All posts by admin

Mince Pies

Christmas, Desserts, Fruit

Ingredients

  • 140g/5oz cold butter, diced
  • 225g/8oz plain flour
  • 50g/2oz ground almonds
  • 50g/2oz golden caster sugar
  • 1 orange, zest only
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1-2 tsp cold water
  • 280g/10oz good quality mincemeat
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • icing sugar for dusting

Method

  • Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
  • Rub the butter into the flour and add the almonds, caster sugar, orange rind and salt until the mixture is a bit crumbly.
  • Combine mixture with the egg yolk and 1-2 teaspoons of water until it forms soft dough, then put it into a plastic bag and chill for 20 – 30 minutes.
  • Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 2-3mm(0.1in) and cut out about 18 rounds measuring 7.5cm(3in) with a pastry cutter.
  • Place in lightly greased patty tins and spoon the mincemeat evenly into the pies.
  • Re-roll the leftover pastry and cut out round lids, stars or other festive shapes to fit on top of the mincemeat.
  • Lightly brush the pastry tops with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from oven and leave for a few minutes before removing from tins and cooling on a wire rack.
  • Dust with icing sugar.

Mango Creme Brulee

Desserts, Fruit

Ingredients

  • 1 large mango, pureed in a blender
  • 500ml/18fl oz double cream
  • 1 vanilla pod/1-2tsp vanilla extract
  • 75g/4oz caster sugar (plus extra for the topping)
  • 6 free-range egg yolks

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 150C/140C Fan/Gas 2.
  • Pour the cream into a saucepan.
  • Bring the cream to boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for five minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks together in a large heatproof bowl until fluffy.
  • Bring the cream back to boiling point, then pour it over the egg mixture, whisking continuously until thickened.
  • Fill the six ramekins with a layer of pureed mango on the bottom, then fill them to about two-thirds full with the mixture.
  • Place the ramekins into a large roasting tray and fill with enough hot water to come halfway up their outsides (a bain-marie).
  • Place the bain-marie onto the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the custards are just set but still a bit wobbly in the middle.
  • Remove the ramekins from the water and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • When ready to serve, sprinkle one level teaspoon of caster sugar evenly over the surface of each crème brûlée, then caramelise with a chefs’ blowtorch.

Tomato and Onion Pakoras

Starters

Ingredients

  • 2 large red onions (sliced)
  • 2 large tomatoes (sliced)
  • 50g finely sliced ginger
  • 2-3 finely chopped birds eye chillies
  • 50g curry leaves
  • 1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 200-300g gram flour

Method

  • Heat lots of sunflower oil in a wok or very deep saucepan, enough to deep fry the pakoras in.
  • Mix all of the ingredients together in a big bowl until it all sticks together.
  • Take a little piece of onion and drop it into the oil to test the heat. It should sizzle and float but not cook too quickly.
  • Drop 3-4 scoopfuls of mixture into the oil at a time.
  • Scoop the pakoras out onto kitchen towel.
  • Serve with mango chutney and yoghurt dip.

 

Indian Summer – Mamaji’s Chicken

Chicken, Mains

Chef’s Tip: Try Indian Summer Rice as the perfect side dish.

Ingredients

  • 8 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 600-800g diced chicken
  • 2 large white onions
  • 300g tomatoes (chopped)
  • 4 whole dry red chillies
  • 1tsp fennel seeds
  • 75g garlic-ginger paste
  • 1tsp turmeric
  • 1tsp red chilli powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1tsp salt
  • 100g cashew nuts OR 50g ground almonds
  • 1/4 bunch fresh coriander

Method

  • Place oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
  • To test the heat of the oil, drop a few fennel seeds in. They should float and sizzle but not too quickly.
  • When hot add fennel seeds and dry red chillies.
  • Add the onions straight away and brown for about 30mins. They should be soft and starting to brown. 
  • If you find that the oil is bubbling away, turn it down at touch.
  • Add the garlic/ginger paste and stir.
  • Add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder which should make a nice paste. Cook for a few minutes while stirring.
  • Add tomatoes and salt.
  • Turn the heat down and simmer with a lid on until the mixture thickens (around 10-15mins).
  • At this point you can use a stick blender or masher to create your desired consistency.
  • Add the chicken and stir. Cook with the lid on for at least 30mins. Keep stirring it and making sure it’s still simmering away.
  • At this point, you can just leave it simmering for another 15-30mins as the chicken will become nice and soft.
  • If using cashews: Wash the cashew nuts and mix in a blender with about 100-150ml water, until it becomes a nice thick paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy.
  • If using ground almonds: simply add water to 50g ground almonds until it becomes a nice paste. It shouldn’t be too liquidy but make sure all the almonds are mixed in.
  • Add this to the curry and stir in.
  • Add the chopped coriander right before dishing up.

 

Indian Summer Rice

Sides

Ingredients for 2 people

  • 3-4 dessert spoons of basmati rice per person
  • 2 tsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Method

  • Boil the rice with a sprinkling of salt
  • When the rice is done, quickly fry the butter and cumin seeds only for a minute to melt the butter
  • Pour the butter and seeds on the rice and mix.
  • If you want to add some colour to the rice, sprinkle a tsp of turmeric in.

Lasagne

Beef, Mains, Pasta and Rice

Ingredients

Method

  • Make your bolognese
  • Make your white sauce
  • Add a layer of meat to your dish, followed by lasagne, then a layer of white sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan
  • Repeat meat, pasta, white sauce, parmesan until you get to the top which should be parmesan.
  • Cover with a double layer of foil and cook for the required time of the lasagne sheets (usually dry for around 30mins and fresh for 20mins).
  • Take the dish out of the oven, cover the top with mozzarella and cook until cheese is melted and browning on top.

Meat Sauce for Lasagne

Beef, Mains

Serves 6-8 for bolognese or lasagne. Scale down the mince to 500g for 2-4 person bolognese, and based on your preference you can change to 1 tin of tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 750g lean beef mince
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1 medium-large onion, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 a stick of celery, diced small
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tins of plum tomatoes
  • 1 200g tube of tomato puree
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry basil
  • Dry oregano
  • Garlic granules (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the mince and use a whisk to break it up and remove any chunks. Season the mince with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the mince until all of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown/stick to the pan (don’t worry, it will come off). This will take your bolognese to another level of flavour.
  • Add the red wine and cook for about a minute to release the alcohol, then add the onion, garlic, celery and rosemary.
  • Cook for another 5mins or so to soften the onions then add the tomatoes. Break them up with a spoon/masher/knife if you want smaller chunks.
  • Take one of the tins and fill it 2/3 with water, and add that to your sauce.
  • Add about 2/3 of the puree (you might need to add a bit more later), a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a good sprinkle of basil and oregano – I’d say around a tablespoon of each.
  • Re-season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Turn down to simmer with a lid on for 30mins

White Sauce for Lasagne

Sides

This recipe is for a 6 person lasagne. Simply calculate the values down for a smaller portion (10g butter and flour per 100ml milk).

Ingredients

  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 40-50g Cheddar cheese
  • 40-50g Parmesan/Grana Padano/Pecorino

Method

  • Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat.
  • Stir in the flour to form a paste, called a roux
  • Whisk in the milk little by little until you have a thick white sauce (bear in mind the cheese will thicken it a bit as well)
  • Take it off the heat and mix in the cheese and nutmeg
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste

Roast Beef in Red Wine Gravy

Beef, Mains

Chef’s Tip: You will need to increase/decrease the amounts based on the size of the beef joint you buy.

Ingredients

  • Beef brisket (at least 450g)
  • Gravy granules
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1/2 pint water
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion

Method

  • Take the string off the beef and lay it in a deep oven dish
  • Chop the onion and slice each garlic clove in half. Put these around the beef in the dish.
  • Pour the wine over the beef
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of gravy granules on and around the beef
  • Add the water.
  • Cover with foil and cook on 130 for a 2.5-3hrs

Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing

Christmas, Sides

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of pork sausage meat
  • 1 large onion (or two small)
  • 2 apples (braeburn or gala)
  • Dry sage
  • Black pepper

Method

  • Peel and roughly chop the onion and apple.
  • Put these in a mixer with the meat.
  • Sprinkle with a good helping of pepper and sage.
  • Mix until a smooth paste
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper or foil
  • Use spoons to create stuffing balls and cook on 200 for 25-30mins