Tag: recipes

700g self-raising flour
150g butter
150g caster sugar
2 large oranges, finely grated zest of both and juice of one orange
150g chocolate drops
200ml whole milk, plus extra for brushing

To serve
clotted cream
Marmalade

Preheat the oven to 210C/400F. Lightly butter two baking trays.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Rub in the butter using your hands until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, chocolate drops and orange zest.

In a measuring jug, mix the milk with the juice of one orange. Add to the flour mixture gradually until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid. Be careful not to overwork the scone dough.

Roll out the dough to approximately 2cm/1in thickness and cut out scones using a 5-6cm cutter.

Transfer the scones to the buttered baking trays, brush the tops with milk and bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown.

Remove from the oven and cool on wire rack.

3 tbsp good-quality thick marmalade
150g natural yogurt
3 eggs
175g golden caster sugar
200g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
175g butter , softened
zest 1 orange
2 tsp poppy seed

For the sticky topping
juice 1/2 orange
5 tbsp marmalade

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C. Butter a deep, medium-sized loaf tin (about 20 x 10cm, measured from the top), then line the base with a rectangle of non-stick baking paper.

Put the marmalade into a small pan, heat gently until melted (or use a microwaveproof jug or bowl, then cook on High for 30 secs). Beat in the yogurt, then let cool for a few mins.

Put the remaining cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Quickly beat in the yogurt and marmalade mix, then pour into the prepared tin. It will be quite runny.

Leave the mix mounded in the middle of the tin rather than levelling the top, to help it rise and crack in the middle.

Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins until golden and well-risen; a skewer should come out clean. Take a look at the cake after 45 mins; if it has taken on a lot of colour, loosely cover with baking paper.

Meanwhile, heat the orange juice and marmalade in a small pan over a gentle heat until the marmalade melts (or use the microwave as before). Set aside to cool, stirring now and again, until you have a thick, but still runny, glaze. When the cake is ready, cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn onto a rack.

Spoon the topping over the cake while it’s just warm. The cake is best served the day it’s made, but will keep for up to 3 days tightly wrapped in an airtight container. Will freeze for up to 1 month, un-glazed.

1 medium yellow onion
500g green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
2 medium carrots
500g lean ground beef
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1L beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
Olive lil

Dice 1 medium yellow onion and place both in a bowl. Core and chop green cabbage into 1-inch pieces, peel and dice 2 medium carrots, and place both in second bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, lean ground beef, and paprika. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the beef is cooked through and the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.

Add beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with the wooden spoon. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add the cabbage, carrots and white rice. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice and cabbage are tender, about 30 minutes.

Taste and season the soup with more salt and pepper as needed.

Pat dry the duck breasts with a paper towel.
Score the duck skin with sharp knife, making sure to not cut into the flesh.

Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

Starting with a cold and dry oven-safe skillet, place the duck breasts skin side down. Cook for 12-15 minutes over medium heat.

Flip the breasts over and sear the other side for 1 minute. Flip to the skin side down, and transfer the skillet to the oven.

Roast for 4 minutes for medium-rare, or 6 minutes for medium.

est the duck skin-side up for 10 minutes.

Keep the rendered fat in a sealed jar in the fridge to roast potatoes.

350g good-quality beef skirt, rump steak or braising steak
350g waxy potatoes
200g swede
175g onions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
knob of butter or margarine
Two rounds of pre-made shortcrust pastry

Peel and cut the potato, swede and onion into cubes about 1cm square. Cut the beef into similar sized chunks. Put all four ingredients into a bowl and mix. Season well with salt and some freshly ground black pepper, then put the filling to one side.

Lightly grease a baking tray with margarine (or butter) and line with baking or silicone paper (not greaseproof).

Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan assisted)/325F/Gas 3.

Divide the dough into four equal-sized pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a disc roughly 25cm/10in wide (roughly the same size as a dinner plate).

Spoon a quarter of the filling onto each disc. Spread the filling on one half of the disc, leaving the other half clear. Put a knob of butter or margarine on top of the filling.

Carefully fold the pastry over, join the edges and push with your fingers to seal. Crimp the edge to make sure the filling is held inside – either by using a fork, or by making small twists along the sealed edge. Traditionally Cornish pasties have around 20 crimps. When you’ve crimped along the edge, fold the end corners underneath.

Put the pasties onto the baking tray and brush the top of each pasty with the egg and salt mixture. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 45 minutes or until the pasties are golden-brown. If your pasties aren’t browning, increase the oven temperature by 10C/25F for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

420g plain flour
630g white granulated sugar
100g unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
5g teaspoon salt,
160ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, (20 ml)
380ml milk
380ml boiling water mixed with 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch. Line base with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine well.

Add oil, egg, vanilla and milk to the flour mixture and beat well to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour in the boiling water (with the coffee), and mix until glossy. (Cake batter is very thin in consistency.)

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the chocolate cake comes out semi-clean with small amount of cake (not runny batter) on it due to the fudgy texture.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Transfer cake from the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

2 tablespoons olive oil
50g butter
450g mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garam masala
100ml port
125g ricotta

To a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and butter and heat until it starts to bubble. Add the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown, stirring. Add the shallots and sauté, until they begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the garam masala, salt and pepper stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add port and let simmer, reduce by half, 5-8 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Add the mushroom mix to a food processor along with the ricotta and blend until smooth, taste for seasoning.

Transfer to ramekins or container with a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes until set.

1 kg boneless pork loin
75 ml olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
30 ml (2 tbsp) grated fresh ginger
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
30 ml (2 tbsp) maple syrup
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped chives
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped coriander

Mayonnaise (optional)
1/2 cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard

Place the grill at the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).

In an ovenproof pan over high heat, brown the roast pork on all sides in 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center of the roast reads 57C (135F). Set the roast aside on a plate, cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes. The temperature should increase to 63C (145F).

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, fry the shallots in the remaining oil until golden brown. Add the ginger and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and salt.

Reserve 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the marinade to season the mayonnaise, if desired.

In an airtight bag, coat the roast with the marinade. Close the bag and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

Mayonnaise (optional)
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard with a whisk, adding the reserved marinade, if desired.

On a plate, combine the chives and coriander. Drain the roast, then coat it with the herbs. On a work surface, thinly slice the meat. Serve with mayonnaise and chutney, if desired.

Make Ahead: The roast can be cooked and marinated 1 to 2 days in advance, then sliced ​​just before serving.

Makes 6 pies

4 onions, chopped
45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
1.5 kg ground pork
1.5 kg ground veal
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
250 ml (1 cup) chicken broth
95 g (3/4 cup) breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
12 homemade or store-bought shortcrust pastry shells.

In a large pot, sweat the onions in oil. Add the meat and continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring to crumble the meat. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes or until the potatoes begin to fall apart. Let cool. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until completely chilled.

Place the rack in the bottom of the oven. Preheat the oven to 190C (375F).

Line six 23-cm (9-inch) diameter pie dishes. Distribute the meat. Cover with a second pastry shell. Make an incision in the center. Seal the dough well by crimping the edge with a fork or your fingers. Lightly brush with beaten egg wash.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown.

Pork shanks
4 onions, peeled and halved
15 ml (1 tbsp) Olive oil
3.5 kg pork shanks with rind, halved (about 4 legs)
5 ml (1 tsp) juniper berries
4 cloves
4 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks

Meatballs
1 shallot, peeled and quartered
1 egg
500 g ground pork
500 g ground beef
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground clove
30 g (1/4 cup) breadcrumbs
15 ml (1 tbsp) old-fashioned mustard

Gravy
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
30 ml (2 tbsp) pork fat or olive oil
1 liter pork shank cooking broth
1 liter beef broth
100 g (3/4 cup) lightly toasted flour

Pork shanks
In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the cut side of the onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the pork shanks, spices, salt and pepper. Cover with water.

Bring to a boil. Skim and simmer over medium heat 3 hours or until meat flakes with a fork. During cooking, add water so that the shanks are covered at all times.

Using a skimmer, remove the shanks from the broth. Place in a large dish and let cool. De-grease the broth and keep 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of fat. Discard the rest of the fat. Pass the broth through a sieve. Reserve at least 1 liter for the gravy.

Separate out the meat from the bones, keeping the pieces as whole as possible. Set aside.

Meatballs
Meanwhile, place the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

In a small food processor, finely chop the shallot. Add the egg and mix a few times. Place in a large bowl. Add the pork, breadcrumbs, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands.

Using a small 15 ml (1 tbsp) ice cream scoop, shape the meat mixture into balls and finish shaping them with lightly oiled hands. Distribute on the baking sheets (you will get about 85 meatballs). Bake, one sheet at a time, 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through, stirring halfway through cooking. Reserve.

Gravy
In a pot over medium heat, soften the carrot and celery in the reserved pork fat (2 tbsp / 30 mL). Add the reserved cooking broth and beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the flour in a fine rain, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Pass the sauce through a sieve. Return to the pot. Add the meatballs and the reserved meat. Continue cooking for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve with steamed potatoes.