Super Superfood Salad Recipe

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Superfood Salad

My lovely sister, who brought my wonderful nephew in to this world has decided it's time to try and lose a little extra weight from pregnant times.So this evening we decided a salad would be a good idea, but it needed to fill us all up! A Superfood Salad was the solution to all our problems, all problems in life.... well, for tonight's tea dilemma at least.

It's a little time consuming for a salad I guess as you have to roast various things, but it's really tasty and mostly good for you, so worth a little extra effort.

Serves 4-6

What do you need?

Colourful, Super Superfoods

1 Butternut Squash
4 Beetroots (uncooked)
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
Sprinkle of Thyme
50g Quinoa
100g Fine Green Beans
150g Spinach
150g Watercress
100g Feta Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Handful Pumpkin Seeds (optional)
Handful Pomegranate Seeds (optional)

Lemon & Olive Oil Dressing

2 Garlic Cloves
1 Lemon (juice)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

What do you do?

1. First you need to peel and chop the squash and beetroots in to 2cm cubes. Place these on 2 separate roasting trays with a tbsp of rapeseed oil each. Crush the 2 garlic gloves and sprinkle along with the thyme over the squash tray. Toss the vegetables in the oil with salt & pepper and place in the oven at Gas Mark 7/220 degrees C for about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and leave to cool.

3. Make the dressing - crush the garlic cloves and place in a shallow boil. Add lemon juice, oil and salt and pepper and whisk until all combined. Taste and adjust seasoning to suit.

4. Boil water in a small saucepan and add green beans. Boil for 2-3 minute so still nice and al-dente, strain and leave to cool. Remove beetroot and squash from the oven and leave to cool.

5. Place the spinach, watercress and crumbled feta cheese in a large bowl. Add quinoa, green beans, squash and beetroot. Pour over dressing and toss salad.

6. Serve, add optional items if wanted. ENJOY!

Click here to see another lovely (less healthy) Jess's Messes Beetroot salad

Cricket Themed Afternoon Tea

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Cricket Themed Afternoon Tea - Jess's Messes Style

I was trying to decide what to do for my Mum for Mother's Day earlier this year. I know she loves Afternoon Tea, but I didn't want to do just a standard, normal Afternoon Tea. Yes, Jess's Messes is all about the flavour, however this time the presentation had to be special.

Another love of my Mum's is cricket, so the idea developed from there. Here is my Cricket Themed Afternoon Tea:

The table display - with essential Pimms

Brownie Scoreboard, Shortbread ECB Logo

Bacon Bat, Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Ball and Pesto and Roasted Veg Pitches

Red Pesto and Grissini Wickets

Shortbread and Chocolate Soil Paul Collingwood

Broken Paul Collingwood :(

The whole meal

Slow Roast Belly Pork with Dauphinoise Potatoes

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Slow Roast Belly Pork with Dauphinoise Potatoes

It's a lovely Sunday in August as I sit and write this... I was going to do a recipe for a Summer Roast Dinner. However, as I look out the window and see the grey clouds and wind, I have made a decision that a more Winter Warmer dish may be more appropriate.

Therefore, here is this dish......

It's a slow cooking roast, but that's the best way for melt in the moth Belly Pork and perfect crunchy crackling, so worth the work, and the wait!


What do you need?

Belly Pork

1 1/2kg Pork Belly
I Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
Salt

Dauphinoise Potatoes

6 Large White All Purpose Potatoes
3 Garlic Cloves
400ml Double Cream
Salt and Black Pepper


What do you do?

1. Rub the skin of the pork with the oil and plenty of salt. Place in the oven at Gas Mark 7/ 220 degrees C for 30 minutes, until the crackling has gone golden and crispy. Then, turn the oven down to Gas Mark 4/160 degrees C for a further 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely slice the potatoes, use a mandolin (if you are confident enough to use one - as mentioned in the Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad Recipe), or just a nice sharp knife, but get them as thin as possible.
3. Bash the garlic cloves and place in a bowl with the cream, potatoes, salt and pepper, mix well ensuring all potato slices are covered in cream.
4. Begin to layer up all slices of potato in a wide, shallow ovenproof dishes. Save the best slices for the top layer to ensure it looks pretty. Pour the cream and garlic mix over the top and press with a slotted spoon.
5. Place in the oven at Gas Mark 4/160 degrees C when the pork has been in for 1 1/2 hours. After 30 minutes press the potatoes again to allow the cream to spill over the top of the potatoes. Then leave to bake until the pork is ready.
6. When the pork is ready you can turn up the oven up again to Gas Mark 7 for 10 minutes to ensure the crackling is perfect.
7. Serve with some nice green veg and a Red Wine Jus (recipe to follow).

Pretty. Summery and Easy Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad Starter

Hello food.....

Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad

Many moons ago it was Father's Day and I wanted to do a tasty 3 course meal for my dad to show him how great he is.

As I was doing 3 courses and none of the family have the massive-est of appetites the starter had to be especially light, but we do like strong and interesting flavours. I decided to do a nice, light Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad... with a slight twist.

Serves 4

What do you need?

300g Cooked Beetroot (not pickled)
2 Limes (Juice)
1 Red Chilli (Finely diced)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Shallot
200g Soft Goats Cheese
2 Tbsp Double Cream
Handful of Chives
Pea Shoots
Salt and Pepper

For the Dressing:

1 Lemon (Juice)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tbsp Honey
Salt and Pepper

How do you do it?

1. Very finely slice the beetroot into small discs, use a Mandolin if you have one and are confident with them - but don't cut yourself, they really hurt!
2. Place slices in a shallow baking tray or similar. Mix in a ramekin the Lime juice, Red Chilli and Olive Oil and season. Pour over beetroot and toss the beets in mixture. Ensure all are covered then cling film and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Very finely dice the shallot and fry very slowly in a small amount of oil, until soft - but careful not to colour.
4. Place Goats Cheese, cooked Shallot, Double Cream and finely sliced Chives in a bowl and combine. I found it easiest to use my hands, but you can obviously use a spoon to stay nice and clean. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place to one side.
5. Make the dressing - combine all ingredients and whisk.
6. Ball up the goats cheese into small spheres, at least 20 of them if serving 4 people.
7. Place 5 discs of beetroot around the place, and a ball of goats cheese on top, then another disc on top of that.
8. Drizzle over some of the dressing and scatter the pea shoots.
9. Serve and enjoy!

Now, just wait and see what I did for Mother's Day!!!

Choccywoccydoodah

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Choccywoccydoodah Dipping Pot - pure joy!

 Recently I took a trip to Brighton for my lovely friend Ali's Hen Do!

It was a fantastic weekend, and we were lucky to get beautiful weather, very much needed when beside the seaside, beside the sea... But one of the highlights of the trip was our visit to Choccywoccydoodah!

Chocolatey tea break

For one thing, what a FANTASTIC name for a place, I had never seen the show on TV before, but got told about it before we went, so was beyond excited to see what it was all about. Obviously with i being a Hen Do, there were a few tender heads on the Sunday morning, and what better way for a group of girls (dressed as Brownie Guides the night before) to recover, than to go to a place dedicated to the wonderful creation of chocolate!!!

We went to the cafe to begin with, where there was a wonderful selection of cakes and treats. I decided to go for a 'dipping pot'. You can choose from white, milk or dark chocolate to dip in and then get presented with such a wonderful supply of different delights to dip in the most gorgeous melted chocolate ever! It truly was delicious, and I'll be honest, I've thought of it every day since then... why don't I live closer to Brighton? :(

We then had a quick look around the shop, and wow - the creations there are out of this world. Like nothing I have ever seen before!

Massive Rocky Road from the shop

So, to conclude, if anyone goes down to Brighton you absolutely have to visit this place. Pop in for a drink and a small slice of cake (I tell a lie, there's no such thing at this place as a small slice of cake) they are magnificent and well worth every penny, so I'm told by the hens that chose cake. Then you must look around the shop, it really is fascinating!

Next action for me - investigate the programme, I can't wait to see it.

Have chocolatey fun times everyone, and thanks to Choccywoccydoodah for a delicious experience!

Recipe of the week - Prawny, Parmesany, Pine Nutty Pasta

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Prawny, Parmesany, Pine Nutty Pasta

Throughout this beautiful summer there have been so many chances to eat outside and enjoy the lovely weather with some fantastic food and a nice glass of wine. One lunch time when on holiday from my work I wanted to do just that, however didn't have many things in the house. Therefore, this is essentially a leftovers meal, but resulted in something delicious that I will definitely make again.

I didn't have fresh pasta for this recipe, as it was just a quick lunch, but if I was to make it for other people I would definitely use my Fresh Pasta recipe. It would just taste that little bit more special and fresher if I'd had the time to do this.

Serves 4

What do you need?

400g Pasta
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
1 Red Chilli (finely diced)
1 Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
100g Cavolo Nero (sliced)
Handful Pine Nuts
200g Cooked and Peeled Prawns
Handful Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

How do you do it?

1. If making Fresh Pasta start by doing this - and using pasta machine to make desired pasta shape.

2. If using dried pasta, place this in boiling water and cook for 10-12 mins, until cooked but still slightly al denta.

3. Meanwhile, place Garlic and Chilli in a frying pan with the rapeseed oil and cook slowly for 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured.

4. Add Cavolo Nero and Pine Nuts to the pan and cook out for a further 3 minutes. Then add prawns, these should be cooked already, so just head them through.

5. When cooked, drain pasta and add to pan. Stir all ingredients together and season well, to your personal taste.

6. Serve and place grated Parmesan Cheese on top. Add a couple of twists of Black Pepper and eat.

Yum!

The Most Beautiful Mascot

Hello food.....

During my year away from the blog something VERY exciting happened. My beautiful nephew Leo was born. He is the most wonderful little boy in the whole wide world and has brought such joy into the whole Duckmanton/Barrowclough family's lives! I just can't describe how much I love him and enjoy watching him grow up. He's amazing!

His first ever outfit was this little gem. What a perfect mascot! I can't wait for him to try his first ever Jess's Messes food! So many exciting times ahead with this little guy.

I'm the luckiest aunty in the world. The perfect little Jess's Messes mascot!

Jess's Messes - The Return of the Chef

Hello food.....

Well, it's been a whole year since my last post here. It's been a crazily busy year, but now I return, equipped with new laptop, hundreds of new recipes, a bazillion new food photos and experiences and most importantly, time to be able to restart the blog.

I've gone for a slightly new look, just for a fresh new start. Anyway, that's enough of the story. Here's a few pictures of food things that have been happening in the last year for me!

Strawberry Cocktail

Cricket Themed Afternoon Tea

Pine Nut, Prawn, Parmesan Pasta

Learning Latte Art

Salmon and Poached Egg Salad

Halloween Hamper

School Christmas Fair

Icing Cat Heads

Icing Canoe

Christmas Hampers

The best moment of the year - my Nephew Leo!!!