Summer berry sorbet

Summer is a time of relaxing and eating refreshingly delicious light meals that reflect the brightness, the abundance of life and capture the happiness in the atmosphere. I in particular love everything and anything fruity for my desserts. I enjoy delving into all the summer berries and sometimes I mix all the berries I have in my fridge just so I can enjoy the burst of flavours in my mouth; Ahh, gorgeous ( my mouth is watering already).

This beautiful sorbet is a mix of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. You can tell the sweetness of strawberries, the tanginess of raspberries and the deeper sweet notes of the blackberries. It's as delicious as it looks.

Recipe:

200g strawberries
150g raspberries
100g blackberries
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Clean all the fruits and allow the water to drain. Now put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz for a good 2-3 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and discard the peeps.
Transfer the mixture in a sorbet machine and churn as per machine instructions. Transfer sorbet onto a clean airtight container and freeze until needed.

Chicken Salad

This meal was put together using everything leftover from the salad leaves to the dressing and the 3 asparagus tips and 2 carrots. There is nothing, however that screams; SCRAPS!! when you look at the plate. It's beautiful, it's healthy, it's delicious and I could have happily served it to a guest.

Recipe:
1 chicken breast diced into big chucks or strips
1/2 a cucumber thinly sliced into discs (you can peel it if you like).
1 medium sized tomato thinly sliced
3-4 cooked asparagus tips halved
Baby carrots cooked
Handful green salad leaves

Mint dressing:
Handful fresh leaves leaves finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli flakes

Mix all the dressing ingredients and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Place your salad on a plate starting with the green leaves then cucumbers, tomatoes and so on.
Spoon the dressing on top then drizzle the juices around the plate onto the salad.

Enjoy

Honey and soy chicken

Honey and Soy chicken

This dish tops all the Chinese dishes I have attempted at home.  It's also very easy to make meaning you can even have a go making it during the week and really is delicious.


Ingredients:
400g chicken breast cut into bite sized chunks
1 cup corn starch

1/2 cup runny honey
2/3 cup chicken stock (low salt)
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 small onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbs corn starch plus 1 1/2 tbs water
Vegetable oil to fry
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs beaten
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 green onions chopped

Method:
Mix chicken stock, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, onion and  vinegar together and bring to a boil
Mix the 1 tbs of corn starch with the water and mix well, add to the honey mixture, reduce heat and and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Add baking powder and corn starch together and mix well.
Dip the chicken pieces into the beaten egg then coat with the corn starch.
Pour oil into a skillet or heavy based pan (oil should be around 2/3 of the skillet)  and heat.
When oil is very hot; drop 1/3 of the chicken pieces into the pan and fry for 4-6 minutes. Continue with the rest if the chicken until all has been cooked.

Add the fried chicken to the reserved sauce and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes making sure that all the chicken pieces are coated well in the sauces.

Enjoy with some egg fried rice.

Summer Cooking: Grilled nectarine with ice cream.

I am enjoying the warm weather, I love the wide variety of foods one can rustle up in no time at all feast on with family and friends. Desserts at this time are not disappointing.  Anything will do as long as it's teamed up with soft fruits.

Grilled Nectarines

2 Tbs pure honey
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tbs caster sugar

4 scoops of ice cream (your choice)

Heat oven to 180C on grill
Cut the fruits in half and remove stones
Drizzle fruits with honey the. Sprinkle with sugar
Place on grill cut sides down and grill for 5 minutes, then the fruits to skin down and continue to cook for anouther 3 minute till the fruits are ready
Use the juices or syrup rendered from the fruits to decorate plates, place the fruit onto plate followed by a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with fruit syrup and enjoy.

Happy Chickens

So I have been busy feeling lazy and only cooking when I really really have to. I am busy enjoying the weather and grabbing each opportunity to eat outside in the garden as much as I can and making full use of the warm sunshine.

One thing for sure is that I'm enjoying the light and easy meals and playing in the garden. Oh, I have six beautiful girls who will soon be gracing my garden soon. They are super cute and beautiful. There is Chirpy, Trouble, Thobekile, Silky, Pinky and Princess.

Quail egg and courgette fritters: starters

Quail eggs are finicky if not a pain to work with but very delicious indeed. The painstaking effort you put in just to peel those tiny gems is well worth it. They are gorgeously delicious; team them up with homemade hollandaise sauce and asparagus spears (or in this case, courgette fritters) and you've got yourself a winning starters. Today I did not bother with the hollandaise sauce because the yolk was perfect and I used that as both sauce for salad and dip for the fritters.

My absolute delight is when the egg has been left with a runny yolk that oozes out when you cut the egg open 😍.

Breakfast in the sun

Seeing that the sun has blessed us again and the kids woke me up early, like 7:30! Their breakfast request was to have Chicken noodle soup in exchange for being good and help tidying up the kitchen. I couldn't say no.

So noodle soup it was 😁

Picnic breakfast; soup, fresh mango slices and orange juice

Noodle soup 

In case you decide to make yours, this is what you need:
1.5 litres chicken stock
100g medium egg noodles cooked as per packet instructions  (I used fine vermicelli because that's what was in the cupboard)
Cooked chicken stripped or roughly chopped into huge chunks
Chicken bones or carcass (leftovers from Sunday roast are perfect)
5cm fresh ginger sliced thinly (with skin on)
3 cloves garlic bruised (unpeeled)
1 medium onion quartered with skin on
Dash soy sauce
2 red chillies sliced into medium chunks (I use crushed chilli because my children are not into heat)
Fresh coriander chopped (about 1tsp)
2 large pack choi or 4 small ones
Star anise
(Throw in some parsley, thyme odd chopped carrot and a bay leaf, if you have these)

Here's How

Add the onion, garlic, ginger and all the odd throw- in bits into the pan with the stock and boil for 10 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes (most recipes will call for over an hour of simmering but I'm a mom and time is precious).
Strain into a clean bowl and discard all the solids, return the stock into a clean pan and simmer, add the pack choi leaves and shred the stems and add them in.
Add the spring onions and soy sauce and chicken and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Divide noodles into 4 serving bowls and then paddle the soup on top.
Garnish with the chopped coriander and some chillies.
😋😋

I have had so much going lately; from work to health to children and above all, I have had an amazing time starting my small cake business venture. I'm happy with Tabi's Delights where I sell treats as in desserts and cakes.

I am thankful that my passion and hobby is now helping me to put extra bits on the table and my children couldn't be more supportive.  I am hoping that you will stick around and travel with me as I share my life with you.

May God bless you 🙏🏾🙏🏾.

From me with love to you ❤️❤️

So so sorry

So I have been away from this page for what seems like eternity to me, truth is I've had a lot going on; work, studies, children, ill-health and maybe some laziness too. 

I have missed being here and sharing my cooking adventures, I have missed talking because this is the only place where I can tell a story about my cooking without feeling like I am going to be boring people. As someone who loves writing I find it's the best way of expressing mysel; top that up with food and I am at my happiest. 

So I have missed this place but I AM BACK!!

Intrufood kids

I have decided to let my children have fun in the kitchen with me and today it was my eldest's turn to make desert for us.

Lemon posset with shortbread then mango sorbet accompanied by honeycomb for the crunch.

It's been a while

So I have not been here for a veeerrry long time, I have missed being here talking to myself and hoping that someone else is listening. All I can say is; I've been busy and although I'm still busy and nothing has changed; but I'm back.

So last night I made this lemon traybake and followed Mary Berry's recipe to the T which is unlike me because I always have something to change or add and religiously never follow anything 100%. Well on this one there was nothing to change, it's easy, it's lemony without being in your face or palate screwing zingy.

Try It; I'm actually having a slice right now.

You Need: Cake

225g caster sugar
225g soft butter
275g self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp milk
4 large eggs
Zest from 2 lemons

Drizzle:
Juice from 2 lemons
175g caster sugar

Preheat oven to 160C
Line a large rectangular baking tray

Mix all the cake ingredients and whisk for about 2 minutes then pour into baking tray and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Allow to cool for in tray for 5 minutes
Transfer cake on to cooling rack and remove baking parchment.
Meanwhile mix the lemon juic with the caster sugar and evenly drizzle or spread onto the traybake
while it's still warm.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Scallops

I decided on this easy but delicious starter to accompany this evening's meal with my children. I'm happy to announce that they enjoyed it, lucky pumpkins. So why not try it for yourself as a treat?

Fry scallops in a tablespoon of olive oil plus a little butter for three to four minutes. You can accompany with fresh herb salad or in my case with mint pea purée (mint and pea purée can be found under scallops and bacon strips recipe, previously posted).

Barbeque Sauce Recipe

After making my Barbeque Sauce, it was only fitting that I use it today and what better way to enjoy it than to slosh it on the pork ribs and chicken for dinner tonight? 

My my husband has now stated that we should stop visiting the Rib Shack if I can make a Sauce this good. JUICEY!!

Barbeque Sauce

Marinade 1kg of pork spare ribs for at least 2 hours

Cook in oven at 180C for 45-60 minutes

STICKY BARBEQUE SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbs olive oil

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 tablespoon golden syrup

2 tablespoon English mustard

55g dark brown sugar

50m dark soy sauce

300ml tomato ketchup

salt and pepper

Method

Place the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic  until soft

Combine all the remaining ingredients and bring to a rapid boil for 10-15 minutes

Simmer on low heat for a further five minutes to combine the flavours. 

Use as a dip or to coat spare ribs, chicken or sausages prior to cooking for that yummy sticky luscious barbeque flavour.

Chocolate mousse with cubed strawberries and coulis

I love chocolate, especially the dark one with a minimum of 80% cocoa almost too bitter for most to just chomp on but this the real goodness. Top that with chilli, yum yum. Today I decided to use this piece of heaven in my mousse and then topped it with some milk chocolate mousse. I also made a plain chocolate mousse for my seven year old thinking he may not like the dark chilli chocolate but I WAS WRONG! He loved it and ate and cleaned the plate 💃🏾#happymommy

200g chocolate of choice
2 egg yolks
2 gelatine leaves
300mls  double cream + 1tbs caster sugar lightly whipped


Get 6 small stainless steel rings and seal their bases with a cling film

Method

Place the gelatine leaves in ice cold water for 5 minutes
Melt chocolate using bain marie method
Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine leaves and add the gelatine to the melted chocolate and mix generously till they have dissolved
Add the egg yolks and quickly mix until all incorporated
Add the lightly whipped cream and whisk till silky smooth

Divide the mousse into the prepared rings and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.

For the coulis:
200g strawberries
2 tbs caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Clean and hull the strawberries remove about 4 from the punnet or more depending on their size
Cut the 4 strawberries into small cubes and set aside
Place the remaining strawberries in a pan and add the other remaining ingredients.
Stir the mixture constantly to prevent burning and sticking on the base of the pan
When the fruits have softened and turned into a purée like consistency remove from heat and seive to remove pips
Add the cubed strawberries to the coulis and mix well until the fruits are nicely coated and glossy

When ready to serve  carefully remove the mousse from the rings, discarding the cling film
Place mousse on a plate and top up with the glazed fruits or decorate with the fruits.

Enjoy

Molten Lava Cake

Simple, deliciously gooey and extremely rich chocolate dessert for all the choc lovers out there. Beauty of it is you can prep this as far ahead as you can then stick it in the oven as you are having your dessert. Cooks in no time.

Molten Lava Cake

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook: 14 min
Yield: 6 cakes
Level: Easy

Ingredients
150g dark chocolate
50 milk chocolate
10 tablespoons soft butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 180C

Grease 6 ramekins with butter and coat around with sugar then chill.
Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave, or on ban marie
Add the flour and sugar to chocolate mixture.
Stir in the eggs and yolks until smooth.
Stir in the vanilla and orange liqueur. Divide the batter equally into the ramekins
Place in the oven and bake for 14 minutes.
The edges should be firm but the center will be runny.
Sift some icing sugar onto the serving plates
Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.

Autumnal foods

This evening I had fun cooking and eating this dish, after weeks of ordering the pheasant and partridges from Waitrose (and not getting them) I decided to go back to Ocado just so I can eat these. So you can imagine the joy I had when my order came on Sunday afternoon.

Pheasant on brussel sprouts, served with butternut purée and pickled blackberries. Beautiful.

Pretend you've spent a lot of time in the kitchen just for your guests: Make them feel special.

I like my dessert to be interesting, to have minutely variant textures that marry together and work. I want them to look like I have spent a lot of time labouring in the kitchen (when I haven't). I want my guests to be left wanting more, to take time eating and savouring every spoonful (not to slosh it all in one go because they just want it done with.

It's even more fun when I'm getting help from the kids, having them suggest and decide what else should be included in our meals. Tonight with the help of my seven year old son this is what we came up with: vanilla and white chocolate creme brûlée served with rolled tuille biscuits (both recipes can be found in previous posts) and a flared strawberry and strawberry coulis.
(My blow torch has run out of gas so I improvised by placing the creme brûlée under a grill)

Cold weather pudding

The beautiful thing about cold weather is that I get to eat all these delicious yummy puds without a shred of guilt and I have started early. It also means that I don't have to cook or make them everyday as these desserts are made in bulk: bread pudding; sticky toffee; rice puddings (endless list).

So I made this sticky toffee, moist, light and the sauce makes it sticky and moreish. I mus admit though that I tend to reduce the sugar quantities on the sauce otherwise it will be sickly, but drizzle a little bit of cream on top when I'm eating yum yum.

For the pudding:
60g unsalted butter
60g caster sugar
150g dates pitted and chopped into small pieces
1teaspoon bicarb
150g self raising
2 eggs
250ml warm water

Toffee sauce:
200g butter
200g dark muscovado sugar
400mls double cream
1tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180C
Instructions:
Add bicarb to the water then the chopped dates and leave to soak for 10 minutes
Pour the date mixture into a food processor and blitz for about 2 minutes
Whisk butter till soft, add sugar and whisk again then add the two eggs
Add the flour then the blitzed date mixture and fold until all is incorporated
Pour into a small loaf tin and bake for 35-40minutes

Add the sauce ingredients and cook on medium heat for about 5minutes stirring all the time ensuring the sauce doesn't burn
Pour generously over pudding on serving or pour over and allow the sauce to soak in.
(Recipe from Nigel Slater)

Smoked salmon and Gouda cheese salad with raspberry sauce

loving this salad and I think it's a must try. I made this as a starters for my dinner party to celebrate my husband's birthday last week. A winner with the 20 people I catered for.

Smoked salmon, Gouda cheese on herb salad served with raspberry sauce

Scrumptious raspberry sauce: must try

Ingredients
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
4-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries, divided
1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
4 ounces Gouda cheese, shaved
1/3 cup Brazil nuts, chopped and toasted
2 shallots, thinly sliced

Directions
Place the vinegar, sugar, salt and 1/4 cup raspberries in a food processor; cover and process until pureed.
Divide salad greens among eight salad plates; top with cheese, nuts, shallots and remaining raspberries.
Drizzle with dressing. Yield: 8 servings.

Recycling Monday

Who said leftovers had to be boring, my family voted for a recreation of the Sunday meal as they did not want me to "kill" the beautiful beef (this means they did not want me to over cook it in the process of re-making a different meal). I would like to say I'm glad I listened  because tonight's meal was even better than yesterday even though we did not have Yorkshire peas and had corn as a side.