Broad Bean Bruschetta

With the English weather being a pain like normal, i mean seriously just decide whether, its going to be summer for a bit longer, or autumn with the grey skies. I've decided to still think about summer for the moment, as i really dread the dark mornings, and it getting darker much quicker, although autumn fashion is probably the best. So, to hold onto summer, i made broad bean bruschetta.

With the last dregs of a truly french baguette left over, i made a first batch, then had to make some more as it was just so good. On a side note, how amazing is french bread, it just goes dry making it perfect for this, rather than mouldy like the English bread which is totally useless.

This dish made me feel particularly good, as the star ingredient, the broad beans, were from the veggie patch. The mint was also from the garden. The good quality ingredients in this dish, make it taste fresh, and to me 1000 times better as the beans were grown only around 50 meters away.

Unfortunately, as the ingredients were from the garden, i don't know the exact amount, but i recommend to keep tasting, to check how much mint and seasoning ,you want added. I also recommend ,adjusting the garlic on the bread, to how much garlic you like, as i like garlic quite a bit. Also, when i did it the second time i added peas as i didn't have enough broad beans.

ingredients

baguette

4 cloves of garlic

olive oil

broad beans

peas(optional)

lemon juice

mint

salt and pepper

grana padano

1. preheat oven to 180°

2. cut baguette into slices coat generously with oil and crushed garlic.

3. place in oven until golden brown and crisp

4. cook beans until tender

5. lightly mash the beans, stir in finely chopped mint

6. stir in little bit of lemon juice and olive oil

7. taste and season, add more mint if needed

8.place on cooled bruschetta

9.top with finely sliced grana padano

10. enjoy

Croutons

The summer in France has left me, 1. heavier than i left, and 2. craving bruschetta, as we had it most days, using leftover baguette. So, to help both of these issues, i have been eating more salads, than i did on holiday, and making loads of mini bruschettas in the form of croutons.

Its best if you use a sourdough, or baguette type of bread, but as i don't have it often in my house, i just use sliced bread. Plus my bread, has different grains in it, which makes it seem more healthy than it actually is.
I thought for this recipe i would, do it step by step, let me know if you like this style.

1. take sliced bread or baguette,if its dry it works better, but it doesn't really matter.

2. slice into cubes

3. spread evenly on a large baking tray

4. drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper

5. toss until every thing is evenly coated

6. bake until golden and crisp

7. sprinkle on top of salads or soups

8. enjoy. (P.s. in my salad i had lettuce ,mushrooms ,celery, beetroot, peppers, tomatoes, topped with grand padano and a light vinaigrette.)

Whitstable

A bit of a different post from me today. A while back,  my mum decided that it would be a good idea, to to something special for her birthday, so she quickly reserved a place, at one of our favourite seafood restaurants.

.

As its the oldest restaurant in the town, its very popular, and the queues for a spare table, often come out the door!

The fish is always delicious, and usually caught in the morning, before being cooked there.The menu also regularly changes depending on whats in season.If you want to view the current menu, check it out here. 

For starters my mum had Roasted scallops,sticky glazed pork belly, baby carrot puree, crackling and smoked apple sauce(excuse her hand she just couldn't wait!).

My dad, had the classic seaside starter of 1/2 dozen rocky oysters with lemon.

My sisters and i, all ordered the wheeleers mezee, Wheelers home smoked prawns with lime, chilli and garlic. Wheelers smoked and hand carved salmon with warm walnut bread, potted curried crab, slip sole goujons, crispy squid with chilli, spring onion and coriander with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.It was AMAZING. I can almost guarantee myself, ordering this again, if they didn't change their menu seasonally.

The restaurant is very small, and simply decorated with mismatched chairs, and sea related objects.

For her main, my sister ordered, Sea bass baked with a piquiu pepper purree and parma ham, chorizo and salt cod bon bons served with a roast pepper and gazpacho mayonnaise, smoked paprika crisps and textures of sweetcorn.

My mum and dad both ordered, pan fried sea trout, silky horseradish mash, sweet and sour beets, goats cheese and courgette flower tempura, tender stem broccoli, avocado and wasabi puree and breakfast radish salad.

I ordered the cod, roasted with a tomato and basil pesto crust, with a sweet pea, broad bean and goats cheese salad finished with tempura of stuffed courgette flower and drizzled with mint oil. Delicious, especially the courgette flower, and which was partly why i chose it, as i love courgette flowers, but can't do them myself, so always have to order them when i see them on the menu.

After lunch we wandered around (quite slowly as our bellies were so full). Whitstable has some very pretty independent shops, not to mention an independent old sweet shop, which unfortunately was closed this time, but when its open is usually filled with children and adults alike. 

We then headed down to the sea, and dipped our toes in the water and, admired the view and calmness of the whole area.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12211277/?claim=cyxzaz5gayc">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>