New Forest Show 2013

I had a great time at the New Forest Show yesterday – brilliant to catch up with the stallholders and the lovely backstage team. Here are the recipes!

Recipes for a 500 Calorie Day

Breakfast: Strawberry Breakfast Pots (173 calories)

Lunch: Butterbean, Tomato & Caper Salad (133 calories)

Dinner: Griddled Courgettes & Samphire with a Poached Egg (188 calories)

= 494 calories

Strawberry Breakfast Pots

Serves 1

173 calories per portion

100 g strawberries, hulled (33 cal)

1 tsp runny honey (21 cal)

85 g Total 0% fat Greek yoghurt (48 cal)

15 g Mornflake Oatbran granola ‘Nuts & Seeds’ (71 cal)

• Slice the strawberries and transfer to a bowl or tumbler.
• Stir the honey into the yoghurt and spoon it over the strawberries, then sprinkle over the granola.

Butterbean, tomato and caper salad

Serves 1

133 calories per serving

100 g tinned butterbeans, drained (85 cal)

180 g fresh ripe tomatoes, diced (29 cal)

15 g capers in brine, drained (5 cal)

3 g (a few sprigs) fresh basil leaves, torn (< 1 cal)

½ tsp Dijon mustard (3 cal)

½ tsp runny honey (11 cal)

1 tsp sherry vinegar (< 1 cal)

• Mix the beans with the tomatoes, capers and basil.
• Stir the mustard, honey and vinegar together with a pinch of salt, then drizzle the dressing over the salad and grind over a little black pepper.

Griddled courgettes and samphire with a poached egg

Serves 1

188 calories per serving

200 g (1 – 2 medium) courgettes (33 cal)

½ tsp rapeseed  oil (20 cal)

50 g samphire (50 cal)

½ garlic clove, crushed (4 cal)

2 tsp lemon juice (3 cal)

1 medium egg (78 cal)

• Slice the courgettes lengthways into very thin strips with a mandolin or vegetable peeler.
• Put a griddle pan on to heat until smoking hot while you toss the courgette with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Griddle the courgette slices in batches for a minute or two on each side or until nicely marked.
• Meanwhile, fill a deep frying pan with water and put it on to heat.
• Transfer the courgette ribbons to a serving bowl then toss the samphire around in the hot griddle pan for a couple of minutes just to heat through.
• Add the samphire to the courgettes. Stir the garlic into the lemon juice and use it to dress the vegetables.
• When the water in the frying pan just starts to gently simmer, break in the egg and leave to cook for 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat and leave the egg to cook in the residual heat for 4 – 5 minutes or until the white has set, but the yolk is still a little runny in the centre.
• Drain the egg well with a slotted spoon and lay it on top of the vegetables.

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Feast day dessert:

Cherry & Almond Trifle

Makes 4

(probably best not to think about the calories per serving!)

For the compote:

125 g English cherries, stems and stones removed

½ jar black cherry jam

2 tbsp sloe gin

For the marzipan cream:

75 g marzipan, cubed

300 ml double cream

To assemble:

8 mini Battenberg cakes

4 whole cherries with stems intact

• Prepare the marzipan cream and cherry compote in advance. Put the marzipan and cream in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the marzipan melts and blends smoothly with the cream. Leave to cool completely, then chill.
• Halve the cherries and put them in a saucepan with the jam. Simmer for 2 minutes then take off the heat and stir in the sloe gin. Leave to cool completely.
• When you’re ready to serve, cut the Battenburgs into thick slices and arrange around the sides and base of 4 tumblers.
• Spoon the cherry compote into the centre.
• Whip the cream until thick and dollopy, then spoon it on top of the compote and top each trifle with a whole cherry.