Gingerbread Men

What you will need:

• 350g Plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• One teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• Two teaspoons of ground ginger
• One teaspoon of mixed spice
• 125g Butter
• 176g Light soft brown sugar
• One egg
• Four tablespoons of golden syrup

To decorate:

• Cookie cutters
• Icing
• Sprinkles ect

Simply sift the flour, ground spices, bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
Add in the butter and rub the flour and the butter together until it forms a breadcrumb like texture.
Stir in the sugar.
Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together and mix until the mixture clumps together.
Tip the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180 and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Roll out the dough to about 0.5cm in thickness , Simply cut your desired shapes and place on the lined baking tray.
Don't forget to pierce it with a skewer if you wish to put string through it.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and decorate.

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

You will need:

• 115g Unsalted Butter
• 228g Coarsely chopped semi sweet chocolate
• 150g Granulated sugar
• 50g Light brown sugar
• Three large eggs
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 80g of all purpose flour, sifted
• Two tablespoons of coco powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Preheat your oven to 180.
Melt the butter and chocolate on a low heat in a medium sized saucepan, Stirring constantly about five minutes should do it.
Remove from the heat, pour into a large bowl and allow to cool.
Line a baking tin with greaseproof paper. 
Whisk the granulated sugar and light brown sugar into the chocolate mixture.
Whisk in an egg one at a time, Whisking until smooth.
Fold in the flour, coco powder, salt and the vanilla extract.
Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the side. All ovens are different to keep a close eye on it, Test it by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the brownie and if it comes out clean, its done.
Allow to cool on a wire rack and cut into neat squares, I dust mine with sifted icing sugar.

Christmas Chutney

You will need:

• One tablespoon of vegetable oil
• Two medium sized red onions, diced
• Two garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Two tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
• 200g raisins
• 150g Demerara sugar
• 150g white wine vinegar
• Tablespoon of chilli flakes
• Five to Six large tomatoes, chopped

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion over a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger and cook for a further two to three minutes.
Add in the raisins, The fruit will begin to swell.
Add sugar, vinegar and the spices, season with freshly cracked black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer over a low to medium heat for 30 minutes Keep an eye! Be careful near the end of cooking it doesn't catch , as this is when the chutney is most likely to stick.
The liquid will have reduced down and the fruit looking plump.
Add to sterilized jars and top with a greaseproof circle to cover the tops.
This should last to up to a month in the fridge , Enjoy.

My Christmas ''Kind of ''Chutney

I make this ,decant into sterilised jars , add a label on the front truing to draw some form of Christmas tree and give away as presents. It should last up to two weeks in the fridge. Its best served with cold cuts of meats, cheeses ,spread on crostini and so on.

You will need

• 1.kg of Tomatoes
• Four to Six large red onions, Sliced into wedges
• Two large sprigs of rosemary, Finely chopped
• One or Two large red chilli's, Finely chopped
• Six to Seven large red peppers cut into large chunks
• Two tablespoons of tomatoes puree
• Tablespoon of Salt
• Tablespoon of Black Pepper
• Two Tablespoons of Sugar
• Three cloves of garlic, Finely chopped

Preheat your oven to 180.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Lay them out on an oiled large baking tin.
Add the wedges of onions and chunks of red peppers.
Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, finely chopped garlic and the chopped chilli.
Add the tomato puree and toss to ensure even coating.
Cook for two and a half hours , and blend to whatever desired consistency, Enjoy!

Christmas Stuffing

For the last couple of years this sausage stuffing has made an appearance at our Christmas dinner without fail, I got the inspiration around Christmas time while watching the GoodFood channel as always.

What you will need:

• Six good quality sausages, with the casing removed of course, you can use flavoured sausages if you wish.
• Two cloves of garlic, Finely chopped
• One red onion, Finely chopped
• One white onion, Finely chopped
• Two sprigs of fresh thyme, Finely chopped
• Three sage leaves, Finely chopped
• Zest of a lemon
• Teaspoon of black pepper
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• White breadcrumbs
• Ten mushrooms, very finely chopped

On Christmas eve , I start this stuffing off I start by cooking two onions in a large saucepan and cook until soft this should take about 10 to 15 minutes on a medium to low heat.
Next add garlic, finely chopped mushrooms and your finely chopped herbs and cook for a further 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the lemon zest and season, this part is optional but I sometimes add the breadcrumbs to the mixture and cook down a little bit.
When cooled add to the fridge, The next day, remove the sausage meat from the casings and mix with the onion mixture and the bread crumbs.
The only way to do this is to mix well with your hands to make sure its combined well.
Lay out a large sheet of tin foil and roll out the stuffing into a sausage shape and roll until its tightly secure.
Pop into the oven for 40 to 50 minutes.

Scotch eggs

You will need:

• 4 eggs
• 275g Good quality sausage meat
• One teaspoon of fresh thyme, finely chopped
• One teaspoon of fresh parsley , finely chopped
• One spring onion, very finely chopped
• 125g Of plain flour, seasoned
• One egg, Beaten
• 250g Breadcrumbs
• Salt & Black pepper to taste
• vegetable oil for frying

Place the eggs , still in there shell in a pan of water.
Place over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
Drain and refresh eggs under cold water, remove from shell.
Mix the sausage meat, with finely chopped thyme, parsley, spring onion and season well with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Divide sausagemeat mixture into four and flatten out on a clean surface into ovals about 12cm long and 8cm at the widest point.
Roll the boiled egg in the seasoned flour.
Place each egg onto a sausage meat oval, then wrap the sausage meat around the egg, ensuring the coating is smooth and completely  covering the egg.
Dip each meat coated egg in beaten egg , covering the entire surface area.
Roll in breadcrumbs to coat completely .
Heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan to 180!
Carefully place deep scotch egg into the oil and deep fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden ,then transfer to a preheated oven to 25 to 30 minutes.
To serve cut in half and season with rock salt.

Bakewell Tart

For the short crust pastry

• 175g Plain Flour
• 75g Chilled Butter
• Two-Three Tablespoons of water

For the filling

• One to Two tablespoons of raspberry jam
• 125g Butter
• 125g Caster Sugar
• 125g Ground Almonds
• One Egg, Beaten
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Almond Extract
• 50g Flaked Almonds (optional)

For the icing

• 80g Icing Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of water

To make the pastry
To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing to form a soft dough.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 20cm/8inch flan tin. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Preheat the oven to 200

Line the pastry case with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and cook for a further five minutes to dry out the base.

For the filing, spread the base of the flan generously with raspberry jam. Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and then stir in the sugar. Add ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Pour into the flan tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds seem to be browning too quickly, cover the tart loosely with foil to prevent them burning.

Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in cold water and transfer to a piping bag.
Once you have removed the tart from the oven, pipe the icing over the top, giving an informal zig zag effect.

Beetroot Relish

What you will need

• 1kg of beetroots, cooked, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 800g onion, finely chopped
• 225g caster sugar
• One tablespoon of rock salt
• One teaspoon of ground allspice
• 500ml Malt vinegar

The beetroot I used for this recipe was from my back garden that I grew myself, but you can purchase beetroot from farmer's markets, supermarkets ect.

I started off by washing and scrubbing them in cold water, Cleaned the tips by only slightly and neatly cutting them. Before cooking

 

Mix the chopped beetroot and onion together , add the sugar, salt and allspice and 375ml of the vinegar and put into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix together a tablespoon of flour with the remaining vinegar , whisk together well, to ensure no lumps. Add to the beetroot mixture, Stir until it is all well blended and thickened. Place into sterilized jars.

 

Flavoured Oils

These can be used on salads, finishing off dishes, cooked meat and fish.

Herb Oil

Makes 250ml

• 25g  Fresh flat leaf parsley
• 10g Chives
• Basil Leaves
• Fresh spinach
• 250ml Vegetable oil

Blanch the herbs and spinach for 1 minute in boiling water.
Remove, Drain well , place with the oil in a liquidiser and blitz until combined.
Pass through muslin cloth and store in sterilized long neck bottles.


Mint Oil

Makes 150ml

• 100g Mint
• 150ml Oil
• Three tablespoons of salt

Blanch mint in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Refresh and squeeze the water out.
Place in blender and slowly add the oil.
Allow to se overnight and decant into bottles.


Garlic Oil

Makes 250ml

• 250g of vegetable oil
• Three tablespoons of crushed and chopped garlic

Heat the oil in a pan, add the crushed garlic, heat until the garlic has become golden in colour and then allow to cool.
Add to the oil.
Decant into sterilized bottles.

Vanilla Oil

Makes 200ml

• 200ml vegetable Oil
• Five whole, vanilla pods
• Two , Vanilla pods used
• 50ml of Vanilla extract

Warm the oil to about 60c or there about.
Add the vanilla , To extract most flavour from the vanilla, Scrape the seeds out!
Decant into sterilized bottles.

Smoked Salmon Quiche

What you will need

For the pastry

• 225g Of ready made short crust pastry
• One egg, beaten

For the filling

• 175g of chopped smoked salmon
• 100g of smoked bacon lardons
• Three free range eggs, beaten
• One tablespoon of freshly chopped dill
• 200ml of Crème faiche
• One medium sized onion, diced
• Two medium sized red peppers, roasted and sliced thinly

Preheat your oven to 180
Roll out your short crust pastry on a floured surface until it is slightly larger than a 25inch loose bottomed cake tin.
Line the tin with some grease proof paper, or grease with some butter.
Prick the base of the pastry with a fork, line pastry case with greaseproof paper and dried beans, and bake for 20 minutes.
While your  pastry is baking, Add your bacon lardons to a medium sized frying pan and cook until crispy, Add your diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes alongside with half a clove of finely minced garlic. set aside to cool
Remove the greaseproof paper with the dried beans. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl combine the crème fraiche , 3 eggs, seasoning, smoked salmon and bacon  and onion mixture. Mix well.
Pour the filling into the pastry case, Season with black pepper and add sliced roasted red peppers on top.
Transfer the quiche to the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, Until the egg mixture has set.
Allow to cool , Serve with a dressed side salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butternut squash Soup with Rosemary Roasted Almonds

You will need:

• Two large leeks, Washed, First couple of layers removed sliced lengthways and then sliced thinly
• Two medium sized butternut squash's, Outer skin removed and sliced then cubed into 1cm dice
• A sprig of fresh thyme
• A pinch of cumin powder
• Half a teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• Two tablespoons of Vegetable oil
• Two pints of organic chicken stock, This makes a large batch of soup

For the roasted almonds you will need:

• Half a cup of flaked almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• One teaspoon of Olive Oil
• 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary chopped very finely

Heat a large saucepan with two tablespoons of vegetable oil on a medium heat and sweat down the thinly sliced leeks with fresh thyme. Sweat down for 10 minutes until soft.
Add the butternut squash and cook for a further 10 minutes with salt, pepper and cumin powder.
Boil a kettle and dissolve two pints of chicken stock in a large jug, I add One organic chicken stock cube and half of an other one.
Simmer for 25 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.

To make the roasted almonds , Preheat your oven to 180.
 Simply measure half a cup flaked almonds in a small ceramic oven dish.
Season with salt, pepper and finely chopped rosemary and olive oil mix to ensure even coating
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, but keep an eye out as these can burn easily, You want them to be crispy!

Remove your soup from the hob and simply blend to your desired consistency, Remove the almonds from the oven.
Pour into bowls and scatter with a drizzle of natural yoghurt, Or coconut milk and scatter on the crispy almonds.

Crispy Chilli Beef

You will need:

•  350g Minute Steak, cut into thin strips
• Three tablespoons of corn flour
• Two teaspoons of  Chinese Five Spice
• 100ml Vegetable oil
• One red chilli, Finely chopped
• Four spring onions, Sliced
• Two garlic cloves, Crushed and finely minced
• Thumb sized piece of ginger, Grated
• Two tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
• Two tablespoons of dark soy sauce

Served with cooked noodles

Put the beef in a bowl and toss in the corn flour and five-spice.
 Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp. Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but one tablespoon of oil.

Add the half the chilli, the white ends of the spring onions, garlic and ginger to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 minutes to soften, but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.
Mix the soy, chilli sauce and ketchup in a jug with 2 tablespoons of water, then pour over the veg. 
Simmer for 2 , then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.
Serve the beef on noodles scatter with the remaining chilli and the green parts of the spring onions.

Basic Ingredients for Cooking Chinese Food at Home

Soy Sauce
Great for seasoning dishes instead of using salt it gives a richer flavour to dishes and adds colour. Can be used in marinades, for dressings and dipping sauces.

Rice Vinegar
A mild vinegar , Great for marinades, dipping sauces and making vinaigrettes.

Fish Sauce
Smells horrendous to say the least but is a must have for Thai cooking and for stir fry's

Chilli Sauce
 An easy way to add heat to dishes or even sweetness if depends on the sauce your using. Used in marinades and as a dipping sauce.

Oyster Sauce
A sweet and savoury thick sauce which adds a great flavour to Chinese cooking only small amounts is needed as using too much can overpower a dish easily. There is also vegetarian versions of this sauce made from mushrooms.

Coconut Milk
A creamy and rich canned coconut milk adds a wonderful flavour and smooth texture to curries, soups and marinades.

Fresh Ginger
You can grate it , cut it into matchsticks or mince it adds freshness to dishes and is also very good in marinades. They also say fresh ginger, garlic and spring onion is the holy trinity of Chinese cookery!

Rice Wine Vinegar
Only small amounts are needed to add a completely different flavour to stir frys, soups , noodles and simmering sauces. Its a staple in Chinese cooking.

Limes
Cuts the dish and balances out the flavours, they add freshness and a lightness to dishes and are also used a lot in marinades.

Curry paste
Made from several ingredients such as lemongrass, garlic, chilli and so on, a teaspoon or more of curry paste are essential in Thai curries. It comes in both a red and green paste.

Rice
Traditionally known as the main accompaniment with Asian food, there are many types of rice long grain, short grain, wholegrain, wild rice, brown rice, basmati rice.

Coriander
Many people aren't a fan of coriander because of its lemony earthy flavour and slightly fruity flavour. But coriander is one of the main herbs used extensively in Asian cookery.

Chinese Five Spice
One of my favourite spices to use when stir frying , marinating or making Chinese broths. Its made up of five spices... It consists of Star Anise , Fennel , Clove , Black Peppercorns and Chinese Cinnamon .

Spicy Falafels

You will need

• One red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• One teaspoon of cumin powder
• One teaspoon of ground coriander
• One garlic clove , minced
• Juice of half a lemon
• Handful of chopped parsley
• 400g can of chickpeas , Washed and drained

Wash and drain the chickpeas.
Simply blend all ingredients together in a food processer until it looks like a textured paste.
Form into small ball shapes and roll in a couple of tablespoons of flour, and shake off the excess this will ensure a crispy coating when frying.
Put in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up.
Add 3 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan , and cook for three minutes until golden and brown. You can also bake these....

Chilli Pickle

You will need

• A sterilized jar
• Chilli's, finely chopped, as much as you have
• Three tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• One teaspoon of rocksalt

Simply sterilize the jars in hot boiling soapy water, followed by leaving in a hot oven for 20 minutes...
Finely slice the chilli's of your choice , Place in jar alongside some  rock salt and white wine vinegar.
Leave to infuse for about a week and it should last you a couple of months in the fridge.

Rhubarb Crumble

You will need

• 200g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 150g unsalted butter
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 500g rhubarb sliced
• One tablespoon of strawberry jam

I like to start off by poaching the rhubarb for 5 minutes in one cup of caster sugar and enough water to cover the rhubarb but this is optional.
Put the flour and salt in a bowl , Add the butter and rub with the fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in 150g of the sugar.
Mix together the rhubarb, the remaining sugar and one tablespoon of strawberry jam.
Tip into a buttered dish.
Sprinkle over the topping and cook in a preheated oven at 200 for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
Serve hot

Spicy Pitta Crisps

You will need

• Four pitta breads cut into wedges
• Two tablespoons of cumin seeds
• One red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Some chopped coriander for garnish
• Half a teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper

Cut the pitta breads into wedges and put on a baking tray, season with salt , pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Bake for 5 minutes or until crisp be careful as these burn easily!
In a dry hot frying pan add two tablespoons of cumin seeds and toast for 30 to 40 seconds.
Then crush in a pestal and mortar until a fine powder , or depending on the texture you prefer.
When the pitta breads are crisp, Season with the ground cumin and slice one red chilli and scatter on top with some freshly chopped coriander, Serve with hummus and various dips.

Spiced Courgette Fritters with Mint Yogurt Dipping Sauce

You will need:

• Two medium sized courgettes ,Grated
• Four spring onions, Thinly sliced
• One clove of garlic , Finely minced
• One red chilli, Deseeded and finely chopped
• One teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• Half a teaspoon of cumin powder
• Half a teaspoon of paprika powder
• One egg , Beaten
• Three tablespoons of plain flower
• Two mint leaves
• Three tablespoons of natural yogurt
• A small handful of fresh parsley

Grate two medium sized courgettes on a box grater.
Put your grated courgette, thinly sliced spring onions, chopped red chilli, minced garlic ,spices and seasoning into a large bowl and mix well.
When combined , Beat one large egg in a separate bowl and add to the mix along side with three tablespoons of plain flour.
Form small patties you should get about 10 out of this mix.
Heat a large frying pan with two tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Fry the courgette fritters for 2 to 3 minutes a side until , golden and crispy.
Drain on kitchen paper.
To make the dipping sauce, Simply chop two mint leaves and a small handful of fresh parsley ,season with some pepper and add two three tablespoons of natural yogurt.
The flowers on the plate are edible by the way so you can eat them!

Garlic and Thyme Roasties

You will need:

• Six tablespoons of vegetable oil, Or if you want to make them even nicer, use goose fat, but if your watching your weight, stay away from the goose fat.... or roast potatoes at that matter
• Four garlic cloves crushed
• A couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
• One teaspoon of salt
• One teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• You of course will need the good auld potato, I steam the potatoes for roughly 20 minutes, then I shake in the colander and allow to sit for awhile to allow the steam to evaporate.

Preheat your oven to 200.
 Take a large roasting tray and add six tablespoons of vegetable oil, crushed garlic and sprigs of thyme. Put in the oven for 10 minutes to heat the oil to ensure its piping hot.
At this stage take the roasting dish out, Please be careful! As the oil will be roasting at this stage.... see what I did there, anyway...
 After you've shaken the steamed potatoes add carefully to the hot oil.
Shaking the potatoes in the colander will ensure that your roasties will be extra crispy as the edges have created the rough surface yet remain a fluffy inside.
Bake for roughly 30 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and some freshly chopped parsley.

 

Smoked Salmon, Beetroot and Feta Cheese Salad

you will need

• One packet of fresh smoked salmon
• 1/4 a block of feta cheese, crumbled
• Handful of rocket, watercress and baby gem leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• Juice of half a lemon
• Thin slices of cucumber
• Sliced picked beetroot

I prefer to use pickled beetroot for this as I think it balances out the smokiness of the salmon and cuts through the saltiness of the feta cheese.
Simply garnish a large plate of bowl with salad greens of your choice, squeeze juice of half a lemon and season with black pepper.
Layer the smoked salmon on top and crumble over the feta cheese.
Slice the beetroot and scatter on top!

Spicy Chicken and Prawn Stir Fry

You will need

• Two large chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• One cup of defrosted prawns
• Two garlic cloves finely minced
• One inch of grated fresh ginger
• Three tablespoons of light soy sauce
• One tablespoon of red curry paste
• One packet of egg noodles, cooked according to instructions
• Broccoli florets, strips of julienne carrots, or whatever vegetable you'd prefer  
• A bunch of finely sliced spring onions
• One teaspoon of Chinese five spice

Cook your noodles according to packet instructions.
Cut chicken into thin strips , marinade chicken strips with a teaspoon of Chinese five spice, and tablespoon of soy sauce.
Heat a wok to a medium to high heat, add your carrot and chicken and cook until chicken is fully cooked through this should take roughly 5 to 6 minutes.
Add your garlic,ginger, soy sauce and  along with a tablespoon of red curry paste.
For the last 10 minutes, add one cup of prawns, broccoli and then add the noodles, to allow the noodles to absorb the flavour.
Scatter with freshly sliced spring onions and sesame seeds

Popcorn Chicken

What you will need for the seasoned flour

• One cup of flour
• One teaspoon of salt
• One teaspoon of black pepper
• One teaspoon of chili powder
• Half a teaspoon of cumin powder
• A tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
• A tablespoon of freshly snipped chives

The egg wash you will need

• One egg, beaten
• A tablespoon of milk

The crunchy coating you will need

• Three handfuls of crushed cornflakes

Preheat a large saucepan and fill with 1 to 2cm of vegetable oil, This should take roughly 5 to 10 minutes to heat up.
On a plate place all seasoned flour ingredients and mix well.
In a separate bowl add one beaten egg alongside with a tablespoon of milk.
On another place get 3 handfuls of cornflakes and crush! yes cornflakes
Dredge the chunks of chicken in the seasoned flour, egg wash and then the crushed cornflake mixture, repeat this method until you have used up all the chicken.
Fry for five minutes, they wont take long as the chicken is cut into bite sized chunks.
I like to serve these with a spicy dipping sauce and a squeeze of lemon.

Roasted Tomatoes with Mozzarella

You will need

• Six large tomatoes ,sliced thinly
• A bag of fresh spinach
• One ball of mozzarella, thinly sliced
• Four tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• One tablespoon of olive oil
• One teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• A handful of fresh basil

Preheat your oven to 200 , Lay out your thinly sliced tomatoes with season with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil, at this stage I like to crush a bit of dried sage on them or thyme but its not essential bake for 15 minutes.
In a bowl lightly drizzle the spinach with olive oil , balsamic vinegar and season with black pepper.
Cut the mozzarella into thin slices, or tear into chunks for a more rustic appearance.
Tear the basil and scatter around the your choice of serving dish, Place roasted tomatoes on top.

 

Pizza Puff Pinwheels

You will need

• One shop bought packet of puff pastry, in my opinion life is far too short to make it but each to their own
• A ball of fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks
• 4-5 leaves of fresh basil, torn
•   Four sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• A handful of freshly chopped parsley
• One tablespoon of cream cheese
• Two tablespoons of pasta sauce, or make your own like I did
• salt and pepper
• egg, for the egg wash

Preheat your oven to 180.
Roll out your puff pastry and spread one tablespoon of cream cheese and homemade pasta sauce.
Season with lots of black pepper and fresh herbs.
Scatter with chunks of torn mozzarella and finely chopped sundried tomatoes.
Roll the puff pastry into a log shape and to hold its shape make sure you mark it with a knife it will prevent it from falling apart.
Cut into 2cm slices and place down on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash.
Bake for 14- 18 minutes.

Spatchcock Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon

you will need

• 1 spatchcock chicken
• Three long sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Juice of one lemon, plus more to serve
• One red onion thinly sliced
• 100ml Olive oil
• Salt

Its best to marinade the chicken the night before as it will absorb more flavour

To spatchcock a chicken , first take the chicken breast side down, cut though all along the one side of the backbone. Then cut along the other side of the back bone, remove this. Turn the bird the other way around and press down as you open it out.

Put the spatchcock chicken onto a large chopping board season with salt and pepper, finely chop your rosemary and scatter onto the chicken.
Thinly slice one red onion and also rub on the chicken along side with 100ml of olive oil and lemon juice.
Leave overnight in a freezer bag in a roasting dish just in case the bag bursts.
Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow the chicken to come to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 200.
Lay the chicken skin side up on a tin lined with foil, along with lemon wedges in the roasting dish.
Peirce the chicken with bamboo sticks which have been soaked in warm water for up to 30 minutes and set in place to keep the chicken flat.
Cook for about 45 minutes the chicken should be tender and the skin crisp.
Pour over any remaining juices in the roasting dish cut the chicken into four pieces.
Serve with a tossed green salad.

Mint Scented Hot Chocolate Mousse

I was recently at a Phelim Byrne cookery demonstration so I can't take credit for this recipe as my own but its  a simple gorgeous desert.
You will need

• 250g dark chocolate, melted
• Four egg whites
• 200g caster sugar
• A touch of crème de menthe, which is to you and a peppermint flavoured liquor, I didn't have that so I just left it out 

In a clean mixing bowl add the egg whites and half the sugar, beat until light and shiny, then add the rest of the sugar and beat till thick and smooth.
Add the melted chocolate and fold the mixture till fully combined.
Put in the fridge until needed, Bake in an oven at 185 for roughly 10 minutes, it should resemble a steamed chocolate pudding and the centre should ooze melted chocolate.

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

You will need

·         tablespoons of olive oil

·         1 red onion, peeled and chopped

·         2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

·         250g of plum tomatoes, chopped

·         250g canned chopped tomatoes

·         ½ teaspoon of ground ginger

·         ½ teaspoon of chilli powder

·         40g brown sugar

·         100ml of red wine vinegar

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion , garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes then add all the tomatoes. Add the ground spices and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a food processor or blender and blend well. Sieve thoroughly to remove all the seeds. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the  sugar and vinegar. Bring to the boil and cook until it resembles the consistency of ketchup.

Bottle in sterilized bottles of jars, and put in the fridge .

Butternut Squash Curry
You will need

• One large butternut squash ,peeled and diced into about 1 cm pieces
• Three garlic cloves, peeled and grated
• One red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Two bay leaves
• One tablespoon of turmeric powder
• One teaspoon of cumin powder
• One teaspoon of garam masala
• One teaspoon of chilli powder
• One teaspoon of freshly ground cardamom seeds, If you don't have this I would use a teaspoon of lemon zest
• One red pepper thinly sliced
• Two fresh chopped tomatoes
• A pinch of sugar
• One tablespoon of freshly chopped coriander
• One chicken stock cube, dissolved in 300ml boiling water
• Two tablespoons of tomato puree
• 400ml can of coconut nut milk
• One large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced, Use the white park of the leek only

Start by frying your thinly sliced leek in a saucepan and sweat down for 2-5 minutes, Add your garlic, red chilli and bay leaves and allow to infuse the oil for a minute or so add a splash of water if the garlic is sticking to the saucepan.
Add your diced butternut squash , peppers and spices alongside with two tablespoons of tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes add a touch of water so the spices don't burn.
Add your freshly chopped tomatoes and a can of chopped tomatoes with a pinch of sugar.
I like to use both fresh and tinned tomatoes while I'm cooking, the fresh ones will obviously add a great amount of freshness to any dish, but the tinned had a lovely sweetness to any dish, the sugar will draw out the sweetness even more.
Add your chicken stock and allow to simmer for 30-35 minutes, just until the butternut squash is cooked though, but don't allow it to become very soft.
At the last 5 minutes or so of cooking add 400ml of coconut milk and remember to remove your bay leaves, Check for seasoning , I like to garnish this curry with chopped roasted cashews and serve with rice and naan bread.

 

Spicy Beef Chilli
You will need

• Two onions. chopped
• One red pepper
• Three garlic cloves, grated
• One green chilli, finely chopped
• Two bay leaves
• One tablespoon of ground cumin powder
• One  tablespoon of paprika
• One tablespoon of chilli powder
• One tablespoon of freshly chopped sage and parsley
• One chicken stock cube
• One tin of chopped tomatoes
• a pinch of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• Two tablespoons of tomato puree
• One tin of drained and washed kidney beans
• tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
• Minced beef or turkey mince

First off start by heating your saucepan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil, Add your onions and cook for 10 minutes with salt, pepper, bay leaves ,tomato puree and your ground spices. Add your red peppers and freshly chopped parsley and sage and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Brown your mince in the saucepan for 8-10 minutes.
Followed by adding a chicken stock cube, a tin of chopped tomatoes, sweet chilli sauce ,a pinch of sugar and your drained and washed kidney beans.
Simmer gently for 40-45 minutes and don't forget to take out the bay leaves when your finished cooking...

Roasted Chickpeas

you will need

• one tin of drained chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• half a teaspoon of black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

Preheat your oven to around 180, Drain your chickpeas and rinse them.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment and drizzle with olive oil.
Season chickpeas with your ground spices and make sure all chickpeas and evenly coated.
Roast for 10-15 minutes until the chickpeas are golden brown. I like to use these in salads as they add texture to the dish, or even as a snack on there own.

Egg white and honey face mask.

I know some people may not like the idea of putting raw egg on their face but egg whites in fact benefit our skin greatly, making out skin tighter and over all making the appearance of pores a lot smaller and it is said that benefits our skin and slows down aging in later life. If you have blackheads on your nose this is a great mask that targets certain areas of the face.

You will need

• 1 egg white, separate the egg white from the egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Simply mix until the egg whites and honey until the egg whites start to foam a little and apply to clean face, allow to set for about 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Face Mask

I do this chocolate mask at least once or twice a week, As dark chocolate is a natural source of antioxidants, it helps with hydration of the skin and also tightens pores. The egg white in this mask also tightens pores and leaves the face feeling fresh. The egg yolk is natures moisturizer,( that feels really cheesy saying that) I often use egg yolks and honey in my hair as it conditions the hair better than any conditioner and leaves the hair feeling very glossy and shiny. The cinnamon in this mask encourages the blood flow throughout our bodies which I suppose is a good thing... The oats will add as the exfoliator in this mask... AND it smells amazing and leaves your skin really soft enough of my ramblings.

You will need

• 1 tablespoon of dark drinking chocolate, I use Cadbury Bournville Coco powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Half a cup of porridge oats .. not cooked of course

Simply get a bowl and add all your ingredients till it forms a smooth paste, Add the porridge oats.
When I put this on I like to have my face free of all makeup up , and splash some warm water on my face or better yet, boil a kettle and sit over it with a towel over my head, whatever you do please don't put your face in it cause that's not going to end to great.
When your face is steamed and what not , put on the mask all over your face and leave on for about 15 minutes.

Brown sugar lip exfoliator.

Although I don't recommend eating this considering this is a food blog but it does use ingredients you may have at home.I do this at least one or twice a week, its cheap and it works so give it a go and leaves your lips feeling really moisturized and removes dryness.
 You will need

• One tablespoon of brown sugar
• One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Simply mix together one tablespoon of both brown sugar and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix till it becomes a paste and massage gently onto wet lips but for a more intense exfoliate use on dry lips and massage into lips for one 1 minute or until you feel its done its job.

Cream sauce with fresh herbs

I forgot to take a picture of this today , im not gonna lie the dinner was SCOFFED. But its a lovely rich sauce which complements meat extremely well and takes very little time to prepare and cook.
You will need

• one tub of mushrooms, cleaned with some kitchen paper, never wash your mushrooms as they absorb way too much water.
• 3 cloves if garlic minced
• 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced or which ever consistency you'd prefer your sauce to be.
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper and sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped oregano
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme
• 250ml of double cream

Heat a medium sized saucepan with a good glug of oil and with a pinch of sea salt add your onions and cook down on a medium to low heat  for 10-15 minutes.
Add your minced garlic , and fresh herbs to the onions and cook for a further 1 minute.
Add your sliced mushrooms to the saucepan, I like the mushrooms to be cut quite roughly as there going to shrink anyway during the cooking process, cook for about 2-3 minutes.
At this stage you could deglaze the saucepan with 100ml of white wine if you like, but as I didn't have any I just went ahead and added 250ml of fresh double cream along with cracked black pepper.
Reduce for about a minute and there's your sauce. Check for seasoning.

Chocolate Brownies

You will need

• 225 g good-quality dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
• 225 g butter
• 300 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 75 g plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180°C line the baking tin with non-stick parchment paper.

Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.

Stir constantly until it is melted and smooth.

With an electric beater, whisk the sugar and eggs together for about 2-3 minutes until pale and light.

Slowly add the melted chocolate and butter then add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk until thickened.

Lastly, add the sifted flour and baking powder and fold in gently.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes until the top is firm and the brownies have come away slightly from the sides of the tin.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cooled cut into squares and sieve icing sugar on top

 

 

Macaroons with Lemon Curd Filling!

For the macaroons you will need

• 180g Caster sugar
• 3 tablespoon of water
• 4 egg whites
• 180g ground almonds
• 180g icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 150 and line 2-3 baking sheets with baking parchment.
To make the macaroons, dissolve sugar in 3 tablespoons of water over a low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Increase the heat and allow the sugar to boil for about 10 minutes, without stirring! Until it reaches 118c ''Soft boil'' temperature.
Whisk the egg whites in a free standing mixing until they start to foam. ( I done this by hand.. YET again hint hint mammy if you see this).
Still mixing , Gradually add the sugar syrup in a steady stream until the sugar is incorporated and the egg whites form stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl , mix together the ground almonds, icing sugar 165g of the egg whites and a teaspoon of food colouring,mix together.
Pipe 5cm circles of the meringue mixture onto the baking parchment with at least 2cm gaps between them.
Leave them out for 45 minutes for the shells to dry out a little and a crust to form.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool and then gently remove them from the baking paper. Be very gentle here, they can break very easily.
While the biscuits are cooling, make the lemon curd.

You will need

• 4 egg yolks 
• grated zest and juice of 6 lemons
• 70g caster sugar
• 70g salted butter

Put the egg yolks, half of the butter, lemon juice , zest of the lemon and caster sugar into a saucepan and gently heat for 10 minutes until the curd thickens.
Strain the lemon curd into a bowl to remove the lemon zest and whisk in the remaining butter. Chill in the fridge until the curd is firm and the biscuits are cool.
Sandwich pair of macaroons with lemon curd and put them back into the fridge to chill. preferably overnight.

Pan Seared Scallops , Black Pudding and Pea Puree

you will need

• fresh scallops seasoned with lots of cracked black pepper
• Black pudding cut into 1 inch pieces
• pea puree which I already have a recipe up on
• Half a juice of a lemon

Simply heat a saucepan on a high heat.
Drizzle scallops with good olive oil and season with black pepper.
Arrange the scallops clockwise, this will make it easier to know when to turn the scallops over.
Cook for 2 minutes on each side, for the last 30 seconds or so of cooking the scallops squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the saucepan.
Simply grill the black pudding for 5 minutes each side until its cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Plate up and serve hot !

Pea Puree
You will need

• 1-2 cups of frozen peas, depending on how much your making
• 1 pint of chicken stock
• a handful of chopped fresh parsley
• Juice of one small lemon and zest
• cracked black pepper and salt to taste
• 200ml sour cream
• a pinch of chilli powder

Bring a saucepan to the boil with chicken stock, you can use water BUT chicken stock adds flavour.
Cook frozen peas according to packet instructions.
Add a handful of freshly chopped parsley.
Season with black pepper.
When the peas are fully cooked ,Drain, add to the food processer and add 200ml of sour cream and blitz till smooth, or whatever consistency you prefer.
Add the zest and juice of 1 small lemon
Season with salt and pepper and chilli powder and its done! Easy peasy.. sorry I had to do it

Blueberry and Lemon Pudding

You will need

• 25g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 250ml milk
• 250 g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons of flour, sifted
• a pinch of sea salt
• grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 100g blueberries

Preheat the oven to 200.
Grease six 200ml ramekins or teacups with butter and set aside.
Beat the egg yolks with the milk. Combine the sugar, flour and salt, then pour in the milk and egg mixture and fold in the lemon juice and zest.
With an electric beater, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold through the lemon mixture.. ( I would like to point out that I don't have an electric whisker, and I had to do it by hand which is okay cause ill have muscles in the morning)....
Pour into the ramekins and put in 4-5 blueberries into the batter.
Place the ramekins in a roasting tin , pour enough boiling water around them to reach roughly 3cm deep and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and set.
Serve with double cream and mint.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

You will need

• a chicken.... obviously :-)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• a bunch of fresh thyme
• a bunch of fresh sage
• half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper
•  a good glug of olive oil

Preheat your oven to 200.
Pat dry the chicken with some kitchen paper, this will absorb the moisture and will help the chicken crisp up nicely in the oven.
Season the chicken inside and outside!
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with 3 garlic cloves, sage ,thyme and half a lemon.
 Drizzle a good glug of olive oil on the chicken.
For the first 15 minutes of cooking leave the oven at 200, but then turn down to 180.
Depending on the size of your chicken, cooking time will vary but my chicken was cooked perfectly in 1 hour and roughly around 15 minutes. You should see clear juices running clear from the chicken. To test this simply insert a knife into between the thigh and the end of the breast, and if you see any pink or red juices , put back into the oven.
Baste your chicken with the juices in the pan whilst cooking, this will ensure moisture in the chicken, and especially as breast meat can be quite dry.
When your chicken is cooked , simply rest for a few minutes. Serve hot and Enjoy!