Chopped Cucumber, Pear, and Fennel Salad

Chopped Cucumber, Pear, and Fennel Salad

Ingredients:

2 pounds cucumbers
1 large fennel bulb cut into 1/2" squares
Fresh lemon juice
2 pears, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2" pieces (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
3/4 cup Granny Smith Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
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Preparation

Cut 2 pounds cucumbers (we like English hothouse so we can skip peeling) into 3/4" cubes. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Place fronds from 1 large fennel bulb cut into 1/2" squares in a resealable plastic bag. Place fennel in a large bowl of water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to prevent browning; cover. Chill cucumber, fennel, and fronds overnight. Combine cucumber, drained fennel, 2 pears, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2" pieces (about 2 cups), and 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds in a large bowl. Add 3/4 cup Granny Smith Apple Cider Vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add more vinaigrette, if desired. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds and reserved fronds.

Sweet and sour stuffed aubergines

Sweet and sour stuffed aubergines 

Ingredients:

For the aubergines

2 medium aubergines

salt, for sprinkling

4 tbsp tomato purée

1 lemon, juice only

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

150ml/5fl oz water

salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the filling

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

300g/11oz minced beef

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped

water, to cover

3 tbsp bulgur wheat

30g/1oz pine nuts

30g/1oz currants
Preparation method


For the aubergines, halve the aubergines lengthways and scoop out a little of the centre (you can use it in another dish, such as a soup or a stew). Season the aubergines with salt, then turn upside down on a wire rack to drain.


For the filling, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and fry the onion until tender. Add the garlic and fry for a minute or so longer.


Add the meat and fry until it has changed colour, breaking up the lumps. Sprinkle over the spices, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry for another minute.


Add the tomatoes and just enough water to cover and stir well. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until the meat is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning.


Add the bulgur wheat, pine nuts and currants and stir well.


Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.


Lightly oil an ovenproof dish and place the aubergine halves into the dish. Fill them with the spiced meat mixture.


Place the tomato purée, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil and water into a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.


Pour the tomato purée mixture over the aubergines. Cover with foil, transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.


Remove the foil, baste the aubergines in their juices and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Yellow Bean Salad Recipe

Yellow Bean Salad Recipe

Method:

Yellow Bean Salad

I make this salad with yellow runner beans, but you can certainly make it with green beans! Also, if you tend to like a bit more heat, leave (all or some of) the veins and seeds in the chile pepper.

1 pound / 16 oz yellow runner beans

1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded
5 green onions, green parts trimmed & reserved
a big handful of cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 cup coconut milk, well mixed

1- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

2 big handfuls / 1/2 cup toasted pepitas
1 1/2 cups tiny pan-fried tofu cubes, optional
basil flower garnish, optional

Cut the beans into 1-inch segments on a deep bias. Cook in a pot of well-salted water for just 30 seconds, drain, and run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain, and aggressively shake off as much water as possible. Set aside.

To make the dressing, pulse the chile, onions, cilantro, garlic, salt, and sunflower oil into a paste with a food processor. Pulse in the coconut milk in two additions, before adding the lemon juice to taste, a half tablespoon at a time.

Place the beans in a large bowl with most of the pepitas and tofu cubes (if you're using them). Toss well with a generous amount of the dressing (you'll have plenty of leftover), even so, as I mention up above, this is one of those salads that benefits from over-dressing versus under. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with the remaining pepitas and tofu, and basil flowers if you happen to have them.

Red Currant Cheesecake Muffins

Red Currant Cheesecake Muffins

Methods:

Ingredients per portions
500 g curd cheese, low fat
4 medium eggs
3 tbsp semolina
1 tsp baking powder
100 g sugar
200 g red currants, fresh or frozen
12 paper muffin cups


Method
Place paper muffin cups in muffin tins.

Mix all ingredients together, except redcurrants. Carefully stir in redcurrants. If you use frozen beeries, you do not have to defrost them.

Pour dough into paper muffin cups.

Bake at 160°C (hot air) for 35 minutes.

Fennel Mushrooms

Fennel Mushrooms

Method:

I thought it might be fun to highlight a few vintage cookbooks in the coming months. I pick them up here and there, without much rhyme or reason. There might be a design element I like, it might be the voice of the author, or sometimes a single recipe pops out at me. I typically flip through them in antique shops on road trips, at yard sales and flea markets, but I found this gem at Omnivore Books here in San Francisco - The Seasonal Kitchen: A Return to Fresh Foods. Published in 1973, it is by Perla Meyers, was published by Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, and designed by Al Corchia. I did an updated take on Perla's Fennel Mushroom recipe for today's post, it's a simple, brilliant twist on everyday sauteed mushrooms with dill, chives, fresh fennel, and a kiss of creme fraiche.

There are so many things that resonate with me in this book - subject matter, design, the emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. More than anything, I love the approachability of Perla's voice. She opens the book by saying, "Of all the reasons I have for writing The Seasonal Kitchen, the most important is to communicate and understanding of freshness and encourage a return to seasonal cooking. This is not a book for organic-food buffs, however, but for anyone willing to explore and rediscover the marvelous potential of fresh food." Remember, this book was published nearly forty years ago. In many ways it reads like it was written yesterday.


You just don't see cookbooks that look like this today. Even better, the ideas behind the recipes are straight-forward, produce-centric, and easy to update. To make these mushrooms, I replaced a substantial amount of sour cream with a dollop of creme fraiche, and never missed the former. And I give a few suggestions related to serving them in the head notes below.

This book was a real find, the sort of discovery that keeps me digging through stacks of books, but I'm certainly not the first to sing Perla's praises. Perla Meyers elsewhere:

Fennel Mushrooms

The mushrooms are great on their own (as pictured), spooned over a thick slab of grilled, garlic-rubbed bread, or over a simple baked potato. They make a fantastic tart or sandwich filling, and would be great as a component in a simple fall panzanella. I used nameko mushrooms here, a favorite from my farmers market, but brown mushrooms will work brilliantly as well. To clean mushrooms use a damp paper towel to remove dirt.

12 ounces mushrooms, brushed clean
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
a few pinches fine grain sea salt
1 small bulb of fennel, trimmed and sliced very thinly
1-2 tablespoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
a small bunch of chives, minced
freshly ground black pepper
a small bunch of watercress, sorrel, or arugula
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Cut mushrooms, if needed, into 1/3-inch thick slices. The mushrooms I used, up above, we're mostly left whole.

In your largest skillet, over high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt, and use a spatula to stir until coated. Saute, stirring every minute or so, until the mushrooms release their water and brown a bit - 4-5 minutes. Two minutes before the mushrooms are done cooking, stir in the fennel. When finished, removed from heat, wait ten seconds, and stir in the creme fraiche. Add most of the dill and chives, pepper and more salt if needed.

Courgette & goat's cheese tart

Courgette & goat's cheese tart

Ingredients:

plain flour , for dusting
500g pack shortcrust pastry
1 fat pinch saffron threads
500g courgettes , all but one coarsely grated
knob of butter
4 eggs
284ml pot whipping cream
140g soft goat's cheese
2 handfuls rocket leaves, to serve

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly dust a surface with flour, then roll out the pastry into a large, 5mm thick circle. Use to line a deep, 23cm tart tin with removable base. Trim away excess pastry. Prick all over with a fork, then line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Cook for 10-15 mins until starting to turn golden. Remove paper and beans, then cook for 5 mins more until crisp and cooked through. Leave to cool.
Meanwhile, put the saffron in a cup with 1 tbsp hot water, then leave to infuse. Mix grated courgettes with 1 tsp salt, then place in a colander. Slice the last courgette very thinly lengthways into long ribbons (use a vegetable peeler). Sprinkle with salt, then put on top of the grated courgettes. Put the colander over a bowl to drain for at least 30 mins. Tip into the middle of a clean tea towel over the sink, twist and squeeze the tea towel getting every drop of the green liquid out.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Put the courgette slices to one side and add the grated courgettes to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 mins. Tip the grated courgettes into a bowl. Lightly beat the eggs, then add all but 2 tbsp to the courgette bowl. Pour in the cream, the saffron and soaking water, then mix well. Season generously with pepper, and salt if it needs it (it may be salty enough).
Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tart case. Bake for 5 mins, until the egg has set and sealed the case. Pour in the mix. Crumble on the goat's cheese. Lay the courgette strips over the top like the spokes of a wheel. Bake for 40 mins, until just set, but still a little wobbly. Cool and serve at room temperature.

GETTING TO THE PARTY

Make the tart up to a day ahead, and store in a cool place (ideally not the fridge as the pastry will lose its crispness). Transport it still in the tart tin, covered with cling film. Bring to room temperature before serving.

396 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 24g, fat 30 g, saturated fat 15g, fibre 1g, sugar 2g, salt 0.75 g

Mustard-roasted beef fillet

Mustard-roasted beef fillet 

Ingredients:

2 x 1.5kg/3lb 5oz beef fillets , cut from the middle (ask you butcher)
2 tbsp cracked pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
small pot Dijon mustard
20 slices prosciutto

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly dust a surface with flour, then roll out the pastry into a large, 5mm thick circle. Use to line a deep, 23cm tart tin with removable base. Trim away excess pastry. Prick all over with a fork, then line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Cook for 10-15 mins until starting to turn golden. Remove paper and beans, then cook for 5 mins more until crisp and cooked through. Leave to cool.
Meanwhile, put the saffron in a cup with 1 tbsp hot water, then leave to infuse. Mix grated courgettes with 1 tsp salt, then place in a colander. Slice the last courgette very thinly lengthways into long ribbons (use a vegetable peeler). Sprinkle with salt, then put on top of the grated courgettes. Put the colander over a bowl to drain for at least 30 mins. Tip into the middle of a clean tea towel over the sink, twist and squeeze the tea towel getting every drop of the green liquid out.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Put the courgette slices to one side and add the grated courgettes to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 mins. Tip the grated courgettes into a bowl. Lightly beat the eggs, then add all but 2 tbsp to the courgette bowl. Pour in the cream, the saffron and soaking water, then mix well. Season generously with pepper, and salt if it needs it (it may be salty enough).
Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush the remaining beaten egg over the tart case. Bake for 5 mins, until the egg has set and sealed the case. Pour in the mix. Crumble on the goat's cheese. Lay the courgette strips over the top like the spokes of a wheel. Bake for 40 mins, until just set, but still a little wobbly. Cool and serve at room temperature.

GETTING TO THE PARTY

Make the tart up to a day ahead, and store in a cool place (ideally not the fridge as the pastry will lose its crispness). Transport it still in the tart tin, covered with cling film. Bring to room temperature before serving.

396 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 24g, fat 30 g, saturated fat 15g, fibre 1g, sugar 2g, salt 0.75 g

Easy cheese & onion slice

Easy cheese & onion slice

Ingredients:

600g baking potatoes , peeled and chopped into chunks
300g mature cheddar , 200g grated, 100g cubed
pinch cayenne pepper
large bunch spring onions , finely sliced
1 egg , beaten
500g pack all-butter puff pastry
jar caramelised red onions (we used English Provender Company), to serve

Methods:

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Boil potatoes for 15 mins until tender, then drain well and smash a little. Cool slightly.
Mix the cheese, cayenne and onions with the smashed potatoes and stir to make a mouldable filling. Roll out the pastry to a rectangle about 25 x 35cm. Carefully lift onto a baking sheet and brush all over with beaten egg.
Press the cheese mix along one of the long sides of the pastry, leaving 2cm pastry free on one side for sealing, and half of the pastry empty on the other side for folding over later. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together, before trimming with a knife and sealing well by pressing the edges with a fork.
Brush with egg and bake for 30 mins. Cool, then slice and serve with caramelised red onions. Can be made 1 day ahead

467 kcalories, protein 16g, carbohydrate 35g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 2g, sugar 1g, salt 1.37 g

Bonfire Night baked potatoes

Bonfire Night baked potatoes 

Ingredient:

4 medium baking potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 large onion , finely sliced
6 slices smoked streaky bacon , chopped
2 tbsp double cream
200g mixed good melting cheese, such as Reblochon, Raclette or Gruyère

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then rub with half the oil, some sea salt and black pepper. Arrange on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 1 hr 15 mins, until their skins are crisp and they are completely tender when prodded.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and half the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and gently cook for 15-20 mins until softened and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside, add the chopped bacon and fry until just crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper.
Halve each potato lengthways (watch out, they will be hot), then scoop out most of the potato into a bowl, leaving a potato skin shell with a thin layer of potato. In the bowl, crush the potato with the remaining butter and the double cream. Season with salt and pepper. Fold through the onion, bacon, three-quarters of the cheeses and half the parsley. Spoon back into the potato shells and top with the remaining cheese. Transfer to the baking tray and return to the oven for 10-15 mins, until melting and golden. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve with a sharply dressed crisp salad, if you like.

PER SERVING:

550 kcalories, protein 21g, carbohydrate 39g, fat 36 g, saturated fat 18g, fibre 3g, sugar 4g, salt 2.58 g

Potato frittata with pesto & goat’s cheese

                           Potato Frittata With Pesto & Goat’s Cheese

.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes (about 600g/1lb 5oz), thinly sliced
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
8 large eggs , lightly beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
100g pack soft rindless goat's cheese , sliced
3 tbsp pesto
handful rocket leaves
tomato and basil salad, to serve (optional)

METHODS:

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 5 mins until just tender. Meanwhile, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix the garlic and eggs together with some seasoning, then drain the potatoes and stir into the egg.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then tip in the egg and potato mixture. Cook over a low heat for 5 mins or until two-thirds of the frittata is set, then cook in the oven for 10-15 mins until cooked through.
Arrange the goat's cheese round the edge of the frittata and drizzle with the pesto. Top with rocket and serve with a tomato & basil salad, if you like.
 PER SERVING

426 kcalories, protein 23g, carbohydrate 25g, fat 26 g, saturated fat 8g, fibre 2g, sugar 1g, salt 0.9 g

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese

Total Time:
55 min

Prep
15 min

Cook
40 min

Ingredients:
4 cups dried macaroni
1 whole egg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking
Salt
Seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.


In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don't let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.


Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.


Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it's still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
Macaroni and Cheese and Sliders Bar:
1 pound thick-cut peppered bacon
3 yellow onions, halved and sliced
3 tablespoons butter
8 ounces gorgonzola
Cooked sliders and/or macaroni and cheese, for serving

Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until slightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-size pieces.


In a separate pan, cook the onions in the butter over a low heat until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Use a fork to crumble the gorgonzola.


Put the bacon, caramelized onions and crumbled gorgonzola into separate bowls. Serve as delicious toppings for both sliders and macaroni cheese.

Sweet Potato and Corn Pudding

Sweet Potato and Corn Pudding

Total Time:
2 hr 15 min

Prep
40 min

Inactive
15 min

Cook
1 hr 20 min



Ingredients:

2 teaspoons butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 strips bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 ears fresh yellow corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cob
1 cup small diced onion
1/2 cup small diced bell pepper
1/2 cup small diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
6 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) sweet potato, roasted and strained through a fine sieve, about 1 cup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 by 2-inch square (8 cups) casserole dish with the butter. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on the bottom and sides of the dish.


Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and bacon. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered, and the bacon is crispy, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the corn to the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the corn is slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne pepper. Set the pan aside and allow the vegetables to cool.


In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, milk, eggs, sweet potatoes, remaining teaspoon of salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Using a whisk, beat the cream mixture until frothy. Add the Parmesan, cornmeal, and the cooled corn mixture to the bowl. Stir to mix well and pour into the prepared casserole dish.


Place in the oven and bake until the center is set and the top is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Be sure to turn the casserole dish around after 30 minutes.


Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the counter top for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Peanut Tofu Wrap

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon(s) store-bought Thai peanut sauce
• 1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla
• 2 ounce(s) thinly sliced seasoned baked tofu
• 1/4 cup(s) sliced red bell pepper
• 8 thinly sliced snow peas

---

Directions

1. Spread peanut sauce on the tortilla. Place tofu, peppers and snow peas in the center; fold the sides over the filling and roll up.

Quick Breakfast Taco

Ingredients

• 2 corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon(s) salsa
• 2 tablespoon(s) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup(s) liquid egg substitute

---

Directions

1. Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
2. Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.
   
   
   
   Nutritional Information
   (per serving)

   Calories	123
   Total Fat	2g
   Saturated Fat	1g
   Cholesterol	3mg
   Sodium	295mg
   Total Carbohydrate	13g
   Dietary Fiber	--
   Sugars	--
   Protein	13g
   Calcium	0

Creamy Wheat Berry Hot Cereal

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup(s) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup(s) raisins
• 2 cup(s) nonfat milk or reduced-fat soymilk
• teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 1/4 cup(s) Cooked Wheat Berries
• 2 teaspoon(s) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup(s) slivered almonds, toasted (see Tips & Techniques)

---

Directions

1. Place oats, raisins, milk (or soymilk), and salt in a large, microwave-safe bowl. (No microwave? See Stovetop Variation below.) Stir to combine. Microwave on High, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir in cooked wheat berries and microwave again until hot, 1 to 2 minutes more. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.
   
   Stovetop Variation: Bring milk (or soymilk) to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in oats, raisins and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in cooked wheat berries and cook until heated through, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon; let stand for 1 minute. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.
   
   Carb Servings: 2 starch, 1 fruit, 1/2 nonfat milk, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 3 1/2. Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (28% daily value), Calcium (21% dv), Iron (15% dv).

---

Tips & Techniques

Toast slivered almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Wonton Soup

Ingredients
250 g peeled uncooked prawns, de-veined and coarsely chopped
250 g minced pork
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg white, lightly beaten
250 g wonton skins
1.2 litres chicken stock
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
chopped spring onions, to garnish

Method
1. Put the prawns and pork in a large bowl; add the salt and pepper and mix well, either by kneading with your hands or by stirring with a wooden spoon. Then add all the other filling ingredients and stir them well into the prawn and pork mixture. Cover the bowl with cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes.

2. Put 1 tbsp of the filling in the centre of the first wonton skin. Dampen the edges with a little water and bring up the sides of the skin around the filling. Pinch the edges together at the top to seal; it should look like a small filled bag. Fill the remaining wontons.

3. When the wontons are ready, bring the stock, soy sauce and sesame oil to a simmer in a large pan. In another large pan, bring salted water to a boil and poach the wontons for 1 minute or until they float to the top. Remove them immediately and transfer them to the pan with the stock. Continue to simmer them in the stock for 2 minutes. Ladle into a large soup tureen or individual bowls. Garnish with the spring onions and serve at once.

Balsamic-Glazed Squash

Balsamic-Glazed Squash

Directions

Toss 1 large acorn squash (cut into wedges) in a baking dish with 3 tablespoons each melted butter and balsamic vinegar, 2 sliced shallots, 6 chopped sage leaves, 1 tablespoon honey, a pinch of ground coriander, and salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water and roast at 450 degrees F, 20 minutes; flip, sprinkle with 1/4 cup hazelnuts and roast 20 more minutes.

Chocolate

Chocolate

Method:

These are deconstructed chocolate truffles and if you arrange this nicely on a table, put a few cocktail sticks next to them and let people get stuck in and make their own, I’m telling you, you’ll have some excited guests. It’s interesting, it’s different and to be able to make your own truffle is really quite cool, not to mention delicious. It’s worth remembering that chocolate is friends with lots of different types of booze so, if you prefer, you can swap out the brandy here for rum, whiskey or red wine.

Put the cream in a pan over a medium heat and let it heat up. You don’t want it boiling, just hot. As soon as tiny bubbles start to appear, add the knob of butter and the clementine zest. Once the butter has melted, pour this hot mixture over the chocolate pieces, whisking as you go, so the chocolate melts nice and slowly. If the mixture splits slightly, don’t worry, you can bring it right by adding a splash of boiling water.

Add a pinch of salt to the mixture; it may sound bonkers, but the smallest pinch of salt actually makes chocolate taste even chocolatier! Stir in a splash of brandy.
Once completely melted and smooth, pour your melted chocolate mixture into a nice little serving dish or bowl. Pop this in the fridge for about 2 hours to set. Christmas is a busy time so you can always do this a few days before you need it if you want. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to make your truffles, pull the bowl out of the fridge and let the chocolate warm up to room temperature.

Put your mixed nuts into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to bash them up quite finely. Get some little saucers or bowls and put the nuts in one and your cocoa powder in the other. Put a teacup filled with boiled water on the tray and pop a few teaspoons in there for scooping the chocolate. Get everyone around the table to spoon their own truffles out of the serving dish and roll them in cocoa powder, crushed nuts or anything else you fancy. Or, you can let them smear their truffles over a biscotti like some posh Nutella! Serve with a few glasses of your chilled Vin Santo.

Chilli con carne

Chilli con carne 

1.  Prepare your vegetables. Chop 1 large onion into small dice, about 5mm square. The easiest way to do this is to cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel it and slice each half into thick matchsticks lengthways, not quite cutting all the way to the root end so they are still held together. Slice across the matchsticks into neat dice. Cut 1 red pepper in half lengthways, remove stalk and wash the seeds away, then chop. Peel and finely chop 2 garlic cloves.
2. Start cooking. Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add the oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot (a little longer for an electric hob). Add the onions and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, squidgy and slightly translucent. Tip in the garlic, red pepper, 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder or 1 level tbsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Brown the 500g lean minced beef. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon or spatula. The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince. Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.
4. Making the sauce. Crumble 1 beef stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Open 1 can of chopped tomatoes (400g can) and add these as well. Tip in ½ tsp dried marjoram and 1 tsp sugar, if using (see tip at the bottom), and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tbsp tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
5. Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan or isn't drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
6. Bring on the beans. Drain and rinse 1 can of red kidney beans (410g can) in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat.
7. Serve with soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break 200g good quality dark chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat 3 medium eggs in a bowl and stir in 75ml (5 tbsp) buttermilk.
3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop 200g good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour a 284ml carton of double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.