Recipe Blog: Recipes from a passionate cook & foodie

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!

Curried Roast Chicken

Foodie — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:20:26 +0000

This is a recipe for curried roast chicken when you want a break from the standard sunday roast for example. Very easy, exceptionally tasty.

Ingredients

Curry Paste
5 Tablespoons ground coriander
7 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Turmeric
1 Tablespoon chilli powder
1 finely chopped fresh chilli
1 inch grated fresh ginger
1 bulb garlic crushed
1 cup vegetable oil

Roast Chicken
1 Large Roast Chicken, cleaned thoroughly
Olive Oil

Fry ginger, garlic and chilli in medium-hot oil for 2 minutes, add the spices and stir fry for a further 2 minutes. Place in an air tight jar and store in the refrigerator.

Clean the chicken. Make slits through the skin, quite deep as this allows the paste to penetrate the chicken. Coat the chicken thoroughly in the paste, especially making sure it sinks well into the cuts. Place in a bowl and leave to marinade for as long as you feel fit. I prepared mine in the morning for use in the evening, ensuring a maximum curry flavour.

When ready place the chicken in a roasting bin and drizzle on a little olive oil. Place in a hot oven for standard roast chicken cooking time, ensuring the chicken is throughly cooked. Serve hot! (although delicious with salad cold too)

Sevilla Orange & Almond Cake

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:59:47 +0000

I first tasted this cake in a bar in southern spain and enjoyed it as I love almonds and oranges. As the season for Seville oranges is quite short, you have to make the most of them while they are available.

6 large fresh organic eggs (separated)
240 grams golden caster sugar
230 grams finely ground almonds
Very finely grated zest of three oranges

Juice of 8 Seville oranges
A stick of cinnamon
Golden caster sugar - amount to taste

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Line a 23 cm springform baking tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment

Mix all but 1 tbsp of the caster sugar with the egg yolks until pale
Stir in the ground almonds and orange zest
Beat the egg whites with the tablespoon of caster sugar until stiff
Fold the egg whites into the sugar and egg mixture, very gently (continue folding until the mixture loosens up)
Gently - transfer the cake batter into the prepared cake tin
Bake for one hour on the centre shelf of the oven or until the cake is a pale golden colour and firm to the touch
While the cake is baking, make the syrup:- place all the orange juice into a saucepan, then add the cinnamon stick with a couple of tbsp of sugar, to taste
Place over a low heat and bring up to a gentle boil then simmer for five minutes
The syrup should be quite tart so don´t overdo the sugar
Leave the syrup to cool, then refrigerate
Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool completely (while still in the tin) on a rack

Gently remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate, with a small skewer pierce six very small holes in the top of the cake

An hour before serving, drizzle half of the syrup over the top and serve the remainder in a small jug for guests to help themselves

White Onion Soup

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:58:07 +0000

I love white onion soup, these are the closest recipes to the soup my mother served, though her´s did not have cream, just milk and stock, I think in equal quantities and I don´t think Mum ever used mace. I think when I fancy this soup again, I will try different herbs and a little olive oil rather than all that butter.

Recipe 1

1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 generous cups of finely chopped white onions
2 sticks of celery, washed and finely chopped
4 cups of vegetable stock (or chicken)
A blade of mace and bay leaf (in a muslin bag)
3/4 cup wholefat or semi skimmed milk
1/4 cup plain flour
2/3 cup of single cream
Sea salt and white pepper to taste
Herby croutons, if you like them

Sweat the onions and celery for about 5 minutes in melted butter (best not to brown for this soup). Or try half butter and half olive oil
Add the stock, mace and bay leaf, stir and gently bring up to boiling point, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender (I like sage with onions, but don´t know whether it would work with this soup)
Remove the muslin bag, leave the soup to cool, then blitz to a puree
At this point, add seasoning to taste
Blend the flour with the milk and slowly whisk into the soup
Return the pan to a gentle heat and bring up to a boil, stirring constantly
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary
Stir in the cream and reheat gently before serving, do not allow the soup to boil
Serve with herby croutons, or if you like cheese on toast, mini cheesy toasts grilled, float on the top of the soup

Recipe 2

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb white onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves
2 rounded tbsp plain flour
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
A bay leaf
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
300 ml milk
Salt and white pepper
150 ml single cream
3 tbsp grated cheshire cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions and cloves, sweat until they begin to soften, but do not allow them to brown
Sprinkle over the flour and mix well, cook - while stirring - for about 1 minute then add the nutmeg, the bay leaf and stock
Continue stirring while bringing it up the a boil
Simmer until the onions are softened, remove from the heat then gradually stir in milk
Continue stirring while the soup comes up to the boil, remove from the heat and take out the cloves and bay leaf
Serve as is, or liquidise if you like a smooth soup, add the cream and gently reheat (or do the cheffy thing and drizzle the cream onto the soup after you have served it into bowls)
Serve with grated cheese or cheesy toasts or croutons

Yorkshire Dumplings & Stew

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:57:10 +0000

This is not a recipe for Southern Spain in June, it is simply far too hot, but I do enjoy the odd meal of my favourite “comfort food”, which is usually similar to the dinners cooked by my mother.

50 grams of self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
A little freshly ground black pepper
25 grams of vegetable suet
1 tsp of mixed dried herbs (I prefer plain dumplings, so this is optional)
Very cold water

Sift the flour, baking powder and black pepper into a baking large bowl, add the suet and dried herbs, mix
Add sufficient water to form a firm dough - around 2 tbsp
Form the dough into 8 balls and place on the top of the stew
Cover and place in a preheated oven set to 160 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes

2 tbsp each of olive oil and butter
500 grams of stewing steak cut into bite size pieces (beef, I like it made with lamb also, but different herbs)
2 tbsp of plain flour
100 grams each of celery, carrot (diced), red onion (chopped) and leek (sliced) and white turnip (diced)
Garlic
10 shallots, whole or halved if large
10 small potatoes, peeled and halved
150 ml of good quality red wine (suitable for drinking, not plonk - though I like Newcastle Brown Ale)
500 ml of stock (probably beef, but I like vegetable stock best)
1 bay leaf, fresh herbs (parsley and thyme) in a muslin bag
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The method is quite easy, prepare all the ingredients, sweat the veggies, brown the meat, add the flour and stir, add all the other ingredients, cover and place either in a slow oven or on the hob, stirring if cooked on the hob to make sure it doesn´t stock, add the dumplings and cook as above. Remove muslin bag before serving

Alternatively, transfer to a slow cooker and leave until you come home from work, it will be ready the meat tender and so on, but you will still have to cook the dumpling, in this case I cook them in a stock on the hob, that´s how my Mum did it and when comfort food is in order, that is how I still do it, ie I don´t bake them in the oven!

Coffee Pecan Cake

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:55:21 +0000

I love coffee cakes, this one is a little different

1 cup butter (room temperature)
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 x 1.25 cups of caster sugar
2 large organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup dark chocolate buttons (or Lindt thins, roughly chopped)
Topping:-
1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of caster sugar

Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Lightly butter a 9? spring form cake tin

Place the butter, cream cheese and 1.25 cups of sugar into a bowl and beat until pale in colour
Whisk together the eggs and vanilla and beat into the butter mixture
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt the add to the cake mixture - adding alternating with the milk
Lastly, stir in chocolate buttons
Pour the mixture into the cake tin
Put the topping ingredients into a small bowl and stir well to combine
Sprinkle over the cake mixture
Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until a very fine skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean
Leave to cool for a quarter of an hour
Carefully run a knife around edge of the tin to loosen the cake
Remove sides of tin, place the cake on a cooling rack and leave to cool completely

Huevos Rancheros

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:53:36 +0000

I have only tried this recipe once and there seems to be something missing, I will just have to do more research and see if there is. I had hoped to get a Spanish recipe, I think this is South American and I am told (though not sure how reliable the information is), that this dish does come from South America. Anyone knows any better, please feel free to comment. Also I am unsure of the spelling.

Serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 tsp chilli powder
14 oz tin of tinned natural tomatoes (we buy these in Spain, just use tinned if in the UK)
3/4 tsp dried oregano
4 large organic eggs
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large frying pan
Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery
Cook over a medium heat until tender, stirring all the time
Add the chili powder and cook out for about 30 seconds
Add the tomatoes and oregano
Simmer for about 6 minutes or until slightly thickened
Break eggs into the sauce
Cover and cook until egg whites have set (I like the yolks to be quite soft)
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the eggs and then season
Cover and cook until the cheese has melted but not browned

Homemade Pork Pie

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:52:06 +0000

This isn´t a traditional pork pie but it is quite nice. Play around with the ingredients, ie spices and herbs, to taste).

1 lb lean pork - trim and cut into ½” cubes
4 slices streaky smoked bacon - remove rind and chop
7 oz peeled potato cut into 1/2? cubes
1 garlic clove - peel and chop finely
1.5 tsp fresh chopped thyme and parsley (leaves only)
.25 tsp of ground allspice (or quantity to taste)
1 tbsp of chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the glaze - 1 small egg, lightly beaten

6 oz shortcrust pastry
7? flan tin with sloping sides
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and place a baking sheet in the centre

Put the meat and bacon into the mixing bowl
Add remaining ingredients, mix then season and mix thoroughly
Divide the pastry in half and roll out one piece, line the baking tin
Spoon the mixture evenly over the pastry case
Dampen the edges then roll out the second piece pastry
Fit over the filling, seal well
Make a small cross in the centre of the pie lid
Brush with beaten egg
Place on the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes
Reduce the temperature to 180° Celsius
Bake for about 45 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown and the meat thoroughly cooked
If the pastry browns too much, cover with either greaseproof paper or foil
Remove from the oven and leave the pie to cool before serving with a mixed salad

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Mizmoe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:50:46 +0000

I have been looking for a good (ie to suit my taste) recipe for Sweet and Sour. In the end I gave up, put the cookery books away and looked through my old scrap book of recipes scribbled out and altered over the years. Much to my annoyance, this is the only one I could find, so try it if you want, but it is to suit my taste, so it may not suit yours. I like arrowroot as a thickener for this dish rather than cornflour as it makes the sauce look “pretty”, but care must be taken you don´t overcook the arrowroot as it will go thin again! The original recipe was for just plain oil, ordinary olive oil if you must, but I have changed it to groundnut oil, mainly because it doesn´t add it´s own flavour to the finished dish! I tried it with tomato frito instead of tomato ketchup - it was not too good, didn´t look right, a bit too “red”, could have been the peppers in the tomato frito. I also tried picked garlic, not my best idea!

2 tbsp groundnut oil
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
Pineapple juice from an 11 oz can of pineapple chunks or rings (in juice! not syrup)
Use 5.5 oz pineapple - chop finely
1/2 cup of tomato ketchup
1/2 cup of soft light brown sugar
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar (or white if you prefer)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place 2 level tbsp cornflour into a bowl and mix to a paste with 1/2 cup cold water
Place the oil in a medium saucepan set over a medium heat
Add the prepared onions and garlic, sweat until opaque
Add the finely chopped pineapple and cook (stirring) for one minute
Then stir in the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
When combined, bring up to the boil while stirring (do not allow the mixture to burn - a heat diffuser may help)
When it reaches boiling point add the chilli and turn the heat down to a simmer
Leave to cook very slowly (ie simmer) for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat and taste to check seasoning, adding salt/pepper to taste (if required - I don´t think it is necessary to add either salt or pepper)
To thicken the sauce turn the heat up to medium and return the pan to the heat
Whisk in the cornflour paste again then add (slowly while stirring the sauce continuously), continue cooking until the sauce has thickened to suit your taste

If keeping for the storecupboard, leave to cool before refrigerating, alternatively use immediately with egg noodles and fried pork or chicken strips (quickly stir fry the latter, add some thinly sliced vegetables also, ie baby sweetcorn, snow peas, onion and whatever else you fancy throwing in), remove from heat, add sauce and noodles, serve and enjoy