Showing posts with label cooking for one. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking for one. Show all posts
I had a lot of running around to do this morning. I was up much later than usual which made me late doing everything. I had a really busy evening last night which meant that my brain didn't want to stop when I went to bed, and so it took me longer than usual to settle down.
That meant I fell asleep later and didn't get up until about an hour and a half past my usual time. I had lots of errands to do this morning as well.
I needed to go to the Post Office and mail a few bits, and then I needed to pick up my prescriptions and go to the grocery store for a few odds and sods. When I got to the Chemist's, they hadn't even received my prescription request from the Doctor, so I had to get in touch with the clinic.
Then I had to wait for the Doctor to phone them in, etc. I didn't want to have to make another trip, so I just waited for them. Then I popped to the shops and then came home and put everything away. All I could think about when I was in the grocery store was having a nice tuna salad sandwich when I got home.
I had picked up some really nice tuna when I was out with my sister the other day. Raincoast Wild Albacore. I had in mind to make myself a tuna sandwich then, but never got around to it.
I was hungry when I was in the grocery store (never a good idea) and just kept thinking about making myself a tuna sandwich when I got home.
Yay, they finally had rice crispies! You could find them at Christmas time due to some sort of strike or something. And they were on special. I bought two boxes. I never want to be without rice crispies again. haha That's me! Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason.
When I got home, I put everything away and then set about making myself that tuna salad sandwich I had been thinking about for days and days. I could hardly wait to dig into it.
I had picked up some lovely nice soft white bread at the shops to use. Lets talk about this.
Now this is just my opinion, and you are free to disagree with me. When it comes to sandwiches, such as tuna salad, cucumber, egg salad, or tomato for that matter, you don't want an artisanal bread. You want a nice soft white bread.
These are somewhat delicate fillings and I think they get lost in sturdier types of bread. You can go whole wheat if you must, but stay away from artisanal types. Save those for your heartier fillings or for sandwiches that you are going to grill.
I will be the first one to put my hand up and declare that I am a tinned tuna fish snob. I never, never, never buy the cheap stuff. I just don't like it. It has an inferior flavor in my opinion.
I only ever buy albacore white tuna, and wild if I can get it.
Albacore is a light-fleshed tuna increasingly found in attractively labeled jars and retro tins with extra virgin olive oil. It comes in larger chunks than skipjack, has a subtle, delicate flavor and drier, meaty texture. You can also find it packed in water.
For tuna salad that I am going to use in a sandwich, I use the tuna packed in water.
If I am making something like a classic tuna salad, I want to use the best tuna that my money can buy and for me, albacore is the way to go.
Classic tuna salad in my opinion contains very few ingredients, no bells and whistles. Just a good GOOD tuna, some good quality mayonnaise, minced onion, diced celery, salt, pepper and a smidgen of fresh lemon juice.
That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. I know loads of people like to dolly it up by adding other bits and bobs. Dice olives, cheese, etc. My mom always added sweet pickle relish.
For me, I don't need all the bells and whistles. I am going to get absolute pleasure from the simplicity of this classic tuna salad, on white bread.
This is so, so, so delicious, it really doesn't need anything else. If I was doing a tuna melt, I might add some olives, or pickle, but for a cold sandwich such as this one, these simple ingredients are all I need.
The lemon juice adds a nice bit of tang and freshness, but that is as outlandish as you want to go in my humble opinion.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A CLASSIC TUNA SALAD
Its all in the quality of ingredients used. Simple yes, but the best quality available, or that you can afford.
- 1 (5 oz/150g) tin of white albacore tuna packed in water, well drained
- 3 TBS good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellmans)
- 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and finely diced
- 1/2 TBS finely minced red onion
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
This is very old school and totally comforting in my opinion. You will get nicely filled sandwiches from this filling, or if you would rather, you can serve it scooped onto a bed of lettuce, with some crackers on the side.
You can add a simple slice of processed cheese, butter the outside of the sandwich and toast it in a skillet on both sides to make a simple tuna melt. This is also very old school.
Just look at how lovely that filling is. Just enough color and crunch. Not soggy in the least. Ample filling for a simple sandwich.
I hate it when people skimp on sandwich fillings. A good sandwich should have a generous filling and that filling should be spread right to the edges of the bread. Anything less is a sacrilege.
This has just enough filling. Not so much that it is messy or falling out, but enough so that you have a proper mix of bread and filling. Yes, I do butter my bread. This helps to keep the bread from becoming soggy, especially if it is going to sit for a while.
Not that my sandwich had any hazard today of sitting for a while. It was gobbled up as soon as I had finished taking the photographs. I savored every mouthful.
It was well worth waiting for, and I have enough filling left in the refrigerator to make myself another one tomorrow. I might toast that one. We will see.
This one went down a real treat with some crisp pickle slices on the side. My sister and I discovered Oh Snap Dilly Bites at our local farm market. If you are a fan of dill pickles I say snap them up if you see them. They are an excellent snack. Crisp and beautifully flavored. They went very well with my sandwich today!
Classic Tuna Salad
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
This classic sandwich filling never fails to please. Use the best tuna you can afford to buy.
Ingredients
- 1 (5 oz/150g) tin of albacore tuna, packed in water
- 3 TBS good quality mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
- 1 stalk of celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1/2 TBS finely diced red onion
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Open the tuna and drain it really well. (I press the lid against the tuna in the tin and squeeze as hard as I can, over the sink, so that as much water is removed as possible. This way you won't get a soggy sandwich filling.)
- Flake the tuna into a bowl. Mash it up with a fork. Add the celery, onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir together well to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as per your taste.
- Place into a covered container and chill until needed, or use immediately.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I felt a bit blue a few days ago. Its not easy to go from living with a whole house filled with people, down to two people and then down to just one. Especially under the circumstances.
I decided I needed a bit of cheering up! One thing which I really enjoyed when I was living in the UK was the traditional Afternoon Tea. I decided that if I needed cheering up, I needed a traditional Afternoon Tea!
Just because you live on your own, it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy some of the finer things in life which other people get to enjoy, right? Right!
I resolved this year to get as much joy out of life that I can for whatever time I have left. Alone or not. Covid or not. I can make each day an adventure with just a tiny bit of effort!
Most people confuse the term Afternoon Tea with High Tea. They are not the same thing, nor are the terms interchangeable.
Afternoon Tea is very much the British tradition of sitting down mid or late afternoon to a treat of tea, finger sandwiches, scones and cake. It was very much an upper class thing and was not intended to replace dinner.
The Upper Classes usually ate their dinners much later in the evening, so as an attempt to fill the gap in between lunch and dinner they indulged in afternoon tea.
High tea came about largely to appease the working class in the 19th century. Working class people had no time, nor the luxury to stop working for such a treat as afternoon tea. Often they would arrive home starving at the end of the day.
At that time tea was served with heartier dishes. Dishes meant to sustain a people who had been working their pegs off all day. Something hearty, perhaps a tidbit of sweet, washed down with hot cups of tea. Supper is still called "Tea" in working class Britain.
Unless you are on Scotland of course where a Afternoon Tea will take on some sort of hot and savory foods. A mix of High and Afternoon Teas.
One thing you will want to serve with your Afternoon Tea is something savory. Nothing hot, but a mix of finger sandwiches and other cold savories are fine.
Today I made a mix of my favourites. Cucumber with mayonnaise on white bread rounds. Cheddar Cheese and Branstons Pickle on whole wheat squares. Both were bite sized. You don't want huge sandwiches. Only tiny bites.
One thing with sandwiches is you must always spread any filling right to the edges. Nobody wants to be eating a dry piece of bread without any filling. Bite sized is right for a tea. Something which can be consumed in only one or two bites.
Dainty fare. I have wonderful memories of my mother making sandwiches for tea parties when I was growing up. Crusts always removed. She would give us the crusts to eat. We loved them
Everything was always dainty and genteel.
I also took the liberty of boiling an egg so that I could make myself a deviled egg. This time I cut the egg in half crosswise instead of lengthwise. That created tiny little cups. With a tiny sliver cut off the end of the rounded end so that they stood perfectly upright.
Rule of thumb when making deviled eggs. One don't overcook or undercook your eggs. I use an electric egg boiler. Two use 1/2 TBS of mayonnaise and 1/2 tsp grainy Dijon mustard for each egg yolk used. Mash together until fairly smooth and stuff your eggs.
A sprinkle of paprika and everything looks so pretty.
Some other sandwich ideas would be, deviled ham, egg with cress, tomato and cheese, tuna salad, etc. Just make sure your bread is fresh, buttered to the edge and the crusts are cut off.
Of course Afternoon Tea requires that there be some scones present. I made a small batch of my classic English Scones.
These are the scones you will see at every tea room across the UK. They are beautifully buttery and crumbly. Perfect in short.
As you can see my recipe rises nice and tall and is studded with sticky raisins. You can leave them out if you wish, but raisins are quite traditional.
I remember thinking it was rather odd to be having raisins in your scones when you were going to be having cream and jam with them, but it totally works. Trust me on this.
These are meant to be served at room temperature, split and then spread with butter. You will want to have some whipped heavy cream to serve with them along with some jam.
In the UK traditionally they would serve clotted cream with these along with the jam. Clotted cream is such a gorgeous thing. Heavy cream which has been heated just to the point where it forms thick sweet clots, with a buttery crust on top.
It is almost impossible to replicate anywhere else in the world. Trust me on this. Once you have had the real thing, nothing else comes close. Today I made do with just whipped cream, and some cherry jam.
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Classic English Scones (small batch)
Yield: makes 5 scones
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 20 Min
These are buttery and flakey tender with just the right amount of sticky sultanas. Serve with cream and jam for a real treat!
Ingredients
- 175g self raising flour ( 1 1/4 cups)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 37g of cold butter (2 3/4 TBS)
- 15g Caster sugar (1 1/4 TBS, superfine sugar)
- 40g sultana raisins (1/4 cup)
- approximately 75ml milk (scant 1/3 cup)
- 1 large free range eggs, beaten
- granulated sugar to sprinkle plus flour for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a large baking tray. Alternately line it with greaseproof paper.
- Measure the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder. (Pour the flour in from on high to aerate it.) Whisk together. Drop in the cold butter in bits. Using your fingertips rub the butter in quickly until the mixture resembles fine dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and raisins.
- Beat the egg. Remove and set 1 TBS aside. Add 60ml (scant 1/4 cup) of the milk to the eggs and beat together. Add this to the flour mixture. Mix together with the rounded end of a butter knife to form a soft but slightly tacky dough. Only add the remainder of the milk if your dough is too dry and you want to absorb any dry bits in the bowl. The dough should NOT be too wet, but not too dry either.
- Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple of times to bring well together. Gently pat out to 1 inch thick. Using a sharp round 3 inch cutter, cut out rounds, using a direct up and down motion.
- Do not twist the cutter. Place the cut out scones an inch or so apart on the baking sheet. Gather any trimmings together and repeat until you have 5 scones.
- Brush the tops of the scones with the reserved beaten egg and sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Don't let the egg drip down the sides.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until risen and golden on top and bottoms. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Best eaten on the day. Any leftovers can be frozen for several months.
Of course the center attraction of any Afternoon Tea, aside from the scones, is the cake. There is always a cake to be enjoyed. Usually a Victoria Sponge. But any cake will do.
Any cake that can be enjoyed with hot cups of tea. Today I small-batched my Traditional Victoria Sponge Cake to make a cake that is only 4 inches in diameter, which is perfect for just one person. Yes, there will be leftovers. Ask me if I care. 😋
This was the perfect size for me. It cuts into exactly four slices. One for me to enjoy today with my tea party and three more for another time.
They are not overly large slices, but after you have eaten several finger sandwiches and a scone, you don't really need an overly large slice of cake.
Classic Victoria Sponge Cake (small batch)
Yield: 2
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Popular during the reign of Queen Victoria, this cake remains popular to this day, which is a huge testament to it's taste and ease of baking! This is a smaller sized version of the original. You will need two four inch baking tins.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 85g butter (6 TBS)
- 85g caster sugar (scant 1/2 cup)
- few drops vanilla extract
- 1 large free range egg plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
- 85g self raising flour (a scant 3/4 cup)
To finish:
- 2 TBS raspberry jam
- icing sugar or granulated sugar to dust the top
Instructions
- Butter and base line two 4-inch sandwich tins. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
- Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light in color and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour.
- Fold in the flour with a metal spoon, taking care to use a cutting motion so as not to knock out too much of the air that you have beaten into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins, leveling off the surface. Make a slight dip in the center of each.
- Bake on a center rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the sponges have risen well, are golden brown, and spring back when lightly touched. Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges and turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, place one layer on a cake plate. Spread with raspberry jam. Place the other cake on top, pressing down lightly. Dust with icing or granulated sugar.
HOW TO MAKE A PROPER CUP OF TEA
1. You will need a kettle to boil your water in and a good clay or ceramic tea pot. These have the best heat retention.
2. Warm your tea pot with some boiling water and discard. Never make tea in a cold tea pot. The flavor is much better when you warm the pot first.
3. For black tea, your water needs to be boiling in order to make a proper cup of tea. Don't be tempted to use hot water dispensers and the like. Only a proper kettle will do.
4. Measure your tea into the warm tea pot and add boiling water. How much depends on how many cups you are making.
5. Cover and leave to steep for four to five minutes for strong tea, or three minutes for a weaker infusion.
Have your tea cup ready along with any add-ins such as milk, cream, sugar, lemon wedges, etc. I like a china cup or a mug.
This was the perfect way for me to enjoy my afternoon and a wonderful distraction from all of the sorrows of the world, real and imagined.
I was able to sit and enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and a few treats that I normally wouldn't indulge in, all by myself. And it didn't matter that I was all alone with it. And why not After all, I am more than worth the effort. You are too.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
I don't always eat high fat hedonistic food. Sometimes I actually do try to eat healthy. Well, most of the time I do, it just doesn't look like that on here!
Today for my dinner I made myself a lush creamy chicken and avocado salad, with the creamy bit meaning the avocado. I adore avocado.
Not only is this low in carbs and keto friendly, but it is also totally gluten free for those who cannot tolerate gluten. If you rein in the dressing, it is also low in fat and I think totally Diabetic friendly.
Tender, perfectly cooked pieces of chicken sit atop a salad composed of mixed salad leaves, creamy avocado, and rehydrated sun dried tomatoes. Crisp pepitas or sunflower pumpkin seeds as you may know them, make for a tasty and crispy garnish.
You begin by marinating a boneless skinless chicken breast in a simple mixture of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and some seasoning.
I cut the chicken breast through the middle horizontally, which really helps to ensure a tender finish when cooking.
Because it is thinner it doesn't take quite as long to cook it and still get it nicely browned. It also stays nice and moist that way.
I used sun dried tomatoes that have not been preserved in oil or in water. I buy them in a little tub at the farm market behind my house. They are really tasty and very easy to rehydrate by putting them in a cup and adding some boiling water.
Just leave them to plump up for a few minutes and then drain. I pat them dry after.
You can snip them up with a pair of kitchen scissors, or leave them as they are. I just left them as they were.
I love avocado. I used to be able to buy them frozen in the UK. They were excellent. I think I will start buying them up when they are on offer and freezing them when I can.
Make sure your avocado is ripe. Ripe avocados will have a dark green to nearly black skin, and should yield slightly when lightly pressed.
You should not be able to leave an indentation that stays and they shouldn't feel mushy. A ripe avocado will also have a pebbly skin rather than a smooth one.
There is nothing so lush and rich as a ripe avocado, but unripe ones are not very appealing or tasty. Been there, done that!
I remember ordering a sandwich as what was supposedly a premier sandwich shop in Chester in the UK one time. It was a California club or some such.
It was supposed to have Avocado in it, which it did, very sparse though I have to say. It was not ripe avocado however and was really nasty so I did remove it. Hard and tasteless.
You would think that a shop which specializes in sandwiches would know enough about all of the ingredients they are offering in their sandwiches to get it right!!!
Obviously not. Either that or their staff was not properly trained.
I just used a mix of garden salad leaves here today. Oh how I miss the Baby Gem lettuces from the UK. They were so good.
They looked like little tiny romaine lettuces, but a bit rounder and had a lovely bitter flavor. I could eat them just like apples, they were so good.
I have not seen them here at all. Perhaps this winter I will look for some seeds and possibly plant some next summer. They are my all favorite lettuces.
I used to love making this Baby Gem with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Salad. It is quite simply my favorite salad. It was from a recipe I found in Good Food magazine a long time ago. Delicious.
But then I am a salad lover full stop and have many favourites.
One thing I love about this one is the pumpkin seeds. I used roasted salted. Because I am naughty like that. You can use just plain roasted if you wish.
They added just a tiny bit of salty crunch. I think if a salad is going to be your main meal for the day, you deserve a bit of salty crunch.
And these have to be much better for you than croutons! So there!
The dressing for this salad is a zesty lime vinaigrette. Its just fresh lime juice, olive oil and seasoning.
Simple. Don't be tempted to use those little squeeze bottles of lime juice. You wouldn't get that same fresh zip that you get from using the real deal. I think you could add a bit of the lime zest as well, which would be nice.
I love the simplicity of the way the chicken is cooked and handled and I loved the nutty crunch of the pumpkin seeds. The richness of the avocado, the sweetness of the tomatoes. I could not improve upon it if I tried.
In short, I quite simply love this salad and I hope that you will too!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Chicken, Avocado & Tomato Salad
Yield: 1
Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min
This easy and delicious salad boasts a tangy lime vinaigrette dressing, along with creamy slices of avocado, sweet sun dried tomatoes, crisp pumpkin seeds and perfectly cooked chicken.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- the juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced in half horizontally
For the dressing:
- the juice of one lime
- 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
For the salad:
- a large handful of mixed salad leaves
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
- 8 sun dried tomato halves
- 1 heaped TBS pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Measure the lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper into a dish along with the garlic. Add the chicken pieces and turn them to coat in the marinade. Set them aside to marinate for about 30 minutes, giving them a swish every now and then.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from the heat, cut into slices and then return to the pan and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes until no longer pink and nicely glazed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- While they are cooling place the sundried tomatoes into a jar and cover with boiling water. Leave to sit for 5 minutes and then drain completely and pat dry.
- Whisk together the ingredients for your dressing.
- Put the salad leaves, avocado and sundried tomatoes into a bowl. Toss with about half of the dressing. Then place onto a chilled dinner plate.
- Top with the sliced cooked chicken and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
- Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing and serve. Save the rest to use as desired.
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