Fabulous Father’s Day Menu

Like many mums and daughters across the land, I am planning to cook something special on Sunday.

I am sure we will be enticed out on some ‘geeky’ trip to see a motorbike event or something space or fossil-related but we will come home to feast on these treats.

Chorizo & Kale Soup

Serves 3
Time 40 mins.
Per portion: 202 Kcal, 14g fat (6.9g saturated)

Butter 25g (1oz)
Onion 1, peeled and chopped
Chorizo sausage 75g (3oz), sliced
Potato 1 large, peeled and cubed
Garlic 1clove, peeled and crushed
Ham or vegetable stock 600ml (1 pint)
Kale 50g (2oz), finely shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes until softened. Then add the chorizo, potato and garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

2 Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potato is tender. Use a potato masher to mash some of the potato and thicken the soup.

3 Add the kale and then simmer, uncovered for 2-3 minutes, until the kale has wilted and is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Roast Belly of Pork

Time required 2 hrs.
Per portion: 531 Kcal, 30g fat (10.7g saturated)
Serves 4

Boneless pork belly joint about 680g (1½lb), skin left on and scored
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Five spice stir-fry paste 1 tsp
Hoisin sauce 2 tbsp
Baps or tortillas 4
Spring onions 4–6, trimmed and finely sliced
Cucumber ½, finely shredded

1 Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8. Check the weight of the pork and calculate the cooking time: allow 45 minutes per 500g (1lb 2oz), plus 40 minutes. Lay the pork in a roasting tin, skin-side up. Mix together the oil and five spice stir-fry paste and smear on both sides of the meat. Turn it back so the joint is skin side-up and roast for 10 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and roast for half of the remaining cooking time.

2 Remove the pork from the oven and spread the hoisin sauce on both sides of the meat. Baste with the cooking juices and return to the oven for the remainder of the cooking time, basting with the sauce every 20 minutes.

3 Remove from the oven and leave to rest on a board for 10 minutes. Then remove the fat from the pork, slice the meat thinly and use it to fill baps or warmed tortillas. Top with the spring onions and cucumber.

Lemon Tart

Serves 8
Time required 1½ hrs.
Per portion: 473 Kcal, 29g fat (11.7g saturated)
Suitable for vegetarians

Ready-made sweet dessert pastry 375g packet
Eggs 5 large
Caster sugar 200g (7oz)
Lemons 3, grated rind only
Fresh lemon juice 150ml (¼ pint)
Double cream 150ml (¼ pint)
Icing sugar for dusting, optional
Raspberries to decorate, optional

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 and pop a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.

2 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a few centimetres larger than the base and sides of a 23cm (9in) diameter fluted loose-bottomed flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry, pressing it into the corners of the flutes. Don’t trim the rim of the pastry. Prick the base and chill for 10 minutes.

3 Line the pastry case with foil or baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Then put the flan tin on the hot baking sheet and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the flan from the oven, take out the beans and paper and, using a rolling pin or sharp knife, roll over the top of the tin to remove any extra pastry. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until the pastry is crisp. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/275°F/Gas 1.

4 To make the filling, whisk the eggs with the sugar and lemon zest in a large jug. Whisk in the lemon juice followed by the cream.

5 Pop the cooked pastry case back on the baking sheet and pour the filling into the case. Bake for 30–40 minutes until the mixture is just set. There should still be a slight wobble in the centre. Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to cool, then remove from the tin and set on a plate. Serve cold dusted with icing sugar and a few raspberries for decoration, if using.

All recipes are from the fantastic
Clever One Pot cookbook,
which is still available
to buy for just £7.99.

Father's Day Gifts

Father’s Day Makes and Bakes

When you become a mum you realise that Father’s Day becomes even more fun and yet requires a LOT more planning.

My dad has had a very challenging year this year and so I want to spoil him with something really special. Despite being in the latter part of his sixties, my Harley-riding dad is a bit ‘rock’ and so I have commissioned this gorgeous leather bracelet from Etsy with ‘Coolest Grandad’ and the names of his grandchildren.

Etsy is a fantastic place to find unusual gifts at affordable prices and often features up-and-coming artists and craftspeople. I’ve also ordered a really cool Vespa photographic print for my scooter-loving better half from the twinettes.

For a Father’s day card with impact
you can’t beat a create-your-own-card
website such as Snapfish.

I have created three lovely cards with pictures of the children for my Dad and my little people’s daddy.

I’ve also begun (a little late) a lino print for Dad of a hare, his favourite animal, which I am desperately hoping is finished by Sunday. Lino-printing is a much neglected hobby as it is so difficult to find time with a busy full-time job and three children. I do, however, find it so therapeutic and it gives me such very valuable ‘me’ time. All of this little lot have not cost the earth, but because everything is so personal to each dad I think it will make them feel special (that’s the idea anyway!)

I’m also planning a delicious family lunch for the three generations.

I think these two recipes from our next cookbook, Clever One Pot, should be a big hit! Steak Ciabatta with Caramelised Onions and Lemon Tart.

Dairy Diary Chat

Tag Archives: Lemon Tart