Seeing the world through a sceptimist's eyes - with some trepidation thrown in for good measure...

Radio Two, Monday morning and I was listening to Pause for Thought – I didn’t get to mention this yesterday but I love this word. Apparently a sceptimist is an optimist with the hand-brake on. What a great idea – and just where I think I am at the moment, busy dreaming wonderful futures for myself through the day and then applying the brakes during night-time which generally has the annoying effect of spoiling my sleep – though last night it was the weather and an irritating blind that woke me rather than my brain’s handbrake.

            Spending the day writing means I sometimes forget to check on my darling pigs, I remembered yesterday and they were fine all day, even managing to avoid the pealing skin of sunburn, today was a different story. I went out, camera at the ready so that I could brighten up this blog and what did I find? Just the Reverend, quietly churning over the ground and looking for bugs and truffles as pigs are wont to do. (I’ll let you know if we ever find truffles.)

            Where then was Pig – the well behaved one? With some amount of trepidation I gently called her name, soon raising my call to a rather concerned shout. I couldn’t see any gaping holes in fences so felt sure she hadn’t gone off on a neighbouring garden mission but nevertheless, I couldn’t find her. Then, just like yesterday I heard a grunt and next news a huge swine was barrelling towards me – I know you can’t really see the speed in my photo but I think you get the idea. And where had she been?

            In our sacred trees no less.

            Well they’re not really sacred but she’s not meant to go there so you get the picture. Pigs have very strong snouts and the thought of two swine indiscriminately rooting round our trees’ precious root systems is rather distressing. This time they’ve (for I’m sure The Reverend must be involved also) managed to power down a 6 foot piece of fencing just for the pleasure of basking in our trees – well at least now I know how they keep off the sunburn.

            Let’s calm with a recipe.

Peppered Salmon with Garlic Chickpeas

Inspiration: Good Food Friends App

Ingredients: (to serve two)

Salmon fillets (I prefer skin on) – however much you want to eat

1 x Lime

Baby spinach

Cherry Tomatoes

1 x carton chickpeas

Peppercorns

Paprika

Garlic

Olive oil

Homemade chicken stock (remember your carcass? substitute veg stock for non-meat eaters)

Homemade Tear and Share bread to serve (recipe tomorrow – it’s ever so easy)

Here’s what I do

First warm your oven to gas mark 5 and salt the salmon skin (I use salt from the Carmargue because I’ve been there and it is the most delicious salt but just use the best you can find).  Leave for a moment whilst you chop some garlic and put it in a dish with your cherry tomatoes, drizzle them with olive oil and then place on the bottom shelf of the oven. Heat some oil in a pan (or hob/oven dish if you have one) and put the salmon in skin-side down cooking it until the skin is crispy. Whilst it’s cooking crush up some peppercorns along with the zest from a lime, the paprika and a couple of teaspoons of olive oil so you get a paste. Spread this over the top (flesh-side) of your salmon but mind you don’t burn your fingers. Once the salmon is coated and the skin crispy transfer it to the top shelf of the oven – it will take 12 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon.

            Meanwhile, chop some more garlic and fry this off in a small saucepan, when golden tip in your chickpeas and stir to coat. Add some warmed chicken stock – about a ladleful (or try wine for a different flavour) and allow to reduce a little before mashing it to a lumpy consistency – you don’t want to squash every single chickpea. Stir in your baby spinach and put on the lid so that it wilts.

            Serve the whole thing so it looks lovely, along with candles (not for consumption), wine and a good friend.