Dinner Tonite Tomorrow

Double Choc Chip Cake

2011-12-15T16:42:00.000+11:00

Double Choc Chip Cake MMMM!! This is one of the easiest cakes to make – all you need is a blender or a stick blender, its so easy that mini me’s will be making this tonight, and every time they have drop ins.

You can make this in a loaf tin (bakes in about 1 hour) or into 2 small sandwich tins to make it easier to ice and layer (this should take about 35-40 mins) depends on your oven and the size of the tin – should check cake after 35 mins.

1 1/3 Cups Self Raising Flour

1 1/3 Cups Caster Sugar

1/2 Tsp Bi-Carb Soda

1/2 Cup Coco Powder

6 oz (175g) unsalted Butter (soften)

80 ml Cream

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 Egg

1/3 cup Hot water

175g Dark Choc Chips

1. Pre-heat oven at 170C

2. Grease your tin and line bottom with baking paper as this will stick due to the melted choc chips.

3. In a blender or a bowl (if using stick blender) put all ingredients except for the water and choc chips.

4. Blend until combined, add the water (if it is too dry add a little more).

5. Add Choc Chips and stir with a spoon

6. Pour into pan (or pans if using sandwich tins)

7. Bake for 1 hour for the loaf tin or about 35 – 45 mins for sandwich tin (keep checking after 35 mins by inserting a knife or skewer to check if cooked through.

8. Cool in tin for 5 mins and invert on to a plate.

If you like you can make a icing of chocolate ganache or just have it as a loaf sliced with you cuppa.

Bil Hana we Shefa

Triple Chocolate Baked Cheesecake

2011-11-08T16:01:00.000+11:00

I tried this recipe for my son’s birthday and was a hit, I now get orders for this from my family and friends - it’s a great cake to make for a party as it feeds 12 -16 people depending on the size of your slices. The different layers are very impressive and the taste is a silky smooth rich chocolate sensation.

1/4 cup Flaked blanched almonds, divided
120g milk chocolate, finely chopped
120g white chocolate, finely chopped
120g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1kg cream cheese, softened
1- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract
3/4 cup thickened cream
120g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup thickened cream

Chocolate curls or strawberries flaked almonds (decorating options)

Preheat oven to 160C.

Remove the side from a 26” spring-form pan. Cover the spring-form bottom with a double piece of aluminium foil and then cut a piece of baking paper and put on top, leaving a piece of foil and baking paper overhang all the way around the edge. Carefully attach the side of the spring-form so as not to tear the foil or baking paper this will make it easy to remove from the pan. Wrap the foil overhang halfway up the side of the spring-form pan. Cut more foil and put on the bottom of the pan up the sides – as this will go into a water bath you don’t want any water to get in and have ready a roasting pan with high sides that will fit the spring- form pan and water for a bain-marie.
Generously butter the bottom and side of the prepared spring-form pan. Press the Almonds onto the bottom of the prepared pan crushing slightly. Refrigerate.
Melt the milk, white and dark chocolates separately using a double boiler or in the microwave oven at 30 second intervals until just melted.
In the bowl of a heavy duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Beat in the sugar.
Reduce the speed to medium and one at a time beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
Beat in the cream until well combined.
Divide the cheesecake batter into 3 medium bowls.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the milk chocolate just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Fold the white chocolate into one the other bowl of batter and gently pour on top of the milk chocolate batter. Spread very carefully over the milk chocolate so that it sits on top – and doesn’t get mixed in.
Fold the dark chocolate into the remaining cheesecake batter and gently pour it on top of the white chocolate batter. Spread very carefully over the white chocolate so that it sits on top – and doesn’t get mixed in.
Place the cheesecake in a large pan on the centre rack of the oven. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan so that the water comes halfway up the side of the spring-form pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until set. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven with the door closed for an additional hour. This will prevent the cake from cracking on top.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight or for at least 5 hours, until firm.
To make the glaze, place the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave for 1 – 2 mins at 30 second intervals stirring each time until chocolate has melted), stirring until chocolate has melted, take off heat and stir until you have a smooth mixture .
Allow to cool for 5 mins.
Pour the topping mixture onto the centre of the cheesecake. Spread the topping evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
Refrigerate the cheesecake for 10 minutes to set the topping.
Run a thin-blade knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the side of the spring-form pan. Remove the side of the spring-form pan.
Decorate with chocolate curls or strawberries and extra Flaked almonds around the sides.
Transfer it to a serving platter. Cut the cheesecake with a sharp, thin-blade knife, dipping the blade in hot water and wiping it dry between each slice.

Bon Appetite!

Thai Beef Salad

2011-11-06T11:20:00.000+11:00

This is a great summer dish, so tasty and very nutritious with a lot of herb and vegetables – I have added broccoli and asparagus, but you can add any vegetable you like that is crisp and fresh.

This will feed about 6 people

1 kg Flank or Rump steak (beef)

¼ Cup Fish Sauce

½ Cup Lemon or lime juice

3 Tbsp Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)

4 Garlic cloves (minced)

3 tbsp sesame oil

1 ½ tbsp chilli oil

2 chillies (finely sliced)

1 bunch Coriander (roughly chopped)

1 Cos Lettuce (sliced)

1 bunch mint (chopped)

1 bunch green onions (sliced)

2 Spanish onions (halved and sliced)

4 tomatoes (cut into mini Wedges)

2 cucumbers (halved and sliced)

1 red Capsicum (sliced into thin strips)

1 bunch Broccoli flowerets (blanched)

1 or 2 bundles of Asparagus (blanched and cut to bite size pieces)

1. Pre-heat BBQ or grill

2. Make the dressing by whisking together fish sauce, lemon juice, kecap manis, garlic, sesame oil, chilli oil and sliced chilli.

3. You can use a little of this dressing to marinade the beef before BBQ.

4. Grill beef until cooked to medium – well.

5. Leave to rest and cool before slicing into thin bite size strips.

6. In a large bowl, add the coriander, lettuce, mint, green onions, Spanish onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, broccoli, and asparagus and mix in the sliced beef (and juices) and the marinade – toss together to coat.

Bon Apetit

The Making of Samna (Clarified Butter/ Ghee)

2011-10-30T01:56:00.000+11:00

This is an important ingredient to have in the Egyptian kitchen and making it yourself is very satisfying.
The taste of your dishes will be enhanced - this Samna can be used in place of butter.

This is the main ingredient in all the biscuits and shortbreads that are made in all Egyptian homes, the
Unique taste of the Samna is the star of final product.

This is especially good to fry eggs in, as the flavour shines through.

All you need is good quality butter (salted or unsalted) and time (about 3 hours for 5 kg) –
the following method can be used for any amount of butter you are melting, but you may need to shorten the time if you are making a small amount.

1. Place the blocks of butter in a large heavy based saucepan (big enough to take the amount you are melting) – I use Scanpan as it is a good non-stick pot.

2. Put over a medium heat until the butter melts and starts to come to a boil.

3. Turn down the heat and let it simmer

4. It will create a foam on top, keep an eye on it at this stage as it could over boil as the milk solids come to the top)

5. Stir the pot occasionally to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom.

6. The milk solids will drop to the bottom of the pot stir them every 15 mins to ensure its not sticking.

7. Once the milk solids turn a deep golden colour (go as brown as possible without burning) and the butter has become translucent – this is the cooking of the butter which develops the unique Egyptian taste, then its ready.

8. Pour into your containers, discarding the brown solids in the bottom of the pot, and place lid on – leave to cool and set (if the weather is very hot you may need to put in the fridge to set then they can be stored in the pantry.

Middle Eastern Rice with Chicken, Nuts and Sultanas

2011-10-30T01:21:00.000+11:00

I had this dish in Melbourne and just loved it – I wanted to share my experience with my family so I re-created it at home and adjusted the ingredients that I know my kids love, add a tossed salad or tabouli and a yogurt salad (recipe to follow) and you will have a complete meal.

This is also a great party or special dinner dish for a group of people – you can double it and make 2.

Serves 6

500 g chicken breast (Cut into 2 cm strips keeping the length of the breast) or tenderloin

1.5 litres chicken stock

50g butter

500 g minced beef or lamb

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2.5 Cups short grain rice

3 tsp 7 spice mix (boharat)

1 Cup slivered Almonds or Pine Nuts (toasted)

½ Cup Sultanas

Spring Onions (sliced)

2 Tomotoes thinly sliced

Salt & Pepper

Heat Chicken Stock until it comes to the boil, add chicken and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Take out the chicken and reserve the stock for the rice.
In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion and garlic sauté until softened without colouring.
Add the mince meat and cook until brown, add salt & pepper to season.
Add 2 tsp of the spice mix. (reserve 1 tsp for the top of the final dish).
Add the rice and stir through until coated fry for a few minutes.
Add the stock until just covered above the rice mixture.
Bring to the boil (taste for seasoning as this is the last chance to adjust if needed) and turn down and simmer with the lid on for 15 mins or until the rice is cooked.
Half way through cooking (7 mins) add Sultanas and ¾ Cup of nuts (reserve ¼ Cup for the top) and Stir through rice, replace lid and continue cooking.
Line a large bowl with plastic.

Line Bowl with plastic and layer chicken
sprinkle some of the reserved nuts & spices
Sprinkle some of the reserved nuts, and line the bottom and half way up the sides of the bowl with the chicken.
When the rice is cooked, carefully spoon the rice into the bowl and pack it in until it fills the bowl.
Place a serving platter upside down on top of the bowl and carefully invert the dish onto the platter.
Sprinkle the rest of the nuts and spice mix on top of the inverted dish.
Decorate with the spring onions & tomatoes.

Bon Apatite , bil hana we shefa

Carefully spoon rice into bowl

Honey Soy & Chilli Chicken Drumetts

2011-10-29T15:16:00.000+11:00

This recipe is a great party finger food, this is especially for my new son in-law who loves them so much he went home and tried to make them without asking for a recipe - let"s see how can I put this - it was a disaster!!

So JJ this is for you - OK let's get started with the chicken drummets.

This serves 6 as an entree/ starter

2 kg chicken drummetts
1/2 cup soy sauce or 1/4 cup soy and 1/4 cup ketsup manis (sweet thick soy)
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp chilli sauce (or more if you like it spicy)
8 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup oil

1. Put washed drummets in a bowl.

2. In another small bowl make the marinade with crushed Garlic, soy, oyster sauce, ketchup, chilli sauce, honey and Oil.

3. Mix together and pour marinade over chicken and coat thoroghly, cover and marinade over night or at least 3 hours.

4. after the marination period, place chicken on a paper lined baking tray and cook in moderate oven, about 170c for about 1 hour to 90 mins until chicken is cooked and sticky

5. Half way through cooking time drain excess liquid and turn drummets so it browns all over, to make these extra hot - add extra chilli sauce on the wings half way through and return to oven to continue cooking and browning.

Enjoy and keep partying !!

Chicken Chorizo and Spinach Paella

2011-10-19T21:54:00.000+11:00

This is a great mid week dinner as it is very quick to prepare and takes only 20 mins to cook.

The fundamentals of this dish are similar to a risotto without the intense laborious stirring and the results are a very tasty and healthy family meal.

This will become a family favourite that can be altered to add your favourite ingredients to the basis. Experiment with your cooking and you will be surprised with the results – just use ingredients you and your family like to eat and it will be a winner.

This will serve 6

500g Chicken tenderloins (cut in half)

2 Chorizo (sliced)

1 onion (finely chopped)

4 cloves garlic (crushed)

400g Arborio Rice or medium grain rice

1 red capsicum diced

3 tomatoes diced

3 shallots (sliced)

½ bunch coriander (chopped)

100g baby spinach

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp paprika

1L chicken stock or 2 chicken stock cubes

½ tsp Chilli powder (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Put the sliced chorizo into a cold pan, and put over a low to medium flame until all the fragrant oils permeate the pan and the chorizo browns – take out of the pan leaving the oils in the pan.
Season the chicken with Paprika, Salt& Pepper
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan, add the chicken and pan fry on both sides, add the capsicum and half the coriander and fry until capsicum is soft, and take out of the pan.
Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent.
Add the rice and stir to coat with the oils.
Add the shallots and tomatoes, and stir for a few minutes.
Add the chicken stock or cubes and water to cover – season to taste (after it comes to the boil taste the liquid to check for seasoning as you cannot season properly once the rice absorbs the liquid)
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken mixture and chorizo to the pan and stir through, cover and keep cooking until rice is almost cooked through.
Add the spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking – stir through.

Note: this can be made into a vegetarian dish by adding more vegetables and omitting the chicken and chorizo.

Bon Apetite we Bil hana we sheffa

Egyptian Jam Cake (Pastaflora)

2011-10-15T20:41:00.000+11:00

Before Baking make lattice pattern

When I serve this to my Mum & Dad they remember this cake when they were younger and reminisce about the old days in Egypt when their mothers used to make it for them. It was a forgotten cake that has re-emerged.

This is a light cake that is more of a pastry rather than a cake it depends on the type of tin you use as to what the final result will be if using the smaller square tins you will have a more softer cake, if you use the larger rectangle tin you will end up with a more biscuit/ pastry type cake.

My brother in law gave me this recipe when I first got married and I never forgot the ingredients and measurements due to the fact he used to sing them... "one of this and one of that, three of this and three of that ......." remember Tata.

Once you make this you will keep making it - its a good cake to have on hand when you get drop ins and its great with a cup of tea or coffee.

Preheat oven to 170C

Prepare the tin - you can use 2 x 20cm square tins or a large rectangle slice tin 45x30 - ther is no need to grease the tin if it is a non-stick, otherwise grease well.

1 Pk (250g) unsalted Butter

1 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups Self Raising Flour

250g Jam - your favorite flavour - I prefer Rasberry- use enough to cover the top of the cake.

1. In a mixer, Cream the butter and sugar together until it turns white and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well to incorporate.

3. Add the vanilla

4. Add the flour and only beat to incorporate to make a soft dough, do not over beat as this will result in a tough cake.

5. using wet hands take pieces of the dough and pat down in the tin about 2 cm thick as this will rise in the oven (reserve 1/4 of the dough for the top)

6. spread the Jam over the top of the dough.

7. take the other 1/4/ of the dough and make long thin logs (don't handle too long as the butter will melt) and make a lattice pattern over the jam.

8. bake in the oven for 30 - 40 mins - until golden brown.
9. cool and slice into squares.

After baking

Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

2011-10-12T17:22:00.000+11:00

This is a family favourite, great for a winter night meal and if you are prepared, it will not take a lot of work to do. The slow cooking makes these shanks melt in the mouth and the red wine give a fantastic sauce.

This will serve 6

6 Lamb Shanks

Marinade:

1 onion (peeled and quartered)

4 Garlic cloves halved
1 lemon sliced

2 bay leaves

3 springs of thyme leaves

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 ½ bottle red wine

To finish:

Flour (for dusting)

Olive oil (a few tablespoons to just coat the fry pan to seal shanks)

50g butter

2 onions (peeled and quartered)

4 Garlic cloves halved

2 Carrots (large slices)

2 stalks celery (chopped)

1 small hand full of parsley (chopped) – leave a little for garnish at the end.

Salt & Pepper

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1. In a large bowl marinate the lamb shanks over night with all the above ingredients – to completely cover with wine.

2. Next day, Pre-heat oven 160c.

3. Take out the shanks from the marinade and pat dry and dust in flour.

4. Quickly seal in a fry pan with a little olive oil and put into a large roasting pan (with a lid) or into a slow cooker.

5. In the same fry pan add the butter, and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and parsley – season to taste with Salt & Pepper for a few minutes.

6. Add chopped tomatoes

7. Add all the marinade used for the overnight marination of shanks.

8. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10mins – taste for seasoning.

9. Pour over the sealed shanks.

10. Cover the shanks with the lid and put into the oven for about 4 – 5 hours until it is cooked and the meat falls off the bone.

11. Skim the fat off the juices and strain into a small saucepan – bring to the boil and simmer until reduced – add a few cubes of butter and whisk until thick and glossy. Pour over the Shanks.

Serve with Mash Potato, Garlic Spinach and honey glazed carrots (recipes to follow)

BBQ Chilli Quail

2011-10-03T10:15:00.000+11:00

Marinate the Quails

I first tried BBQ Quails in a restaurant in Cairo, Egypt and have been dreaming of them ever since. Then when I had them again in a restaurant in Sydney I was inspired to try it at home for my family and they were really surprised at how good it was, this really is a georgeous dish that will impress your diners, and it is very easy to make... have a go!

Serves 4-6

6 quails
6 garlic cloves
1 small knob of Ginger
1/2 bunch coriander
2 chilli's
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

1. Cut the quails down the back to butterfly open, leaving the front intact.

2. Wash the quails well removing any intestines etc. and soak in salt water until you make the marinade.

3. Make the marinade - in a blender put the garlic, sliced Ginger, chopped chilli and coriander and blend until smooth, then add the sauces and olive oil and blend.

4. Wash the quails and lightly salt and pepper each one and place in a bowl.

5. Pour 3/4 of the marinade over the quails and turn to coat, cover and refrigerate over night or for at least 3 hours. The longer the better. reserve 1/4 of the marinade to dip the quails in while cooking.

6. Pre-Heat the BBQ on high

7. Place the bone side (inside) down on the BBQ flat and leave to cook for about 5-7 mins (this depends on how hot your BBQ is). Then turn over on to skin side and cook for about 4 mins then take out each one and dip back into the reserved marinate skin side only and put back on the BBQ skin side down - do this 2 times to keep the quail moist while it cooks ending on the BBQ. Disgard the rest of the marinade after cooking.

BBQ Quails

8. Serve with couscous and rocket salad.

Bon Appetit

Bil Hana we sheffa

Egyptian Style Moussaka

2011-10-01T18:07:00.000+10:00

Hi again, today I was asked by my daughter and neice to put up this delicious baked moussaka dish, it is surprisingly light and is great with a green salad and a glass of your favorite red.

I tasted this dish in Egypt when we were on a cruise liner going down the Nile and said to my husband when I get home I'm making this ...... And I did and it turned out great! so I know you will also have great success making it too.

This will make a large rectangle baking dish about 45 x 30 or a few smaller trays depending on the size of your baking dishes

Will feed about 6 - 8 people

3 large egg plants (peeled and sliced about 1cm thick
Olive oil for brushing
Salt and pepper

Meat Sauce

1 kg lean beef mince
50g butter
2 large onions (finely chopped)
4 garlic cloves (crushed)
400ml jar Passata sauce
2 dried bay leaves

Bechamel

4 tbsp flour
2- 3 cups of milk
100g grated mozzarella cheese
50g fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 180c

Eggplant

1. To grill the eggplant, lightly brush the sliced eggplants and lightly season with salt and pepper.

2. Place on a paper lined baking tray.

3. Put the eggplants in the hot oven and bake/ grill until it's golden brown then turn over and brown the other side. Make sure they are cooked through and are soft so if your oven is too hot and they brown without softening then turn the oven down.

Meat Sauce

1. To make the meat sauce melt the butter in the saucepan and add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, not colored.

2. add the mince meat and cook until brown, then season with salt and pepper.

3. add the tomato passata sauce and bay leaf and bring to the boil taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 20 mins until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Béchamel

1. To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stir constantly so that it does not colour.

2. Add the cold milk 1 cup at a time and whisk and let the sauce slowly bubble, add more milk and whisk until you have the consistency of a cake batter not too thick or too runny.

3. Take off the heat and add the cheeses and whisk in until melted. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly

1. Place the eggplant on the bottom of the baking pan, then spoon the meat sauce, if you have more eggplant then make 2 layers with the meat sauce on top.

2. Pour the béchamel on top of the layers.

Note : if your mixture is too much then make a few smaller trays of the moussaka and freeze for another time as these freeze very well and can be cooked directly from the freezer.

Bon Appetit
Bil hana we shefa

tell me how you went

Tagine of Baked Eggs and Chorizo

2011-10-01T16:05:00.000+10:00

Hi to all you food lovers out there, by popular demand today we are going to prepare a beautiful breakfast Tagine (I know it's not really dinner but this also great as a light supper).

This is great to make for a large group or just for 2, but as we love to share our food I will be giving you the ingredients to make a large Tagine (to share!). It is very easy, I know you will make this over and over, So let's get started

The following will feed between 6 - 8 people

2 large chorizo's (sliced)
1 large onion (diced)
4 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)
300g good quality beef mince (this is optional, but will give a more substantial dish)
1 large green capsicum (diced)
1 or 2 small chillies (finely sliced- this optional only if you like it spicy)
2 tins of chopped Italian tomatoes
6 - 8 large free range eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Pre-heat the oven to about 180c

1. In a tagine or a skillet gently fry the chorizo until they release their oils and are lightly browner, remove from the tagine or skillet.

2. Then add the onion and garlic into the tagine or skillet in the left over chorizo oil, and sauté for a few minutes.

3. Add the capsicum and chilli and saute for a few more minutes until softened.

4. Add the meat and season to taste and cook until brown.

5. Now add the tomatoes and bring to boil and simmer for about 7 minutes.

6. Return the chorizo back into the tagine or skillet and keep simmering for about 3 minutes. Taste to make sure the seasoning is correct.

7. If using a skillet you will need to pour the mixture into an oven proof baking dish, unless your skillet can be put in the oven and is big enough to take the eggs too.

8. Now carefully break the eggs in and around the baking dish

9. Put in the oven for about 10 mins or until all the whites have set.

10. Sprinkle the parsley on top

Serve with crusty bread to mop up all those delicious juices, or like one of my friends does put one of these georgeous eggs into a bread roll with the sauce and a bit of everything else your having for breakfast e.g. Cheese etc (you know who you are Fi) with a glass of bubbly.

Bon appetite
Bil hana we shefa

Pear and Almond Tartan

2011-09-30T19:10:00.000+10:00

This is a very simple dessert, it is a french inspired dessert with a twist, it is best eaten warm with mascarpone, ice-cream or a dollop of creme fresh.

Serves 6-8

2 sheets of good quality frozen puff pastry
6 medium pears
50g blanched slivered or flaked almonds
100g unsalted butter
200g sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

1. Paper Line 2 square tins that will be big enough for your pastry.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 180c

3. Roast almonds until they turn golden brown

4. Get pastry sheets out to thaw or roll out fresh pastry to fit in your trays

5. Peel, core and slice pears

6. Melt butter in fry pan and add the pears and cook over high heat for a few minutes

7. Add the sugar and stir through, leave on high heat until sugar dissolves and juices start to evaporate and start to caramelize to a light golden colour.

8. sprinkle 3/4 of the nuts on the bottom of the 2 pans (reserve the other 1/4 of the nuts to sprinkle on top when the Tartans are cooked.

9. Pour half of the pears and caramel into each tin

10. Put the puff pastry on top of each pear mixture and tuck in corners that are sticking up.

11. quickly put in the hot oven for about 15 - 20 mins until pastry is dark golden and puffed.

12. take out of the oven and invert (turn upside-down) on to serving plate - be careful as this is very hot and the caramel will burn - sprinkle the rest of the nuts and cut into squares and serve with marscapone, ice-cream or creme fresh.

Bon Appetit sweeties

bil hana we shefa ya halween

Egyptian Risotto/ Paella

2011-09-28T19:00:00.000+10:00

This is an Egyptian style Risotto that my sister in law used to make for us, but it was more structured in uniformed layers - she also fried the cauliflower in oil until golden, fried the cooked meat in butter then she arranged layers of meat into a medium saucepan, then a layer of cauliflower and then a layer of raw rice and continued with the layers finishing with rice, then she poured the soup over the layers and cooked it over a low heat. When finished she inverted it on to a platter - it's a great dinner party dish as it could serve any number by adjusting the ingredients.

I loved it so much that I had to come up with a quicker lighter version for every day meals.

Served with plain yogurt it is a complete meal that even the kids love.

Serves 6

1 small cauliflower( cut into florets and cooked in salted water till tender)

600g gravy beef or chuck steak diced

2 onions

6 cloves of garlic

2 cups Medium grain calrose rice

Salt & pepper

2 Chicken/ beef stock cubes

50g butter/ or olive oil

1. Put the beef into a large pot cover with water bring to the boil, skim off the scum until clear, add more water to 3cm above the meat, add 1 whole peeled onion, stock cube and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boil an simmer with lid on until meat is very tender.

2. Drain meat and reserve the soup to make the rice dish.

3. In a large skillet (with lid) melt the butter and sauté 1 chopped onion and the 6 garlic cloves crushed until just softened,

4. Add the meat and brown slightly, then add the cooked cauliflower and lightly brown, you may need to add more butter/ olive oil if it needs it,

5. add the rice and stir to coat with the butter, now pour the hot soup over the mixture to cover about 2cm above the mixture stir in, taste for seasoning and adjust if needed (this should not need any more seasoning if soup was seasoned well) and cover, bring to the boil and simmer covered until rice is cooked through.

6. The consistency should be a little drier than risotto but not too dry (add more stock if rice is not cooked and the mixture is too dry).

Serve with greek style plain yoghurt.

Try it and tell me how you go.

Bon Appetit!

Bil Hana we shefa

For tomorrow's dinner we will make honey soy chicken drummers with quinea salad. Stay tuned note this is better marinated over night or for at least 3 hours before cooking.