Author: Gary @ BigSpud

A bit of a geek who loves food.

Categories
cauliflower food lamb

griddled lamb with cauliflower puree

griddled lamb with cauliflower puree

I’ve managed to catch up with the dreadfully named Recipe For Success. A couple take over a restaurant for a day and try to run it. It’s fronted by the affable Simon Rimmer, whom I’ve admired for many years and I’m sure is worthy of a bigger household name status than he has. He gave this recipe to one of the couples, and it inspired me to do it that evening.

After the weekend’s gorgeous lamb, I wanted to use lamb steaks again. So I used a similar spice mix of cumin, coriander, salt, pepper and oil, then griddled them both sides and left them in the oven til done.

Meanwhile I braised some cauliflower in lamb stock with a pinch of garam masala until knife-tender, then removed the florets. I let the stock reduce down a little, then put the stock and cauliflower in a blender along with some fried onion and a touch of cream. Then I blitzed to a smooth puree.

It was quite indulgent, a great blend of flavours and textures, and very tasty.

Categories
chicken food

chicken escalopes

Apologies for the dull as dishwater name; I craved some meaty chicken sandwiched in crunchy savoury breadcrumbs. So I whizzed up some breadcrumbs with salt and paprika, smacked a chicken breast within an inch of its life and then coated it with the bread. One shallow fry later and I’m staring at this.

Categories
balsamic vinegar food mozzarella tomato

insalata caprese

My wife and I adore this salad. I’m not sure when we first had it but I strongly recall dining on this one sun-drenched afternoon on the shores of Lake Como. I suspect every time thereafter I’m trying to recapture that little bit of sunshine.

As with many of my favourites, it celebrates and unites it’s ingredients, sumultaneously making the most of them and allowing each to sing. It can’t really be called a recipe, it’s just sliced tomatoes (room-temperature), torn up mozzarella, basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. But it’s the choice of components that makes this; you’ve got to have the ripest, juiciest tomatoes; the milkiest, most tender mozzarella; peppery basil; and sweet-sharp vinegar. For me it’s the vinegar that completes the dish. The one I tend to use is frighteningly expensive, but pours like syrup and tastes divine.

No matter what time of year it is, this is summer.

Categories
coriander food lamb

lamb kebabs

I was really in the mood for some spring lamb, particularly the moist and flavoursome leg steaks that barbecue so well. My local butcher provided some diced meat and I marinated it in a little oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, smoked salt and pepper.

After a couple of hours and the sunshine persisting, it was time to dust off the BBQ for the first time this year. I threaded the meat on to soaked wooden skewers and topped and tailed with red onion. I set the heat high and seared them well, making sure to get crunchy black scorch marks that intensify the flavour.

Off the flame, they were sweet, juicy with just a hint of spice. I also made the laziest of Greek salads by tossing diced cucumber and tomato with one of those tubs of feta cheese and olive you can pick up from the chiller cabinet. A little oil, salt, pepper and parsley made for a refreshing and scrumptious summery meal.

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