Random Dining

13/12/2023

Just a little, albeit very excited, note to you lovely foodie followers. I've decided finally after many many years of ooohing and aaahing to set up a little cafe in lovely Fife. It's been a full on year and this is and will be an adventure! lt is going to be a cafe style space initially with emphasis on comforting classics with bangin coffee. It's being done on a comedy budget, but never ending enthusiasm so come in and see for yourself in January ! Lots of love and positive vibes, Sam x

29/10/2022

Not sure I'm ready for festive overload quite yet...But let's travel around and see what other countries do..come join me and let's cook together !

Inspiring ideas for a festive feast with dishes from around the world. In this class, we will visit Poland, Finland and Mexico through food.

14/10/2022

https://www.facebook.com/103691273041102/posts/5716984041711769/

06/09/2022

Sod rice krispies get the beans down ya! This was breakfast this morning. (Post ☕️)

Green beans are THE last vegetable I'd gush about. Squeaky, usually huge air miles and ideally requiring a trimming, they have always been a bit mehhhh for me.

Did have them as a delicous side in a French restaurant, cooked to softness so no squeak and oodles of butter and garlic. Go figure!

This morning I cooked them until just done, drizzled them with some crack olive oil, chilli flakes, feta and some golden linseeds. Need a good dose of salt to pep them up but they were delicious! Maybe I'll add them to my party salad menu?

What's your least like vegetable? And no I tend not to just eat veggies for breakfast 🤣

20/08/2022

Tonight's summery, chilled menu dropped off to a lovely family x x

09/08/2022

Hello Sunday Lunch with family and friends..
This weekend I had a lovely job for a lovely women and her family. Canapés, two starters, a middle eastern inspired lamb main and a summery fruit dessert.

What would be your dream Sunday lunch and who the heck would you invite?

I am dreaming of a lazy picky afternoon full of friends, food, ice cold booze and ideally some cracking music bubbling in the background ..

15/07/2022

Summer Traybakes be like...bish bash bosh. Sod lemon drizzle cake we need dinner and we want it easy, peasy and NOW...

Find a protein. Find some veggies that you know are lurking. Chop. Lob in tray. Add in some pimping herb action - fresh hardy herbs(fresh or dried). Sprinkle over your fave spices - for these it was smoked paprika, turmeric splodges of dijon and dried thyme. Give it laldy with some good oil. Season like you mean it. And don't forget to massage it altogether.

Bake until juices are flowing and the kitchen smells like you are a rock star!

Eat as is or serve with salad/veggies/dunk bread in the juices, straight out the pan or leave to cool and eat cold tomorrow. Who cares!

12/07/2022

🍦🍓🍦HELLO SUNSHINE! Quick ice cream recipe ahoy!

Smuggy parent I am not. I don't like ice cream unless its with something hot. BUT ice cream is the currency my kids understand. I even demo'd this on TV so you know it takes less than 4mins to whip up 🤣

Ingredients:
1 regular can of condensed milk
1 small carton of double cream (330ml)
Large handful of strawberries, chopped finely
1 zest of lemon (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Good pinch of sea salt
(Instead of strawbs you could obvs add fruit of choice/swirl.of jam/chocolate sauce/whatever the hell you like)

Method:
In one bowl whip up the cream into soft whips, add in the condensed milk and continuing whipping until fully combined. Add in flavourings and any add ons. And then decant into something that can freeze. Takes longer than you want but at least 6 hours. Boom shackalack.

Enjoy ! X

13/06/2022

A beautiful location, beautiful people and a coeliac, nut free and a vegan optional menu to boot!

Love getting asked to be part of someone's special event. Could have done with an extra pair of hands to take some pics of the blooming food tho! 🤣

24/04/2022

Silence is golden....

Just thought I'd say hi after a stretch of silence on the socials..and yes I'm a secret pirate with only one earring in..🏴‍☠️

Before Random Dining it was just me, Sam, working round Edinburgh, Fife and the Highlands as a private chef.

3 kids and now a ruddy dog it's change again. I love cooking and I love people feeling at ease so this can be a good match. Food to chill with. Delighted to be asked to cook for parties all over the place again and that's what I think is my fave food. Food you eat at big occasions. Whether it be birthdays, weddings, hen nights, 'sod-it lockdown sucked parties', whatever.

The host has enough on, usually, to then deal with the food and the palaver that goes with it. The shop, the storage, the prep, the cooking and serving and then the clean up. Clearly I'm nuts to enjoy that part!

So, if you are planning a get-together or a party get in touch. It can be as straightforward as trays of lasagne and salads dropped off to a bespoke 4 course dinner at your choice of venue. Let's just chill out more this year!

10/03/2022

Howdy folks! These little poppy speckled beauts were part of an awesome buffet selection for a sunny birthday celebration this weekend. We have been getting loads of enquiries for the next few months so if you are looking to book in for a special birthday, wedding party or whatever excuse you fancy, get in touch and we can send you some sample menus !

(These were cashew, spinach and onion borek btw x)

22/01/2022

Here. Counter top is at a premium these days..

Kettle. Toaster. Salt, pepper chilli flakes have an almost guaranteed place it seems.Selection of oils, a loose limbed hot sauce ..they get a free pass. Rogue lemon halves, scraps of bread and bits of admin get short shrift...but now these guys..

Carrots lurking in a watery salty liquor and an unimaginable lengthy time peeling 12 heads of garlic and then....abandon for a month, hopefully to magically transform ...and take up valuable space.....

I'm twitching..I like clear empty spaces. What does your kitchen countertops look like ?

07/01/2022

✔Elastic waist band for everything?
✔Chugging pints of water instead of pints of ..well...anything...(Wine glasses are still civilised, right?)
✔freezing fingers but actually liking moving out of the discombobulated vibes of twixmas?

So, it's the new year. I don't make resolutions but there is something good about starting afresh.

We tend to eat as much veg as we can during these next weeks almost like we are balancing the indulgences of the past few weeks. A reset. Tonight's dinner is basically all the vibes of falafel in one tray - chickpeas with a dose of warming spices and some family fave veg- roast til charred. Served with tahini sauce in a wrap and its good to go.

What are your go-to January eats?

28/11/2021

Bursting into the first week of December armed with a drink at all times...? Me too.

This one is heavy on the celery, beetroot and carrot and 'dirty' with fresh ginger and turmeric. Whole lemon and apples to balance and some rogue lettuces that were waving to me out of the fridge.

Juices are easy in the summer I know. But as I'm not a mahossive fan of soup I always prefer a veggie heavy juice . And especially if I' feel a bit blah. It puts a proper zing bang bosh into you.

When I worked in a juice bar we would occasionally warm some of the juices in the winter months and our event with vodkas as a extra 'boost' was popular too. Funny that!

What to do you do at this time of year to boost your mood and body?

16/10/2021

Does anyone ever eat the dried fruit that is sitting in the syrup gloop at the hotel breakfast offering? .....

My mum would. My childhood was spent forever trying to avoid various variations of dried fruit that had been soaked in tea or warm orange juice or just plain boiled water. On porridge, with custard or plain Yoghurt. I blame the F plan diet.

Nowadays, my dried fruit gets lobbed in cakes or energy balls and recently a whole host of half empty packs were made into those fat free fruit loafs you get at coffee mornings. Delicious with an inch thick layer of butter.🤣

A filled date or apricot with a squidge of nut butter or mascarpone and some chopped nuts make a passable energy boost (even better if you dip the whole lot in some dark chocolate and sprinkle with some lush salt!)

Dates are my fave for lobbing into meaty tagines and sticky hearty puds. How do you eat yours?

06/10/2021

❄ Apparently this year, the official astronomical winter date starts on December 21st ??(but the meteorological winter it starts on December 1st this year!).

But forget all of that nonsense ! Random Dining's winter party menu starts in November and crushes through to January! ...

I love being the host and I love making people feel relaxed at our home. So that has been the aim for this party food menu.
🧘‍♀️Chilled out host = chilled out party.

Your dishes will be in oven safe packaging (cheerio hell of after party clean up...) and will be delivered to you on the day of your party. The tricky part is choosing what you are going to have - for £18pp you can choose 2 mains and either a side or a dessert but feel free to add.more dishes as you see fit. . It's YOUR party. !

DM to book or share if you know someone that this may come in handy for!

Let's do this !!💋🍽🥂🥳👯‍♀️

02/10/2021

👊Ever punched a potato? 🧐 . Apparently the best way to split a baked potato is to punch it for the most fluffy, natural eat. Just wait til it cools a little....just sayin'.

Avoid a blast in a microwave first (yes, mum) and just lob into a hot oven for crispy skin and soft insides. A sweep of salt. Easy life.

Twice baked is the actual shizzle. . Normal baked potato, scoop out the insides. Mash. Then add in the most indulgent goodies you can think of. ..

Double cream, smoked haddock mustard and parmesan is my go- to. Or comedy levels of cheese and spring onions, crispy pancetta. Add to the mash then lob back into the skins and bake again. Job done.

What's your favourite filling for baked potato ?? Beans, coleslaw, chilli.....come on....

(These bad boys will be on my party menu BTW....)

24/09/2021

Blotchy yet firm to touch. No, not my chin ..these aubergines. 😁

A glut of aubergines were donated to Greener Kirkcaldy and I was lucky to snaffle a couple. These were being ejected from a big supermarket and thankfully scooped up and added to the bountiful quantity of food that was saved from going to landfill.

I am uptight about food waste within my family. But I hadn't, still don't, fully realise the huge quantities of food that is perfectly usable and edible that is being thrown away daily by supermarket's and food suppliers. And still people are struggling to afford to buy food. Crazy times.

Greener Kirkcaldy are one of several charities that are diving into this complicated quagmire thanks to a community pantry and community meals and many other food related projects. Utterly inspiring place that I urge you to check out.

Do you have any fab food waste hacks I need to know ?

04/09/2021

Sometimes it's gotta be black and white.

I can't filter the goodness in and the glare out.

Middle boys birthday weekend and I might as well have spent a week on the booze with a gang of friends. Who knew partying with 6 year Olds makes you want to neck wine at midday and have a bath by 4 ....🤣 . Throw in a rogue vomit by the youngest and I'm reliving a night out pre the chips.and cheese before the taxi home....

Hope your Saturday is either more civilised or more raucous than mine...✊🥂

28/08/2021

Schmokin'....

Smokies. Eaten hot with a dod of butter and you'll be smiling like a Cheshire cat. We lived in Cupar for a while and the amazing farmer's market had these awesome smokie bad boy.. Much like bonfire and bbq smoke I love it and would prefer my hair smell like that than roses 🤣

I was back in Cupar last weekend and bought some smokies for my grandad and myself . He's turned his two 'medium' fish into about a million dishes and I blitzed mine into a simple pate for the freezer. My favourite way is to stir through buttery pasta with a squeeze of lemon and black pepper and eat the whole ruddy lot. .

Where's your favourite farmers market and what do you regularly buy?🤔🤔

20/08/2021

Nibbles, bites, canapés, pre-dinner morsels. From a family sized bag of crisps and a dip to shrunken full-sized dishes that gulp down in one. There are so many options.

That feeling between utterly ridiculous micro food that you can have 8 of, to the sublime shot of something you wouldn't normally eat.

Canapés are fun. They can be footery and time consuming to make. They do however elevate a party or an event and nobody does actually count how many you are scoffing😉.

There are 'rules' though. (Who knew?!)
For parties that are going to last 2 hours (say pre-dinner or just a cheeky house warming, say) or less serve 3-4 canapés and longer sessions up to 8. A dessert style canapé gives a subtle hint that the food has ended....

A contrast of textures, temperatures and style of canapés is another consideration and the actual plates you are serving on can add a unique twist too.

As we are getting back into the groove of parties and celebrating again I have been working on an idea of canapés that can be dropped off straight to you. Reckon that could be of interest to you and an upcoming soirée?

(The picture is of a teeny tomato and green olive tapenade that was part of cookery class I taught recently x )

09/08/2021

👀 I don't care what your kitchen looks like. Certainly don't light a candle on my behalf...😆

🔪Most of the most common conversations I have when I say I'm a 'private chef' or can cook in your home is that it's going to be astronomically expensive (or only for the landed gentry!) And that there kitchen/home will be analysed or not good enough. THAT's BS.

Sure, a load of clients I have worked with have awesome abodes and some appear to be used to 'staff' but let's be real. I am a mum of three. I tend to live on the chaotic side of carnage within my own home so I am not judging. I'm more concerned with making sure the food is good and you enjoy it. That is all!

On this dreich day I'll be reshuffling some of the chaotic drawers in my kitchen and working my way through to-do lists whilst my kids terrorise our house. What's your plans?

X

05/08/2021

Dinner when you can't be bloody bothered...

A huge chunk of fish. Smothered. Worst word ever. A quick mix of dijon mustard, good (bought) mayo, season. Jazz up with lemon zest and a decent squeeze and got the boys to cut some flat leaf parsley. BAKE.

We eat variations of this with salad and feel like Kings.

What's your got to 'can't be bothered making dinner again' go to?

X

28/07/2021

HANDY RECIPE ALERT...Shake me up before you go go....

This is my go- to vinaigrette. Nightmare to spell but it's on weekly repeat and lives in our fridge.

Great on raw veg, hot wee potatoes, drizzled over chicken and prawns and jazzes up green veg that look at you when you open the fridge every day....

Easy to make: get in your head 1/3 acid (lemon juice or vinegar)and 2/3 oil (I tend to go for rapeseed for colour and because I sometimes cook with this dressing)

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed, bashed,pulverised
1 hearty teaspoon dijon mustard
1-lemon, juice only (approx 50ml) or vinegar of choice
150ml Rapeseed oil
Dash of maple syrup/honey/sugar
Salt +pepper

In a jam jar or small bowl whisk the garlic, dijon and maple syrup with good pinches of salt and pepper. Squeeze in the lemon juice and pour in the oil. Shake to combine. Best way to taste is with a lettuce btw..That is it my dears. Boom shackalack.

Make a batch, keep in fridge, whisk before each use and let me know what you use it on!

Xx

21/07/2021

Writing menus does not normally include sand sandwiches. ..

We have spent the past two days at the East Sands in St.Andrews swimming, paddling, splashing and munching on fife berries. This beach is lucky as it has the so unlike my normal diet I have been carbing the bejesus out of life. Sea swim and one of their toasties (hello mac'n'cheese heaven or the red Leicester number is a corker) and you are laughing.

The sand got into everything, obvs, and the gulls are super annoying. By dinner time however, thoughts naturally went to salads, bbq and anything that could be rustled in 15mins so that showers and wine can be done whilst wincing with sunburn 🤣

Next Time I'll be packing more ice and a water pistol for gull policing🔫

What's your dinner plans in this gorgeous heat?☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️