Recipe Blog: Recipes from a passionate cook & foodie » Eliza

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Eliza — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:24:23 +0000

This is a very delicate cake which requires light handling.

Ingredients

25g (1oz) Cornflour
70g (2 1/2 oz) Plain Flour
2 tablespoons of good qualty cocoa powder
225g (8oz) Caster Sugar
1/2 Lemon
10 egg whites
2 pinches of salt
1 teaspoon of cream of tartar

For the Icing

50g (2oz) Plain or Bitter Chocolate
40g (1 1/2 oz) Butter
100g (4oz) Icing Sugar
4 tablespoons of milk
1 egg
pinch of salt
Vanilla Essense

Set the oven at Gas Mark 4 (180c or 350f)

Prepare a 25cm or 10inch springform cake tin with a ring mould capacity. Flour lightly (do not butter!).

Sieve the flour, cornflour, cocoa and half the caster sugar together into a bowl and resift twice more to make them really light. Hold the sieve as high over the bowl as possible.

Rub 2 large bowls with the cut surface of the lemon, and divide the egg whites between them. Add pinch of salt and a squeeze of the lemon juice to each. Whisk until light and fluffy (and begin to foam). Add half the cream of tartar, and whisk until they form firm peaks. Then whisk in half of the remaining caster sugar. Repeat with the second bowl of egg whites. When complete you should have a very stiff meringue mixture. Transfer both lots of whites into the largest bowl you have, making sure that the bowl is free of grease.

Sift some of the flour and cocoa mixture over the whites, covering the surface only very lightly, and fold in very carefully using a stiff spatula or metal spoon. You are trying to keep as much air in the eggs whites as possible.

Turn mixture into the prepared cake tin and run a knife around the edges. Smooth the top.

Bake in oven for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the top feels firm but springy.

Remove and invert over a wire wrack. Leave to cool thoroughly. Only then slide a knife around the edges and remove from the tin.

Icing

Melt the chocolate, add the butter and stir until smooth.

Put remaining ingredients into a bowl and whisk lightly until smooth. Add chocolate and butter mixture, and continue to whisk until bulky and smooth (5 minutes should do the trick using an electric mixer).

Slice cake in half, and fill middle with less than half of the icing. Spread the rest over the top.

Cranberry and lemon stuffing balls

Eliza — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:12:12 +0000

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes (35-40 minutes from frozen)
Makes: 18 balls

Ingredients

25g (1oz) of butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
450g (1llb) quality lincolnshire sausages
4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp freshly chopped sage, plus a few leaves to garnish
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tbsp of brandy (optional)
75g (3oz) of dried cranberries

Melt the butter in a pan and saute the onion for about 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for a further one minute. Transfer to a bowl and cool.
Squeeze the meat from the sausages into the bowl with the cooled onion and garlic, discarding the sausage skins. Add the chopped parsely and sage, lemon zest, brandy (if using) and cranberries. Season, then mix well to combine.
Shape the mixture into 18 balls and put into mini paper muffin cases (to prevent sticking), then into mini muffin tins, if you like. Cover and freeze for up to one month if required.
Preheat the oven to 190c or gas mark 5. Bake the stuffing balls from frozen for 35-40 minutes until cooked and golden. Garnish with sage.

I take no credit for this recipe, it is a well loved recipe we have used for many years, but the original author was forgotten!

Alternative Tomato Cottage Pie

Eliza — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:17:23 +0000

This is my recipe for an alternative cottage pie, with Spanish influence.

Ingredients

1lb of Mince (Beef)
1 Onion, finely diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
1 Carrot, peeled and finely diced
4 Ripe Tomatoes
100g of Sliced Chorizo Sausage
1 250ml Can of Tomato Frito (or check out my blog for a recipe)
1 litre of beef stock
1 tps of Pimienton Dulce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mash Topping
1lb of Potatoes, peeled boiled
2 tbs of Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Cheese for topping, plus 6 slices of tomato.

Method
Fry off the mince in Olive Oil until brown. Throw in the onion and chorizo sausage. Fry for a few minutes until onion is golden brown tinged. Add the carrots and finely chopped tomatoes. Add the tomato frito, beef stock, pimienton dulce and season to taste. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.

While this cooks boil and mash the potatoes. Add the olive oil and season to taste. Set aside until the filling is done.

Drain off excess sauce from the mince (this will help make your gravy (sauce) later). Place the filling in a large oven proof dish, and chill in the fridge for around one hour until the mixture is firm. This makes spreading the mash over the top much easier and far less messy. Spread the mash over the top of the filling, taking care to make sure it is easy. Place the tomatoe slices over, and sprinkle the cheese - a little finely diced onion is nice too!

Place in a hot oven (around 200) for around 30 minutes.

Use the excess sauce removed from the liquid to make the gravy - bring to boil and reduce until required sauce consistency.

Lovely!

Chicken with Fried Potato & Courgette

Eliza — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:01:13 +0000

Ingredients

4 Chicken legs
6 Ripe Tomatoes
1 large potato
1 Courgette
1 Large Onion
250ml Tomato Frito
1 Chicken Stock Cube
Oregano
Pimienton Dulce
50g Chorizo Sausage
2 Cloves of Garlic
Salt & Pepper

Method

Fry off the chicken pieces until nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and set to one side.

Prepare Vegetables. Slice courgette and Potato into rounds (thin). Dice tomatoes, onions and slice the garlic fine.

Add Onion and garlic to pan, and fry lightly. Add the chorizo (finely sliced) and fry for a minute or two to release the flavour. Throw in the ripe tomatoes and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the tomato frito plus 250ml of water.

Add Seasoning (Oregano, Pimienton, Salt and Pepper) and cook the sauce for a few minutes.

Add the chicken pieces, put on the lid, and cook gently on a low heat until the chicken is done (around 1 hour should do it).

Heat some Oil in a large pan and try the thinly sliced potato and courgettes until a light golden brown. Try and keep each piece seperate so place on kitchen towel to drain after. Once all cooked, and just before serving add to the pot with the chicken casserole.

Serve with crusty bread.

Day of Blogs

Eliza — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:17:40 +0000

Just to let everyone know Blogathon 2008 will not be taking place this year, as it is having a vacation. Instead this year will be Day of Blogs

Day of Blogs will take place on the 26 July 2008 (details below)

7/26 @ 900 EST to 7/27 @900 EST
7/27 @ 2100 EST to 7/27 @ 2100 EST

The site is currently in the development stage (and I am working on the design!) but please consult it for further information. I understand that the whole event will work in very much the same way as Blogathon. Of course, we all hope to see the Blogathon return again in 2009, but lets make the most of this years event by taking part in Day of Blogs

As before I will once again be blogging for One Parent Families, (for more information please refer to the post below. Whether I can actually partake in blogathon by the designing of themes during the 24 hour period as yet has to be seen, but I will keep you updated. I would like to but I find myself lacking access to a computer at home! (my last imploded). If I win the lottery, or obtain a rich patron I will of course oblige you all once more. If you want to check out what I have done before please check out my Blogathon Theme Site

In the meantime please check out Day of Blogs and Fembat Blogathon Themes - participate if you can, and sponsor if your circumstances permit. Also please pay a visit to my charity of choice One Parent Families