Category: Cooking

---

Hazelnut Cake

140g butter

200g caster sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 tbsp SR flour, sieved

200g ricotta

200g blanched hazelnuts, roasted, and coarsely ground

3 tsp lemon zest [ about 1 lemon ]

For the glaze

8 tbsp apricot jam

50g dark chocolate, grated

handful of whole hazelnuts

To serve

250g mascarpone

2 tbsp clear honey

Heat oven to 180C. Butter a round 23cm shallow cake tin. In a large bowl beat together the butter and half the sugar. Gradually add the egg yolks and continue to beat until light and fluffy, fold in the sieved flour. In a separate bowl, beat the ricotta with a fork, then add the hazelnuts and lemon zest. Add this to the flour mixture. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the remainder of the sugar. Fold into the ricotta mixture very carefully. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 35 – 45 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then remove and place on a cake plate. For the glaze. Put the jam and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Heat gently over a low heat and stir until you get a smooth, fairly runny consistency. Brush over the top of the cake and leave to cool. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and the whole hazelnuts. Mix the mascarpone and honey together. Slice and serve with the mascarpone cream.

 

---

---

 

---

Crisp Fishcakes with Beetroot

500g cooked, mashed potatoes

4 spring onions, finely chopped

200g cooked beetroot, finely chopped

170g can of salmon in brine, drained

1 tbsp sunflower oil

In a large bowl add the mashed potatoes, onions, beetroot, salt and pepper and mash together. Flake the salmon and stir into the mixture. Using your hands make into 8 rough patties. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the fish cakes on both sides until brown and crusty. Cook in two batches if required. Serve with a green salad.

 

---

---

 

---

Cheese and Onion Pork Chops       

4 good lean pork chops

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp English mustard

4 tbsp finely chopped onions

50g strong cheddar cheese grated

1tsp thyme, chopped

Heat grill to high, then place the chops on a grill pan, rub with oil and season. Grill for about 6 mins on each side, or until cooked. Spread a little mustard over one side of each chop, then top with one tbsp of onions. Mix the cheese and thyme, sprinkle over the chops, then grill until golden and bubbly. Serve with mash and veg or chips.

 

---

---

 

---

Sausage, Bean & Olive Casserole

6 tbsp olive oil

350g onions chopped

2 carrots, chopped

400g pancetta , cubed

1kg good quality pork sausages, cut into chunks

2 tbsp plain flour

2 glasses red wine

85g tomato puree

140g pitted black olives

2x 400g cannellini beans, drained

200g button mushrooms, quartered

5 bay leaves

400ml beef stock

Heat oven to 180C. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan or a large flameproof casserole. Fry the onions and carrots over a high heat until golden. Add the pancetta and sausages and cook for about 3 mins until starting to brown, stirring every so often. Mix in the flour and cook for a further min, stirring continuously. Pour in the wine and cook for about 2 mins until the alcohol evaporates. Stir in the tomato puree, then the olives, beans and mushrooms. Add the bay leaves and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. NOTE!! If you have used a large frying pan, carefully transfer the mixture into an oven proof dish. Cook for about 30 mins until the sausages are tender and the sauce is thickened. Serve with warm fresh crusty bread.

 

---

---

 

---

Courgette Fritters [V]

2 medium courgettes, grated

2 tbsp SRF

25g parmesan, finely grated

1tbspolive oil

170g tub roasted red pepper houmous, to serve

In a bowl, combine the grated courgette, flour and parme-san. Shape into walnut-size balls, then flatten. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the oil. Fry the fritters for 2 – 3 mins on each side until golden brown. Serve straight away with the red pepper houmous

 

.

 

---

---

 

---

Mustered Stuffed Chicken

125g mozzarella, torn into small pieces

50g strong cheddar cheese, grated

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

4 skinless chicken breasts

8 smoked streaky bacon rashers

Heat oven to 180C. Mix the cheeses and mustard together. Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast, then stuff with the mustard mixture. Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with 2 rashers of bacon, not too tight, enough to hold the chicken together. Season, place on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 – 25 mins. Serve with green vegetables and boiled potatoes, or roast chunked sweet potatoes with the chicken

 

 

---

---

 

---

Upside- down Sticky Apricot Cakes

85g golden caster sugar

6 apricots, halved, stones removed

For the cake batter

200g butter, softened

175g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

75ml full-fat milk

pinch saffron strands [optional] diluted in a little warm water

140g plain flour

140g SRF

100g ground almonds

Tip the sugar into a deep, oven proof frying pan. place over a high heat until caramelised, remove from the heat, then lay the apricots, cut side down, in the caramel, quartering some of the apricots to fit the gaps. Set aside. Heat oven to 180C. To make the batter, use a food mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the milk and saffron[if using]. Fold in the flour and ground almonds, then mix until all combined. Spoon dollops of the batter over the apricots and smooth over. Bake for 40 mins until puffed up and golden. Remove from the oven !! Use gloves the handle will be hot!! Leave to sit for about 10 mins. Invert the cake onto a plate and leave to cool. Serve with double cream or ice cream

 

---

---

 

---

Aromatic Lamb with Dates

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g diced boneless lamb, from the leg

300g sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks

2 tsp each ground coriander and cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

50g pitted dates

2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and lamb. Quickly fry until the lamb is lightly browned. Add the sweet potatoes and spices, mix well. Pour in 425ml boiling water and the tomato puree, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 mins until sweet potatoes and lamb are tender, adding the dates for the final 10 mins. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with couscous.

---

---

Posh Eton Mess

600ml double cream

3 tbsp icing sugar

8 meringue nests

700g strawberries (not large) hulled

200g bar dairy milk chocolate, grated

300g packet chocolate digestive biscuits

75g butter melted

Butter and line the base of a 23cm spring form tin with baking paper. Put the chocolate in the fridge for a while before grating. Prepare all ingredients before making up in tin.

Blitz the chocolate biscuits in a processor, tip crumbs into a bowl. Add butter, mix well and spread into the base of the tin. Level off and pat down with a flat bottom glass. Hull strawberries and cut each one into 4. Divide in half and place in two bowls. In a bowl grate the chocolate and return to the fridge. In a large bowl scrunch up 6 of the meringues. Blitz the other two in the processor.

Using a food mixer or hand mixer with a bowl whip the cream until it forms peaks add the icing sugar and continue to whip until it becomes a little stiff. Tip the cream into the bowl with the meringues and mix well.

Divide cream mixture into two and spread one half onto the biscuits in the tin, level off. Top the cream with one half of the strawberries, level off. Sprinkle half the chocolate over the strawberries. Repeat again with the remaining ingredients, cream, strawberries and chocolate. Sprinkle the blitzed meringues over the top.

Place in the fridge to chill before serving. Run a hot knife around the mess and the outer ring of the tin and unclip. Enjoy!

 

 

---

---

 

---

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

1 tbsp olive oil

2 large chicken breasts, skinned and cut into chunks.

2 small onions, finely slices.

2 fat garlic cloves, crushed.

140g cooking chorizo, sliced.

1 tsp turmeric

pinch of saffron [optional]

1 tsp paprika

300g paella rice

850ml hot chicken stock [2 chicken oxo cubes]

200g frozen peas

1 lemon wedged and finely chopped fresh parsley to serve.

Heat the oil in a deep-frying pan over a high heat, Add the chicken and brown all over- don’t cook completely. Once browned, transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to low, add the onions and cook slowly until softened, about 10 mins. Add the garlic, stir for 1 min, then toss in the chorizo and fry until in releases its oils. Stir in the spices, then tip in the rice. Stir to coat the rice in the oils and spices for about 2 mins, then pour in the hot stock. Bring to the boil, return the chicken to the pan and simmer for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and simmer for a further 5 mins until the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender. Season well and serve with the lemon wedges and chopped parsley.

 

---

---

 

---

Horseradish Baked Salmon

2 slices bread, crusts removed.

2 tbsp horseradish sauce

2 tsp chopped thyme or 1 tsp dried

4 thin skinless salmon steaks, about 150g each

1 small Savoy cabbage, shredded.

2 rounded tbsp 0% Greek yogurt

Heat oven to 180C fan. Whizz the bread into crumbs in a processor. Tip crumbs into another bowl, add the horseradish and thyme, season and mix well. Put the salmon in one layer on a lightly oiled baking tray. Divide the crumbs into 4 and press firmly on to the flesh, then bake for about 10 – 15 mins. Put the cabbage in a large pan with a little salt and pour in boiling water to come to about halfway up. Cover and cook for 8 – 10 mins until tender. Drain well, then return to the pan with the yogurt and plenty of black pepper. mix and reheat gently. Serve on plates with the salmon. Boil baby new potatoes, butter well and serve as an extra vegetable.

 

---

---