Porridge of the Week SPECIAL

Porridge of the Week
Fruity crumble porridge

The other night, whilst mindlessly surfing the internet, I was hit suddenly with an exciting fact- that tomorrow (Monday, 10th October) was World Porridge Day. After my initial amazement that this event had somehow escaped my discovery until this point, I gathered myself together and began feverishly planning a recipe for the morning that was worthy of the occasion. I decided the recipe should involve a certain degree of preparation and should ideally use some seasonal or hand made ingredients. Having a box full of harvested apples from a friends garden, I decided on Apple Crumble Porridge, a deconstruction of the classic British pudding, using home made compote and granola. I set about cooking it up immediately.

This recipe involves more preparation than the average porridge, but it's worth the extra effort, and has a luxury finish that I think is worthy of the occasion. The blackberries give it a really rustic homely touch.

So.

The night before you will be eating the porridge, start by making the apple compote. Peel and chop cooking apples. In a pan, melt some butter and the apples with a dash of hot water and four tablespoons of brown sugar, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a vanilla pod. Simmer until the apples break down and thicken. This should take about half an hour. Keep it thick and chunky, or puree with a hand blender if you wish.

Make the granola- the recipe for which can be found here.

Leave the compote in the pan overnight for the vanilla to infuse. In the morning, heat up your porridge and add a small sprinkling of nutmeg. Remove from the heat and spoon in a spoonful of compote and a handful of fresh blackberries, and blueberries if you wish. Tip into a bowl and top with extra compote. Sprinkle generously with granola and serve!

xx

Dinner: Bengali Salmon Parcels

Bengali Salmon Parcels
With broad beans and cumin carrots

I was cooking with Simon tonight and he introduced me to this recipe. It was beautiful- I love salmon as it is, but this was delicate with a real kick, and also took almost no time at all to prepare and cook. Whilst mixing the yoghurt with the freshly blended spices I had a feeling it was going to be a bit special, so I grabbed my camera and paid attention...

Here be the recipe:

salmon fillets
1 tsp each ground cumin and turmeric
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
3cm piece root ginger
1 garlic clove , peeled
small bunch coriander , chopped
2 green chillies , seeded and sliced
200ml Greek yogurt

1.Rub the salmon with the turmeric, cuminand mustard. Put the ginger, garlic, coriander and most the chillies in a food processor and whizz together. Add the yoghurt and some salt and whizz again.
2. Spread most of the yoghurt mixture over both sides of each piece of salmon (keep back a couple of tbsp). Take 4 sheets of foil, then sit a salmon fillet in the middle of each. Seal to make parcels, leaving a bit of room for air to circulate. Cook in the oven at 220C/ fan 200C/gas 7 for 8 minutes.

I served it with broad beans and cumin carrots- made simply by tossing cumin seeds in butter in a pan with a little sugar, and stirring through carrots as they steam- and the remaining yoghurt on the side.

xxx

Food Fact of the Day

In accordance to people's changing tastes, Cheddar is getting sweeter, becoming less dry and nutty, and more sweet and smooth.
This is not done by adding sugar or anything as unappealing, but simply by using a different type of bacteria .

Cheddar Cheese was discovered 800 years ago, by accident, in Cheddar- giving it its name.

xxx