I haven't got around to writing about the Prepped Launch last week. I think it may be down to the fact I can't quite believe that it is finally launched and that I have almost crashed in exhaustion. It's not that I am ill .. I am just so very very tired. It's like a hangover but with out the fun from the night before. I will write about it next week. .. in the meantime I decided to have a few days off. Perhaps it is the fact that I have no deadlines or stress that my junkie adrenaline glands need to keep me going. Whatever them reason it's like I am walking through treacle to get through my day.
Time out .. so I took the children out and had a picnic yesterday afternoon.
I love picnics. but the spot where these photos' were taken is under threat .. and it makes me really mad .. so watch this video .. and this space to see if the large corporate gets to bulldoze through and build a housing estate on this idilic spot. .. you may yet see me on TV not necessary cooking but probably chained to a JCB!
.. Deep breath .. and I shall get down off my orange box .. ahhh .. breath.
Therapy should always include a picnic and there is something eternally romantic about setting off to eat outside in the sunshine, but what I really love doing is picking he children up from school on a summers evening and heading off to have a picnic tea. I make these kebabs in the morning and take a pack of salad, pitta bread and a picnic basket with me in a basket. Stir some mint into Greek yogurt and accompany with mango chutney and you have a delicious kebab infused with spices to eat as a barbeque picnic and the really clever bit is the kebab stick itself.. a Lemongrass .. adding in lemony citrus notes whilst it’s cooking.
Ingredients
1tsp fennel
1 tps fenugreek
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1tsp ground chili
1tsp mustard Seeds
1tsp sea salt
4 lemongrass sticks
1 lemon
4 tbs sunflower oil
2 inch’s grated ginger
600 g of lamb leg in 1 1/2 inch chunks
Method 1 Add each spice one at a time and grind using a pestle and mortar. Grind the spices until reasonably fine.
2 Using a sharp knife cut a hole in the centre of each chunk of Lamb and skewer onto the lemongrass. (Do be careful not to skewer yourself!)
3 Brush the oil onto the meat and put them into a large clear plastic bag. Add the ground spices and shake the kebabs about to cover them. Add the Lemon Juice and grated ginger and leave in the fridge ideally for 24 hours .. but I have on occasion left them for just 2 hours and they’ve still be delicious.
They are now ready for the barbeque. Once cooked scatter with fresh coriander and fresh chilies.
Note
This combination of spices works just as well with chicken or pork.
Down the village. I'm going down the village. For as long as I can remember this is what we say when we are going to Brixworth. Funny thing though .. we have to go up hill to get there. Throughout writing this book, and indeed through out my whole cooking life there has been a constant. Whilst boyfriends have come and gone and I grew up from charging about the village on my bike, to being here right now my local green grocers Troop and Son have been there. To be honest I couldn't live without them. Both Stephen and Ken and the staff that work there are always on hand with the freshest, most local seasonal produce. Through out writing this book they have gone above and beyond to get me the most beautiful fruits and vegetables to use and so today I took a few snap shots and thought I'd share my thoughts. Whatever you are cooking you can't beat having a local green grocer. Along with the local butcher they are a foodies very best friend.
