Happy 2016! My resolution for the first week of this year is to share this post, so I’m going to start the year on a high note.

Blogging is fun, but it can also be tough sometimes.

I could have started one of those stream-of-consciousness sites where people write about whatever it is they’ve done over the weekend, with photos of a soap dispenser in a restaurant bathroom, or deep insights into their favorite Instagram memes.

But I didn’t, so here I am.

The reason I’m even getting blog-osophical is that I ended 2015 with blogger’s block. Cooking is still happening, and some of it has been fun and very successful (some less so) but it just doesn’t make it online. No photos (ok maybe a few), no testing, no tweaking.

Instead I’m going to round up some of my favorite recent recipes from the big sites like BBC Good Food (seriously the best) and fellow bloggers.

Here’s what I’ve been making lately:

Cod with Lemon and Tarragon (Nigel Slater)

I found this recipe in Eat, a Nigel Slater cookbook, but lots of his recipes are published in the Observer/Guardian. It’s really easy but looks and tastes much more complex. I got the best cod I could. It makes a difference.

Char Siu (Burp Appetit)

When it was time to release the pork belly from its freezer hibernation, I tried this. I had no idea char siu could be so easy at home! Next time, there will also be buns.

Vegan White Bean Chili (Bon Appetit)

Warm and full of winter veggies. I add a lot less water so it’s less like soup, and use canned beans instead of dried, because I am not organized enough to soak beans a day in advance.

Blueberry Crumble Traybake (Holy Crabness)

This one first came into play for a summer barbecue, back when blueberries were in season. Though mine weren’t nearly as pretty as Emma’s, they were gobbled up without any hesitation.

Apple Cider Doughnuts (NY Times)

There is no craving like a homeland craving, and I decided I wanted cider doughnuts. Keep in mind cider doesn’t even mean the same thing here as it does in the Northeast US, and I’d never made doughnuts before…

But doughnuts I got. Delicious, cidery, imperfect doughnuts. (Props to Brambletye Farms, who make an unfiltered apple juice that worked so well in this.)

I don’t take photos of everything I cook, especially if I think it isn’t going to be something worth sharing.

Sometimes, though, at the end of the meal I’ll be disappointed that I didn’t bother getting the camera out. This week, I had a pretty good run of camera time, so here are pics of a few things I made over the past week.

Some of these will hopefully be making it into the blog in upcoming weeks!

Eggs Florentine with Dairy-Free Hollandaise

Sirloin (Delmonico) Steak topped with Chimichurri Sauce, plus a Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Crispy Hash Browns with Truffles

Deep Dish Truffle and Goat Cheese Pizza

pizza base from the serious eats food lab

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

from serious eats

Slightly-Spicy Tomato Sauce with Shrimp and Mushrooms

Sour Cream and Chive Biscuits

from spoon fork bacon

It was a busy week in the kitchen!

“Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?”

This recipe sang to me as I browsed through my library of links.

The gentleman and I made it into the kitchen with a lovely set of Manila clams, direct from Poole, via our favorite fishmonger.

These clams needed something special – a clay statue in their honor, if you will.

And so when this recipe sang to me, I knew it had to be.

We served our clams with some jasmine rice, but they can definitely be eaten quite happily on their own. You can also make your own Thai green curry paste, but in this case, store bought was the way to go. (If you’re gluten-free, it’s worth making your own with gluten-free fish sauce.)

Adapted from spoon fork bacon

Serves 2 without rice, 4 with rice

On the Counter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons green curry paste
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
10 grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup (160 mL) clam juice or fish stock
1 cup (250 mL) coconut milk
1 lb. (500 g) manila clams, scrubbed clean
salt and pepper to taste
garnish:
lime zest
red chili pepper, thinly sliced, seeds removed
lime wedges (1 per person)

What to Do

Heat oil a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add curry paste, shallot, garlic and ginger and sauté for about 2 minutes.

Then add the tomatoes, lime juice and sugar. Sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Stir in clam juice/stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, add clams and cover with a lid. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the clams have opened widely.

Serve alone or on top of rice. Top with lime zest and sliced pepper, with lime wedges on the side. 

January is definitely the month of tight budgets, both money-wise and diet-wise, and I can’t say that I’m the exception. While it’s nice to imagine that while traveling between New York, London and Edinburgh over the holidays, I ate well, didn’t spend much money and therefore don’t need a quiet January, that’s just not true. (Then again, my January hasn’t been as healthy and frugal as I’d have liked either.)

This meal, however, is something no one has to feel guilty about. I first grabbed this recipe from The Kitchn, and went back to it for a great January meal. (By the way … how is it nearly February? When did that happen?)

For what it is, this panade is way tastier than I expected. It has deep, rich flavors and is super-hearty. One portion is a lot more filling than it looks!

I had some whole wheat bread loaf butts hanging around in my freezer waiting for such an occasion, and it worked perfectly. Worth noting: I tried freezing and reheating, and while it needed a little bit of water before going in the microwave, it worked out really, really well. Also, if you want to make this vegan, you can leave out the cheese without losing too much. Just be willing to adjust your herbs and spices to compensate.

Hopefully your 2013 resolutions have gone well so far! And if it involves using up bread butts, now’s your chance.

Adapted from: The Kitchn

Serves: 4 (at least!)

On the Counter

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz.(400g) cans of tomatoes, whole or diced, undrained
1 cup (240 mL) hot vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
1 bay leaf
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 thick slices old whole wheat bread
1 16 oz. (400 g) can of white beans, such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed
2 cups (50 g) fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup  (40 g) grated cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnishing
salt and pepper

What to Do

In a thick-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent and soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for another minute.

Add in canned tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, crush them with a wooden spoon. Follow it up with the broth, one tablespoon of sugar, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon is a good place to start).

Stir and increase the heat until it boils, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Add in bread and beans, and stir. Make sure the bread is well covered.

Simmer for at least 5 minutes, or until the bread has become soft and mushy. Break it up with a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat. Add in spinach, and let it sit until just wilted, about 1 minute.  

Stir in the cheddar. Add more salt and black pepper to taste. If it tastes bitter, add
the remaining sugar and stir.

Serve in bowls, topped with a bit of freshly grated cheddar.

I love this dish!  It’s so easy and filling, and it really feels hearty and comforting. Plus, there’s pretty much no guilt in this dish. With only two slices of bread in the whole thing, it’s definitely not a calorie deal-breaker.

A few months ago, I went to a social media week event here in London about food. It was a great event, I met some interesting people, had thought-provoking conversations and ate free burritos.

The best presenters, in my mind, were the funny, interesting and passionate people behind Great British Chefs, an all-encompassing food site, to say the least.

I started following them via my newly-created blog twitter and a while later, along came this mushroom risotto recipe.

It is good. Very good. It’s thick with mushroom flavor, hearty and autumnal. I’m definitely into the autumn foods right now.

If you like mushrooms, this is the risotto for you. You can tone down some of the intense mushroom flavor by using milder mushrooms, or just picking one variety. You could also mix up the proportions of mushrooms. I, however, am on a fresh shiitake kick, so they were very welcome to the party. And on sale.

And try not to be intimidated by the stirring required for risotto. Put a good TV show on your laptop or tablet and get stirring. (I watched Castle this time.)

Adapted from Great British Chefs

Serves: 4

On The Counter:

5 tbsp (75g) butter
10 oz (300g) of assorted fresh mushrooms, cut in similar-sized pieces (shiitake, oyster, chestnut, for example)
1 small shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
10 oz (300g) of Arborio risotto rice
1/2 cup (120ml) of white wine
3 cups (700ml) of vegetable stock, plus more if needed
2 tbsp (40g) of grated Parmesan
olive oil
salt
black pepper

What to Do:

Melt half the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, season lightly with salt. Sautee until light brown and soft. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft, but not brown. (About 30 seconds to 1 minute.)

Stir in the rice and turn up the heat to medium-high. Keep stirring and cook until transparent, about a minute. Pour in the wine and continue stirring.

Add the stock, one ladle-full at a time. Stir constantly, nearly all the wine is absorbed and the rice is creamy and cooked through. This takes about 15 minutes. If the rice is undercooked, add water and continue.

Season with a little more salt and fresh pepper. Add the remaining butter and the Parmesan cheese, and stir until well combined. Serve.

For me, this cake was a lot more than just a cake. It was a bit like a test. And an attack of nerves. And an attempt to prove that I can cook, even though no one asked me to prove it. This was especially trying because I don’t really bake much, and this cake most certainly requires baking.

The gentleman and I took a trip up to his hometown, Edinburgh, to meet a new member of his family. There was a family lunch to celebrate her, even though she’s too young to eat anything we had at the table. As a surprise, and a gesture of good guestliness (or something), I decided to bring a dessert. Two of the guests were lactose intolerant, so this needed to be a pretty specific dessert. Enter: Angel-food-inspired cake.

Having never made this cake, or any angel food cake before, I decided to test this magical dairy-free cake out on myself and some willing coworkers. Thankfully, it was a big hit, and I didn’t have to spend the Friday night before our trip frantically and nervously trying to plan something new. Instead, I spent it frantically and nervously baking the cake I’d first done two days before.

And then it went to Edinburgh, packed carefully into my carry-on bag, still in its springform pan, through security, onto the plane and then around town for a bit. And it stayed in one piece, no problem. Worth noting, then, that this cake is pretty hearty in travel situations.

Finally, the cake hit the table, and it was a big hit! Dairy eaters and non really enjoyed it, and I proved not only to myself, but to others that I could … bake. (I’ll save the actual cooking for next time.)

And finally, to the recipe.

Adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen

Serves: 10, depending how big your slices are.

On The Counter

10 oz (280 g)almonds, chopped roughly or pre-sliced
1 1/4 cups (125 g) granulated sugar
8 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) cream of tartar
zest of 2 lemons
6 tbsp (90 g) flour
dairy free spread or oil for greasing the pan

What To Do

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously grease an 8 inch (20 cm) springform pan and set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the almonds and sugar until almonds are finely chopped. The almonds can be larger pieces; don’t over-process. You don’t want nut butter! Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

Add salt and cream of tartar  to egg whites and beat until they form stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the lemon almond sugar onto to egg whites, a bit at a time. Fold it in gently. You want to keep as much volume as possible in the whites.

Once the almond mix is almost completely combined, sift the flour on top, and fold it in gently. Stop when all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Pour the batter into the springform pan, and spread it evenly.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. To test the cake’s doneness, stick a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, your cake is finished. If it does not, bake in 5 minute increments until it does.

Cool your cake for at least 20 minutes before unlocking the pan and removing it. It will store fine in the pan, if you’d like to transport it somewhere.

In all the serving, eating and chatting, I completely forgot to take a photo of the cake on a plate! Instead, I’ll end with a photo of the cake before it hit the oven.

I was standing in the supermarket last week, thinking about what to make for dinner. Sometimes I plan meals for weeks in advance, and other times I show up in the produce section and hope for the best. With nothing calling to me, I went to my trusty delicious account (because yes, I still use delicious), where I have a stockpile of recipes waiting for me. I found one I’d saved more than a year ago from one of my favorite bloggers, Cooking in Sens, and knew it was meant to be.

Her recipe for Chorizo, Shrimp and Linguine had been waiting all this time for me to try, and I have to say that I’m upset I waited this long to do it. I did admittedly make one alteration out of convenience. Rather than use chorizo, I replaced it with a lovely French sausage that I’d picked up at one of the many London food markets. I’m not sure the name of my particular saucisson sec (dry-cured sausage) but I know exactly what to look for at any French sausage stall.

While I realize this is a pretty major adjustment, it certainly didn’t make this dish any less amazing. And by amazing I mean that just writing about it, I want to eat more. And more. Next time I find a Spanish market stall (or my Spanish flatmate brings some chorizo from home), I’m guaranteed to make this  again.

Considering how easy this dish is (and how boring so many easy pasta dishes can be), it’s a real testament that this works as well as it does. Seriously. Try this meal.

Serves: 2

On the Counter:

1/4 lb (113 g) or about 10 slices, quartered of French dry-cured sausage 
1.5 tbsp (26 ml) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper (chili) flakes (to your taste)
1/2 lb (250 g) raw shrimp
1/2 lb (250 g) whole wheat linguini
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped chives
(optional) freshly grated parmesan cheese

What to Do: 

In salted water, cook linguine until al dente. 

Meanwhile, saute the sausage for about 3-4 minutes and add garlic. Sautee for another 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, a few grinds of salt and pepper, the pepper flakes and bring it to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer for about 8 minutes, or until tomatoes are breaking down. Add shrimp and cook for 4-5 minutes, until shrimp are just fully pink. 

Add linguine to the pan, toss to coat and put on a plate. Sprinkle with chopped chives, parsley and grated cheese. 

This makes your kitchen smell divine and makes for a really lovely next-day meal, too… if it lasts that long.