Magic Key Lime Pie

'Magic' because it sets without the need for egg yolks and baking, harnessing the power of acid reacting with fat (lots of fat....) to set, like a lemon posset.  There are so many recipes for Key Lime Pie, some using eggs, some with gelatine, some with a meringue topping, but this is my favourite.  It has the added virtue of being suitable for veggies.  Rich and creamy, yes, but also refreshing and tangy with the zest and juice of 6 limes.  A little goes a long way.  Mind you, so does a lot, ha!  To make: crush 200g Hobnob biscuits in a processor, or a plastic bag and a rolling pin.  Stir into 75g melted butter, and press firmly into the base of a loose-bottomed cake or flan tin.  Leave to set in the fridge, while you prepare the filling.  Into a large bowl, put a tin of sweetened condensed milk (you can use the 'Light' version if you want), a medium carton of double cream (about 228ml, usually) and the finely-grated zest of 6 limes.  Stir, and watch the cream turn an amazing green from the zest.  Now, squeeze the juice from the limes (rolling them under your flattened palm or heating them for 5 seconds in the microwave helps release the juice), and stir into the milk/cream mixture.  Like magic (hence the title), the creamy mixture will thicken before your very eyes.  When the juice is well incorporated, turn it onto the chilled biscuit base and spread out evenly.  Lick the bowl.  And spoon.  Dig out a little spoonful from the mix and eat.  Patch up the top again, erasing the evidence. Repeat. Now, leave to set for a good couple of hours or overnight if possible.  Run a knife round the edge and push up the base, to serve.  This is rich, so should serve 8-10 people.  Allegedly.

Summer Madness Cocktail

Here I am, with my close friends, drinking this lovely Campari cocktail.  I have a great life.  Yeah, note to self: stop reading 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.  Anyway, this was delicious, comprising of 1 measure each of vodka, Campari, sweet vermouth, 2 measures of Cointreau, and the juice of half a lime and 1 orange.  Serve over lots of ice, and top up with a little soda water.  Great with salmon and dill pâté on blinis.  Warning: quite alcoholic - see delusional photo on the left.

Guacamole

For many years, I have eschewed the avocado, believing I didn't like it.  Then I watched the expert on Mexican food, Thomasina Meirs, making guacamole and thought I'd have a go - especially as I'd been sent a couple of avocados in my veg box.  And, Dear Reader, I now love it so much I could marry it.  Miers' recipe is probably as authentic as it can get, and utterly, utterly delicious.  Mind you, I suspect that has more to do with the prodigious quantities of coriander leaf and lime in it than the actual avocado.  She starts by bashing a clove or two of garlic in a pestle and mortar with the stems and roots (if you have them) of a good bunch of coriander, and a small red chilli.  Add salt as an abrasive and bash and mash until an intensely fragrant slurry forms.  Now prepare your avocados - 2 large ripe ones - the usual way and mash roughly in a bowl with a fork.  Scrape in the slurry from the pestle - or is it the mortar?  Add the juice of a lime, or more to taste, and half a red onion, finely chopped, a tomato, roughly chopped and the bunch of coriander leaves roughly chopped.  Taste and add more salt, some pepper, more lime if liked and a good splash of Tobasco to pep up the flavours.  We served half the bowl tonight in tortilla wraps with some strips of spiced chicken, and the rest will accompany courgette and mozarella fritters tomorrow.  I think I am addicted..........

The Derby Daiquiri Cocktail

I haven't blogged many cocktails recently, not because we haven't had any, but they were mostly classics or ones I've mentioned before.  This was a nice variation on the usual Daiquiri, but slightly less alcoholic than usual, as you add fresh orange juice to the fresh lime juice and white rum, along with some Gomme syrup.  Dangerously quaffable........1 measures of freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 measure of freshly squeezed lime juice and 2 measures of Bacardi, with about 1/2 a measure of Gomme syrup or caster sugar to taste.  Shake over lots of crushed ice and pour into a chilled glass, with a sugar-crusted rim if liked (....there's a joke there, but I shall leave it to others).  Anyway, yummy, fruity and, as I say, dangerously drinkable.

Spaghetti with Crab, Chilli and Lime

I have mentioned Judith Wills' marvellous book '200 top low fat recipes' before, and this little gem was taken from it.  It took 12 minutes to cook, and comes in at around 450 cals per serve using 100g of pasta each - you could use less if you wanted to reduce the calories further, but I want me dinner!  Whilst the pasta is cooking, tip a carton of white crab meat (M&S Orkney white crab meat, 80g) into a bowl and add the zest and juice of a lime, a good handful of chopped coriander, a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce and a tablespoon of olive oil.  Stir together.  Drain the pasta, but leave some water clinging, return to the hot pot and fold the crab mix through.  Serve on hot plates - no parmesan, please!  Enough for 2.

Columbo Cocktail

Not named after the detective, I don't think!  This is a long fruity Campari, made with 1.5 measures of Campari, 1.5 measure fresh orange juice, 3/4 measure fresh lemon juice and 1 measure of fresh lime juice, with about 1/2 a measure of gomme syrup.  Shake and then serve over ice in a long glass, topped up with chilled tonic and a slice of orange and lime.  Heaven.  We had little crisp squares of buttery baked bread, topped with a duxelles of mushrooms with minced Parma ham mixed in, and baked until bubbling, to accompany it before our dinner of roast lamb and pumpkin pie.

Ozone Cocktail

Tonight's cocktail - now bear with me, because these sound a bit like a dog's dinner but were really very nice. For 1 person:

Take 3/4 of a measure of sweet sherry, 3/4 measure Bourbon, 1 measure of pineapple juice, 1/2 a measure of fresh lime juice, a teaspoon of Campari and a scant teaspoon (careful it is sweet) of Grenadine. Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker then pour into a straight glass filled with more broken ice. Enjoy! Trust me, it was very good!

Mexicano cocktails

Sunday night cocktails are a bit of a tradition in our house, as some of you will have picked up! We try something new each week (although some are such classics that we do have them again from time-to-time - personal favourites being Perfect Manhattans, Margaritas, White Lady, Side Cars, to name but a few, and ANYTHING with Campari in). Tonight's was a lovely 'Martini' style, i.e. a short drink, shaken on ice and then strained into a martini glass. This one consisted of 2 measures of Tequila, 1 measure of pineapple juice, 1/2 measure of freshly squeezed lime juice, and a teaspoon of Grenadine for a touch of colour and sweetness. When shaken, it will have a lovely frothy surface from the pineapple juice. They made a delicious accompaniment to bruschetta topped with soft goats' cheese and roasted tomatoes. Yum! photo courtesy of MSP.com

Trout Fillets with a Lime and Spice Crust [#208]

The first Judith Wills' recipe in the Challenge, and we fancied something light after the pasta and meatball lunchfest! Judith uses salmon in the recipe, but M&S had lovely trout fillets, so I used those instead. They are topped with a breadcrumb crust flavoured with lime zest and juice, five spice powder and cumin, garlic and ginger, and chopped coriander. Mixed with a few teaspoons of olive oil and spread over the fish, a quick 8 minutes in a hot oven provided a light, zesty and low-fat supper (290 cals per serving with salmon, so lower with trout). Served with broccoli and a few spoons of potatoes baked in a little oil, it was very nice. No photo, sadly, as I didn't want it to get cold!

Cool Campari and Lime Gin & Tonic [#201]

And we're off! This is from Rachel Allen, and it seems fitting that the first recipe of this year's challenge contains Campari, which is my (very public) addiction. This was a gorgeous drink, served with masses of crushed ice to accompany some very good Marks and Sparks Asian-style vegetable canapes. It consisted of (for 2), the juice of 2 limes, 3 measures of gin and a measure of Campari, shaken on ice, and then poured into the crushed ice-filled glass. Add one of the spent lime halves per glass. 'Spent' - such a nice word in these circumstances, implying, as it does, satisfied exhaustion after a time of excess - how appropriate.

This won't be the only Rachel recipe this month, as I have my eye on her Winter Vegetable and Chorizo Soup, but is a very nice one to start with. Chin-chin!

Squid with Lime and Thyme [#191]

Well, I took real liberties with this one, but as it is near the end, I think I am entitled! The original recipe calls for squid to be chargrilled then dressed with lime juice and thyme. Here's how I changed it:

• used coriander leaf instead of thyme


• used a misture of squid, prawns and scallops


• quickly stir-fried in a stonkingly hot wok, rather than chargrilling, then tossed with lime and the chopped coriander


• stirred through egg noodles that had been dressed with sesame oil and soy

So, a radically different version using Nigel's recipe as an interpretation and idea. Jolly nice, though. Next time, will add some chilli.

Only two recipes to go!

Bean Shoot Salad with Coriander and Mint [#169]

This salad was super-quick to knock up with the remains of a packet of beanshoots from Saturday's stir-fry. Mixed with matchsticks of carrot, spring onion and cucumber, it was tossed with a dressing of soy, lime juice and sesame oil. I remembered the mint but forgot the coriander - doh! Still, Hubby says it was a very nice lunch, accompanied by strips of the Sticky Chicken Thighs left over from Saturday. No official online presence for this recipe, I'm afraid..........

Melon Sorbet [#151]

We had a very ripe Charentais melon sitting in the fridge that needed using up, so this sorbet was just the ticket. Again, I tinkered with the recipe. Instead of lemon juice, I used the rind and juice of a lime. Also, the flesh was so juicy when I blended it that I didn't add sugar syrup, but rather just a tablesoon of sugar, and sharpened it all with a little lime cordial. It froze happily in a plastic dish with some occasional stirring, and the result is one of the most startling tasting (and looking) things I've ever made - just fantastic after the rich pork dish earlier, and again the smells are divine. What a meal we've had, courtesy of Nigel. What a star, and I can't wait for his new programme later in the week on BBC 1.

A Salad of Red Mullet with Lime and Ginger [#144]

Well........salmon, instead of red mullet, which I couldn't get anywhere. And I baked the salmon in the dressing rather than cooking the fish separately and then dousing it in the dressing afterwards, which Nigel's original recipe suggested. Delicious Asian flavours, and it ate very well with a big mound of stir-fried pak choi, courgettes, red peppers and spring onions mixed into egg noodles. We drank a dry Aussie Reisling which matched the lime and lime leaves in the dressing beautifully.

Lime Tart

A nice variation on tarte au citron, using limes instead. Very good pastry. I halved the filling quantities as it just seemed way too much to fit in my tart case. I ended up with a slim filling but it was lovely and zesty and refreshing after the splendid roast pork loin we had round at our friends'.

Pork Burgers with Lime Leaves and Coriander

These little Thai flavoured burgers were gorgeous, sticky and deeply flavoured with kaffir lime leaves (frozen and finely chopped in a packet from Waitrose - brilliant time-saver), ginger, chilli, coriander and garlic. Served with egg-fried rice with peas, sweetcorn and edamame beans stirred through, and little dipping dishes of soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce mixed together. Spritzed with lime before serving, the whole plate sang with Asian flavours. We even have half the mixture to stash away in the freezer - yippee! This is definitely one to eat again.