On Vegetarianism

I've been debating vegetarianism for a while - on and off for about a couple of years. The last couple of months though, I've been thinking about it quite a lot and this year's Vegetarian Week has tipped me into making some changes.

There's quite a few reasons. The first is the cost of meat. I'm not a fan of low cost meat (the amount of additives, the quality, and frankly, how on earth can it be produced that cheaply and still allow a decent quality of life for the animal? Short answer - it can't.) so I buy outdoor reared, free range or organic when I can. The thing is though, that the cost of meat has risen hugely in the last ten years or so, and I'm not willing to compromise on how in order to keep eating it.

The second reason? I don't really like it that much. My parents didn't eat a lot of meat when I was growing up, so I never quite got into a lot of "comfort" meals. I can't stand cottage pie. I really don't like hot pot... so I never cook them anyway. I avoid pork and lamb (because - to me - they taste like farmyards smell) and beef, especially fatty cuts, triggers my IBS. What's with the national obsession with hot dogs and burgers that is currently doing the rounds? Not for me.

Bearing in mind that I don't really eat that much meat anyway, so why not just go the full whammy and go completely veggie?

Because I really like the "off cuts" of meat, the bits most other folk could do without. I can give or take bacon, but crusty bread smeared with pate and topped with fresh tomatoes? Yes please. There's no replicating the tang of chorizo, or the strong iron taste of black pudding with poached eggs, regardless of what spices you use. I'm also vainly attached to my leather jacket.

I've concluded... although full vegetarianism isn't for me, I can certainly choose more carefully. I'll still eat sustainable fish, largely because it's full of nutrients, and it has fewer ethical issues for me than 'meat' does. It'll also give me a few more options when I eat out - because there are only so many mushroom burgers or goats cheese salads that a girl can deal with (that is, of course, assuming that there isn't an interesting and healthy veggie option available). The other thing, which I've been doing anyway but need to focus more on, is choosing "cruelty free" beauty products. If I have an issue with the way my food is reared, I should also be mindful of how the products I put on my body are developed, so I'll stick to Leaping Bunny approved cosmetics too (a quick scan of my bathroom has reassured me that a lot of my existing products already are - three cheers for Sainsbury's, Superdrug and Liz Earle!).

So, off I go to rummage through and sticker my recipe books and read up on nutrition. Any existing veggies have any tips for me?

Recipe: Thai Sweet Potato Soup

I eat a lot of soup. When the weather is not so delightful, and something comforting but healthy is needed, it ticks all the boxes.

My soup alternates between homemade soup - usually whatever veg is on the turn in the bottom of the fridge, or a fresh one from one of the local independent cafés around where I work. There are some incredible souperies in Edinburgh. Perhaps it's the cold, wet air that demands a stick-to-your-ribs lunch to keep you going. Anyway, one of my lunchtime soups was a rather delicious Thai inspired squash and sweet potato concoction. I was slightly aggrieved at the price though (since when did soup become a £3.95 affair?) so in a fit of frugality I thought I'd have a go at home. Using light coconut milk helps to keep it lower in fat, but if you prefer it creamier, use whatever you have in the house.

Makes 6 servings

500g sweet potato
2 large red onions
2 cloves garlic
1 tin of coconut milk
1 large tablespoon thai red curry paste (adjust according to how much chilli it contains!)
1 teaspoon veg oil or butter
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

Peel and chop the garlic, potatoes and onions. In a large pan, heat the oil or butter, and stir in the paste. Add in the garlic and onions and fry gently until they start to soften.
Add in the sweet potato, and cover in stock. If you don't need all of the stock, keep it to the side. Don't feel obliged to add it all at once!
Simmer for twenty minutes, or until the potatoes are soft enough to break up with a wooden spoon. If in doubt, simmer for a bit longer - if they're undercooked, they'll be gritty.
Take off the heat, stir in the coconut milk and allow to cool.
Blend until smooth, or if you like a bit of texture, mash the potatoes into the liquid.

Recipe: Sweet French Toast with Maple Syrup & Berries

I love Sundays. There's a bit of a routine - a lie in, and then brunch of some sort, usually eggs, but occasionally something a little bit more special.

I also love berries, but I rarely buy them. I refuse to be disappointed by fruit grown half a world away, picked too early and sold underripe. There's a little window in early summer though when locally grown berries emerge, and that's when I indulge. British fruit is so much sweeter and juicer, it deserves to be enjoyed properly.

Sweet French Toast with Maple Syrup & Berries
Serves 2

4 slices of bread
3 eggs
100ml milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp mixed spice or cinnamon
butter, for frying
fresh berries and maple syrup, to serve.

In a large shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, mixed spice, vanilla and sugar.
Cut the bread slices into halves or quarters, and dip into the egg mix. Make sure each side gets a good coating, and stack them on the side of the dish to absorb the mix.
Using a medium heat, melt a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan.
Fry the bread until it darkens on both sides and the bread is cooked through. You might need to do this in batches.

Serve on hot plates, with handfuls of fresh berries and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Eating out of berry season? Bananas, flaked almonds and honey would be delicious as an alternative.

Recipe: Coconut Macaroons

A while ago I posted a recipe for Fifteens, a Northern Irish tray-bake which requires a dusting of desiccated coconut around the outside. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), the only bag I could get was 500g, and therefore I ended up with nearly half a kilo in my cupboard and no idea what to do with it. In an attempt to cut down the contents of my tiny kitchen in anticipation of a revamp, I have been trying to use up all of the random tins and packages. The desiccated coconut, however, baffled me somewhat, and so I did what everyone does nowadays when they are not sure about something. I googled.

Macaroons! Marvellous! 

Most of the recipes I found were American. Apparently they are particularly favoured by the Jewish community as Passover treats, because they don't contain a raising agent or any of the forbidden grains - essentially they are a type of enriched meringue. I'm not sure which came first - these ones or the French ones which are on their way out of being in vogue.

There are four reasons I love this recipe. 

1. It's really easy.

2. It only needs 3 ingredients.

3. It's the ultimate go-to for friends with allergies or intolerances: gluten free, dairy free, and low fat. 

4. The low fat bit means you can eat twice as many. Super. 

Makes about 30.

2 eggs, separated.

125g caster sugar

250g dessicated coconut 

(Optional - 1tsp vanilla extract)

Separate the eggs - you only need the whites. You could use the eggs for custard or mayonnaise. 

Whisk the whites in a large bowl, adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time, until they form "stiff peaks" (or, until they go from see-through to white and firm).

Whisk in the coconut.

If you leave the mix on the side for half an hour, then the coconut will soften slightly, but you don't need to if you're impatient or tight for time.

Using two teaspoons, scoop the mixture into balls, about the size of a walnut, and pop them onto a non-stick baking tray. I found that my metal one, lined with parchment, cooked them better than a silicone one.

Bake at 180C for 8-10 minutes, until they start to turn golden. They will still feel soft to touch when you take them out of the oven but they'll crisp up, so don't put them back or they will dry out. 

Allow to cool on the tray before storing in an airtight tupperware. 

These go really well with hot chocolate or coffee - if you're a fan of glacé cherries then press half a cherry into the top of each ball prior to baking. Alternatively, drizzling them with melted chocolate while they are cooling is always an excellent idea.

Recipe: Fifteens

I've mentioned before that Mr F is from Northern Ireland. Aside from the stereotype of eating lots of potatoes, and being partial to a decent pint of stout, foodwise there are very few things that he requests or makes to remind him of home. This occasionally strikes me as strange - Northern Ireland is (like my native Yorkshire) a land of comfort food - a land of Veda bread, soda bread and wheaten bread. It's also the land of traybakes.

Northern Ireland seems to treat the traybake like the rest of the UK treats a piece of cake. I'm only just getting used to walking into a cafe there and having to settle for a traybake over a piece of lemon or carrot cake. I'm still not completely convinced by them.

The cafe that does our event catering at work is run by a lady from Northern Ireland, and therefore specialises in traybakes rather than cakes - a frequent point of contention with some of the team. One of the things which regularly pops up on our conference lunch orders is a Fifteen slice. It's a classic, a typically Northern Irish treat, and it's incredibly easy. You don't even need an oven (or a tray). You will need a cup of tea to go alongside a slice.

Fifteens all sliced up. Not big, clever or particularly photogenic, but very easy and tasty. 

Fifteens
Makes about 25 slices

15 digestive biscuits
15 glace cherries
15 marshmallows
15g dessicated coconut
1 can of condensed milk

Firstly, bash up your digestives. Not too fine - still with a bit of texture, but grainy rather than broken biscuits. I do this with a rolling pin in a sandwich bag, doing a couple at a time. Pop them into a big bowl.
Mix in your cherries and marshmallows - you can cut them in half to make it easier.
Pour over the condensed milk. Go slowly, a bit at a time, and mix like mad. It depends how much you've bashed your biscuits as to how much you'll need, but essentially enough to make it all stick together. Don't worry if it's a bit lumpy or a little bit wet. Ideally you want it slightly under wet rather than over. I used about 300g of the condensed milk.
Roll the mixture into a long sausage shape on a chopping board, and then roll in dessicated coconut. Wrap in clingfilm (aavoid tin foil - it's a nightmare to unwrap). If it's quite wet and sticky, put the clingfilm onto the chopping board and sprinkle with coconut. Use the clingfilm to help you form the sausage shape.
Chill it in the fridge for a couple of hours (ideally overnight), before cutting into slices with a very sharp knife.

Best stored in an airtight container in the fridge, to stop it going gooey. It'll keep for 3 or 4 days. If you're feeling adventurous you could probably change the ingredients around - nuts, jelly sweets or a variety of dried berries would all be mighty tasty (although make sure you use fifteen of each!)

Recipe: Rice Noodle Salad

I first had this kind of salad when Mr F's mum made it as a side dish for a help-yourself family lunch. I've since adapted the recipe, from a Good Housekeeping magazine, to make it a bit more interesting and it's become a favourite.

We like it in a lunch box, just as it is, or as a super quick, easy and healthy dinner with a bit of hot smoked salmon or mackerel flaked in. The edamame beans (also known as soya or soybeans) are optional, but are a great way of adding protein and keeping it veggie. Most supermarkets keep them near the frozen peas.
Because it can be prepared in advance, kept in the fridge for a couple of hours and is great at room temperature, it's perfect for taking along to a BBQ or for serving with Hoisin duck at a dinner party. 

Vermicelli rice noodle salad

Serves 2 generously.

300g cooked vermicelli rice noodles (fresh ones from the supermarket are ideal)

125g - about 4 inches - cucumber

125g - or 1 - red pepper

125g edamame 

1 red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

2tbsp rice wine vinegar

3tbsp soy sauce

pinch sugar

1tbsp lime juice

1tbsp sesame oil
Small handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, and allow to cool slightly.
Deeseed the cucumber and pepper, and chop into pieces about 1cm square.

Stir together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and sesame oil. 

In a large bowl, and using a large spoon, tongs or chopsticks to avoid slicing the noodles too much, mix together the vermicelli noodles with the vegetables, chilli, coriander and dressing. 

Recipe: Vietnamese Spring Rolls

My obsession with the Chinese supermarkets in Edinburgh continues. Moving towards Leith has increased the amount of Tom Yum soup in our lives, and dumplings are becoming a bit of a staple alternative Sunday lunch.
We debated doing a Dim Sum evening with friends for a flat warming dinner but as the weather has been so very lovely, something a bit more summery seemed appropriate, which led us to...

They are so delicious, so healthy, and so tasty. They're also really pretty simple once you get the hang of the folding. We make ours with prawns and noodles, but you can leave the noodles out if you like to make them less filling for a starter. They'd be great as a way to use up leftover roast chicken or pulled pork. If you're veggie, marinated tofu or edemame beans would be great to add a bit of protein. Experiment, see what you like, and use what you have in the fridge.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls (gỏi cuốn)

Beansprouts
Spring Onions, very thinly slice
Carrot, julienned into matchstick sized pieces
Cucumber, julienned
Baby gem lettuce leaves or cold steamed green cabbage
Cooked king prawns
Coriander, mint or Thai basil leaves, finely chopped
Cooked vermicelli fine rice noodles
Rice papers

Large bowl filled with warm water
Plastic chopping board or large flat plate

Firstly, cover the beansprouts with boiling water to blanche them. It's worth bearing this FSA advice in mind.
Assemble your ingredients.
The rice paper wraps are the hardest part - make sure you don't over soak them. I used a bowl that was big enough to put them in whole - put one hand at the bottom of the bowl (so that it doesn't stick to the bottom!), drop the wrap in, and count to three. The wrapper should feel wet, and flexible, but still be a bit firm. It'll keep absorbing the water for a few seconds once you've taken it out of your bowl so don't leave it until it's very flexible!
Put the wrapper onto a plate or plastic chopping board. Avoid using a wooden one - they stick and are more likely to rip as the water is absorbed into the board
Layer up your wrap. Start at the edge closest to you, and take a couple of pieces of each of the ingredients. A couple of websites I read suggested using cabbage or lettuce leaves as a base, to stop the vegetables poking through the rice paper and it does seem to help. Don't get too overexcited - we're not talking Fajita's here - if you overfill them, they'll rip.

To wrap:
Making sure that you keep the filling in tightly, turn the wrap over once.
Tuck in the right hand side.
Tuck in the left hand side.
Continue rolling until the end.
Using your fingertips, dab a small amount of water on to the edge to help it stick, and place edge down on a serving plate.

Great served with satay, hoi sin or sweet chilli dips.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Biscuits

I have decided (not resolved - I don't believe in resolutions) to start enjoying cooking again. I go through phases when I am skint or tight for time where I stick to the usual spag bol/stirfry/omlette combinations. That's all very well, but it doesn't make exciting reading for the very few people that pop on to peruse my musings, so I've spared you all.

This isn't the most standard of January recipes (hello, hips and thighs!) but I chose to adapt this for my first New Thing of 2013 as it was an excuse to crack the lovely cup measures I got for Christmas...

I love them!

I can see the advantage of cup measures for drier ingredients like sugar and flour, but for peanut butter and butter, it was a slightly messy adventure. I ended up writing down the weights for future reference:

Peanut Butter Biscuits.
Makes 40 (!)

110g butter
110g caster sugar
110g brown sugar
150g crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp milk or water
250g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Pre-heat the oven to 180C, and line two large baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Cream together the butter, sugars and peanut butter in a large bowl.
Beat in the egg, milk or water, and vanilla.
Slowly add in the flour and baking powder (it will seem very dry to begin with, adding in stages makes it easier).
When the mixture has come together, use a tea spoon to portion into balls. Roll between your palms into a smooth ball, then lightly squash them onto the baking tray. Leave plenty of room between them and don't squash them too flat, as they will spread during baking.
Bake in batches for roughly 12 minutes (until turning golden, but still squashy to poke). Allow to cool for a few minutes before lifting off the greaseproof paper. If you lift them too quickly, then the lovely soft chewy middle bit will be left behind!

These would be really tasty drizzled with melted chocolate - or with chocolate drops mixed in by hand just prior to dividing into portions.

If you share my concerns about 'accidentally' eating 40 biscuits for dinner instead of something a little more nutritionally balanced, you could also freeze them and cook them as you fancy - portion them up on the greaseproof paper then wrap in clingfilm. Remove the cling film prior to baking, and cook for slightly longer from frozen. They should be safe for a few weeks tightly wrapped.

Recipe: Pan-fried Gnocci with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes & Pine Nuts

This is easily one of my favourite week night meals - it's a Mr F concoction that has become a bit of a comfort food staple. It combines several of my favourite foods (spinach, butter and potatoes), and the act of frying carbohydrates means it is probably bad for you. I tell myself that the cherry tomatoes and spinach count as two of your five a day, so that makes it ok.

Serves 2

500g gnocci (roughly one packet, unless you can be bothered making your own)
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 generous pinch mixed dried Italian herbs
50g butter
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 large handfuls (about 75g) baby leaf spinach
2 handfuls (about 12) cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved

Pre-heat your oven on low (to use to keep things warm).
Cook the gnocci according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, melt half of the butter and add in the pine nuts and garlic. Toast in the butter until golden, taking care not to burn them. Add in the cooked and drained gnocci, adding more butter if necessary to prevent it sticking to the pan, and stir gently. The gnocci should fry slowly for a minute or so on each side, until golden and crispy. Transfer the gnocci and nuts into an ovenproof dish, and keep warm in the oven. Make sure you pour over any butter that's been left behind to keep the flavour!
In the same pan, pop the other half of the butter in. Stir in the spinach, sprinkle on the mixed dried herbs, and wilt away the liquid. This may take a minute or so. When the spinach liquid has evaporated, mix in the cherry tomatoes, stirring only occasionally, to soften the flesh and char the skin slightly.
Remove the gnocci from the oven, stir through the spinach, tomatoes and pine nuts, and serve on hot plates. Season with pepper, or, if you fancy, a little parmesan.

Review: The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two) Cafe

Normally it rains on my days off - particuarly if they are days off in lieu for working a weekend - so I plan hours of swimming, drinking tea, catching up on telly programmes that Mr F rolls his eyes at, and crocheting. But the last time I had a random day off, the sun shone, and I felt the need to get out of the flat.

I live within a stone's throw of the Water of Leith, a beautiful river with a walkway that meanders its way through Edinburgh. I used to work in Leith, and on sunny days enjoyed walking home along the banks, spotting herons and Antony Gormley statues, but it's not a route that I take if I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, and so it's not one that I use often. It seemed a pretty perfect day to take a walk along it, see an exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art, have a bit of lunch, and wander home before the inevitable afternoon clouds.

I joined it at Saunders Street, in Stockbridge, where the Stockbridge Gormley statue has been hiding underwater for nearly a month due to the raised river levels. I wandered westwards, through the greenery, past St Bernard's Well...

... and through to Dean Village.

 

It was at this point that I encountered a diversion, caused by the recent bad weather, which led me up via the Dean Cemetery, and round and down to the Galleries. As I was walking in, I spotted the Inter-Gallery Bus service, which is a great idea for those not familiar with the city or with transport difficulties.

I headed into the former Dean Gallery, now rather pretentiously called Modern Two. It's a beautiful building with a lawn in front - if you peek between the trees, you can spot the castle.

I had a wander around the galleries - there's not many in Modern Two, so it's perfect to spend an hour before lunch. On my way upstairs I fell in love slightly with this, a piece by Richard Wright called The Stairwell Project.

After spending some time contemplating the Munch exhibition (stunning - highly evocative and deepy emotional prints), I wandered back down past this fellow, a huge two-story sculpture, down to the cafe below.

The cafe in the gallery is quite an unusual layout. Being opposite the main entrance, it's one of the first things that you see when you come in to the building, which really draws you in. I'm surprised that they havn't used the space for more galleries, as it's really a group of smaller spaces with interconnecting doors, but this layout and the simple features make for a welcoming space. I particularly like that the bottom of the statue is in the second half of the cafe - art and food, mingling together.

Sorry for the rubbish interior shots. I got told off by a room steward trying to get the bottom one so I had to switch to my phone(they'd apparently not noticed me going round upstairs!)

 I was lucky to get a table - the cafe was busy, and several tables had been pre-booked for afternoon teas (which looked lovely). The friendly waitress handed me a copy of the days menu, which had been influenced by the Munch exhibition. The treats on offer were Scandinavian influenced, a food trend which seems to be booming at the moment, and was varied. Good options for vegetarians were included, and prices weren't outrageous. I was tempted by a couple of things - both the artichoke hummus and the creamy polenta dishes sounded lovely. When I admitted to the waitress that I couldn't decide, she brought me a taster of the hummus - brilliant customer service, and a good way to try something new. Being contrary, I went for the polenta.

It was amazing. I've never eaten something quite like this before. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to like it, but I did. Somehow the combination of the sweet honey with the salty cheese and peppery bitter rocket just, well, worked. The unsalted pistachios added extra texture and crunch to the smoother polenta, and were nice and waxy compared to the crumbly blue cheese. It was wonderful, and I'm looking forward to trying to recreate it again at home. I'd decided to treat myself to a glass of red wine to go with it, and I was glad that I did - it turned lunch for one into a luxury.

I ended with a flapjack. It was huge, crumbly and chewy. Perfect.

The food and service were great, and the surroundings are stunning. It's a shame that you can't sit outside at the Modern Two as you can over the road in the Modern One, but the atmosphere inside is lovely. It is so nice to find a museum or gallery cafe where the food is interesting and original, and as worth a trip as the art itself.

 

Lunch for one (including a glass of wine, and a pot of tea with dessert): £15

 

Cafe Modern Two

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

75 Belford Road

EH4 3DR

 

Recipe: Banana Bread for Breakfast

It's a funny thing, breakfast. I don't think I've heard anyone recall a wonderful breakfast that they had in the same way that they would recall a dinner or a lunch. It's a meal that is often skipped, frequently rushed and usually really quite boring. Although I'd like to tell you that I get up early enough to make Eggs Benedict on a daily basis, that would be a lie, and anyone who vaguely knows me will be snorting with laughter at the thought.

In an attempt to wean Mr F off cereal bars, we have been experimenting with different 'healthy' options that can be nibbled on the bus, or washed down with a cup of coffee in a more discreet manner than a bowl of cornflakes. I've been enjoying trying variations on banana bread, mostly because it means I have a use for the slightly mangled bananas that end up being left in the bottom of my bag, but partly also because "Banana and Sultana" is fun to say.

Basic Banana Bread (based on one of Delia Smith's)

75g butter or margerine
110g caster sugar
1 egg
225g plain flour
2tsp baking powder
4 bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
2 tsp mixed spice (or variations on nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon will do)
2 generous handfuls of tasty extras

Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
Put everything except for the tasty extras into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Stir in the extras.
Bake for 50-60 mins, at 180C.

I blooming love this recipe. It's so easy, it takes about 5 minutes to mix, and you can add anything you want - sultanas, raisins, chopped nuts, whole nuts, chocolate chopped up, mixed peel - it's all good. You could use soft or light brown sugar if you prefer, or self raising flour if that's all you have, and it'd probably work. I've made it with low fat margerine, as well as proper butter, and it works. I've also used bananas that I've frozen when they went mushy, and defrosted a few weeks later - you don't get the banana chunks with this, but a really smooth, bready texture.It also freezes really well as long as it's pre-sliced.

Delicious.

Review: Seadogs

There used to be a restaurant on Rose Street that I frequented whenever there was an excuse- Seadogs. It was part of David Ramsden's 'The Dogs' chain, and I loved it. It offered reasonably priced food in an interesting environment, without any of the sycophantic crap that Edinburgh restaurants and their patrons have a tendency towards.
On our first visit, Mr F and I ordered a seafood platter and a portion of Kedgeree. We were told (by Mr. Ramsden) we didn't need to bother with the rice, because the platter would come with some form of carb - either Paella or Kedgeree. On the second visit, where we steered away from the platter, and ventured on to the menu, we asked for advice on what wine to order, and were recommended the house, or if we were feeling fancy, the one up from the house. On our third visit, we arrived a bit early, and were told that we couldn't order until our designated time - fine by us, we happily devoured the menu until we turned to the food.
I can see how these type of details would annoy others. Seadogs was not for the type of diner who likes to think that he knows best, or that he is getting special treatment. It was for the rest of us - people that like decent food at reasonable prices in an interesting setting - and so I, and several other people I've spoken to, were gutted when it closed down.

It is back.

Amore Dogs, which was the streetlevel bit of the dogs townhouse (The Dogs at the top, and UnderDogs at the bottom), has been converted. After consultations via twitter and facebook, it is now Seadogs once more, and I can think of a few people who are relieved and glad to see it return. It goes without saying then, that it was my choice of restaurant for my birthday dinner.

Mr Foodie and I went down after work on a Tuesday night. A slightly random night to indulge, but we had an excuse, so I wasn't too bothered about it being on the quiet side. I love the casual interior - clean, fresh and white, with quirky photos and trinkets that add personality without being too much.

We could have pretended to look at the menu - it is good. It's varied, with a decent vegetarian selection, and a great use of the cheaper sustainable fish that keep prices affordable. I've eaten a couple of the dishes upstairs at The Dogs, and enjoyed them.

We, however, were boring, and ordered the old faithful - the seafood platter. Piled high with the Kedgeree were salmon fillets, prawns in breadcrumbs, squid rings, whole prawns, mussels, and a sardine each. Amazing - the only criticism I have is that it would have been nice to have a little less breadcrumbs. In fact, it was so good that after it was taken away, the ladies at the table next to us admitted food envy.

And a side of chunky chips with an extra garlic mayo portion. We drank a carafe of house wine. Handily for two people, Seadogs sells wine in 500ml and 1000ml carafes as well as by the glass or bottle- perfect for sharing if you are out on a school night. Jugs of water come automatically, which I also appreciate, mostly because I hate the bottled water hard sell that some restaurants try.

For dessert - a lemon and lime parfait with shortbread. This was good - really good - a huge dollop of curd on the top, a creamy centre, and a crunchy base. Perfect after a large seafood dinner.

Welcome back, Seadogs. You have been missed.

Dinner for two, including wine and a pudding to share - £50.

Seadogs
104 Hanover Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1DR

Inspiration: Soda Bread

I love fresh bread. The smell, the spongey texture, the warm filling - a good fresh loaf with butter is not far off perfection for me. It's brilliant.
Mr Foodie is from Northern Ireland - a land where bread is Different. Good different. Soda bread is hard to get hold of in Scotland. Actually, I should clarify - it's not hard to get hold of, but it's not "right". Apparently, Soda bread should be simple and white, unlike this, which Mr Foodie reckons is more like Wheaten Bread. Are you as confused as me? I hope so... I was nervous when I decided to make my own.

I'm not a natural baker. I get frustrated at the size of tins (how and why do I never have the size specified in the recipe?) I don't understand how you can magically tell if you've kneaded dough enough, and the hundreds of types of flour overwhelm me. The last time I made bread rolls, they were more like hockey pucks. I was not optimistic about Soda bread - it doesn't rise until it's in the oven, it seemed very wet, and putting soured milk in bread seemed - well - wierd. But it worked!

I used this recipe by Rachel Allen, the Queen of Irish cooking and baking. Really easy. I didn't bother with the 'floured' surface, mostly because I couldn't find the antibac kitchen spray. It took about 5 minutes to mix in, and was ready by the time I'd showered and dried my hair - perfect emergency breakfast bread. Particularly good with....

Eggs, crispy bacon and spinach

 Scrambled eggs, spinach and smoked salmon

Bank holiday weekend brunch heaven.

Recipe: Tomato and Potato Layer Bake

I am now the proud owner of a food processor. Proud, and overexcited. I've been waiting for it to arrive for 6 weeks (when my mum ordered it as a housewarming present, it was out of stock, so good old John Lewis sourced one for me). This has given me 6 weeks of getting excited about things that I can whizz, chop, whisk, blend, grate, and puree.

First up - a quick and tasty potato dish. This recipe is loosely based on a Delia Smith's Summer Collection recipe that my mum makes a lot. I've sped it up a bit so that it's easier for a week night dinner, and made it store cupboard friendly. Think of it as a really easy and lower fat version of boulangere or dauphinoise potatoes.

Tomato and Potato Layer Bake

Serves 2

500g potatoes

1 large onion, red or white

1 can good quality tinned tomatoes

1 tablespoon virgin or extra virgin olive oil (optional but highly recommended)

1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp dried basil

Salt and pepper

  

In a food processor (or with a very sharp knife), whizz your potatoes and onion into thin slices.

Mix together the tomatoes, oil, herbs, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. 

In a large microwave-proof dish, mix together your potatoes, onions and tomato mix. 

Microwave on full for 15 minutes, covered (you could use a plate or clingfilm if you don't have a lidded dish).

Take the cover off, and microwave again for another 5 minutes. 

Serve.

  

Ideal served with meat or fish - it would be great for a healthy side to steak. We had ours with roast chicken and a spinach salad. 
Fresh basil, torn up, would also work if you have it, to give a stronger taste 
You could also add in crumbled feta or mozzarella, olives, slivers of parma ham, capers, anchovies - anything really - to make it perfect for a lunch box.

Recipe: Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are funny things. They are unappetising in colour, smell and texture, but big and tasty on flavour. I feel a bit sorry for them in a way. Like many people - I can't stand a slimy mushroom. I've never understood the 'stuffed mushroom' fad that refuses to go away. Although on reflection, this may be because I hate it when people give them to vegetarians and expect them to be excited.
I am still ploughing on with my eternal battle to Empty The Pantry. It's going well - the looming threat of having to move house is spurring me to eat some interesting combinations, try new things and revisit ingredients that I wasn't convinced about first time round.

When I was a student, I went through a phase of eating huge amounts of mushroom risotto. I'm not entirely sure where this fad came from, although I think it may have had something to do with the oil store on Borough Market, and the truffle infusion that I was persuaded to buy, and then didn't know what to do with.

I always have a packet of dried mushrooms in my cupboard. Their texture and colour is so much more appealing than fresh. The smell makes me think of camping - wet, damp, woody and earthy. But now that the risotto fad has disappeared for the moment, they have been neglected. Until now. This soup takes ages, but tastes wonderful.

Mushroom Soup
Serves 4 as a main

300g mixed dried mushrooms
600g fresh mushrooms
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
50g butter
250ml hot water
500ml chicken or vegetable stock

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for about half an hour. Stir them occasionally.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the fresh mushrooms and finely slice the onion and garlic.
After the dried mushrooms have been soaking for half an hour, start cooking. Don't drain the dried mushrooms!
Sautee the onions and garlic in butter until they start to turn transluscent. Add the fresh mushrooms and stir in with the onion, garlic and butter to sautee a little. If they stick to the pan, add a tablespoon of hot stock. They should start to brown, and the liquor from the mushrooms should start to come out.
Stir in the dried mushrooms, and their juice, and cover the mixture with the stock.
Simmer for an hour - half an hour with the lid on, half an hour with the lid off.
Blend the soup. This will be time consuming, mushrooms have a slightly wierd texture when blended. The aim is to break up all of the fibres, to get a creamy but thick texture. If you think you need more liquid - add a tiny, tiny amount at a time.
Serve with buttery crusty bread, a generous swirl of cream, and a sprinking of fresh thyme or rosemary.

Adaptations:
You could make this recipe dairy free by using olive oil instead of butter.
To make it more suitable for small children, use water instead of stock. Add a dollop of mushroom ketchup if it needs an extra kick.
Sauteed fresh wild mushrooms sprinkled on top would be stunning.
Blend in blue Stilton cheese, or crumble on top to serve.

I'm blogging this recipe for Save The Children's Recipe Challenge. Their aim is for thousands of recipes to be collated into an e-book, to be sold as a fundraiser. It's not about increasing aid, or bullying developing countries - it's about encouraging our politicians to get together to actually *do* something about a problem, rather than throwing money at it in the hope that it will go away. You can read more about it at The Pink Whisk.

Recipe: Butterbean Soup

I will be moving house shortly, and therefore am attempting to eat everything in my flat. It's something I half heartedly try every now and then, before the lure of Waitrose gets to me, but this time (because I don't want to have to lug even more stuff with me than is necessary), I mean it.

Dried beans and pulses are a pain, in that the majority of them require soaking for a long length of time (overnight usually) before being boiled for between 10 minutes and 2 hours. This process kills off the toxins, and therefore is definately worth doing, but aint half tedious if you're feeling the need for some pulsey protein in your life in a hurry. The end results of the process are, in my experience, mixed. Sometimes they stay rock hard, some times they turn into mush. Sometimes they taste ok, sometimes they taste of absolutely nothing. This is a bit of a bugger, because they're actually really cheap (we're talking about 99p for 1kg dried - that's roughly 99p for 1.5-2kg rehydrated), and incredibly nutritious.

Picture courtesy of Delia

I use tinned butterbeans a lot - they are amazing fried with chorizo and tomatoes, or mashed into a type of Hummus. They thicken sausage and tomato casseroles, and bulk up Chilli Non Carne. However, anyone who has read other recipe's I've done will know that I have a tendency to turn things which I'm not sure about into a) risotto, or b) soup. Unsurprisingly, rehydrated butterbeans are better in b) than a).

Butter bean Soup
(serves 4)

250g dehydrated Butter beans
1 large onion
20g butter
500ml hot stock (Ham stock is amazing in this, if you can get it. Alternatively, Chicken or Veggie will do)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary.
upto 200ml hot water.

Prepare the butter beans as on the packet (I soaked overnight, then boiled for 10 minutes).
In a large pan, slowly fry the onion in the butter until soft and translucent.
Tip in the butter beans, rosemary and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes until the beans begin to soften and break.
Blend, adding more water as required to desired consistency.
Serve.

This is a thick soup (think of the texture of Lentil), so smaller portions will be needed than most other vegetarian soups, especially if it's a starter. It is, however, deliciously creamy...

Surprisingly difficult to make soup look attractive in a photo

It's really easy, really cheap, and if you can't be bothered with the dried ones, you could easily substitute 2 tins of drained beans. If you fancy that bacon tang, but can't get hold of ham stock (I used Knorr stuff I had floating around), sprinkling with some crispy bacon bits, or crispy parma ham would be really tasty.

Recipe: Lazy Bruschetta

I have been off work for a few days this week with a stomach bug. It was grim. I won't go in to too much detail, but it was my first 'adult' experience of having any form of gastric horridness, and it happened to be whilst on a course. In Stirling. Not Edinburgh.

And so, I have been feeling sorry for myself, sorry for my stomach, and mostly sorry for my appetite. While I have consumed epic amounts of flat Coke and hot Ribena, the food element of my diet has been lacking this week - sad times (although on the plus side, I've lost the 3lbs I put on over Christmas. Pro's and Cons, eh?).

When I am tired, stressed, or under the weather, I think I want stodge. Macaroni cheese, pie, sausage and mash. What my stomach actually wants is 'clean' food with a decent nutritional value, what my brain and hands want is to do the minimum amount of cooking needed. This week, my body realised it was going to have to compromise - and so we arrived at Lazy Bruscetta.

The easiest, laziest bruschetta. 

Serves 2.

Small onion, very finely chopped (red ideally).

1 small garlic clove.

5 tomatoes (plum if you have them, but any will do, especially slightly over ripe. You could also use 10-15 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half).

10 olives (preferably a mix of green and black).

2 teaspoons of capers, drained.

Glug of decent quality olive oil.

4 pieces of bread (crusty is great, but any form of receptacle - including rice cakes - will do).

Salt and pepper.

Finely chop the onion and garlic - really finely - place in a microwavable dish with a lid, and add a glug of olive oil. Steam in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften and become transluscent.

While they're cooking, roughly chop the tomatoes. Add them in to the onions, along with roughly chopped olives and the capers, and stick in the microwave again for a minute to soften the tomatoes, and warm up the rest of the ingredients.

Serve straight away on crusty bread (if you have it) or toast (if you don't). Or, shove it in a pitta bread for a vague attempt at recreating the marvellous Greek salads from holidays. However you have it, sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Great for modifying - mix in an anchovy, drizzle with balsalmic reduction, add some fresh basil along with the tomatoes, sprinkle with leftover mozarella or parmesan, or place on top of parma ham. 

It'll also last a day in the fridge - perfect if you're tight for time, lazy, or feeling under the weather.

Recipe: Tinned Tomato Soup

I am a massive fan of tinned tomato soup. It is wonderful stuff with grated cheese on top, Worcestershire sauce dropped in, or straight from the tin on a camping trip. There's something really reminiscent of childhood lunches about it, probably due to the luminous colour and the fear that I'll drop it down my top and leave a lurid orange stain. Having spent half of my day staring out of my living room window at a very foggy and rainy park, and the storms brought on by Hurricane Katia, I need comfort. Preferably comfort that doesn't involve taking my slippers off or the use of an umbrella. Tinned tomato soup is the answer.

Tinned Tomato Soup
Serves 2

25g butter

1 garlic clove, sliced or diced

1 medium onion/small leek, chopped
1 tin of plum tomatoes (use posh ones if you can, but if you're feeling the need for frugality, smartprice ones can be topped up with an extra tablespoon of tomato puree)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
generous pinch of sugar
250ml low salt chicken or vegetable stock
50ml cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook gently until they begin to soften, and add the tomatoes. Stir through, and add in the stock and sugar.
Simmer through for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the leek or onion are translucent. Blend thoroughly, adding more hot stock if needed until smooth. At the desired consistency, add the cream, and return to the heat slowly until at serving temperature.

Recipe: Lentil Daal

August should not be wet and rainy. It should not involve 'localised flooding', broken umbrellas and soggy socks. I should not be thinking of using my hot water bottle in the office. This August has been rubbish, weather-wise. It's never Edinburgh's finest month, which is a real shame, as it's when the tourists flood to town to enjoy the city and it's atmosphere during the festival.

This is my fourth festival - my third as a local, and like every year I do feel like I should probably take a bit more in. Alas though, like every year, I can't quite bring myself to spend £14 on watching a comedian who may (or most likely may not) be funny. It was at my second festival - my first as a local - that I first 'discovered' lentil daal, whilst chomping down some Mosque Kitchen with a friend. I'm sure my parents will say that I grew up eating lentil daal, and they're probably right, but for some reason I don't think I ate it for the entire 3 years of my undergraduate degree and therefore the first time I actively ate it as an adult classes as the 'discovery' moment. It's not the classiest or most aesthetically pleasing of foods, but it is cheap, nutritious and highly comforting.

Lentil daal.
Serves 2 generously as a main, or 4-6 as part of a thali

200g yellow split peas
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons ghee
1 garlic clove, diced
500ml low salt stock (vegetable or chicken)
500ml hot water
teaspoon mustard seeds
teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 medium hot red chilli, deseeded and diced
100g - or one bag - spinach, roughly shredded
100ml single cream (optional, but mighty tasty)

Rinse the lentils to remove any flour or grit. If possible, soak overnight, rinsing occasionally.
In a large heavy bottomed pan (one with a lid), melt 1 tbsp of the ghee and very gently fry the onion, chilli and garlic until soft.
Stir in the lentils and stock, and cover. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the lentils sticking and burning. Continue until the liquid is absorbed. The lentils should begin to break down, becoming creamy and thick in consistency. If they still have a degree of hardness, continue to add water until they are cooked, and remove from the heat. They should remain a thick consistency - do not allow them to dry out or burn on the base, but be careful not to add so much water that they are soupy.
In a small frying pan, melt another tablespoon of ghee. Add the mustard and coriander seeds, and cook until they 'pop' - but be careful not to burn. Stir in the garam masala to toast slightly. Stir in the spices in to the daal, along with the spinach and cream - the spinach should wilt down and cook. Heat slightly - but do not boil - if necessary.
Ideal served with mini naan.

Recipe: Green Pea Soup

Soup is marvellous. Pea soup is particularly so, it's fresh and clean, a gorgeous colour, and totally delicious.
Making soup is really easy too - so much easier than people often thick. I tend to follow the same pattern with mine - chop up veg, fry in butter, add stock, boil, blend, add a bit more stock. The secret is, in my humble opinion, to add slightly less stock that you think you'll need. You can always add more during the blending if it's too thick, but taking it away if it's too thin is nigh on impossible. However, if you do fancy making pea soup and would like a recipe to follow...

Pea Soup
Serves 2

250g frozen garden peas
1 medium onion, diced
25g butter
500ml of chicken stock
50ml cream (optional)

Sautee the onion in melted butter, until translucent, in a medium sized pan.
Stir through the frozen peas, and cover in 250ml of stock. Simmer gently with the pan lid on for about 10 minutes, or until the peas are slightly over cooked.
Blend until smooth, adding more hot stock if needed until it's the desired texture. If you fancy adding a bit of cream in, now's the time to do it. About 50ml is perfect - just a little - not too much, or it'll swamp the delicate pea flavour.
Serve right away with heavily buttered brown bread.