Beef Rendang

This beautiful Indonesian dish is a slow-cooked stew of beef with coconut and spices, which reduces down over hours of cooking so the meat is meltingly tender coated with a rich, aromatic sauce. 
There are lots of recipes for rendang, each differing slightly.  The constants are lemongrass, ginger, coconut, tamarind (or another sour element like lime juice) and sugar.  This is how I like to make it, relying more on the fresh 'spices' rather than going in heavy with cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds and cardamom pods.  It is best made the day before it is to be eaten.
I love to serve this quite simply with fragrant jasmine rice and maybe a steamed green veg.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

500g Chuck Steak (or any braising beef), cut into chunky pieces

1 Red Onion, roughly chopped

4 large cloves of Garlic, roughly chopped

2 Red Chillies, roughly chopped

2 thumb sized pieces of Ginger, grated (should be about 2 tablespoons)

1 stalk of Lemongrass, finely sliced

2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil

1 teaspoon Ground Coriander

Half a teaspoon Turmeric

Half a teaspoon Cinnamon

400ml Tin of Coconut Milk

4 Kaffir Lime Leaves

3 teaspoons of Tamarind Paste (or more lime juice if you can't get it)

Juice of half a Lime

Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar (palm sugar if you have it but don't buy it especially)

25g Desiccated Coconut

• Put the chopped onion, garlic, chillies, ginger and lemongrass into a blender or mini-chopper and whizz until very finely chopped.  You can do this on a board with a sharp knife if you don't have a blender.
• Pour the oil into a large saucepan and put on a medium heat.  Tip the onion paste into the oil and cook for a few minutes then add the coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and a generous seasoning of salt.  Continue to cook for another 5ish minutes until it is turning golden brown and aromatic then add the beef.
• Stir the beef to coat it in all the spicy onion mixture and seal it.  Pour in the coconut milk then add the kaffir lime leaves, tamarind paste and sugar.  Bring to the boil then turn down to the slowest simmer.
• This now needs to be simmered slowly for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure there is nothing sticking to the bottom of the pan.  If you prefer you can cook this in the oven on a low heat.
• The result you want to achieve with a rendang is to reduce the majority of the liquid until there is hardly any sauce left.  However, I like to do this in a couple of stages; when the sauce has reduced greatly and the oil begins to come out, turn the heat off and leave to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.  You should then be able to pour off most of the excess oil.  At this point it's good to taste the sauce, add the lime juice if needed and salt or sugar to balance.  You can now continue to cook the rendang or it can be chilled until you are ready to serve it.
• In a dry frying pan toast the desiccated coconut until golden brown (be careful because it burns easily) then give it a blitz in a blender. 
• When you are ready to serve the rendang put it on a low heat and, when it starts to bubble stir in the toasted coconut.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes until piping hot and serve.  

Coconut and Cherry Tart

If you like crisp pastry filled with juicy cherries and gooey yet toasty coconut, then this is the tart for you...

 

Ingredients
For the Pastry
200g Plain Flour
100g Hard Butter
25g Caster Sugar
Cold Water

 For the Cherries
250g Cherries
50g Caster Sugar
1 tablespoon Corn Flour
For the Coconut Filling
150g Caster Sugar
150g Soft Butter (spreadable is fine)
2 Large Eggs
100g Desiccated Coconut

• To make the pastry case, thoroughly butter a tart tin (approx. 25cm diameter).
• Tip the flour into a bowl then grate in the hard butter, cut through it with a knife to disperse the butter.  When it is crumbly and the butter is evenly distributed tip in the sugar then lightly mix.
• Pour in cold water, a bit at a time while stirring with a table knife until it comes together into a ball of dough.  Wrap the ball of dough in cling film or greaseproof paper then pop it into the fridge to firm up for about 20 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface (flour the top of the dough as well), move the pastry after each roll to prevent it from sticking.  Roll as thin as you can, around 2mm thick is perfect, then carefully transfer to the tin (rolling it onto the rolling pin to lift it works well).  Gently coax the pastry into the tin, pushing it into the corners.
• Leave any overhanging pastry as it is (unless there's loads, then trim it a bit).  Line the inside with greaseproof or baking paper then fill this with ceramic baking beans or any dried lentil, pea or bean.  Blind bake the case in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  After this time remove the paper and beans then put the pastry case back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
• It should now be golden brown, trim the edges and set aside until needed.  Reduce the temperature of the oven to 150C.
• While the pastry is baking make the cherry layer.  Cut each cherry in half to remove the stone and pop the fruit into a small pan with the sugar and the corn flour.  Heat it slowly, stirring to coat all the fruit with corn flour (doing this prevents lumps of corn flour).  When it comes to the boil let it bubble for a few minutes then add a tablespoon or two of water, turn the heat to the lowest then cook for about 5 minutes.  Set aside until needed.
• To make the coconut filling, whisk the sugar and the butter together until pale and fluffy then whisk in the eggs.  Tip in the coconut and whisk slowly to combine.
• Take your pastry case and tip in the gooey cherries, spread them out so they are evenly spaced across the base.  Spoon the coconut mixture over the cherries and smooth it out to the edges, covering the cherries.
• Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until it is golden brown and has lost most of it's wobble from the centre, it will still give a little if you gently poke the middle.
• Let the tart cool completely before cutting, it is better served cold.  It will last a few days stored in an airtight container.

 

'Secret Ingredient' Chocolate Cake

This is a very, very surprising cake, in the best possible way!  A rather unpromising-looking batter goes into the oven and a dark, moist, utterly delicious chocolate cake comes out. 

It is very easy to make, so great for baking with children.  And I promise you don't taste the courgette, it just helps to create the wonderful moist texture of the cake.

 

Ingredients

175g Plain Flour

50g Cocoa

200g Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinking

2 teaspoons Bicarbonate of Soda

pinch of salt

200g (ish) Courgette, topped and tailed

100ml Sunflower or Vegetable Oil

100ml Natural Yoghurt

1 Large Egg

1 teaspoon Vanilla

 

• Preheat the oven to 175C and fully line a loaf tin with greaseproof/baking paper.
• Sieve the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
• In a measuring jug measure the oil and the yoghurt then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix.
• Grate the courgette, as finely as you can, into a bowl.  Pour in the yoghurt mixture and stir to combine (warning - it does not look appetising at this point!).
• Tip the courgette mixture into the dry ingredients and fold through with a large spoon or spatula until thoroughly mixed together.
• Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared tin then sprinkle the top with 4-5 teaspoons of caster sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until risen and craggy, check that it is cooked in the middle by inserting a skewer, it should come out clean.
• Leave for 10-15 minutes to cool in the tin then transfer to a cooling rack or plate to cool completely.

Pork Satay

I like to make satay as bite-sized morsels and normally use pork loin steaks for this, with the fat cut off and sliced into thin strips then threaded onto cocktail sticks.  The tenderloin works well too, you can cut it into bigger chunks and skewer them kebab-style.
I first tried cooking the satay meat in the oven years ago when I made masses of them for a party that I was catering for and found that it worked really well.  I always use this method for nibble-sized satay but if I'm making kebabs with bigger pieces of meat I'll cook them on the barbeque or griddle pan.
This recipe can easily be replaced with chicken or (raw) prawns.  The sauce is particularly easy and so very delicious, you'll find yourself dipping lots of foods into it in addition to the satay meat just as vessels to eat more!  I must recommend dipping cucumber into it, so good!

 

 This weight of pork loin steak makes about 16 bite-sized skewers

Ingredients

For the Marinade

350-400g Pork

 3 tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce
Juice of 1 Lime
2 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
1 large (or 2 small) Garlic Clove, minced
2 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
3 Spring Onions, finely sliced
For the Satay Sauce
4 tablespoons Peanut Butter (I like crunchy but you can use smooth if you prefer)
4 tablespoons Coconut Milk
1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
Juice of half a Lime
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Red Chilli, finely chopped (less or more depending on how hot you want it

• Cut any fat off the pork and slice into thin strips, put into a bowl.
• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together then pour into the meat, give it a good stir to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour until needed.
• To make the sauce simply put all the ingredients into a small pan and slowly heat until combined and glossy, you may need to add some water or more coconut milk if it seems too thick, try not to boil as it may start to separate.  You can make this ahead of time, you will probably need to add some water when you reheat it though.
• When you are ready to cook preheat the oven to 210C.
• To cook the pork, take each piece out of the marinade and space evenly onto a large baking tray or roasting tin.  Put in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
• After this time check one to make sure they are done.  Serve with the sauce on the side sprinkled with some finely sliced spring onion.
• Watch them disappear within minutes!

Lemon, Rosemary and Garlic Chicken

So it is spring at last!  As Brits we instinctively feel the need to get the barbeque out as soon as the warm sun appears...and why not?  We are accustomed to such changeable conditions that have learnt to act quickly when the sun shines, discarding our boots for flip-flops and glugging down Pimm's with abandonment because, let's face it, we never know how long it's going to last...
So I'm all for celebrating each sunny day enthusiastically and barbequing as often as is feasibly possible!
This is a very simple, Italian-inspired marinade which is full of Mediterranean flavours and makes for very tasty, juicy chicken.  Try to get ready-boned chicken thighs for this, it's a long, messy job to do it yourself.  You can use chicken breasts if you prefer, but you will need to flatten them out a bit by bashing them between two pieces of cling film with a rolling pin before marinating. 
As we always need a Plan B, this is also great griddled or fried on the hob if the weather is not barbeque friendly.

 

Ingredients

4-5 Chicken Thigh Fillets

3-4 sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

3 cloves Garlic, sliced

4 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Lemon

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

• Put the rosemary sprigs into a bowl with the sliced garlic, sea salt and pepper, bash them with the blunt end of a knife a few times to release the flavours, or use a pestle and mortar.  
• Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl with the rosemary, tear the lemon halves in half and pop them in too.  Pour in the olive oil and give it all a good stir.
• Trim the chicken thighs by opening them out and cutting off any fatty bits then put them into the marinade.  Squish the chicken around to get it thoroughly covered in all the lemony juices. Leave to marinate for at least an hour in the fridge until ready to cook.
• To cook the chicken thighs, take them out of the marinade and place, as flat as you can, onto a hot barbeque, griddle pan or frying pan, cook for approx. 5-7 minutes each side until cooked all the way through.  If you are using flattened chicken breast it will probably not need as long.
• Serve immediately with salad, in a pitta or just eat with your fingers, yum!!

Coconut and Lime Cake

Coconut and lime are a classic combination and work so well in this beautifully light, moist cake.
I make this two different ways depending on how I feel, sometimes with a syrup poured over the warm cake so it soaks in, other times (like in the picture below) I make a runny icing and trickle this over the warm cake to form a glaze.

 

Ingredients

150g Soft Butter (spreadable is fine)

175g Caster Sugar

Fine Zest of 1 Lime

2 Large Eggs

3 heaped tablespoons Natural Yoghurt

175g Self-Raising Flour

50g Desiccated Coconut

For the Syrup

Juice of 1 Lime

50g Caster Sugar plus more for sprinkling

Or for Icing Glaze

Juice of 1 Lime

50-100g of Icing Sugar (depending how thick you want it)

• Preheat the oven to 175C (fan) and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
• Whisk the butter, caster sugar and lime zest together until pale and fluffy.
• Slowly whisk in the eggs and natural yoghurt then gradually add the flour and coconut.
• Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
• Let it cool for 5 minutes in the tin.
• For the syrup put the lime juice and the caster sugar into a small pan, heat for a very short time whilst swirling the pan until the sugar is mostly dissolved.  Pour the syrup over the cake while it is still in the tin, sprinkle with some extra caster sugar then let it cool completely.
• For the icing take the cake out of the tin and put it onto a plate.  Mix the lime juice with the icing sugar to the thickness you want (I like it runny enough to slightly soak in leaving a glaze on the top but you can make it thicker if you like more icing).  Trickle the icing over the top of the cake so that it runs randomly down the sides then leave to set.

 

 

Rhubarb and Custard Shortbread Tart

This is a beautiful tart, making the most of seasonal British rhubarb by combining it with rich vanilla custard and a shortbread base.  The three elements of the tart can be made in advance (in fact the colour of the rhubarb is more vivid the day after it has been cooked) then put together a few hours before serving.

 

Ingredients

For the Rhubarb

Approx. 400g Rhubarb

150g Caster Sugar

For the Base

50g Caster Sugar

100g Soft Butter

150g Plain Flour

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

For the Custard

300ml Double Cream

50ml Milk

50g Caster Sugar

3 Large Egg Yolks

1 tablespoon Corn Flour

seeds from 1 Vanilla Pod or

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

·     To cook the rhubarb, preheat the oven to 175⁰C.  Cut the rhubarb into short pieces and rinse in a colander.  Tip it into a large oven-proof dish with the caster sugar and spread it all out so  it is in a single layer.  Put into the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the rhubarb is soft and tender but still holding its shape whilst surrounded by a pink syrup.  Transfer the rhubarb and syrup into a bowl to cool then cover and refrigerate until needed.

·     To make the base, increase the oven temperature to 200⁰C and thoroughly butter a loose-bottomed tart/flan tin (approx. 25cm diameter).  Beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy then work in the flour.  Mix vigorously until all the flour is incorporated and you have a stiff, crumbly dough.

·     Press the dough so it covers the base of the tin then ease it up the sides, keep going until it is as even as possible across the base and the sides.  Bake it for 15 minutes until lightly golden brown, it will feel soft but will crisp up as it cools.  Let it cool completely before removing from the tin.

·     For the custard, whisk all the ingredients together in a small pan.  Over a low heat, stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it is thick and steaming but don't let it boil.  Pour it into a bowl and cover with cling film or greaseproof paper, gently placing it on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming.  Chill until needed.

·     Gently take the soft pieces of rhubarb out of the syrup using a slotted spoon or sieve then arrange evenly over the custard.  Incidentally, the syrup is wonderful spooned into a glass and topped with Prosecco for a beautifully pink rhubarb bellini.

·     Serve the tart within a few hours of assembling.