Tag: recipes

210g (1.5 cups) plain flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
200g (1 cup) caster sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
Zest of one orange
60ml (3 tbsp) fresh orange juice
120ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
120 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt
60 ml (1/4 cup) milk

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/160C fan. Grease and line a loaf pan with baking or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, poppy seeds and orange zest. Stir briefly to combine.

In a separate bowl, add orange juice, oil, eggs and vanilla. Whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, along with the yogurt and milk, and gently mix until combined – but be careful not to over mix. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

1kg russet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cubed.
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp neutral vegetable oil
>2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
500ml low-sodium chicken broth
375ml whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper

SERVING OPTIONS:
Thinly sliced green onions
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Crispy bacon strips (reserve fat if using)

Place the 2 tablespoons bacon fat and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion and cook until translucent and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring to coat the potatoes in the fat, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add broth, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer, reducing the heat as needed, until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add whole milk and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.

Using an immersion blender, blitz until smooth. Add the remaining kosher salt, season with black pepper. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

If the consistency is too thick, add 60ml water or chicken broth. If the consistency is too thin, continue to simmer until desired consistency.

Serve the soup topped with the bacon and thinly sliced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream if desired

50g butter
1 tbsp oil
2 onions diced
750g fresh mushrooms, sliced
125ml wine (any dry red or white wine)
45g all-purpose flour
1L chicken broth or beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
250ml cream or half and half
Chopped fresh herbs (chives, parsley, tarragon, coriander, to your choice) to serve

Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until melted. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.

Add mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, mix again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, season with salt and pepper.

Cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until thickened.

Reduce heat to low, stir in cream. Allow to gently simmer (do not boil). Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

Mix in fresh herbs.

Serve warm.

45g unsalted butter
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
40g all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
1 tbsp dark chocolate chips (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Place butter in a large, microwave-safe mug. Microwave on high until fully melted, about 1 minutr. Swirl to coat the mug with melted butter, then pour the butter into a small bowl.

Add brown sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth. Add all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips if desired.

Scrape the batter back into the mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds. The brownie is ready when the center is slightly gooey and the edges bounce back when pressed. If not ready, microwave for 15 seconds more. Top with ice cream and enjoy!

450g scallops
50g salted butter
Zest of 1 lemon
1 red onion, chopped finely
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
100ml cream
1 handful baby spinach
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, for the garnish (optional)

Cook the pasta: Start a pot of well salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente. Start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta. (If it finishes before the sauce, add it back to the pot with a drizzle of olive oil so it doesn’t stick.)

Brine the scallops (10 minutes): Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, mix together 4 cups room temperature water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Place the scallops in the water and wait for 10 minutes.

Sear the scallops: Remove the scallops and dry thoroughly. Lightly season with a several pinches kosher salt. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. If using a medium skillet, cook the scallops in two batches. Once the oil is hot, add the scallops and cook without turning for 2 to 3 minutes, until an even brown crust clearly forms on bottom.

Flip scallops with tongs. Cook additional 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, until a crust just forms on bottom and the center of the scallop is almost opaque. Remove the scallops from the skillet to a plate and turn off the heat.

Make the sauce: Turn on the heat to low. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the lemon zest, minced onion, ginger and chopped tarragon. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release flavor from any browned bits stuck to the pan.

Add the cream, pasta, kosher salt, and spinach and return the heat to medium; cook until greens are wilted. Return the scallops to the pan and cook for a few seconds until just warm. Add lots of fresh ground black pepper. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Serve with drizzle of olive oil and if desired, grated Parmesan cheese.

1 cup water
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger
4 medium scallions
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Cooked white rice, preferably short grain, for serving

Place water, soy sauce), brown sugar, mirin, and black pepper in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, prepare the following, adding each to the pot as you complete it: Smash a 3-inch piece of ginger with the flat side of a knife. Halve 4 medium scallions.

Add 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to the pot skin-side down in an even layer (they can overlap). Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Uncover and flip the chicken thighs so that they are skin-side up, arranging them into a single layer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a simmer so that the sauce bubbles between but not up and over the pieces of chicken. Simmer uncovered until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes more.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Spoon off any fat from the surface of the sauce. Serve the chicken and sauce with cooked white rice.

1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
250ml vodka
2 (large 790g) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp fresh oregano
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream

Serve with cooked Penne and grated cheese

Preheat oven to 375F/190C.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1. 5 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Blend with immersion blender until smooth.

Add 2 tbsp fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan or other hard grated Italian cheese.