Make it at home: Coppa Club's winter beets bruschetta

So if you saw my post back in Februrary reviewing the wonderful Coppa Club, then you'll know I couldn't stop raving about their winter beets bruschetta. Beetroot whipped with ricotta, horseradish and lemon on top of a crisp bruschetta, garnished with parmesan shavings, pea shoots and parsnip crisps, it was incredible.

My sister and I tried our hand at recreating this beautiful dish at home, and we think we did a pretty good job, if we do say so ourselves!

Ingredients: (makes 12 slices)

3 Cooked beetroots

250g of ricotta cheese

Zest of a whole lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 heaped teaspoons of horseradish

A pinch of salt

Black pepper

A loaf of ciabatta, sliced

20g of parmesan, shavings

Peashoots, to garnish

Olive oil (to drizzle)

Method:

1.Combine beetroot, ricotta, lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, horseradish, and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add extra seasoning, lemon or horseradish as desired.

2. Place ciabatta slices on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place under the grill for 5-10 minutes until toasted.

3. Spread ciabatta with beetroot mixture and top with peashoots, parmesan shavings, the rest of the lemon zest and some black pepper.

Recipe: Homemade loaded wraps

The end of University has finally arrived. The past few months have been devoted to my dissertation and final year exams, and I am so so SO pleased to say it's all over!

It's safe to say my blog has been a little neglected lately, mostly because I haven't had the time to cook and eat blog-worthy food, let alone write about it. But now that it's all over, I've been able to spend my time doing what I love most, cooking and eating!

Over the past week or so I've been trying out lots of new recipes and eating out more, and with my birthday coming up, it's only going to get better. So brace yourselves for posts galore as I become a full-time lady of leisure, the first of which is this deliciously simple lunch recipe.

Inspired by one of my more recent cookbook purchases, Anna Barnett's Eat The Week, this loaded wrap recipe is perfect for summertime dining. Fresh, punchy and entirely homemade, these wraps are the perfect way to jazz up the humble flour tortilla.

Ingredients: Makes 2 large wraps

Mustard gherkin mayo:
100g of gherkins finely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (depending how firey you like it)
1 1/2 tablespoons of mayo
Pepper to season

My purple slaw:
1/4 of a red cabbage sliced thinly
1 medium sized red onion sliced thinly
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of mayo
A handful of fresh corriander roughly chopped
Pepper to season

For the wrap:
130g of chorizo, sliced into rounds
130g of halloumi cheese, sliced to £1 coin thickness
2 soft flour torillas
Fresh rocket

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients for slaw in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly. Place to one side.
2. Combine all ingredients for mustard mayo in a small bowl and mix. Place to one side.
3. Add chorizo to griddle pan (a normal frying pan is also fine) and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes then turn.
4. Now add the halloumi in with the chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat and then turn each halloumi slice, then cook for a further 5 minutes.
5. Assemble wrap with mustard mayo first, then slaw, then some rocket, then halloumi followed by chorizo. Roll up and enjoy!

Coppa Club - Sonning

Shortly after posting about my favourite places to eat in Reading, a fellow Berkshire friend of my recommended Coppa Club in nearby Sonning. I love nothing less than a leisurely local food endeavour, so yesterday, my sister and I headed to the lovely Thames-side town to sample some of the finest, fuss-free Italian-style grub.

Sonning is a quaint and typically English village, complete with cute cottages, barge boats and some really lovely pubs, and not to mention the fact it's where George Clooney calls home! Located overlooking the rural end of The River Thames, Coppa Club has got the picturesque setting down.

Inside, this pub-come-restaurant is so very tastefully decorated. With deep teal soft furnishings, marble surfaces, geometric floor tiles and exposed brick walls, this place looks like it's come straight off a Pinterest board. 

And it's not just the interior that's photogenic, the food is pretty gorgeous too. The menu features breakfast, brunch and dishes available all day, along with some carefully chosen lagers and cocktails - this place has got you covered whatever the occasion. 

To drink, Emma had a glass of Rose and I chose a Curious Brew IPA. Both were a perfect accompaniment for the food, which we had an abundance of! Off the 'nibbles' section of the menu we chose; sticky chorizo sausages in a honey, mustard and smoked paprika glaze as well as some Italian sausage rolls with hot mustard. We all know I'm a huge chorizo fan, but these were so deliciously flavoursome and moreish. The sausage rolls also did not disappoint, flaky pastry and delicious fennel sausagemeat complete with a splodge of fiery English mustard - heaven. 

We then had two dishes from 'small plates and sharing'; seared king prawns and winter beets ricotta bruschetta. The prawns were giant and so meaty, cooked in garlic, lemon, chilli and olive oil, served on a piece of crusty bread - gorgeous. The winter beets bruschetta stole the show for us, beetroot whipped with ricotta, horseradish and lemon on top of a crisp bruschetta, garnished with parmesan shavings, pea shoots and parsnip crisps, it was incredible.

And as if that wasn't enough food for a light lunch (as you can tell, we aren't that good at 'light' lunches), we ordered the Coppa Club hot pizza and club slaw. The sour dough pizza was topped with spicy salami, fiery sausage meat, tomato and mozzarella, a perfect pizza. The slaw was fresh and delicious, mixed with yoghurt, lemon and mint.

All in all, Coppa Club offers the most perfect food, in the loveliest of surroundings and I will definitely be going back soon. And as always, if anyone has any more restaurant recommendations, I'm all ears!

Best places to eat in Reading - Part 2

If there is one thing I miss most about London, it's the food.

So when I returned back to Reading last September after a year in London I was pleasantly surprised to discover some exciting new places to eat.

Although I really love Reading, it has little to offer in the way of independent restaurants. I have talked about some of my favourite places to eat in a blog post I wrote almost a year an a half ago which features 3 of my all time favourites; London Street Brasserie, Oakford Social Club and Abbot Cook.

But worry not, there are some new kids on the block to try out; meet RYND, Wolf and The Bel & Dragon.

1. RYND

When I returned to Reading last year, I was extremely happy to come across RYND bar and kitchen. This place marries a quirky but sophisticated cocktail menu with filthy American diner food, and in the trendiest of settings. I recently went one Wednesday evening for a friend's birthday, where we took full advantage of happy hour whilst devouring lobster rolls and nachos. And as if cocktails and lobster wasn't enough to convince you, this place also has a cult film cinema and live music - sold!

2. Wolf

Wolf Italian Streetfood is a very welcome addition to Reading's lunchtime food offering. When looking for somewhere to eat lunch, my boyfriend and I stumbled upon Wolf and knew it would be a hit. Offering fresh pizzas, pasta bowls, salads, focaccia and much more with your choice of toppings and sauces, this place serves quick Italian streetfood done properly. 

3. The Bel & Dragon

Although not technically a new place to eat in Reading, The Bel & Dragon is somewhere I'd heard a lot about, but have only just been to. Located in a converted biscuit factory on the river front, the setting certainly has the wow factor. The same goes for their menu, which changes monthly, offering a range of delicious dishes including fresh fish, grilled meat and rotisserie.