THE BEST EVER PRAWN SANDWICH WITH AVO & TABASCO RELISH

I have a culinary guilty secret - at least once a week, and usually as a weekend treat, I get myself M&S's best ever prawn sandwich.

It's not me who calls this beauty of a sandwich  that, no, it has been named "the best ever" prawn sandwich by the people of Britain and heck..I agree...that is until I made and ate this STUNNING pimped up version of a prawn sandwich.

There is a homemade Tabasco tomato relish and Marie Rose sauce. There is a fresh bread, smashed avocado and shredded lettuce and as real star of the show there are fresh prawns, coatd in crushed prawn cocktail crisps, flour and milk before getting a deep fry...oh my even typing this I could the sandwich all over again.

Definitely in the top 5 sandwiches of my life and a MUST MAKE for all fellow prawn sandwich aficionados.

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 6-8 dashes Tabasco, depending on taste
• Pinch sugar
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Squeeze lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
• Vegetable oil to deep-fry
• 20 raw king prawns
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 1 bag (25g) prawn cocktail crisps
• 25g plain flour
• 2 sub rolls or ciabattas, split open
• ½ avocado, smashed with the back of a fork
• ½ little gem lettuce, shredded
• 5 chives, finely chopped (optional)

METHOD

• Begin by making the relish. 
• Put the chopped tomatoes in a small pan with 50ml water and 4-6 dashes of tabasco, depending on how hot you want it. 
• Simmer very gently for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes have collapsed into a chunky relish, then taste and season with salt and a pinch of sugar.
• To make the Marie Rose sauce, mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and an extra few dashes of tabasco, then taste and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Bring a small pan of oil (no more than two thirds full) up to 180°C (if you don’t have a thermometer, it should turn a cube of bread golden in 30 seconds). 
• While you wait, put the prawns in a bowl with the smoked paprika, milk and a pinch of salt, then mix well to coat evenly.
•  Crush the crisps in the bag into fine pieces, then pour into a bowl and mix with the flour. 
• Working in batches, dip the prawns into the flour mixture to coat, then fry for a minute until crisp and golden. 
• Drain on kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.
• Spread most of the Marie Rose sauce onto the rolls, then add the spicy tomato relish on one side, smashed avocado on the other and shredded baby gem down the centre. 
• Top with the prawns and finish with a drizzle more sauce, chopped chives and a wedge of lemon on the side AND ENJOY!

SPAGHETTI WITH GRILLED FRESH FIGS, CREME FRAICHE & ROCKET

A super easy to make, summery pasta dish that not only looks stunning plated up but is packed with flavours and is ready in less than half an hour - what is not to love!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 150g fresh basil
• 75g fresh spinach
• 100g rocket
• 400g spaghetti
• 300g creme fraiche
• 60g parmesan
• 8fresh figs
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Olive oil

METHOD

• Finely chop the shallot and garlic.
• Quarter the figs.
• Cut the spinach into thin strips and roughly chop the basil.
• Remove the stems from the rocket leafs and set the prepped veg and figs aside.
• Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until al dente.
• Drain the spaghetti then return them to the saucepan and cover.
• In the meantime heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in frying pan.
• Add the figs and fry on a medium heat for around a minute, turning them a few times.
• Remove the figs from the pan and set aside.
• Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and add the shallots and garlic.
• Sauté them for two mins until they start to become translucent then add spinach.
• When the spinach begins to wilt, add the creme fraiche, give it all a good mix and season with salt and pepper.
• Add your pasta then mix through the rocket and some of the basil.
• Plate up the pasta and top with the fig quarters, more basil and parmesan and ENJOY!

A FOODIE'S GUIDE TO THE PERFECT WEEKEND IN ROME

I had the most wonderful long weekend visiting my friend Irina in Rome.

She was at first a work friend in London, but is now a friend for life and left the UK during lockdown to move back to her native Italy and settled in Rome where she has remained ever since.

She was the most excellent, fun, wonderful host, who I have to thank for taking me to all the places I am about to introduce you to.

I usually love to plan trips and do lots of research beforehand but being crazy busy at work in the run up to my Rome adventure, it was actually so nice to hand over the itinerary making and restaurant picking to Irina who could not have done a more brilliant job!


It was my third trip to Rome but by a long way my favourite so far and there is a very special place for this city in my heart..it will for sure not be my last visit there, that much I know. 

WHERE TO EAT

TRATTORIA DA TEO 

Da Teo is you what you would call a proper Roman trattoria. Think chequered napkins, loud waiters and a buzzing dining room plus humongous plates of fresh pasta.  

On our visit the man himself, Teo of Da Teo, took it upon himself to treat me and my Italian speaking friend (being with someone fluent in Italian meant I really was granted a more authentic experience rather than a touristy one) like the personal guests of the chef himself for the night which meant copious amounts of amaro, a very tasty but lethal herb liquor, free dessert and just about befriending half the restaurant while we were at it.  

It was one of those long evenings that you won’t forget, filled with chance encounters, plates of delicious food and the real Roman dining experience one can’t plan but that happens by pure chance. 

GIULIO PASSAMI L OLIO

Giulio passami l olio was the perfect spot for our Saturday night dinner. 

Tucked away on a quiet side, a short walk away from the Vatican, Giulio passami l olio has a super cosy dining room and an even better large array of outside table that are spaced out enough that you feel like you can gossip the night away. 

The wine menu is HUGE, and I mean so huge that a literal book showed up when we asked for it so it is for sure a place that will satisfy wine lovers.  

That is not to say the food comes second. Pasta is the star of the show here and my truffle cacio e Pepe was absolute heaven but I would also recommend ordering a starter as our bruschetta with straciatella and anchovies was an utter delight - simple but fantastic ingredients working together in the most wonderful way!  

Booking here is a must, as is with most good restaurants in Rome when it comes to dinner and even lunch, but here the effort to plan ahead is very much worth it. 

ROSCIOLI SALUMERIA CON CUCINA

Another dinner (or very fine lunch) spot where booking is essential. Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina is a restaurant /delicatessen / fine food store which means whilst you enjoy the most wonderful homemade bread, incredible wine selection and fantastic, imaginative pasta (the cod filled ravioli are out of this world) you are sitting amongst walls and walls filled with Italian delicacies.  

There aren’t too many tourists hat find this place by chance, no, its the locals that come and fill up the place and they aren’t wrong - food, atmosphere and service are on point here and I may have had the best huge slab of tiramisu of my life here to finish off a flawless meal.  

WHERE TO DRINK

ANYWHERE IN MONTI

If you are after a vibey place with cool people drinking on the street on any given warm evening head to Monti. It may prove pretty hard to find a sit down spot but that is the fun of it. 

Struggling to find a single free chair, let alone 2, early on a Saturday night, we ended up getting a couple of €4 takeaway Aperol Spritz’s (mixed to perfection I may add) and perched on metal fence in a cute Piazza and watched the world go, all of Rome’s young and fabulous out and about, ready to have a good time. 

FRENI E FRIZIONI

Bang in the middle of vibrant Trastevere you will find this iconic bar. Come before the sun sets and you get a free vegetarian buffet with your drink of choice, while it night it turns into THE meeting point to start a night out on the town. Drinks are cheap, the vibe is fun and young and you will be hard found not to love this place. 

OSTE NOSTRO

Oste Nostro the sweetest cinema themed cocktail bar on the fringes of Trastevere that is open late, has fantastic cocktails and lots of cosy seats inside and outside. It is the sort of bar that is a total gem to stumble across and which we have far too few of in London. My must order: their spicy marg - very spicy, very good! 

WHERE TO BRUNCH

MARIGOLD ROMA

Slightly worse for wear on the Saturday morning Irina took me to a local cafe and we endured a rather mediocre breakfast which prompted her to reminisce about how much she missed London’s brunch offering, the sort of Antipodean inspired fare that is hearty, innovative and far removed from your standard European croissant and jam brekkie. 

I took that as challenge to find a place in Rome that would serve us a proper brunch and some googling and insta stalking later we stumbled across Marigold Roma.  

Run by an Italian & Danish husband and wife duo, you could easily think Marigold is located in NYC, East London or Copenhagen with Scandi inspired, hipster friendly interior, photogenic dishes and natural wine offering but it is in fact in the studenty, slightly less pretty Ostiense neighbourhood but oh is it worth venturing a little out of Rome’s centre for. 

The constantly changing menu has so many amazing sounding dishes, it is almost impossible to choose. When we finally did, with a side of perfectly made flat whites, we were not disappointed.  

I had some smashed beans with courgettes, mushrooms and beetroot on sourdough which looked so pretty plated up and was a veggie’s dream, while Irina had a wonderful take on the classic bubble and Squeak.  

We also shared a perfectly moist hot cross bun which came with custard and which turned out to be dessert perfection. 

We would have ordered even more (their freshly baked buns and cookies looked amazing too), if our bellies were not ready to burst by that point. 

I loved the whole place - the food, the service and specifically the Italian/Scandi hybrid brunch they have perfected here. In fact I would be here every weekend if it was in my neighbourhood.  

You can’t book and you almost certainly will have to wait if you are after a weekend brunch but take it from someone that HATES queuing for food, here it is really worth it. 

FRENCH ONION MAC N CHEESE

Fusing the concept of a classic French onion soup with iconic Mac n cheese not only sounds amazing but BOY was the end result a true stunner of a dish!!!

Lots and lots of slowly caramelised onions and fresh herbs are combined with two types of cheese and classic béchamel sauce before everything is mixed in with the pasta.

Top this combo with some toasted baguette slices rubbed with garlic and more cheese, grill the whole thing in the oven and you get the most incredibly bubbling cheesy tray of goodness that is perfect to feed a hungry crowd at any dinner party.

Even better the whole thing can be pre-made before your guests arrive so all the flavour, none of the kitchen stress!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• Salt 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan 
• 1.5kg white onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more thyme leaves for garnish 
• 1fresh bay leaf 
• Black pepper 
• 500g of your chosen pasta shape
• 1/2 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices 
• 1garlic clove 
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar 
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 4 cups whole milk 
• 350g Gruyère, grated 
• 400g medium mature Cheddar, grated 

METHOD

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (If you’re planning to bake the macaroni and cheese in a baking dish instead of a frying pan, butter a baking tray.) 
• Meanwhile, in a deep, large (12-inch) frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. 
• Add the onions, thyme sprigs and bay leaf,  and season with salt and pepper. 
• Cover with a lid, baking sheet or foil and cook, stirring once or twice, until the onions are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 
• Uncover and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 
• If the onions look dry, add a few tablespoons of water at a time to prevent them from burning, scraping up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. (You will need to do this several times.) 
• While the onions are cooking, heat the oven to 220 degrees. 
• Cook the pasta in the boiling water until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain and set aside. 
• Toast the baguette slices until just golden then rub one side of each baguette slice with garlic. 
• When the onions are a deep golden brown, discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and remove them from the pan, set aside. 
• Deglaze the pan with the vinegar until evaporated, scraping up browned bits as you go, about 30 seconds. 
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. 
• When melted, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour begins to stick to the bottom of the pan and has turned a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. 
• Slowly whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer, whisking often. 
• Reserve 1 cup of the Gruyère. 
• Carefully add the onion, remaining Gruyère and all the Cheddar to the mixture and stir until melted. 
• If your pan is big enough, add the cooked pasta and stir to combine, or combine the sauce and pasta in the prepared tray. 
• Spread the pasta mixture in an even layer in the prepared dish, then top with the baguette slices, garlic-side up. 
• Sprinkle the toasts with the reserved 1 cup Gruyère and season with pepper. 
• Place the tray in the oven on a middle rack and bake until bubbly and brown in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. 
• If you like a crispier top, broil for a few minutes. 
• Let cool slightly, then garnish with fresh thyme leaves AND ENJOY!

CRAB CACIO E PEPE WITH SAMPHIRE

I absolutely adored Manteca, a new hip and happening East London pasta and Italian small plates spot with natural wine, when I went there for a belated birthday dinner in February.

The stand out dish of the dinner was hands down their crab cacio e Pepe, a dish so good I had been thinking of recreating at home ever since polishing off a plate between me and my dining companion in what felt like seconds.

Somehow the addition of brown crab to this in its own right super iconic and super simple pasta dish (I mean it is basically made from butter, cheese, pasta, pasta water and freshly ground black pepper), elevates the dish into something quite frankly quite spectacular!

I sort of made up the recipe and went a little rogue from its original inspiration, adding some pan fried samphire as finishing touch on top samphire, but omg the end result was STUNNING!!!

The salty samphire, pan fried in butter, works so well with the brown crab and silky sauce that is created in the cacio e Pepe making process.

This little recipe is a new favourite and I cannot wait to rustle it up for my next dinner party!!

SERVES 2 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g Spaghetti
• 20g Freshly ground black pepper
• 50g Butter
• 70g Grated Pecorino Romano plus more to finish
• 200g Brown crab (I get mine from Waitrose)
• 90g Samphire (again I get this from Waitrose)
• A knob of butter

METHOD

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil. 
• Add salt until the water tastes highly seasoned – but not like the sea. 
• Cook according to the packet’s instructions or a couple of minutes for fresh pasta.
• Pan fry the samphire in a knob of butter until soft, then 
• Start the sauce a few minutes before the pasta is ready. 
• Toast the black pepper in a dry pan until fragrant, but don’t let it burn (about a minute). 
• Add the butter, brown crab  and a big ladle of pasta water, then let it boil together until emulsified.
• Add the pasta to the boiling emulsification with the cheese. 
• Toss rapidly until well combined and all the pasta is coated. 
• Plate the pasta, and grate more Pecorino over the top and top with the samphire.
• ENJOY!

SPRING VEGETABLE RISOTTO WITH MINT OIL DRIZZLE

While it's still rather grey and rainy outside, I am trying to lure spring to into making an appearance with some vibrant home cooking!

This veg packed risotto is restaurant worthy in taste and appearance and little touches such as a homemade mint oil to drizzle on top as well as raw egg yolk add a real wow factor to this culinary classic.

A perfect dish to feed a crowd and even better to beat some serious waiting for spring and summer blues!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

MINT OIL
Small bunch of mint, leaves picked
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon

RISOTTO

• 6 spring onions, whites finely sliced into rounds, green ends julienned
• 1l vegetable stock
• 350g asparagus, woody ends snapped off 
• 200g frozen peas
• 25g butter, plus a large knob to serve
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 350g risotto rice
• 125ml dry white wine or vermouth
• zest and juice of ½ a lemon
• 100g broad beans, blanched and peeled
• 30g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp truffle oil
• 2 egg yolks (it's gotta be Clarence court eggs!)

METHOD

• First make the mint oil by blitzing together the mint, oil and lemon juice in a mini chopper.
• Fill a bowl with ice and top up with water, then plunge in the green spring onion ends – they should curl up while you make the risotto. 
• In a pan, bring the stock to just below the boil over a medium heat and poach the asparagus spears for 2 mins, then remove with tongs. Chop the stalks into 1.5-2cm wide discs and leave the tips intact. 
• Put the frozen peas into a bowl and pour over a ladle of warm stock to defrost them.
• Put a large casserole or deep frying pan over a low heat. 
• Melt the butter into the oil and fry the spring onion whites and bay leaf for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add in the rice and coat in the fat, cooking for a few minutes until the rice has absorbed some of the fat and is glossy and slightly translucent at the edges. 
• Pour over the wine or vermouth and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated. 
• Add the lemon zest and then a ladleful of the warm stock, and stir, cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. 
• Continue to cook the risotto over a low medium heat for 20-25 mins, stirring and adding the stock a ladleful at a time, allowing it to be absorbed completely before you add the next one, and keeping the rice moving to cook it evenly and help it release its starch.
• Once the rice is puffed and tender all the way through, with no chalky core (you may not need to use up all the stock), pour over the peas and their stock, and stir them into the risotto. 
• Add the asparagus stalks, tips and broad beans, cooking for a few minutes to heat through. 
• Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf and stir in the knob of butter, along with the parmesan, adding some truffle butter or oil, if you like. 
• Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, then spoon into warm bowls and use the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the rice.
• Carefully put the egg yolks in the wells and then top with some of the green spring onion. 
• Spoon over a little of the mint oil and stir everything together to enrich with the egg yolk and crunchy spring onion.
• ENJOY!

WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH THE BEST EVER ORANGE, TARRAGON & CREAM SAUCE, SALMON & POTATOES

The best thing about spring is of course that winter is over, the sun is (hopefully) here to stay and temperatures are rising. 

My other favourite thing about spring is that it means white asparagus season is upon us.

While white asparagus is a little used veg in the UK, in the part of Germany I am from it is a pretty big deal and its season much celebrated. You basically eat it as much as possible from the second you can and then wait an entire year to do the same again.

All this back story is here to make you understand why I was SO over the moon when I spotted some white asparagus as I had a nose around Borough market last weekend. 

I simply had to buy some, even if it's not the cheapest (about £22 for a kg in the UK) and excitedly searched the internet for ways to prepare it.

The most traditional way to eat white asparagus is with hollandaise sauce, sliced ham and boiled potatoes and I've done a version with smoked salmon instead of the ham many times. 

I however was wanting a more creative twist this time and stumbled across a recipe which combined boiled white asparagus and potatoes with a pan fried salmon filet and THE MOST AMAZING orange, tarragon, white wine and cream, so amazing in fact it was one of the best sauces I have ever made or tried. 

A big statement I know, but the combo of freshly squeezed orange juice and zest, fragrant chopped tarragon, zingy white wine and cream is an absolute dream and elevates the whole dish into something restaurant worthy. 

Honestly this was spring, my childhood and so much more on a plate and would be the most culinary way to introduce yourself or someone else to the wonders of white asparagus, I promise you won't regret it.

SERVES 2

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp butter
• 800g white asparagus
• 3 oranges
• 300g double cream
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 30g Butter 
• 20g flour 
• Salt & pepper
• Bunch of fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
• 500g baby new potatoes

METHOD

• Peel one orange and squeeze the juice out of the rest of the oranges.
• Measure out 250ml of orange juice and add into a saucepan alongside the white wine and orange peel.
• Cook down by about half, remove the orange skin and set aside.
• In the meantime peel the white asparagus and chop off stalky ends.
• Cook in boiling salted water for 10-12 mins.
• Cook your potatoes in boiling water at the same time.
• Drain when ready.
• Slowly sauté the finely chopped shallots in butter on a medium heat.
• After a minute or two sprinkle some flour over the shallots and mix well.
• Add the cream, then add the orange reduction, making sure to add the cold cream first to avoid clumps.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and add the finely chopped tarragon.  
• Pan fry the salmon to your liking, then serve with the asparagus, potatoes and lots of the sauce! 
• Garnish with some extra tarragon and enjoy!!!

MISO SALMON WITH UDON NOODLES & GREEN VEG

Show season is finally over and I am hoping I will now get back to posting regular recipes!!

While it still absolutely miserable outside I thought I would share this wonderfully warming recipe for Miso salmon with udon noodles and roasted green veg.

It's packed full of the good stuff, while udon noodles for me are proper slurp up comfort food.

I can't wait to get back into more elaborate cooking now that I have my weekends back so keep your eyes peeled!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

MISO MARINADE

• 1 tbsp each of miso, sake and mirin
• 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 salmon fillets, skin on

UDON NOODLES

• 400g udon noodles
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, plus extra to serve

• 2tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying 
• Grilled or roasted Brussel sprouts

METHOD

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a container or dish and add in the salmon, turning to coat. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the udon noodles according to the directions on the packet. 
• Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and dress with the remaining ingredients.
• Heat the olive or vegetable oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. 
• Add the salmon, skin side down, to the pan, reserving any excess marinade. 
• Cook until the salmon is golden (approximately 2 minutes), turn the salmon over and pour over the reserved marinade. 
• Cook until the salmon is just cooked through (or still slightly raw in the middle which is my fav) and slightly charred.
• Divide the noodles amongst two  bowls and top each with a piece of salmon, the broccoli and sprouts.
• Top with a little more sesame oil and sesame seeds and season with some sea salt.
• ENJOY!