How to make a meal out of a bloody mary

Reviews there are two types of people in the world: People who love bloody marys, and people who don't get them. People who arm their beach totes with airplane bottles of Uncle Smirnoff and a can of tomato juice to whip up a cocktail on a moment's notice, and people who don't get it. 

The poke bloody mary at The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas in Maui, Hawaii, gets it.

The much-beloved libation may have been born in New York — in 1934 by bartender Fernand Petiot at St.Regis' New York's King Cole Bar, or in the 1980s out of desperation for dealing with a toddler who refused to nap, if you ask my parents — but it melds pretty damn well with Hawaiian flavors. See more video game reviews

As any bloody mary enthusiast knows, the true beauty of the bloody is its versatility. Think of your bloody as a blank canvas waiting to be trampled on with regional variations-- Wisconsinites love a hunk of pimento cheese and pickles to garnish; Manhattanites prefer their dainty blue cheese stuffed-olives with pickled everything but pickles; South Carolinians swear by a yellow heirloom tomato juice base. However you make it, consider this sturdy brunch staple your friend. Forget spoons and slurping, what could be better than a boozy gazpacho you can drink straight from a glass?

To transform this traditionally savory and piquant, peppery drink into island-worthy vibes, The Westin turns to a Hawaiian favorite, poke, to upgrade the classic recipe.

"The inspiration for the cocktails dates back to the plantation days when locals melded favorites from many cultures into a single, diverse melting pot," says Cy Gabourie, director of restaurants and bars at the resort.

Rimmed with Sriracha Hawaiian sea salt, each signature poke bloody mary is served with a small cup of house-made poke suspended from the rim of the glass and served with chopsticks. But if you can't make a quick jaunt to the resort yourself, you don't have to be so fancy when you whip a batch up yourself. Enjoy it with a fork and a beer shooter — you gotta wash down your meal somehow — in the comfort of your own home. 

Whatever you do, don't call it "poké" (its oft mispronounced, much to local chef's dismay.) 

Poke Bloody Mary at The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas. Click here new free games for more information

For Cocktail:

• 2 oz vodka
• 4 oz tomato juice
• bloody mary mix
• sea salt, mixed with a dash of Sriracha
• 1 lime wedge

Trace rim of a tall cocktail glass with lime wedge, rim in Sriracha sea salt. Pack glass with ice, pour two ounces of your favorite vodka over ice. Season to taste with your favorite bloody Mary mix. Garnish with lime and chopsticks.

For the poke:

• 4 oz. yellowfin tuna (ahi), medium dice
• splash sesame oil
• .5 oz shoyu (or tamari or soy sauce)
• green onions, finely sliced, to taste
• pinch chili flakes, to taste

In a small mixing bowl, combine yellowfin tuna with sesame oil and shoyu (fancy man's soy sauce). Mix in chili flakes and green onion. Serve in two-ounce shot glass alongside the bloody mary.

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How to make the perfect Belgian waffles you wanted to know

Reviews, these are a delightfully crisp, rich and fluffy way to start the weekend, but should you rise with yeast or bicarbonate of soda? And which produces a crunchier result?

What did Brussels ever do for us? Well, waffles are a good start. Not that, strictly speaking, they’re Belgian at all. In fact, they’re a bit of a pan-European project, with their origins in the ancient Greek obleios, and a Dutch name with its roots in the old French for honeycomb, thanks to their distinctive dimpled surface.

Rich with butter and eggs, waffles are festive food, once sold in church doorways to catch the congregation on its merry way home, and now common fare at fairs, fetes and other places where it’s still acceptable to eat squirty cream in public. But try them hot and crisp from the griddle and you’ll never queue for a tepid flannel again; waffles may not be the kind of thing you knock up at 7am before work, but they’re a surprisingly, perhaps dangerously simple weekend treat.

Served up for breakfast topped with banana, at lunchtime with a fried egg, or for pudding with ice cream and chocolate sauce, there are very few occasions that aren’t improved by a waffle – they are awfully versatile.

Raising agent

Before the advent of chemical raising agents in the 19th century, waffles would always have been raised with yeast, as in Ruth Van Waerebeek’s family recipe, which “has kept us happy for as long as anyone can remember”; or Molly Katzen’s version in The Essential New York Times Cookook. Baking powder is more common in modern iterations, however, both on its own or in combination with bicarbonate of soda, presumably because it springs into action immediately, allowing for spur-of-the-moment indulgence.

There’s no doubt that both do the job on the rising front, but the yeast-raised waffles have a more interesting flavour, and a fluffier, almost crumpet-like texture – plus, as Van Waerebeek writes in her book, A Taste of Belgium, they are both “lighter and crustier … than the baking powder waffles one usually finds elsewhere”. Using yeast might sound like a hassle but, in fact, Van Waerebeek only leaves her batter to rise for an hour – although the longer you leave it, the better it will taste; Katzen’s overnight versions are good enough to eat on their own and can be knocked up in minutes before going to bed, even after a few drinks. And, believe me, there’s little to touch the smugness of waking up to a bowl of bubbling waffle batter in need of a home.

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Liquid

Buttermilk waffles – served at Daniel Doherty’s Duck and Waffle as part of the restaurant’s signature dish, and also rated by my perfectionist pals across the pond at America’s Test Kitchen – are the breakfast equivalent of chargrilled steak or goose-fat roast potatoes: a culinary gilded lily that is impossible to resist. America’s Test Kitchen reckon the buttermilk is “absolutely crucial” because, when teamed up with baking soda, it creates a much thicker batter, and a thick batter means that the “outside can become crisp while the inside remains custardy”. I’m not using bicarbonate of soda, but this is the texture I’m seeking, and I’m curious to see whether the buttermilk can improve Katzen’s pretty unimpeachable recipe. And, it does. They’re even crunchier, with a subtle, but definite tang that reminds me of crumpets. (For the avoidance of doubt, this is a very good thing.)

The acidity that makes buttermilk such an excellent catalyst for bicarb, however, is the very thing that makes it less than ideal when using yeast, which is prima-donna-ishly sensitive to the pH of its environment. As I find active dry yeast the easiest to work with on a day-to-day basis (fresh yeast being tricky to get hold of, and instant yeast coming in fiddly, pricy little packets), and given that it’s safest to activate this in warm liquid before use, I’m going to deploy a combination of milk and buttermilk instead. (If you’d like a richer, more indulgent result, I’d highly recommend Signe Johansen’s sour cream version in her book Scandilicious: “a hybrid of my mother’s and the winning recipe of the Norwegian national waffle competition in 2008” – soft and fluffy inside, they’re gorgeous with nothing more than a sprinkling of berries.)

The flour

All the recipes I try use plain flour, and America’s Test Kitchen adds a little cornmeal, too, for “extra crackle”. Though not strictly necessary, I would recommend it if you happen to have some to hand, because it makes an already crisp waffle positively crunchy.

They also caution against the usual practice of adding the wet ingredients to the dry in one go, explaining that this “necessitates overmixing and usually results in clumps of unmoistened flour”. The goal is not to eliminate all the lumps, but simply to combine all the ingredients: too much stirring will start to develop the gluten in the flour, and will make for tough results.

Fat

Most people add melted butter to their batter, although Van Waerebeek goes for a retro mixture of butter and margarine, which confirms my prejudice against that much-maligned fat.

Many recipes that use baking powder also separate the eggs, whipping up the whites to add extra air to the batter and give the waffles a fluffier texture – but I don’t find this makes much difference to the finished result, principally, perhaps, because the pressing action of the waffle iron must surely expel most of this air. (It’s also a bit of a faff, if I’m honest.)

Flavouring

Like pancakes, waffles can be flavoured with just about anything, but a little sugar helps to crisp them up (I like the flavour of the light brown sort, but any kind will do), and salt helps to bring out their flavour. Johansen and Van Waerebeek both add vanilla, which is pleasing if you’re planning to use them in a sweet context, but I’ve also added nutmeg, smoked paprika, and a combination of fennel seeds and lemon zest with happy results, so feel free to play about as suits your fancy.

Cooking

If you have an electric waffle maker, this will do the hard work for you. If, like me, you have a stove-top version, heed America’s Test Kitchen advice: “A good waffle must cook quickly.” Placing it on too low a heat will mean the centre will overcook before the outside has had time to crisp and brown, so make sure you thoroughly heat your waffle iron before beginning to cook, and turn it regularly.
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Perfect Belgian waffles

(Makes 10)

180ml milk

1 tbsp active dried yeast

1 tbsp soft light brown sugar, or more to taste

245g flour

1 tbsp cornmeal or polenta (or another tbsp of flour)

1/2 tsp salt

240ml buttermilk

6 tbsp melted butter

1 large egg, beaten

Oil, to grease

Warm the milk in a small pan (you can use the same one you melted the butter in). Stir in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar, then leave until the surface is covered with tiny bubbles. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl, and beat together the buttermilk, melted butter and egg in a jug.

When ready, whisk the yeasty milk into the jug, then slowly pour this into the dry ingredients, mixing gently with a spoon or spatula to incorporate as you go. Cover loosely and allow to sit at room temperature for between an hour and overnight.

Turn the oven to low to keep the waffles warm (unless you have a ready audience to eat them fresh from the grill). Lightly grease then heat your waffle iron. (Electronic ones will do the work for you from then on.) Pour in just enough batter to cover the base, spreading it out with a metal spatula, then turn down the heat slightly and close the lid. Cook for about 45 seconds until golden on the underside, then flip and repeat for about 4 minutes until golden and crisp on the other side.
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Fork stacker or food separatist: what your eating habits say about you

Reviews, eating in public can be exposing. It is one of the few intense physical pleasures that we can enjoy with just about anyone. But when you observe someone else attack a plate of food, subtle quirks, neuroses and vulnerabilities become apparent. This is why dining with a new boss, or watching a first date devour a plate of food can be both intimidating and levelling.

I, for example, am like a barmy puppy when served meat on the bone. I pick and gnaw at it long after everyone else has finished. I’m also a fork stacker. Each mouthful must have a bit of everything on it, and, as I go, I automatically prioritise that perfect final forkful.

The chef Giorgio Locatelli is a fork stacker, too. Or at least a soup-spoon stacker. “If you have minestrone with beans in it, and you try to eat the minestrone with one bean in each spoonful, that sums it up. I like the combination of things.” He also loves getting his fingers mucky. “During the meal, I’ll go for the touch. If it can be done by hand, I will eat with my hands,” a food trait that will go down well with the never-trust-a-person-who-tackles-pizza-with-a-knife-and-fork crowd.

In a shock admission, chef Yotam Ottolenghi says he is a pernickety food compartmentaliser. You know, one of those people who ask for items to be served on the side. “I, much like my three-year-old son, like the different food items on the plate to be kept separate,” he says. “Possibly even served in a sequence and not all together. I love tasting each item and then moving on to the next one.” It seems odd that a chef could be even mildly brumotactillophobic (the impressive technical term for fear of different foods touching each other). “A typical Christmas dinner sends shivers down my spine,” Ottolenghi says. “A bunch of meats and vegetables crammed together, rendered indistinct by a uniform coating of gravy. It’s wrong!”

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Brumotactillophobia is viewed by food psychologists as a hangover from childhood fussy eating. We were all picky once – even Guardian restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin, whose mother would accuse her of performing brain surgery on meat because of her painstaking food dissection. “I refused point blank to touch even the tiniest suggestion of fat. It makes me laugh now,” she says, “on days when I’m happily scoffing lardo, or the glorious melty fat on jamón ibérico.”

Locatelli falls into a second militant eating category: the delayed gratifiers. “I always keep the special bit until last,” he says, “which is contrary to my brother. We used to have big discussions about this when we were younger. He would say that you appreciate the first mouthful more because you are hungry, so you eat the best one when you start. My logic is: no, no, you keep the best for last. I try to have a little bit of everything in the last forkful, just so I remember that flavour and texture.”

The chef Marcus Wareing, on the other hand, eats the best bit first. He has tried to equally pace his consumption of all the foods on the plate, but he cannot do it. “I just think that’s too much time wasted while the food is hot.” So his Sunday roast disappears in this order: potatoes, sage-and-onion stuffing, crackling, pork, with the poor old carrots and cauliflower left to the lukewarm end.

This debate has been studied by actual psychologists from the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania. Among Americans, delayed gratification was the more popular approach, thus supporting the psychologists’ hypothesis that Americans prefer a rising sequence in life. Only 5% gobbled the best first, à la Wareing; 35% saved the best till last, and 36% were fork stackers (go, team!).

There are, of course, external forces that dictate how we clear our plates – a subject that Julia Hormes, food behaviour expert at the University of Albany in New York, knows all too well. “I was brought up in Germany, so I’m very aware of cultural differences.” (In case you hadn’t noticed, Americans do both their cutting and their forking with one hand, often eating with their other hand in their lap.) She also points out that the acceptability of slurping or eating loudly depends on national traditions. “Slurping in Japan is good,” she says. “China considers using a knife at the table to be improper, which is why you eat with chopsticks and the knife is relegated to the realm of the kitchen.” Table manners are arbitrary. “There are rules, but they don’t necessarily make a lot of sense, and they evolved to define the upper social class and exclude the lower classes, so they had to become increasingly elaborate to identify who had access to that upper segment of society.”

I should imagine, however, that there are soppers and dunkers the world over. There is a childish delight to be had in going for the dunk, be it digestives in tea, bread in dripping or biscotti in vin santo. Or, in the case of Olly Knights from the London band Turin Brakes, Mars bars in peanut butter. “And Twixes,” he adds. “Pretty much any chocolate rigid enough. It’s finding the chocolate equivalent of a spoon, and then you want the softest peanut butter you can get your hands on.” I’m not sure Ottolenghi would approve.

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And then there are those irritating people (OK, me) who think food tastes better when nicked from a loved one’s plate. The writer Howard Jacobson is also a coveter of his companion’s food. My fella and I now address this issue by swapping our restaurant meals halfway through.

Tempting as it is, you can’t read too much into people’s food traits.

The novelist Lionel Shriver brings a Marmite pot filled with chilli flakes to restaurants because she loves “skirting the line between pleasant and unpleasant”. But does this mean she likes all elements of her life to be challenging? Of course not. “I also like plain American biscuits with butter. You can’t call that challenging. There are lots of things in life that interest me but aren’t challenging.”

When it comes to food foibles, context is everything. Locatelli hates it when restaurants “show off, using some fucking stupid container, or serving food on a shovel. I adore normal plates.” Does his plate adoration mean he can’t love a paper-wrapped spleen sandwich, dripping with fat, at Palermo station? Negative.

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How do you make Doritos at home?

In "The Doritos Effect," author Mark Schatzker discusses the complex flavor profile that makes snack foods like Doritos and Coca-Cola irresistible. Click here animals for kids to relax 

 

Everybody knows what Coca-Cola should taste like, but it’s very difficult to isolate exactly what’s going on. Do we taste a little bit of vanilla? A hint of lime? Maybe some cinnamon?

It's the same with Doritos, which are at once cheesy, garlicky, peppery, and packed with umami. Your brain can’t completely process their taste—which means it's easy to consume large quantities without ever getting sick of that elusive nacho-cheesier flavor.

We decided to try to recreate this effect in our Test Kitchen.

And after a little trial and error, we came up with a version of the addictive tortilla chip snack that's pretty easy to make. Best of all, it only requires a few ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your fridge and spice rack: Parmesan cheese, chile powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. (Okay, and tomato powder, which you most likely don't have lying around, but it's optional and the chips will still come out great without it.)

Here's how to do it:

Finely grind 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. tomato powder (optional) in a spice mill. See mor fun facts about dogs

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7 foods and drinks that are bad for your blood pressure

Reviews, in the United States, nearly one out of every three adults has high blood pressure. For a much scarier number, we’d like to translate “one out of every three” to a cold, hard 70 million American adults with hypertension. Another 70 million or so adults have prehypertension; this means that, while they don’t have what’s diagnosed as actual high blood pressure, their blood pressure numbers are higher than normal. This ailment costs our country about $46 billion each and every year, and with all of this in mind we’ve decided to update our list of 10 Foods That Put Your Blood Pressure Through the Roof in order to help keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.

Dr. Kevin R. Campbell, MD, FACC, is an internationally recognized cardiologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders. As a cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Campbell’s practice is focused on the treatment and prevention of sudden cardiac death. He has the following to say about high blood pressure:

“It is important to be aware of foods that are more likely to affect our blood pressure in a negative way. Many social activities involve eating and drinking with friends and family, and so it is essential to understand which foods to avoid and which foods should be approached with moderation.

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“Many studies have concluded that hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects more than 31 percent of all Americans and accounts for nearly 38 million doctor visits annually. High blood pressure accounts for nearly 26,000 deaths in the U.S. annually and is a leading risk factor for stroke and heart disease.

“Diet can play a major role in the development of high blood pressure. Diets high in fat and calories can result in obesity, which is a common risk factor for the development of high blood pressure. By the same token, diet can also play a very important role in the treatment and control of blood pressure. In many cases, patients who focus on weight-loss and diet can actually begin to be able to stop chronic medications that have been prescribed for control of hypertension. (It is essential that patients never start or stop any prescription medication without a doctor’s supervision.) 

“Hypertension is a treatable risk factor for heart disease. By working closely with your doctor to modify your diet, you can prevent many of the negative health consequences of high blood pressure. Check out these top foods to avoid that may cause an increase in blood pressure.” 

1. Alcohol

Not only can alcohol be detrimental to your sex drive, but studies have shown that drinking more than one drink per day can actually increase your blood pressure by several points. Sure, each country defines a standard drink differently and drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can be healthy, but we’d say it’s a safe bet that three or more American serving sizes of booze (that’s three 12-ounce beers, five-ounce glasses of wine, or 1.5-ounce shots of liquor) classifies as a dangerous amount for your heart. Click here animals for kids to get more information

2. Bacon

“I would not eat bacon, because it is full of fat and cholesterol, and the nutritional value is very minimal," says Dr. Omid Javadi, cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. "I think bacon is probably one of the worst foods on the planet. When you look at its content, it is pure fat and cholesterol — and fat is just hanging from it.”

Just three slices of regular old bacon contain roughly 4.5 grams of fat and 270 milligrams of sodium. If you’re enjoying a BLT, you’ll probably be using more than just three slices of this salty fat bomb, making BLT less “Bacon Lettuce Tomato” and more “Big Lardy Tubes” (those are your arteries we’re joking about here, folks).

3. Canned Spaghetti Sauce

These processed, store-bought tomato sauces can contain a great deal of sodium (one popular brand has 480 milligrams per half-cup serving) and can directly affect the ability of the kidneys to remove excess water. Water retention contributes to elevations in blood pressure, placing your heart into overdrive. If you’re interested in making homemade spaghetti, we suggest closely monitoring the amount of salt and salty ingredients that you add in.

4. Cheese

This just in: America has an overabundance of cheese. Before you go stock up on a bunch of solidified cow juice (that was meant to deter you from doing so, by the way), consider the following facts about cheese and its heart-harming saltiness. Roquefort cheese, as delicious as it may be, contains 507 milligrams (21 percent of your recommended daily intake) of sodium per 28 gram serving. The amount in a package (or 85 grams) is an astounding 1,538 milligrams of sodium. Per 28-gram serving, queso seco contains 21 percent of your daily sodium intake. Romano comes in at 17 percent, parmesan at 16 percent, and blue cheese at 13 percent. The next time you’re deciding which cheese is best for a grilled cheese, keep those numbers in mind.

5. Chinese Food

Yes, America’s 30 Best Chinese Restaurants are phenomenal, and we enjoy eating their vast, varied, delicious offerings as much as anyone else. What makes the food taste so good, though? Sodium — Chinese food is laden with sodium. A common entrée such as beef and broccoli (even if it’s an Americanized “Chinese” food that you won’t actually find in China) can contain almost 3,000 milligrams of sodium (and you thought Roquefort cheese was bad). If you add soy sauce, add an additional 1,000 milligrams. This type of salt load can substantially raise blood pressure and cause you to retain excess fluid, so consider ordering your toppings on the side and your meats and vegetables steamed instead of fried and slathered in salty, sugary sauces. Just relaxing with fun facts about dogs

6. Coffee

Caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee can cause a significant spike in blood pressure, something that’s bad for your heart and can also cause your libido to disappear. Caffeine may cause the adrenal glands to release excess cortisol and adrenaline —substances that typically cause a further rise in blood pressure.

7. Cured Hams

While ham steak may be your dad’s favorite meal (and perfect for summertime dining when paired with cantaloupe in a salad), you should probably let him know that it’s not doing anything good for his blood pressure. A 28-gram serving of boneless cured ham has 172 milligrams of sodium and 15 grams of fat (five of which come from saturated fats). That serving is a measly ounce, meaning a moderately portioned four-ounce slice of ham has about 688 grams of sodium. Thus, we suggest limiting your intake, saving tasty ham recipes for holidays like Easter. See more at video game reviews

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Five Nigel Slater recipes for early summer

Reviews this summer brings with it a change of step in the kitchen. Suddenly our cooking is heady with the scent of mint and basil, of ripe melons and warm, sweet cherries. The mood is lighter and there is a vibrancy and freshness to the food on our plates. Green is the predominant colour. Herbs come into the kitchen in generous bunches, and many meals are eaten outdoors. This month’s recipes are the very essence of the early summer kitchen.

Roast chicken, mango and ginger salad

A refreshing salad made all the better with the inclusion of the chicken’s roasting juices. A little sugar will balance any dressing in which there is lime juice and fish sauce. If you are using caster rather than the palm sugar I suggest then you will need much less. Start with a teaspoon then taste and adjust as you go.

Serves 2-3

chicken breasts 2

olive oil

salt and black pepper

ginger a thumb-sized piece

cucumber 1

limes juice of 2, about 100ml

mangoes 3 medium-sized, ripe

fish sauce 40ml

palm sugar 2-3 level tbsp

parsley 15g

Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Put the chicken in a roasting tin, brush with a little olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 30-35 minutes till the skin is crisp and golden and the juices are clear when the flesh is pierced with a skewer. Set aside, reserving the roasting juices.

Peel the ginger. Peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthways then scrape out the seeds and pulp from the centre with a teaspoon. Cut the flesh into pencil thin slices and put them in a mixing bowl. Remove the chicken from the oven when it is ready, leave to rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice each breast into three thick pieces and add to the cucumber.

Cut the limes in half and squeeze them into a bowl (you need about 100ml of juice). Peel the mangoes and thickly slice the flesh, keeping the cut pieces brushed or dipped in a little of the lime juice to stop them browning. Finely grate the ginger into the lime juice, then stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pull the parsley leaves from their stems and add to the dressing, together with the reserved roasting juices. Toss the mango and chicken with the dressing. Pile onto a large dish or into a bowl and serve while the chicken is still warm.

Roast lamb with za’atar and broad bean freekeh

There is a moment, when you stir the hot juices from the roast into the dill- and bean-flecked grain, that make this one of my favourite ways to eat lamb. Its success will depend mostly on whether the meat is cooked to your liking and my timing is for a rare-ish finish. Tweak the timings to suit your own taste. If you have any left over, the meat can be torn into short pieces and folded through the freekeh for lunch. Click here to see more emperor penguin facts for kids

Serves 4

garlic 3 cloves

salt

olive oil 2 tbsp

za’atar 3 tbsp

lemon juice of 3

small leg of lamb 1.5kg

For the freekeh

freekeh 75g

broad beans 400g

olive oil 4 tbsp

radishes 100g, sliced into rounds

dill a handful

Peel the garlic and crush the cloves in a blender or a mortar with a little salt and the olive oil and za’atar, then blend in the lemon juice. Place the lamb in a roasting tin then pierce it all over with a stainless steel skewer. Spoon half of marinade over the lamb then set aside for an hour or two. Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Roast the lamb in the oven for about 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes depending on how rare you like your meat. Baste three or four times during cooking. Half way through the cooking time pour over the remaining marinade.

Boil the freekeh in lightly salted water for 20 minutes then drain. Boil the broad beans in salted water for 8-10 minutes depending on their size, then drain them and briefly refresh under cold running water. Pop the beans from their papery skins with your thumb and forefinger. Fold the beans and olive oil through the freekeh. Thinly slice the radishes, chop the dill then fold into the salad.

Remove the lamb from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving and serving with the broad bean salad.

Roast courgette, herb labneh

Courgettes, baked in olive oil and herbs, crop up throughout the summer in this kitchen. We eat them straight from the oven with garlic-rubbed toast or cool (not chilled) with mozzarella and tufts of vivid green watercress. This week I ate them with yogurt that I had strained over muslin till it was as thick as cream cheese, then trickled it with herb oil and toasted sesame.

Serves 4

yogurt 500g

courgette 1 large

garlic 2 cloves

lemon thyme leaves 2 tsp

olive oil 4 tbsp

golden sesame seeds 1 tsp

black sesame seeds 1 tsp

parsley, chives, tarragon 3tbsp, mixed and chopped

Line a sieve or colander with muslin or a new J cloth and place it over a deep mixing bowl. Scrape the yogurt into the sieve and leave for a good 3 or 4 hours, in a very cool place, to drain.

Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Wipe the courgette and cut into diagonal slices approximately ½cm thick. Line a grill pan or baking sheet with foil, place the courgette slices in a single layer, their edges not quite touching.

Peel and slice the garlic, or crush it if you prefer, then mix it with the lemon thyme leaves and olive oil. Brush the courgette with the herb oil then bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until they are golden. Remove the courgette slices from the pan to a large serving plate, reserving their cooking juices.

Toast all the sesame seeds in a dry, non-stick pan and set aside. Stir the finely chopped parsley leaves, chives and tarragon into the courgette cooking juices together with the toasted sesame seeds.

Spoon the strained labneh on the plate with the courgettes then spoon over the herb and sesame oil.

Pistachio and lemon thyme biscuits

Baked, initially, to offer with a platter of blood-red cherries, I find these crisp yet chewy biscuits are even more suited to contrast the softness of a fool or to crumble over the surface of a summer ice. Let the biscuits settle for 10 minutes before lifting them from their baking sheet, then eat a few of them warm, before they have time to crisp.

Makes 8-10

shelled pistachios 45g

ground almonds 30g

butter 125g

icing sugar 50g

lemon thyme leaves 1 tbsp

plain flour 75g

To finish

dried rose petals 2 tsp

roughly chopped pistachios 2 tbsp

Grind the pistachios coarsely – they should not be quite as fine as ready-ground almonds – then mix them with the almonds. Put the butter in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a flat paddle attachment, add the icing sugar and beat to a soft cream. Chop the lemon thyme leaves and add to the creamed butter and sugar. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Mix the ground nuts and the plain flour with the creamed butter, sugar and thyme and roll into a soft dough. Chill in the fridge for a good 30 minutes. Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Lightly flour a work surface, divide the mixture into 8 to 10 equal lumps then roll each into a ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet and flatten them slightly with a fork. (They will spread as they bake.) Click here to dowload and play new free games

Bake for 8-12 minutes until the biscuits are pale gold in colour, remove from the oven and scatter with the rose petals and the roughly chopped pistachios. Leave the biscuits in place for a few minutes until cool enough to move carefully to a cooling rack with the aid of a palette knife.

Chilled rice, apricot compote and sesame

The compote gets silkier as it cools. Chilled overnight, it can be spooned over breakfast yogurt or porridge. At first sight, the rice will appear a little on the thin side, but will thicken once thoroughly chilled. If too thick to start with, the rice tends to set in the fridge. You can adjust the texture with a splash of cream or a few spoonfuls of yogurt. I have been known to eat chilled creamy rice and apricot compote by the bowlful for breakfast.

Serves 6

For the rice

pudding or Arborio rice 150g

water 500ml

full cream milk 500ml

caster sugar 4 tbsp

sesame seeds 3 tbsp

For the compote

apricots 350g

cherries 200g

caster sugar 75g

water 100ml

Put the rice in a saucepan with the water and milk and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and leave the rice simmering gently for about 20 minutes till tender. I don’t think “al dente” is appropriate here. Stir in the sugar then set aside. When the rice is cool, leave it in the fridge for a good couple of hours to chill and thicken.

Slice the apricots in half and discard the stones, then halve and stone the cherries. Put the fruit in a saucepan with the sugar and water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes till the fruit is soft. Scoop the fruit out with a draining spoon and transfer to a bowl, then turn up the heat and boil the syrup for five minutes or so, until it has reduced by half. Pour the syrup over the fruit, cool and refrigerate.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry, non-stick pan till golden then tip half into a mortar and grind to a coarse powder.

Serve the chilled rice with the apricot and cherry compote, and a scattering of sesame powder and whole toasted seeds. See more at video game reviews

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How to make Thai squid salad

The squid becomes noodles in this dish and provides a very good base for this take on a classic pad Thai. You can make this salad vegetarian with mooli strips instead of squid, then ditch the fish sauce and add extra tamarind in the dressing.

(Serves 4)For the dressing1 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp palm sugar
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped

For the salad600g squid tubes
3 tbsp sunflower oil
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Pinch of sugar
2 carrots, cut into fine batons
½ cucumber, cut into batons
100g beansprouts
Bunch of spring onions, chopped
Bunch of fresh chives, cut into 3cm lengths
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
70g roasted peanuts, chopped
2 limes, quartered, to serve

1. Mix the dressing ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Open up the squid tubes and cut them into fine strips or “noodles”. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok and stir-fry the squid in batches, stirring quickly so that it isjust cooked. Season with cayenne pepper.
3. Add the squid to the dressing and leave to cool.
4. Beat the eggs with the vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Pour the mixture into a pan, swirl around and cook until it’s just set. Remove and slice into strips.
5. In a large bowl, mix all the remaining vegetables and herbs. Fold in the squid and dressing, top with the peanuts and serve with lime quarters.

For more information you can click here plant facts

thailand food

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Kitchen Call: Ice cream a homemade treat

If summer has truly begun, ice cream is on everybody’s mind. In my little town this past weekend all three major ice cream outlets — the kind that scoop — were lines of giggling kids led by parents and grandparents, hand-in-hand young couples and teens doing their best to look cool, in spite of on-again-off-again weather. It seems that going out for ice cream, from a cone to a full-on banana split, is the ultimate summer celebration. Whether it’s a holiday weekend or a sultry weekday sunset, ice cream is the answer.

Sometimes ice cream is a great family activity — at home. As in making your own. I’m not talking about the old-fashioned cranking ice cream maker, or even the new ones that claim to take so little effort. Maybe I’m not good at following directions, but in my experience with those, the ice cream never turns out right. My home version relies on two appliances available in nearly every kitchen. A blender or food processor. And a refrigerator. Fresh fruit and a little milk or cream. That’s it. No salt. No long list of instructions.

The process is almost like making a smoothie. Freeze and forget it until ready. Once you’ve mastered the easy part, you can start adding flavorings or mix-ins. And let your imagination be your guide on that point.

If berries are not looking good this week, or not to your liking, try making your own “ice” at home, like the kind you find at carnivals or street fairs. Make it with citrus as that’s what tastes best, rather than glow-in-the-dark chemical flavorings. All it involves it making a “simple syrup” from sugar and water, bringing that syrup to room temperature and stirring in citrus juice. The recipe below for orange ice will cool a whole family plus a few friends. Interesting facts

BANANA ICE CREAM

Makes about 4 servings

This ice cream, made in the blender and then frozen, delights everyone from fussy kids to vegetarians and vegans and can even accommodate the lactose intolerant.

4 frozen bananas

2 to 3 tablespoons milk or half-and-half (use substitute for lactose-intolerant)

1. Place bananas in a blender or food processor and whirl. Add the milk or half-and-half or dairy substitute and whirl until as smooth as you want. Add optional swirl-ins (a tablespoon Nutella, or peanut butter or honey) or optional spices (cinnamon, vanilla extract, rum flavoring, ginger, nutmeg) here.

2. Transfer to a glass or ceramic dish and cover tightly. Optionally, remove from freezer after 2 hours to add stir-ins: nuts, chocolate or butterscotch chips, M&Ms, or whatever your flavor preferences dream up. Freeze 2 hours longer to overnight before eating

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Starbucks is launching a gourmet drink

Fact of the day: Starbucks is launching a gourmet drink you've never heard of — here's what you need to know 

Starbucks is ready to win over coffee snobs with two new cold beverages this summer.

The chain will begin to roll out its Nitro Cold Brew, a beverage that infuses Starbucks cold brew with nitrogen to create a cold, creamy coffee with a texture similar to a dark beer, like Guinness.

"What makes nitrogen so different than CO2 is that the bubbles are so small," Starbucks' coffee education specialist Mackenzie Karr told Business Insider. "It's kind of this foamy, creamy flavor without adding anything to it — it's super textural."

"We wanted it to be an experiential beverage," says Karr. "We wanted to highlight that our baristas are hand crafting this beverage in our stores every day."

Nitro Cold Brew will be available at more than 500 Starbucks locations in major cities including Seattle, Portland, New York, Chicago, and Boston this summer.

The launch of Nitro Cold Brew, and the Cold Bar more broadly, represent a continuation of Starbucks' campaign to double down on coffee-snob approved offerings all year round. Beverages such as the Flat White and the Latte Macchiato similarly draw from what Starbucks calls "coffee-forward" beverages with roots in craft coffee shop culture.

The launch of cold brew in 2015 signaled that Starbucks would be expanding its appeal to coffee snobs to cold beverages.

Starbucks is perfecting the balancing act of marketing itself as an authentic, high-quality coffee chain, while simultaneously selling endless super-sweet treats, like the Frappuccino.

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Beat summer heat with sensational salads

Fun facts, the first day of summer may still be a few weeks away, but it sure feels like the heat is already here to stay. I don’t know about you, but when it gets this hot outside, the last thing I want to do is stand over a hot stove to cook a meal. Instead, I confess that I sometimes find myself tempted to avoid the kitchen in favor of the nearest air-conditioned restaurant. Sound familiar?

But even though it’s tempting to stop preparing meals at home when the summer heat gets the best of you, giving in to that temptation can blow your food budget in a hurry. If you’re looking for some economical dinner ideas that don’t involve standing over a hot stove, cool and easy summer salads may be just what you’re looking for.

These summer salad ideas are just the thing to help you beat the heat but not your budget. Each of these recipes takes minimal time and effort to prepare, so you’ll be out of the kitchen in no time, and each one costs about $2 or less per serving. In addition, while each one makes a perfect accompaniment to the grilled meat of your choice, they are also substantial enough to stand alone as your main dish. So don’t let the heat get you down — cool off with an easy summer salad tonight.

Southwest Chicken Salad

4 cups cubed rotisserie chicken

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers

1 cup chopped red or sweet onion

1 cup minced fresh cilantro

Dressing:

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Salads:

Torn mixed salad greens and sliced almonds

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients; pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Top salad greens with chicken salad; sprinkle with almonds. Note: This salad works great as a wrap or served in a pita as well. Serves 6 at about $2 per serving

7-Layer Taco Salad

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup water

1 envelope taco seasoning

2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 cups shredded lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup salsa

2 cups sour cream

Tortilla chips

In a small skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, mash avocados with onion, garlic and lemon juice. In a 3-quart glass bowl, layer as follows: beef, avocado mixture, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa and sour cream. Serve immediately with chips. Serves 12 at about $1.25 per serving.

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