Spaghetti with Broccolini, Garlic & Chilli

Tenderstem Broccoli, Broccolini and Broccolette - all names referring (as far as I can tell) to the same wonderful thin, long-stemmed variety of broccoli. It is one of my all time favourite vegetables and when it comes into season I am always so happy!

This is by far one of my favourite ways to enjoy it, as a quick and simple delicious pasta dish ideal for knocking up for a midweek meal that is filling but light at the same time. The amount of time needed to cook the broccoli will depend on how thin the stalks are but as a guide the latest bunch I had were almost pencil thin and therefore needed no more than 1 minute for the stalks and 30 seconds for the florets, but if they are a bit thicker the stalks might need up to 2 minutes.

Flatbread Pizza

This has got to be one of my favourite things to eat for lunch. It's so super quick and easy but so unbelievably delicious. All you need is some bought flatbreads (for example pita bread), some cheese and tomato and in less than 10 minutes you have an amazing lunch. Of course just like any pizza you can change the toppings to whatever you like. In the middle of Summer I will quite often add some thin ribbons of Zucchini but for the most part I can't resist the classic and very simple Tomato and Mozzarella.

Quantities make 1 pizza

1 flatbread of your choice ( I use wholemeal pita's that are thin)

Extra virgin olive oil

½ tomato, roughly chopped

Fresh mozzarella, roughly chopped or torn apart

4 Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half

½ fresh chilli, finely chopped (optional)

scattering of fresh basil leaves

Maldon sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

To make the pizza simply brush a little extra virgin olive oil over one side of the flatbread. Scatter over the chopped tomato, mozzarella, olives and chilli and then pop onto a baking tray and cook under a hot grill for a couple of minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbling and the edges of the flat bread starting to crisp.

Sprinkle over a little Maldon salt, some cracked black pepper and the fresh basil leaves then if you like finish with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and if you want to take it up another notch some really good quality balsamic vinegar. So easy but so good!

Italian Eggs

Eggs are probably my favourite breakfast dish as they are so quick and easy to prepare and very versatile. This dish might take a little longer than your average egg dish but it is well worth the wait.

'Italian Eggs' might not necessarily be the correct name for this delicious dish, but I didn't want to call it 'Baked Eggs' since for this recipe I don't bake them but keep them on the top of the oven. That being said, if you prefer you could easily finish this dish off in the oven so that you can get on with other things while the eggs cook.

Regardless of how you cook the eggs what you end up with is a deliciously tangy and slightly spicy tomato sauce which becomes a silky smooth bed for cooking the eggs on, until they are just cooked with perfectly runny yolks which once broken dribble and ooze into the sauce. Finished with some fresh basil and plenty of bread of your choice for dipping in and mopping up and you have the most delicious egg dish perfect for breakfast, lunch or even a light dinner.

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 x 28oz (or 2 x 400g) tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp sugar (optional)

½ – 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional but if using add as much or as little as you like depending on how hot you like things)

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 organic large eggs

scattering of fresh basil leaves

Bread of your choice for dipping

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil then add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute being careful not to brown. Add the tomatoes, sugar, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for roughly 20-25 minutes until it has reduced slightly. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in about half of the basil leaves then lower the heat so that it is just gently simmering, then carefully crack in the eggs. Cover with a tight fitting lid and leave to cook for roughly 3-4 minutes until the eggs are just cooked but still with a runny yolk.

As soon as the eggs are ready remove the lid to stop the cooking and sprinkle over a good pinch of sea salt and if you like a grinding of pepper. Finish with a final scattering of basil then serve in shallow bowls with plenty of bread or toast to mop everything up with.

*If you would like to make individual servings like the one pictured (which is what I do 99% of the time) simply make up the sauce as above then transfer ¼ of it to a small individual sized frying pan (keep the rest of the sauce for another day – unless you have 4 small pans and are doing it for presentation purposes!). Once the sauce is simmering follow the instructions as above then serve in the pan on a chopping board to protect your table from the heat!

Fiery Roasted Red Pepper Salsa

Since this month's Sweet Heat challenge is Mexican food I couldn't resist making and sharing with you my favourite spicy salsa. And to really mark the occasion and change things up a bit I decided it was finally time to give the good old habanero (Scotch Bonnet) a go to really amp up the heat level! With or without the scotch bonnet this really is a fantastic salsa for those of you that like some heat but if you prefer a less intense heat then use Serrano, Jalapenos or whatever you can gets your hands on to add some spice – and if you don't like spicy food simply miss the chillies out all together and you will still have a delicious, roasted pepper and tomato salsa.

Thanks to a recipe by Thomasina Miers I now roast my tomatoes and garlic in a dry frying pan until they get nice and charred which adds a further dimension to this flavour combination. If you like you could also char them on the barbecue or if you are short of time you can miss that step out but I do recommend giving it a go.

Sweet Heat Round Up # 7 ~ Thai Food

It might be Spring but with the way the weather has been around here, it seldom feels like it, so this month's Sweet Heat challenge was perfect for transporting us to warmer, exotic climates and the beautiful aromatic tastes of Thailand. So whether you have a passport or not, with this collection of recipes you could quite easily be basking on the white beaches of Thailand, sipping coconut water and savouring the regional delights.

To whet our appetites and get things going, Nicola from 41 Feasts kept her other half (and us!) extremely happy with her Thai Spiced Prawns.

Next up and Corina from Searching for Spice recreated one of her favourite restaurant starters and made a fantastic Thai Spiced Beef Salad packed with chilli, lime and coriander for that perfect Thai salad.

Using her newly purchased and delicious curry powder, Janet from TasteSpace made a healthy and wonderful Raw Thai Pineapple Parsnip Rice.

The lovely Janice aka Farmersgirl, and Sweet Heat regular contributor treated us to her super tasty Thai Vegetable Stir Fry with Coriander Rice.

My entry for this month's challenge was one of my favourite starters for a Thai feast – Thai Fishcakes with Cucumber Dipping Sauce.

And you can't have a Thai challenge without a Thai curry appearing so I was delighted to see this beautiful Thai Green Curry from Tango Like Raindrop who was able to finally put her green curry paste to good use.

Another mouth watering and finger licking chicken recipe came courtesy of newcomer and the very lovely Dom of Belleau Kitchen fame who whisked us away to the exotic climates of Thailand with his one-pot Roasted ThaiChicken Thighs.

I was also delighted to welcome another newcomer, Jen from Juanita'sCocina, to the Sweet Heat party with her absolutely fantastic looking and super Spicy Thai Noodles....they definitely pack a spicy punch!

And finally Laura from Credit Munched ends this Thai feast with a deliciously light and aromatic Thai soup packed with Thai chillies, ginger and lime.

As always thank you so much to everyone that took part this month and check out tomorrow's post for the next challenge which is being hosted by the lovely Emma over at Souperior. As always it's going to be spicy!! Happy Cooking : )

Sweet Heat # 7

So far this year Sweet Heat has challenged you to Rock Indian food and make some Spicy Spanish Tapas, and so now I thought it would be nice to take a trip to South East Asia for some Spicy Thai Food! With Spring just around the corner (apparently!) I love the light, fresh and vibrant flavours of Thai cooking which of course includes plenty of spicy heat. On top of that the Songkran Festival which is Thai New Year begins on April 12^th this year, so what better way to celebrate that to indulge in plenty of aromatic Thai food. Due to the vastness of this months theme you have plenty of options – it can be sweet, savoury, a starter, main course, soup, street food or even a Thai inspired condiment – whatever you like, it just has to include chillies of some form (and they don't necessarily have to be Thai chillies!). So transport yourself and your kitchen and take a journey to beautiful Thailand and start cooking some spicy Thai food to invigorate and excite your taste buds.

As always the usual rules apply......

• You must mention Sweet Heat in your post with a link back to this site. You are more than welcome to also include the Sweet Heat Logo on your post but it's not mandatory.
  
  
• Send your post url, your name and a photo of your creation to vanillacloudsandlemondrops@hotmail.co.uk no later than April 27th.

• You can create your own recipe or make your favourite recipe but please credit the original source if using someone else's, and please if using someone else's recipe, you must write the directions in your own words!
  
  
• You can enter as many times as you like. The more the merrier!
  
  
• Your entry must include chillies of some description, after all that is what this challenge is all about.
  
  
• If you tweet your recipe use the hashtag #sweetheat and tag me @LyndseyFleenor and I will re-tweet it! You can also post the link of your entry on my facebook page.

This month you have until April 27^th to enter, so what are you waiting for?... Can you handle the heat?!

The 12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 9: Christmas Bruschettas

I thought I should probably take a break from all of the sweet treats I have been making for Christmas and my 12 Days of Christmas and post these delicious Christmas Bruschetta's. I'll be making these on Christmas Day to serve at lunch time (along with our Broccoli & Nutmeg Soup) but again they also make a fantastic starter. If it's easier you can grill the bread ahead of time so all you have to do is put on the toppings. Pretty, festive and very delicious!

Goats Cheese & Pomegranate

More pomegranate but I just can't resist its stunning sparkly gems and delicious taste. It works so perfectly with the tangy goats cheese and provides a wonderful refreshing taste and pop of flavour when you bite into it.

I haven't given precise measurements for any of these recipes since it depends entirely on how many people you are feeding and how much you want to make.

Ciabatta bread (or something similar)

Olive oil

Garlic, clove(s) sliced in half lengthwise

Goats cheese

Lemon zest

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Pinch of Maldon Salt and black pepper

Pomegranate seeds

Slice the ciabatta into fairly thin slices (roughly 1cm thick) then drizzle with some olive oil. Toast the bread using a paninni press or under the grill until just golden then remove and rub a little of the garlic on it before allowing to cool.

While the bread is toasting, in a small bowl mix together the goats cheese with some lemon zest and a good sprinkling of fresh parsley. Season then mix together using a fork. Taste to check everything is balanced and adjust if necessary.

Spread the goats cheese over the ciabatta then sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds. Finish with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil then serve and watch them disappear in a flash!

Gorgonzola, Bresaola & Rocket

For some reason, I always think of blue cheese as being fairly Christmassy. I'm not entirely sure why – whether its because we used to always get some lovely Stilton as a present (along with some delicious condiments and chutneys), or the fact that there is always a cheese board at some point over the Christmas period that always includes it.... I can't decide my reasoning but anyway, for me this Gorgonzola, Bresaola & Rocket Bruschetta is the perfect wintery, Christmassy Bruschetta!

Ciabatta Bread (or something similar)

Olive oil

Garlic, clove(s) sliced in half lengthwise

Rocket leaves (arugula)

Gorgonzola or other blue cheese of your choice

Bresaola ham

Spritz of lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Slice the ciabatta into fairly thin slices (roughly 1cm thick) then drizzle with some olive oil. Toast the bread using a paninni press or under the grill until just golden then remove and rub a little of the garlic on it before allowing to cool.

When ready to assemble simply put a little rocket on each piece of ciabatta then top with a slice of cheese. Spritz with a little lemon then top with a slice of ham. Finish with a grinding of black pepper (optional) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This is a bruschetta not to be messed with!

Mozzarella & Chilli

This is just my classic Mozzarella & Chilli Bruschetta that I make in the summer, the only difference being I've used parsley instead of basil but I thought since it's a favourite of mine it has to be included at Christmas time – especially since the natural colours of the dish are perfect for Christmas time!

Ciabatta Bread (or something similar)

Olive oil

Garlic, clove(s) sliced in half lengthwise

Mozzarella

Red Chillies (or if you like you can use a mix of red and green), finely chopped

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Maldon sea salt (or other finishing salt)

Extra virgin olive oil

Slice the ciabatta into fairly thin slices (roughly 1cm thick) then drizzle with some olive oil. Toast the bread using a paninni press or under the grill until just golden then remove and rub a little of the garlic on it before allowing to cool.

Tear the mozzarella into pieces then top the ciabatta with it. Finish off by sprinkling over the chopped chillies, parsley and salt then drizzle over a little good quality extra virgin olive oil. My favourite!

The 12 Days of Christmas ~ Day 5: Chilli & Gold Flecked Lollipops

So already we are onto Day 5 of my 12 Days of Christmas and rather than 5 gold rings I just couldn't resist posting these Chilli & Gold Flecked Lollipops! They make fabulous gifts as they look so pretty and taste amazing. Don't be alarmed by the chilli – the sugar calms it down so you are just left with a nice warmth rather than crazy, overpowering heat, but perhaps keep them for the adults and maybe don't give these as a gift to your dentist!

  

Since they fit the bill perfectly I also decided to double up and have these as my Sweet Heat entry for December. This month's spicy challenge is Christmas so these are just perfect. If you like spice you can always add more chilli but please try these – they are fantastic for a sweet little treat!

Makes roughly 8-10 lollipops (easily doubled)

125g sugar

60ml golden syrup or liquid glucose

60ml water

½ - 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes

Edible gold leaf or glitter (optional)

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or 2 smaller ones) and have your lolly pop sticks ready.

Put the sugar, syrup (or glucose) and water into a pan and gently heat, swirling the pan from time to time (do not stir it!) until the sugar has dissolved. Once it's dissolved increase the heat slightly and bring to a boil. If there is any crystallised sugar on the side of the pan brush it down with water using a pastry brush. Continue to boil the mixture until it reaches 150C/300F on a sugar thermometer – this will take roughly 15 minutes.

To check that the sugar is ready dip a teaspoon into the mixture – just a little – then put it into a small bowl of water. Leave for a minute or 2 then feel it – it should be hard and brittle when you try and snap it. Once ready remove from the heat and add the chilli. Using a tablespoon carefully spoon rounds of the caramel onto the lined baking sheet until you have used up all of the caramel. Press a lolly pop stick into each lolly then sprinkle with some edible gold leave or glitter if using. Leave to cool completely then wrap in individual wrappers for the perfect sweet and spicy treat!

*Please be extremely careful when making these as the sugar is extremely hot and can really burn – trust me, I have an old scar to prove it!

For some other edible homemade gift ideas why not try my Pink Champagne Truffles for a decadent and beautiful present for someone special, or a bag of Chocolate and Caramel Popcorn.

Or for something savoury how about my Spiced Chilli Black Pepper matched up with some homemade Gourmet Salts and some fragrant Flavoured Oils. Personal and delicious – a perfect present!