) liqueur

A dash of Angostura bitters

A handful of ice cubes

A orange twist

1. Combine the gin, vermouth, Cointreau, Maraschino liquer and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass (or a tall glass/ small jug). Add the ice cubes and stir well, until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass.
2. Hold the orange twist over the glass and squeeze the zest so that the oils spray into the drink, then drop it into the glass as a garnish.
3. Enjoy!

Prawn Stir Fry with Basil, Chilli & Lime served with Rice and a Spiced Cucumber Salad (Serves 4)

Because I’m always trying new recipes, the old ones often get overlooked. This is one of those recipes which I hadn’t made for sometime. Then, just recently I was chatting with a friend who was telling me of her plans for a casual dinner for friends (yes, even my conversations revolve around food!)… she said she was thinking of serving ‘Prawn Stir Fry’. As I’m always on the look out for new recipes I immediately asked which recipe, to which she replied ‘yours!!’. Of course, it’s not actually my recipe – we have Diana Henry to thank for that – but I had shared it back in 2020. How can we forget this recipe?!… With it’s fresh flavours it’s perfect for dinner on any May evening…

It’s super easy to cook, just prepare all the ingredients so they can be quickly thrown in the pan, ready to cook in minutes. The cucumber salad is an important accompaniment as its subtle spice gives the whole dish more depth. Start by preparing the rice, I like long grain or sticky white rice with this stir fry. Whilst the rice is cooking prepare the cucumber salad and all of the ingredients for the stir fry, then start cooking it just as the rice is cooked. If you are gluten free, use gluten free soy sauce for the cucumber salad. The recipe is taken from Diana Henry’s cookbook ‘How to Eat a Peach’, it is a beautiful book, the cover is textured like a peach skin!

*You can see the video of this dish being made by clicking on this link to my instagram page

Prawn Stir Fry with Basil, Chilli & Lime

350g raw, shelled king prawns (defrosted if frozen)

200g sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

2 red chillies and 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced (use less according to taste)

4 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons caster sugar

Juice of lime

20g basil leaves, picked

unsalted peanuts, chopped, to serve (optional)

1. Dry the prawns on kitchen roll – the drier they are, the better they fry.
2. Halve the sugar snap peas along their lengths, so that the peas peep out.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok, when hot, add the sugar snaps, fry for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the prawns, chillies and garlic, reduce the heat a little and cook until the prawns turn pink.
5. Add the fish sauce, sugar and lime, stir it all around until the sugar has dissolved, finally throw in the basil leaves.
6. Serve straight away with rice and the spiced cucumber salad (sprinkle with chopped peanuts if using).

Spiced Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of caster sugar

1-2 teaspoons mild chilli powder (according to your taste)

4 spring onions, finely sliced

2 teaspoons of sesame oil (optional)

Black sesame seeds (optional)

1. Cut the cucumber into wafer thin slices
2. Mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chilli powder in a bowl (depending on how spicy you would like it, you can add more or less chilli)
3. Toss the cucumber into the bowl along with the spring onions, and if using, also add the sesame oil and seeds.

Lemon Mousse Cake (Serves 4-6)

Although the days are trying to get lighter and brighter, it’s been a rather cold and wet Spring in the UK, so we definitely deserve a dessert that shouts ‘Summer’! This lemon mousse cake is definitely it; it has just the right balance of sweet and sour. It’s rather like a ‘lemon posset’ sandwiched between two chewy almond biscuits (macronades) – wonderful! The recipe is from Simon Hopkinson’s cookbook ‘Roast Chicken and Other Stories’, he suggests that it serves 4, but although I’m greedy, I found it could easily serve 6, as it is rich.

For the macaronades:

2 egg whites

125g icing sugar

50g ground almonds

Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the mousse:

2½ leaves of gelatine, pre-soaked in cold water until softened

200ml lemon juice

250ml double cream

100g caster sugar

A handful of fresh raspberries, plus more to serve

Icing sugar to sift over

*Baking parchment

1. Draw two circles 12cm in diameter on a piece of baking parchment and place on a baking tray.
2. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Sift the icing sugar and almonds together, gently fold them into the egg whites, together with the lemon zest.
3. Spread the mixture onto the circles on the baking parchment.
4. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 10 minutes, until pale golden. Remove, leave to cool for 5 minutes before carefully lifting from the paper to dry on a cooling rack.
5. Melt the gelatine with a couple of tablespoons of the lemon juice over a low heat. Add the rest of the lemon juice and place the bowl over ice to chill stirring occasionally until just beginning to gel.
6. Whip the cream with the sugar until thick then slowly incorporate the lemon-gelatine mixture while continuing to beat until the mixture is thick (you can thicken it more by placing it in the fridge for 30 minutes).
7. To assemble, place one of the macaronades on a serving plate, smooth side up, and carefully spread the mousse right up to the edges, smoothing around the edge with a palette knife. Gently press the second marcaronade on top. To decorate place the raspberries at intervals around the edge of the mousse and sift a little icing sugar over the top of the cake. Put in the fridge to chill for up to 2 hours before serving.

May!… What’s not to like?! In the UK we’ve just had our first May bank holiday and now, not only can we look forward to another at the end of the month but also an additional bank holiday next weekend for the King’s coronation!… So I’m guessing there might not be much cooking going on in your kitchens with all these excuses for holidays?… or perhaps with time on your hands you’ll be able to enjoy cooking at your leisure? Either way, I think I’ve found a few recipes which will fit nicely into your schedules…

Menu One, ‘Veal and Lemon Meatballs’, is a dish to cook at your leisure. Although with the mixing and rolling it’s not the quickest recipe, there is something therapeutic about taking the time to make these leisurely. On the other hand Menu Two is perfect for those of you who are in holiday mode. If the idea of spending time at your hob is not high on your priorities ‘Asian Style Sea Bass en Papillote’ is a great ‘mess-free’ recipe and it’s a dish that bursts with flavour – your taste buds will be singing! Finally, Menu Three, ‘Rakhine Chicken Curry’, is a unique curry with Burmese flavours. It’s a good crowd-pleaser, so if you’re entertaining over one of the bank holidays, this is a great recipe to double up on!

There you go, May sorted… Enjoy!

See you next week for my Tuesday Treat…X

Menu One

Veal and Lemon Meatballs ( Serves 6)

With their lemony sauce these meatballs have a rather refined flavour in comparison with those served in a heavier tomato sauce. They are fantastic served with baby roast potatoes (recipe below) or pasta. You can substitute the fresh breadcrumbs for gluten-free dried breadcrumbs, I like those by ‘Esgir’. This recipe is from Blanche Vaughan, food editor of House and Garden magazine.

800g minced veal

100g fresh white breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative – see above)

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

75g Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

100ml dry vermouth or dry white wine

2 teaspoons tomato purée

500ml chicken stock

3 bay leaves

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Mix the veal with the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, garlic, cheese, milk, nutmeg and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut. Place on a plate and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
2. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the meatballs all over working in batches. (Alternatively you can brush the meatballs with a little oil, and place on an oiled baking tray then bake in a preheated oven, 220’c fan, for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through). Set aside.
3. Add the vermouth to the frying pan and let it bubble away to reduce by half. Add the tomato purée and mix well. Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaves, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook them gently for 20 minutes, turning them over every so often. (Do not cover the pan as you want the liquid to reduce as the meatballs cook).
4. Serve the meatballs with baby baked potatoes (recipe below) or pasta.

‘Staple Side Dish‘ Roast Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary (serves 4-6)

900g unpeeled new potatoes washed and cut roughly into 1cm cubes

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, leaves chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons of olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven 200’c fan. Put the olive oil in a roasting tin and place in the oven to heat up.
2. Place the potatoes in a clean tea towel and dry them thoroughly.
3. Remove tin from the oven and carefully slide the potatoes into the hot fat. Sprinkle over the garlic and rosemary then stir around.
4. Cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Menu Two

Asian Style Sea Bass en Papillote (Serves 4)

This is a great ‘mess free’ recipe from the team behind London restaurant ‘Wild by Tart’. I have doubled their recipe so that it will serve 4. It’s a dish that bursts with flavour, unfortunately the bright colours of the dressing become dull from cooking but your taste buds will still be singing!… Simply serve with rice.

2 handfuls of spinach

2 courgettes, thinly sliced into rounds

4 sea bass fillets

Large bunch of coriander, leaves picked (reserve some to serve)

2 limes cut into wedges

For the dressing:

2 lemon grass stalks, roughly chopped

8 lime leaves

2 shallots, finely diced

2 red chillies, finely chopped, plus extra to serve

2 x 5cm pieces of ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 limes, zest and juice

1. First make the dressing. Bash the lemon grass and lime leaves together, either with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin, until their juices are released and they begin to become mushy. Add to a bowl with the remaining dressing ingredients.
2. Get four large pieces of baking paper. Divide the spinach and courgettes between the sheets of paper and place a sea bass fillet on top, then fold up and scrunch the sides to form a pouch. Pour the dressing over each fillet and finish with the coriander and a few wedges of lime. Bring the tops of the pouch together and seal by folding and scrunching together.
3. Place the parcels on baking trays and cook in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot with jasmine rice and sprinkle with the reserved coriander leaves.

Menu Three

Rakhine Chicken Curry (Serves 4)

This is a fresh tasting curry, a good crowd-pleaser. It’s from Yasmin Khan’s cookbook ‘Ripe Figs’, which is a testament to the wonderful flavours that immigration brings to our kitchens, this recipe is a Burmese inspired curry. Simply serve with white rice and/ or flatbreads (recipe below).

800g skinless chicken thighs

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons garam masala

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

4 banana shallots, finely slices (about 200g)

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

30g root ginger or galangal, peeled and finely grated

½-1 red chilli, finely chopped, depending on your tastebuds.

2 tablespoons fish sauce or shrimp sauce

400g chopped plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

120g canned bamboo shoots, drained

25g coriander leaves and stalks, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Finely chop the chicken into very small pieces, around 1cm. Place in a bowl and add the ground spices and ¾ teaspoon salt. Mix well and leave to marinate while you make the base for the curry.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for about 10 minutes until they have softened. Then add the garlic and ginger (or galangal) and chilli and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the fish sauce (or shrimp paste), tomatoes and sugar. Stir well, cover and cook for 8 minutes.
3. Add the chicken and bamboo shoots and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is just cooked. After 8 minutes add most of the chopped coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You may need to add a touch more salt, pepper or cayenne.
4. If you have time leave the curry to rest for an hour before reheating and serving – this will allow the flavours to meld, but you can serve it straightaway. Either way serve sprinkled with the remaining coriander and white rice and/or warm flat breads (recipe below).

Speedy Flatbreads (with a Gluten-Free option) (Serves 4)

This is a fantastic recipe – a real revelation. These flatbreads are great as a side to a curry, but are equally good as a snack for lunch! They are super easy to make – the dough just needs 15 minutes to rest before cooking, so bear this in mind.

120g plain flour (gluten-free if required – I use Doves)

Pinch of salt

Glug of olive oil

120ml water (approx)

1. Place the flour and salt in a bowl, add a glug of olive oil and then, stirring gradually enough water to form a dough (you probably won’t use all the water).
2. Rest the dough for 15 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll into small balls and then gently roll each ball out into thin flatbreads.
4. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, sprinkle with salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Place each flatbread in the hot pan, one at a time, and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until slightly charred.