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Archives for November 2010

One Pot, One Hour Roast Lamb

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Herb Roasted LambThis herb crusted Lamb roast, with baby Roast potatoes only needs one tray, and it’s ready in just 1 hour. Also, it’s really easy to make – as you’ll be able to see!

Putting everything in the same tray saves on washing up (yay!) and also mixes the flavours in the juices of the meat, with the herbs. This method of cooking can be used for a wide variety of dishes – especially for roasted meat.

To serve 4

1kg boneless Lamb Rumps (split into 4 chops)

4tsp Dijon Mustard

50g Ciabatta Breadcrumbs

3tbsp Olive Oil

3 sprigs Rosemary Leaves, finely chopped

Zest of ½ Lemon

½ tsp Dried Oregano

750g New Potatoes, cut in Half

400g Shallots, Peeled

8 Garlic Cloves, with broken Skin

3 Sprigs of Rosemary, Leaves only

1.       Heat the oven to 220 C/ Gas Mark 7

2.       Roll the lamb into a mini-Joint shape, and secure with Cocktail sticks. In a very hot frying pan, sear the meat all over, making sure it is brown.

3.       Transfer the joints of meat to a baking tray, and brush mustard over the fat.

4.       Mix together the breadcrumbs, 1tbsp Oil, Rosemary, Lemon zest, Oregano and season the joint. Press the mixture onto the mustard-covered surface, and set aside.

5.       Put the Potatoes, Shallots, Garlic and Rosemary into the large baking tray with the Lamb, and put in the oven for twenty minutes if you want the meat medium, or twenty five for well cooked.

6.       Remove from the oven, and cover the lamb with foil for ten minutes whilst out of the oven, and cook the Potatoes and Onions for this last ten minutes.

7.       Carve the lamb, serve with Potatoes, Peas and a rich Gravy made with the Juices.

Photo Courtesy of: The Culinary Geek

Lemon Chicken

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Lemon ChickenSweet, Sticky and so tasty, this delicacy is a personal favourite when I’m out in a restaurant, and it’s the closest thing I’ve found whilst cooking at home.

The chunks of lemon in the dish soften very nicely, and add a delicious extra texture to surprise your taste buds. Try to de-seed the chunks of lemon, or at least make sure that you have picked them out of the mixture.

To Serve 4

800g Boneless Chicken, cut into bite size chunks

½ Chicken Stock Cube, in 2 cups of hot water

1/3 Dry Sherry or Dry White Wine

2tbsp Oyster Sauce

4tbsp Hoisin Sauce

1tbsp Soy Sauce

1tbsp Sugar

1 Lemon, with the peel cut into strips

1 small Lemon, cut into round pieces

1/3 cup Flour

1/3 cup Corn Flour

Plenty of Oil for Frying

2tbsp Lemon Juice

2tbsp Corn Flour

2 Egg Yolks

2tbsp Dry Sherry or Dry White Wine

1tsp Salt

1.       In a bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of the Corn Flour, with 2tablespoons of water. Mix in the Egg Yolks, 2 tablespoons of Dry Sherry (or White Wine), and teaspoon of Salt.

2.       Add the Chicken, and make sure it’s well covered, put to one side, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

3.       In a medium sized pan, place the Chicken stock, Sherry, Oyster Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce and the Lemon Peel, then allow to boil. Turn down to the lowest heat, then leave to simmer uncovered for ten minutes.

4.       Add the lemon slices and continue to simmer for five more minutes, and then remove from the heat.

5.       In a bag, mix the third cup of Corn Flour with the third cup of Flour, and mix well. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake well, making sure the chunks are completely covered.

6.       Heat plenty of oil and fry half the Chicken, and fry for a minute. Lower the heat and continue cooking for another minute. Remove from the oil, and place on Kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.

7.       Do the same for the other half of the Chicken.

8.       Mix a small amount of Corn Flour in with the lemon Juice, and serve as a sauce.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Swordfish with Peppers in a White Wine Sauce

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SwordfishItalian Sophistication served up on a single plate. The contrast of colours, textures, tastes and simplicity of this dish make it a superb dinner party dish. It’s all about timing – if the fish is cooked for too long, or too high a heat, the textures and tastes may spoil, so you have to be really careful with it.

Try to get all the ingredients as fresh as possible – for the fish, try to avoid frozen if possible. If you can’t help it, make sure that it is thoroughly defrosted first, and closer to room temperature.

To Serve 8

2kg of Swordfish in 8 fillets, boneless and skinless

1/3 cup Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion, sliced

3 Orange or Yellow Peppers, cut into thin slices

2 Medium Tomatoes

2 or 3 cups of White Wine

1 tsp Oregano

½ Lemon, Juiced

1 tsp Demerara or White Sugar

½ Cup Light Raisins

½ Cup Pine Nuts

½ Cup Parsley, finely chopped

1.       Make a cross on the bottom of the Tomatoes, and place them in a pan of boiling water for thirty seconds. Drain from the pan, and cool under a running tap, peeling the skins and removing the seeds. Cut the flesh into cubes.

2.       Heat a non-stick frying pan up without any oil in, and add the Pine Nuts, stirring until they start to brown, at which time place them on a plate.

3.       Wash and dry the pieces of Fish, and lightly flour them.

4.       Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large shallow pan, or large deep frying pan, and brown the fish off, half at a time. You may need to add some more oil half-way through.

5.       Wipe the pan with some kitchen paper, and add two more tablespoons of oil before sautéing the Onions and Peppers on a low heat until they begin to soften – around ten minutes.

6.       Add the tomatoes to the pan, and turn up the heat. Continue stirring for five more minutes.

7.       To the pan, add the Wine, Oregano, Raisins, Sugar, Lemon Juice and Parsley, seasoning to taste. Allow to boil for around three or four minutes, and then return the Fish to the pan to heat with the rest of the sauce.

8.       Add the Pine Nuts and serve!

Photo Courtesy of: Melvin Schlubman

Crispy Fried Duck

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Crispy Fried Duck PancakeThese pancakes are crispy, juicy and full of flavour, all in the same mouthful. They are great as a posh snack, part of a party menu, or as part of a themed dinner night. When preparing the Cucumber and Spring Onion, try to get it as close to serving time as possible to make sure that they’re fresh, and you can keep the pancakes warm in over steam in order to make sure they keep their softness.

You can buy the pancakes pre-made, and just heat them up before serving, but if you’re going to make it all yourself, you really should make it all – otherwise it’s cheating really! (p.s., I won’t tell if you do use pre-made ones!)

To serve 16

1 Duck (1 ¾ to 2kg)

Oil for Frying

5 cups Chicken Stock

2 ½ cups Dry Sherry (not white Wine)

7tbsp Light Soy Sauce

4tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

4tbsp Hoisin Sauce

4 Onions, Sliced

6 slices fresh Ginger

1 ½ tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Five Spice

1 ½ kg Beef and Pork Bones

16 Mandarin Pancakes

5-6tsp Hoisin Sauce

4 Cucumbers, peeled and cut into thin strips

5 Spring Onions, cut into strips

For the Mandarin Pancakes

½ Cup Flour

½ Cup Hot Water

1 tsp Oil

1 tsp Sesame Oil

1.       Boil the duck for ten minutes, before draining.

2.       Mix the Chicken Stock, Sherry, Soy Sauce (light and dark), Hoisin Sauce, sliced Onions, Ginger, Sugar, Five Spice and Beef and Pork bones, and simmer for thirty minutes, then remove the bones.

3.       Add the duck to this sauce, and simmer on a low heat for 1 ½ hours, turning it over every so often. After an hour and a half, remove the duck, and place on an oven grill tray, and leave to completely cool and drain – it will need at least two hours.

4.       Heat up a large amount of Oil in a wok or pot, and fry for around eight to ten minutes. Remove from the oil, and dry with some absorbent paper towels, and shred.

For the Pancakes

1.       Mix the Flour, hot Water and the teaspoon of Oil. Empty the mixture out onto a floured surface, and knead until it becomes smooth and tight.

2.       Create 16 even-sized balls, and spread out until small and paper-thin. Spread Sesame Oil onto the surface of each pancake.

3.       Heat a non-stick pan, and lightly brown each side of the pancakes.

Serve with the thin slices of Spring Onion and Cucumber, and a bowl of Hoisin Sauce.

Photo Courtesy of ItJournalist

Home Made Spring Rolls

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Spring RollsIf you like your Chinese food like I do, you’ll love these Spring Rolls. Fresh, crispy and less fatty than the ones you can get from a take-away, but still taste great. You can chance some of the ingredients if you want to make them closer to what you want, but I’m a massive fan of these as they are.

They’re great as a starter, party food, or as a side dish to a wide range of meals. Sadly, they can’t be frozen, but you can just adjust the quantities to make a smaller amount (even though you’ll still want more!)

To make 48

6 medium fresh onions, thinly sliced

1 ½ tbsp Oil

3 Spring Onions, thinly sliced

2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

½ kg Minced Pork

1/3 Cup tinned Water Chestnuts, finely chopped

2 tsp Fish Sauce

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Oyster Sauce

48 small Spring Roll Pastry Wrappers (or Filo Pastry for pies if you can’t find any – they need to be in 12cm squares)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 Cup Rice Vinegar

1/3 Cup Sweet Chilli Sauce

1.       Sauté the onions in half a tablespoon of Oil, until they are brown.

2.       In a Wok or large pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of Oil, and sauté the Onions and Garlic until soft. Add the Meat and continue to cook, stirring all the time to break up any large lumps.

3.       When brown, add the Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts, Cabbage and the Fish, Soy and Oyster Sauces. Stir until the Cabbage has wilted, and allow to cool.

4.       Pre-heat the oven to 180 C, and grease two baking trays (or cover them with non-stick baking paper. Lay the pastry sheets out diagonally, and place a small teaspoon of the mixture in the middle, and brush around it with the beaten egg.

5.       Take the two corners opposite each other, and bring them in to the middle. Bring the third corner in, and then roll towards the fourth, so that the point is in the middle of the roll.

6.       Spread the rolls out in the tray, so that the fourth corner is facing down, and brush the top with some more egg.

7.       Bake for around ten minutes, until golden brown.

8.       Serve warm, after mixing the Rice Vinegar and Sweet Chilli Sauce together.



Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz

Strawberry Yogurt Jellies

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Strawberry Yogurt Jelly
A fruity family favourite – these jellies have a mixture of textures, making them a treat for anyone. A great treat to have on offer at any party, and also works well as a dessert for a more formal dinner party.

Once fully assembled,  try to serve as soon as possible, to prevent the layers combining, or to prevent anything that isn’t fully assembled collapsing! Try drizzling with some Strawberry Sauce for a very decadent treat.

To Serve 6

6 sheets of Gelatine

600ml Strawberry and Apple Juice

250g Strawberries

1tbsp Icing Sugar

150g 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

1.       Soak the Gelatine sheets in four tablespoons of cold water for ten minutes.

2.       Het 150ml of the Strawberry and Apple Juice in a pan, and when hot, add the Gelatine sheets, after shaking off the excess water. Stir until dissolved, before adding the remaining Juice and stirring it well.

3.       Pour 200ml of the Juice into a small bowl and leave to set in fridge. Pour the rest into six small glasses and leave to chill in the fridge until almost set – around one and a half hours.

4.       Keeping three of the Strawberries in one piece, cut the leaves off the rest. Place the leaf-less Strawberries into a blender with the Icing Sugar and most of the yogurt (keep about six teaspoons for decoration), and pulse until roughly chopped. Stir into the bowl of Jelly, and divide between the six glasses, layering on top of the existing Jelly.

5.       Leave to set for thirty more minutes, before decorating with the reserved Yogurt and half of a Strawberry.

Photo Courtesy of: Flora

Mild Meat Curry

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Mild Chicken Curry

This mild dish is a very simple and easy to cook meal, which is a very popular dish due to the mix of flavours, textures and colours.

If you’re after a vegetarian alternative, have a look here

To serve 4

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

2tsp Fresh Ginger

15g Butter

1stp Ground Turmeric

1 ½tsp Garam Masala

Small Pinch of Chilli Powder

2 ripe tomatoes

100ml coconut Milk or Natural Yoghurt

200g Poultry, Fish or Vegetables (or a mixture)

Juice of 1 Lemon

2tbsp Chopped Coriander

1.        Chop the Onion, crush the Garlic and grate the Ginger, before cooking in the butter, until they begin to change colour

2.       Add the spices, and cook gently for two more minutes. At this point, if you’d like the curry hotter, add more Garam Masala, Chilli Powder and Garlic. The trick is to start off mild, and taste all the time. It’s easier to make it hotter, but not as easy to make it cooler!

3.       Add the Tomatoes, and then start to simmer for ten to twelve minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken, but make sure it doesn’t boil.

4.       Cook the meat off, making sure you keep lots of the juices ready for the main curry.

5.       Add the meat or fish to the pan, and simmer gently until heated through. Add the lemon Juice, and stir well. At this stage, check the tastes. As mentioned earlier, add more spices to get the taste right for you.

6.       Serve with freshly cooked Rice and warmed Naan bread, and topped with the Coriander.

Photo Courtesy of: RovingI

Rich Fruit Cake

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This Christmas Classic can last for up to three months if you don’t ice it – so it’s a great treat to take to family gatherings, parties or to have ready to eat at home for those days where you just want to eat junk! You’ll also need a few extra things for making this cake – some string, baking paper, brown paper, and a large cake tin – quite a deep one, and it can be round or circular! This recipe makes enough for around twenty people.

Rich Fruit Cake

It takes about two weeks to make (with the setting and absorbing of the alcohol) so get making them now!

Makes 1 Cake

500g Dried Mixed Fruit

500g Sultanas

250g Currants

180ml Rum, Brandy or Sherry

125g Glace Cherries

275g Plain Flour

2tsp Ground Mixed Spice

225g Softened Butter

5 Large Eggs

Zest of 1 Medium Orange

Zest of 1 unwaxed Lemon

100g Ground Almonds

1.       Put all of the Mixed Fruit, Sultanas and Currants into a large bowl, and pour 90ml of the alcohol over. Cover the bowl with cling film, and stir occasionally over a twenty four hour period.

2.       Line your cake tin with three layers of the baking paper, and wrap the outside of the tin with a double layer of the brown paper.

3.       Heat the oven to 150 C or Gas Mark 2

4.       Rinse the Cherries in some warm water, before patting dry and cutting in half.

5.       Sift the Flour and Mixed Spice together.

6.       Cream the Butter and Sugar, before adding the Eggs one at a time, with 1tbsp of the flour mixture. Make sure you beat the mixture well before adding the next egg.

7.       Grate the zest of the Orange and Lemon and stir it into the mixture with the rest of the Flour mixture, Ground Almonds, Cherries and the Dried Fruit (with the alcohol)

8.       Spoon the cake mixture into the tin, and make sure the top is level. Pat the top with damp fingertips, but make sure you don’t transfer too much water over – you don’t want to get it wet.

9.       Bake for an hour, before reducing the heat to 140 C or Gas Mark 1.

10.   Bake for a further three hours or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

11.   Remove the cake from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

12.   Once cold, wrap in foil and store for a week, before piercing with a skewer. Drizzle over two tablespoons of the liquor, re-wrap and store. Repeat twice over the next two weeks.

Photo Courtesy of I Don’t Know, Maybe.

Simply Stunning Sides

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Four side dishes, which are easy to make, taste amazing and look even better! All of these sides make enough to serve six people, but you can always adjust the quantities to serve more or less – if you want to that is!!!

Potatoes and Onions

Roasted Onion and Potato Slices

1kg Baking Potatoes

2 Red Onions

3tbsp Oil

½ tsp Paprika

1.       Peel and slice the Onion and Potatoes – the Potato into rounds about 1cm thick, and the onion as thin or as thick as you’d like.

2.       Heat the oven to 200 C or Gas Mark 6. Pat the potatoes dry, and mix with two tablespoons of the Oil with the Paprika, seasoning with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Transfer to a large, non-stick roasting tin, and spread out in a single layer, and bake for twenty minutes, turning occasionally.

4.       Mix the onions with the remaining Oil, and scatter in with the Potatoes. Cook for a further fifteen to twenty minutes, until golden and crispy.

Thyme and Lemon Courgettes with Fennel

3 Courgettes, Sliced

Juice and Zest of ½ Lemon

3tbsp Olive Oil

1tbsp Dried Thyme

1 large bulb of Fennel, sliced thinly

1.       Heat half the Oil and Thyme in a large frying pan, add the Fennel and cook for two to three minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2.       Heat the remaining Oil and fry the Courgettes on a high heat for two to three minutes until almost tender.

3.       Re-Add the Fennel to the pan, along with the Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomatoes

450g Tomatoes

½ tbsp Thyme Leaves

2tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1tbsp Olive Oil

1.       Heat the oven to 150 C or Gas Mark 2.

2.       Halve the Tomatoes, and arrange in a roasting tray. Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil over the top, sprinkle with Thyme Leaves and season well with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Bake for one to two hours until lightly caramelised.

Creamy Spinach with Cheese

40g Butter

2 cloves of Garlic, Sliced thinly

75g Grated Full-Flavour White Cheese

500g Spinach

Nutmeg

50ml Double Cream

1.       Cook the Spinach in a large pan for two to three minutes until wilted. Tip into a colander and squeeze well to remove excess water.

2.       Melt the Butter in a large pan over a medium-low heat, add the Garlic, and cook for two to three minutes until softened, but not changing colour. Add the Spinach to the pan, and grate some Nutmeg over the top. Season with Salt and Pepper.

3.       Stir in the Cream and Cheese, and cook for one minute until melted

Photo Courtesy of: Jon Mountjoy

Peach and Redcurrant Cake

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This cake has a different taste, with these two little-used ingredients creating an interesting and mouth watering combination. It can be stored in a cake tin for up to two days, or served fresh and warm when out of the oven.

Peaches and Redcurrants

This cake is great as part of a picnic, as it can be easily stored and transported. It’s also great fresh and warm out of the oven with thick slices being covered in lashings of cream.

Quark is a type of cheese, but closer to yogurt than the more traditional cheese. In the Americas, it’s quite hard to find, and only a few specialist retailers carry it, but have a look at ‘baking cheese’ if you’re able to find it.

To Serve 10

150g Quark

3tbsp Milk

3tbsp Sunflower Oil

2 Eggs

75g Caster Sugar

Zest of two Oranges

100g Redcurrants

250g Self Raising Flour

3 or 4 Ripe Peaches

1tsp Brown Sugar

1.       Heat the oven to 190 C (Gas Mark 5). Line a nine inch round cake tin with baking paper.

2.       Place the Quark, Milk, Sunflower Oil, Eggs and Sugar in a large bowl, and beat until smooth.

3.       Stir in the Orange Rind, half the Redcurrants and the Flour, making sure there are no lumps.

4.       Spread the mixture evenly across the cake tin, before slicing the Peaches and scattering over the top of the cake mix, with the remaining Redcurrants. Sprinkle the Brown Sugar

5.       Bake for forty five minutes, until golden brown, and cooked through.

6.       Leave to cool for ten minutes, and then remove from the cake tray and take the paper away.

7.       Serve warm or cold, with single cream.

Photo Courtesy of: Martijn Van Exel

Meringues

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There’s nothing better than the look and taste of a fresh meringue – especially when you’ve made it yourself. These soft gooey peaks can be used for a whole mix of other recipes – try with fresh fruit, a coulis, or make into smaller sizes, and add extra flavourings and fillings to change the taste for a naughty treat – lemon, chocolate, raspberry and a passionfruit are all great flavours to add to this dish. That, or add small nuts, or chunks of chocolate inside them so that they’ll melt and be nice and gooey.

6 egg whites

350g Caster Sugar

1tsp White Wine Vinegar

2tsp Cornflour

1stp Vanilla Extract

1.       Heat the oven to 130 C, or Gas Mark 1, and Line two baking trays with baking paper

2.       In a large, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and full of bubbles

3.       Slowly add in the Caster Sugar, constantly whisking until it forms substantial peaks. At this point, add in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.

4.       If you’re going to add in any flavourings, do so now – the best way to do so is to add in some flavouring plus food colouring, and gently fold together in order to create a marbled effect.

5.       For larger meringues, spread out onto a trap, with a slight lip to hold whatever will be poured on top and bake for ninety minutes before turning the heat off and leaving to cool in the oven. For smaller meringues, bake for fifty minutes to an hour, and again, leave in the oven to cool.

Great toppings include fresh berries, sliced fruit (like peaches), or a variety of nuts with different sauces.

Photo Courtesy of: Stu Spivack

Beef Pot Roast

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When Roasting a Beef joint, it’s quite easy to cook for too long, and the meat dry out. Cooking in one pain means that it’s going to retain more of the juices, keeping it more succulent, easier to carve and with more flavour in it.

This Brisket joint is a very overlooked cut of Beef, but it has so much going for it – it’s very cheap, needs just a little cooking to turn into a tender, juicy meat. It’s great, as you can put it in the oven, and ignore it (aside from a check up every so often), until it’s ready to serve.

To serve 4

1kg Brisket Cut of Beef

2tbsp Olive Oil

1 Red Onion

2tbsp Cider Vinegar

2tbsp Brown Sugar

3 Bay Leaves

3 sprigs of Thyme

900ml Beef Stock

1 Yellow Pepper

2 Chopped Carrots

200g Cubed Swede

1.       Heat the Oil in a pan, and add the Beef joint. Brown the meat all over.

2.       Transfer to an ovenproof dish, with a lid on it. Chop the Red Onion, and add to the pan, before cooking for two to three minutes.

3.       Add the Cider Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Bay Leaves, Thyme and Beef Stock, before covering with Greaseproof paper, and the lid.

4.       Heat the oven to 160 C/ Gas Mark 3 for an hour, before stirring and checking on the liquid.

5.       Cook for a further ninety minutes, before adding some chopped Yellow Pepper, Carrot and Swede. Season well, and cook for a further forty minutes.

Photo Courtesy of Ndrwfgg

Vegetable Curry with Aromatic Rice

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Vegetable Curry with Aromatic riceThis dish is comfort food, but healthy and fast to make at the same time! If you want to make it hotter, add fresh Chilli in with the Garlic, or replace the medium Curry powder with a hotter variety.

The mix of vegetables in this dish mean that you can easily tailor it into something that you may be more comfortable with – try aubergine, courgettes, red onions and anything else that looks appetising.  The long list of ingredients is what gives this dish all the wonderful flavours and textures that you’d be looking for from a curry.

To Serve 4

1tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 sliced Onion

1 clove of finely chopped Garlic

200g Potato

200g Sweet Potato

125g Carrots

4tbsp Medium Curry Powder

125g Leaf Spinach

3 Tomatoes

75g Baby Corn

4tbsp Plain Yoghurt

Bunch of Coriander

½tsp Coriander Seeds

½tsp Cumin Seeds

2 Cardamom Seeds

200g Basmati Rice

1 Cinnamon Stick

5cm Lemon Peel

1.       Peel and chop the Potato, Sweet Potato and Carrots, quarter the Tomatoes, and chop the Coriander.

2.       In a large pan, heat the oil, and cook the onion for four minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for a further minute.

3.       Add the peeled and chopped Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes and Carrots, then cook for two more minutes. Add the Curry Powder, and stir in well.

4.       Start to cook the rice – crush the Coriander, Cumin and Cardamom seeds, and add these into the rice with the strip of Lemon Peel and Cinnamon Stick.

5.       To the large pan, add 200ml of water, and simmer for fifteen minutes with the lid on. Stir well, adding the spinach, tomatoes and corn, then replace the lid and cooking for five more minutes.

6.       Cook for five minutes, before adding in the yoghurt and lowering the heat for three or four more minutes to heat everything through.

Photo Courtesy of:

Summer Fruit Charlotte

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Raspberries, Blackberries and BlueberriesThis dish takes four hours for it to set, so make sure you prepare it well in advance – but it is well worth the wait.

The soft sponge fingers with the soft creamy yoghurt and fresh fruit inside make such a beautiful change to some other desserts, especially since it’s so light!

To Serve 8

100g Caster Sugar

300g Strawberries

250g Raspberries

1 pack of Sponge Fingers

2 sheets of Gelatine

500g 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

½tsp Vanilla Extract

1.       Place 75g of the Sugar in a small pan with 100ml of water. Heat gently, and stir until the Sugar has dissolved.

2.       Slice 250g of the Strawberries, and add these as well as 175g of the Raspberries to the water, and mash lightly.

3.       Take off the heat, and cool for fifteen minutes. Strain into a shallow dish, keeping the fruit to one side.

4.       Dip the Sponge Fingers into the Sugar water one at a time, and line the base of a one litre pudding basin, cutting them to fit.

5.       In a different pan, soak the Gelatine sheets in four tablespoons of cold water until they are soft (it should take around five minutes). Heat the pan up gently until melted.

6.       Place the Yogurt in a bowl with the Vanilla Extract and the remaining 25g of Sugar. Beat in the melted Gelatine. Place half into the Sponge-lined basin, add the fruit then cover with the rest of the Yogurt mix and any of the remaining Sponges.

7.       Drizzle any remaining Syrup around the edge of the basin, and then place in the fridge to chill for at least four hours until set.

8.       To serve, place a plate across the top of the basin, and turn upside down, then top with the extra berries.

Photo Courtesy of: Renee Silverman

Garden Vegetable Spaghetti with Feta Cheese and Basil

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All it takes to make this dish is twenty minutes of your time, plus a few basic ingredients – nothing that would be out of place in a kitchen. As well as being very quick and easy to make, it’s also very healthy, and easy to adjust to whatever vegetables are in season at that time.

Garden Vegetables

You could serve this dish either warm or cold, with some fresh Garlic Bread, as part of a Summer Picnic or with a home-made Mint Sauce. Experiment with using roasted Vegetables – lightly charring the Peppers adds a different texture to the meal, and the warmth of the Tomatoes will make this dish very tempting.

To serve 4

400g Spaghetti

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

75g Peas

125g Young Leaf Spinach

150g Baby Tomatoes

2 tbsp Olive Oil

125g Feta Cheese

Bunch of Basil, roughly chopped (or ripped)

1.       Cook the pasta for eight minutes in a pan of boiling water, stirring occasionally.

2.       Slice the Red and Yellow Peppers, and add these to the pan, along with the Peas, bringing the pan back to the boil and simmer for a further two minutes

3.       Drain the mix into a colander, and set aside

4.       Cut the Tomatoes in half, and add these and Spinach in the pan for a minute, before removing the pan from the heat.

5.       Tip the Spaghetti and drained vegetables back into the pan then add the olive oil and mix lightly. Put the lid on, and let it stand for a minute.

6.       Lightly toss the vegetables and Spaghetti, before adding the Feta Cheese and Chopped Basil, and tossing again gently.

Photo courtesy of: Greenfaerietree

Chicken Pot Pie

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Chicken Pot PieNothing beats the taste, look and satisfaction of eating a home made pot pie. So easy to make, and can be frozen un-cooked for up to three months to make easier to cook for quick meals. Serve with fresh, seasonal vegetables for a great meal.

To Serve 4

3 Chicken Breasts

500g Chicken Stock

2 Leeks

250g Chestnut Mushrooms

25g Butter

25g Flour

100ml Crème Fraiche

3tsp Flat Leaf Parsley

500g Puff Pastry

1 Egg

1.       Poach the Chicken Breasts with the Chicken Stock for ten minutes.

2.       Trim the Leeks, and slice them into thin half-rings, before adding and simmering for a further ten minutes.

3.       Drain the chicken and Leeks from the liquid (but keep the liquid!), and dice the Chicken (the smaller the pots, the smaller sized pieces), before setting aside.

4.       Boil the stock for ten minutes until it’s reduced. Measure out 300ml, and you can either save, or discard the rest.

5.       Quarter the mushrooms, before cooking in a tablespoon of oil, and set aside.

6.       Melt 25g Butter in the pan, add the flour, then gradually add the stock and heat until the mix is boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the Crème Fraiche, Parsley, Chicken, Leeks and Mushrooms.

7.       Evenly spread into either four small dishes, or a single pie dish, and leave to cool. At this point, you can freeze it if you’d like.

8.       Heat the oven to 200 C or Gas Mark 6.

9.       Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, until 3-4mm thick, and cut out a large enough size to cover the dish, and a long strip to head around the rim of the pie.

10.   Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg, and bake for twenty five to thirty minutes, or until golden.

Photo Courtesy of Gtrwndr87

Crunchy Garlic and Herb Chicken Parcels

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Herb and Breadcrumb Chicken ParcelCrispy and golden on the outside, tender and full of juices on the inside, posh cooking doesn’t get much more enjoyable than these Parcels!

You can prepare these a day early, and chill in the fridge. This can allow the chicken to absorb some more of the flavours for longer, developing the tastes better.

To Serve 6

125g Softened Butter

5 crushed cloves of Garlic

6 plump, skinless Chicken Breasts

4tbsp Plain Flour

200g Breadcrumbs

1tbsp Dried Parsley

½tsp Paprika

1tbsp Dried Thyme

2 Eggs, Beaten

200ml Vegetable Oil

1.       Heat the oven to 200 C – Gas Mark 6.

2.       Mix the Butter, Garlic and Parsley together, and season to taste. Roll it into a long, thin sausage shape, and wrap tightly in cling-film. Place in the fridge to chill.

3.       Mark a cut into the side of each Chicken Breast to make a pocket, where you need to insert some of the chilled Herb Butter (after taking it out of the Cling-film!)

4.       Mix the Breadcrumbs with the Paprika and Thyme. Season well with Salt and Pepper. Pour the beaten Egg onto a large plate, the breadcrumbs on another plate and the flour on another.

5.       Cover the Chicken in the Flour, then into the Egg, then finally the Breadcrumbs, making sure that all of the chicken is well coated. Secure each Chicken Breast with a Cocktail stick in order to keep as much butter inside as possible.

6.       Heat the oil until very hot (a piece of bread should turn golden in about thirty seconds). Fry each Parcel for a minute or two until golden, then transfer into a large baking tray, and cook in the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes.

7.       To serve, remove all of the cocktail sticks, and drizzle and of the extra sauce over the top.

Photo Courtesy of Megan.Chromik

Blueberry Ripple Ice Cream

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Blueberry Ice CreamThis dish is creamy and rich that it’ll leave you wanting more. It’s also incredible easy and fast to make, but it takes four hours to freeze – so you’ll need to make sure you give yourself enough time to leave it to chill and firm up properly.

You can easily adjust the quantities of berries and how much they are crushed in order to change the texture and tastes that are in the Ice Cream.

250g Blueberries

125g Caster Sugar

1 Whole Egg

2 Egg Yolks

300g Full Fat Greek Yogurt

300g 0% Fat Greek Yogurt

Juice of 1 Lemon

1.       In a pan, place the Blueberries with 25g of the Sugar and bring to the boil, then simmer for five minutes.

2.       Remove from the heat, and allow to cool completely. Keep two or three tablespoons of the mixture for decoration once it’s been frozen.

3.       Whisk the Whole Egg, the Egg Yolks, the 100g of Sugar and half the full fat yogurt together, then place in a pan over a gentle heat. Cook for three to four minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens a little.

4.       Take the pan off of the heat and beat in the remaining yogurt (both Full Fat and 0% Fat) and lemon juice.

5.       Add the Blueberries to the Yogurt mixture, and give a gentle stir.

6.       Pour the mixture into a 1 litre non-stick loaf tin (or a Silicone one) and freeze for at least four hours – making sure it’s firm when you take it out.

7.       Before serving, allow it to stand at room temperature for forty-five minutes before turning out and decorating with the reserved Blueberries and their juices.

Photo Courtesy of GordonRamsaySubmissions

Asparagus and Tuna Tart

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This stylish dish could be served as a main course, or in a smaller portion as a starter.

Tuna Steak

Tinned Tuna works okay, but make sure you drain it very well. The flavours of the Asparagus are beautiful, especially when in-season, around May to June time in Britain. Try to handle the pastry as little as possible in order to keep it as tender as possible, cutting with a very sharp knife.

To serve 6

500g Puff Pastry

375g Tuna Steak (or two tins)

400g Asparagus

125g Quark

1 egg

75ml Milk

1.       Heat the oven to 180 C or Gas Mark 4.

2.       Brush a large flat tin with a small amount of melted butter, and roll the Puff Pastry out to line the tin. Place the tin in the fridge to chill for ten minutes.

3.       Mix the Quark, Egg and Milk together, until smooth and well blended.

4.       Cut the Asparagus and Tuna into lengths that will fit across the width of the tin.

5.       Pour the mixed Quark, Egg and Milk in to the Puff Pastry case, and arrange the Tuna and Asparagus evenly across the tray.

6.       Place on a lower shelf, and bake for thirty minutes, before reducing the heat to 170 C (Gas Mark 3), and cook for ten more minutes.

7.       When cooked, remove from the oven, and stand for five to ten minutes to allow to cool (the juices in the Asparagus will be very hot), and serve with fresh salad leaves.

Photo Courtesy of Yandle

Spiced Beef Fillet

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The spicy, crisp coating on this fillet gives a wonderful texture, and a flavour that is supremely satisfying. I’d suggest serving with some Roasted Vegetables such as Parsnips, Beetroot and Sweet Potatoes.

For Medium-Rare, cook for twenty to twenty five minutes – possibly the best way to have this dish. Increase by five minutes for Medium, then another five minutes for Medium to well done.

To serve 6

4tbsp Szechuan or Mixed Peppercorns,

4tsp Caster Sugar

4tbsp Wholegrain Mustard

1kg Beef Fillet

3tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1.       Heat the oven to 220 C/ Gas Mark 7.

2.       Finely grind the Peppercorns, and mix in with the Caster Sugar. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over a chopping board.

3.       Evenly coat the Beef Fillet with the Mustard, before rolling in the Caster Sugar and Peppercorn mix, making sure you haven’t missed any patches, and that it’s evenly coated – or you might get a VERY hot mouthful!

4.       Heat a large, non-stick frying pan until very hot

5.       Add the fillet of beef and sear until the meat is golden brown all over – it should take around three minutes.

6.       Place the Beef into an oven-proof dish, and cook in the oven for twenty to twenty five minutes.

7.       Remove the Beef Fillet from the oven, and allow to rest for about ten minutes

8.       Using a very sharp carving knife, slice into thin slices, and arrange on a large plate, before drizzling over with oil.

Photo Courtesy of: Avlxyz