It’s been another busy and varied year for me so far, with a lot of interesting and challenging commissions. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some fantastic people, as well as a few more big brands and I’ve learnt A LOT!
I’ve also had a few more magazine features, including a huge feature in The Simple Things magazine, who commissioned me to do an ‘insiders guide’ to Brighton. Shooting for the feature was a lot of fun, and i thought I’d share some of the images with you, including some that didn’t make it into the magazine. I’ll be sharing more of the images over the next couple of posts.
Hope you enjoy a bit of summery Brighton!
My seasonal favourite this month is Purple Sprouting Broccoli, and I’ve been merrily scoffing it in a wide variety of dishes recently from a cashew nut and sesame soba noodle stir fry to serving it lightly steamed with a grilled salmon and a lime butter dressing. Next on my list is this Chargrilled fillet steak with smoked chilli butter, mushrooms and PSB recipe from Paul Rankin - it sounds totally delicious!
I love sweet potatoes and can’t seem to stop eating them at the moment. Stacked full of fibre, they are a fantastic alternative to white potatoes, especially if you’re trying to balance your blood sugar levels but still fancy some carbs. I love to roast them whole and then top with hummus and sprouted seeds.
This recipe is one of my current lunchtime favorites and is great served with cold meat and salad or just as they are, warm from the oven with fresh cheese crumbled over them. Delicious.
You will need
2 teaspoons of harissa paste
2 medium size sweet potatoes
Sea salt
A table spoon of olive oil
100g of blue cheese (I used Brighton Blue, my local favourite, but silton will do)
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
1.) Wash the sweet potato and then chop it into wedge-shaped chunks (leaving the skin on)
2.) Place in a mixing bowl with the harissa paste, a good pinch of seasalt and the olive oil. 3.) Mix well until all the potatoes are evenly coated.
4.) Place in the oven for around 30 mins or until the pototoes are crisp on the outside but soft inside.
5.) Crumble with your blue cheese and serve.
Should serve 2/3 people – depending on your portion size!
I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather recently so I’ve turned my attention to getting my health in order, filling up on lots of wholesome, natural food and taking lots of nice long walks on the Downs.
I do have quite a sweet tooth and I’ve been reading up on healthier alternatives to the usual tempting array of delicious treats I usually find hard to resist.
This recipe is incredibly easy. Dates pack a huge sugary punch and are fantastic to cook with. The addition of walnuts balances the sweetness of the dates and adds a lovely texture to the bites and their natural oil helps bind the recipe together without the addition of any other liquid.
You will need
250g pitted dates (medjool dates work best)
250g raw, unsalted walnuts
2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
Unsweetened desiccated coconut, to coat
Makes around 20 bites
1.) Put the dates, walnuts and cacao powder into a food processor and blitz on a high speed until the mixture sticks together.
2.) Sprinkle the coconut evenly on a large plate
2.) Shape small amounts of the mixture into small balls and then roll in the coconut until evenly covered
3.) Pop the bites in a tupperware container in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them.
All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2014
Beautiful light spilling through the trees – I think spring might finally be on the way.
I’m all about simple cooking at the moment – tasty, satisfying recipes with minimal ingredients that make use of seasonal produce.
This is my twist on potato rosti, making use of one of my favorite root vegetables: the good old parnsip.
I’ll be honest, there is a bit of faffing about in the prep for this recipe, but once you’re done the rest of the dish is really quick to prepare.
You will need
250g parsnips, grated.
Half an onion, grated.
1 egg, beaten
Salt & pepper
A little butter for frying
Method
Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas ½.
1.) Place the grated parsnips and onion in a clean tea towel or a sheet of muslin and squeeze out the juice over a bowl.
2.) Next, place the parsnips and onion in a large bowl, add the egg, a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
3.) Heat the butter in a frying pan and then gently shape small patties from the parsnip mixture, add to the pan, pressing the patties down lightly. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side or until golden on the outside.
4.) Place the cooked rosti on a baking tray and keep warm on a low heat the preheated oven while you fry your egg.
Serves 2 as a really nice weekend brunch.
All photography © Heather Elizabeth Wilkinson 2014
Mass slaughter, gushing blood and decapitated cherubs; those aren’t the usual images that spring to mind when I’m talking about cake, but that was exactly what I got on a recent shoot for Choccywoocydoodah.
I don’t normally post much of my commercial work here on the blog, but this recent shoot was too good not to share!
Last week I packed up my kit and headed up to London’s Carnaby Street to photograph a very special cake. The commission came from the television network HBO, who booked me to shoot press images of the Game of Thrones Red Wedding Cake, produced by the incredible Choccywoccydoodah. The cake was made to celebrate the release of GoT season 3 on DVD. And to add a bit more excitement to the shoot, Choccywoccydoodah had their film crew along to film document the cake and the shoot (no pressure there then!).
The workmanship of the cake was truly breathtaking and it took two strapping men to lift it into place – an absolute work of art and testimony to the talent of Choccywoccy’s choclatiers.
After the shoot the cake was being whisked away to be presented and cut at a press event with some of the GoT cast members, so sadly I didn’t get to try any of it. Knowing Choccywoccy I’ve no doubt it tasted as incredible as it looked though!
Sometimes the simplest desserts are the tastiest, and if you’re not very confident in the kitchen but want to make a quick sweet treat to serve to your Valentine, you can’t go far wrong with this cheats recipe using coconut yogurt.
I’ve used Rachel’s coconut yogurt as it’s really rich and creamy (although vanilla also works really well). Simply churn the yogurt in an icecream machine for 40 mins, then pop it the freezer for a couple of hours, or until ready to serve. Top with fresh passion fruit and let your lucky love marvel at your creation.
If you don’t have an icecream machine then it’s a bit more work but don’t be put off. Simply put your yogurt in a tupperware container and pop in the freezer. Check it after 45 mins and give it a good whisk and return to the freezer. You’ll need to check and whisk it every 30 mins until it becomes resistant to whisking. Leave for 2-3 hours until set in the middle.
We walk across the beach, the wind almost taking our breath away. The light is harsh and dazzling, reflecting off the ripples in the wet sand. Kite surfers race across the waves, backlit by the sun. We watch them for a while, imagining the thrill of speed, until the sun dips behind a cloud and we turn and make our way slowly back across the beach.
Winter salads are perfect if you’re trying to eat with the seasons but want a healthy, light meal. Simple to make and great served as an accompaniment to bean burgers, grilled chicken or fish.
You will need:
4 large carrots, grated
3 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons of sultanas
Handful of chopped coriander
3 tablespoons of unsweetened dessicated coconut
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice of half a lime
Simply place all the ingredients in a large bowl and combine. Serve immediately.
