Cooking hour

Baked Cinnamon Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 08:29:00 +0000

Try this yummy and easy-to-make sweet treat!

Ingredients :

1 medium-size apple
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp lemon juice

Directions :

Core an apple and make a shallow incision near the center of the apple.
Place cinnamon stick into the apple’s cavity, sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top and finish off with the lemon juice.
Place the apple in a glass bowl and microwave for about 4 to 5 minutes until the apple is soft. If you are making more than one apple, just increase the microwave time accordingly.

Tuna Salad on Salad Greens

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 08:22:00 +0000

Stay energized and nourished with this lunchtime staple!

Ingredients :

6 oz tuna
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced sweet onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 juice of lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch salt and pepper
6 butter lettuce leaves

Directions :

In a bowl combine the tuna, celery, onions, most of the dill (reserve some for topping, if you like), lemon juice, oil, pepper and salt and gently mix. Arrange each portion on two lettuce leaves and serve.
Top with extra dill if desired.

Whole Grain Pasta With Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 08:13:00 +0000

Enjoy this tasty and nutrient-dense family-favorite dish!

Ingredients :

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 green pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch discs
1 pinch salt and pepper
4 cups cooked whole-wheat pasta
3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Directions :

In a large pan heat the oil; stir in the pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften. Stir in the salt and pepper. Toss in the pasta and warm up with the vegetables. Serve topped with the parsley.

Broccoli Bean and Leek Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 07:16:00 +0000

A recent study out of Pennsylvania State University found that adding puréed vegetables to entrées reduced the number of calories in meals (by around 300 calories a meal) without sacrificing texture or taste. Get stealthy with your vegetables by making this dish.

Ingredients

Makes 10 Servings
5 cup Water
2 1/2 tsp Vegetable Base
2 cup Broccoli, bite size florets
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 cup Sweet Onion, small dice
2 tsp Fresh Garlic, minced
1 cup Leeks, white part only, wash medium dice
1 1/2 cup Cannelli Beans, rinsed
1 lb Broccoli, chopped
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper

Directions

In cook pot add 5 cups water and vegetable base, mix and bring to a simmer. Add 2 cups broccoli florets and blanch until just tender, remove from stock, set aside and save both broccoli and stock.

In another pot sauté onions on medium heat in olive oil until transparent, add garlic and with out browning stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Add diced leeks and sauté 4 minutes. Add saved vegetable stock, increase heat, bring to a simmer, add chopped broccoli and simmer on medium heat until broccoli is just tender.

Then add cannelloni beans and simmer until beans are heated through, about two minutes.

Turn off heat and blend with a vertical stick blender until completely pureed. Garnish with blanched broccoli florets and serve.

Nutritional Information per serving

Calories: 80
Sodium: 360mg
Sugars: 3g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Saturated Fat: 0g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrate: 13g

Acorn Squash Apple Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:57:00 +0000

Ingredients
(Makes 4-6 servings)

1 acorn squash
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 large apple, diced
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups garbanzo beans
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
4 cups water vegetable broth
2 cups apple juice
Freshly-ground salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half, rub with a little oil, and place on sheet pan cut side down. Roast for 30 minutes, or until insides are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out insides of squash and set aside.

Add oil to a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and apple for about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add garbanzo beans, squash, thyme, and sage. Cover with vegetable broth and apple juice and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15–20 minutes.

Next, blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transfering it to a regular blender. If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off. Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes, then blend small batches on medium speed while holding the lid down with a large pot holder or towel in hand. Serve hot, with salt and pepper to taste.

Seaweed Spinach Artichoke Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:54:00 +0000

Wakame is a specific type of seaweed commonly found in Miso soup, which prevents water retention and bloating. Packed with magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B12, wakame is a great ingredient to add into the traditional Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Ingredients

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thaw and squeeze dry
1 jar (14-oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix together spinach, artichoke hearts, seaweed, and Parmesan cheese. Combine remaining ingredients into the spinach mixture.

Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:35:00 +0000

It will take you only about 10 minutes to prep the ingredients for this comforting soup. Curry flavors and cauliflower always make a good match.

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
2 pounds cauliflower (1 medium head), roughly chopped
1 russet potato, peeled and diced, or 1/2 cup rice
2 quarts water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped cilantro for garnish
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and ground cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the cauliflower, potato or rice, water or stock, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup (or you can use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until it is very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through, add freshly ground pepper and adjust salt. Serve, garnishing each bowl with chopped cilantro.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead, but you may have to thin it out with a little water or stock when you reheat.

Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 71 calories; 0 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 11 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 31 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 2 grams protein

Portabello Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:26:00 +0000

Portabella Beef Double Burger

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun
4 oz raw extra-lean ground beef
1 tbsp liquid egg whites (about half a large egg white)
Dash each salt and black pepper
Dash garlic powder
Dash onion powder
1 portabella mushroom cap
1/2 leaf romaine lettuce
1 slice tomato
1 thin slice onion
Optional toppings: ketchup, mustard

Directions

Split bun into halves.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix beef, egg whites, and seasonings. Evenly form into a patty about 4-inches wide.

Bring a grill pan (or skillet) sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Place patty and mushroom cap in the pan and cook for 3 - 4 minutes per side, or until cooked to your preference.

Place patty on the bottom-half of the bun. Top with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Add mushroom cap and the top-half of the bun.

Enjoy!

Chicken Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:57:00 +0000

Ingredients
12 white meat chicken breasts

Brine
4 qts of cold water
2 cups of kosher salt
1 cup of brown sugar
3 tbsp of black pepper
3 tbsp of garlic powder

Carolina BBQ Sauce
1 cup of prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
3/4 cup of cider vinegar
1/4 cup of apple juice
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp of white pepper
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp of garlic powder
2 tbsp of onion powder
1/2 tbsp of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of butter

Coleslaw
1 head of green cabbage (cored and shredded)
3 carrots (peeled and julienned or shredded)
1 tbsp of celery seed
1 tbsp of kosher salt
1 tbsp of black pepper
1/4 cup of chines mustard
1/2 cup of pickled ginger juice
3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
3 bunches of green onions (thinly sliced)

Directions
For brine: Heat to a simmer about 15 minutes. Cool to at least cold to touch. Pour over chicken to cover. Let the chicken brine for at least 1 hour. Wash and pat dry for smoking.

For BBQ sauce: Mix all except soy and butter. Simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes. Cool and store.

Grill the chicken with Carolina BBQ sauce and pull it.

For the coleslaw: Mix well and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

For the sandwich: Spread tzatziki on bottom whole wheat bun. Layer pulled chicken on top. Top with coleslaw.

Penne with Mushrooms and Artichokes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:52:00 +0000

Vitamin D has been known to provide a host of health benefits including warding off diseases like osteoporosis and high blood pressure, but new research says that it could also help to burn fat. The mushrooms and artichokes in this pasta dish provide 267 IUs of vitamin D per serving. As an added bonus, it’s low-calorie!

Ingredients
6 oz whole wheat penne
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz fresh D-fortified mushrooms, sliced
1 onion chopped
3 cloves, garlic
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat pesto
4 tsp grated Romano cheese

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms have released their liquid and start to brown slightly. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes and artichoke hearts and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, or until tomatoes just begin to soften.

Add the pasta and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Divide among 4 bowls and top each serving with 1 teaspoon of cheese.

Nutrition Facts
323 calories
267 IU Vitamin D
104mg Calcium
12g protein
50g carbohydrates
10g fat (2g saturated fat)
193mg sodium
11g fiber

Cancer-Fighting Breakfast Scramble

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:36:00 +0000

Extra-firm tofu, when crumbled, has a scrambled-egg texture, and readily takes on the flavors of spices and sauces. Enjoy the egg-like flavor, without the heaviness. You can modify this recipe to include spinach and potatoes, tomato and basil, or curry, peas and cilantro.

Ingredients
Serves 2

8 oz extra-firm tofu, crumbled
1 Yukon Gold potato, diced
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground turmeric

Directions
Crumble the tofu in a mixing bowl with a whisk or by hand. Steam the potato for about 5 minutes.

While it is steaming, heat a sauté pan up to medium heat. Add the tofu and salt, gently and slowly stirring it while it is in the pan, and cook it for about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the turmeric and potato into the scramble, cooking for 1 more minute.

Nutrition Information
Per serving:
177 calories
13 g protein
17 g carbohydrate
2 g sugar
7 g total fat (34% calories from fat)
2 g fiber
315 mg sodium

Breakfast Scramble Variations
To make these variations, start with the original instructions and modify and substitute accordingly.

Potato and Spinach Scramble
Extra Ingredients
1 extra potato
2 cups spinach
Black pepper to taste

Directions
Cook an extra diced potato. Add the spinach to the scramble as it is cooking, and cook until the spinach reduces. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

Basil Tomato Scramble

Extra Ingredients
1 large chopped tomato
8-10 sliced basil leaves
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions
Cook the scramble with the chopped tomato until the tomato has softened. Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh basil, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper.

Yellow Curry Scramble
Extra Ingredients
1½ teaspoons yellow curry powder (instead of the turmeric)
½ cup green peas
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Cook the scramble, and add the curry powder and peas about 1 minute before the scramble is done. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Cancer-Fighting Breakfast Smoothies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:25:00 +0000

Ingredients
Makes about 3 cups

1 very ripe banana
2 cups frozen fruit/berries
1 cup almond milk or soymilk

Directions
Combine the ingredients in a blender. Start your blender on the lowest setting and slowly crank it up as the smoothie starts to purée, then blend for 2 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Per 1½-cup serving:
190 calories
2 g protein
46 g carbohydrate,
35 g sugar
2 g total fat
9% calories from fat
5 g fiber
79 mg sodium

Smoothie Variations
To make these variations, start with the original instructions and modify and substitute accordingly.

Mango Blueberry
Ingredients
1½ cups mango chunks
½ cup blueberries

Raspberry Drop Scones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Begin your day with something sweet with these delicious scones. The almond flour conjures up a nutty flavor and unique texture. The best part? You don’t have to feel guilty about indulging.

Ingredients
Serves 6
2 large eggs, beaten until frothy
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup bulk sugar substitute
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the raspberries, and mix well to create a batter.
Gently fold the raspberries into the batter and use a tablespoon to drop 6 evenly spaced scones on the lined pan (about 2 heaping tablespoons for each scone).

Bake for about 15 minutes until scones begin to lightly brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the parchment paper and serving warm.

GRILLED SHIRAZ & FIG MARINATED KANGAROO STEAK

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:49:00 +0000

Ingredients :

4 kangaroo steaks (I have used rump for this recipe be sure to use a cut suitable for grilling)
125ml Shiraz wine
5 tablespoons of good quality fig jam (I use a brand called St Dalfour's, must have at least 50% fig content)
Large pinch of mixed spice
Salt & pepper
Approximately half a tablespoon of roughly chopped fresh rosemary.

1. Gently tenderize the steaks using a meat tenderiser
then place them side by side into a shallow dish, try
not to overlap them, season with salt & pepper.
2. Place the shiraz and the fig jam into a mixing bowl
and stir until well combined.
3. Add in the mixed spice and fresh rosemary and stir
through.
4. Pour the marinade over the steaks, making sure they
are well covered, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours
5. When it is time to cook the steaks take them from the
fridge then very lightly grease or spray a large grilling
pan (preferrable ribbed) and place on the hob at
medium heat.
6. Once the pan has come up to temperature place each
steak in gently and cook as follows:
•Rare = around 2 minutes per side
•Medium Rare = around 3 minutes per side
•Medium = around 4 minutes per side
•Medium well around 5 minutes per side
•Well = around 6 minutes per side
#PLEASE NOTE COOKING TIMES MAY VARY DEPENDING ON THE THICKNESS/THINNESS OF THE STEAKS. THE STEAKS I HAVE USED IN THIS RECIPE WERE AROUND 2CM IN THICKNESS.

Roast turkey with spiced cranberry, bacon and walnut stuffing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:43:00 +0000

Ingredients :

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 rashers good-quality bacon, sliced into thin strips
• 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• a sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
• a large handful of dried cranberries
• 800ml dry cider
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of chopped walnuts
• zest of 1 orange
• 300g good-quality pork sausage meat
• 1 egg, free-range or organic
• 2 big handfuls of breadcrumbs
• 1 turkey (about 4kg), free-range or organic
• 100g softened butter
• 300ml tub of fresh chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cornflour

To make the stuffing, melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan and add the bacon, shallots, celery and rosemary. Cook gently with the lid on for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft, but not coloured. Add the cranberries and half the cider and turn up the heat a little. When the liquid has reduced to a third of its volume, set it aside to cool. Mix in the nutmeg, allspice, some salt and pepper, the walnuts, orange zest, sausage ment and egg, then fold in the breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oven to 240°C/475°F/gas 9. Pat the turkey’s skin dry with kitchen paper, then stuff the neck end with half the stuffing. (You can cook the remaining stuffing separately or use it to make sausage rolls on Boxing Day.) Rub the bird with the softened butter and season well. Place in a roasting tin, cover with foil and pop in the preheated oven. After 15 minutes, turn down the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Baste, then roast for another 2 to 2¾ hours.

Remove the foil 1 hour before the end of cooking time. To check the bird is cooked, stick a fork into the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear. Remove the turkey from the oven, lift out of the tin, cover with foil then leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Skim off the fat in the tin and use it to roast your potatoes. Add the rest of the cider to the meat juices in the tin, along with the meat off the turkey wings and enough stock to cover the bottom of the tin. Stir in the cornflour, dissolved in a little water, and simmer on the hob until thickened. Sieve into a jug and serve with your turkey, stuffing and some roast potatoes.

Spaghetti alla puttanesca, crunchy salad, garlic bread, silky chocolate ganache

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:31:00 +0000

GARLIC BREAD
• 1 ciabatta loaf
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3–4 cloves of garlic

SALAD
• 2 bulbs of fennel
• a bunch of radishes
• 1 lemon

SEASONINGS
• olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper

SPAGHETTI
• 500g dried spaghetti
• 1 x 225g jar of tuna in oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 x 30g tin of anchovy fillets in oil
• 1–2 fresh red chillies
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 jarred black olives, stoned
• ground cinnamon
• 1 x 700g jar of passata or 2 x 400g tins
of chopped tomatoes
• 1 lemon

GANACHE
• 2 x 100g bars of good-quality dark
chocolate (approx.70% cocoa solids)
• a large knob of butter
• 300ml single cream
• 3 clementines
• 12 palmiers or other nice biscuits,
for dipping

TO SERVE
• a bottle of chilled Valpolicella

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Turn the oven on to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Put a large frying pan and a large deep saucepan on a low heat. Put the thick slicer disc attachment into the food processor.

GARLIC BREAD Slice the ciabatta at 2cm intervals, three-quarters of the way through. Finely chop the bunch of parsley. Scrunch up a large sheet of greaseproof paper under the tap, then lay it flat. Scatter it with the parsley and a pinch of salt & pepper. Drizzle generously with olive oil, crush 3 or 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic on top, and smear this mixture all over the bread with your hands, pushing it down into the cuts. Wrap it up well, put it into the oven and check on it every so often.

GANACHE Pour the boiled water into the saucepan for the pasta and place a large heatproof bowl on top (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Smash up the chocolate bars in their wrappers, then unwrap and empty into the bowl. Add the butter, cream and a pinch of salt. Finely grate in the zest of 1 clementine, gently stir and leave to melt.

SPAGHETTI Lift up the chocolate bowl and add the spaghetti to the water with a pinch of salt and cook according to the packet instructions. Put the bowl back on top. Keep an eye on it – if it looks like bubbling over, reduce the heat a little. Pour the tuna oil into the frying pan, keeping the tuna in the jar. Crush in 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic and add the capers, anchovies and their oil. Finely chop the chillies and parsley stalks and add them to the pan. Quickly check your spaghetti and give it a stir. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and put aside. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well, then add the tuna, breaking it up as you go and the black olives. Stir in a large pinch of ground cinnamon and the passata or tinned tomatoes.

GANACHE Once melted, give the chocolate a good stir and divide between 6 espresso cups. Halve the remaining 2 clementines and arrange them on a board next to the palmiers. Take to the table.

SALAD Trim and quarter the fennel. Trim any leaves off the radishes. Put the fennel and radishes into the food processor and shred. Tip into a large bowl. Squeeze in the juice of a lemon, add 2 lugs of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt & pepper, then toss and scrunch with your hands. Taste and tweak as necessary, then take to the table.

SPAGHETTI Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and reserve some of the cooking water. Carefully tip the pasta into the pan of sauce. Add most of the reserved parsley, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and toss really well. Add some of the cooking water to loosen it if needed. Tip on to a platter, scatter over the remaining parsley and take to the table.

TO SERVE Take the garlic bread straight to the table from the oven and unwrap. Pour the red wine into glasses and let everyone help themselves.

Spring lamb, vegetable platter, mint sauce, Chianti gravy, chocolate fondue

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:16:00 +0000

LAMB
• 1 x 8-bone rack of lamb, fat removed
• 1 x 2-piece pack of lamb neck fillet
(approx 250g)
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• white wine vinegar
• 300g cherry tomatoes on the vine

GRAVY
• 4 rashers of smoked bacon
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
• ½ a glass of red wine

VEGETABLES
• 500g baby new potatoes
• 250g baby carrots
• stalks from a bunch of fresh mint
• 1 organic chicken stock cube
• 200g fine beans
• 200g runner beans
• ½ a Savoy cabbage
• 200g frozen peas
• a knob of butter
• ½ a lemon

MINT SAUCE
• leaves from a bunch of fresh mint
• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon golden caster sugar

SEASONINGS
• olive oil
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & black pepper

FONDUE
• 1 x 100g bar of good-quality dark
• chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 100ml milk
• 4–6 handfuls of mixed fruit, such as
mango, strawberries or pineapple

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Put a large frying pan and a large saucepan on a high heat. Fill and boil the kettle. Turn the oven on to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.

LAMB Halve the rack of lamb, then season with salt & pepper and add to the frying pan with a lug of olive oil.

VEGETABLES Wash the potatoes and trim the tops of the carrots. Add everything to the large saucepan with a pinch of salt. Rip the leafy tops off the bunch of mint and put aside for the mint sauce. Make sure the band is still around the stalks, then add them to the saucepan. Just cover with boiled water and crumble in the chicken stock cube. Put the lid on.

LAMB Drizzle olive oil straight into the pack of neck fillet and season. Turn the racks of lamb then put the two neck fillets in the pan. Sear the ends of the meat and keep coming back to the pan and turning each piece so they brown all over.

Pull the leaves off 3 sprigs of rosemary and put into a pestle & mortar with a good pinch of salt & pepper. Peel the garlic, add to the mortar, and pound really well. Turn the lamb over. Add Dijon mustard to the mortar with a good couple of lugs of olive oil and a swig of white wine vinegar. Mix well.

Make sure all sides of the lamb are seared, then use tongs to transfer all of it to a roasting tray. Pour away most of the fat in the pan, then put it back on a very low heat for the gravy. Spoon the dressing from the pestle & mortar over the lamb and put the vines of cherry tomatoes on top. Move everything around until well coated in the dressing. Sprinkle with salt, then whack on the top shelf of the oven and set the timer for 14minutes for blushing to medium meat, slightly less for rare, and more for well done. Turn the racks over halfway through.

GRAVY Finely slice the bacon and put into the frying pan.

MINT SAUCE Finely chop the reserved mint leaves and add to the unwashed pestle & mortar. Pound, then add the red wine vinegar, caster sugar, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of cooking water from the veg pot. Muddle together with the pestle, have a taste to check the balance, and add a tiny splash of extra virgin olive oil. Take to the table with a spoon.

GRAVY Turn the heat under the bacon right up and add the leaves from the rosemary. Stir in the flour, red wine and a few ladles of cooking water.

VEGETABLES Trim all the beans and put the runner beans through a runner bean slicer or slice at an angle, 1cm thick. Cut the Savoy cabbage half in two and click off any tatty outer leaves, then discard the stalk. Cut the cabbage into thin wedges. Add the cabbage, beans and peas to the saucepan, then stir and put the lid back on.

LAMB Turn the lamb over. If your tomatoes are colouring too much, lean the meat on top of them.

Barbecued thai chicken legs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:26:00 +0000

Slash the chicken legs all over with a knife.

Pick the coriander leaves and put them to one side. Add the stalks to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and whizz to make a paste.

Rub the paste into the slashes and all over the chicken legs.

Place in a snug-fitting tin to marinate and light the barbecue. Place the roasting tin on the edge of the barbie so the chicken starts to cook gently without starting to colour too much.

When the legs are about half cooked, take them out of the tray and place them directly on the barbecue. Grill, turning now and then, until cooked through and crispy brown on the outside. Sprinkle the coriander leaves over to serve.

Tropical fruit salad

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:23:00 +0000

Trim the outside skin off the pineapple and cut out the hard core that runs down its centre. Lay it on a chopping board and cut it into chunks with a sharp knife. Place in a bowl.

Cut the flesh of the mango off the stone and scoop out the flesh from the skin with a spoon. Place into the bowl with the pineapple. Cut the papaya in half and scoop out the black seeds inside. Scoop the fruit out of the skin in the same way as with the mango. Place into the bowl.

Top and tail the kiwi fruit, then, sitting it on one of its flat ends, trim the furry skin off with a sharp knife. Slice the kiwi and place into the bowl. Drizzle the lime juice over your fruit.

Take four plates and divide the fruit between them. Pound most of the mint leaves with the sugar in a pestle and mortar or a flavour shaker. Spoon a little yoghurt over the top of each plate and sprinkle over the mint sugar and the rest of the mint leaves and serve.

Greek salad

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 May 2010 09:36:00 +0000

This salad is known and loved around the world. Those of you who’ve been lucky enough to eat this salad in Greece will know that when it’s made well it’s absolute heaven. Hopefully this recipe will help you achieve the big bold authentic flavours that it's known for. The trick is to pay attention to the small details that make it so wonderful: things like finding the ripest tomatoes, good Greek olive oil, beautiful olives, creamy feta and lovely herbs.

I think it’s quite nice to have different shapes and sizes in a salad, so cut your medium tomato into wedges, halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the beef tomato into large rounds. Put all the tomatoes into a large salad bowl. Slice the onion very finely so it’s wafer thin and add to the tomatoes. Scratch a fork down the sides of the cucumber so it leaves deep grooves in the skin, then cut it into thick slices. Deseed your pepper, slice it into rings and add them to the salad along with the cucumber.

Roughly chop the dill and most of the mint leaves, reserving the smaller ones for garnish. Add the chopped herbs to the bowl of salad, then squeeze your handful of olives over so they season the vegetables, then drop them in.

Add a pinch of salt, the vinegar and the extra virgin olive oil. Quickly toss everything together with your hands. The minute all those flavours start working with the veg is when the magic starts to happen. Have a taste, and adjust the flavours if need be.

To serve, pop the block of feta right on the top of the salad. Sprinkle the oregano over the top along with the reserved mint leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take it straight to the table. It’s confident and scruffy with a bit of attitude. Delicious.

P.S. I’ve been known to pop leftover Greek salad into a liquidizer with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a few ice cubes, then blitz it up to a smooth consistency so it's basically a Greek gazpacho. It’s not a classic thing to do, but it is very delicious, not to mention a great way of using up leftovers!

Tomato soup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:15:00 +0000

I've made all sorts of different tomato soups over the years, and this is probably one of the simplest and tastiest. Here's the trick... if you go down to your local market at the end of the day you may find they are selling off tomatoes cheap. More than likely the seller thinks they are over-ripe, but they are more probably just perfect and will make great soup. If you can't get these, buy tomatoes two or three days before you need them, but don't keep them in the fridge as they won't ripen. Leave them on a windowsill to get ripe. If there's a choice then have a taste – you'll be amazed how different they can be, so choose the ones that taste the best. The second trick is the slow cooking, which makes them very sweet. Best served in warm bowls or mugs at the table with some really fresh bread.

Put your onion, garlic, carrot and basil stalks into a large pot with a couple of lugs of olive oil. Cover the pan, and simmer gently without colouring for 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Whisk together the cream, vinegar and egg yolks in a small bowl and put to one side. While the veg are simmering, drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove the skins and roughly chop the flesh. Add these to the veg, then pour in the stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes with the lid on. At this point it's nice to purée the soup using either a food processor, a liquidizer or a hand-held blender, but be careful as it will be hot. Once you've puréed the soup, put it back into the pan, bring it back to a simmer, and season very carefully with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Just before serving, to enrich the soup and give it a shine and silky texture, whisk in the cream mixture (don’t reboil it after adding the egg yolks or it will scramble) and serve straight away, sprinkled with a few torn-up basil leaves, if you like.

1 steak 2 sauces

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:13:00 +0000

As a lover of good steak, I had quite a few conversations with people in LA about how they liked to eat theirs. This dish is a result of me soaking up all those vibes. I’m pairing a cooked sauce, made with peanuts and spices, with a fresh green salsa that is going to send your tastebuds into orbit. If you notice that your peanut sauce is lighter than mine, don’t worry. The peanuts I used in LA were just darker. It will still taste delicious.

Take your steaks out of the fridge and let them get up to room temperature while you make your peanut sauce. Put a dry frying pan on a medium heat and toast the nuts and sesame seeds for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add the oregano, cumin seeds, thyme, chipotle chilli and garlic and cook for another minute or so. Tip into a liquidizer with the extra virgin olive oil, rum, lime juice, fresh chilli, salt and pepper, and 200ml of water. Whiz until shiny and smooth, then have a taste and adjust with a bit more salt, chilli or lime juice if needed. Put to one side.

To make your salsa, get yourself a good knife and a big chopping board. Set aside a few of the coriander leaves, then chop the top of the bunch, stalks and all, with the mint leaves, garlic, chilli, spring onions and tomatoes until it’s all very fine – watch your fingers here! Sprinkle over a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then add most of the lime juice and a good lug of extra virgin olive oil. Mix together on the board, taste it, season with more salt, pepper, lime juice or chilli, and put it into a bowl ready to go.

Get a frying pan, griddle pan or barbecue screaming hot and season both sides of your steaks with salt, pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the steaks to the pan or barbecue. Turn every minute and cook to your liking. I’m going to give you some rough timings, but use your intuition: a 200g steak about 2cm thick wants about 2 minutes each side for medium rare and 3 minutes each side for medium. As it cooks, whip the meat with the sprig of rosemary and rub it with the cut side of the garlic clove for some extra flavour.

When the steaks are perfectly cooked to your liking, move them to a plate to rest for a few minutes. Cut them into 1cm thick slices, spread the peanut sauce all over a large serving platter or divide between your plates, and gently place the slices of steak on top. Finish with a few dollops of salsa, and scatter over your remaining coriander leaves. Drizzle over any resting juices and let everyone tuck in. This goes beautifully with the Mexican street salad.

Baked eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:11:00 +0000

1 Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4. Butter 4 ramekins or ovenproof tea cups and coat with grated parmesan.
2 Cook the spinach in a little butter and extra-virgin olive oil over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes. When wilted, spoon into a colander and press out any liquid. Finely chop, then mix in a bowl with the cream, a good grating of nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix in the haddock.

3 Divide the spinach between the ramekins, then crack an egg into each, and pour around a little of the extra cream. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake on a tray for about 20 minutes, until the whites are set and yolks are done to your liking. Serve with buttered soda-bread toast.

Venison & juniper stew

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Dust a chopping board with 2 tablespoons of flour and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and toss your chunks of meat through this mixture until well coated. Heat a large pan on a high heat, add a few lugs of olive oil and fry your meat for 3 minutes to brown it. Add your chopped onions, carrots, celery, crushed juniper berries, rosemary and the knob of butter. Add a few tablespoons of water, give everything a good stir, then pop the lid on the pan and let everything steam for 4 to 5 minutes so the flavours really mingle together.

Take the lid off so your meat and veg start to fry, and stir every so often for 5 to 10 minutes. Chop your parsley stalks finely, and once the onions start to caramelize, add them to the pan with your remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and your crumbled stock cubes. Stir, and pour in enough water to cover the mixture by a couple of inches. Put the parsley leaves aside for later.

Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium low so that the stew is just simmering. Add your potatoes and slow cook for at least 2 hours with the lid slightly askew, or until the meat falls apart easily. Keep an eye on it as it cooks, and add splashes of water if you think it looks too dry.

Put your chopped garlic in the middle of a chopping board. Add most of your parsley leaves with a teaspoon of sea salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper. Chop everything together so you get a kinda chunky paste. Add this to the stew and stir through. Chop the last of your parsley leaves and sprinkle over before serving.

A rather pleasing carrot cake with lime mascarpone icing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:36:00 +0000

This carrot cake is an exceedingly good cake made all the more pleasing by the twist of lime mascarpone icing. It’s delicious, it works and it’s better than any other carrot cake I’ve tried. I would normally bake this in a square or round cake tin, but for the picture I used a lovely old loaf tin and it came out looking gorgeous.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 22cm square cake tin or a round equivalent with greaseproof paper. Beat the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food processor until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one by one, and add the orange zest and juice. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder, and add the ground almonds, walnuts, spices and grated carrot and mix together well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold them into the cake mix. Scoop the mixture into the prepared cake tin and cook in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes until golden and risen. You can check to see if the cake is cooked by poking a cocktail stick into it. Remove it after 5 seconds and it if comes out clean the cake is cooked; if slightly sticky it needs a bit longer, so put it back in the oven. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a rack and leave for at least an hour.

Mix all the icing ingredients together and spread generously over the top of the cake. Finish off with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts.