var article_index = {"home":[{"id":134,"category_id":3,"name":"I\u2019d like to enjoy being adult more","left_column":"<strong>The perfect beef casserole<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Cut 1.75 rump or chuck steak into 2cm cubes. Place \u00bd cup plain flour in a clean plastic bag. Shake a few pieces of meat in the bag until lightly dusted. Repeat with remaining meat. Heat 2tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over meaium heat. Cook the steak in batches, adding a little extra oil if needed, until browned. Be careful not to overcrowd the frying pan, as the meat will steam rather than sear. Transfer to a large casserole dish. Heat an extra 1tbsp oil in the frying pan, add 4 rashers roughly chopped bacon and cook for 2 minutes. Add 8 peeled and quartered small brown onions, 2 cloves crushed garlic and 3 peeled and chopped carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is tender. Transfer to the casserole, add 2 cups beef stock, 2 cups red wine, 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp grated orange zest, 4 sprigs thyme and 2 bay leaves, and bring to the boil over medium heat. Cover, transfer to a preheated 160C oven and cook for 3 hours. Stir the meat occasionally as it cooks. Remove from the oven and check the sauce. Add a little extra water if it appears dry; if the sauce is a little watery, transfer liquid from the casserole to a small saucepan and reduce over a moderate heat until thickened. Stir in 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley and season to taste before serving. Serves 6.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDavid Herbert, <i>Lantern Cookery Classics<\/i>","description":"When you are young, maturity doesn\u2019t seem all that appealing. It\u2019s not what you aspire to when life is first unfolding. In your twenties, beef casserole and apple crumble are likely to seem old hat. But as you move up the ladder of life, and the pace changes, maturity becomes something to be aspired to. And this newfound outlook - more patient, less assertive - finds expression in what you choose to cook. Beef casserole is what one might call a mature dish, something that you cook when you\u2019re at ease with adulthood. Perhaps it\u2019s the cooking ahead, the willingness to play around with the recipe, the addition of home-grown herbs - and the excuse to open a bottle of red early in the afternoon. Not least it assumes a certain relationship to your butcher, in order to have the meat for the pot diced.","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-enjoy-being-adult-more","order":1,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":135,"category_id":3,"name":"I\u2019d like to entertain without getting in a flap","left_column":"Cooking for more than ten people tests most of us. While there are no secrets - except perhaps experience - one trick is to serve something that can be prepared ahead, and that involves guests in the cooking. Hamburgers may not at first seem an obvious choice. This is partly because in the hands of big corporations the humble hamburger has developed a bad name. However a variation of cooked meat and salad between bread can be found in nearly every culture. The hamburger is ideal for a casual lunch with minimum hassle. But not any old mince inside any old bread. To be a genuine offering to the gods it should be made from quality ingredients and assembled outside at a long table, with a mix of ages and condiments. A small child, dribbling mayo, is a very good sign.","description":"<strong>Hamburgers<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>450g mince<br \/>\nchopped onion<br \/>\noil<br \/>\nchopped parsley<br \/>\nstock<br \/>\n1\/2 beaten egg<br \/>\n60g fresh breadcrumbs<br \/>\n\u00bd tsp soy sauce<br \/>\nsalt<br \/>\nflour<br \/>\n<br \/>\nFry the onion until soft. Mix all ingredients with hands in a bowl. Form hamburgers with flour. Put in fridge. Brush with oil and lightly fry.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.annabelkarmel.uk\">Annabel Karmel<\/a>","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-entertain-without-getting-in-a-flap","order":2,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":136,"category_id":3,"name":"I love the idea of a proper Sunday lunch","left_column":"When we first leave home, it\u2019s partly to escape family traditions like Sunday lunch. The ties that bind us become embarrassing reminders of a childhood left behind. But with time those same family traditions become valued for the feelings wrapped up in them. What was once emotional baggage becomes a storehouse of memory. Sunday lunch plays this role for many families. Smells wafting up from the kitchen send a profound message of love and belonging to everyone that lives there.","description":"<strong>Lasagne<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 clove garlic<br \/>\n2 tbls olive oil<br \/>\n180g minced beef & 180g minced pork<br \/>\n100ml water<br \/>\n500g tomato Passata<br \/>\nCr\u00e8me fraiche<br \/>\nGrated parmesan<br \/>\n12 sheets lasagne pasta<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat oven. Make a ragu by chopping and sweating the vegetables before adding the mince and cooking until brown. Add water and passata and simmer for 30 minutes. Spread ragu over the base of an ovenproof dish, followed by a thin layer of cr\u00e8me fraiche, pasta, chopped parsley and grated parmesan. Continue layering and finish with grated parmesan. Cook until bubbling, for 35 minutes.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSilver Spoon for Children","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-love-the-idea-of-a-proper-sunday-lunch","order":3,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":137,"category_id":3,"name":"I do miss being beside the sea","left_column":"A little boy is lying in bed, fantasising about seaside holidays - looking for crabs, building a castle and then jumping it flat. Staying on the beach until dusk. Slowly - as the pages of the storybook turn - the boy\u2019s bedroom fills with water, soaking first his slippers, then his bedclothes, until he has to wear a snorkel and stand tall on his bed. Fish swim the length of the room, as if in a goldfish bowl. When you are a child, like the boy in this story, lazy days by the sea seem endless. This is their beauty. And whether it\u2019s fish and chips in newspaper, or an icecream in a cone, the food that we eat by the sea is especially evocative. These fish and chips don\u2019t come wrapped in newspaper, and they have less salt and vinegar than the commercial kind, but they will delight nonetheless.","description":"<strong>Fish fingers and potato wedges<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>800g white skinless & boneless fish<br \/>\n100g white flour<br \/>\n2 eggs<br \/>\n200g breadcrumbs<br \/>\n1 tbls grated parmesan cheese<br \/>\nolive oil or rapeseed oil for frying<br \/>\nlemon and tomato sauce<br \/>\n4 large potatoes<br \/>\nsalt and pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nCut the fillets into 3x8cm \u2018fingers\u2019. Prepare three bowls, one with the flour, lightly seasoned, one with the beaten eggs and the third with breadcrumbs and parmesan. One at a time, dust each fillet with flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Shallow fry the fingers in oil in a heavy bottomed pan for 2 to 3 minutes.<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 220 degrees C\/Gas 7 for the potato wedges. Cut four large potatoes into even wedges. Toss in 2tbls oil and a little sea salt. Place in a single layer on a rack resting over a roasting tin. Roast for 25 minutes turn over and roast for 10-15 minutes, until golden. Serves 4.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nHelen Hayward","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-do-miss-being-beside-the-sea","order":4,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":138,"category_id":3,"name":"I hate being so busy all the time","left_column":"<strong>Tomato bruschetta<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>4 slices white bread from a crusty loaf<br \/>\n1 clove garlic, peeled<br \/>\n4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped<br \/>\nsalt & ground black pepper<br \/>\nextra virgin olive oil<br \/>\n<br \/>\nGrill the bread on both sides. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut edge all over one side of the toasted bread. Spread the tomatoes over the garlic toast and sprinkle a little salt and a grinding of black pepper. Trickle olive oil over the tomatoes and eat the toast while still hot.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigel Slater, <i>Real Fast Food<\/i>","description":"Going home for lunch - hanging your hat in the hall before heading for the kitchen - is now the stuff of foreign films. We may lay down our cell phones and pick up cutlery on the weekend, but rarely do we have time to make a proper lunch on weekdays \u2013 especially if we\u2019re on our own at home. And yet the afternoon always goes much better when we make ourselves a decent lunch. All that this Bruschetta requires is a couple of good tomatoes \u2013 and mozzarella or goat\u2019s cheese if you\u2019re in the mood - and a quick stint under the grill.","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-hate-being-so-busy-all-the-time","order":5,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":139,"category_id":3,"name":"My vegetable garden has gone beserk!","left_column":"You\u2019ve tended your tomato plants all summer - fretted about insects, staked stems as they pushed skywards, and planted basil alongside. And you\u2019ve been rewarded with tomatoes more luscious, and plentiful, than you thought possible. (Or is it zucchini, or broadbeans?) Or perhaps you live in an apartment with no garden, and would like to take advantage of the boxes of tomatoes that they fairly give away at the local market over summer. This is not the time to get casual, and to give away any surplus. Instead, assemble some clean jars on the kitchen bench and fill them with tomato sauce for winter, before squirreling them away for the months to come when a tomato glut is the vaguest of memories - and friends are resorting to tins.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Tomato Sauce<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>2 tblsp olive oil<br \/>\nbunch of spring onions, sliced<br \/>\n2 garlic cloves, chopped<br \/>\n500g tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and coarsely chopped<br \/>\nsalt and pepper<br \/>\npinch of sugar<br \/>\nsqueeze of lemon juice<br \/>\n<br \/>\nGently heat the oil in a pan and sweat the onions and garlic until transparent. Add the tomatoes and allow to cook very gently \u2013 they will melt into a puree. Taste and add salt, paper and perhaps some sugar. Cook until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you like. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to perk up the sauce.<br \/>\n<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDelia Smith, <i>Kitchen Basics<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-vegetable-garden-has-gone-beserk","order":6,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":140,"category_id":3,"name":"I wish our family meals could be more civilised","left_column":"Preheat oven to 220 degrees C\/425F (Gas Mark 7). Have the butcher take out the aitchbone from the leg, and tie up the joint. Mix the garlic with the olive oil and smear the mixture over the lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the rosemary and thyme in the bottom of a roasting tin and place the lamb on top. Put it into the oven and rose for 15 minutes per 500g (or 20 minutes if you like it more cooked). When the lamb is done, transfer it to a carving dish and keep warm. Remove the herbs from the tin, add the wine and reduce over a high heat, scraping up the bits in the tin. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and the stock and continue to heat until further reduced. Adjust the seasoning and strain into a gravy boat.<\/i>","description":"Few of us would want a servant behind our chair at mealtimes. And the days of changing into evening dress for dinner are long gone. But perhaps, just perhaps, we\u2019ve gone too far the other way. Dining is a deeply social activity. It\u2019s not just about eating. But how to convey this to the younger members of the house, without resorting to Victorian finger wagging? There may be a way. Candles on the table help to set the tone. A roast leg of lamb will go a long way towards achieving the rest. The aroma of lamb through the house conveys the message that food worth looking forward to - and living up to - is on the way.<br \/>\n<br \/>\n<strong>Roast leg of lamb<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 leg of lamb 1.5-2kg<br \/>\n4 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br \/>\n50ml olive oil<br \/>\nsalt and pepper<br \/>\nlarge handful of freshly cut rosemary springs<br \/>\nhandful of thyme<br \/>\n1 tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper<br \/>\n100ml white wine<br \/>\n1 tblsp redcurrant jelly<br \/>\n200ml chicken stock<br \/>\n<br \/>\nTerence Conran, <i>Classic Conran<\/i>","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-wish-our-family-meals-could-be-more-civilised","order":7,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":141,"category_id":3,"name":"I hate wasting food","left_column":"Looking through the fridge can be a desultory experience. Flaccid rocket leaves, for which a week ago there were such high hopes. A couple of curled up parsnips forgotten on the crisper floor. A chicken carcass awaiting its second coming in the stockpot. But it\u2019s not too late. Armed with fresh carrots, an onion, a few herbs and peppercorns, a consoling stock will soon be bubbling away on the stove. Order returns. All is well in the kitchen.","description":"<strong>Chicken stock<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 or 2 carcasses<br \/>\n1 leek, 1 carrot & 1 onion<br \/>\nstick of celery<br \/>\n1 tbls white vinegar<br \/>\n5 black peppercorns<br \/>\n1 bay leaf & sprig of thyme<br \/>\n<br \/>\nWash the bones in cold water. Put vegetables and vinegar into the pot. Add carcasses and cover with 5cm of water. Boil slowly and skim. Turn down, add pepper and herbs and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Strain and freeze.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigella Lawson, <i>How to Cook<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-hate-wasting-food","order":8,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":142,"category_id":3,"name":"I\u2019d love my store cupboard to be more ordered","left_column":"Nowhere is one\u2019s domestic soul more clearly on display than in the kitchen store cupboard. Whether it\u2019s a walk-in larder, a store cupboard under the stairs, shelves in the kitchen, or a pantry off the kitchen, it\u2019s the place where good ingredients are stored for when they\u2019re wanted next. Nutmeg, chutney, saffron, mustard, legumes, spices, rice, vinegars, flour \u2013 and a dark corner for potatoes and onions. Sardines and salted capers rub shoulders with cans of baked beans and animal-shaped pasta. This is the place that \u2013 more strongly than any set of cookery books \u2013 stamps the food we cook each day. Rather than forking out for another cookery book, sorting out your store cupboard may have a more lasting impact. You, of course, will retort that you have no time. But there is never a right time for going through a cupboard. If you can find even thirty minutes to sort through it, everything that you cook thereafter will have a new lease of life.<br \/>\n","description":"","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-love-my-store-cupboard-to-be-more-ordered","order":9,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":143,"category_id":3,"name":"My kids are driving me crazy","left_column":"It\u2019s nearly the end of school holidays and everyone is at a loose end. Summer is clearly over \u2013 it\u2019s been raining all day. The desire to creep into the bedroom to curl up with a book is strong. But the kitchen clock creeps inexorably towards supper. Children\u2019s yelps from the room next door are getting louder, more insistent. Why not put the chicken nuggets back in the freezer and make these meatballs instead? To appease the hungriest, and noisiest, of hoards. Even if it involves resorting to bribery, get at least one culprit from next door to help cook.","description":"<strong>Meatballs in tomato sauce<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>300g\/300g pork and beef mince<br \/>\n1 thick slice Italian style bread & milk for soaking<br \/>\n2 cloves garlic finely chopped<br \/>\n2 tbsp chopped parsley & tbsp chopped oregano (or other herb)<br \/>\n1 tsp finely grated lemon zest<br \/>\n4 tbsp grated parmesan<br \/>\nsalt & freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\n1 egg lightly beaten<br \/>\nplain flour for dusting<br \/>\n2-3 tbsp olive oil<br \/>\n500g tin crushed tomatoes<br \/>\n<br \/>\nRemove crust from bread, break into pieces and soak in a little milk. Squeeze the bread dry and crumble into bowl. Add mince, garlic, parmesan, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, beaten egg and mix well. Season. Shape mixture into 5cm balls. Roll them in flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning, until brown all over. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Add crushed tomatoes and whole garlic cloves to pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Return meatballs to pan and cook, turning, for 5 minutes. Serve with pasta.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDavid Herbert, <i>Lantern Cookery Classics<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-kids-are-driving-me-crazy","order":10,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""},{"id":144,"category_id":3,"name":"I\u2019ve got too much stuff!","left_column":"\u2018Have nothing in your home\u2019, William Morris advised a friend in a letter, \u2018which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful\u2019. This advice, offered in 1880, still holds true. The majority of us would recoil if, the next time friends came for dinner, they peered into our kitchen cupboards - rather than just enjoying the food on their plates. Who ever heard of an open-plan cupboard? We need doors on our cupboards for privacy. Where else would we hide the oatmeal grinder, rarely used, that takes up half a shelf unassembled; the set of bowls, too fragile for easy dishwashing, sitting primly on the bottom shelf; and the opened packets left over from a brief fling in another culture\u2019s cuisine? The solution? A kitchen timer and a cardboard box or bin bag. Set your timer for 15 minutes, and sort through just one cupboard \u2013 or even just one drawer. If, when the timer goes off, the box is full, seal it and send it straight to charity. Repeat as often as you can bear it. It gets easier!<br \/>\n","description":"","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"ive-got-too-much-stuff","order":11,"category_name":"Home","large_image":""}],"love":[{"id":145,"category_id":1,"name":"I think it\u2019s starting to get serious...","left_column":"You\u2019ve seen a film together, met for a drink and walked in the park. Now you\u2019re through to the next round. Is it too soon to ask her over for a meal? Against your better judgment, you shoot off a text. No reply. Twenty hours later, she texts that she\u2019ll be coming. Panic. You know that she likes light food \u2013 so rump steak is out. These chicken meatballs can be made ahead of time, so you won\u2019t have flour on your hands when she knocks on the door. Orange zest and basil, the surprise ingredients, lift this simple dish to the next level.","description":"<strong>Chicken meatballs with rocket and fettucine<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 small onion, very finely chopped<br \/>\n300g lean mince chicken<br \/>\n2 tbsp breadcrumbs<br \/>\n1 tbsp toasted pine nuts<br \/>\n2 tbsp basil leaves, chopped<br \/>\n1 tbsp orange zest, finely grated<br \/>\n1 tbsp cold water<br \/>\nplain flour<br \/>\n1 tbsp olive oil<br \/>\n100g small button mushrooms<br \/>\n1 cup Italian-style tomato sauce<br \/>\nsalt & freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\n150g fettucine<br \/>\n1 cup rocket<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPlace the onion, chicken mince, breadcrumbs, pine nuts, basil, zest and water in a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together well. Divide into walnut-sized portions and shape into balls. Coat lightly with flour. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the meatballs in batches over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes. As they cook, remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 3 minutes. Season to taste then return the meatballs to the pan and warm through. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta and divide between 2 plates or shallow bowls. Top with a handful of rocket then spoon on the meatballs and sauce. Serve straight away.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nGabriele Gate & Dr Rob Moodie, <i>Recipes for a Great Life<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-think-its-starting-to-get-serious","order":12,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":146,"category_id":1,"name":"I\u2019d like to surprise my friends ","left_column":"Like ironing pillowcases, dessert is now optional. Fruit and cheese at the end of meal is all even the best-dressed guest could ask for. But sometimes it\u2019s nice to surprise friends, to dress up a meal that little bit more. To express your love through cooking that something extra. This tart is the little black dress of desserts \u2013 sassy and quick and quietly thrilling.","description":"<strong>Quick apple tart<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Heat 2 tbsp apricot jam with 2 tbsp water until soft and spreadable. Brush half jam mixture over 1 sheet of quality puff pastry, leaving a 2cm border. Peel, core and halve 2 apples. Cut each half into thin slices. Lay fruit, on the pastry, slightly overlapping slices and leaving a 2cm border all around. Sprinkle with 2tblsp sugar and dot fruit with a little butter. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated 200 degree C oven for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and risen around the edges. Remove and glaze tart by brushing with remaining jam. Serves 3-4.<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-surprise-my-friends","order":13,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":147,"category_id":1,"name":"My ex is coming for dinner","left_column":"The desire to appear together, above all self-possessed, is strong. The world as you know it did not - as feared - come to an end. But nor do you feel victorious. You would like to be friends, if they\u2019d like it too. Supper should be simple - an easy pasta dish that even if you fumble won\u2019t let you down.","description":"<strong>Pasta, peas and parmesan<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>250g shelled peas<br \/>\n250 small dried pasta shells<br \/>\n35g parmesan<br \/>\n50 g butter<br \/>\n200g snow peas or mangetout<br \/>\n2 handfuls pea shoots (if you can find them)<br \/>\n12 large peppery basil leaves<br \/>\n<br \/>\nCook the peas and pasta separately. Heat frying pan over moderate heat and add the butter. Leave to melt and then add the snow peas or mangetout. Cook for a couple of minutes, and add the pea shoots. As soon as they start to wilt, add the basil leaves. Add the peas to the pan, then the pasta and the parmesan cheese. Toss gently and serve. Serves 2<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigel Slater, <i>The Kitchen Diaries vol II<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-ex-is-coming-for-dinner","order":14,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":148,"category_id":1,"name":"I miss the Mediterranean","left_column":"A pension by the sea. Sand between your toes. A sunburned neck from reading on the beach. A half empty bottle of Uzo on the windowsill alongside two small glasses. Seaspray on the windows. It\u2019s all so deeply evocative \u2013 and yet closer to a Katherine Mansfield short story than the boisterous reality of daily urban life. Glimpses of it are still however within reach \u2013 a slow glass of wine in the evening, a plate of good olives, and these rosemary potatoes for supper. This recipe is so straightforward that it can be followed by children - which is only one reason why you might be missing the Mediterranean.","description":"<strong>Rosemary potatoes<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1kg floury potatoes (ie King Edward)<br \/>\n4 tbls olive oil<br \/>\n2 garlic cloves<br \/>\nA small handful of fresh rosemary leaves<br \/>\nSalt and black pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat oven to medium heat. Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Put them in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Pour olive oil into roasting tin and put in ven. Heat 3-4 minutes until the oil is hot. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them a garlic crusher. Roast potatoes on tray for 35 minutes, until crisp and soft. Chop and scatter the rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Stir and return to oven for 5-10 minutes. Drain on kitchen towel before serving.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nLiz Franklin, <i>Cooking Italian with Kids<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-miss-the-mediterranean","order":15,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":149,"category_id":1,"name":"It\u2019s time I made up and said I\u2019m sorry","left_column":"Voices have been raised. Things have been said that were meant but should never have been said. Time has passed. Sorry hangs in the air. But flowers won\u2019t do it. It has to be something heartfelt and sustaining. Cooking sorry, at times like these, can be more powerful than saying sorry. In this dish tarragon, neither apologetic nor saccharine, strikes the right note of forgiveness. And in terms of cooking it\u2019s not a huge commitment.","description":"<strong>Tarragon chicken<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>4 boneless chicken breasts<br \/>\n50g butter<br \/>\n8 healthy sprigs of French tarragon<br \/>\n250ml double cream<br \/>\nsalt<br \/>\n2-3 tsp wine or tarragon vinegar or lemon juice<br \/>\n<br \/>\nSlice the chicken breasts into strips about 1cm wide. Melt the butter in a shallow pan over a medium heat. Strip the tarragon leaves from their stems. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the chicken pieces and tarragon. Cook until the chicken has coloured slightly, about 3 minutes. Move the chicken around the pan but remember that the skin must turn golden in order to give a good flavour. Check that it is almost cooked through by cutting a strip in half. Pour in the cream and let it simmer until it thickens lightly, about another 3 minutes. Add salt and a teaspoonful vinegar or lemon juice, taste, then add a second, then taste again and add a third if you with.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigel Slater, <i>Real Fast Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"its-time-i-made-up-and-said-im-sorry","order":16,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":150,"category_id":1,"name":"We don\u2019t have fun any more","left_column":"It\u2019s easy to have fun when a relationship begins. The future is a large and hopeful place on which nothing is written. Light-hearted teasing is all part of the game. The joke is always on the world and other people, never on oneself or one\u2019s lover. However as the months and years pass, and lovers become partners, the lines blur. Teasing becomes tinged with criticisms that stick. There\u2019s a growing awareness that however rich one\u2019s relationship is, it doesn\u2019t hold all the answers. This is where the art of living comes in. A rich culture knows that there are occasions when we need more than each other. In terms of cooking, this is the time to fall back on core dishes that never let us down. For many of us, Greek Salad is one of these.","description":"<strong>Greek salad with oregano<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>225g tomatoes<br \/>\n1 onion, thinly sliced<br \/>\n1 green pepper, cored and very thinly sliced<br \/>\n\u00bd cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced<br \/>\n100g Greek feta cheese, sliced (optional)<br \/>\n12-16 black Kalamata olives (optional)<br \/>\n3-4 tbls extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\nsalt and freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\ndried oregano, crumbled<br \/>\n<br \/>\nRinse the tomatoes, cut in half and slice into thin quarters. Soak the slices of onion in a little salted water for 5-10 minutes, then take out and squeeze gently. Combine with tomatoes, green pepper and cucumber. Add feta and olives, if using. Dress the salad with olive oil, salt, black pepper and a sprinkle of oregano.  Serves 2-3.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRena Salaman, <i>Greek Food<\/i>","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"we-dont-have-fun-any-more","order":17,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":151,"category_id":1,"name":"I\u2019d like to seduce x\u2026","left_column":"Never try to hit the target, Zen Masters say. The principle is simple. Don\u2019t try too hard. Trying to impress someone with your prowess in the kitchen \u2013 or anywhere else \u2013 is unlikely to succeed. Concentrate instead on being a good version of yourself, and the rest will follow. This mushroom risotto hits the right note \u2013 warm and inviting but not showy. If you aren\u2019t practiced at making risotto, do try it out before hand.","description":"<strong>Risotto<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>40g Parmesan cheese<br \/>\n1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock<br \/>\n1 onion<br \/>\n35g unsalted butter<br \/>\n1tbls olive oil<br \/>\n50g chopped mushrooms<br \/>\n300g risotto rice<br \/>\n1\/2 tsp saffron threads<br \/>\n<br \/>\nGrate the Parmesan cheese and put to one side. Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to simmering point. Chop the onion. Melt half the butter and oil in a heavy based pan. Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped mushrooms and soften. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat it with the onion and butter. Add a couple of ladles of stock and the saffron threads and stir gently until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Then add another couple of ladles of hot stock and cook, still stirring, until it has been absorbed. Keep adding until the stock has been used up \u2013 it should take 18-20 minutes. Lower the heat and add the remaining butter and grated parmesan cheese and stir. Serve immediately.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\n<i>Silver Spoon for Children<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-seduce-x","order":18,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":152,"category_id":1,"name":"I\u2019d like to look after myself better","left_column":"There are a few elemental situations in life \u2013 excitement, fear, frustration, longing - that touch all of us whatever our circumstances in life. Whether we welcome them, or defend ourselves from them, is up to us. They are what bind us together and, at times, drive us apart. Equally there a few elemental dishes that both feed our soul and our body. Porridge is one of these. It\u2019s not just an old wives tale. Oats really do take the edge off your nerves and readies your mind for the day. However not all porridge achieves this. In fantasy a loved one serves you a bowl of steaming porridge at the perfect temperature, sweetness and consistency. In reality, of course, good porridge involves a bit of thought and, unless you make it regularly, a good recipe. Porridge may not be it for you - for it may be scrambled eggs, or muesli. But if, on a chilly morning, it is, it\u2019s worth hearing Nigel Slater\u2019s advice on making it.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Porridge<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Bring three cups of water to the boil, pour in a cup of medium pinhead oatmeal in a steady flow, stirring all the time in a clockwise direction. It is done in five minutes, no longer, a scant teaspoon of salt added in the last minute of cooking. As it slides into the wooden porridge bowls, spoon in a smudge of damson or blackcurrant jam and, if there is any around, some cold single or double cream, avoiding the temptation to write your initials with maple syrup.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigel Slater, <i>The Kitchen Diaries vol 1<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-look-after-myself-better","order":19,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""},{"id":154,"category_id":1,"name":"My friend is sick and I\u2019d like to help","left_column":"The test of true friendship is illness. This may sound a little bald, however anyone who has been laid low for more than four days knows it to be true. The friend who remembers you in a practical way is not necessarily the truest friend, but an incredibly valuable one. And when the friend who is sick is a contemporary - rather than an aunt, say, or an older neighbour - it changes everything. What can you take them that isn\u2019t a book, flowers or a flask of chicken soup? Brownies are not the obvious choice \u2013 rich with sugar and butter. However these ones are different. These ones are actually good for you \u2013 sick or not. Double the recipe and experience them for yourself.","description":"<strong>Chocolate brownies<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>2\/3 cup almond meal<br \/>\n2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder<br \/>\n\u00bd tsp ground cinnamon<br \/>\n\u00bd tsp baking soda<br \/>\n1\/8 tsp sea salt<br \/>\n8 ounces dark chocolate (chopped)<br \/>\n1\/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br \/>\n2 organic eggs<br \/>\n1\/3 cup Grade B maple syrup<br \/>\n1 tsp vanilla extract<br \/>\n\u00bd cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two pieces of foil long enough to overlap on all four sides. Lightly oil the foil. Put the almond flour, brown rice flour cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Put half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring often, just until the chocolate is velvet and smooth. Add the vanilla extract, then gradually add the chocolate. Add the flour mixture and beat for about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining chocolate and the walnuts. Scrape the mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRebecca Katz, <i>The Longevity Kitchen<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-friend-is-sick-and-id-like-to-help","order":21,"category_name":"Love","large_image":""}],"anxiety":[{"id":155,"category_id":6,"name":"I\u2019ve been far too busy lately","left_column":"Sometimes it\u2019s good to cast off and just drift for a while. To pick up that book you fell asleep reading. To have that conversation with your partner that you never seem to get around to having. To put a pen to paper for that thank you note which you\u2019ve been putting off for weeks. To doze or just stare out the window, watching clouds skud across it. But however therapeutic lying in is - and it may be every bit as helpful as a weekend away - after a certain point your tummy starts to rumble. What to do? Pull on clothes and squash in with forty-one like-minded people at your local caf\u00e9? Make toast that turns cold even before you fill your bed with crumbs? Or perhaps, just perhaps, you\u2019ll have had the foresight to soak rolled oats the night before for this Bircher Muesli \u2013 which will easily see you through till lunch.","description":"<strong>Bircher muesli<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>2 tbls whole oats<br \/>\n1 tbls lemon juice<br \/>\n2 tbls water<br \/>\n2 tbls yoghurt<br \/>\n1 sp acacia honey<br \/>\n1 apple grated (peel if not organic)<br \/>\n1 tbsp chopped nuts<br \/>\na portion of seasonal fruit (if dried, soak with the oats)<br \/>\npinch of cinnamon, ginger or vanilla<br \/>\n<br \/>\nCombine oats, lemon juice and water and soak, covered, overnight in the fridge. Just before eating, add yoghurt, honey, grated apple and spices and stir well to combine. Scatter with freshly cut seasonal fruit and chopped nuts or seeds.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nConner Middelmann-Whitney, <i>Zest for Life: The Mediterranean anti-cancer diet<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"ive-been-far-too-busy-lately","order":22,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":156,"category_id":6,"name":"A cosy night in \u2013 so why am I nervous?","left_column":"I love the idea of a cosy night in on my own. But if I\u2019m honest, it also makes me slightly nervous. The windows look blacker than usual. Empty rooms echo underfoot. I feel stalked by the sense that it\u2019s all up to me. There\u2019s no-one else to buoy me up, to reassure me of my value \u2013 or even to create washing up for. It may sound queer, but the answer is not to fill the void with technology. The answer is to keep your own company. Just for tonight, the world is not out there \u2013 in some fantasied social life. The world is inside your own living space. And what better way could there be to make yourself feel at home, than to cook for yourself? Not a risky souffl\u00e9, that would be perverse. But not cheese on toast either. Many of us turn naturally to pasta \u2013 homely, inspired and simple. Hold in mind that this recipe - like every recipe - is your launching pad, not your destination.","description":"<strong>Spaghetti with oil and garlic<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>When your spaghetti is cooked, barely warm some extra-virgin olive oil in a small pan, and into it stir whatever quantity finely chopped garlic you fancy. Let it soak in the oil a bare minute, without frying, then stir the mixture into the spaghetti. You can add chopped parsley or any other herb, and of course grated cheese if you wish, although the Neapolitans do not serve cheese with spaghetti cooked in this way. If you like the taste of garlic without wishing actually to eat the bulb itself, pour the oil on to the spaghetti through a strainer, leaving the chopped garlic behind.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nElizabeth David, <i>Italian Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"a-cosy-night-in-so-why-am-i-nervous","order":23,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":158,"category_id":6,"name":"I\u2019d like to be able to focus on just one thing","left_column":"Sometimes it\u2019s as if we need permission to focus. We live our lives with such centrifugal intensity that it\u2019s hard to think in a rounded way about just one thing. It\u2019s the same in the kitchen. We are rarely alone with our thoughts. Family and friends wander in and out of our minds. The computer beckons us into its depths. The phone goes. And the more distracted we become, the more disjointed our thoughts become. And the more we long for a mindful relation to cooking. What, you may ask, does this really mean? It means cooking with intent, with pleasure, and with a relaxed focus on the vegetables you are chopping.","description":"<strong>Root soup<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>250g peeled & chopped carrots<br \/>\n250g peeled and chopped sweet potatoes<br \/>\n250g peeled & chopped parsnips<br \/>\n1.1\/2 trsp cumin seeds<br \/>\n1 \u00bd tsp cumin seeds<br \/>\n1 1.2tsp crushed dried chilli<br \/>\n3tbls olive oil<br \/>\n25g butter<br \/>\n150g red onions<br \/>\n150g celery, chopped<br \/>\n1large leek, cleaned, trimmed & chopped<br \/>\nsea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 190 degrees C\/370 degrees\/Gas 5. Put half the carrots aside and put the rest of the carrots, sweet potatoes and parnsips in a baking tray. Add spices, salt and pepper and 2tbls of the oil and shake the try until all the vegetables are coated with oil. Place in the middle of the oven for up to 45 minutes, turning from time to time. Meanwhile heat the remaining oil and butter in a large pan with a lid. Add the onions and cook on a gentle heat until translucent \u2013 about 5 minutes. Add the remaining carrots, celery and leek to the onions and grind over some pepper. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring to make the vegetables do not burn. If the mixture becomes watery, uncover the pan until all the liquid has evaporated. Add 1.5 litres water, the roast vegetables and plenty of salt and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whizz in a blender until smooth.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSophie Conran, <i>Soup and Stews<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-be-able-to-focus-on-just-one-thing","order":25,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":159,"category_id":6,"name":"I\u2019d like my children to eat better, without nagging them","left_column":"Now that lifestyle diseases have become so prevalent as to be normal, and a trip to the supermarket has become an exercise in damage limitation, cooking has lost its innocence. BPA leakage from plastics into food, a link between sodium nitrate and stomach cancer, insulin spikes in children, antibiotics in meat \u2013 food has become a minefield of conflicting messages between budget, convenience and, increasingly, the British Medical Association. Add to this the inevitable fussiness of many toddlers, and you have a cocktail of tension. What to do? Keep it simple. Not easy, but simple. Small children love to be served food in their own pie dish. This recipe, from cooking for toddlers queen Annabel Karmel, isn\u2019t a doddle. But once you get the hang of it, you\u2019ll be cooking these pies every week.","description":"<strong>Mini fish pies<\/strong><br \/>\nPotato topping:<br \/>\n<i>800g potatoes<br \/>\n30g butter<br \/>\n7 tbsp milk<br \/>\n4 tbls grated Parmesan<br \/>\n1 lightly beaten egg<br \/>\nsalt and black pepper, to taste<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSauce:<br \/>\n<i>45g butter<br \/>\n1 large diced shallot<br \/>\n2 tbls white wine vinegar<br \/>\n45g flour<br \/>\n450ml fish stock<br \/>\n6tbsp double cream<br \/>\n1 \u00bd tsp chopped dill or chives<br \/>\nsalt and pepper, to season<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSalmon and cod filling:<br \/>\n<i>250g salmon, skin removed and cut into 2cm chunks<br \/>\n250g cod, skin removed and cut into 2cm chunks<br \/>\n150g small cooked prawns<br \/>\n70g frozen peas<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 200 degrees C\/400F\/Gas 6. Boil the potatoes in salted water. Drain and mash with butter, milk and Parmesan to taste. Melt the butter and saute the shallot for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add the white wine vinegar and boil for 2-3 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Gradually stir in the fish stock and then cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil then cook, stirring, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and the chopped dill or chives. Season well. Divide all the fish and peas among four or six mini ramekins and pour over the sauce. If you have time, allow the fish, pea and sauce filling to cool and become less liquid and easier to cover with mashed potato without it sinking into the filling. Brush the potato topping with a little beaten egg. Bake for 25 minutes.<i\/><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAnnabel Karmel, <i>The Fussy Eaters\u2019 Recipe Book<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-my-children-to-eat-better-without-nagging-them","order":26,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":160,"category_id":6,"name":"I wish I were a bit calmer","left_column":"The simple act of honouring one\u2019s need for time and space, between the competing parts of our day, is age old. Not a quick cuppa leaning over the newspaper, mind you, a teabag dripping its way to the sink. This is about warming the teapot, or using a quality strainer in your favourite mug. This is about sating a spiritual need by letting your thoughts settle, like the leaves at the bottom of the cup. So that when your cup is empty, your mind reaches resting point. If we could all sit quietly in this way, a cup of jasmine tea in our hands and seeking our own counsel, we\u2019d need psychological help far less often.<br \/>\n","description":"Get out your favourite cup. Heat water in the kettle until just short of boiling point. Steep Jasmine tea leaves for three minutes in a pot or cup and strain \u2013 don\u2019t leave the tea leaves to stew. Find lovely place to sit and drink undisturbed.","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-wish-i-were-a-bit-calmer","order":27,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":161,"category_id":6,"name":"Help! I\u2019m hosting a kid\u2019s party","left_column":"It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s a birthday party for 7-year-olds, or a school leavers\u2019 party. The desire to prepare good food \u2013 that isn\u2019t evangelically healthy or insanely expensive \u2013 is something that many of us share. But it\u2019s never easy. There\u2019s nearly always a time pressure and, subsequently, a fear of losing it in the kitchen. Before you resort to the freezer section of the supermarket - although by all means get the pastry from there - try these.","description":"<strong>Cheat\u2019s sausage rolls<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 sheet puff pastry<br \/>\n4 thin sausages (use your favourite kind)<br \/>\n1 cup semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped<br \/>\nhandful of basil leaves (optional)<br \/>\n1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, for glazing<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Cut the pastry in half lengthways to make two long rolls. Cut one end off each sausage and squeeze the meat out on to each length of pastry (two sausages per roll). Top with the tomatoes and basil. Roll up the pastry. Turn the seam to the bottom and brush the top with egg yolk. Cut the rolls into the desired size and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the rolls in the oven for about 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the meat is cooked through.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAnna Gare, <i>Simply Delicious Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"help-im-hosting-a-kids-party","order":28,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":162,"category_id":6,"name":"I\u2019m worried about a big interview in the morning","left_column":"There\u2019s a way in which, when you\u2019re totally preoccupied with something, everything else pales in significance. Who cares about food, when you\u2019ve been shortlisted for a job you\u2019d love to get\/are facing exams you can\u2019t afford to fail\/are packing to fly to another country? Except, of course, that it\u2019s just when you least feel like cooking that your body needs good food the most. What you feel like right now \u2013 hot chips, toast and marmite, baked beans \u2013 may not be the best choice. Instead put on a pan of water for pasta - or rice or cousous. Sweat onions in another pan before chopping any dark green vegetable and adding it to the pan. Drain the pasta and stir through greens and olive oil and lots of grated parmesan. Then again, if you\u2019re in need of distraction, and are feeling more adventurous, you could play around with this recipe.","description":"<strong>Haloumi, asparagus and roasted tomato salad<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 punnet cherry tomatoes<br \/>\nsalt and freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\nolive oil<br \/>\n200g asparagus<br \/>\nhandful of flat-leaf parsley leaves<br \/>\nhandful of basil leaves<br \/>\n200g haloumi<br \/>\n1 lemon<br \/>\nred wine vinegar, to serve<br \/>\nextra virgin olive oil, to serve<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Cut the tomatoes in half and place them on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven to cool. Bring water to the boil. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus, and cut stems in half. Blanch for 2 minutes, then remove them and cool under cold water. Drain and set aside. Place the tomatoes, asparagus and herbs in a bowl. Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add a splash of oil. Cut the haloumi into slices and pan-fry on both sides until golden brown. Squeeze lemon juice over them and remove from the heat. Add haloumi slices to the bowl and drizzle over a little vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Season and toss. Serve immediately. Serves 2<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nFabian Capomolla & Mat Pember, <i>The little veggie patch co\u2019s guide to backyard farming<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-worried-about-a-big-interview-in-the-morning","order":29,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""},{"id":164,"category_id":6,"name":"I didn\u2019t know he was a vegetarian!","left_column":"You\u2019ve had your mind set on roasting the perfect chicken all afternoon. Or perhaps you\u2019ve layered a lasagne with bolognese sauce. With a sigh of triumph you lay the dish on the table. Just at that moment the guest on your left, the new partner of an old friend, reaches across and says quietly, \u2018I hope you don\u2019t mind, but I\u2019m a vegetarian.\u2019 Summonsing up all your reserves of tact, you make light of it - and reassure them that it\u2019s no bother. Don\u2019t go to a lot of trouble and embarrass them further. Add some goat\u2019s cheese to the salad you\u2019ve already prepared. Or toast some bread and serve some hummus - always good to have in the fridge - along with the salad.","description":"<strong>Very lemony hummus<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>125 dried chickpeas<br \/>\n1 bay leaf<br \/>\njuice of 2 lemons<br \/>\n\u00bd-1small garlic clove, crushed with a little salt<br \/>\n2-3 tbsp rapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil<br \/>\nA pinch of ground cumin (optional)<br \/>\nSea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nRinse the chickpeas thoroughly, then place them in a large bowl with enough water to cover them well. Leave to soak for at least 12 hours or overnight. Drain the chickpeas and put them in a saucepan with the bay leaf and enough cold water to cover generously. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and partially cover with a lid. Simmer gently for about 3 hours, until the chickpeas are really soft, skimming the surface and topping up with boiling water as necessary. Add \u00bd tsp of salt near the end of cooking. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid, and discard the bay leaf. Put 3-4 tbsp of the hot cooking liquid into a food processor or blender with half the chickpeas, 4 tblsp lemon juice and the garlic. Whiz for a few seconds. Add the remaining chickpeas, 2 tblsp tahini and 2 tblsp of oil, then whiz again. Season with salt and plenty of pepper.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, <i>River Cottage Every Day<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-didnt-know-he-was-a-vegetarian","order":31,"category_name":"Anxiety","large_image":""}],"comfort":[{"id":165,"category_id":2,"name":"It\u2019s all getting too much, I can\u2019t cope ","left_column":"A difficult work deadline looms, the second reminder letter for an unpaid bill rebukes us \u2013 a mobile phone goes missing. It doesn\u2019t take much for an otherwise manageable life to go awry, and for a sense of foreboding to gather. We need comfort. Eating can\u2019t directly solve our problems. This recipe for homemade fishcakes can\u2019t pay the bill, find the phone or sit up late to finish the report in our stead. But what we suffer isn\u2019t only the troubles themselves. It\u2019s the awful feeling of depletion and weakness in the face of them that really takes the toll. And that\u2019s where food can help. The right food takes the edge off panic. It rallies our flagging energies and gives a timely reminder that ordinary good things survive, despite present tensions. These fishcakes might be just the thing. They have a nursery quality that acknowledges and soothes the part of us that remains a fractious child, for all the work suits, and credit cards and trappings of adulthood.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Fishcakes<\/strong> <br \/>\n<i>3 large baking potatoes<br \/>\n500g cooked fish, skinned and flaked: anything will do: white fish, smoked fish or for real luxury, salmon.<br \/>\n2 tbls finely chopped parsley<br \/>\n1 tbls anchovy essence<br \/>\na squeeze of lemon juice<br \/>\n30g butter<br \/>\nsalt and white pepper<br \/>\n1 egg, lightly beaten<br \/>\n2 tbls plain flour<br \/>\n1-2 tblsp clarified butter, or oil<br \/>\n2 lemons, halved, to serve<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F), Gas Mark 6. Bake (or steam) the potatoes until they are cooked through. Take the skins off and mash the potato. In a bowl, mix the flaked fish, chopped parsley, anchovy essence, lemon juice, butter, salt and white pepper together. Then stir in enough of the beaten egg to make a firm dough. With floured hands make the fingers \u2013 either 4 big fat ones, or 8 dainty little ones. Put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Lightly coat the fish fingers in flour and fry them in the clarified butter or oil until golden. Serve at once with lemon halves or tomato sauce; sorrel sauce, goes particularly well with salmon fish fingers.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nTerence Conran, <i>Classic Conran: plain, simple and satisfying food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"its-all-getting-too-much-i-cant-cope","order":32,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":166,"category_id":2,"name":"I\u2019d like to enjoy mealtimes with my family more","left_column":"Unless you are exceptionally artful, family mealtimes have a way of becoming an undeclared battle of wills. Not with every family. And not at every meal. But far more commonly than we credit. Your family may be the exception, enjoying food worthy of Delia Smith each night, followed by a chorus of gratitude. Fractiousness may be unknown to you. But the reality is that most parents - neither qualified psychologists nor trained chefs - muddle through. We do the best we can, given our particular personalities and the circumstances we find ourselves in. Thankfully there are a few dishes that please pretty well every member of the family - from teething toddler to weekend guest. A really good Shepherd\u2019s Pie is one of these. It can\u2019t make brothers and sisters like each other. But it can take the edge off their hunger in such a way that they just do end up being nicer to each other. Likewise, for that matter, the grownups.","description":"<strong>Shepherd\u2019s Pie<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook 1 chopped onion and 1 chopped stick of celery for 4-5 minutes or until soft and golden. Remove and set aside. Heat an extra 1 tbsp oil in the same frying pan, add 750g lamb mince and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes, breaking up any lumps. Stir in 2 tbsp plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup beef stock, stirring until blended, and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Add the reserved onions and celery, 2 tbls tomato paste, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary. Season to taste and set aside to cook. Meanwhile mash 750g boiled and drained potatoes with 60g butter and 1\/4 cup milk. Season well. Transfer the meat mixture to a large, ovenproof dish, spoon over the mashed potato and fluff up with a fork. Dot with a little extra butter and sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper. Bake in a preheated 180 degrees C oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serves 4.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDavid Herbert, <i>Penguin Lantern Classics<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-enjoy-mealtimes-with-my-family-more","order":33,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":167,"category_id":2,"name":"I love baking with children, but does it always have to be sweet things?","left_column":"Baking, when you make time for it, is fun. Time passes in a flash, laughter fills the kitchen, and wonderful smells waft through every room. And yet most of us are so seduced by good baking, that we forget the most essential part of it \u2013 practice. In order for baking to be fun you have to know what you are doing. However easy the recipe \u2013 and this one was designed for children \u2013 your first attempt will inevitably be just that. The answer? Give yourself time to make mistakes - to use the wrong flour and to put in too much water. If what you really want is to make a focaccia as you set the table, then make it a few times \u2013 perhaps twice in a month \u2013 and you\u2019ll be amazed at the success of your third attempt. Making focaccia will now be part of your repertoire, rather than a last minute rush.","description":"<strong>Rosemary focaccia<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>6 tbls olive oil<br \/>\na large bunch of fresh rosemary, leaves only<br \/>\n500g strong bread flour, plus extra to sprinkle<br \/>\n1 sachet (7g) fast action dried yeast<br \/>\n1tsp salt<br \/>\nabout 200ml lukewarm water<br \/>\nrock salt<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPut the olive oil and rosemary into a bowl. Squeeze the rosemary with your hands to infuse the oil. Put the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl and stir well. Stir in 2tbls of the infused oil and 1-2 tbls warm water. Mix the ingredients with your fingers. Keep adding warm water, a little at a time, until you get a soft but not sticky dough. Sprinkle a little flour over a clean work surface, turn the dough out on it and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and pliable. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle slightly smaller than the dusted baking tray. Lift it carefully into the tray, cover the tray with a clean towel and leave it to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400F) Gas 6. Uncover the dough and push your thumbs all over to make dimples. Scatter some salt over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm and golden, and sounds hollow when you tap on its bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack and serve cut into squares.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nLiz Franklin, <i>Cooking Italian with Children<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-love-baking-with-children-but-does-it-always-have-to-be-sweet-things","order":34,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":168,"category_id":2,"name":"I\u2019d like to feel more grounded","left_column":"When you spend your day running from A to B, and then on to C, the very thought of making bread seems far fetched. It\u2019s all very well for the stay-at-homes, who have time to wait for the dough to rise. But wait a minute. What about a loaf without yeast, that can be on the table in half an hour? And what if it\u2019s a loaf that never fails, is instantly gratifying, and smells amazing? And what if, for the 12 minutes that your fingers are in the mixing bowl, rubbing butter into flour, your busy day slips from view like the sun setting behind a hill - leaving your feet planted firmly on the ground?","description":"<strong>Brown soda bread<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>350g wholemeal stone-ground flour<br \/>\n22g plain white flour<br \/>\n1 tsp salt<br \/>\n1 tsp bicarbonate of soda<br \/>\n20g butter<br \/>\n300ml buttermilk<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 230 degrees C (450F), Gas 8. Put baking sheet into the oven to heat up. Sift the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large basin and mix well. Rub in the butter, then, using a palette knife mix in the buttermilk. You should have a soft, not sticky, dough. Flour a board and turn the dough out, kneading it very lightly. Shape it into a flattish round and cut a cross into the surface. Place the loaf on to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 200 degrees C (400F) Gas 6 and cook for a further 15 minutes. Test the bread by tapping the base with your finger \u2013 a hollow sounds means it\u2019s cooked. Set aside to cool \u2013 it crumbles when very fresh.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nTerence Conran<br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-feel-more-grounded","order":35,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":169,"category_id":2,"name":"I\u2019d like to invite friends over for a meal after work","left_column":"Having had a drink with friends after work, it\u2019s seems a shame not to prolong it. But not in a busy restaurant. Somewhere more intimate and relaxed. Somewhere where the evening can unfold naturally, the conversation ambling into unexpected byways. Candles on the kitchen table. A new acquaintance chopping vegetables. One nice cheese. An opening pasta dish. It really doesn\u2019t have to be elaborate. It certainly doesn\u2019t have to be haute cuisine. It just has to be nice. With cream and pancetta squirrelled away, you are away with this one. Don\u2019t wait until you feel confident - just go ahead and invite them. Confidence will follow.","description":"<strong>Spaghetti carbonara<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>200g spaghetti<br \/>\n2 tsp olive oil<br \/>\n100g pancetta in one piece<br \/>\n4 tbsp Noilly Prat or white wine<br \/>\n1 egg yolk & 1 whole egg<br \/>\n4 tblsp fresh grated parmesan<br \/>\nblack pepper and rash nutmeg<br \/>\n1 mounded tbsp butter<br \/>\n<br \/>\nAdd salt to boiling water, then the pasta. Cut rind off the pancetta and put it in the pan with the oil on medium while you dice the pancetta, or cut into chunky strips. Add it and fry for about 5 minutes. Throw in vermouth or wine and let it bubble for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat yolk, whole egg, cheese, paper and nutmeg together with a fork. When pasta is ready, put the bacon pan back on the heat, adding the butter. Give pasta a good shake in the colander and then turn it into the hot pan. Turn it with a wooden spoon, turn off the heat, pour the egg mixture over the bacony pasta and stir until covered. Makes 2 platefuls.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigella Lawson, <i>How to Eat<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-invite-friends-over-for-a-meal-after-work","order":36,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":170,"category_id":2,"name":"I\u2019d like to be more relaxed about entertaining","left_column":"It\u2019s hard not to get anxious before friends come round for a meal. It\u2019s all too easy to flap. And to take it very personally if you\u2019re still cooking when the doorbell goes. And yet most of us accept invitations for social reasons, not gourmet ones. So breathe deeply, cheat for at least one course, and have fun. This potato salad, made from quality ingredients, will happily complement a barbecued chicken from the corner store.","description":"<strong>Potato salad with yoghurt dressing<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>650g potatoes, washed<br \/>\npinch of salt flakes<br \/>\n4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\n1.2 bunch mint, shredded<br \/>\n1 lemon, cut in quarters<br \/>\nYoghurt dressing:<br \/>\n1 cup natural yoghurt<br \/>\njuice of 2 lemons<br \/>\n3 tbls extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\nsalt flakes and freshly ground pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nFor the dressing: mix ingredients in a bowl. Place potatoes in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are just cooked. Drain and allow to cool. Cut potatoes in half and then, with the palm of your hand, lightly \u2018crush\u2019 each potato. Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat and, when hot, add potatoes and fry for 4 minutes on each side or until golden-brown and crunchy. Place potatoes in a serving bowl, sprinkle with mint and lemon quarters. Serve with dressing on the side.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nKylie Kwong, <i>It Tastes Better<\/i>, Penguin 2011<br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-be-more-relaxed-about-entertaining","order":37,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":171,"category_id":2,"name":"I like being generous","left_column":"We want to do lovely things for the people we care about most. And yet so often, when the occasion arises, so do the thought bubbles. \u2018I\u2019m hopeless at baking \u2013 my last cake was a disaster!\u2019 \u2018I love the look of that cake in the magazine, but I know I\u2019d never be able to cook one like it.\u2019 Such fears are grounded. Cakes can go badly wrong. But not as badly wrong as, in fantasy, you might imagine. If you\u2019re feeling vulnerable, try not to listen to people who say how easy it is to bake a cake. This is not the time to Google Jane Asher\u2019s classy creations. The fact is that nothing is easy if you don\u2019t do it regularly. This cake recipe \u2013 like every other recipe \u2013 may not work if you don\u2019t have a trial run first. Once you\u2019ve succeeded, make the cake your own \u2013 decorate it with flowers, candles, initialise it with sweets, make a lemon butter icing, or simply drizzle with orange as suggested in the recipe. Anna Hansen suggests making it a day in advance, so that the flavours develop.","description":"<strong>Orange cake<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>250g softened unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)<br \/>\n400g caster sugar<br \/>\n3 eggs<br \/>\n250g plain flour<br \/>\n2tsp baking powder<br \/>\njuice & grated zest of 1 large orange<br \/>\njuice & grated zest of 1 large lemon<br \/>\nsoftly whipped cream, cr\u00e8me fraiche or yoghurt to serve<br \/>\n<br \/>\nCream the butter and 250g of the sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one by one. Sift in the flour and baking powder and gently but thoroughly fold them in with a large metal spoon. Spoon the mixture into a well-buttered 18cm ring mould (fluted if you have one), place in a cold oven, then turn the heat on to 180 degrees C\/Gas 4. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine the orange and lemon juice and zest with the remaining sugar, stir until dissolved then set aside. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to stand in its tin for 5 minutes. Turn it out and leave for a further 5 minutes. Carefully and slowly spoon the juice and sugar mixture over the cake, making sure you allow time for it to soak in. When it is completely cold, store it in an airtight container until the following day. Serve with whipped cream, cr\u00e8me fraiche, or plain yoghurt.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAnna Hansen, <i>The Modern Pantry Cookbook<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-like-being-generous","order":38,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":172,"category_id":2,"name":"I\u2019d like to make my aunt feel special","left_column":"If the world were an altogether nicer place there\u2019d be no need of scones for tea. However the world cannot be relied on to be unfailingly generous towards us. Putting out cups, boiling the kettle, and popping a tray of scones in the oven is a simple way to make others feel special, to be overwhelmingly nice to them in a way the world can never be. You may well have your own favourite scone recipe - it\u2019s a recipe that gets handed down from one generation to the next. But if you don\u2019t, this scone recipe won\u2019t let you down.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Scones<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>375g self-raising flour<br \/>\n65g cornflour<br \/>\n90g chilled butter, cubed<br \/>\n230ml milk, plus 1 tbls for brushing<br \/>\njam and whipped cream, to serve<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 220 degrees C (fan-forced). Line a baking ray with non-stick baking paper. Sift together the self-raising flour and cornflour in a large bowl. Use your fingers to lightly rub the butter into the flour until all the butter is combined and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add the milk and use a wooden spoon, then your hands, to gently mix to a soft dough. Do not overmix or the dough will become tough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead for up to 5 minutes or until a soft and smooth dough is formed. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough to 3cm thick. Use a floured 6cm cookie cutter to cut out the scones. Ball together remaining dough and roll out again. Space the scones 0.5cm apart on the baking tray. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops with the extra milk. Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Pull apart the scones and serve with jam and cream.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRecipe from a very old magazine<br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-make-my-aunt-feel-special","order":39,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":173,"category_id":2,"name":" I\u2019d like to reduce my footprint ","left_column":"\u2018Eat food, not too much, mainly vegetables.\u2019 This is the line from Michael Pollan, American food writer and reformer, that launched a thousand Farmer\u2019s Markets. But while many of us have heard this message, most of us fall short of it. Yes, we eat food, but often too much of it, and usually more methane-producing meat than is good for the planet. What should we do? Should we rap our collective knuckles and hide bacon under the pillow? Or is there another, kinder way? If you do venture down the Farmer\u2019s Market this winter, there is something \u2013 besides meat \u2013 that really is worth buying directly from growers. Vegetables \u2013 carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onions, celeriac and pumpkin. And what better way to make use of winter vegetables, than to roast them in the oven? If you serve them generously, there just will be less room for meat on the plate.","description":"<strong>Oven-Roasted Winter Vegetables<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>12 peeled shallots<br \/>\n350g peeled and deseeded butternut squash<br \/>\n350g peeled sweet potato<br \/>\n350 peeled swede<br \/>\n350g peeled celeriac<br \/>\n1 tbls freshly chopped rosemary & thyme<br \/>\n2 large crushed cloves of garlic<br \/>\n3 tblsp olive oil<br \/>\nsalt and freshly milled black pepper<br \/>\nPreheat the oven to 435 degrees F\/220 degrees C\/ gas mark 7. Cut the vegetables into large chunky pieces \u2013 leaving the celeriac until last, as it may discolour. Place them in a large bowl and add the herbs, garlic, olive oil and lots of seasoning. Use your hands to mix them. The prepared vegetables can now be kept in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you\u2019re ready to cook, spread them out on the baking tray and cook in the pre-heated oven on a high shelf for 30-40 minutes, until they\u2019re tender and turning brown at the edges.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDelia Smith, <i>Kitchen Basics<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-reduce-my-footprint","order":40,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""},{"id":174,"category_id":2,"name":"My grandmother is coming to visit","left_column":"Perhaps your grandmother is sprightly and game for anything. Probably she is as excited to be coming over for a meal with you, as you are to have her. Or possibly she is growing frail and has lost interest in elaborate dinners. Almost certainly she is coming not for the food, but to see you. Assuming she likes salmon, this nicoise might be just the thing. Just enough trouble to show you care, but not so much that you are tied to the stove.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Sort of salmon nicoise<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>3 fillets of salmon<br \/>\n75g butter cut into 3<br \/>\ngreen beans<br \/>\nsalt and pepper<br \/>\nrocket<br \/>\n3 hard-boiled eggs<br \/>\ngreen beans<br \/>\nmixed leaves<br \/>\nhandful of cooked green beans<br \/>\nDressing:<br \/>\n1tbls cream<br \/>\n2 tbls extra-virgin olive oil<br \/>\n1tsp white wine vinegar<br \/>\n1tsp sugar<br \/>\n1tsp capers<br \/>\nhandful of coriander<br \/>\n<br \/>\nTear off three sheets of foil, place a nob of butter on each and place the salmon on top, with a good twist of salt and pepper. Wrap salmon in foil and cook in a medium oven for 20 minutes, approximately. Whiz together the salad dressing ingredients. Flake the cooked salmon and spread it over the salad and coat it with the dressing.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nKathryn Smith, <i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.homemadewithmess.worpress.com\">home made with mess<\/a><\/i>","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-grandmother-is-coming-to-visit","order":41,"category_name":"Comfort","large_image":""}],"boredom":[{"id":175,"category_id":4,"name":"Sometimes I wish I lived in the country","left_column":"It would be lovely to come in at dusk from a cold walk over the fields, leave muddy boots on the doorstep and patter about the kitchen in thick socks. Put a basket of wild mushrooms gathered at the edge of the wood on the scrubbed pine table. Light a fire in the kitchen grate. But work of family or the attractions of the bright lights stand in the way of making this real, and a touch of sadness creeps in. Still, something of this beguiling vision, if not all the details, can be brought to life in a city or suburb. Food can keep us in touch with parts of ourselves that feel neglected in the life we happen to have. The mushrooms in this recipe may have to come from the supermarket rather than the forest floor, but cayenne and mace give the warmth we crave. They\u2019re blissfully quick to make. Eat them on toast. There might be a motorway outside but the countryside is on your plate and in your heart.  <br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Buttered Mushrooms<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>100g butter        \t        \t        \t        \t<br \/>\n225g mushrooms, wiped        \t        \t<br \/>\nsalt<br \/>\ncayenne pepper<br \/>\nground mace<br \/>\n<br \/>\nMelt the butter in a pan, tip in the mushrooms and cook over a gentle heat, shaking from time to time, until the mushrooms soften and give up some of their juices. Add a little salt and a fine sprinkling of both cayenne and mace. Serve hot with bread or, better still, some reheated mashed potato. Serves 2<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nNigel Slater, <i>Real Fast Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"sometimes-i-wish-i-lived-in-the-country","order":42,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":176,"category_id":4,"name":"I want to do something to cheer myself up","left_column":" It\u2019s been cold and dank - it seems - forever. It\u2019s Sunday afternoon and the rain isn\u2019t going to let up. There\u2019s nothing urgent to do and there\u2019s a low-level dullness that leaves us feeling a bit empty. Making jam is much easier than it sounds. It\u2019s quietly amazing that it is possible to do this. There\u2019s a pleasant bustle about sorting out jars and making little labels for them. Even before you get to lick the spoon, you\u2019ll have a heavenly smell wafting through the kitchen. You wait, knowing you\u2019ve done something good, for the sweet reward. Quite possibly homemade strawberry jam on hot buttered toast is the most delicious thing in the world. And you\u2019ve made it happen. This jam will happily keep for a few months \u2013 which means that when you need reminding of summer in the grisaille winter months, a spoonful of happiness awaits you in a jar. What need is there of pudding when queenly strawberry jam on toast can be yours?","description":"<strong>Strawberry jam<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1.8kg slightly underripe dry strawberries, hulled<br \/>\n1.3kg sugar<br \/>\njuice of 2 large lemons<br \/>\n2 tsp\/10g butter<br \/>\n<br \/>\nLayer the hulled strawberries in a jam pan with the sugar and leave overnight. By the morning the sugar will have almost dissolved. Shake the pan to distribute the fruit and juices. Place on low heat, and without stirring too much (shake it a bit as professional cooks do) wait until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice and turn up the heat. When the jam has boiled for about 8 minutes, remove from the heat. Chill a few saucers in the fridge for testing the set. To test for setting point, spoon a small amount onto a cold saucer. When cool, see whether a light skin has formed by pushing it with your finger. If it has, the jam is ready for canning. If not, boil for a few minutes more. Stir in the butter to disperse the scum that will probably have formed. Ladle the jam into sterilised jars. (Don\u2019t get in a tizz about sterilizing the jars \u2013 sit them in water in a baking tray in the oven for 15 minutes at a moderate heat or, if you have one, put them through the dishwasher.)<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nChristina Strutt, <i>A Guide to Green Housekeeping<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-want-to-do-something-to-cheer-myself-up","order":43,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":177,"category_id":4,"name":"I wish summer would never end","left_column":"Gathering twenty heads of elderflower \u2013 from hedgerows or, mind no one is looking, from the park \u2013 is a wonderfully summery thing to do. The transformation of these bridal flowers into a mellow cordial, with just a few wooden spoon stirs over a couple of days, is next to miraculous. Not all recipes are easy as they look. This one really is.","description":"<strong>Elderflower cordial<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>20 heads elderflower<br \/>\n2 lemons sliced<br \/>\n60g citric acid<br \/>\n2 kilos sugar<br \/>\n2 litres water<br \/>\n<br \/>\nMix everything together in a large bowl and leave it in a cool place for 48 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain, bottle and dilute to taste. Leave a few flowers in the cordial for a floral effect. It\u2019s also very nice as a cocktail, with champagne and gin and tonic! Don\u2019t forget to keep it in the fridge.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRecipe from Caroline Crosse<br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-wish-summer-would-never-end","order":44,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":179,"category_id":4,"name":"I need a kick start","left_column":"For many of us, familiarity is welcome. We like knowing roughly what is coming next. But at the same time, too much familiarity dulls the senses. To be so sure of what\u2019s coming next that you don\u2019t bother paying attention to it when it comes, is not ideal. Rather be two steps ahead \u2013 in the kitchen as in life. Salsa Verde, an edgy piquant sauce, does just this. The gourmet equivalent of a roll in the snow after a hot sauna.","description":"<strong>Salsa verde<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>45g flat-leaf parsley<br \/>\n15g basil leaves<br \/>\n3 canned anchovy fillets<br \/>\n1 tbsp rinsed capers<br \/>\n1 tbsp white wine vinegar<br \/>\n1.2 slice white bread (crusts off)<br \/>\n1 small garlic clove, peeled and chopped<br \/>\nsalt & pepper<br \/>\n150ml extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPile all the ingredients except the oil into a processor. Whirr until very finely chopped. Gradually trickle in enough oil to give a creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSophie Grigson, <i>The first-time cook<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-need-a-kick-start","order":46,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":180,"category_id":4,"name":"Why does memory play tricks on me?","left_column":"You don\u2019t need to have read Proust to know about the madeleine moment. It\u2019s the moment at which a pocket of memory, concealed by a fold in the mind, comes rushing back \u2013 made more vivid for having been shut away for a time. In the story Proust\u2019s main character Swann is bored, and falls into a reverie when he drinks tea steeped with a madeleine. What, he asks himself, does it remind him of? Struggling to remember he drinks more tea. \u2018The truth\u2019, he realises, \u2018lay not in the cup but in me\u2019.","description":"<strong>Friands<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>185g butter, melted<br \/>\n1 cup (110g) almond or hazelnut meal<br \/>\n6 lightly beaten egg whites<br \/>\n1 \u00bd cups (240g) icing sugar<br \/>\n\u00bd cup (75g) plain flour<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat oven to moderately hot. Grease 12 friand moulds or a 12-hole muffin pan. Combine butter, almond meal, egg white, sifted icing sugar and flour in a large bowl. Stir until combined. Divide mixture, fill pan and bake for about 3 minutes or until browned. Turn on to wire racks to cool. Makes 12.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nThe Australian Women\u2019s Weekly, <i>Caf\u00e9 Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"why-does-memory-play-tricks-on-me","order":47,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":181,"category_id":4,"name":"I\u2019d like to try something a bit different","left_column":"Most of us wear 30% of our wardrobe regularly, and the rest only occasionally. We do something similar in the kitchen. We fall back on the same default pasta dish. The same fail-safe roast. If we visit the butcher, we have a mental list from the week before of what to order, even before we peer into the glass cabinet. We like the idea of being spontaneous, of living for the moment. But when it comes to making our so-called food choices it\u2019s easier to reach for the familiar, than to take a risk with the new. This recipe is a good combination of handholding and \u2013 assuming you don\u2019t cook Asian every night \u2013 challenge. And it\u2019s fairly light on new ingredients.","description":"<strong>Stir-fried pork with spring onions<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>450g boneless pork fillet<br \/>\n1 tbls Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry<br \/>\n1 tbls light soy sauce<br \/>\n2 tsp sesame oil<br \/>\n1 tsp cornflour<br \/>\n8 spring onions<br \/>\n1 tbls groundnut or vegetable oil<br \/>\n1 tsp sugar<br \/>\nsalt and black pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nCut the pork into thick slices 5cm long. Put into a bowl and mix in the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so that the pork absorbs the flavours of the marinade. Cut the spring onions on the diagonal into 5cm lengths. Heat a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot. Add the oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the pork slices and stir-fry them until they are brown. Add the spring onions, sugar, 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of black pepper and continue to stir-fry until the pork is cooked and slightly firm. This should take 3-4 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and arrange on a warm serving platter. Pour over any juices and serve.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nKen Hom, <i>Complete Chinese Cookbook BBC<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-try-something-a-bit-different","order":48,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":182,"category_id":4,"name":"I\u2019m fed up of my own cooking","left_column":"Admitting that you are tired of your own cooking is at least halfway to addressing the problem. It hints at a willingness to branch out in new directions. If, as you suggest, you don\u2019t like what you used to like quite as much as before, perhaps there are things you might like that previously you didn\u2019t. This doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019ll like this seared squid and chorizo dish. It just means that you might. This possibility, this chink in your armour, hints at the possibility of a brave new world.","description":"<strong>Seared squid and chorizo<\/strong><br \/>\nFor the chickpea puree:<br \/>\n<i>400g tin of chickpeas<br \/>\n2 tsp ground cumin<br \/>\npinch of chilli flakes<br \/>\n2 crushed cloves of garlic<br \/>\n300ml extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\nsalt<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nMain dish:<br \/>\n<i>2 tbls Greek yoghurt<br \/>\n1 dessertspoon chopped coriander<br \/>\n500g prepared and cleaned squid, with tentacles<br \/>\n250g chorizo sausage<br \/>\n12 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered<br \/>\njuice of 1\/2 lemon<br \/>\n100g soft green leaves such as rocket<br \/>\n<br \/>\nDrain the chickpeas and put them in food processor with the cumin, chilli flakes and one of the cloves of garlic. With the engine running, slowly pour in half the olive oil. Switch off the machine and have a taste \u2013 it will probably need a touch of salt. Keep this at room temperature. Next, mix the Greek yoghurt with the chopped coriander and store I the fridge. Now cut the squid tubes into rings about 5mm thick. Slice up the chorizo into thickish long, diagonal slices. Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of the remaining olive oil. Fry the chorizo until it colours slightly, then remove it to a bowl. Increase the heat in the pan and throw in the squid. Cook it hot and fast \u2013 flash fry for about 3-4 minutes, in which time it will firm up and colour slightly. At this point throw in the chorizo, tomatoes and crushed clove of garlic. Toss together and add remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. To serve, put a dollop of chickpea puree on each plant and spoon around the seared squid and chorizo mixture. Add a spoonful of coriander yoghut and sere with green leaves.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAllegra McEverdy & Paul Merrett, <i>Economy Gastronomy: Eat better and spend less<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-fed-up-of-my-own-cooking","order":49,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":183,"category_id":4,"name":"I\u2019m going camping","left_column":"Sometimes we need a hill to climb. We want a challenge that fires our imagination and that pushes us physically. Camping is this for many of us. However few of us, after a long day\u2019s hike, relish drinking Cup-a-Soup by the campfire. We want something sustaining that will keep us warm through the night. Or that can be heated for breakfast, when we really need it. Baked beans can of course be bought in a can. However once you\u2019ve tried these home-made baked beans, it\u2019s almost impossible to go back to the tinned ones.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Baked Beans with Speck<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 cup dried cannelini or navy beans<br \/>\n2 brown onions<br \/>\n2 garlic cloves<br \/>\n1 sprig of sage<br \/>\n2 tsp salt<br \/>\n400g speck cut into thickish slices<br \/>\n1 can of tinned chopped tomatoes<br \/>\n2 tbs treacle<br \/>\nSalt and pepper to taste<br \/>\nSoak the beans for at least 5 hours in cold water. Then rinse and drain well<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPeel both the onions: dice one of them and set aside. Put the beans, the whole onion, sage, garlic and salt in a large pot of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the beans are just undercooked. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. Drain the beans, discarding the onion and sage and place in an ovenproof casserole pan with the speck, tomatoes, diced onion and treacle. Gently stir to combine. Pour in just enough water to wet the beans but don't drown them! Cover with a lid and bake for around 3 hours. Check on them periodically to see if they are boiling and adjust the temperature to suit. When the beans are ready, remove the lid and turn the oven temperature up to 180C. Pull the speck to the top and bake for around 20 minutes or until the speck has begun to brown and caramelise. <\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nMatthew Evans, <i>The Real Food Companion<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-going-camping","order":50,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""},{"id":184,"category_id":4,"name":"My mother is a fantastic good cook - I\u2019ll never be as good as her ","left_column":"\u2018My mother was <i>such<\/i> a good cook\u2019. \u2018My ex-partner loved food so much that he did all the cooking\u2019. \u2018My aunt, she could turn her hand to anything in the kitchen \u2013 she even made her own pickles\/jam\/soap\u2019. \u2018My parents would have twelve for dinner without blinking an eyelid\u2019. You get the idea. What possible motive could you have to cook, if your mother\/ex-partner\/aunt is so much better at cooking than you\u2019ll ever be? But there\u2019s a problem with this reasoning. Because it\u2019s very likely that the meal you\u2019d prepare, had you the confidence to cook it, bears little resemblance to the meals cooked by people whose culinary skills you feel intimidated by. Thankfully this kind of learned helplessness can be reversed. It may take a while, but you can find your way back to feeling confident in the kitchen. Start small and unthreateningly. Pick up a book \u2013 like Sophie Grigson\u2019s <i>The First-Time Cook<\/i> \u2013 and, without letting on, work your way through it. It might be one meal a week. It might be a meal a month. The timing isn\u2019t important. And do expect to throw your hands in the air now and again. Just keep going. These scrambled eggs, as described by Alice Waters, is a good place to start.","description":"<strong>Scrambled eggs<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Crack 1 or 2 eggs per person into a bowl. Choose a heavy-bottomed pan of a size such that the eggs will be about \u00bd inch deep in the pan. (A 10-inch skillet is perfect for scrambling a dozen eggs.) Heat the pan over medium heat for a few minutes. This is key: a properly heated pan will keep the eggs from sticking. Meanwhile, lightly beat or stir the eggs together. If they are stirred or beaten too much the eggs will be runny and won\u2019t have as much body when cooked. Season them with salt and pepper (and chopped herbs, if you like), using a generous pinch of salt for every 2 eggs. When the pan is hot, add a hazelnut-size piece of butter for every 2 eggs. When the butter is almost finished foaming, pour in the eggs. Let the eggs cook undisturbed for a few moments; when you see them start to set, begin to push the eggs around in the pan, allowing liquid egg to flow out over the hot pan. Cook the scrambled eggs until they\u2019re just a little looser than you like them (I like mine very moist); they will continue cooking when you take them off the heat. Serve immediately.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAlice Waters, <i>The Art of Simple Food<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"my-mother-is-a-fantastic-good-cook-ill-never-be-as-good-as-her","order":51,"category_name":"Boredom","large_image":""}],"health":[{"id":185,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019d like to live more simply ","left_column":"So much comes our way, in terms of what we\u2019re supposed to want. And so often we take the bait. Paring things down to their bare essentials, in a Zen-like way, can be amazingly liberating. To regain trust in our desires it may help \u2013 even for a short while \u2013 to focus solely on what matters to you. It may be a beautiful walk in the early evening. It may be rereading a novel you first read years ago. It may be using your notebook to draw whatever lies immediately in front of you. Equally when it comes to your next meal, dare to cook less. Grill a piece of salmon. Steam some broccoli. At most, squeeze some olive oil and lemon on both. Leave the mayonnaise in the cupboard and dream of higher things. Your body will thank you for it.","description":"<strong>Grilled salmon<\/strong> <br \/>\n<i>\u00bd  tbls extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\n2 x 150g salmon fillets<br \/>\njuice of \u00bd large lime (or lemon) or 1 small lime<br \/>\nsalt and pepper<br \/>\n2 lime wedges, to serve<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat oven to 230 degrees C\/450 degrees F\/Gas Mark 8. Use a little of the oil to grease a baking dish just big enough to take the two fillets. Place the fillets, skin-side down, in the dish. Spoon over the remaining oil, lime (or lemon) juice, and salt and pepper. Rub mixture in lightly. Roast for 10-12 minutes. Serve very hot, with lime wedges. Serves 2.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSophie Grigson, <i>The First-Time Cook<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-live-more-simply","order":52,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":186,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019m feeling under the weather","left_column":"In an ideal world we\u2019d be perfectly equipped for life. We\u2019d be prepared for whatever life threw our way. We\u2019d plan ahead and pick up after ourselves. And we\u2019d make sure never to catch a chill. But the reality is that nearly all of us spend our lives with too many balls in the air. The problem is not that we drop them now and then. It\u2019s that once we do drop them \u2013 coming down with flu perhaps, or a scratchy throat \u2013 it can be a struggle to look after ourselves. But it needn\u2019t be too difficult. With a chicken thawed from the freezer, this soup \u2013 both consoling and medicinal \u2013 can be yours in a matter of hours. And with pasta or beans, plus anything green thrown in the following day, your recovery is assured.","description":"<strong>Chicken soup<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>2 tbsp olive oil<br \/>\n1.8kg chicken, joined into about 10 pieces (ask your butcher to do this)<br \/>\n3 brown onions, finely chopped<br \/>\n3 cloves garlic, thinkly sliced<br \/>\n3 stalks celery, finely chopped<br \/>\n3 carrots, finely chopped<br \/>\n2 bay leaves<br \/>\n\u00bd bunch thyme<br \/>\nsea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br \/>\n50g unsalted butter<br \/>\n1\/3 cup plain flour<br \/>\n<br \/>\nHeat olive oil in a large saucepan or stockpot over high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, turning often, until skin is golden brown, then remove and drain on paper towel. Turn heat down to low, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, add celery and carrot and saut\u00e9 until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan, then add bay leaves and thyme, along with 3 litres water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 \u00bd hours or until meat is falling from the bones. Using a slopped spoon, transfer chicken from soup to a large plate. Remove and shred chicken meat, then return to soup. Discard bones. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, rub butter into flour using your fingertips, then add small pieces to the soup, whisking well until lightly thickened.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRodney Dunn, <i>The Agrarian Kitchen<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-feeling-under-the-weather","order":53,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":187,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019d like to jump out of bed in the morning","left_column":"So much good advice, possibly all good advice, falls on deaf ears. Learning from experience is always going to be more powerful than pearls of wisdom. Even so there are certain principals of good living, handed down over the centuries, that still hold true. \u2018Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dine like a pauper\u2019 is one of them. The idea that the human metabolism slows down in the evening, and that the mind surrenders to sleep more easily after a light supper, has been extensively proven. It may not fit with our grab-and-run lifestyles. However if you are serious about jumping out of bed in the morning, a light supper goes hand in hand with going early to bed. This frittata, for the plan-aheads, can be prepared the night before for a hearty breakfast.<br \/>\n","description":"<strong>Tuna frittata<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 spring onion<br \/>\n3 free-range eggs<br \/>\n1 sprig flat-leaf parsley<br \/>\n15g butter<br \/>\n90g tin of tuna in oil, drained<br \/>\n<br \/>\nFinely dice the spring onion. Crack eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk. Using scissors, snip parsley into small pieces and add to eggs. Turn the grill on to high. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the spring onion gently for 5 minutes. Add tuna and stir gently. Turn the heat up slightly and pour the egg mixture over the tuna and onion. Move the egg around in the pan to help it cook, then leave for 2-3 minutes until the bottom of the frittata is cooked. Put the pan under the grill for 2-3 minutes until the egg is cook through and golden and bubbly on top. Serves 2<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\n<i>The Silver Spoon for Children: Favourite Italian Recipes<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-jump-out-of-bed-in-the-morning","order":54,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":188,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019d like to eat more salad","left_column":"A salad stands or falls by its dressing. A well-made vinaigrette can be delicately sweet for children, or astringent for those with a drier palette. The days of the flip-top bottle of French dressing, kept in the door of the fridge and glugged over bland lettuce, are thankfully over.  A balsamic vinaigrette, for example, pleasantly balances out the bitter radiccio leaves. A noble vinaigrette may dress a warm goats cheese salad, spark up a quinoa salad, or grace a stately Nicoise. Here are two versions, one to please the young at heart, the other in the French style. If you make this vinaigrette before the salad you intend to dress it with, you\u2019re more likely to give it the care \u2013 and doctoring \u2013 it requires.It will keep for a good long time in the door of the fridge.","description":"<strong>Basic vinaigrette<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>One tbsp vinegar, <br \/>\n\u00bd tsp Dijon Mustard, <br \/>\n2 pinches caster sugar and plenty of salt and pepper. <br \/>\n<br \/>\nAdd 4.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Screw on the jar lid tightly and shake with enthusiasm. Adjust the balance of flavours according to the salad you are dressing.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSophie Grigson, <i>The First-Time Cook<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-eat-more-salad","order":55,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":189,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019m nearly but not quite better","left_column":"You\u2019re back at work and have started saying \u2018Fine\u2019 when people ask how you are. But you\u2019re still not 100%. There\u2019s a lot of space between feeling crook and feeling completely well. And it\u2019s when you\u2019re in this in between place, of feeling not quite yourself, that food is such an ally. This is no time for stodge, but for lightly cooked food a little and often \u2013 packed with iron, zinc, garlic and olive oil. If you listen hard, your body will be your guide.","description":"<strong>Scotch broth salad<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>150g pearl barley<br \/>\n100g curly kale (2 good handfuls), washed, course stem removed, and roughly chopped.<br \/>\n1 tbls rapeseed or olive oil<br \/>\n1 red onion, chopped<br \/>\n250g cooked lamb, shredded<br \/>\nlarge handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nDressing:<br \/>\n<i>3 tbls rapeseed or olive oil<br \/>\n2 tbls cider vinegar or white wine vinegar<br \/>\n1 tbls cr\u00e8me fraiche<br \/>\n1 tsp soft light brown sugar<br \/>\na few shredded mint leaves (optional)<br \/>\nSea salt and fresh black pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPut the pearl barley in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently until tender \u2013 about 45 minutes. Drain. Blanch the kale in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold running water and drain again. Whisk together all ingredients for dressing and set aside. Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until softened. Increase the heat slightly, add the lamb and cook for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add half the dressing and warm through. Put the barley into a large bowl, add the kale and parsley, then tip in the lamb and onion mixture and stir to coat everything. Check the seasoning, then serve, dotting a little more dressing on each plateful.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, <i>River Cottage Everyday<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-nearly-but-not-quite-better","order":56,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":190,"category_id":5,"name":"It\u2019s too hot to eat","left_column":"There is, for most of us, a temperature above which food becomes less appetising. Instead of making a beeline for the kitchen at mealtimes, very hot weather is an invitation to sit in front of a fan, or to take a cold shower. However skipping meals when it\u2019s scorching outside isn\u2019t the answer - leading you to feel even more lethargic. Arabs have been making Tabbouleh during hot summers for centuries - as a light meal on its own, or a quick accompaniment to something more substantial.","description":"<strong>Tabbouleh<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>\u00bd cup cracked wheat<br \/>\n3 tomatoes<br \/>\n1 long cucumber<br \/>\n2 spring onions<br \/>\n1 clove garlic<br \/>\n10 stalks parsley<br \/>\n15 mint leaves<br \/>\n1 lemon<br \/>\n2 tbls extra virgin olive oil<br \/>\nsalt and freshly ground pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPlace the cracked wheat in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 10 minutes, then tip into a strainer. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a tablespoon. Tip the cracked wheat into a tea towel and roll it like a sausage. Hold it between two people and twist it in opposite directions. Dry the bowl and shake the cracked wheat into it. Add to the bowl diced tomatoes and the cucumber, finely sliced spring onion and finely chopped garlic. Rinse the parsley and mint and again dry it in a tea towel. Mix the oil and lemon juice and add to the bowl. Mix together and taste for salt and pepper.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nStephanie Alexander, <i>The Kitchen Garden Cookbook for Kids<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"its-too-hot-to-eat","order":57,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":191,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019m feeling run down","left_column":"We think that we know what we\u2019re doing. We have To Do lists that we tick off each day. Some of us have career plans more elaborate than earning enough to travel the world, or to pay off property before retirement. But all this running round takes its toll \u2013 morally as well as physically. The sane response is to take time out to recharge. However we can\u2019t always do this. We feel we have to keep going. At times like this it\u2019s our soul that needs nourishing, as much as our body. Not with a 5-course tasting menu, but with something incredibly simple - like guacamole on crusty bread with a green salad. And not a fancy guacamole, with jalapenos and coriander, but a creamy mix of avocado with a smoky hint of paprika.","description":"<strong>Guacamole<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 ripe avocado<br \/>\n1 tblsp lime or lemon<br \/>\nsea salt & black pepper<br \/>\na pinch or two of paprika<br \/>\nMash all these ingredients in a mortar and pestle, if it appeals. Or, equally effective, mix them in a bowl with a fork.<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-feeling-run-down","order":58,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":192,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019d like to cook without meat sometimes, on the quiet","left_column":"Privation is never going to work. As soon as you call attention to the need to do without something, the human mind has a way of immediately wanting it. Short of elevating sustainability into a religion, telling people not to eat meat on Mondays is unlikely to catch on. Nonetheless like all good advice, there is something to it. If we all cooked regularly without meat, without this being a big deal, it would make a real difference. But it can\u2019t be a lentil salad. Or a tofu burger. Both of which can be delicious but carry too much baggage. A roasted vegetable lasagna, on the other hand, made with love, cr\u00e8me fraiche and lots of parmesan - well, that\u2019s another story. And the gong for the most popular vegetarian dish on the internet? It goes to Jamie Oliver\u2019s Roasted vegetable lasagne","description":"<strong>Jamie Oliver\u2019s Roasted vegetable lasagne<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Roasted vegetable lasagne <br \/>\n3 red peppers<br \/>\n2 aubergines<br \/>\n8 tbsp olive oil, plus a little for greasing<br \/>\n\u00bd quantity tomato sauce (see below)<br \/>\n300g fresh pack lasagne sheets<br \/>\n\u00bd quantity white sauce (see below)<br \/>\n125g ball mozzarella<br \/>\nhandful cherry tomatoes, halved<br \/>\n<br \/>\nHeat oven to 200C\/fan 180C\/gas 6. Deseed the peppers, halve, then cut into large chunks. Trim ends off aubergines, then cut into slices about \u00bdcm thick. Lightly grease 2 large baking trays, then place peppers and aubergines on top. Toss with the olive oil, season well, then roast for 25 mins until lightly browned. Reduce oven to 180C\/fan 160C\/gas 4. Lightly oil an ovenproof serving dish (30 x 20cm). Arrange a layer of the vegetables on the bottom, then pour over a third of the tomato sauce. Top with a layer of lasagne, then drizzle over a quarter of the white sauce. Repeat until you have 3 layers of pasta. To finish, spoon remaining white sauce over the pasta, making sure the whole surface is covered. Scatter mozzarella over the top with the tomatoes. Bake for 45 mins until bubbling and golden.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRecipe from Good Food magazine<br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-cook-without-meat-sometimes-on-the-quiet","order":59,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":193,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019d like to live forever\u2026","left_column":"A vain wish, perhaps. But one that we all entertain now and again. Gorging on superfoods - which assume a year-round source of blueberries and avocadoes - isn\u2019t the answer. Nonetheless wanting to age gracefully is a good thing to want. Having a measure of control over growing older is in itself empowering. The right foods can offer, if not an elixir of youth, an intelligent counter to the inevitable effects of ageing. Far more so than rushing off to the doctor for a script. Leafy greens, the good oils, and solid protein during the day - all these help stem the tide.","description":"<strong>Broccoli with red onion, feta and mint<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>1 bunch broccoli<br \/>\n2 tbls extra-virgin olive oil<br \/>\n1 tbsp finely chopped arlic<br \/>\npinch of red pepper flakes<br \/>\n\u00bd cup thinly sliced red onion, in half moons<br \/>\nsea salt<br \/>\n\u00bd cup halved cherry tomatoes<br \/>\n3 tblsp crumbled organic sheep\u2019s or goats\u2019 milk feta cheese<br \/>\n2 tbls grated lemon zest<br \/>\n1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, for garnish<br \/>\n<br \/>\nSteam the broccoli florets and chunks of stem for 2-3 minutes. Dry the pot and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saut\u00e9 for 30 seconds. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saut\u00e9 until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and \u00bctsp salt and saut\u00e9 for 2 minutes - the broccoli should still be firm. Gently stir in the tomatoes, cheese, and lemon zest. Garnish and serve. Serves 4.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nRebecca Katz, <i>The Longevity Kitchen<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"id-like-to-live-forever","order":60,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":194,"category_id":5,"name":"I love getting out of town on the weekend","left_column":"It\u2019s great to get out into the country, far from fluorescent-lit shops and tacky takeaways. But you don\u2019t want to go all that way and end up searching for something to eat, or feeling out of place in a low-ceilinged pub. Nor do you want to spend hours preparing fancy food that gets squashed flat in a rucksack. A good map, a thermos, and these chicken wraps will see you through. They beat cheese sandwiches any day.","description":"<strong>Lara\u2019s chicken wraps<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>2 skinned chicken breasts<br \/>\n1 tbsp sunflower oil<br \/>\n4 large flour tortillas<br \/>\n4 tbsp mayonnaise<br \/>\nhandful of shredded leaves or lettuce<br \/>\n4 tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips<br \/>\nsalt and freshly ground black pepper<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nMarinade:<br \/>\n<i>1 tbsp olive oil<br \/>\n1 tbls fresh lemon juice<br \/>\n1 crushed garlic clove<br \/>\n1 tbsp dark soy sauce<br \/>\n1 tbsp clear honey<br \/>\n\u00bd tbsp brown sugar<br \/>\n2tbsp sunflower oil<br \/>\n<br \/>\nScore the chicken with a sharp knife. Mix together the marinade and marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes. Brush a griddle pan with the oil. Griddle the chicken for 4 minutes each side, cut into strips and set aside. Heat each tortilla for 10 seconds in a microwave or in a hot, dry, frying pan for 15 seconds, one at a time. Spread each one with 2tbls of mayonnaise and arrange the chicken strips in a line down one side of the tortilla, about 4cm from the edge, with parallel lines of leaves down one side and tomato strips down the other. Roll up and cut each tortilla in half and wrap in foil.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nAnnabel Karmel, <i>The fussy eaters\u2019 recipe book<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"i-love-getting-out-of-town-on-the-weekend","order":61,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""},{"id":195,"category_id":5,"name":"I\u2019m tired of wasting money on lunch at work","left_column":"You start with such high ambitions. Double-entry bookkeeping. A monthly budget. Doubling recipes on the weekend to freeze for during the week. But then you begin to slip. The lunch that you bring to work starts to look like, well, leftovers. But don\u2019t give up. Or more to the point, shift your thinking. By all means give way on double-entry bookkeeping. And do buy a new lunchbox that doesn\u2019t remind you of school. Eat out some days, to give yourself ideas of what you like. And on those days that it makes sense to bring your own lunch, make sure it\u2019s something that you can look forward to. This salad could be just the thing - and it definitely isn\u2019t leftovers.","description":"<strong>Roast beetroot and goats\u2019 cheese salad<\/strong><br \/>\n<i>Bunch of baby beetroot<br \/>\nMizuna (or rocket) leaves<br \/>\nBeetroot leaves<br \/>\n175g goat\u2019s cheese<br \/>\nextra-virgin olive oil<br \/>\nbalsamic vinegar<br \/>\nsea salt and pepper<br \/>\n<br \/>\nPreheat oven to 230 degrees F. Leave 3cm leaf stalks on top of beet, wrap in foil and roast in oven until soft and cooked through (approx. 30-40 minutes). Rub the skins off the beetroot and keep whole or cut into quarters, then toss in extra-virgin olive oil. Scatter a few mizuna and small beetroot leaves on each service place. Arrange warm beetroot on top. Drizzling with olive oil and balsamic. Put a dessertspoon of goat\u2019s cheese beside the beetroot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with more mizuna.<\/i><br \/>\n<br \/>\nHilary Burden, <i>Hilbarn: A collection of recipes<\/i><br \/>\n","artist_name":" ","painting_name":" ","image":"","stub":"im-tired-of-wasting-money-on-lunch-at-work","order":62,"category_name":"Health","large_image":""}]}