the cooks larder

I love lemon [in case you haven't noticed]… and lemon and chicken are best of friends especially in winter…. This is a simple way of jazzing up your normal roast chicken and really infuse it inside out with flavour. You could also add a grated garlic clove or chopped parsley to the mix but there is something about the clean freshness of the lemon and a touch of salt that is a winner for me…. but use this process for making a multitude of compound butters with endless flavour combinations: chilli & coriander; sage and garlic; parsley, thyme and chive, redwine and chive and so on…..use them with chicken or when pan frying fish or top a steak with a thin slice for added richness. » Read the rest of this entry «

Simple Lemon Loaf

This is a simple, rustic recipe based on Ina Garten’s Lemon Loaf. She glazes it with a sugary lemon syrup and then ices it. I’m leaving it plain because a little restraint with the sugar is probably a good thing given it is for the lunch box.  Don’t be alarmed about the amount of lemons you need for this recipe – it seems a lot but it tastes just right – lucky you if you have your own tree!  Make it on Sunday afternoon with the kids – it’s so easy they can do most of the measuring, egg cracking (always a favourite) and beating all by themselves. Warning: the batter is sooooo delicious you will need to keep an eye on them for excessive taste testing! » Read the rest of this entry «

At The Cooks Larder yesterday we left pancakes on the menu all day…and in the afternoon I made a big batch of crispy caramelised pancakes to share with my family after school… The reason for all of this pancake indulgence was of course Shrove Tuesday. When I was growing up  I would run home very fast from school on this day knowing that mum would be finishing up a big batch – just the way I like them – thin, crispy edged and loaded with sugar and lemon juice.

When it comes to pancake recipes, Margret Fulton has always been the recipe source in our family. My battered copy of Margeret Fulton’s Encylopedia Of Food and Cookery (bought for me by mum on my 18th birthday) was recently replaced and when I opened up the pancake page looked strange without the splattered sticky pages documenting Shrove Tuesdays gone by. Nevermind, there are plenty more to come. I took it one step further this time and caramelised them by cooking off the whole batch then cooked them again with  a little butter and sugar in the pan before squeezing over lemon juice. It was a rich once-a-year indulgence that the kids loved, I loved, but my husband muttered (very quietly so as not to lose his share) that pancakes should be thick, fluffy and drowned in maple syrup!

Mum & I didn’t quite know the origins of Shrove Tuesday  until I did a little research today. Basically Shrove Tuesday is the  last day before the beginning of lent. But in my house I make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday simply because my mum made pancakes on this day, because her mum made pancakes on this day – and that’s a good enough reason for me! However you like them and for whatever reason, be it religion or family tradition, nothing beats a good pancake! Happy Shrove Tuesday….This is my favourite recipe, a slightly adjusted Margaret Fulton crepe recipe – a cross between her crepe and pancake recipe…and I use two pans to speed the process up!

» Read the rest of this entry «

In my kitchen lemons hold a very special position, right alongside the salt and pepper. Next time you make a dish and have the sense that something is missing (something that salt or pepper won’t fix) try a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It seems to enhance the flavours and enliven the dish…everything from curries, salads, roasted or baked foods. If your dish has a distinctive Asian bent then try limes….