250g asparagus spears

1 tsp pink peppercorns + extra to serve

1 tsp sea salt

100ml light cream

2 large basil leaves

Place asparagus in a large pan and cover with water – add salt and peppercorns and poach until just cooked.  Drain and reserve 100ml of cooking water and peppercorns.  Cut 4 of the nicest tips off cooked asparagus and set aside.

Blend asparagus with water, then add basil and cream and season with salt to taste.  Serve cold or warm with asparagus spear and lightly crushed pink peppercorns on top. Serves 4 as a starter.

Spring Entertaining - Make the most of wonderful spring produce with some stylish and impressive dishes to share with friends

Recipes: spiced savory shortbread, filo cups with smoked salmon, lime & creme fraiche, calamari salad with rocket, roast tomatoes and preserved lemon dressing, butterflied leg of lamb with grilled anya potatoes and asparagus, mint pesto and romesco sauce, individual pavlovas with drunken berries and mascarpone

Intro to Asian - Cooking those favourite dishes you have when you go out is easier than you think. 

Recipes: salt and pepper chilli squid, crab and water chestnut gyoza, prawn and mint rice paper rolls, pad thai, nasi goreng, green chicken curry, chilli & cumin beef stir-fry

Eating Etc: Oils ain't Oils

I often get asked about oil, and which oil I use when cooking.  The answer is that there are many oils for different purposes.  A lot of people assume that extra virgin olive oil is the 'best' so should be used all the time.  True, it is the most expensive and most flavoursome of oils, but it should never be used when actually cooking.  It is highly unrefined and should only be used 'raw' - so drizzled over dishes to finish and flavour.  It has a very low smoke point, which is the point at which it burns, so if you heat some extra virgin to fry onion and garlic, it's likely to burn and become bitter.

For example, the smoke point of extra virgin olive oil is 190C, olive oil is 215C, peanut oil is 230C and sunflower oil is 245C.  So if you are going to be frying, sunflower oil will stand the highest heat without burning.

The term 'vegetable oil' indicates that the product is a mixture of different oils, such as soya, corn and sunflower.  These oils are refined to withstand high temperatures and have very little flavour or aroma.

From a health perspective, oils with more poly or mono-unsaturated fats are better for us than those with a high level of saturated fat.  Avoid transfats (hydrogenated oils) at all costs, which are generally only found in margarine or with commercial deep-frying.

Following is a description of some everyday oils and their uses.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- made directly from the fresh juice of olives, the best flavour comes from younger, fresher olives.  Colour is no indication of quality, just different flavours

Olive Oil

- extra virgin oil that has been refined and had pure extra virgin oil added for flavour, can withstand higher temperatures 

Peanut (Groundnut Oil)

- little flavour, used in Asian cooking, dressings, frying

Avocado Oil

- made from flesh of avocados, delicious for salad dressings, high monounsaturated fat content

Sesame Oil

- made from roasted sesame seeds and very strong in flavour, used in Asian cooking where just a few drops will add a sesame flavour to the dish

Grapeseed Oil

- popular in France, high smoke point and little flavour with very high polyunsaturated fat content

Rapeseed (Canola) Oil

- refined flavourless oil with high monounsaturated fat content and high levels of omega 6, high smoke point

Proper disposal of used cooking oil is very important as oil is lighter than water and tends to spread into thin and broad membranes which hinder the oxygenation of water. Because of this, a single litre of oil can contaminate as much as 1 million liters of water.  Also, oil can congeal on pipes provoking blockages.

Because of this, cooking oil should NEVER be dumped on the kitchen sink or in the toilet bowl. The proper way to dispose of oil is to put it in a sealed non-recyclable container and put it in with your general rubbish.

Ajowan, also known as Ajwain, is native to the Indian subcontinent and also grown in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.  A close relative of parsley, it is the dried seed, not the leaf that is used in cooking, and is sometimes incorrectly called lovage seed.  The small, tear-shaped light brown seeds are reminiscent of celery seed and have a distinct taste of the herb thyme, due to their high levels of the volatile oil, thymol.  This unusual herby flavour for a seed spice is complemented by a slightly sharp peppery taste and lingering, warm aftertaste.

Ajowan seeds don’t need to be ground as they are small and chewable, however are nearly always cooked before being eaten.  In Indian cooking, ajowan is used in bhajis, breads, pickles and dhal for its aromatic qualities and ability to cut through rich food.  It also works wonderfully with vegetables and is an essential tempering spice.

Ajowan’s popularity in the West is largely due to the thymol, which is extracted for use in mouthwashes, toothpaste and medicines.  It is a popular spice in Ethiopia, being a key ingredient in berbere, a fragrant and fiery blend of cumin, coriander, ajowan, pepper, fenugreek, allspice, salt, ginger, chilli and cloves.

Some cooking suggestions for ajowan:

- add ajowan seeds and roast pumpkin to bread or scone dough

- make a savoury cheese shortbread with ajowan seeds

- make a green salad with roasted ajowan seeds, green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper

- mix ajowan seeds with garlic butter and place on large field mushrooms and roast until tender

Have a wonderful May, and don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries, questions or comments.

Don't forget to look up my recipe page if you need some inspiration for what to cook tonight.

Happy Cooking!

Kate

www.lovetocook.co.uk

kate@lovetocook.co.uk