Fish Tacos | Book of Elsa

Look, I'm not going to pretend I am mexican <or even that I have been to mexico> but these taste delish. Just what you want in a warm soft tortilla, spiky sauce and crunchy salad.

If you happen to be flush with cash, replace the fish with raw prawns and proceed as per.

Don't be daunted by the list of ingredients: it really is a chop <get him to do it> and assemble job.

Gluten Free Clementine Cake | Book of Elsa

This is a cake more convincing as a pudding for a dinner party, it keeps well due to the high moisture content and taste better the next day. It happens to be gluten free and you could turn it vegan by substituting the eggs for mashed ripe bananas! Which I imagine would be a delicious hybrid, not to mention 'of the moment'.

Tiramisu | Book of Elsa

Five ingredients make a light as air coffee dessert by the name of Tiramisu. Beware though: it has to be made the day before you need it but I find that useful. Also it helps the texture of the finished dish if all the ingredients are at room temprature before you begin. 

Gateaux Bananes | Book of Elsa

Believe me when I say this is the easiest snack I know. I'm not even sure it can be classified as 'recipe' per se as there are only three ingredients: bananas, flour and salt.

The bananas have to be very very ripe, mashing them with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and enough flour to bind into a something resembling a thick pancake batter. Then fry in batches using teaspoons. Eat whilst still a little warm so not to burn your mouth.

Book of Elsa

Pizza | Book of Elsa

Okay so the premise is this: I cannot make bread.

Long ago I accepted that combining flour, water, yeast and salt just wasnt meant to be. I have wasted kilos of flour trying to make bread and everytime it has fallen flat <literally> until today!

The recipe below is WORKS. Just try it and you will not be disappointed.

Obviously any toppings you like will do, I used:

Pesto, cooked sausage, cheese and sweetcorn

Apple Turnover | Book of Elsa

<Large> Apple and Blackberry Turnover

The large is in brackets because I was lazy and couldn't be bothered to make a couple more reasonable sized ones which would be the normal thing to do here. 

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat at 200℃

Peel and roughly chop a couple of eating apples, I used cox but I mean please use whatever variety you want.

Add a few blackberries

Some lemon zest

2 Tablespoons of caster sugar

2 Tablespoon of ground almonds

1 Teaspoon of cornflour

Whisk a golden egg 

Roll out puff pastry into a rough circle

Pile the dry mixture on the left side of pastry; this amount is too much I took off about half, bagged it and am freezing it for next time. 

Brush the edges with the beaten egg

 Bring the right edge to the left making a half moon. 

Crimp edges with a fork 😼

Brush the top with more beaten egg, refrigerated for 30mins

Bake for 25mins.

Eat with lashes of cream or custard.

Time - Book of Elsa

Now is the time to believe in magic 

Now is the time to believe in people

Their goodness, openess and ability for kindness

Now is the time to put trust in our neighbours 

Believing that they mean us no harm.

They want the same things we all do.  

When our world is shutting down, everywhere we look nothing but bad news. Fake news.

There's time to spread something else too. 

If not you then who? not now?! I hear you... 

But when and whom?

They say change is slow.

I disagree. Change is people.

It is you and it's me

Now is the time to be the change you wish to see. 

Start small: have a conversation...

How about right now?

Book of Elsa

Orange Scented French Toast | Book of Elsa

To anyone familiar with my Instagram these are no surprise: I adore french toast. Most of the time I can only make them on saturdays when I have time to let the custard soak into the bread  and cook in butter low and slow, like. I'm salivating just thinking about it. This orange scented version is extra special and I hope you try it. However, the orange flavoured syrup showed on the picture above is not very good and I would not even think of giving you the recipe until it's perfect so I'd suggest you have greek yoghurt with.

How To Eat | Book Review

Butternut Squash Soup | Book of Elsa

Soup is one dinner that doesn't require much effort but taste like it should. Maybe that's why some people find it easier to buy the ready made kind in tubs from the chilled section of the supermarket. Make it once though and you will understand why even in the middle of the horrible work week I can come home and make this. 

Cucumber and Yoghurt Salad | Book of Elsa

Technically speaking this is not a salad but more of a dip/side dish. Try it just once with some plain roast chicken and warm pitta. I dare you. The proof of this 'salad' really is in the eating. I suppose it is twist on the tzatziki sauce from Greece if I were to think about it but honestly, I just love the taste of the cool cucumber and yoghurt against the heat of the onion and chilli.

Yoghurt Drop Scone | Book of Elsa

Yoghurt Drop Scone... The title says it all: a quintessential Sunday family breakfast favourite that are easy to knock-up and utterly delicious. This particular recipe is adapted from the cookbook Mamushka from OIia Hercules a review of which is available here 

Book Review | Mamushka - Olia Hercules

I Wrote a book | Book of Elsa

Eves' Secrets is a short novel that I have written: it's only available on amazon kindle here for the bargain price of £0.99 or free if you have kindle unlimited!
Have a fantastic weekend!

BOE

Book Review | Victim Without a Face - Stefan Ahnhem

We Are Family | Michael J Burt

we are family, 

although we do not resemble

although I am black and you are white

although you are rich and I am poor

we are family, 

even though I am democrat, and you are republican

even though your ancestors are from Iraq, and mine are from Africa

even though you teach the class I'm enrolled in

we are family, 

although I'm a poet and you are a singer

although you are old and I am young

although I'm a gentleman and you a lady

we are family, 

even though you praise Allah and I praise Jesus Christ

even though I love football and you play soccer

even though you are a Sagittarius and I'm a Cancer

we are family, 

although I prefer rhythm and blues and you love blue grass

even though you have a car and I have a bus…to ride

although I have love and you are alone

even though you dress one way, and I dress the other

although my family loves me and yours does not know of you

we are family, 

you and I are family, 

me and you are family, 

no matter what the difference is

family we are, forever

because we are here, and here is earth

and earth is our home

so here, we will live, 

we are family. 

We Are Family

Michael J. Burt

Book Review | The Ten (Food) Commandments - Jay Rayner

First things first: this is not a recipe book. It contains recipes sure and good ones at that, but they are not the raison d'être of this book. They are, like snacks to nibble on whilst you ingest the true message of the written word. That word is worship. At the altar of PIG and other foodstuff... 

If like me you love food, then this is definitely a read for you. Funny, smart and current Rayner does something with words I had only previously experienced with Nigella Lawson: he makes me want to eat. To eat very well indeed.

Thank you

Book of Elsa

PS: it's available here

Home Video - Book of Elsa

Chocolate | Book of Elsa

Alright you fantastic people of the internet here is a recipe to change the way you feel about chocolate! Please excuse my enthusiasm for the subject matter but take it from someone who on a regular day doesn't even LIKE chocolate...

This Sauce is to die! I was eating churros with it :-) whilst seriously considering taking a bath of this stuff so here is the recipe such as it is

Book of Elsa

Ingredients

50g dark chocolate

50g milk chocolate

100ml double cream

Method

Chop the chocolate and put it in a sauce pan, add the double cream and cook slowly until the chocolate has melted. 

Take off the heat, stir, swoon and eat/drink :-) x 

Food for Thought - Book of Elsa

Food is much more than just fuel; we use it to celebrate all major life events. Sharing a table laden with delicious things is our way of showing how much we care about the people in our lives. Be it by baking cupcakes for a boyfriend or making your sisters' engagement party cake. Not only that but we also use food as a way of caring for those less able than ourselves such as the elderly and infants.

Therefore, with this in mind when I'm told to stop talking/writing about food all the time I know that I can never stop. It is much too important to all of us. Indeed much depends on dinner; in my opinion food and the preparation of food either alone or in a group is the most basic way of showing we care.

Happy Eating :)

Book Of Elsa

xo