Lockdown Diary – 2020 – 95 – Garden Visits

Elegant as this looks, the comfy one from a high street store I was offered at my sis-in-law’s yesterday afternoon was much preferable. So good to see family members after all these weeks even if in the garden and restricting the visit so the loo didn’t become an issue.

Lovely chat with others on what’s app and was able to watch octopus drawing while it was in progress. Lost at scrabble because ‘zoner’ was disallowed. Would you think a person who draws up zones might be a zoner? Apparently they’re called planners!

Hurrumph!

Writing friend, and fellow Capital Writer, Kate Blackadder has published an online copy of her recent farming serial in the People’s Friend. Launching today, you can find

JINTY’S FARM, a tale of modern farming, gin and wartime romance, here

In other exciting news – for those of us with 92 sourced and cooked dinners in a row behind us – and anyone who enjoys Good Food – Appetite Events have tweeted about DELIVERIES Follow this breaking story here

What’s new where you are?

Anne

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Lockdown Diary – 2020 – 39 – Friday Fish

Photo Sea Bream and Pasta Salad, Photo Kate Thomson

It’s Friday. Fish is a traditional choice for Friday and what better than Iain’s Fish and Pasta Salad dinner for two. Executive Chef at appetite events, Iain Thomson has sent me this recipe to cheer up all the fish lovers among us. And if you don’t eat fish, the pasta salad looks scrumptious on its own. Find the recipe below.

This morning’s ponderings include:

  • Will all the hand-washing decrease the incidence of other illnesses in the community?
  • Who would have thought we’d all be out in the garden in shorts doing morning exercises?
  • Who would have thought I’d carry home, over a mile, two 3lbs bags of flour and two cartons of fruit juice, five weeks ago?

Yesterday saw a little para-medical attention, shopping, see above, scrabble (Yay!) and bumping in (at six feet of course) to a former neighbour while out. Followed by an anxiety inducing dream because the bubble will burst.

Enjoy the recipe,

Anne

 

Sea Bream and Pasta dinner for two Iain Thomson : appetite events
 
Ingredients
 
-250g of dried pasta (cooked, rinsed in cold water and tossed in Olive oil)
-100ml of good quality Olive oil
-One red pepper (diced)
-Two chopped tomatoes
-One onion (chopped)
-3 spring onions (sliced)
-3 teaspoons of capers
-Juice of one lime or vinegar
-one quarter cucumber (diced)
-Half a courgette (diced)
-One red chilli (or half if you want it less spicy!)
-Small knob of ginger (finely diced)
-Two tablespoons of light soy sauce
-One tablespoon of siriacha or hot sauce to taste
-One teaspoon of sesame oil (optional)
-One teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional)
-A handful of chopped fresh herbs
-A handful of spinach
-Two pieces of sea bream or any other available fish
Method
 
In a small bowl whisk the soy, chili, ginger (optional sesame oil and seeds) and sriracha together and slowly whisk in the olive oil.
In another large salad bowl mix the cucumber, courgette, pepper, capers, spring onions, red onion and add the juice of one lime or vinegar to taste. Set aside.
Now mix all the ingredients together. Add the pasta to the large salad bowl of vegetables and stir in the dressing. Then add the chopped herbs and spinach.
To cook the fish:
In a large non-stick pan cook the Sea Bream skin-side down, in a little rape seed oil on a low to medium heat.
Cook it until the fish is no longer opaque. Flip the fish over for 10 seconds and remove from the pan, add a squeeze of lemon or lime.
Plate up the pasta mix and lay the fish on top and Voila!