Recent Recipes
Comments (2) | Thursday, 30 August 2012
Chocolate fudge brownies
This for me is the best recipe I have ever used and has ALWAYS gone down a hit at parties BBQ's and dinner dates.
185g butter (unsalted)
185g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa is an absolute MUST)
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
50g white chocolate
50g milk chocolate
3 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar
Method:
1. Cut the butter into small cubes and tip into a glass bowl. Add the dark chocolate which should also be broken up into small pieces. Fill a small saucepan with a small amount of hot water then place the bowl on top of the saucepan so it fits but does not touch the water bellow. Place over a low to medium heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring every now and then to mix them. Now remove the bowl and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
2. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Now whisk together with an electric whisk on maximum speed for about 5 mins. You will know when to stop when you see that the mixture has doubled in size and has turned pale.
3. Add the cool chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and gently fold together. Make sure to do this slowly and carefully so as not to mix out the bubbles created with the prolonged whisking.
4. Once the two mixtures are completely mixed together, sift in the flour and cocoa and repeat the folding procedure.
5. With a sharp knife chop the white and milk chocolates into small chunks and add these to the bowl also.
6. Pour the mixture into a lined tin which should be about a 20cm tin. Place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven and cook for 25 mins. 180C, fan 160C, gas mark 4.
7. Take out of the oven when you have a thin papery crust on top and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin.
8. Leave to cool completely (I sometimes stick it in the freezer to speed up this process), then cut into small(ish) pieces. This brownie is very heavy and I am only able to have small amounts at a time.
This for me is the best recipe I have ever used and has ALWAYS gone down a hit at parties BBQ's and dinner dates.
185g butter (unsalted)
185g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa is an absolute MUST)
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
50g white chocolate
50g milk chocolate
3 large eggs
275g golden caster sugar
Method:
1. Cut the butter into small cubes and tip into a glass bowl. Add the dark chocolate which should also be broken up into small pieces. Fill a small saucepan with a small amount of hot water then place the bowl on top of the saucepan so it fits but does not touch the water bellow. Place over a low to medium heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring every now and then to mix them. Now remove the bowl and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
2. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Now whisk together with an electric whisk on maximum speed for about 5 mins. You will know when to stop when you see that the mixture has doubled in size and has turned pale.
3. Add the cool chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and gently fold together. Make sure to do this slowly and carefully so as not to mix out the bubbles created with the prolonged whisking.
4. Once the two mixtures are completely mixed together, sift in the flour and cocoa and repeat the folding procedure.
5. With a sharp knife chop the white and milk chocolates into small chunks and add these to the bowl also.
6. Pour the mixture into a lined tin which should be about a 20cm tin. Place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven and cook for 25 mins. 180C, fan 160C, gas mark 4.
7. Take out of the oven when you have a thin papery crust on top and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin.
8. Leave to cool completely (I sometimes stick it in the freezer to speed up this process), then cut into small(ish) pieces. This brownie is very heavy and I am only able to have small amounts at a time.
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Comments (0) | Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Chili Con Carne
This is great as a meal and then the leftovers are perfect for making beef nachos!
1 large onion
1 red pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
300ml beef stock
500g minced beef
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp dble concentrate tomato puree
400g can red kidney beans
Method:
1. Place a large pan over a medium heat and add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Dice the onion, pepper and finely chop the garlic. Add the onions to the pan and cook until the go soft and see through. Add the red pepper, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin and coriander seeds. Stir it all together and let cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the meat to the mixture in the pan, stir frequently(making sure to break the meat up with your wooden spoon) and let it brown for a further 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the beef stock, tomatoes and tomato puree. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
4. Now simmer for about an hour (add more water if you think it is too dry) then add the kidney beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
5. Serve on a bed of fluffy basmati rice with grated cheese and sour cream on top.
This is great as a meal and then the leftovers are perfect for making beef nachos!
1 large onion
1 red pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
300ml beef stock
500g minced beef
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp dble concentrate tomato puree
400g can red kidney beans
Method:
1. Place a large pan over a medium heat and add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Dice the onion, pepper and finely chop the garlic. Add the onions to the pan and cook until the go soft and see through. Add the red pepper, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin and coriander seeds. Stir it all together and let cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the meat to the mixture in the pan, stir frequently(making sure to break the meat up with your wooden spoon) and let it brown for a further 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the beef stock, tomatoes and tomato puree. Add salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
4. Now simmer for about an hour (add more water if you think it is too dry) then add the kidney beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes.
5. Serve on a bed of fluffy basmati rice with grated cheese and sour cream on top.
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Comments (0) |
Bamia (meat and okra stew)
One of my favourite middle eastern dishes...in fact one of my favourite dishes full stop. This is the way I make it...
1kg stewing meat (beef or lamb)
500g sweet fresh tomatoes
500g bamia (okra)
1 large onion
1 red pepper
3 large cloves garlic
2 heaped tbsp dble concentrate tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp crushed all spice
1 tsp tamarind pulp
400ml chicken stock
Method:
1. Place a large pan on a medium heat with a few glugs of olive oil in it. Blend the onion up until very fine in a processor (or chop as fine as you can). Add this to the pan and cook until see through. Blend the pepper and garlic in the same way and add them to the pan also.
2. Now blend the tomatoes to a pulp and cut the meat up into medium chunks and add these to the pan.
3. Top and tail all of the bamia and wash thoroughly. Now simply add all of the remaining ingredients and let stew over a low heat for at least an hour (I tend to leave it to stew for 3 or even 4 hours, leaving the bamia out until the last hour).
4. Serve with fluffy basmati rice.
One of my favourite middle eastern dishes...in fact one of my favourite dishes full stop. This is the way I make it...
1kg stewing meat (beef or lamb)
500g sweet fresh tomatoes
500g bamia (okra)
1 large onion
1 red pepper
3 large cloves garlic
2 heaped tbsp dble concentrate tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp crushed all spice
1 tsp tamarind pulp
400ml chicken stock
Method:
1. Place a large pan on a medium heat with a few glugs of olive oil in it. Blend the onion up until very fine in a processor (or chop as fine as you can). Add this to the pan and cook until see through. Blend the pepper and garlic in the same way and add them to the pan also.
2. Now blend the tomatoes to a pulp and cut the meat up into medium chunks and add these to the pan.
3. Top and tail all of the bamia and wash thoroughly. Now simply add all of the remaining ingredients and let stew over a low heat for at least an hour (I tend to leave it to stew for 3 or even 4 hours, leaving the bamia out until the last hour).
4. Serve with fluffy basmati rice.
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