An Edible Voyage

April 2020 Homemade gnocchi is great, and a far cry from the stodgy shop bought stuff.  I'm always slightly put off from making it because I don't seem to be able to stop my whole kitchen being stuck together but gnocchi dough...  I recently came across a recipe where it is all contained within a food processor  - this sounded right up my street!  It also used 60% swede, 30% potato which sounded like an intriguing twist.   Served with punchy, zingy wild garlic pesto, asparagus fresh from the farm, sweet and nutty parmesan, and juicy pops of charred cherry tomatoes, this is a dinner I'm looking forward to recreating!

April 2020 Chicory, also known as endive, is one of my favourite ingredients.  Crisp and bitter in salads; mellow, sweet and nutty when cooked.  For this risotto, I cooked the chicory for only a few minutes so that it still had some bite to stand up against the softness of the arborio rice, and to allow the earthy, nutty flavours to shine through.  Stringy, molten chunks of parmesan cheese added sweetness and moorish umaminess, and I enjoyed the satisfying crunch of chopped almonds.  This was a wholesome, hearty dish which managed to maintain a freshness at the same time. 

April 2020 Mackerel is one of my favourite fish - I love the rich flavour and the moist, oily texture, and it makes so many other ingredients really shine.  And when you're a little bit salty from a day on a fishing boat in Devon, what could be better than cooking up the fruits of your labour!   Simply grilled, oily, melt in the mouth fish, is balanced by an acidic, punchy dressing of cider vinegar and mustard.  Crunchy, aniseedy fennel, soft potatoes, zesty lemon, and the slight crunch of peppery leaves fresh from the farm combine to make this a truly delicious light and fresh healthy dinner, perfect for a warm evening.

April 2020 This is a really satisfying dinner that showcases many seasonal flavours.  Whole courgettes baked in a foil parcel with fennel, vine tomatoes, chilli, lemon juice and whole cloves of garlic, served with lemon zest infused breadcrumbs, pine nuts and orzo.  The juicy courgette is lovely with the crunch of breadcrumbs, soft, aniseedy fennel, and the sweet burst of vine tomatoes.  Just enough heat from the chilli allows the fresh flavours to shine, the lemon keeps it refreshing, and the pops of rich nuttiness from the pine nuts bring it all together.  Personally I didn't feel it needs the orzo as it's substantial enough with the breadcrumbs. 

April 2020 Another quick, light and delicious dinner.  Crunchy cabbage salad with a light dressing of cider vinegar, honey and mustard cuts through the oilyness of lightly pan fried mackerel, which pairs perfectly with the softness and caramelisation of the roasted rhubarb.  Personally, I feel the capers don't add anything, and next time I might beef it up a bit with some finely sliced potatoes added to the pan with the mackerel.