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Template - Front page: Feast on a mouth-watering rack of Welsh spring lamb

Jimmy Williams, executive chef at Signatures Restaurant, Conwy, shares his recipe for the perfect Sunday dinner.

Signatures, which is part of Aberconwy Resort & Spa, was recently named Best Large Restaurant in the National Tourism Awards Wales, as voted for by the public.

His recipe:

One of the best things about the weekend is the time we get to spend with friends and family. What better way to get together than with a lovingly prepared meal, that makes the most of local, Welsh produce?

This deceptively simple recipe is a take on the nostalgia-inducing Sunday roasts we all grew up with, but with a modern twist.

Please make sure that the lamb you use is Welsh. It’s far sweeter and more succulent than the alternatives and, living where we do, there’s no excuse to go further afield. For the rest of the ingredients, use good, waxy new potatoes, unsalted butter (salted is more likely to burn in the pan) and I’ll leave it to you to choose the red wine!

Ingredients (serves four)

Meat

280g rack of Welsh lamb

Oil to seer

Salt & pepper

Rosemary potatoes

12 waxy new potatoes, cooked and cut in half

Chopped rosemary

Oil

Knob of unsalted butter

Salt & pepper

Creamed leeks

1 large or two small leeks, chopped.

1 finely shredded carrot (Julienne)

2 finely chopped shallots

400ml double cream

Oil

Salt & pepper

Parsnip crisps

Oil for deep frying

1 parsnip

Salt

Red wine gravy

1 glass of red wine

2 tsp redcurrant jelly

1 clove of garlic

½ pt lamb stock

1 tsp of cornflour mixed to a paste with water, to thicken

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

Season lamb rack with salt and pepper. Put it in a pan, fat side down to colour. Turn the meat periodically to ensure all sides are sealed.
Start the gravy by putting red wine, redcurrant sauce and chopped garlic into a small pan, simmer and reduce for five minutes or until it has a syrup-like consistency.
Put the lamb into the pre-heated oven (12 minutes for medium rare lamb that’s pink in the middle, longer if you prefer it well done).
Put the leeks in a dry pan then add the double cream, season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer and reduce.
To prepare to Make the parsnip crisps, heat two inches depth of oil in a pan until it reaches 180°C.
Heat some oil in a pan and add the new potatoes cut side down, then add a knob of unsalted butter. Add chopped rosemary and rocksalt then heat until turning a golden brown and put in the oven.
Once the oil is hot, put a small batch of parsnips into the pan and fry until crispy. Don’t fry to many at once or they won’t get crispy.
Once the batch is finished, remove the crisps and place on a cloth to absorb the moisture. Season with rock salt, which also helps the parsnips stay crisp, before starting the next batch.
Check leeks, and add Julienne carrots and finely sliced shallots to give texture, and stir.
Take the lamb out of the oven and rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.
To make the gravy: Add half a pint of lamb stock to the red wine and redcurrant reduction and simmer. Add cornflour paste and whisk while still on the heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Take potatoes out of the oven, season creamed leeks with salt and pepper and prepare to plate up.

To serve:

Slice lamb.

Place creamed leeks on plate.
Add Rosemary potatoes.
Put the sliced lamb on top of the leeks.
Put parsnip crisps on top of the lamb.
Finish with the red wine gravy.

This article first appeared in South Wales windows, doors, conservatories and orangeries specialist Securahome’s newsletter Ffordd o fyw. To subscribe to Ffordd o fyw contact us here: https://www.securahome.co.uk/contact/

Template - Front page: Loggia: The next generation of home extension

In recent years, glazing products have seen huge strides forward in terms of window thermal efficiency, and now a new product looks to do the same to the conservatory extension.

Loggia columns can be twice as energy efficient as a traditional conservatory walls, but are still quick to build.

The energy efficiency of a Loggia column comes from its innovative, insulation.

A typical Loggia column has a TOG value of 23.3, almost five times the 4.7 achieved by traditional bricks.

Added to this, at Swansea-based Securahome A-rated, thermally efficient glass is used throughout as standard to enhance the conservatory’s thermal efficiency.

To further maximise its heat retention, there is even an option to choose a highly insulated solid roof.

This energy efficiency means that unlike a traditional conservatory, there may be no need to have interior doors.

This gives a Loggia column conservatory great versatility, meaning it can be used to extend an existing room, for example, to make a dining kitchen for more family or entertaining space.

Inside, the Loggia column gives a conservatory the look of a contemporary, single storey extension, with plastered walls, and options for cleverly concealed heaters and modern lighting.

Best of all, this is an extension that can be quick to construct, taking far less time than a traditional orangery or extension, in many cases without the need for planning permission. In fact you could be opening the doors of a Loggia conservatory in just a few months.

To find out more about Loggia columns visit or call Securahome’s Swansea showroom.

Template - Front page: A checklist for installing timber windows and doors in your South Wales home

Whether you have a period South Wales home or a character conversion, timber windows offer an unmistakable, timeless appeal that is hard to beat.

Traditionally this beauty meant high maintenance, but chosen carefully, today’s timber windows and doors can combine classic looks with minimal maintenance and modern energy efficiency.

To make the right choice, it’s important to understand the design features that make the difference between a sound investment and a high maintenance liability.

Securahome believes this starts with the timber. To prevent any warping or swelling, timber windows and doors must be made from best quality, FSC-sourced, sustainable, engineered timber.

Long used on the continent, engineered timber is the hardwearing choice for windows and doors. Its multi-layer structure helps windows resist warping and twisting as the opposing grains even out natural moisture movement.

If you don’t like painting, then fortunately modern micro-porous paints and stains are actually absorbed by the wood so that they don’t blister or flake.

Also, knowing the South Wales weather, opt for weather-treated timber windows and doors and there will be no need to re-paint for at least eight years.

When it comes to glass, thermally insulating, argon-filed, double-glazing offers 80 per cent better energy efficiency than single glazed units and a 45 per cent improvement on normal double-glazing.

Best of all, this kind of glazing will maximize the natural light into your home – essential for period cottages and conversions.

To further improve energy efficiency, opt for windows that offer low conductivity spacer bars, which have the added benefit of reducing condensation levels on the inner pane.

Security is vitally important and for added reassurance, always look for internal beading to show that the glass is fitted from the inside.

Securahome has a wide range of timber windows on display at its Swansea showroom.

Template - Front page: Welsh caviar, a true superfood

Richard Burton called it the ‘Welshman’s caviar’, while others cringe at the thought of swallowing seaweed.

Whatever the difference of opinion, there’s no doubt that laverbread – or ‘bara lawr’ – remains a popular delicacy in restaurants not just throughout its homeland but further afield.

However there’s no getting away from the fact that it is deserves better recognition given its nutritional profile and unique flavour.

At Bwyty Sosban Restaurant in Llanelli, head chef Ian Wood knows only too well the popularity of this Welsh superfood, which he serves as a garnish, in sauce or as an addition to the main meal itself.

He said: “We source our laverbread locally from the Gower and it is a popular item which we tend to serve as a sauce with muscles from neighbouring Penclawdd.

“It is also something I use with sea bass and cockles because the flavours complement one another so well.”

Made from seaweed, washed and pureed, then cooked to make a soft greenish black paste, laverbread is nutritious and filled with health benefits.

Traditionally eaten fried with bacon and cockles as part of a Welsh breakfast, it is also commonly used as a sauce to accompany lamb, crab or monkfish and can even be made into soup.

Rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and low in calories, it is a rare plant source of vitamin B12, that also includes iron and iodine.

Ian, the former head chef at Terence Conran’s Boundary and Islington’s Almeida explained: “Laverbread really is a superfood in that respect and is a versatile ingredient which can be used creatively in restaurants and in traditional home cooked recipes alike.

“Although it doesn’t appear on our menu every day of the week, there’s no doubt that our customers enjoy the taste.”

Bwyty Sosban Restaurant is based on North Dock, Llanelli. For further details visit www.sosbanrestaurant.com

Recipe: Traditional Welsh laverbread breakfast cake

225g laverbread 4 – 6 slices of streaky bacon 2 tbsp oatmeal

Take a small pudding basin and tip in the oatmeal. Shake to coat sides.
Tip in laverbread and toss several times until the laverbread is coated with the oatmeal.
Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan and tip the laverbread into the hot fat.
Keep shaking the pan until the laverbread is cooked.
Turn the laverbread and oatmeal onto a hot plate and serve with the bacon.

Template - Front page: A hidden gem in South Wales

Step into Glyndŵr Vineyard and you could be mistaken for thinking you had been whisked away to France, with 6,000 vines, growing in perfect rows on gentle, south-east facing slopes.

In fact you would be tucked away in Llanblethian, Cowbridge at Wales’ oldest, family winery.

Set up in 1982 by Richard and Sue Norris, Glyndŵr Vineyard is an award winner, supplying the likes of Waitrose, John Lewis in Oxford Street and numerous small wine merchants and delis. Its wines have even graced European state banquets and the House of Lords.

When matching wine with a Welsh roast lamb like our recipe, the traditional choice is an aged Bordeaux from France or mature Rioja from Spain.

From his selection, wine-maker Richard recommends the Glyndŵr Red, which he describes as ruby coloured, complex and fruity. At the time of writing the latest batch of this much in demand wine is gently ageing in American oak barrels, however the good news is it will be ready to drink in August 2014.

Of course, just because this is a lamb recipe, doesn’t mean you can’t opt for white. If you prefer something lighter, Richard suggests the Glyndŵr Medium White, which is a fresh wine offering a fine hint of peach, elderflower and apple.

And for those blissful summer evenings relaxing in the garden with friends while the man of the house slogs over the barbecue, the Glyndŵr Rosé is an excellent choice or maybe even a refreshing Lazy Llama cider?

Glyndŵr Vineyard produces two white wines, a rosé, a red and two vintage sparkling wines that would be ideal for a special occasion. The vineyard offers wine tastings, vineyard tours and a backdrop for special events such as parties and weddings.

Beautifully quirky, Glyndŵr Vineyard also boasts meet the llamas tours and bed and breakfast in a separate cottage, where visitors can collect their own breakfast eggs from the estate’s chickens.

Along with Waitrose, Glyndŵr Vineyard wines can be found at delicatessans and wine merchants across South Wales including Wally’s in Cardiff, the Elephant and Bun in Cowbridge, Taylors in Carmarthen and many more. For more information go to: www.glyndwrvineyard.co.uk.

Template - Front page: Take a walk down memory lane

If you are looking for a day out to enjoy some fresh air and find out more about the heritage of Wales, then St Fagans, on the outskirts of Cardiff, is hard to beat.

Once known as The Welsh Folk Museum, it has been renamed as St Fagans National History Museum in recognition of the incredible breadth of buildings and artefacts taken from across the country and painstakingly rebuilt on the site.

Recognised as one of Europe’s leading open-air museums it opened almost 70 years ago and stands in the grounds of the 16^th century St Fagans Castle and gardens.

Since that launch in 1948, an incredible 40 original buildings from different historical periods have been re-erected in the 100-acre parkland, including houses, a farm, a school, a chapel and a splendid workmen’s institute.

Currently the museum building is undergoing a major Heritage Lottery funded refurbishment, but the outdoor experience remains as popular as ever.

Craftsmen demonstrate traditional skills in their workshops and their produce is usually on sale, including delicious hot-from-the oven bread and cakes from Derwen Bakehouse.

Visitors gain a real insight into the rich heritage and culture of Wales, and the Welsh language can be heard amongst craftsmen and interpreters.

Highlights include:

Native breeds of livestock in the fields and farmyards and demonstrations of farming tasks take place daily.
An 18th century Smithy where horses were shod, household items made and mended, and metal tyres put on wagon wheels.
The Woollen Mill, built in 1760, produces traditional shoulder shawls and Welsh blankets and the entire process from dyeing the fleece to finishing the fabric happens on site.
The Melin Bompren Corn Mill is typical of a Cardiganshire water-driven mill, built to convert corn into flour.
For a spot of shopping try Gwalia Stores, originally built in 1880, which sells fine Welsh foods.
You can also visit the clogmaker’s workshop (from Carnhedryn in Pembrokeshire) and see him demonstrating traditional techniques. The clog-maker is always happy to take orders for his custom-fit, traditional clogs, available in some non-traditional colours too!
Have a picture taken in period costumes and hats at Moss-Vernon’s photography studio.

Throughout the year, St Fagans comes to life with traditional festivals, music and dance events. There are also plenty of ghostly goings-on with evening guided walks of the most supernatural nature!

For further details visit www.museumwales.ac.uk/stfagans

Template - Front page: Recipe Time: Teisen Lap

By Steffan Roberts, proprietor of the popular Snowdon Café in Penceunant Isaf, Snowdon

One of my favourite recipes is this deliciously moist light fruit cake which seldom lasted long out of the oven, mainly because as kids we’d stand waiting for it to come out of the AGA, and then polish it off with a glass of full cream milk!

It is best while still warm.

We called it Drawer Cake, but that’s not the proper translation, and there seem to be so many different translations and recipes for it – Moist, Slab etc.

But the name doesn’t really matter does it if it tastes fantastic?

This recipe unusually calls for some glacé cherries to be hurled into the mix

Ingredients:

12oz/375g Self Raising Flour

5oz/150g Margerine

6oz/180g Sugar

8oz/240g Mixed Dried Fruit

Handful of Glace Cherries

2 Eggs from Welsh hens

5floz/150ml Milk

Pinch of Ginger

Pinch of Nutmeg

Method:

Rub the margarine into the flour.

Add the fruit, chopped glacé cherries and sugar.

Beat the eggs into the milk and add to the mixture. Sprinkle in the nutmeg and ginger and mix well.

The mixture should drop off the spoon easily. Pour into a shallow tin, and bake in a low oven (250F or 130C). You’ll need to watch it to make sure it doesn’t burn on the top.

Remove from the oven and consume instantly! Although take care if it’s very hot.

It’s lovely with a glass of creamy milk, or perhaps some Barley Wine. One alternative is to steep the fruit in Barley Wine (and a teabag) to soak up the flavour.

Find more of my recipes in the ‘Snowdon Café Cookbook’, available at: www.snowdoncafe.com.

Proceeds from sales of the book will go towards the Love Hope Strength Foundation, co-founded by Mike Peters of The Alarm, which promotes music-related, outreach and awareness programmes for leukaemia and cancer sufferers, survivors and their families.

Template - Front page: Team spotlight: Nigel Hocking

Married with two grown up children, who are both now in university, Nigel Hocking is the sales and marketing manager for Securahome. Nigel has been with Securahome for 12 years and is never happier than when outdoors, walking with his faithful Welsh Border Collie Harley.

What is your occupation/title?

My job title is sales and marketing manager, but I also deal with many of the technical and design issues, such as building regulations etc.

How long have you worked for Securahome?

I’ve worked at Securahome for 12 years, but I’ve been in this industry for 32 years. I joined it straight out of college and haven’t looked back.

What is the best thing about working for Securahome?

We’re a longstanding company that’s big enough to offer great quality service, but small enough to be customer-led and dynamic. This means we can really listen to our customers and come up with creative design solutions that will suit their circumstances and needs. As a company, we are also constantly lookout for the leading-edge, products to bring to the market, which I find exciting.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t have much spare time, but when I do have it I love walking and getting fresh air, especially at this time of year. I live on the Gower, so it’s perfect for someone like me who loves the outdoors.

Where is your favorite place (worldwide) to be?

I have too many favourites to mention, because there aren’t many places I don’t like. I enjoy travelling, and parts of the US and Croatia would be high up on my list, but you could say I’m still looking for my favourite. The Gower is probably at the top at the moment, we are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world.

What makes you laugh?

Live comedians who can tell a good story that you can relate to never fail to make me chuckle. I love Rod Gilbert and saw Billy Connelly back in the day, who was the master of that kind of comedy. I also like a bit of slapstick, so watching Lee Evans live had me in stitches.

What Securahome product do you have or want to have in your home?

I’m going to get a LivinRoof added to my conservatory to improve its thermal efficiency and give it a new lease of life! It’s currently got a polycarbonate roof that’s 15 years old, which was great at the time, but things have moved on so much, I know it will make a tremendous difference to how often we use that room.

Can you give us a home improvement tip?

Make sure that you thoroughly research any home improvements that you are going to make and understand all of the legal obligations connected with it. At the end of the day, this is your home and your investment.

I’ve been in the home improvement industry for a long time and know how easy it can be for people to be caught out. There are unscrupulous firms out there that will cut corners, for example not abiding with building regulations or building over a sewer.

Unfortunately, that kind of practice can come back on the homeowner in a big way and end up costing thousands of pounds.

Template - Front page: Your room, your way – modern living at its best

Bringing in more natural light than an extension and offering greater versatility than a conservatory, plus a ‘wow’ factor that’s hard to beat, orangeries have become the epitome of modern living.

Whether it’s a kitchen addition to create a large dining and entertaining space, a family room, or simply somewhere to relax at the end of a busy day, today’s orangeries can be whatever you want them to be.

At Securahome we’ve been designing and building orangeries for more than 20 years, and in that time no two have been the same.

Orangery expert Nigel Hocking explains: “We start the process by asking ‘how do you want to use the room?’ Once the ideas flow, the exciting part of creating something completely bespoke begins.”

In these early stages, Securahome’s designers create a 3D CAD model to help you work through their ideas.

“Over the years those ideas have included wood burners vented through a pillar, fold away ‘glass walls’ created using bi-folding doors and ultra-modern floor to ceiling glass,” Nigel adds. “Just about anything is possible.”

Aesthetics aside, when you create your perfect living space, it’s important to be able to enjoy it whatever our Welsh weather is throwing at us. To ensure that’s possible, high levels of insulation are a must.

At Securahome, we use thermally efficient, A-rated glass, then we build in insulated floors, ceilings and walls to make the room comfortable, cut your carbon footprint and heating bills.

When it comes to the roof, we can build slate or tiled roofs, add in a lantern or skylights, or create full glass roof for a spectacular view of the stars.

To make sure that view stays uninterrupted, we can even add in self-cleaning glass.

From the initial design, through to planning to the building, electrics, plumbing and finishing, Securahome project manages every aspect to ensure the process is as relaxing and comfortable as the orangery itself.

Template - Front page: Warm up this winter

Are you looking at replacement windows and doors?

Or are you considering an extension to your home?

If the answer is yes then thermal efficiency has never been more important. Up to 30 per cent of your home’s heat loss can be through the windows. Additionally 25 per cent can go through a roof. Therefore it pays to understand the thermal efficiency of any home improvement.

Watch the rating

To window shop the smart way, it’s important to get to grips with Window Energy Ratings (WER). These are very similar to the ratings found on home appliances. WER ranges from A (meaning most energy efficient) down to G. UK building regulations stipulate a ‘C’ rating as the standard window rating expected in modern homes.

With windows and doors, as in many areas of life, technology moves on quickly. Doors and windows installed 5 years ago would not achieve a C rating today. Opt for A rated windows, which Securahome fits as standard. This will minimise your carbon footprint and reduce your energy bills meaning a better return on your home improvement investment. If you have an existing conservatory which is uncomfortably chilly at this time of year? Speak to us as there are options that can transform it into a year-round room.

Glazing is the first port of call. Improvements in technology mean that a window or door installed just five years ago could be around 30 per cent less efficient than one installed today.

Set the ceiling

However the most dramatic improvement in thermal efficiency comes from replacing the roof. Securahome has two solid roof options that can be retrofitted to an existing conservatory or added into the design of a new construction. The LivinRoof is a contemporary-styled roof that offers the versatility to add glazed panels for added light. Strikingly modern, it is constructed from insulated composite external panels and Kingspan slab insulation, which are strong and robust yet extremely thermally efficient.

For a more traditional feel, our other solid roof option gives the appearance of slate or tiles. It has similar thermal properties to a traditionally constructed solid roof, without the weight, meaning it can be retrofitted to an existing conservatory. Both solid roofs transform the look of the conservatory inside and out, allowing for plastered ceilings and down-lighters, for a contemporary feel.

Loggia solution

To further improve the thermal efficiency of your conservatory opt for Loggia columns. These super-insulated, columns are up to five times more thermally efficient than brick and very fast to construct. With specially designed, stylish, floor to ceiling heaters, the Loggia columns make for a modern and comfortable room that you will want to use whatever the weather.