Tastes of life
We are what we eat and what we do.Archive for lemons
Never too many eggs.
It is the time of year when hopefully egg production from your lovely chickens improves and you look at the egg rack and think “I feel a recipe is needed” so here are a few recipes to use up that glut . Also eggs can be frozen for later use.
Freezing eggs.
To freeze whole eggs, break them into a bowl and beat a little to blend. Tip
into a freezer bag or airtight plastic container and use within three months -
freeze them in small batches, as these will be most useful, and be sure to label
the number of eggs that go into each freezer bag. Whites and yolks can also be
frozen separately. Egg whites just need tipping into freezer bags, whereas egg
yolks need a pinch of salt or sugar beaten in (depending on whether they’ll be
used for sweet or savoury dishes later). This will stop them from thickening too
much upon freezing. Defrost frozen eggs in the fridge overnight and use them
straightaway
Mayonnaise
Makes 10 fl oz /375ml
2 Large egg yolks or 3 smaller
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 level teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
10fl oz ground nut oil (or vegetable oil not olive oil)
a few drops of white wine vinegar.
Method
Begin by putting the egg yolks into a large bowl adding the salt, pepper and mustard powder and mix all together.
Drop one drop of oil into the egg mixture at a time whisking as you go and taking it really slowly .It is going to take a few minutes but is worth it .When the mixture starts to thicken you can add the oil a bit faster until all the oil is mixed …When the mixture has started to thicken the crucial bit is over.Add the vinegar and adjust your seasoning if needed.
Curdling occurs if you add to much oil at the beginning ,not the end of the world if this happens .
* For light mayo simply substitute egg whites for some of the egg yolks.
Saving your Mayo.
Put a fresh egg yolk into a clean basin add the curdled mixture to that a drop at a time ,then carry on with the remainder of the oil as if nothing had happened .
Low fat Mayo
In a mixing bowl ,whisk 150g fromage frais (o% fat) with 1 egg yolk , 1tsp strong dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice until completly smooth.Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can add a few chopped chives ,mint or tarragon just before serving.
Storing your lovely Mayo.
Mayonnaise should be stored in a screw top jar in a cool place ,the bottom of the fridge for about a week.
Lemon curd
Makes 550g
200g Butter, diced
200g caster sugar
grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
4 egg yolks
Method
Put the butter , sugar,lemon zest and juice into a heat proof bowl.Stand the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water ..Making sure the base of the bowl is not in contact with the water… The butter will begin to melt in a few minutes .Whisk the mixture until it is completely smooth.
Add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously for about 10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken .Pour the lemon curd into a jar and leave in the fridge.
Serve this lovely lemon curd straight from the jar onto hot buttered toast.
*For orange curd , substitute the lemons for 2 oranges and boil the juice to reduce by one-third before you start.
Meringues
If you have made either the mayo or the lemon curd you will have left over egg whites .Here is a recipe for meringue .
3 large egg whites
6oz (175 g ) caster sugar
Method
light oven to gas mark 2 (300 degrees F )
Place the egg whites into a large very clean bowl and whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and you can turn the bowl upside down with out them sliding out.When they are ready start to whisk in the sugar about 1 oz (25 g) at a time whisking after each addition until all the sugar is in .
Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper and put large spoonfuls at a time on to baking sheet . Now place baking sheet into oven turning the gas down to number 1 (275 f ) and leave to cook for 1 hour . Turn the heat right off but leave the meringues inside the oven until it is completely cold.
You can then sandwich together if liked with cream or even lemon curd.
Seafood and other fish dishes
I was watching a programme about seafood which reminded me of when we were in The Canary Islands one Christmas and instead of the usual Christmas dinner we had Lobster in Champagne sauce.It was at a wonderful Italian restaurant in Fuerteventura.We have been to Fuerteventura for the last few years at Christmas and usually have our Christmas meal at this restaurant.So it started me thinking about my favourite seafood recipes.
Pasta the oldest fast food in the world
Many families have a lot of fast food ready meals with not a lot of nutrition these days, not realising that pasta dishes are probably the fastest meals you can cook and really enjoy.Try a few of my favourites recipes all are quick and simple to make.They cover meats,vegetables,seafood and just plain pasta.Whether you want to conjure up a fast simple meal or make a great feast pasta covers it all…I heard an Italian chef on a food programme say…” Pasta is minimum effort maximum satisfaction ” That really sums it up for me. Read the rest of this entry »
Delicious low fat recipes
When I was trying to lose weight ,the most important factor was the lack of fat in my diet.I am sure that lowering the fat in my diet really helped me achieve my goal.At first I thought that it would be boring but it turned out to be completely the opposite. I was amazed how good it was.I am not one for having ready meals but if I did have one I made sure it was about 5% fat content or lower.Even a year after reaching my goal I still eat mostly fat free meals.I now find ingredients like butter to rich, I was a person who could eat butter by the spoonful!! ….I gave up butter on my sandwiches and I don’t even miss it.After a year I still don’t eat it….Take a look at my favourite fat free recipes and enjoy your dieting instead of suffering and feeling that it is a chore!! Read the rest of this entry »
Lemon and other citrus …More.
I just love using citrus fruit in my recipes .There is something very clean and fresh about them.I would just love to have a lemon tree with lemons on my allotment or in my garden and have now one which is 2 years old without any lemons.Next year I hope to have succeeded .I have just brought mine indoors for the winter and hopefully it will survive and flourish..Meanwhile more cooking Read the rest of this entry »
Lemon and other citrus recipes
I have been to see my sister for a long weekend. My sister and her partner live in what I would call old Spain in a small town an hour away from Murcia called Blanca where the only shops you have are mostly food shops with loads of fresh produce.In her very small high street she has 4 bakers,5 greengrocers and 3 delis.
