Lemon Bars for UK Handmade Summer Issue

Hello!

I have been a bit quiet on the blog front recently, I have just started a new job and still getting into the swing of things. Also I had a rotten stomach bug last week which left me with nearly a whole week off unable to bake anything!

I did however recently write a recipe for the UK Handmade summer issue, some gloriously summery lemon bars. It is on page 47, please have a read and the rest of the magazine is just beautiful this month.

I will be back very soon with some new recipes :)


Deepa

Risotto with Baked Ricotta, Tomato and Herbs

I won something! I never win anything!
I entered a competition on the Laverstoke blog to win a parcel of their lovely buffalo ricotta and I won!
What was even better is that they sent me a whole array of goodies, I got two pots of their fresh mozarella, some of their smoked streaky bacon, a big pot of ricotta and a carton of buffalo milk.

We have enjoyed the mozarella on pizza and the bacon in sandwiches (naturally) and diced and combined with some ricotta gnocchi (I used the rest of the ricotta here). We aren't sure what to do with the buffalo milk, I could make burrata (although I do have a lot of mozarella already) or we could just have it in our tea!

Being as the ricotta was the main prize I thought I'd come up with a nice recipe for you. This risotto is slightly summery but comforting enough to warm you up on this early autumn days. The ricotta is baked in the oven for 10 minutes which makes it meltingly tender and allows you to infuse it with herbs.

Risotto with Baked Ricotta, Tomato and Herbs
serves 2

Knob of butter
olive oil
approx 200g arborio rice
2 cloves of garlic
handful of cherry tomatoes
about 1 tablespoon of fresh italian herbs - I used sage and oregano
about 1 pint hot chicken stock
parmesan
4 tablespoons of ricotta

First preheat your oven to a medium heat. Put your ricotta in a small ovenproof dish, spinkle with herbs, olive oil and seasoning. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes whilst you make your risotto base.

Chop the tomatoes into halves or quarters, add to a bowl and add a little olive oil, cider vinegar and seasoning.  Leave to stand whilst you make your risotto.

Next start to make your risotto. Melt your butter with a splash of olive oil in a large nonstick pan, add in your crushed garlic and fry for a minute. Then add in your rice. Stir quickly to coat all the rice in butter and oil. Cook for another minute. Then start to ladle in your stock in small amounts, stirring and waiting for the stock to absorb before you add the next ladle. Keep testing your rice for done-ness all the time, you might not need all of your stock.

When the rice is about 3/4 done add in your tomatoes, herbs, another knob of butter and about 2 tablepsoons of parmesan, stir to combine and melt the cheese and butter. Take your ricotta out the oven. Put half into your risotto and stir in.

Once the rice is done and everything combine in the pan serve in warmed bowls. Divide the rest of the baked ricotta between the plates and serve on top. Serve with a bit more parmesan and black pepper.

Yum!


You can find Laverstoke in branches of Waitrose and some Sainsburys. You can also buy from their website.

Much promised..

At last, the much promised crispy pork noodle recipe :)

During our visit to Jimmy's farm just after the New Year we popped into their butchers, they are famous for their rare breed Essex pigs. I've been hearing lots about cheaper cuts of meat such as oxtail, pork hock and pork belly (don't worry this isn't going to be a post about the 'credit crunch' or whatever else you would have heard it called recently) so we came back with some wonderful pork belly and also some 'Suffolk Farmhouse' sausages. The pork belly was a very reasonable £3 for 2 large slices, probably about 400g.

The pork noodle recipe is taken in part from Jamie Olivers cookbook, Jamie at Home, which was a much awaited Christmas present. We are planning on getting stuck in to some proper vegetable growing in the summer and it has some great tips.

This recipe requires wonderful long slow cooking of the pork belly in a spicy marinade, so the otherwise tough cut of meat tenderies and becomes melt in the mouth and very aromatic.

Ingredients
(serves 2)

2 slices of pork belly- remove some of the rind, debone and cut into chunks

For the marinade:
2 tbsp clear honey
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp cranberry sauce (leftover from Christmas, not very authentic but lovely!)
1 clove of garlic
small onion, roughly chopped
small piece of ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 fresh or 1 1/2 tsp dried chil
Juice of half a lime

For the noodles
Medium noodles (I get mine from the chinese supermarket, which are so much tastier than the supermarket ones, Sainsburys do stock a brand 'Clearspring' which is good too)
Coriander
Spring onion
Limes to serve

Whizz up the marinade ingredients in a food processor, pour over the pork, make sure it is thoroughly covered. If the mixture seems a little thick or dry, add a little bit of water. Put into a low oven (gas mark 3) for 1 hour and 30 mins.
When the pork is ready, heat up some sunflower or vegetable oil in a wok and cook the noodles.
Fry the pork and the marinade in the wok until the pork is crispy on the outside.
Then add the noodles, coriander and mix well.
Serve with spring onions on top and lime wedges on the side!


:)