Burb's Summer Bargain 1

About this time every year, we in Britain dust off our bbqs and enjoy the British summer time. Normally it's the same old stuff; burgers, sausages and chicken. As nice as that all is there is so much more out there.

Here are some ideas to transform a bbq into a BurbBQ.

You could make some flavoured butters a few days before and they will keep in the fridge for weeks. These will transform any cooked meat or fish or griddled vegetable into something really special. Here are my favourites, try different flavours and let me know what works for you.

• Lemon & Lime ( great for Chicken or Fish )
• Chilli, Corriander, Garlic & Ginger ( Great on Prawns & Chicken )
• Garlic & Parsley ( Chicken, Fish & Prawns )
• Chive, Spring Onion & Caper ( Salmon & Steak )

Burb's Summer Bargain Bites

Now I will try not to say this all to loudly just incase the person/force that decides the weather hears me but it's actually sunny and seems to be here for some time, so does that mean it's summer?

Now we are getting some decent weather I can't help but think of all the wonderful foods available to us during these glorious British Summer months. I have just recently finished my back garden with some decking, so we will be spending a lot of time out there making the most of every last minute of the light evenings. We have just started to learn how to grow things, started nice and gently with three tiny tomato plants and two pepper plants. We now have two huge tomato plants and two well baked pepper plants because we left them in the new green house for too long. We have also planted rocket, sweetpeas, spring onion and radish, so I will keep you posted on how that goes.

I love the summer evenings, chilling in the garden, the sound of wood crackling in the chimenea, a glass of red and something cooking on the BBQ.




You can't beat a BBQ! LOVE IT!LOVE IT!LOVE IT!

So over the next few weeks I would like to share with you some of my favourite summertime snacks and nibbles to enjoy for your lazy summer evenings.

Watch this space from Thursday.

Finding the time to Blog

Sarah (my misses to be) let me know that every blogger has a moment when they feel that they haven’t time to blog. It has happened to me. I love blogging,sharing my recipes and when people provide comments and I wish I could blog more.

The hours I work are pretty taxing and when I get home all I really want to do is chill out on the sofa. On my days off I generally have a DIY job to do, currently putting up decking in my garden (not a fan of grass) - see above photo.

As I like to blog, I have been keeping my eye out for a new job which will enable me to work 9 - 5pm (like normal people) and then have time in the mornings and evenings to blog and read other foodie blogs. That would be amazing. So it is my mission to achieve, so fingers crossed something will come up soon and I can be a regular blogger, just like all those regular bloggers I admire such as:

JamandCream - http://www.jamandclottedcream.co.uk/
Rocktime - http://blog.rocktime.co.uk/
PennyGoLightly - http://www.pennygolightly.com/
Soupmaker - http://www.soupmaker.co.uk/
Lulubelles Cakes - http://lulubellescakes.posterous.com/

Of course I will let you know how I get on.

See you all soon

Green Fingers?

We thought we would give growing your own veg ago! I mean how difficult can it be? Well only time will tell, so we have started with the basics and done some research. We have read this book.

Your Allotment by Clare Foster and Foreword by Gregg Wallace


It's an easy to follow book with some great pictures and ideas to get you started.

We will be growing three different types of tomatoes, two types of chilli pepper and a basil plant.

Since we don't own a greenhouse yet, the lounge has been turned into a temporary potting shed and because it is still a little chilly for our young plants to be released into the big bad world we have the smell of plant and soil while we sit, relax and plan the next money saving adventure.

If this little project works then who knows what we might grow next. If anyone has any tips or advice then please let me know. I will keep you up to date with our progress.

NewsFlash.....Britains Best Dish wants the Burb!

Thank you for the comments of support after being rejected from ITV, but now there is a twist. I'm back in, the producers have met and discussed my position and realised I have no more advantage than any other contestant. They gave me a very nice phone call too with an apology. This is great news and I am really looking forward to the auditions on the 19th May in Exeter.

Edited: I have had to edit this post -and delete another one, as ITV have let me know they wish to keep the TV show on the down low. What does this mean ? Am I on the show? Did I pass the audition?. All I can let you know is, it went very well, loved the audition, great experience and anything other news, well you will have to watch the TV show to find out, aired in August.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients (For 2 People)

1 Finger Chilli
1 Stem of Ginger (size of a 20p piece)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Large Red Onion
2 Chicken Breasts
1 Small Tub of Soured Cream
1 Small Tub of Guacamole
1 Small Tub of Salsa
4 Soft Tortillas Wraps
1 Mug of Long Grain Rice
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Equipment you will need

Chopping Board, Sharp Knife, 1 Saucepan, 1 soup bowl and 1 large frying pan.


Firstly

Chop your onions and peppers into equal size strips about the width of your finger, leave these in the soup bowl for later. Slice the chilli, garlic and ginger as thin as you can, but please mind your fingers. Put a pan of water onto boil and add a good pinch of salt, when the water starts boiling then add the rice. When the rice has started boiling turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, this will cook the rice better and allow you enough time to do everything else. The rice will take about 15-20 mins.

Secondly

Slice the chicken into strips about the width of your finger. Heat your frying pan on a high heat and add the oil, the pan will be hot enough to add the chicken when the oil slides around the pan with ease. Mix the cumin and the cinnamon in a cup and add the chicken to the pan. Sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken just as the chicken starts to colour slightly.

Almost There

Stir fry this until the chicken is firm to touch. Now add the onions and the peppers with the ginger, chilli and garlic. The secret to a good stir fry is cooking at a high heat for the shortest time possible and adding the vegetables at the right time. You want the chicken cooked but you don’t want to burn it, if you were to cook at a lower temperature then the crunch of the vegetables would go.

Service

Drain the water off your cooked rice and warm your tortillas under a grill or in the oven for 5 mins. Spoon the cooked rice and the chicken onto a warm plate. Fold your tortillas and serve with your dips. Get rolling, filling and enjoy.

Burb's Basic Chicken Curry

Ingredients (For 2 People)

2 Chicken Breasts
1 Tin Chopped Tomato
2 cloves garlic
1 Stem of Ginger
2 Finger Chilli’s
2 Large Onions
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds
1 Star Anise
5 Cardamom Pods
Knob of butter (matchbox size)
¾ mug of basmati rice

Equipment you will need:

Chopping Board, Sharp Knife, 1 Wok or Large Frying pan, 1 Sauce pan, 2 soup bowls and a ladle.

Firstly
Slice the chicken into strips about the size of your finger and leave in one of the bowls. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala over the chicken and mix thoroughly, leave this in the fridge while you get a few more things ready. Take your second bowl and put each of the other dried spices into the bowl Cumin, Coriander, Mustard seeds, Star Anise and Cardamom), now give it a good mix. Chop the onions into pieces about the same size as the chicken, cut the chilli lengthways and remove the seeds, chop the chilli as fine as you can (mind those fingers you need them to make the rest of the dish!). Now wash your hands thoroughly. Take a piece of ginger the size of a 10p piece and slice finely and leave with the chilli on the side of the chopping board. Crush and chop the garlic and put with the chilli and the ginger.

Secondly

Heat the wok or frying pan up to a high temperature and add a capful of vegetable oil. You will know if the pan is hot enough because the oil will slide around the pan easily and quickly. Add the onions and fry until softened, once soften add the dry spices and keep the onion and the spices moving for a few minutes. Add the butter and the chicken from the fridge, keeping everything moving. Once the chicken has started to colour then add the chilli, ginger and garlic and stir for another two minutes. Add the tin tomatoes, mix thoroughly and add enough water to cover chicken. Once the water has just started to boil, turn the heat down to simmer for 30 – 40 mins. You will need to check back every 10 min to stir.


Almost There

The smells from the pan should be filling your nose with the aroma of India. Now put a pan of water on to boil, add a good pinch of salt. Once the water has started to boil add the rice and stir well. The water would have stopped boiling now because you put rice in the pan, so wait till it starts boiling again and turn the heat down to simmer. The rice will take 10 minutes.

Service
Just before your rice is ready check the consistency of your curry, if it is too sloppy then you can thicken it with thickening granules or tomato puree. If the curry is too thick for you then add a little water at a time and keep stirring. Now for the taste test before you serve, add season to taste. In all the times I have made this I have never had to go overboard with salt and pepper, I have had to sweeten it a few times with a tablespoon of sugar or a good squirt of tomato ketchup. It is down to personal taste and the wonderful thing about Curry is because there are many spices in the dish you can tailor it exactly to your taste buds. Introducing the spices at different times of the cooking process will give a different flavour even though you are using the same quantities of spice. So just experiment with the flavours and get it right for you the important thing is not to be afraid of the flavours because they all go together.
You have adjusted the seasoning and the rice is ready! Drain the rice of any excess water and spoon onto a warm plate, ladle your curry onto the side of the plate. Tuck in and enjoy all your hard work.