Kem Trai Bo - Avocado Ice Cream

Of all the ice creams I've made, this is probably the most 'controversial' flavour. It remains divided among friends. Some like it, some have called it frozen guacamole. It almost has a savoury taste that most people are not used to in ice cream, expecting it to be sweet somehow.

I'd love to try a batch again, and it may have been a little chewy when I did it, as the avocados may not have been 'very ripe' enough.

125ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) milk
375ml (13 fl oz / 1 1/2 cups) pouring (whipping) cream
1 1/2 very ripe avocados
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons condensed milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
100g (3 1/2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

Put the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring it to the boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, remove the flesh from the avocados and blend it in a food processor with the lemon juice, condensed milk and salt. As soon as the cream comes to the boil, blend it from the avocado in the food processor. Whisk the egg yolks while continually whisking. Pour the mixture back into a clean saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirringly constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and pour it into a bowl and place over ice to cool.

Put the mixture in an ice cream machine and churn until frozen, or place in a freezer and whisk it every half hour until frozen. It will take 4-5 hours to freeze.

A Cracking Burger

Ever had one of those meals you've longed to cook, and it all happened off the cuff on a Sunday afternoon? I always wanted to make burgers in the summer, and it's taken me until autumn to do this. It came to me when I was expecting Tarsh and Maz over Orange and Cardamom Ice-Cream in the afternoon, when I decided to make up burger buns (use the Basic Bread Recipe), and ended up using minced chicken for this recipe. There wasn't much talk when we got down to dinner! We also did get round to ice-cream for dessert.

Serves 6

12 Jacob's cream crackers
8 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
500g good-quality minced beef (or minced chicken)
1 large egg, preferably free-range or organic
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 cos or round lettuce
3 tomatoes
1 red onion
3 or 4 gherkins
6 burger buns
optional: 6 slices of Cheddar cheese

To make your burger
Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands, and put them into a large bowl. Finely chop the parsley, including the stalks. Add the parsley, mustard and minced beef (or chicken) to the bowl. Crack in the egg and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 6 and pat and mould each piece into a roundish shape about 2cm thick. Drizzle the burgers with oil, put on a plate, cover and place in the fridge until needed (this helps them to firm up).

To cook your burger
Preheat a large griddle or frying pan for about 4 minutes on a high heat. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the burgers on the griddle or in the pan and use a spatula to lightly press down on them, making sure the the burger is in full contact. Cook them to your liking for 3 or 4 minutes on each side - you may need to cook them in two batches.

To serve your burger
Wash and dry a few small lettuce leaves, tearing up the larger ones. Slice the tomatoes. Peel and finely slice the red onion. Slice the gherkins lengthways as finely as you can. Place all this on a platter and put in the middle of the table with plates, cutlery, ketchup and drinks. Remove your burgers to another plate and carefully wipe your pan or griddle clean with kitchen paper. Halve your burger buns and lightly toast them on the griddle or in the pan. Also great with a chopped salad.

PS I'd still make this quantity even if it was just for 4 people. I'd wrap the extra 2 burgers in clingfilm and put them into the freezer.

Crispy Asparagus Soldiers With Soft-Boiled Eggs

There's so much to experiment with breakfast, and it's great on weekends when I can try something new. I'd been eyeing this recipe after coming across this over the Easter weekend, so when Naomi was craving some of this on Facebook this morning, I took it as a sign and decided to drop in at the shops after walking Cajun for some asparagus and prosciutto (I didn't find pancetta, but they're the same, no?). Naomi didn't make it out of bed to our place though. I added a slice of fruit toast for each of us, but I'd already served up two eggs each for Nick and myself, so we were stuffed by the end! Luckily I didn't use salt at the end, as the prosciutto was pretty salty on its own.

Serves 4

12 medium asparagus stalks, woody ends removed
12 rashers of thinly sliced pancetta or smoked streaky bacon
olive oil
4 large free-range or organic eggs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220 deg C (425 deg F or Gas 7). Wrap your asparagus stalks in the pancetta with the tips poking out, and place in a roasting tray or earthenware dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the pancetta is crispy and golden.

While the asparagus is cooking, you can get on with soft-boiling your eggs. Carefully place them into lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain, cut off the lids and put them in egg cups for individual servings, or into an egg box if serving as nibbles at a party. Serve 3 asparagus soldiers each for dipping into your egg, with a good pinch of salt and pepper.