If I could have eatin all 6 I would have

Rosemary and garlic prawns wrapped in Parma ham (makes 6)

In need of a starter – I’ve regressed to my cooking staple – garlic. Skewered prawns it is - these savory badboys become tip of the tongue irresistible when left to marinade for a few hours. Grill them until they turn pink…. then the secret - pan fry them for 40 seconds – they’ll sizzle as the Parma ham crisps up and releases those salty juices that then seep lustily into the skewered prawns – total tease of a starter

Marinade:

Handful of fresh rosmary (finley chopped)

Good splash of white wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

2 tsp palm sugar (or muscavodo sugar could be used)

1 tsp salt

1tsp runny honey

good grind of black pepper

30 king prawns

6 slices of Parma ham

a few sprigs of rosemary

Make your marinade – keep tasting it as you add the ingredients and when it tastes balanced i.e sweet, savory and a twang bringing the flavor up at the back, add your prawns and leave to marinade for a few hours. Prepare the prawns – skewer the prawns, 5 per skewer, stick in little sprigs of rosemary to the prawns themselves. Take a slice of the ham, tear in half, and wrap each half around the skewered prawns – do this for all 6 skewers. Then cover and leave in the fridge until ready to cook. Grill the prawn skewers for about 5 minutes on either side – until pink – no more – then remove from the grill and heat some oil up in a pan, pan fry the prawns on each side for about 20 seconds.

Mrs Pork

Gluttony and the Pig: The Tesco Taste Northern Ireland Event 17th -18th September (nb. where not to go if you like food) 

A day with the hog and 11 hours later my legs feel like they've been run over by a tarmac flattener - or maybe that's my food soul from such rotten supermarket dumping. Once a pretty vibrant food stop on the food market track - now a cesspit of oven pasties, battered cocktail sausages and microwavable burgers. The Belfast city council, could not this year bring us the taste festival without a "little help" - so thanks to Tesco’s - the Taste NI Festival was made possible this September. But not without a price.

Caoimhe Mannion, Marketing Manager with Tesco NI said "We are committed to supporting producers across Northern Ireland and this event, which celebrates the very best of the region’s food and drink, is testament to that.” Hardly, any small producer who was not a supplier to Tesco was pushed out to the back corner and not mentioned in the press release naming exhibitors Press release (insert names of retailers here). They also had to deal with unending food sluttery from Tesco's relentless sampling. These are the independent food retailers - the ones that have been here each year, providing a real sense of local and innovative food. 

What the guts of the problem appeared to be was that the market goers, were plied with such an overload of free food (super uninteresting food btw) and drink on the part of Tesco suppliers that this led to serious magpie greed - the idea of paying for food's worth drowned outside along with the gardens - people seemed to resent money changing hands, which is so different to a proper food market - where your excited to hand the money over to make that delish something yours. In no way is this the fault of the retailers there today or those that were hired to work the stalls - it was the atmosphere created when a giant super market chain sets up base in a market place setting. So a headz up - avoid - unless of course, your heading straight to the Pheasant Hill Hog - the real gem in the pack - for some rare breed, free-range hog roast - alternatively, if you feel like pre packaged chicken wings on your cheek, this is the market for you. Whatever your taste is eh

I need Truffle restraints

Chambord and Brandy Truffles (makes about 40)

Faced with a birthday desert challenge, I made chocolate heaven. I hadn't quite grasped how the different layers of a truffle are what make it great - this recipe brings that out nicely. The alcohol gives fruity depth and changes the texture of the inside of your truffle, the dark chocolate coating adds bite, and rolling in coco powder gives sweetness with that messy talc like touch.

Truffle Mix:
60g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter
40mls brandy
120ml Chambord

Rolled in:
120g melted dark chocolate
40g coco powder

Break the milk and dark chocolate into small bits and heat until nearly melted. In a small saucepan heat the brandy and the Chambord - just until too hot too touch, not boiling. Add this mix too the nearly melted chocolate. Chop the butter into little cubes - gradually mix the butter into the mix. Line a square / rectangular (one that is nice and deep and not too wide, about 14cm squared is good, depth anything from 2 inch’s up works) with cling film. Pour in the mix and refrigerate for 3hours or until set. Take out cut into small cubes, roll in melted chocolate then coco powder and place back in the fridge. Ready when you are.

Somtimes I feel like I live for bites

Mini Berry Crumbles (makes 12) 

I had some extra ingredients from the mammoth Sunday galette, so mini tartlets followed. What's nice about these is their individualism ensures a light and flakey pastry- equally satisfying is that the bite sized tart is a little less intimidating than a real life tart - they just disappear - where as the big old galette's consumption is a much more visible affair.

Follow the recipe for Sweet Berry and Macarpone Galette to make the mascarpone cream, the cumble and the pastry.

Ingredients

12 raspberries

a couple of handfuls of bueberries

1 tbl spoon of melted butter

Roll out pastry so it's 2cm thick. Rather than using a tart tin - cut out 8cm discs of pastry and roll the pastry to about half a cm thick, lightly dust a bun sheet or muffin tray with flour. Lay the pastry discs into the cavities, pressing in around the sides. Bake the tarts cases blind for about 10-12mins gas mark 5 - take out of the oven when they start to puff out slightly. Add a spoonful of mascarpone cream, top with some blueberries and raspberries, brush the fruit with melted butter, sprinkle with crumble. Bake until the sides of the pastry start to go golden brown and the crumble begins to crisp.

Showing off is so distasteful

Sweet Berry and Mascarpone Galette

It being the end of the summer and all - it's nice to bring a little fruity heartiness to the table. This sweet pastry galette, is a big effort treat - so prepare for major time consumption, but its pretty impressive - the cooked mascarpone and buttery pastry give a sublime full bodied and creamy squeeze to the tartness of the berries while the crumble adds this lovely bitty texture that feels kinda playful in your mouth

Mascarpone Cream (Ottolengi taught)

150g mascarpone

150g cream fraiche

25g icing sugar

Crumble (makes abit more than you need)

100g cold salted butter

200g plain flour

50g caster sugar

Pastry

1/1/4 cup of strong white bread flour

20g icing sugar

200g salted butter

1/4 cup ice water 

2 tbl sp lemon juice

Filling

1 red plum 

150g mixed berries

30g melted butter

1 passion fruit

Pastry: Freeze flour and butter for one hour. Add the icing sugar to the flour - giving that sweetness to the pastry thats this treat craves. Then cut the butter up into cubes and gradually work into the flour. Mix up your sour cream, water and lemon juice. Make a well in the crumbly flour / butter and add half the wet mix. Work this in. As big chunks form, remove them and place to the side. Keep removing the big bitz. Then when there’s nothing left in the bowl, roll all of them together in your hand, just until joined. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 1 hour

Mascarpone Cream: Whisk the mascarpone to loosen it, then add the icing sugar and cream fraiche. Whisk until it's firm again - refrigerate until ready to use.

Crumble: Add the butter, flour and sugar together - work it between your fingers until it has the consistency of bread crumbs - then refrigerate until ready to use

Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4. Roll your pastry out. Lightly flour a hard based tart tin / baking tray - add the pastry. Cover with baking beans and bake blind for twenty minutes. Remove from the oven (turn heat up to gas mark 5), let cool for 10 mins. Add spoonfuls of the mascarpone to the base. Add mixed berries and sliced plum over the mascarpone. Brush the fruit with the melted butter, sprinkle with crumble, place in the oven on gas mark 5, for around 40 mins – checking every 15mins and brushing the pastry edge with butter or milk to stop it burning. 

Any reason to stay indoors

Roasted Cauliflower, Leek and Garlic Soup

September's here and instead of an "Indian summer" we get downpours and fog - what's needed is some straight to the point appreciation for being stuck inside and curled up on a cream sofa with deadliest catch on screen - sip this soup with onion focaccia - wait for perfect comfort realsied

1 medium headed cauliflower

2 leeks

6 cloves of garlic (skinned and squashed)

2 tbls sp olive oil

4 heaped tbls sp butter

50ml sour cream

800ml chicken stock

1 tsp salt (alwayz maldon)

1 tsp black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5. Chop up the cauliflower and the leeks. Place on a baking tray, along with the 6 whole galric cloves (squashed) - add salt, olive oil and butter. Roast for 40-45mins - until brown and slightly softened. Add roasted veg and garlic to a saucepan along with the chicken stock and black pepper - heat until bubbles - leave to cool. Add the sour cream and blend until smooth and creamy - season to tast

Is it wrong to want meat for breakfast?

Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers

I woke up this morning, my mouth itching for last nights dinner. Oh your good - creamy coconut skewered chicken. These kebabs add a totally satisfying decadence to your average bbq - the chicken soaks up the coconut milk, keeping it rich and mouthwateringly moist - and the peanut butter keeps that salt craving right on target

1 can of coconut milk

2/3 rd Jar of peanut butter

6 chicken breasts (diced)

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

2 red chilies (finely chopped)

1 green pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 red onions

10-20 chestnut mushrooms

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, garlic, chilies, salt, black pepper, and diced chicken. Leave to marinade for 2-3 hours. Make kebabs - skewering the chicken - mushroom - onions - and peppers. Pour what’s left of the marinade over the top - BBQ when readz