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Refreshing Orzo Salad

This refreshing orzo salad is just what you need on a hot day. Not too heavy but filled with flavour and lemony punch, it ticks all the boxes. We make a batch up as it is a little faffy to make but well worth it.

Ingredients:

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 garlic clove (finely chopped)

1 tsp demerara sugar

350g orzo (refill in store)

Olive oil (refill in store)

Juice of half a lemon

Basil (dried or fresh)

Cherry tomatoes (halved)

Method:

Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Fry for 10 minutes until golden and caramelised, stirring regularly.

While the onion is cooking, boil the kettle. Cook the orzo in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with plenty of olive oil and leave to cool.

After the onion has been cooking for 10 minutes add the garlic and sugar. Cook for a further 3 minutes then remove from the heat.

Add the lemon juice, basil and sticky onion mixture to the orzo. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half and add. Toss together and season.

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The BEST Tomato Soup

You might think the best way to have juicy, sweet cherry tomatoes fresh from the garden is in a salad, or just as a delicious healthy snack, or even roasted.  But I’m telling you now that making them into this tomato soup is most definitely the best choice you will make.  It is pretty extravangant to soup cherry tomatoes so I can only justify doing it when we have LOADS in the garden.  I never regret it though.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂

Ingredients (serves 4)

1kg cherry tomatoes (I know, it is a lot!)

Pinch of chilli flakes

4 cloves of garlic

Olive oil (refill in store)

2 red onions

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar (refill in store)

Fresh basil to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic cloves on a baking tray.  Season with salt and pepper then drizzle over plenty of olive oil. Leave to roast for 15 minutes or until just starting to char.

Slice the red onions and place in a large saucepan with some more oil.  Fry lightly until softened then add the balsamic vinegar and cook until caramelised.

Once the tomatoes are done, remove from the oven and add to the caramelised onions.  Blitz your tomato soup to the consistency you like (I prefer it a bit chunky but Rob likes a silky smooth soup.  Serve with fresh basil and sour dough

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Sesame noodle bowl

sesame noodle bowl

With the arrival of soy sauce on tap in the shop I am discovering lots of new recipes and this sesame noodle bowl is a real stunner. Quick, tasty and satisfying it is everything I want in a meal and perfect for summer evenings.. The flavours go really well together (yes, even the desiccated coconut) and the whole thing took me less than half an hour to prepare. It’s true! Give it a try.

Plus all the ingredients are available in Crickhowell and the local area, so no need to go to a supermarket.  We got the chard, spring onions and peas from Moor Park Garden, fresh herbs from the garden, a few bits and pieces from Cashells and the rest from Natural Weigh…of course. Continue reading Sesame noodle bowl

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The original baked beans

Baked beans

Conventional tinned baked beans are widely considered a cheap, quick, easy meal but I rarely hear them described as delicious. And I don’t think many people consider them to be particularly nutritious. These baked beans are different! Packed full of flavour and with plenty of vegetables, they make a hearty, filling meal and, similar to their conventional cousins, they can be cheap, quick and easy to make. Perfect at this time of year too when so many of the ingredients are in season. Continue reading The original baked beans