Calorific Soups for Cancer Patients : Lemon Sole Soup

My father-in-law is suffering from oesophageal cancer, and whilst he's undergoing treatment, he finds it very difficult to maintain his calorific intake.  Not only does oesophageal cancer affect the oesophagus (the muscular tube that moves food from the mouth to the stomach, making it difficult to swallow), but the cancer drugs affect his taste-buds, his appetite and fills him with nausea!

Dan Lepard's Wholemeal Soda Bread

I'm a massive sourdough girl - I feed my sourdough starter every day and have been known to take it with me if it's looking a little unwell - it really is like having a (fifth) child!

Now some people appreciate the complexity of my sourdough, on twitter there are a core few who I'll talk particulars with (the Breadmakers) - but almost universally the bread people ask me about is sodabread.  Yes.  Irish sodabread.

Toffee Fudge Muffins

Okay, forget that New Year's promise of dieting for a moment, and have a toffee fudge muffin on me :0)  The little fudge chunks at the bottom of the muffins turn that bottom bit into a pseudo treacle sponge - delicious!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Bloomin' cheek... Pointed the toffee muffins out to the Hubby, who remarked rather pointedly that he only eats lemon poppy seed muffins.  Then he popped off for a quick run... Well.  The 10yo and I weren't going to stand for that, so we found a recipe, and made some while he was out!!!

Truffled Camembert with Crudités...

Another quick and yummy supper to share - crudités with a baked truffled camembert! Amazing what I rediscover unused in my fridge after Christmas!  Bake the camembert in the oven, then shave a few slices of white truffle over the cheese, and drizzle with some good olive oil - absolutely scummy!

The Soufflé Project

Recently the lovely Tony Fleming, Head Chef at No.1 Aldwych, entered a dessert into the Best British Dish - a blackberry soufflé with a blackberry and elderflower granita.

I adore soufflés - I usually order it if I see one on the menu - and find it a very good way of comparing chefs.  Technique is rarely the issue, but even in Michelin starred restaurants you find the most extraordinary combination of ingredients.  As a result, some soufflés are simply tasteless and mediocre, some are rather nasty, and some absolutely sing.

L'Ortolan's Hot Dutch Mistress Soufflés

Twitter is a marvellous way for chefs, artisanal foodmakers, critics, and food bloggers to chat. Conversations are often random, and can run off in any direction, like quicksilver!

Michel Roux's Chocolate Soufflé [also for Thermomix]

Chocolate souffle - the ultimate hit of chocolate, but without the guilty stodge... You can almost convince yourself that this doesn't count...  This is the joy of soufflés, they satisfy without making you feel as though you've eaten a whole tart...  Would be delicious served with pistachio ice-cream...  

Pierre Koffmann's Pistachio Soufflé

Ingredients
500ml milk
½ vanilla pod
120g egg yolks
100g caster sugar
50g plain flour
40g pistachio paste
25g butter, softened
25g dark chocolate, grated
4 egg whites (let's say 120g)
1 tbsp caster sugar
Icing sugar, to serve

Michel Roux's Vanilla and Mango Soufflés with Passion Fruit Coulis

Ingredients
40g softened butter, to grease dishes
40g caster sugar, to coat dishes
8 medium egg whites
80g caster sugar
1 very ripe mango, about 400g, peeled, stoned and finely diced