Maple and Pecan Chicken Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

This is a simple, tasty way of cooking chicken and makes a delicious warm salad.  I also use this marinade a lot in the summer for chicken skewers on the barbecue, in a pita bread with lots of salad it makes a healthy alternative to burgers and sausages.

Honey also works well in this if you don't have any maple syrup.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

3 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 heaped tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Juice of half a Lemon

Black Pepper

4 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
 Splash of Olive Oil, Salt and Black Pepper

4 Little Gem Lettuces

100g Pecan Nuts

For the Dressing

Juice of half a Lemon
Juice of half an Orange

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp Cider Vinegar

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

5 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Black Pepper

• To make the marinade mix the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and maple syrup together and add a few twists of black pepper.  Cut the chicken breasts up into bite size pieces, put into a bowl and pour over the marinade.  Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, longer if possible.
• Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).  Put the cubes of butternut squash into a roasting tin, add a splash of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast them in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking.
• Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together, add a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper.
• Separate all the leaves from the little gems, wash and dry them thoroughly then put them into a large bowl.  Spoon over about 3 tablespoons of the dressing and toss the leaves to coat.
• Put a large frying pan onto a high heat, when it's very hot tip in the chicken with the marinade and let it bubble furiously.  Continue to cook the chicken on the high heat, turning it occasionally, while gradually reducing the liquid.  When the chicken is almost cooked tip in the pecan nuts and continue to fry, moving it all around until the juices are thick and syrupy and the chicken and pecans are browning.
• Divide the little gem leaves between four plates and top with the hot chicken and pecans then dot around the warm pieces of roasted squash.  Sprinkle with a little more dressing and serve.

Sweet and Smoky Onion and Mozzarella Tart

Making the caramelised onion bread yesterday has inspired me to appreciate the humble onion a little more in my cooking.  Although it takes a while for onions to soften to a wonderfully sweet goo, they do not require constant stirring so are pretty easy.   
Adding the smoked paprika gives this tart (oh it's a quiche, let's face it!) quite a subtle, sexy smoky edge which goes so well with the cool mozzarella.

This is using a 25cm fluted loose-bottomed flan tin

Ingredients 

For the Onions

4 Medium Onions, sliced thinly

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 tspn Sweet Smoked Paprika (Pimenton)

2 tbsp Butter

Salt and Pepper

2 tspn Light Brown Sugar 

For the Pastry

200g Plain Flour (plus a bit extra for rolling)

100g Butter

1 tbsp Poppy Seeds (optional)

25g Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated

Salt

4-6 tbsp Milk

For the Filling

350ml Milk

2 Large Eggs

A handful of Fresh Chives

25g Mature Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 ball of Mozzarella

• For the onions, melt the butter in a pan and tip in the sliced onions, garlic, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine then turn the heat to minimum and sizzle slowly for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft, gooey and sweet.  Take off the heat and set aside.  
• Preheat the oven to 200C (fan) and thoroughly butter your flan tin.
• Meanwhile, to make the pastry put the flour into a bowl and add the butter.  I must admit here that I often use spreadable because I always have that in the fridge and it makes good pastry.  I have found that the most effective method using spreadable butter is to use a table knife to cut through the butter in the flour repeatedly until it is in very small pieces, you don't have to rub it in.  If you are using hard butter, grate it into the flour and cut through lightly with a knife.  At this point add the poppy seeds (if using), the cheddar cheese and a pinch of salt.  Then stir in enough of the milk to bring it into a ball of dough.
• Sprinkle your work surface with flour, put the ball of dough onto it then sprinkle that with flour and your rolling pin.  Roll the pastry out (moving it around after each roll to prevent sticking) until it is about 4-5mm thick and big enough to fit in your tin with overlap.  Roll the pastry onto your rolling pin then transfer onto the buttered tin.  Gradually work around the tin pushing the pastry into the edges carefully to avoid tearing it (patch any holes up with spare pastry), leave a bit of pastry overhanging the edges.
• Put foil or baking paper into the pastry case and weigh it down with baking beans or any dried pulses (I use lentils!).  Put it in the preheated oven to blind bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baking beans and foil/paper and put it back in the oven for 5 minutes.  Take it out of the oven and set aside, turn the oven down to 175C.
• In a measuring jug, measure the milk then add the eggs and beat with a fork.  Add the grated cheddar and snip in the chives, season with salt and pepper, stir to combine.
• Put the caramelised onions into the pastry case and spread out evenly.  Then pour over the egg mixture and tear pieces of mozzarella onto it.  I find this stage easier if I put the tart case into the oven on a baking sheet and pull the shelf out slightly, then pour in the filling and pop in the mozzarella.   
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and set but with a bit of a wobble.  Trim the edges of the pastry then leave to cool for 15-20 minutes.  I think this is best eaten warm with a big salad.

Caramelised Onion and Chilli Bread

Making your own flavoured bread by hand is so rewarding.  This flavour combination works particularly well, the sweetness of the caramelised onion with the slight heat of the chilli...delicious.

This is really good served with cheeses, cold meats or hummus...or just munched on it's own still warm from the oven is good too!

Ingredients

500g Strong White Flour

1 heaped teaspoon Salt

340ml Warm Water

2 teaspoons Caster Sugar

15g Dried Active Yeast (or 1 sachet Fast Action Dried Yeast)

2-3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 large or 3 medium Red Onions, thinly sliced

1 Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tspn Sea Salt

1 tbsp Sugar

Half a tspn Smoked Sweet Paprika (Pimenton)

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• In a measuring jug, measure the water then stir in the 2 teaspoons of sugar and the yeast.  Leave this for a few minutes until frothy (if using fast action yeast you do not need to leave it) then pour it into the flour and mix together with a fork.  When all the flour has been incorporated into the dough tip it out onto a lightly floured work surface.
• Knead the dough for a good 10 minutes, stretching and folding back repeatedly until you have a smooth, bouncy dough.  Put this back into your lightly floured bowl, cover with cling film and leave it to rise for 1 - 2 hours until more than doubled in size.
• To make the caramelised onions put 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a pan and tip in the onions and the chilli.  Put the heat on low and add the sea salt, sugar and pimenton.  Stir it all together to combine then leave it to slowly sizzle on the lowest hob heat you have for 40-45 minutes stirring occasionally.  If, towards the end of the cooking, you feel that it is starting to catch a bit on the bottom of the pan, splash in some water.  This will prevent it from burning and help to achieve the gooey consistency of caramelised onions.  When sweet and golden brown take the pan off the heat and transfer the onions to a bowl to cool.
• Take your now risen dough and squash it down to knock out the air.  Put it back onto the work surface and flatten it out slightly.  A spoonful at a time, add the cooled caramelised onions to the dough, kneading it as you go to incorporate it all...it's a messy job!  When you have a ball of dough with all the caramelised onions incorporated into it, lightly oil a baking sheet and put the dough in the middle of it.  Set aside for up to an hour to rise again, preheat the oven to 210C (fan).
• When your dough has doubled in size again, bake it in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until dark golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped underneath.  Transfer to a board or rack to cool.

Combination Cupcakes

These little beauties are vanilla sponge cupcakes topped with white chocolate, raspberry and blueberry buttercreams.
I make a big bowl of buttercream and divide it into 3 bowls.  Stir melted white chocolate into one (I use Montezuma's giant white chocolate buttons - yum! www.montezumas.co.uk), sieved pureed raspberries into another and sieved pureed blueberries (which have been simmered for 5 minutes) into the final bowl.  The fruit buttercreams then need more icing sugar added to thicken them up again.  You can also add a few drops of food colouring to the fruit icings if you want a more vibrant colour.
Generously ice the cakes and decorate with the relevant fruit or giant white chocolate buttons.

Hot, Sweet and Tangy Chicken Rice Noodle Salad

Spring definitely seems to have sprung and it's always a welcome relief to start thinking about salads and healthier fare!

This salad really hits the spot with lots of punchy flavours and very little fat.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bitesize pieces
For the Marinade

2 tbsp Sweet Hoisin Sauce

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

Juice of one Lime

1 tbsp Sunflower or Groundnut Oil

1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
For the dressing
Juice of one Orange
Juice of one Lime
1 Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 Small Clove of Garlic, minced (I use a microplane)
1 tspn Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sunflower or Groundnut Oil

Crispy Lettuce, shredded (you need a handful per person)
2 Spring Onions, thinly sliced
2 Oranges, peeled and segmented
150g Dry Rice Vermicelli Noodles

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together and pour over the chicken pieces.  Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate, longer if you have time.
• Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
• Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes until soft, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
• Tip the cool noodles into a large bowl, add the shredded lettuce, most of the spring onion (reserving a bit for sprinkling at the end) and the orange segments then pour over the dressing and toss it all together.
• Put a large frying pan onto a high heat until hot then tip in all the chicken pieces with the marinade.  Turn the heat down to medium and sizzle the chicken, turning occasionally until brown all over.  After about 5 minutes the chicken will be almost done and the marinade will be starting to stick to the pan.  At this point add a slosh of water from the kettle to deglaze the pan, turn the heat back up to high and shake the pan around to amalgamate the water with the sticky juices.  When this has reduced to a dark syrup remove the pan from the heat.
• Divide the rice noodle salad between two large bowls and top with the hot chicken and any syrupy glaze.  Sprinkle with the remaining spring onion and serve.

Roasted Vegetable and Tuna Salad with Garlic Croutons

 This salad is full of Mediterranean flavours and great for using up any tomatoes and peppers that you may have lurking around in your fridge.  I always make the croutons with day-old french stick so they go really crunchy, they go so well with the soft roasted veg.
The roasted veg can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed then warmed through in a pan before stirring in the tuna.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 medium Red Onions, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 Yellow Pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 Red Pepper, cubed

3 Courgettes, cubed

6-8 Tomatoes, quartered and deseeded 

(I also skin them by covering them in boiling water for a minute but you don't need to)

1 Clove of Garlic, minced

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

185g Tin of Tuna Steak in Sunflower Oil, drained

1 Bag of Baby Salad Leaves

For the Croutons

About half a French Stick, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

More Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

For the Dressing

1 tspn Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

4-5 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

• Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).
• Put all the chopped vegetables including the garlic into a large roasting tin.  Drizzle with a few glugs of olive oil and season with salt and pepper then toss it all together.  Roast in the preheated oven for about an hour or until soft and slightly colouring at the edges.  Set aside to cool slightly.
• While the veg are roasting, make the croutons.  In another roasting tin, toss the cubes of bread in another few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.  Put it in the oven for about 10 minutes until the croutons are sizzling, golden brown and crunchy.
• Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together.  Put the warm roasted veg into a large bowl and flake in the tuna, stir through.
• Put a handful or two of salad leaves onto each plate and drizzle with dressing.  Divide the tuna and veg between the four plates and surround with the croutons.
• Dig in.

Cheesy Triceratops

To be honest these could just as easily be Cheesy Any-Shapes, but since I bought my Triceratops biscuit cutter (from www.janeasher.com) it strangely seems to be the favourite.  

It is well worth me saying though, that if you have two dinosaur fans eating these together you should be prepared for a certain amount of roaring and charging then the inevitable wailing of, 'My Triceratops has broken!' 

You could also make Cheese Straws with this recipe by cutting the rolled out dough in strips, brushing with egg, sprinkling with cheese then twisting.


Sorry about the picture, I really am...I need to get out more...

Makes approximately 12, depending on the size of your cutter 

Ingredients

100g Plain Flour

50g Slightly Soft Butter

50g Parmesan Cheese, finely grated (a microplane is good)

1 tspn Caster Sugar

A pinch of Salt

Approx. 50ml Milk

1 Egg, beaten

• Put the flour and the butter in a bowl and mix with a table knife, cutting the butter as you go until it is in small pieces.  Mix in half of the grated parmesan with the sugar and salt then add enough milk to bring it all together into an easy-to-shape dough.  Form it into a ball then wrap in cling film and put it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan) and oil one large or two small baking trays. 
• Lightly flour your work surface and unwrap your dough onto it.  Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin then roll it out, moving it around every few rolls so it doesn't stick, until it's about 5mm thick.  
• Shuffle your cutter around in some flour and start to cut shapes out of the dough, squashing it back together and rolling out again as needed.  Place them onto the oiled baking tray and brush with egg then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until just starting to turn golden at the edges.
• Leave them to cool and firm up slightly before carefully transferring them (I use a palette knife as there tends to be a bit of sticking cheese) onto a plate or rack. 

Tier It Up!

This is my Chocolate and Raspberry Cream Layer Cake with the quantities doubled and baked in different sized tins.  
I have placed the top layer off-centre and sandwiched the two cakes together with the raspberry cream so it is sliced as a whole cake in thin slices.  Also, doubling the raspberry cream quantities leaves some left over after sandwiching which is great in a bowl served along side the cake...yum.

This will serve 20 people so great for a special occasion!  Please see my blog from the 8th of March for the recipe.

Creamy Colcannon Potato Gratin

What to cook on St Patrick's day?  I love dauphinoise potatoes and I love colcannon so why not combine an idea of the two?  
It's a triumph of luxurious loveliness...not particularly slimming but never mind, we can eat salad tomorrow!  This is wonderful as a side dish or particularly comforting just on its own. 
   

Serves 8 as a side dish or 4 in a more central role

Ingredients
About a kilogram of Potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly 
1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
Half a Large Green Cabbage, thinly sliced (Sweetheart is good but any can be used)
A splash of White Wine (couple of tablespoons)
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Knob of Butter
Drizzle of Olive Oil
300ml Double Cream (or a mixture of cream and milk)
200g Mature Cheddar, grated (Gruyere is also good)
Salt and Pepper

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan).
• Put the potato slices in a large pan of water and just bring to the boil, turn off the heat immediately and drain into a colander, leave to dry.
• Put a large frying pan onto the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and the knob of butter.  When melted, tip in the sliced onion and sizzle on a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft then add the cabbage and the minced garlic.  Splash in the white wine and allow to bubble away for a few minutes then pour in 250ml of the double cream (or the cream/milk mixture).  Bring it back up to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes, season generously with salt and pepper.
• In the bottom of a large oven proof dish spread out a spoonful of the cabbage mixture, sprinkle with a handful of cheese then put on a thin layer of potatoes.  Continue to layer the potato slices, cheese and creamy cabbage finishing with a layer of potatoes on the top.  Pour the remaining 50ml of cream over the top, sprinkle with cheese then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cook in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown.  It's also good to check the potato is soft by inserting a knife into the middle of the gratin, if the potatoes seem at all firm, pop it back in the oven for 10 minutes (you can cover it with foil if you're worried about the top browning too much).

Orange Glazed Chocolate Pie

I accept that this isn't the most sophisticated of desserts in terms of it's ingredients, but it is so easy to make and, more importantly, tastes delicious.
I love the tangy orange glaze on the top to counteract the sweetness of the chocolate, however if you want to make it more speedy but just as fabulous, you can just top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries or raspberries.

Ingredients

200g Bourbon Biscuits
90g Butter, melted 
(if you don't have a digital scale weigh out just slightly under 100g)
150g Marshmallows
200g Dark Chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
200ml Double Cream


For the Orange Glaze
125ml Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
1 and a half Leaves of Gelatine
25g Sugar
Peeled zest of 1 Orange 
Squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice

• Smash the biscuits into crumbs, either do this in a food processor/mini chopper or put in a bag and bash with a rolling pin.  Pour in the melted butter, mix thoroughly then tip into a spring form tin (approx. 20cm diameter).  Smooth it out and press into the tin with the back of a metal spoon so you have a smooth, even base.  Put it into the fridge to firm up.
• To make the filling, break the chocolate into small pieces and put in a bowl with the marshmallows.  Put this bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and let it melt gently, stirring occasionally (either this or use the microwave but take care - only 20 second bursts).  When totally molten and smooth (if it stiffens up it could be because it has got a bit too hot, slosh in a tablespoon or two of milk to loosen up), take the bowl out of the pan and set aside for a minute.
• In another large bowl, whisk the cream until softly whipped then fold the chocolate mixture into it.  When the mixture is smooth and the cream is totally incorporated, spoon it over the chocolate base, smooth the top then put it back in the fridge.
• For the tangy orange glaze, I like to peel the zest off the orange in large pieces with a peeler so it can be easily picked out, however if you don't mind little bits of zest in the finished glaze, feel free to use a zester.  Put the gelatine into a small bowl and cover with cold water to soften.  Pour the orange juice into a pan with the sugar and the orange zest and slowly heat up until the sugar is dissolved and it is almost boiling, but not quite.  Take it off the heat then add a squeeze of lemon and stir in the now soft gelatine.  Stir until the gelatine has dissolved then remove the zest.
• Taste the glaze and add more lemon juice if you want more of a tang, stir to cool slightly.  Pour the slightly cooled glaze over the chocolate pie and put it back in the fridge to set for about an hour.  
• It will sit quite happily in the fridge if you want to make it in advance but take it out about an hour before eating so it softens slightly.  When you want to serve it, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pie then un-clip the spring form ring carefully.  With the same knife run it between the biscuit base and the base of the tin to loosen and gently slide the pie onto the plate.

Plaited Poppy Seed Milk Loaf

This is an impressive-looking loaf with a glossy, golden brown crust and a beautifully soft and airy interior.  Of course there is no need to bother with the plaiting if you don't want the faff but it does look great and isn't very difficult...I promise!

Ingredients

500g Strong White Flour

1 tspn Salt

250ml Milk

70ml Hot Water

1 tbsp Caster Sugar

3 tbsp Melted Butter

1 sachet (7g) Fast Action Yeast
1 Egg, beaten
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• In a measuring jug, measure the milk then the water and add the sugar, yeast and melted butter, stir to combine.
• Stirring with a fork, pour the liquid into the flour and work it together until it starts to form a dough.  With your hands now, knead the dough in the bowl to incorporate all the flour.  
• Transfer the dough to your work surface, you shouldn't need to sprinkle it with flour but do if you feel it's really sticky.  Knead the dough by stretching it out and folding it back energetically for about 10 minutes until you have a springy dough which has lost most of its stickiness.
• Lightly flour the bottom of your bowl and put the ball of dough back in, cover with cling film and leave for 1-2 hours until it's doubled in size.
• When risen take the dough out of the bowl and knead it a bit to knock out the air and incorporate any flour from the bowl.  Split the dough into three equal pieces (you can weigh it if you want to be exact) and roll each one into a long sausage shape.
• Lightly oil a baking tray and put the three long pieces of dough next to each other on it.  Squash the pieces of dough together at one end and fold under to neaten it up.  Now plait the pieces over each other and, when you get to the end, squash the remaining dough together and fold under again so you have a neat plait.
• Brush with the beaten egg and lightly cover with cling film, this needs to rise again for about an hour or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 210C (fan).  When the dough is risen again, gently brush again with the egg (the double egg wash creates the deep golden brown glossy sheen) and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until deep golden and smelling wonderful.  Loosen the loaf underneath with a palette knife or similar (it may be sticking slightly due to the egg) and transfer carefully to a board or rack to cool.  The crust will soften as the loaf cools.

Trinidad-Style Soy Chicken

My cousin-in-law's partner is from Trinidad and whenever we all get together I always manage to wangle a cookery lesson and I love every minute of it.       

This is such a tasty dish which uses a surprising amount of soy sauce...it works so well though!  Except for the marinating time, it's so quick and easy to make, served simply with basmati rice (although you can make it a bit more luxurious by serving it with rice and peas - basmati rice and red kidney beans cooked in coconut milk).

In Trinidad they always use meat on the bone so this is a slightly Anglicised version.

Ingredients

Approx. 1kg Boneless and Skinless Chicken Thighs

3 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Oil, for the marinade

1 tspn Ground Coriander

2 Cloves Garlic, sliced
2 tbsp Oil, for frying
1 Onion
1 tspn Dried Thyme (or fresh if you have it)
1 tspn All Spice
3 more tbsp Soy Sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Ripe Tomatoes, cut into sixths

• Cut the chicken thighs into large pieces and put them into a bowl.  Add the soy sauce, garlic, ground coriander and the (1 tbsp) oil and mix thoroughly.  Cover and allow to marinate in the fridge for a few hours, or longer if you have the time.
• When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the chopped onion.  Add the thyme and allspice and fry the onion until soft.
• Tip the chicken with it's marinade into the frying pan with the onion and fry on a high heat for 5 minutes, turning the chicken to seal it.  Pour in the rest of the soy sauce and turn the heat down.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is syrupy.  Add pepper to taste.
• Add the tomatoes and bubble for a few minutes then turn off the heat (the tomatoes should retain their shape).
• Serve with rice...fantastic!

Chicken and Vegetable Parcel

This is a great, speedy way of using up your leftovers if you have lots.  It's worth making extra gravy and doing a few too many vegetables for your Sunday roast so you can have this easy meal on Monday...

Ingredients (more of a vague guide!)

I sheet of Ready-Rolled Puff Pastry

I Onion, chopped

A few rashers of Smoked Bacon

Any leftover cooked vegetables

Any leftover cooked chicken

Olive Oil

Milk for brushing

• Unroll the pastry onto an oiled baking sheet.
• In a big frying pan (I use my wok) fry the chopped up onion and smoked bacon in a little olive oil until crisping up.
• Add all your leftover veg and chicken and heat through.
• Add any leftover gravy, stir through then put all the filling down the middle of the pastry.
• Snip into both sides of the pastry to make strips, brush with milk then fold them over the filling, squashing and folding them together a bit in the middle.
• Brush the whole thing with more milk then pop in the oven (about 200C) for approx. 25 mins.

Chocolate and Raspberry Cream Layer Cake

This makes a beautiful birthday cake or dessert.  Light moist chocolate cake layered with raspberry cream and enveloped in a dark chocolate ganache icing.  Go on, you know you want to...

Serves 8 generously

Ingredients

250g Caster Sugar

150g Soft Butter (spreadable is fine)

1 tspn Vanilla Extract

3 Large Eggs

200g Plain Flour

2 tspn Baking Powder

1 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda

30g Cocoa

125ml Natural Yoghurt

Pinch of Salt
For the Raspberry Cream 
200g Fresh Raspberries
250ml Double Cream
50g Icing sugar

For the Chocolate Icing
100g Dark Chocolate, chopped finely (at least 70% cocoa solids)
25g Butter
1 tbsp Golden Syrup
75ml Double Cream
100g Icing Sugar
100g Raspberries for the top

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan), butter and line a deep 20cm cake tin.
• Whisk together the sugar, butter and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time then the flour and whisk until combined.  Whisk in the baking powder, bicarb and cocoa then add the yoghurt and salt and whisk until smooth.
• Tip the mixture into the lined cake tin and smooth the top then bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.
• Leave to cool slightly then transfer the cake to a plate or rack to cool completely.
• To make the raspberry cream take the raspberries (200g) and mash them in a bowl.  Tip the mashed raspberries into a sieve over another bowl and squash it through, getting as much puree as possible.  If lots of seeds have got through sieve it for a second time.
• Whisk the cream until softly whipped then add the icing sugar and the raspberry puree, whisk again until it's the texture of a soft mousse and beautifully pink.
• Put the now cool cake upside down onto a board (if it's wonky cut a thin slice off the top to make it level) and, using a sharp knife, cut the cake into 4 layers, each about 2cm thick.  Put the bottom layer onto the plate that you want to serve the cake on and spoon on a third of the raspberry cream, spread it out with a knife.  Put on the second layer and do the same, repeat until done.  Once the top layer is on take a knife and run it around the outside of the cake smoothing any cream that may be billowing out.
• To make the ganache icing, tip the chocolate pieces with the butter and the syrup into a bowl.  Bring the cream almost to boiling point and pour it over the chocolate, stirring to melt.  If it's not totally melted you may need to pop the bowl into the microwave for 20 seconds or put it over a bowl of hot water.  When melted sieve in the icing sugar and whisk until smooth and shiny.
• To ice the cake, spoon the chocolate slowly into the middle of the cake and let it gradually run down the sides.  When all the icing is on the cake take a knife and smooth it around the top and the sides.  When you are happy with the icing decorate the top with the remaining raspberries.

Rustic Spelt Pesto Bread

Gorgeous still warm from the oven and served with a big salad or an antipasti platter for a starter or lunch...food heaven!
It is best made with home-made or fresh from the supermarket chiller pesto but it is also delicious with pesto from a jar.

Ingredients

500g White Spelt Flour (I use Doves Farm Organic)

1 Tspn Salt

310ml Warm Water 

1 Tspn Sugar

1 Sachet (7g) Fast Action Yeast

Approx. 4 Tbsp Fresh Pesto

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• In a measuring jug, measure the water then add the sugar and the yeast, give it a stir.
• Pour all the water mixture into the flour and stir with a fork until it comes together in a dough.
• Tip the dough out onto the surface and start to stretch and knead it.  It will be very stretchy and a bit sticky but keep stretching and folding repeatedly for about 10 minutes.  By now the dough will be very smooth and elastic but still a bit sticky.
• Sprinkle some flour into the bowl and put the dough back in.  Cover with cling film and leave to rise for about an hour until it's doubled in size.
• After this time, take the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead it to knock out the air bubbles and incorporate any flour that has stuck from the bowl.  Then stretch and flatten out the dough with your fists until you have a large oval.
• Spoon the pesto onto the flattened dough and (this is the messy bit!) fold the dough over and around the pesto then knead and squidge the dough until the pesto is fully incorporated.  Shape it into an oval then put it onto an oiled baking tray.
• Leave this for another hour to rise again and preheat the oven to 210C (fan).
• When risen, brush with water (this helps to achieve a crunchy crust) and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and crusty.

Thai-Inspired Chicken Noodle Broth

This is a flavour-packed, healthy noodle soup which is easy to cook and great for using up any leftover cooked chicken you may have.  Saying that, the smallest amount of chicken is fine here and quite often I make it without any at all.  

It's worth mentioning that I make this slightly differently every time, which is part of the appeal, using what I happen to have in.  You can dress it up for guests by adding pak choi, fine beans and tiger prawns or have a cheap family meal by using a pack of stir fry veg as I normally do.  

Ingredients

1.5 litres/about 3 pints Chicken Stock

1 tin of Coconut Milk

1 Red Chilli, finely chopped 

Dried red chilli flakes (optional)

8-10 Spring Onions, roughly chopped

2 tspn Ground Coriander

2 tbsp Fish Sauce (nam pla)

2 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce

2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

5 Cloves of Garlic, minced

A stalk of fresh lemongrass, chopped as finely as you can (optional) 

about an inch square of fresh ginger, minced

1 pack of mixed fresh stir fry veg

nests of dried noodle (1 nest per person)

Juice of 1-2 limes

Cooked Chicken 

More chopped spring onion for sprinkling at the end (optional)

Fresh Basil or fresh Coriander for stirring through at the end (optional)

• Pour the chicken stock into a large pan and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat down a bit and add the coconut milk, the fresh chilli, lemongrass (if using), ginger, garlic, spring onions and the ground coriander. Give it a stir.
• When the broth is simmering again put in the fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce and light soy sauce.  At this point let it simmer for a few minutes then taste....it may need a splash or two more of any of the above to balance the flavours, bear in mind though that you are going to add the lime juice at the end for that sharp hit.  This is the time to add some dried chilli flakes or more fresh chilli if you have it, it all depends how hot you like it!  
• When you're happy with the salty/sweet/chilli balance put your veg in, bring back to the boil then add the noodles.  Let it bubble away for 4 minutes, with the occasional stir to break up the noodles, then make sure the noodles are cooked through, stir through any cooked chicken and turn off the heat.  By the way, fresh spinach is really good in this but add after the noodles are cooked if using, so as just to wilt the leaves.
• Quickly squeeze in the lime juice, stirring and tasting until it's right for you, then stir through any fresh herbs (if using....basil is great, coriander more authentic but I'm not a fan).
• Pour and dollop into bowls, sprinkle over finely chopped spring onion (if using) and eat/slurp. 

Chicken, Mushroom and Tarragon Pie

A pie is such a fabulous way of using leftover roast chicken, especially if you have quite a lot left.  I always tend to make lots of gravy when we have a roast so that there will be enough for the sauce in a pie the following day, however if you don't have any you can sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms when they are frying then add some chicken stock.
I either make the pastry (as below) or buy ready rolled puff which is certainly quicker.  Also, I feel the need to justify myself here, I know that fresh herbs are preferable and dried are frowned upon, but I normally use dried tarragon for this as fresh tarragon is hard to come by in the little corner of Wiltshire where I live!

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pastry (if making)

250g Plain Flour

125g Cold hard butter

Pinch of Salt

Cold Water

For the filling

Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

I punnet of Mushrooms, sliced (approx. 250g)

Approx. 2 heaped teaspoons Dried Tarragon

(or a handful of fresh leaves)

A good squeeze of Lemon

3-4 tablespoons of leftover chicken gravy

2 tablespoons Double or Whipping Cream (optional)

Any leftover cooked Chicken, in large chunks

Half a bag of baby spinach (optional)

Salt and Pepper

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan) and thoroughly grease a round spring form cake tin.
• To make the pastry, tip the flour into a bowl and grate in the cold butter (this makes it so much easier).  Mix it with a metal knife and add enough cold water to bring it together in a workable dough.  Take the ball of pastry out of the bowl (it should really be rested for 20 minutes in the fridge now wrapped in cling film but I don't always have time and it still works).  Put it onto a floured surface and, with a floured rolling pin, roll it out until it is about half a centimetre thick.
• Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and transfer it onto the cake tin, then gently push the pastry down into the tin trying not to stretch it.  Leave the extra pastry hanging over the sides of the tin and set aside.
• To make the filling sizzle the chopped onion in some olive oil in a large frying pan then add the mushrooms, cook on a high heat.  
• When the mushrooms are cooked and not watery turn the heat down and add the gravy (or sprinkle with flour, stir in then add some chicken stock), the cream (if using), the tarragon and the lemon juice.  Bring to a gentle simmer and taste to check the seasoning then add salt and pepper.
• While the sauce is simmering, add the chicken and the spinach and stir gently until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the filling into the pastry then fold and bunch together the extra pastry making a big pouch with a hole in the middle.
• Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy and the filling is bubbling in the middle.
• Run a knife around the outside of the pastry crust to loosen it then carefully remove the outer section of the tin.  At this point you can be brave and attempt to transfer the pie onto a plate or you can play it safe like me and serve it directly from the tin base.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I would like to begin by apologising unreservedly for the spring-like optimism of my blog yesterday.  I've woken to a very cold and rainy Wiltshire today so I'm going to do a culinary back-pedal....to the ultimate cold-weather comfort pudding.
This is a recipe that was given to my mum 25 years ago by an old college friend of hers, when she made it for us I remember thinking it was the most delicious food I'd ever tasted.  Since then the Sticky Toffee Pudding has become the stalwart of every British gastro-pub's dessert menu, for good reason!

Ingredients

75g Soft Butter

175g Light Brown Muscovado Sugar

1 Large Egg

225g Plain Flour

1 tspn Vanilla Extract

1 tspn Baking Powder

175g Dates, finely chopped

1 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda

250ml Boiling Water

For the toffee sauce

150g Light Brown Muscovado Sugar

100g Butter

4 tbsp Double Cream

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan) and butter a 20cm round tin (springform if you have one). 
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl then add the egg and half the flour.  Still whisking, add the vanilla extract and the baking powder.
• In a small bowl put the bicarbonate of soda in with the chopped dates and pour over the boiling water.  Mix it thoroughly then carefully pour this into the pudding mixture while whisking slowly, then add the rest of the flour and continue to whisk until combined.
• Pour the mixture into the buttered tin and put it in the preheated oven to bake for 40 minutes.  By then it will be golden brown and risen and a skewer should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the pudding, if not give it another 5 minutes.  Keep the pudding in its tin and preheat your grill.
• To make the sauce, put all the ingredients into a small pan and put on a low heat.  Stir until all the butter is melted and the ingredients are incorporated then bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Pour half of the sauce over the pudding in the tin and put it under the hot grill for 30 seconds to a minute until it's bubbling (be very careful, it can burn quickly).  Remove from the grill and leave it to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Carefully remove from the tin (this is when the spring-form tin comes into its own) onto a plate.  Cut into slices and serve with extra toffee sauce and softly whipped cream (or ice cream....or custard....the choice is yours).

Cheesy Picnic Bread Rolls

I know it seems a little optimistic to be blogging a picnic bread roll in early March but it's getting (slightly) warmer and I'm feeling spring-like!  Obviously they don't have to be confined to only being made for picnics, feel free to make them for other occasions too.
I made these many times last summer, mixing and kneading the dough when I got up so that the rolls would be ready for lunchtime.
This time I've done a mixture of some rolls with mature cheddar and some with gruyere (and poppy seeds so I could differentiate between the two) but you can really use whatever cheese you have in.

Makes 8 rolls

Ingredients

400g Strong White Flour

1 tspn Salt

1 heaped tspn Honey

150ml Warm Water

1 sachet (7g) Fast Action Dried Yeast

100ml Milk

1 tbsp Melted Butter

3 to 4 Handfuls of Grated Cheese

• Tip the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• In a measuring jug, measure the warm water then add the honey and the yeast and stir to melt the honey.  Add the milk (up to 250ml total liquid) then the melted butter, give a quick stir then pour it into the flour bowl.
• With a fork, stir the liquid into the flour until it's coming together as a dough.
• Tip it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, stretching and folding it back repeatedly until you have a bouncy, smooth ball of dough.
• Put it back into the bowl with a sprinkling of flour to stop it sticking and cover with cling film.  Leave it for 1-2 hours to rise, until double in size.
• Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it a bit to knock out the air.  Roll into a sausage shape and cut the dough into 8 small pieces.
• Take each piece of dough and, one at a time, stretch it flat and sprinkle about a teaspoon of grated cheese onto it.  Then fold the edges of the dough back over the cheese to seal it inside, shape into a ball and place onto an oiled baking sheet.  Do this with each piece of dough until you have 8 balls evenly spaced out on your baking sheet.  Cover again loosely with cling film and leave for an hour to rise.  Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).
• When risen again, remove the cling film and brush the tops with milk.  Sprinkle generously with cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
• Leave for a few minutes then carefully loosen the rolls from the tin and transfer to a rack or board to cool.  They are gorgeous eaten still slightly warm.....