#multi-seed

In my opinion, one of the best ways to enjoy a lovely pear in the Autumn.

Makes: 2 sandwiches Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

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INGREDIENTS

2 Conference pears 10g unsalted butter 25g walnut pieces 50g Stilton 50g watercress 1 garlic clove, halved 4 slices of seeded bread

Instructions

Cut each pear into 8 pieces. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Once the butter stops bubbling add the pear slices and cook for 10–12 minutes, until softened.

Add the walnut pieces to the pears and cook for a further minute. Take the pan off the heat and leave to rest.

Rub the garlic over one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread under the grill and lightly toast both sides.

With the garlic side up, divide the pears and walnuts between the bread. Crumble the Stilton over the top and return to the grill for about 2 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

For lunch, I made salmon with cream-cheese in multi-seed rolls.  I even added fresh chives from the garden to make it feel ‘homemade’. :-)  I know the standard is to use bagels, but I decided to opt for seeded rolls just for added texture.  The rolls contained linseeds, sunflower and poppy seeds – so much goodness! You will find that these rolls are so filling and healthy, and simple and easy to…

Excited for the big 6 Nations game tomorrow, Ireland vs England, and to accompany such an occasion, a Paul O'Connell sized sarny.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 8

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Braised beef

1kg beef brisket

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pint / 500ml of Guinness

1 beef stock cube, crumbled

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp brown sauce

3 bay leaves

4 shallots, peeled and halved

Cabbage and bacon

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

50g bacon lardons

250g savoy cabbage, shredded

And the rest

5 tbsp horseradish sauce

8 giant multi-seed baps

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.

Season the beef all over and heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Seal the beef on all sides and then transfer to a deep roasting tray.

Pour the Guinness into the frying pan, bring to a simmer and deglaze the pan, ensuring you scrape up any beef stuck to the bottom.

Add the Guinness to the roasting tray along with the beef stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, brown sauce, shallots and bay leaves. Tightly cover the tray with foil and cook for 3 hours. Check the beef halfway through and add more water if necessary.

Once cooked, remove the beef from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the remaining cooking liquid into a small saucepan and boil rapidly until reduced to a thick sauce (by about three quarters). Season to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the garlic and shallot. Cook for a couple of minutes until softened and add the bacon lardons. Fry for a further 5 minutes.

Now stir in the shredded cabbage and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the cabbage and bacon is cooking, cut open the baps and spread about 2 teaspoons of horseradish sauce on each.

Or, you know, your average February snow storm in New York. When outside looks like this,

you could:

1) Exercise

2) Clean the bathroom really well

3) Organize your closet

4) Watch movies and read

5) Tackle a recipe you've been meaning to get to

I am, generally, a realistic person, especially when it comes to estimating how many things I can accomplish in any one day. If anything, I like to underestimate on this front, because it gives me great satisfaction to finish my to do list and then have time for a few more tasks. Or just have more time for the sake of having more time.  For some bizarre reason, this all goes out the window when I am presented with and unexpected day off from work. 

Last week's snow storm was more anticipated, so I didn't plan to do much besides stocking up on food(because everyone else was!) and monitoring "the situation" on the local news. Maybe laundry.

This week's winter event came unexpectedly. I was all set to go to work until the subway froze on the tracks (literally), and I was presented with a whole day off. I immediately became convinced that I could tackle items 1 - 5 above without much effort. As you can see here, I managed to check off number 5. 

The recipe, pictures and story (there is always a story, or at least a lot of side tracking) are after the jump.

Throughout the RBS 6 Nations, I'll be creating six sandwiches dedicated to the countries taking part. Each one will be big, hearty and help mop up all that beer guzzled down during the games. As the opening match hosts, this first sarny is for the Welsh.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

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2 medium free-range egg yolks

75g crème fraîche

1 tsp English mustard powder

100g extra mature Cheddar, grated

4 tbsp sweet chilli jam

4 slices of multi-seed wholemeal

Worcestershire sauce

Whisk together the egg yolks, crème fraîche and English mustard powder in a bowl. Stir in the Cheddar and add a little salt and pepper.

Lightly toast the bread and then spread a tablespoon of sweet chilli jam on one side of each slice before dividing the rarebit mixture between them.