About ME!

HELLO!!

I'm Christine. I'm a busy mum to 5 year old twins, Robin and Evie and wife to Ian. I also run a property management company. We live in a small village in beautiful, rural Northumberland. I love spending time at home with my family, running and exercising and socialising with my fabulous friends.

When I'm not busy with work, family or friends, my favourite pastimes are cooking and eating (often a combination of family/friends and food). I particularly get so much (too much?!) pleasure from making healthy, nutritious meals from nothing (well, whatever I've got in the house!), making leftovers exciting and not wasting a thing. I HATE waste. I've wanted to start a blog for a few years but time just hasn't allowed it. But I'm very excited about getting it going now and sharing my passion for food with the world!!

I'm very health conscious and want to feed my family good food, on a budget. As you can imagine, time is not something that I have a lot of so my cooking has to fit in with my busy life. Weekday cooking has to be fuss-free and speedy but I still want it to feel indulgent.

I am also a keen vegetable gardener. There is little better than creating a whole meal from produce that you raised with your own fair hands. And in the British weather, it's not always easy. It makes you appreciate it even more though! I would urge anyone to have a go at growing their own. Even if it's just a few of your favourites in pots or some herbs on the windowsill. Do it!

I'm going to try and share some of the recipes that I create and any tips that I have along with general ramblings about food and the good life!

Don't expect fine dining, just homemade, tasty, healthy and wholesome food. Always on a budget! Maybe with the odd flashy, entertaining number thrown in for good measure. The budget won't go out the window though.

I'm very new to this so please bear with me until I find my feet!!

I hope you enjoy it. All feedback very much appreciated!!

Thanks y'all!

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Pan Fried Sea Bass with Fondant Potatoes, Braised Peas and Salsa Verde

Calories: Approx. 360 not including the salsa verde. Serves 1. Can easily be doubled.
Salsa Verde will yield approx 8 servings (or more if you're less greedy): approx 100 calories per serving.

Evening all,

As promised, here is the recipe for my yummy supper! I had pan fried sea bass with fondant potatoes, braised peas and salsa verde. It was demolished too quickly!

Off for a bath - poorly child and busy day of work has taken it's toll!


Ingredients
  • 1 sea bass fillet (per person)
  • 1 large knob of butter
  • As many potatoes as you need to satisfy your greed, chopped in half, or into very thick slices.
  • A handful of peas
  • 1 large clove of garlic, peeled and halved.
  • Boiling water or veg/ chicken stock - I just used water but do whatever you fancy
  • A couple of sprigs or thyme or rosemary - optional
For the salsa verde (just use your common sense on the quantities - I tend to throw things in a bit slap dash!):
I make more than I need and jar it up and have it in the fridge for whenever I need it. I made this a week or so ago and it's still luscious!
  • Approx 5/6 anchovies (from a jar)
  • Approx 2 tbsp gherkins (pickled)
  • Approx 2 tbsp capers
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • Approx 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • A few handfuls of whichever fresh herbs you'd like - I had coriander in the fridge, so I used that.  If I had had basil and parsley, I would have used those. They're more traditional.
  • As much extra virgin olive oil as you'd like (or your guilt will allow). You should really use about 8 tbsp but I can't bring myself to use that much.  I actually like mine more tangy and less oily but make it to your own personal taste.  I spoon so much of it onto everything that I wouldn't fit through the front door if I added that much oil...! Anyway, I've always been a vinegar addict...
  • Salt and pepper
Method

To make the salsa verde, simply throw all the ingredients except the olive oil into the food processor.  Blitz it until it is finely chopped. Slowly pour the olive oil in and keep pulsing until you have the consistency that you'd like.  I prefer it to have a bit of crunch and not be too smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. I then just pop it all in a sterilised jar and leave it in the fridge until you need it.

I put it with fish and also really like it with steak.  I could also happily spoon it straight from the jar to my mouth... Don't judge me ;-)

Next get your fondant potatoes on the go. Melt a large knob of butter in a frying pan and pop your potatoes in the pan on a low heat. Leave them for about 5 mins (may need a bit longer if your potatoes are big). Try to make sure that your potatoes are fairly evenly sized so that they need the same cooking time.  Add enough water or stock to go to about half way up your potatoes (beware, it will spit and sizzle!). Chuck in the garlic and a couple of sprigs of rosemary or thyme if you have some handy. Not essential though.  Cover the pan and leave until the potatoes are cooked through.


A few minutes before your potatoes are ready, melt some butter in a frying pan. While it's melting, put a sprinkling of crushed sea salt on the skin of the sea bass. When the pan is nice and hot put the fillets in, skin side down, and hold them down into the pan so that they stay nice and flat. Reduce the heat and let them cook (without moving them) for about 4 minutes, or until they are cooked most of the way through.  


Check that the skins are nice and crispy and brown and turn them over for another minute or so, until all the flesh is cooked through. Transfer onto warmed plates. 


Add the peas to the pan with the potatoes. There should be a nice thick glaze in the pan now. Put the lid back on and leave them for a few minutes until they are cooked through and covered in the lovely glaze. Plate up with the sea bass, however you fancy!

Finally, get your salsa verde and pop it on top of your fish in as pretty a manner as you can! Mine is never very pretty but it tastes good!

Hope you enjoy it!







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