I used to.

If you knew me from all those years ago, you'd remember, I was that girl who used to blush in pain as I reluctantly say my name.
When I was growing up, I never used to like my name. 
It's only when I came to London that I made a peace of being 'Suk'.

'Suk' was quite an unusual surname to have as there weren't many around. 
I used to hate the fact that it was rare, and was never really keen on how it sounded.
It used to make me feel like I was an odd ball rather than one of many, which was quite strange because, all I ever wanted to be when I was at school, was to be different, and to stand out.

At the start of every academic year, thought of having to introduce myself was enough to put me off, and used to take all the excitements away from all the things I'd been looking forward to. 
Receiving new text books, making new friends, planning a year ahead on my brand new diary, all those fancy coloured biros that I've been proudly collecting with the intention to do well in the classes and etc., would quite simply shy away, and took a back sit whilst I quietly breathe in and out in fear of having to say my name out loud.
Oh gosh, I can tell you, those moments were painful. Painful to be me, and probably even more painful to be around me.

Yes, I know it may sound so pathetic, but back then, it was one of my greatest fear of all time. It was like the biggest mole or the scar on your forehead that I couldn't get rid of, and I had to carry this one giant catastrophic embarrassment with me forever. I had to grin and bear this painful journey of introducing myself all the way through my adulthood, and it wasn't gonna go away as long as my living life exists! 
It was like 'Oh God, please give me the strength!'.

So, as you can imagine, since getting married, I joyfully started the process of changing my name. I first casually started the process with the many online sites I joined up, which made me giggle as it seemed so wrong that my name sounded so English. 
Then I enthusiastically visited my bank, like a girl on the mission, and proudly presented my marriage certificate. 
I didn't even think twice about being 'Mrs Scott'. For me, it was a done deal. 
You see, I was always so sure that I wanted to take Toby's name. Well, I thought I was anyway.

The day I received my brand new bank card, however, with 'Scott' written all over it, I hesitated. I carried two cards in my purse for days and days. I was reluctant to sign the new card. 
All of at sudden I wasn't quite sure. I wasn't ready to say good-bye to my old self. I kept hearing my old self whispering, 'I quite like being 'Suk'. 
After all these years, and for the first time in my lived life, 'Suk' kind of sounded cool.
For whatever the reason, I felt sort of sad.
Was I scared? Did I feel sad thinking I was loosing part of me? Maybe. 
But it's a bit daft to think that, isn't it? Because actually, as you might say, nothing really changes at all.

I am still the same weird one trying to live this weird and wonderful life in its full potential to be happy, except now, I do that with my lifelong friend, husband!

Prawn Parcels in Aromatic Asian Broth
Serves 4 as starter or 2 as main

for the broth
chicken carcass or some chicken wings
1 small pork spare rib
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
10 cloves
5 white peppercorn
5 black peppercorn
bunch of spring onions
5 garlic cloves
1inch ginger
pinch of salt

for the parcels
250g raw king prawns
1/2 inch ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, grated
1 green chilli, roughly chopped (use less if you don't like it hot)
handful of coriander, roughly chopped
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
180g cooked rice (I used mixed wild rice which has more bite to it)
2tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp mirin
pinch of white pepper
4 large savoy cabbage leaves (use 8 small leaves instead, if your leaves are too small)
pinch of salt

for the garnish
Shichimi powder (optional)
some red chilli, thinly sliced
some spring onion, finely sliced

This is a sort of dish I crave when I feel like my body's been overly nourished with rich and heavy food. Its aromatic broth will gently calm your palate, whilst sweet juicy prawns wrapped up in green cabbage leaves comfort you with a substance.

I have used prawns for this recipe but do feel free to use ground beef, pork or even maybe some shiitake mushrooms if you prefer. Just remember to season well. If you are going to use mushrooms as your choice of filling, you might want to blanch them first to remove some excess water, and season well with some soy sauce and sesame oil.
It can appear a bit fiddly to make, but trust me, you'll be so glad that you've had a go.

First thing you need to do is making the broth, which is quite simple.
Put all the ingredients for the broth in a large sauce pan, and fill it with water, about 2-2.5 litre. Bring it to boil, gently simmer for 2-3 hours, let it cool down a little when ready, and run it through the sieve to collect the liquid.
Now, you want to keep this broth in the fridge for a while, preferably overnight, or until the fat sets hard on the surface so it is easy to remove the fat from the broth. 
I like doing this because this process will make my broth extra lean but with all the flavours I need.
One thing I will say though, is please, do make your broth. 
I'd like to say you can just use shop bought chicken stock and it will possibly do the job, but it won't be the same.

For the parcels, first of all, bring the water to boil in the medium sauce pan, put the savoy cabbage leaves, add pinch of salt, and boil them for about minute or so until the leaves are softened a little.
Rinse the cabbage leaves in ice cold water, drain and give it a good squeeze to remove all excess water.
Carefully spread each leaves on to your chopping board, remove as much as of the hard stem bits in the middle, and set a side.

Now, onto the prawn filling. Place prawns, ginger, chilli, garlic, coriander and spring onion into your food processor, and whizz them up until it resembles a course paste.
Tip those into a large mixing bowl, add your cooked rice, mirin, soy sauce and white pepper, and give it a good stir.

To make the parcel, place your cabbage leave onto the clean surface, and spoon the prawn mixture onto the cabbage. 
You want to start wrapping this up by folding the softer bottom end of cabbage leaves first rather than the stem end, then the sides and just roll them until you get to the stem end. Secure it with couple of cocktail sticks.
Repeat the process until you finish all four of them.

Put your broth you made earlier in a large shallow saucepan and bring it to simmer.
Place your prawn parcels, and simmer gently for about 15mins.

You can finish off the dish with the sprinkle of some Shichimi powder, thinly sliced red chilli and spring onion.
Hope you enjoy.

I must admit, I found it very very strange saying the word 'husband'. 
I get all giddy and ever so slightly embarrassed when I say 'the word'.

so we drop that bombshell.

Hello there!
I must confess something before I start this post and that something is, I did have all the good intentions to write up this post and share it with you, when the summer's sun was shining high up the sky and my skin was feeling slightly leathery from the tan. 
But, in truth, I struggled.
I tried hard to make sense of it all but it was all very difficult to get the words out when things were far too confusing in my own head itself.
So that is why I am a little late.

Well, so... I am, for real, getting married.
Yes, you heard me right.
So I suspect I should be telling you of those much wanted romantic proposal story of ours, of which of course, quite naturally that everyone expects to hear. 
Because it supposed to be 'The Moment', as some might refer. But I am afraid, this won't be the case. 
There wasn't a romantic candle lit dinner, neither the bunch of roses, nor the tradition of kneeling down, and most definitely no question was asked. 
Hold your thoughts, guys. It's complicated.

I can't locate that key moment that I can call 'The Moment'. 
It kind of happened gradually over the past few years and one day, I realised we have spoken the forbidden word; the wedding.
And over the first few weeks since our wedding was on the agenda, I sort of felt cheated. 
I mean, by the fact that Toby never had to asked me, kind of made me feel like I was being sold too easily. Sort of.
Having said that, it wasn't as if I didn't know him enough to realise that the chance of him popping the much regarded question was improbable. It is fair to say that sort of thing had no chance of happening. He is just not that sort of bloke. He has his own ways of doing things and his ideas of being romantic differs from others, of which more than often brought me a fair bit of unanticipated joy.
I appreciated him the way he was and this wasn't going to be a problem. And because neither of us had great interests in wedding/marriage nor the children when we first met all those years ago, this wasn't something that I expected to become an issue.
Then, what?
Well, as much as my understanding of this whole thing was very clear in my head, when it finally didn't happen, I found it very tough to comprehend that, although we're getting married, I was never going to have the once-in-a-life-time chance of experiencing the fuss and the excitement of 'The Moment'.

I think, for me and in my pretty complicated little head, the act of asking was the ultimate confirmation and the declaration of one's devotion. 
The act of asking reinforces the answer and together it reaffirms that the both party is equally committed to one and the other. Also very possibly, this process brings two participants closer by sharing the, arguably one of the most significant moment of their lives together as a pair. And I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity that was open and available to any one of us!
And it was that, I was having problems with.

Then, over the family luncheon table, Toby, out of blue, spoke out. 
"Well, everyone knew what that ring really meant. It's just that it took me some time to come to terms with it all."

Oh, yes. I forgot about that. I do have a ring and yes, there was the moment, if you want to call it that.
Okay, lets go back a few years.
Two years ago, over a dinner with our friend who was responsible for us becoming an item, Toby declared that perhaps it was about time he should buy me a ring since I'd been banging on about this token of love business for many years. After few drinks, I decided that I will take the advantage of the offer and the following day, he bought me a ring. Yes, a little sparkler on my finger that represented his token of love. 
We called it a commitment ring. They called it an engagement ring.
We tried to explain that it wasn't an engagement ring and we were indeed very happy with it being a symbolic gesture of our relationship. But no one got it.
But that really did not matter to us. Because we understood it. 

Come to think of it, and without waxing the lyrical about what Toby said and done, his rather generous act of buying me a ring was of course, the moment to remember. One does not spoil the other with such an extravagance with no reason.
He actually did something. He took a giant leap toward the world of stability. He was in process of dealing with his believes in the subject matter and he was making the alterations in his own way, and in his own time.

That's it, isn't it?
I couldn't recognise this because I was so wrapped up in the world of what's norm and what is expected of you by other people. 
My brain did not function in an usual way and my emotions were all over the place. Not being able to cope with people hammering me down with what should happen and people making their own plans for our wedding even before I got to understand it all, I was totally lost and confused.
I was so frightened to step into the world that had no existence in me, I almost forgot what was there all along. Everything was so cloudy, I forgot that our love takes a different shape, like many others do.

The love that nurtured us through the thick and thin, is something that we cherish and all we ever wanted to do was to celebrate. We wanted to become an unit to make our own little people. We wanted to pay a gratitude to our love and the commitments that lives with us in humble gestures of everydayness.
And we are doing it in our own little way to compliment the invaluable qualities of our team work that had made us better, made us stronger, and made us who we truly are.

So, here I am, writing our versions of the eventful moments, in the hope of everlasting, love.

Cold Soba Noodles
serves 2 generously as main or 4 as starter

250g soba noodles (100% buckwheat)
85ml soy sauce (use a good quality soy like Kikkoman) 
15ml mirin (cooking sake)
15g sugar
400-750ml dashi (Japanese fish stock. I use instant one.)

for the garnish
spring onion, finely chopped
radish or mooli, grated
fresh ginger, grated
toasted seaweed, cut in to fine strips


This really represents fine hot summer's day for both me and Toby.
The only fiddly part of this dish is, a) you have few things to grate and chop, and b) you need to think in advance to have the cold broth ready. Other than that, it is dead simple and really flavoursome.
Don't be put off by the fact that it is served cold, and don't try to freestyle by serving it warm. 
It works one way and that only way is to have this ice cold, as cold as you like. The hotter the weather outside, the colder the broth you'll want to have. 
This is packed with Umami sort of sensation that you will never forget.

So, as I said already, the process is simple.
Lets make the broth by mixing the soy, mirin and sugar in a small sauce pan and gently simmer it until sugar is dissolved. Add prepared hot stock gradually and taste the broth as you go along. I like mine slightly on the stronger side in taste, so I tend to use about 500-600ml of stock and adjust the sweetness by adding a little more sugar if I need to.
Once you have the perfect flavour combo of salty and sweet, let them cool down and stick it in the fridge until you need them. You can cool them down quicker in the freezer, if you are short of time.

Prepare your garnishes.
Over the years, I have found the combinations of radish/mooli, spring onions and ginger works a treat with a little strips of toasted seaweed. However, it is entirely up to you to add or omit.

Cook the soba noodles as instructed in the packet and rinse them thoroughly in ice cold water to stop them cooking further.
These noodles get stuck together quite easily if you leave them out for too long once cooked,  so you want to cook them when you are ready to serve the dish.

Usually, the way to have this dish is to serve the noodles separately in a small bundle, either  in the bamboo basket or tray. You will have cold broth in a small bowl, garnish your broth as you like and dunk the noodles in your bowl.
But there is nothing stopping you to just serve it all in one bowl with a side garnish.
Hope you enjoy it!

So we drop that bombshell.

and the new beginning for us all.

Good friend of mine at work once mentioned how fed up he was with it all. 

He was upset having to struggle months on ends. To be able to live a little, and to pursuit the passion of his life, he said this job was getting just too depressing. With very little in return of all those hard work and hours that he puts in, he wondered if it was worth it at all, after all.

It was strange, a bit strange to feel like listening to your own voice that you have been trying so hard to avoid to acknowledge.

The same kind of conversation carried on many times after that between us, but never once I thought, he would actually be, leaving. Not because that I have doubted his desire for a new direction but just because, I thought, it was one of those moments that we all go through every now and then. Just so we can dream a little thinking that the life was perhaps, greener on the other side.

The day that he announced that he was leaving for good, we were all very upset. 

It was sad to realise that there wasn't going to be this funny, stomach cramping and sometimes a bit over the top 'ED the Hero' character, who puts a big smile on all of any old sad faces in the salon any more. 

And I was upset that, there will not be any more of those conversations that we shared. The very sort of conversations that I was deeply comforted by.

I gave him a big hug. 

A hug to celebrate his courage for making that next step, the brave step that I always feared to commit.

A few days later, I spoke to my brother to congratulate him for his success in getting a job. 

He said he was just in bit of luck to have been offered such a position. I don't think he realises what a brilliant news it is to the rest of the family. 

For him to be able to secure such a job means, the ray of sunshine to my mum and dad who unfortunately has been lost in the gloomy tunnel. 

It is a delightful hope that will guide them into the positive dreams of making the small steps to find the new beginning.

Scotch Eggs

150g raw king prawns, shells removed

2 small shallots, roughly chopped

1inch root ginger, roughly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 chilli, roughly chopped

handful of fresh coriander

4 eggs, use 3 for the scotch eggs and 1 lightly beaten for the coating

some plain flour

some breadcrumbs

salt and pepper 

oil for frying

This is not just Scotch Eggs. 

This is very sumptuous scotch eggs covered in aromatic prawn paste that is very light but packed with flavour. The hint of fiery chilli will give you a little kick as you bite into those crispy layer of its outer coat and as you work your way into its runny centre, it will, indeed wow you with its beautifully silky texture.

The most important part of this dish is the boiling of eggs. 

I like to keep my yokes very runny so it can be a bit tricky. Obviously, how you want them is entirely up to you. If you prefer your yokes more cooked through then just cook them for longer. 

I drop my eggs into boiling water with little salt and simmer for about 6mins. Make sure eggs are at room temperature. When they are done, take them out and put them into the ice cold water too cool them. Once cooled, peel them very carefully.

Meanwhile, make the prawn paste by blending shallots, ginger, garlic, fresh coriander, chilli and prawns with little salt and pepper. When they become smooth in consistency and very green in colour, they are ready.

To put things together, you need some cling film.

Place your cling film onto the work surface and spread the prawn paste thinly in the middle, wide enough to cover the egg. Lightly flour the egg and place it onto the centre of the paste that you just spread and lift up the edges of the cling film carefully to cover the egg. 

This may seem very fiddly but you will soon find it easy enough once you get the hang of it.

Now, dust your eggs with little flour, dip them in lightly whisked egg and then onto the breadcrumbs.

The easiest way to do this is to use one hand for the wet ingredients, in this case dipping the eggs into the whisked egg and the other for dry. This way you won't end up with lots of messy fingers.

I used Panko breadcrumbs for this dish. 

They are flaky Japanese breadcrumbs which gives much lighter and crispier finish when fried. But an ordinary breadcrumbs will work fine too.

Finally, fry them in hot oil until golden and enjoy it. 

Delicious with homemade garlic mayonnaise!

The new beginning for us all.

we are still at it

Four months ago it was, when I was thinking to myself that I'll be depending on all things green and leafy, that I will be working my arse off and sure I will be able to get into those pair of jeans that I hadn't been able to tackle for the last five or six years. Miraculously with the capital 'M'!


So lets have a little reality check to make sure that I am on track and to help you to understand what this random pledge was all about.


Well, this is my problem.
I absolutely fell in love with this little maisonette that had nothing but issues written all over it.
Floors were infested by woodworms, all windows and architraves were smothered in full gloss paints to make die of its beauty, every inch of internal doors were covered with vanish it might as well just disappear. The entire walls in the house was suffocated by layers and layers of wall coverings that took me all the way back to the beginning of the year, 1905; the full circle of fashion.


I convinced and persuaded Toby that this will be our absolute dream home that we had to go for it. And as any loving man will do, he did.


The thing was though, as much as I was confident that I could see it through and we will get to it before we know it, I couldn't deny the fact that this was all down to me. Absolutely everything. 
From having to live in the house full of dust with no kitchen, no heating, no proper walls and no complete floors, to giving up cultural infills of telly nights and sociable weekends in an attempt to get some works done, was and is all because of me. 
And honestly, the pressure is on.


Lying in or chill out weekends were written out from our dictionary fairly earlier on.
Every evenings were fight. Trying to make one thing better, we had to make ten things worse. Then there was the senseless arguments on why we were doing what we were doing at that time of the night, when most of the others would be sipping a lovely glass of wine, sitting comfortably in front of telly, unwinding. 
We did in fact, of course had glasses of wine. Only difference was that we were hopelessly crashed on the shaky floorboards with our glass full of tired sighs, high degrees of frustrations and the dangers of potential anger. 
Such a simple tasks attacked us with resilience. Every job was our enemies putting us in test, the world of 'Battle DIY'.


We feel more home in building site. Stress and problems are the air we breathe to feel alive. Barking mad at each other brings some much needed familiar passion back to our lives. Boxes of mess comforts us that we are still standing. 
I file my nails in sand paper grit 80 with a huge success rate whilst sanding skirting boards. Toby cracks up the joke about possible electrocution while handling lights and switches and there it comes my bonus, he swears heavily with some extra injected emotion. 
Microwave has never been so useful feeding exhausted hungry souls. Hoover becomes none existence as dust becomes our lovers. Camping has never been so close to our hearts as we learn to live with all things basic that comes with great difficulties.
And going back to the beginning of my pledge, my intention of being super healthy eating all things green, in aid to naturally shift that extra few pounds through this hard working building exercise experience has no chance to shine, as I make up those extra calories with what I would call, well deserved bottle of wine.

So as you can guess, we are not anywhere near reaching the finishing line and I have no desire to get into that old pair of jeans. 
It's relentless and it is tiring.
But the realisations of compassionate loving is something we learn as we plod along through this long rocky road. As long as we share that momentary laughter in togetherness every now and then to cheer each other up, I think, I will be alright. 

Hot and sour soba noodle salad with prawns 


soba noodles, cooked as instructed
some king prawns, cooked and peeled
1/2 cucumber, seed scooped out and sliced
1/2 carrot, sliced like matchsticks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1inch root ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
couple of shallots or 1/2 white onion, finely sliced
some spring onions, chopped
some hot red chillies
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar for pickling and 1tbsp for dressing
1/2 tbsp palm sugar
3 tbsp tamarind water
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1tbsp soy sauce
lime juice
pinch of salt
white pepper
some rice bran oil


This is very simple delicious dish that can be made with very little effort. All ingredients give lots of different layers of texture that make dish more filling and interesting.


Start by pickling carrot and cucumber slices in caster sugar and vinegar mixture. Add 1tbsp warm water and a pinch of salt. Cover it and leave them for at least 30mins or longer the better. Make sure to squeeze the moisture out thoroughly when you're ready to use them. 


In the mean time, heat shallow frying pan with some rice bran oil (you can use vegetable oil if you prefer but not olive oil). Add shallots, garlic and ginger into the pan and carefully fry them until golden.


Make the dressing by placing palm sugar, vinegar, tamarind water, fish sauce, chopped chilli and soy in a jam jar, or salad dressing shaker if you have one. Add pinch of salt and some freshly cracked white pepper with lots and lots of lime juice and stir, mix or shake vigorously. You want to be able to taste the kick from the chilli with some fruity sweetness and the salty fish sauce getting you again at the back of your throat. Fresh lime juice will make it all zingy and lively. 
Adjust it to your taste with more lime or sugar or fish sauce. You can add a little warm water to loosen the dressing if you want it milder.


In a large mixing bowl, put noodles, prawns, pickled carrots and cucumber, fried onions, garlic and ginger. Stir well to coat all ingredients with prepared dressing.
Sprinkle them with some more fresh chilli and spring onions for some added kick.
Delish!

We will get through it. 

It does it for me.

Well, well, well...
I looked forward to this breakfast and could not make a good sleep last night feeling excited.


Three weeks ago to be exact, Toby and I discovered the little cafe, 'the coffee' in the corner of Kingston.
I must admit, I didn't expect anything other than being able to get a papercupfulness of caffeine supply that I desperatly lacked of that particular morning you know. But as you might suspected, and it is always the way I reckon, this place came out of nowhere... captured our eyes.
And this sunday, we'd planned to revisit for full English for a treat.


Toby and I took some time looking at their chalk board. 
Carefully surveying our options, he decided to stick with the plan while I chickened out for some egg omelette.
What's really nice about doing this whole breakfast thing was, you see, you get to experience whole new world of laziness. 
Piles of Sunday paper and supplement magazines on the side of the table, maybe a little quarrel deciding who wants which bits first to read and that wonderfully glorious wake up smell of good coffee...
It does it.
The whiff of freshly roasted beans and the loud but pleasant sound of grounding grabs your attention until the delivery of your coffee gives you a little knock.
Then there's that big lip smacking snog of sweet fluffy creaminess you can't resist. 
Oh boy, I am almost lost in this haziness until that last mouthful of bitterness hits me back to wake me up.


After a little head rush, you are awaken; mellowed out with an eyeful of daydream and eased up like Sunday morning.
It definitely does it for me.
How about you, man?

Balsamic glazed shallot tarte tatin




for tarte tartin
300g shallots
3tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tbsp honey
olive oil
butter
pinch of salt and pepper
some ready made puff pastry




for mint yogurt dressing for salad
1/2 sumac
2tbsp yogurt
1/2 lemon juice
pinch of salt
handful of mint, finely sliced




Start by preparing your shallots.
Over medium heat, gently fry your shallots with little butter, oil and a pinch of salt. When they are softened and a little brown on the outside add the vinegar, honey and some pepper.
Cook them over low hear for good 10mins or so until the shallots are well glazed.


Place the shallots in the baking tray and cover them snuggly with puff pastry.
Bake them for about 20mins or until golden in the oven (180º).


In the mean time, you can prepare the mint yogurt dressing for your salad by combining all ingredients together.
Whisk all of the components thoroughly and dress your salad just before serving.
I made mine with thinly sliced radish, cucumber and some watercress which provides wonderfully refreshing pepperiness with the dressing.

Now, that's ya lot...!

'Companion: someone you share bread with'

Making bread is quite a tricky task, I thought.
Then I found him who thinks otherwise. 


Richard Bertinet, the author of 'DOUGH: Simple Contemporary Bread'.
He starts the book by introducing his love for baking, explaining why he thought this book was necessary. 
He goes an extra mile to talk about tools, ingredients, all the steps of bread making and what's involved for reasonably lengthy time before he showcases his beautiful recipes. He really makes you understand the fundamental basics of making the dough. His step by step approach to explain what it is that you are dealing with and how to play with them to make it do what you want, is simple and very clear.


I was quietly surprised.
For someone that who didn't really get the beauty of baking bread, not because I didn't appreciate flavoursome home baked bread but more because I hardly consumed or added bread as part of our diet, this was indeed educational.
And I think his book possibly changed my approach towards making, baking and eating bread.


I thought of welcoming my companions with freshly home baked bread.
Nice way to start the conversation passing the bread basket around the table. 
Everyone got involved and the first basketful went in no time.
Good job there was some more...

Caramelised onion and Cheddar Loaf




for caramelised onion
2 red onions, finely sliced
1tbsp dark brown sugar
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
olive oil


for dough
150g strong white flour
100g strong wholemeal flour
5g yeast
3g salt
175g water


30-50g coarsely grated strong Cheddar cheese




This bread recipe I came up with the other day is so easy to make and very flavoursome. 
Don't be put off by the amount of time you may have to invest. It is well worth it.


Start by preparing the dough by placing both flour, yeast and salt into the bowl. Slowly and gradually add water and mix well. I use round scraper to bring those ingredients together roughly. Work the dough on your work surface to form a smooth and supple dough. 
Place it in the bowl dusted with little flour and cover. 
Leave it to rest for approximately an hour until it is twice in volume.


In the mean time, make you caramelised onion by gently frying the onion over low heat with little pinch of salt. when it is softened, add the vinegar and sugar. Let them bubble away until it thickens and leave them to cool once ready.


Now back to the dough, gently take it out onto the work surface. Flatten it down and add the onion mixture and Cheddar (make sure to save some to decorate the top). You need to bring these together by working the dough once more. Don't worry if it gets a bit messy to start with. 
By folding the edges into the middle you will create good sold base.
Place it in the baking tray and decorate the top with a little more cheese. 
Leave them to prove for around 45mins until it is twice in volume.


Preheat the oven as high as you can.
When ready, reduce the temperature down to 220º and bake the bread for around 25mins or until it appears deliciously golden.


I served mine sliced with homemade garlic mayo flavoured with some tarragon.

Job done.