Vanilla Strawberry Cupcakes

Vanilla sponge cakes with a fresh strawberry jam centre, topped with vanilla cream and fresh strawberries...yum!
The soft-set strawberry jam is not essential but it does make a lovely little surprise in the middle of the cake.  It is quick to make and great for strawberries that are slightly past their best...very good with scones too!

Makes 24 Fairy Cakes or 18 larger Cup Cakes

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Jam

400g Strawberries

100g Granulated Sugar

For the Cakes

200g Caster Sugar

200g Soft Butter

3 Large Eggs

225g Self-Raising Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

For the Vanilla (Chantilly) Cream

500ml Double Cream

1 Vanilla Pod (or 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract)

4 tablespoons Icing Sugar

6-8 Strawberries for the top
 

• To make the soft-set strawberry jam, hull the strawberries, cut them into quarters and tip them into a small pan.  Add the sugar and put on a medium heat, there is no need to add any water.  When the strawberries start to sizzle gently shake the pan to mix the sugar in with the juices.  With the heat on low-medium let the now syrupy strawberries bubble away for 15-20 minutes (stirring occasionally) until the syrup has thickened and you have a glossy, deep-red gloop.  Transfer it to a bowl to cool.
• For the cakes, preheat the oven to 175C (fan).  Whisk the butter, the caster sugar and the vanilla extract together until pale and fluffy.  Gradually whisk in the eggs and the flour alternatively with the baking powder until all combined.  Spoon into cake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
• For the vanilla cream, pour the double cream into a bowl then add the scraped out seeds of the vanilla pod and the icing sugar.  Whisk until thick and holding peaks.
• Take each cooled cake and cut a round piece out of the top, cut a bit of cake from the bottom of each piece then fill the hole with half a teaspoon of strawberry compote and put the top back on.  Do this with all of the cakes.
• Pipe or spoon the vanilla cream onto the top of the cakes then decorate with pieces of fresh strawberry.
• Serve and ideally eat on the same day.  

Griddled Halloumi with Sweet Tomato and Basil Drizzle

This is such an easy and delicious way of eating halloumi, the sweetness of the tomatoes and basil complimenting the saltiness of the cheese beautifully.
Halloumi is perfect for cooking on a barbecue and can be stuffed into a warm pita bread with this drizzly relish for a tasty meat alternative to a burger.  It makes a great light lunch or starter and is ready in minutes.
I like to use baby plum tomatoes for this and British ones are available now, but any ripe, sweet tomatoes will do.

Ingredients

250g Block of Halloumi Cheese (you should get about 10 slices)

Olive Oil

Black Pepper

About 12 Baby Plum or Cherry Tomatoes

a handful of Fresh Basil leaves

a splash of Balsamic Vinegar

a splash of Olive Oil

1 teaspoon of Light Soft Brown Sugar

(if you have thick, sweet balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze you won't need the sugar)

• Cut the halloumi into slices about 1cm thick.  Pour some olive oil onto a plate and toss the slices of cheese around in it to give them all an even coating, lightly season with black pepper but not salt.
• On a chopping board, chop the tomatoes and basil together into small pieces.  In a small bowl mix together approximately a tablespoon of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar and the brown sugar, stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Tip the tomatoes and basil, juice and all, into the dressing and give it a good mix.
• Put a griddle pan or frying pan onto a medium heat (if you are barbecuing you can put the halloumi directly onto the grill).  When the pan is hot place your halloumi slices into it and leave without moving for 2-3 minutes.  Check one slice to make sure it is deep golden brown and, if it is, turn all the slices over and do the other side in the same way.
• When all the cheese slices have a sizzling, golden crust transfer them to a large warm plate or individual ones, spoon over the sweet tomato drizzle and eat immediately while still hot.

Coronation Chicken Tartlets

These little ‘deconstructed’ coronation chicken tartlets make delicious, stylish and ever-so-slightly kitsch canapés for a drinks party.

Admittedly they are a little bit of a faff, but the two main elements of the dish, the tartlet cases and the chicken, can be prepared ahead of time...and believe me, they are worth the effort!

Makes 24 tartlets

Ingredients

For the Pastry Cases

200g Plain Flour

100g Cold Butter

Pinch of Salt

1 tbsp Poppy Seeds

4-5 tbsp Milk

1 Egg, beaten

For the Chicken

2 large or 3 small Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Garlic Clove, sliced

Fresh Juice from half a Lime

2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Runny Honey

1 tbsp Sunflower Oil

For the Sauce

4 tbsp Mayonnaise

4 tbsp Natural Greek Yoghurt

1-2 teaspoons Mild Curry Powder

1 tbsp Mango Chutney

A bunch or two of Red Seedless Grapes

Fresh Coriander, chopped

• Thoroughly butter the cups of two bun tins (this makes 24 pastry cases).
• Tip the flour and salt into a bowl and, using a coarse grater, grate in the butter.  Cut through it a few times with a table knife to combine (there is no need to rub the butter in) then add the poppy seeds and stir.  Add the milk, a spoonful at a time while stirring with the knife until it all easily comes together into a ball.  Take it out of the bowl and wrap in cling film, put it in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).  Sprinkle the work surface with flour and put the ball of pastry dough onto it.  Sprinkle flour over your rolling pin and roll out the pastry, moving it around every couple of rolls so that it doesn’t stick.  Try to roll it out as thinly as you can, it should ideally be about 2mm thick.  
• Take a round pastry cutter (you can use a glass tumbler or plastic cup if you don’t have one) and dip the edges into some flour.  Cut out circles of pastry and place each one directly into the buttered cups of your bun tin, pushing it gently into the edges.  When you have cut as many circles as you can, squash the dough back together and roll it out again, keep going until you have 24 pastry circles in your bun tins.
• These pastry circles now need to be weighed down as they bake.  To do that, cut out squares of baking paper and place one onto each pastry cup, then weigh them down with a small handful of ceramic baking beans or any dried beans (I use dried lentils).
• Blind bake the pastry cases in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Take them out and remove the beans and baking paper.  Brush them with beaten egg and put them back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden brown.  Leave them in the tins until they have gone cold and crisped up, then carefully remove them.  They can then be stored in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble the tartlets.
• For the chicken, mix the soy sauce, honey, oil, lime juice and garlic in a bowl.  Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthways and put the wide strips into the bowl with the marinade.  Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for 1-2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 200C (fan).  Take the chicken out of the marinade, place it on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes until cooked through and glossily browned.  Put it aside to cool.
• To make the sauce simply mix together the mayonnaise, yoghurt and mango chutney then add the curry powder to taste.
• To assemble the tartlets, put a generous teaspoon of the sauce at the bottom of each pastry case.  Slice the cold chicken into centimetre thick pieces and put 2-3 small slices in each case.  Top with a few pieces of grape and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.  Serve within an hour or two of assembling the tartlets. 

Blue Cheese and Mushroom Tart

The combination of mushrooms and blue cheese is a classically delicious one and works perfectly in a tart.

I love the rich, meaty portabello mushrooms in this, they stand up well to the blue cheese.  For that I like a creamy blue such as Stilton or Saint Agur, if you like a stronger cheese you can use one with a bit more poke such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort. 
I think this is just perfect served warm or at room temperature with a simple leafy salad.

Ingredients

200g Plain Flour

100g Butter

Pinch of Salt

4-6 tablespoons Milk

4 Large Portabello Mushrooms, roughly chopped (Approx. 250g)

Butter

Splash of White Wine

Salt and Black Pepper

75-100g Blue Cheese

4-5 Sage Leaves, finely chopped or a pinch of dried Sage (optional)

100ml Double or Whipping Cream

250ml Milk

2 Large Eggs plus 1 Egg yolk

• Generously and thoroughly butter a 25cm loose-bottomed flan tin and preheat your oven to 200C (fan).
• To make the pastry, put the flour into a bowl and add the butter and a good pinch of salt.  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.  Stirring with the knife then add the milk spoon by spoon until it comes together easily into a ball of dough.
• Sprinkle your work surface with flour, put the ball of dough onto it then sprinkle lightly with flour and your rolling pin too.  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 another 5 minutes.  Take it out of the oven, trim off any overhanging pastry to neaten it up and set aside, turn the oven down to 175C.
• To cook the mushrooms, put a generous knob of butter into a large frying pan to melt.  When melted and bubbling turn the heat up to high then tip in the chopped mushrooms, a splash of white wine (not essential but does add another little dimension) and a good seasoning of salt and black pepper.  Cook the mushrooms, stirring and tossing until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are dark, glossy and buttery.
• When the mushrooms have cooled slightly tip them into the tart case and distribute evenly.  Crumble the blue cheese in chunky pieces around the mushrooms then sprinkle over the sage, if using.
• In a measuring jug measure the cream and the milk then beat the eggs and the egg yolk into it.  Season with salt and black pepper then slowly pour this mixture into the tart case (to make this easier you can put the tart tin in the oven with the shelf pulled out to pour it in), transfer to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes until set and golden brown on the top.
• Leave to cool for 10-15 minutes then carefully transfer from the tin onto a plate (you can just remove the ring from the outside, leaving the tart on the bottom of the tin).

Garlic, Basil and Lime Mayonnaise

Years ago I worked in a small restaurant where they made vats of the most delicious mayonnaise which was then used for coleslaw, egg sandwiches, potato salad...the list goes on!

Ever since then I have made it many times, experimenting with different methods and flavours, this is my favourite, full of fresh, zingy flavours.

This method just requires an electric hand whisk or, if you are feeling energetic, a balloon whisk.

Ingredients

A handful of Fresh Basil Leaves (about 20)
1 Small Garlic Clove, roughly chopped
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
the juice of half a Lime (less if it's a big lime)
200ml Sunflower Oil

• If you have a pestle and mortar put the basil, chopped garlic, sea salt and pepper into the bowl and pound it to a dark green paste.  If you don't you can do this on a chopping board using a large knife to chop and squash it all together.
• Put the egg yolk into a small mixing bowl (the highest-sided bowl you have) then add the dijon mustard and the green basil and garlic paste.
• Measure the oil into a jug and have it ready next to your bowl.
• On a low speed begin to whisk the egg yolk etc. until mixed together then add the lime juice whilst whisking.  Turn the whisk to a faster setting and begin to add the oil, drop by drop.
• Continue to slowly whisk in the oil, as it gets incorporated and the mixture gets thicker you can pour the oil in faster but never faster than a thin stream.
• Once all the oil is incorporated and you have a thick, wobbly, glossy mayonnaise, check for seasoning and transfer to a bowl to serve.
• This can be kept, covered in the fridge, for up to a week.

Pizza Party

This is a great thing to do if you have friends coming round for an informal meal, especially if there are kids involved!  
You make the dough and prepare the toppings ahead of time so then everyone can make their own pizza base and choose their own toppings.
I haven't listed pizza toppings in the ingredients as it's such a personal thing.  However, I always have a bowl of tomato sauce which I make by sizzling some chopped onion and garlic in plenty of olive oil then throwing in a tin of plum tomatoes, seasoning generously, boiling for five minutes then blitzing with my hand blender (or you can sieve it).
I like to prepare a good selection of cheeses (definitely mozzarella then maybe parmesan, goats cheese or a favourite blue), meats, fish and veg and have them on plates and in bowls on the pizza making table.
All the pizzas in these pics come from this one recipe.

Easily makes enough pizzas for 4 adults and 4 children

Ingredients

600g Strong White Flour, plus extra for sprinkling

200g Semolina Flour, plus extra for sprinkling
2 teaspoons Salt

500ml Warm Water

2 teaspoons Sugar

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 sachets (7g) Fast Action Yeast

• Tip both of the flours into a large bowl and stir in the salt.
• In a jug or bowl, measure the water then add the sugar, yeast and olive oil, stir to dissolve.

• Pour the liquid into the middle of the flour stirring with a fork until it starts to come together in a dough, work the dough around the bowl to collect up all the flour.
• Liberally dust your work surface with flour and begin to knead the dough by stretching it out and folding it back in on itself repeatedly.  It will need about 10 minutes kneading until it is smooth, stretchy and not too sticky.

• Dust the bowl with flour and put the ball of dough in it, cover with cling film and leave to rise for 1 - 2 hours until doubled in size.
• When the dough is well risen uncover and punch it down to knock the air out.  This is now ready for pizza making. 
• Preheat the oven to the hottest setting, I normally do 220-230C (fan setting).

• Cut and divide the dough into as many pieces as you need.  It is surprising how a small ball of dough stretches out, a palm-of-your-hand sized ball is fine for a child's pizza and about double that for an adult.
• Put a few pizza trays or baking trays into the oven to preheat.
• For children, sprinkle an area of your table (or a couple of boards) generously with semolina flour.  Give each child a small ball of dough and let them stretch and flatten it (with small children I stretch the dough out for them) then top with sauce, toppings and cheese.  Carefully transfer the pizzas onto the preheated baking trays (sprinkle the trays with semolina first) and bake for 6-10 minutes, depending on the size and thickness, until golden brown and bubbling.
• For adults, give them a preheated tray (sprinkled with semolina) to stretch and shape their dough on directly, this makes for a crispier base.  Bake the larger pizzas for 8-12 minutes, depending on size and amount of topping.