Lazy fish tacos

11-01-2018 Local Black Bookeasy, fish, recipe, tacos2 Comments

When they find out how obsessed I am with all things food, some people assume I spend the vast majority of my time in my kitchen, cooking up a strom and making everything from scratch.

People who do know me know that’s not quite the case and I’m actually the laziest of cooks.

The kind that finds cheat’s tricks to whip up something delicious in no time and with minimal effort so she can maximise her Netflix marathon session time.

And these lazy fish tacos fit the lazy bill just right.

Rich, zingy, fresh, ‘Mehicoooo’ flavours, ready to be wrapped into soft, warm corn taco wraps in next-to-no time.

What makes them so easy, you ask?

Two words: Fish. Fingers.

The perfect recipe for when it feels like a long week but it’s only Monday afternoon.

Or Netflix finally releases Friends and you have great weekend plans to re-re-re-binge it all…

Taco’bout a winner dinner recipe!

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More lazy easy dinner recipes

Curried spinach baked eggs (V)

Tray-roast salad (GF & V option)

Indian-spiced lentil soup (Ve)

Classic Tuna Tartare

04-07-2017 Local Black Bookeasy, fish, healthy, party food, recipe, starter, tartare, tuna2 Comments

Very few people make tartare -tuna or otherwise- at home, intimidated by the idea of it.

What exactly is intimidating, I’m not entirely sure, as tuna tartare is one of the easiest recipes ever to make at home!

It’s actually one of those super high effort-to-reward recipes. It looks fancy (perfect as a snack for any dinner party or date night) and yet, it’s absolutely foolproof.

It requires almost no cooking skills or equipment.

The real key to an amazing tuna tartare: use super fresh fish!

So skip the supermarket, ask your fishmonger for ‘sushi grade’ tuna for optimum results and you’re all set. Then it’s all down to a bit of manual labour.

But it needn’t be a chore – think of it as a new, improved version of your usual Nexflix-and-chill. One where you get dinner at the end of it!

Addictive shows + delicious, super easy tuna tartare? You’ll be hooked in no time!

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More easier-than-it-looks recipes

The best, EASIEST Mac n Cheese recipe (Vegetarian)

Spicy Xi’An Style Noodles (Vegan, GF)

Poppy Seed & Parmesan Cheese Biscuits

Classic Chocolate Mousse (Vegetarian, GF)

Classic chocolate mousse

24-04-2017 Local Black Book2 ingredients, chocolate, dessert, easy, gluten-free, mousse, recipe, sweet, vegetarian2 Comments

When it comes to food, I don’t have many pet peeves.

Want to re-invent a classic by putting a massive twist on it? Go ahead (and let me know how it goes). Craving your favourite summer dish in the middle of winter? By all means, switch up ingredients to create some more seasonally version. Allergic to this or that ingredient? Trying to avoid gluten/dairy/fat? Your call.

But there is one thing I simply cannot allow and that is anyone trying to pass off any- and everything, and especially not cream-based recipes, as chocolate mousse.

Of course, there is a time and place for cream and chocolate to come out and play together. And that place would be in a ganache, or a crémeux, or a pot de crème even. Not in a mousse.

Classic Chocolate Mousse recipe ● Cake + Whisky

Because, and trust me I have eaten my way through many a so-called ‘mousse’ before I came to this conclusion, there is one way to make a proper, classic chocolate mousse. And that is with chocolate and eggs.

It’s better for you (less fat, more protein), it’s A LOT less fussy to make and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER.

Point, set, match and end of the debate.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:10]

Best-ever Guacamole

16-03-2017 Local Black Bookavocado, easy, guacamole, healthy, party, party food, raw, recipe, vegan, vegetarian4 Comments

When people ask me what my go-to recipe, or death-row dish is, they always assume my answer will be a cake of some description.

But the truth is, if my ultimate brownies recipe comes a close second, with anything salted caramel not far behind, guacamole is what makes it to the very top of my list.

Not just any guacamole though!

Forget the store-bough rubbish, I like mine with none of that additive-preservative-dairy bullshit.

Creamy, fresh, zingy, packed full of gorgeous, healthy ingredients, yet super indulgent, home-made guacamole is a thing of beauty.

Best-ever guacamole (vegan, GF) | Cake + Whisky

Loads of creamy avocado, a sprinkle of chopped tomato and onion, a good squeeze of lime and plenty of fresh herbs… That’s all you need to get smashing, really!

Best-ever guacamole (vegan, GF) | Cake + Whisky

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Have too many avocados on your hands? Send it my way -or give one of these a go:

Kale & rice salad with avocado & salmon

Vegan broccoli & avocado salad

Tabasco roasted squash & mozzarella salad

Tomato-Coconut Pasta (Vegan)

03-03-2017 Local Black Bookcoconut, easy, pasta, recipe, sauce, tomato, vegan, vegetarian1 Comment

Pasta is my happy food.

I make it when I’ve had a terrible day, when the weather lets me down, when there’s nothing left in the fridge, when I’m simply too tired to think about what to eat, for dinners with friends, romantic nights in and just for me.

Left to my own devices, I’d probably make it for breakfast (yes, breakfast pasta is a thing!), lunch and dinner.

And two times out of three, it’d probably be tomato coconut pasta.

This recipe is simply the best. It’s a larder-basics sort of affair, so I always have the ingredients at hand. It takes no more than 10 minutes to put together.

And most importantly, despite it being ridiculously simple both in terms of technique and ingredients, it tastes so much better than the sum of its parts.

The fat in the coconut cream, combined with the acidity of the tomato and the fresh peppery-ness of the basil makes for the most velvelty tomato sauce.

It’s one of those dishes that’s relatively healthy and super comforting at the same time. All in all a very saucy little number!

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Looking for more pasta recipes?

Rabbit ragu pappardelle

Sautéed chard pasta with cobnut pesto

Kale & Rice Salad w/ Avocado & Salmon (GF)

09-02-2017 Local Black Bookavocado, easy, gluten-free, healthy, kale, lunch, lunchbox, recipe, rice, rice salad, salad, salmon, smoked salmon1 Comment

No, no, no, don’t be all ‘That tough, leafy green stuff? Kale no’!

This Kale & rice salad may have humble beginnings (being made up of what was left over in the fridge) but it seriously is one of the best things I’ve had for lunch in a long time (possibly ever).

Naturally gluten-free, it’s a marriage of savoury, nutty, crunchy, creamy (…) flavours, all coming together in a symphony of colour.

Fresh, satisfying, incredibly beautiful and unbelievably simple, I promise you’ll be screaming ‘Kale yeah’ after the first bite!

Kale & Rice Salad w/ Avocado & Salmon (serves 2, GF)

Ingredients:

a big handful basmati or wild rice
2 big handfuls of raw kale, stalks removed, well washed and pat dried
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 avocado
2 big slices smoked salmon
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp sesame oil
a few dashes Tabasco
black sesame seeds and sliced spring onion to garnish
salt flakes, black pepper

Method:

1. Cook the rice according to packaging, then drain well and set aside to cool.

2. Place the kale, 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil and a good pinch of salt into a big bowl and massage for a few minutes. Add in the cooled rice and mix well, then share between two bowls or plates.

3. Make the dressing: In a small, clean jar, pour the lemon juice, Tabasco and remaining sesame oil. Put the lid on and shake vigorously until well combined. Taste-test and season accordingly with salt and pepper.

4. Peel, half, pit and slice the avocado. Use kitchen scissors to cut the smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces. Place both the avocado and salmon on top of the kale & rice salad.

5. Top with the dressing and garnish with black sesame seeds and sliced spring onion right before serving.

Persimmon Salad with Prosciutto & Mozzarella

10-01-2017 Local Black Bookbasil, easy, healthy, mozzarella, persimmon, prosciutto, recipe, saladLeave a comment

Since Christmas is over, I don’t think there’s been a day I haven’t been day-dreaming about summer.

Long, warm, sunny days, sunglasses, sundresses, day trips to the beach, barbecues and picnics in the park… I simply can’t wait for it all.

But one look through the window and the harsh reality settles in: those long-awaited summer days are at least 5 months away and there’s not much to be done about it.

Not much except for putting a seasonal twist on some of my favourite summer recipes, that is.

So if you’re trying to kick the winter blues away, may I recommend you give this vibrant prosciutto, mozzarella & persimmon salad a go?

The winter take on a summer fave of mine, with persimmon making for a surprisingly-good colder-weather substitute for melon, it’s the top way to bring sunshine (and a much needed dose of vitamins) to those dark, gloomy winter days!

And the ultimate way to rise & shine while waiting for the real (summer) deal!

Persimmon salad with prosciutto & mozzarella | Cake + Whisky

Persimmon Salad with Prosciutto and Mozzarella (serves 1)

Ingredients:

1 ripe but ferm persimmon
2 paper-thin slices prosciutto (or other air-dried ham), shredded into small pieces
1/2 ball of mozzarella, teared into bite-sized pieces
1 sprig fresh basil, leaves removed & finely chopped
little drizzle good quality olive oil
pinch mild chilli flakes (I used Espelette pepper, but Aleppo would work amazingly well too)
salt, pepper
a few drops Tabasco / balsamic vinegar

1. Wash & pat-dry the persimmon, then slice it as thinly as you can (using a mandoline if you have one). Place the slices onto your serving plate.

2. Top with shreds of prosciutto, pieces of mozzarella and chopped basil leaves.

3. Season with a good pinch of sea salt, a little drizzle of good quality olive oil and a small pinch of your favourite chilli flakes. Add a few drops of Tabasco or balsamic vinegar and some cracked black pepper if you wish and serve immediately.

Quinoa Fried Rice

23-09-2016 Local Black Bookcooking, easy, egg, fried rice, leftovers, lunchbox, packed lunch, quick, quinoa, recipe, rice, stir fry, vegetarian2 Comments

When it comes to cooking, I still have so much to learn.

I’ve always been a very decent cook, probably mainly because I’ve been free to experiment in the kitchen from a very young age, with my parents encouragingly eating up sometimes-far-from-perfect said experiments.

This learning-on-the-job sort of experience obviously has it limitations, the main one being that for a long time, I’d have to work with whatever was already in the fridge.

But every limitation has its silver lining, and in that specific case, it’s made me really, really good at cooking with leftovers. And actually enjoying it.

There’s something truly magical at making something with nothing, and that’s how I feel when I turn a simingly empty fridge into a bountiful meal, always to my boyfriend’s great surprise.

(Even though, quite honestly, he should really be used to it by now!)

This is exactly what happened with this Quinoa Fried Rice.

Ready in minutes and requiring only a handful of ingredients, most of which are absolute staples in my house (and I’m sure many others’), it’s just as delicious and comforting as the original, but made a bit healthier with the addition of protein-packed quinoa.

Below is the basic recipe, which is absolutely delicious as it is, but feel free to add additional toppings or any leftovers hanging around in your fridge, turning your Quinoa Fried Rice dish into the most delicious way to use up meat, fish or vegetable leftovers.

Who knew fighting food waste could taste that rice?!

Quinoa Fried Rice (serves 1)

Ingredients:

about 100g cooked quinoa, preferably fridge-cold
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
salt, pepper
facultative: any cooked meat, fish or vegetable leftovers you have laying around, sliced thinly

1. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat up the sesame oil in a frying pan or wok, then throw in the quinoa (and leftovers if using) and cook on high heat until it starts smelling nice, then push the quinoa to the sides of the pan and add the egg in the middle. Cook until the egg is slightly under-set (usually about 20 sec or so), then mix together with the quinoa and cook for a little longer.

3. Transfer to a bowl, top with the thinly sliced spring onion & eat immediately.

PIN FOR LATER:

Vegetarian Caesar Salad

19-05-2016 Local Black BookCaesar salad, easy, egg, Fry's, Fry's Family, recipe, salad, summer, vegetarian1 Comment

There are two sorts of people: the ones who love salads, and the ones who don’t.

Or rather, the ones who haven’t quite realised that a salad is just a green, leafy vehicule for all the good stuff.

And this Vegetarian Caesar Salad recipe is the perfect demonstration of this theory.

If you’re already a salad sort of person, you’ll love it! (also we should totally be friends and swap recipes!)

But for those who roll their eyes at the very mention of vegetarian, low cal and run from anything proclaiming to be ‘healthy’… this is a total dreamboat.

The perfect “salad for salad dodgers”.

It’s fresh, crunchy and light, but packs such a punch in terms of flavours that nobody will ever guess it’s actually good for you!

The very best way to get your friends on the green side of the force!

Vegetarian Caesar Salad (serves 2-3)

Ingredients: 1 box Fry’s Family Rice & Chia Nuggets, 2 heads of Romaine lettuce (washed, dried and cut lengthway), 3 free-range eggs, 1 handful croutons, handful Parmesan shavings, fresh chives (chopped), 2 egg yolks, 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped or grated), 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 4 tablespoon cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C, then cook the nuggets according to box instructions. When they’re nice and golden (and your whole kitchen smells of toasted rice), take them out and cut them on an angle into bite-sized chunks.

2. Put a pot of water to boil. When it’s boiling, drop the eggs in and cook for 6-7 minutes. Shell the eggs, then cut in half lengthway.

3. While things are cooking, make your Caesar dressing: in a bowl, mix together the mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Add the egg yolk, then blend with a hand blender. Add olive oil slowly until it just starts to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Dress your salad on big plates, starting with the lettuce. Drizzle with a bit of the dressing, then add the halved eggs, nugget chunks and croutons. Drizzle with more of the dressing, then sprinkle with Parmesan shavings and chopped chives. Serve immediately.

One pan Broccoli Mac n Cheese

19-04-2016 Local Black Bookbroccoli, cheese, dinner, easy, food, mac n cheese, one pot, pasta, recipe, vegetarian4 Comments

Mac ‘n’ Cheese is the ultimate comfort food in my book.

No matter how good I’ve sworn to be, I can never, ever resist it.

If I go out for dinner and it’s on the menu, I will order it. And eat most of it, even when it was originally meant to be shared. #worstdiningcompanion

And yet, I had never made it at home. Ridiculous, isn’t it?

Especially since all you need are super basic ingredients I’m sure most of you already have in your fridge right now.

Plus it’s super easy and feels like a hug in a bowl.

A very cheesy, super delicious hug, that is!

And if you add enough vegetables in, it’s actually not that un-healthy a dinner option.

The perfect reward for surviving yet another Monday

(or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Thursday and, ehh, sometimes, Fridays are tough as well right?)

One pan Broccoli Mac ‘n’ Cheese (serves 2)

Ingredients: 200g macaroni (or other short pasta), 1/2 pint milk (about 1 mug), 1/2 pint vegetable stock (about 1 mug), small chunck of Parmesan (grated), big handful of grated Emmenthal (or Cheddar), 200g broccoli, 1 tsp oil, sea salt, pepper, Tabasco

1. Cut the broccoli in bite-sized chuncks. In a big pot, heat up 1 tsp oil, then add in the broccoli and cook until tender. Remove from the heat and pour it out in one of the bowls you’re going to be serving in (save dirtying another dish!)

2. Add the pasta to the same pan with the milk, vegetable stock, Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste. Stir it around, cover and turn the hob down (it should be down to a very gentle simmer). Keep it covered as much as possible, stiring every now and then until the pasta is fully cooked and the milk has reduced down to a creamy sauce.

3. Check the seasoning and add more Tabasco/salt/pepper if needed.

4. Add in the cheese (Parmesan + Emmenthal/Cheddar) and the broccoli, give the whole thing a good stir and serve immediately.

‘OMG-SOOOOOO-GOOD’ eye-rolling absolutely compulsory!

Cake and Whisky

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