Recipe: Summer Inspired Citrus Salmon

Nothing screams summer cooking like our citrus infused salmon.  Here is our quick, easy and mouth-wateringly good recipe (even if we say so ourselves!).  

Quick, easy and healthy, what more can I say.  

Recipe for 2

 

Ingredients:

2x Salmon Fillets

2x Oranges

1x Lemon

4x Sprigs of Mint

Herb Butter

Method:  

1.  Cut your oranges and lemon in half, squeeze some of the juices over your salmon and rub in to the fish

2.  Flash cook the salmon for 1 minute on each side in a griddle pan/BBQ with a dash of olive oil

3.  On the very hot griddle/BBQ lay the 2 halved oranges and one half of lemon in the middle of the oranges (juicy side up).  So basically - orange-lemon-orange.

4.  Lay 2 mint sprigs on top of the fruit and push them in to the juicy section

5.  Lay the salmon on top of the fruit to cook and infuse the flavours

6.  Pop a small amount of herb butter on top of the salmon so it melts in to the fish for added flavour

7.  Cook until the fish is flakey

Alternatively...

If you haven't got a griddle pan/BBQ, you can follow the steps above but wrap the prepared salmon in foil and pop it in the oven to cook for 20 minutes at 180.   

To Finish...

Serve with a summer salad and glass of chilled Rose.

What's your favourite summer dish?

A Pampered Pooch - Homemade Dog Treats

Maggie

My little dog Maggie is a pretty pampered pooch to say the least.  Guaranteed snuggles on the sofa, fashionable collars and leads, long country walks, and this next statement makes me sound slightly ridiculous, but dog lovers will understand...a regular hot water bottle!  A tradition that started when she was a little 8 week old puppy when she missed the warmth from her siblings in the litter, and she let me know by crying...and yelping...and whining all night long.  Three years have passed by and the hot water bottle is still a common feature in Maggie's world.  

I spent my Halloween evening spoiling my beloved westie further by whipping up a batch of healthy dog treats.  Here is how I got on...

The Finished Article

This evening I decided to try out a recipe that I got from our friends at Bill & Eddie, a fabulous dog outfitter which keeps Maggie very stylish indeed.  I really hate giving Maggie dog chews and treats that are full of, lets face it...rubbish!  So I decided to whip up a batch of homemade and super healthy dog biscuits.  Plus they make a great present for doggy friends too!  Bert the crazy whippet and Tallulah the cocker spaniel, you might get a jar of these treats under the Christmas tree this year!

Here is the recipe...

Ingredients:  

1.5 Cups Oat Flour

1.5 Cups Brown Rice Flour

1 tsp Cinnamon 

1 Cup Rolled Oats

0.5 Cup Oat Bran

1 Large Free Range Egg

0.5 Cup Mashed Banana 

0.5 Cup Water

Method: 

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees, or 200 degrees with a fan assisted oven

2.  Add all the ingredients in to a large bowl and mix together in to a dough.  If it's looking a bit dry, add some more water

Pop all the ingredients in to a mixing bowl together.
*wine for baker only!

Mix well and add extra water if it's looking a bit dry

3.  Roll mixture in to small balls (about 2cm diametre), then place on a non-stick baking tray

4.  Flatten slightly with your thumb, I then scored each with a knife so they can easily be broken in to smaller treats

Ready to go in to the oven

5.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown

6.  Place on a wire rack to cool

7.  Store in room temperature in an air tight container.

I've decided to put my biscuits in to small kilner jars as I'll be giving them away as gifts, but I will be putting a few (well, quite a lot), in to a biscuit tin for Maggie!  

Kilner jars ready to be filled

I found this gorgeous ribbon to decorate the jar with...

The outcome:  Maggie loved them!  She was licking her lips, barking for more and pretty much licking the floor clean.  Definite doggy validation! 

Ready to devour!

    

Shuffling & A Taste of Mexico En Su Casa

I have been pretty immobile with a bad back over the last two weeks, which makes me sound a lot older than my 28 years, so I would like to stress that I'm pushing the 'sports injury' reason apposed to the simple carrying of my four year old nephew on my hip (must remember the art of piggy back rides next time!).  It hurts so much that I haven't left the house in 11 whole days, so it must be the cocktail of drugs I have been taking that has blocked the cabin fever from sprouting its ugly head, although I am starting to get a tad twitchy for fresh air and autumn walks *gazes fondly out of the window*

So, with just myself, the pup and my MacBook Pro for daytime entertainment, I decided to whip up a storm in the kitchen and get some friends around for much needed conversation!  I wanted something quick and easy so I wouldn't be on my feet (aka shuffling) for too long.  So I decided on a new food area for me (to cook anyway, I eat it like a pro!)...Mexican!  You might be shocked to hear that I haven't dabbled in this cuisine before, but I usually head down the Italian or British route when I cook, but I heard Mexican is pretty straight forward and good 'help yourself' entertaining grub, so it ticked all the boxes for a semi-mobile me.      

The Menu

Chicken Fajitas 

Patatas Bravas 

Spicy Rice 

Tomato Salsa 

Guacamole

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Chicken Fajitas for 4

Ingredients

2 red peppers

2 red onions

3 skinless boneless chicken breast

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 small pinch of ground cumin 

2 limes

Olive oil

Black pepper

8 tortillas

Method

1.  Get a griddle pan piping hot

2.  Cut the peppers, onions and chicken in to strips and pop in a bowl together

3.  Add the cumin and paprika

4.  Squeeze over the juice of 1 lime

4.  Drizzle with a lug of olive oil and season with pepper

5.  Mix well and let it rest for 5 - 10 minutes

6.  Pop in the hot griddle for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and place in a serving bowl

7.  Heat the tortillas for a couple of minutes.

Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

1 fresh chilli

20 ripe cherry tomatos

A small bunch of fresh coriander

Black pepper 

1 Lime 

Olive oil

Method

1.  Finely chop the chilli

2.  Chop the tomatoes in to little pieces

3.  Add in the coriander

4.  Add salt and pepper and the juice of 1 lime

5.  Add a good splash of olive oil and stir.

*Grate the cheese as an accompaniment and pop the guacamole in to a serving dish (I was naughty and bought 'store bought' guacamole...and spicy rice for that matter...I was ill!  *excuses)

Patatas Bravas 

Oh I could eat these potatoes all day long!  Here is how quick and simple they are to make.

Ingredients

Potatoes

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves

225g of tinned chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato puree

2 teaspoons of paprika

A good pinch of chilli powder

Pinch of sugar

Chopped fresh parsley

Method

1.  Chop your potatoes in to little cubes, pop them in a roasting tin with a generous lug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cook on a high heat for 50 minutes.  But keep checking them and give them an occasional stir.

2.  Fry the chopped onion in a pan until soft

3.  Add in all the other ingredients and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until pulpy  

4.  Once the potatoes are crispy, place in a serving bowl and pour the 'sauce' over the top

5.  Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

I hoped this has inspired you to whip up a quick and easy Mexican meal this weekend.  I might just do it again.  

What is your favourite Mexican dish?  

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