Blog

  • Toad In The Hole

    Toad In The Hole

    Category: Pork

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 8 sausages
    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 100g plain flour
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 1 tbsp grated horseradish
    • 225ml milk
    • 200g cherry tomatoes

    Instructions:

    Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. fry sausages in a non-stick pan until browned.
    Drizzle vegetable oil in a 30cm x 25cm x 6cm deep roasting tray and heat in the oven for 5 minutes.
    Put the plain flour in a bowl, crack in the medium free-range eggs, then stir in the grated horseradish. Gradually beat in the semi-skimmed milk. Season.
    Put the sausages into the hot roasting tray and pour over the batter. Top with cherry tomatoes on the vine and cook for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

  • Japanese Katsudon

    Japanese Katsudon

    Category: Pork

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tbs Vegetable Oil
    • 1 large Onion
    • 1 chopped Pork
    • 150ml Vegetable Stock
    • 1 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 tsp Mirin
    • 1 tsp Sugar
    • 2 Beaten Eggs
    • 200g Sushi Rice
    • Chopped Chives

    Instructions:

    STEP 1
    Heat the oil in a pan, fry the sliced onion until golden brown, then add the tonkatsu (see recipe here), placing it in the middle of the pan. Mix the dashi, soy, mirin and sugar together and tip three-quarters of the mixture around the tonkatsu. Sizzle for a couple of mins so the sauce thickens a little and the tonkatsu reheats.

    STEP 2
    Tip the beaten eggs around the tonkatsu and cook for 2-3 mins until the egg is cooked through but still a little runny. Divide the rice between two bowls, then top each with half the egg and tonkatsu mix, sprinkle over the chives and serve immediately, drizzling with a little more soy if you want an extra umami kick.

  • Dundee cake

    Dundee cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 100g Almonds
    • 180g Butter
    • 180g Muscovado Sugar
    • Zest of 1 Orange
    • 3 tbs Apricot Jam
    • 225g Plain Flour
    • 1 tsp Baking Powder
    • 3 Large Eggs
    • 100g Ground Almonds
    • 2 tbs Milk
    • 500g Dried Fruit
    • 100g Glace Cherry
    • 1 tbs Milk
    • 2 tsp Caster Sugar

    Instructions:

    Put the almonds into a small bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover. Leave for 5 mins then drain in a sieve and leave to dry.
    Preheat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a deep loose-based 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
    Put the butter in a large bowl and beat well until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest and apricot jam.
    Sieve together the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a little flour.
    Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix well. Mix in the milk and then add the dried fruit and cherries and mix gently together.
    Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon. Arrange the whole almonds close together in neat circles on the top of the cake. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.
    Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 60–80 minutes. Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake. When it’s done it should have just a few crumbs attached. Check every 10 minutes – it’s important not to overcook this cake so the centre will be a little soft.
    When cooked, remove the cake briefly from the oven, put the milk and sugar into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the top of the cake and return the cake to the oven for 2-3 mins. Remove and allow the cake to cool in the tin. When quite cold remove from the tin and wrap in foil and keep for at least 2 days before cutting.

  • Toad In The Hole

    Toad In The Hole

    Category: Pork

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 8 sausages
    • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 100g plain flour
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 1 tbsp grated horseradish
    • 225ml milk
    • 200g cherry tomatoes

    Instructions:

    Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. fry sausages in a non-stick pan until browned.
    Drizzle vegetable oil in a 30cm x 25cm x 6cm deep roasting tray and heat in the oven for 5 minutes.
    Put the plain flour in a bowl, crack in the medium free-range eggs, then stir in the grated horseradish. Gradually beat in the semi-skimmed milk. Season.
    Put the sausages into the hot roasting tray and pour over the batter. Top with cherry tomatoes on the vine and cook for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

  • Honey Balsamic Chicken with Crispy Broccoli & Potatoes

    Honey Balsamic Chicken with Crispy Broccoli & Potatoes

    Category: Chicken

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 5 Potatoes
    • 1 Broccoli
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 2 Chicken Breast
    • Balsamic Vinegar
    • Honey
    • Chicken Stock
    • 1 tbsp Butter
    • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
    • 1 tbsp Olive Oil

    Instructions:

    2 Servings

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4 servings, spread potatoes out across entire sheet.) Roast on top rack for 5 minutes (we'll add the broccoli then).

    2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces, if necessary. Peel and finely chop garlic. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and half the garlic. Microwave until garlic sizzles, 30 seconds.

    3. Once potatoes have roasted 5 minutes, remove sheet from oven and add broccoli to empty side; carefully toss with garlic oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4 servings, add broccoli to a second sheet.) Continue roasting until potatoes and broccoli are browned and crispy, 15-20 minutes more.

    4. While veggies roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. (If chicken browns too quickly, reduce heat to medium.) Turn off heat; set chicken aside to rest. Wash out pan.

    5. Heat pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and remaining garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar, honey, stock concentrate, and 1/4 cup water (1/3 cup for 4 servings). Simmer until thick and glossy, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4). Season with salt and pepper.

    6. Return chicken to pan and turn to coat in glaze. Divide chicken, broccoli, and potatoes between plates. Spoon any remaining glaze over chicken and serve.

  • Choc Chip Pecan Pie

    Choc Chip Pecan Pie

    Category: Dessert

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 300g Plain Flour
    • 75g Butter
    • 100g Cream Cheese
    • 1 tbls Icing Sugar
    • 150g Butter
    • 200ml Maple Syrup
    • 250g Light Brown Soft Sugar
    • 100g Dark Brown Soft Sugar
    • 4 Eggs
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 400g Pecan Nuts
    • 200g Dark Chocolate Chips

    Instructions:

    First, make the pastry. Tip the ingredients into a food processor with 1 /4 tsp salt. Blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle 2-3 tsp cold water into the funnel while the blade is running – the mixture should start to clump together. Tip onto a work surface and bring together, kneading briefly into a ball. Pat into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for at least 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

    Remove the pastry from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 5 mins to soften. Flour the work surface, then unwrap the pastry and roll to a circle the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the pastry to line a deep, 23cm round fluted tin – mine was about 3cm deep. Press the pastry into the corners and up the sides, making sure there are no gaps. Leave 1cm pastry overhanging (save some of the pastry scraps for later). Line with baking parchment (scrunch it up first to make it more pliable) and fill with baking beans. Blind-bake for 15-20 mins until the sides are set, then remove the parchment and beans and return to the oven for 5 mins until golden brown. Trim the pastry so it’s flush with the top of the tin – a small serrated knife is best for this. If there are any cracks, patch them up with the pastry scraps.

    Meanwhile, weigh the butter, syrup and sugars into a pan, and add 1 /4 tsp salt. Heat until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

    Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the syrup mixture, vanilla and pecans, and mix until well combined. Pour half the mixture into the tart case, scatter over half the chocolate chips, then cover with the remaining filling and chocolate chips. Bake on the middle shelf for 50-55 mins until set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hrs before serving.

  • Vegetarian Casserole

    Vegetarian Casserole

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Rapeseed Oil
    • 1 Onion
    • 3 cloves Garlic
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • ½ tsp Cumin
    • 1 tblsp Thyme
    • 3 Medium Carrots
    • 2 small stalks Celery
    • 1 Red Pepper
    • 1 Yellow Pepper
    • 2 x 400g tins Tomato
    • 250ml Vegetable Stock Cube
    • 2 sliced Courgettes
    • 2 sprigs Thyme
    • 250g Lentils

    Instructions:

    Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions and cook gently for 5 – 10 mins until softened.
    Add the garlic, spices, dried thyme, carrots, celery and peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
    Add the tomatoes, stock, courgettes and fresh thyme and cook for 20 – 25 minutes.
    Take out the thyme sprigs. Stir in the lentils and bring back to a simmer. Serve with wild and white basmati rice, mash or quinoa.

  • Croatian Bean Stew

    Croatian Bean Stew

    Category: Beef

    Area: Croatian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cans Cannellini Beans
    • 3 tbs Vegetable Oil
    • 2 cups Tomatoes
    • 5 Challots
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • Pinch Parsley
    • 1/2 kg chopped Chorizo

    Instructions:

    Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until tender. Take a pot, empty the beans together with the vegetables into it, put the sausages inside and cook for further 20 minutes on a low heat. Or, put it in an oven and bake it at a temperature of 180ºC/350ºF for 30 minutes. This dish is even better reheated the next day.

  • Three-cheese souffles

    Three-cheese souffles

    Category: Miscellaneous

    Area: French

    Ingredients:

    • 50g Butter
    • 25g Parmesan
    • 300ml Milk
    • 2 Bay Leaves
    • 5 tbs Plain Flour
    • ½ tsp English Mustard
    • Pod of Cayenne Pepper
    • 140g Gruyère
    • 3 Eggs
    • 8 slices Goats Cheese
    • 150ml Double Cream
    • to serve Spinach

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and butter 4 small (about 200ml) ramekins. Sprinkle the Parmesan into the ramekins, turning until all sides are covered. Place the milk and bay leaves in a large saucepan over a gentle heat and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 mins.
    Discard the bay leaves, add the butter and flour, and return to a low heat. Very gently simmer, stirring continuously with a balloon whisk, for about 6 mins until you get a smooth, thick white sauce. Make sure that you get right into the corners of the pan to stop the sauce from catching or becoming lumpy.
    Once thickened, transfer the sauce to a large bowl and stir in the mustard powder, cayenne pepper, Gruyère and egg yolks until fully combined.
    In a spotlessly clean bowl and with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites just until peaks begin to form.
    Carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese sauce in three stages making sure you fold, rather than stir, to keep the egg whites light and airy. Fill the prepared ramekins with the soufflé mix.
    Top each soufflé with a slice of goat’s cheese, then place on a baking tray. Bake for 20-25 mins or until springy and well risen but cooked through.
    Leave to cool, then run a knife around the edge of each dish and remove the soufflés. If preparing in advance, place soufflés upside down (for neat presentation), on a tray. Cover tray in cling film. Chill for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month.
    When ready to re-bake, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the upside-down soufflés in a shallow baking dish, top with the remaining goat’s cheese slices and pour over the cream (this stops them from drying out when baked for the second time). Cook for 8-10 mins until golden. Serve immediately alongside some simply dressed salad.

  • Shrimp Chow Fun

    Shrimp Chow Fun

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 bag Rice Stick Noodles
    • 8 oz Prawns
    • 1/2 Egg
    • pinch Pepper
    • 2 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
    • 2 tbs Cornstarch
    • 4 tbs Oil
    • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
    • 1 tsp Ginger
    • 1/2 cup Onion
    • 1 cup Bean Sprouts
    • 1/2 cup Spring Onions
    • 1 tbs Cooking wine
    • 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
    • 1/2 tbs Sugar
    • 1/2 tbs Vinegar
    • 1 tbs Soy Sauce

    Instructions:

    STEP 1 – SOAK THE RICE NOODLES
    Soak the rice noodles overnight untill they are soft
    STEP 2 – BOIL THE RICE NOODLES
    Boil the noodles for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process of the noodles.
    STEP 3 -MARINATING THE SHRIMP
    In a bowl add the shrimp, egg, 1 pinch of white pepper, 1 Teaspoon of sesame seed oil, 1 Tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon of oil
    Mix together well
    STEP 4 – STIR FRY
    In a wok add 2 Tablespoons of oil, shrimp and stir fry them until it is golden brown
    Set the shrimp aside
    Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the work and then add minced garlic, ginger and all of the vegetables.
    Add the noodles to the wok
    Next add sherry cooking wine, oyster sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame seed oil, 1 pinch white pepper, and soy sauce
    Add back in the shrimp
    To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of corn starch and 2 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your stir-fry until it's the right thickness.