Mince Pies

Ingredients

1 cup each currants, raisins, sultanas, craisins
1/2 cup chopped, mixed peel
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2/3 cup butter, in small cubes
1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1 cups brown sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 cup brandy

4 sterilized 1 1b jam jars

Measure all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently, allowing the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry.

Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, seal tightly, label and store in a cool place. You can make the mincemeat up to six months ahead and store it in a cool place.

Crust

Here's my favorite French 'pate sablee', though it is not the easiest dough to handle:

(makes 2 3/4 lb) - yes, that's a lot, but these make great Christmas gifts

14 oz soft, unsalted butter
8 oz white sugar
1 medium egg, beaten, at room temperature
1 1/4 lb plain flour
(I use Plusgras or Kerrygold butter - lower water content than ours, and '00' flour does make a finer crust.)

Beat the butter with the sugar until lump free but not quite a cream. Add the egg, gently and quickly. Blend in the flour, stopping the machine as soon as the dough clings to the beater. Press into a ball, working with palms of hands if necessary to bring together, but try not to over handle. Form into a sausage shape, cover with plastic or foil wrap, chill for 1 hour.

Roll out dough. This amount will make 80 or 90 mini pies with lids (see photo), or use some to line a larger dish, then cut strips to make a lattice top. Don't fill the pies quite full of mincemeat, because it will surely expand on baking (425 F for 15-20 minutes for the small pies, 400 F for 25 minutes for larger ones).

Now where's my glass of sherry...

Cullen Skink

Here's an authentic recipe from my Scottish ancestors. This will serve 4-6 depending on whether a starter or a main course.

Ingredients

1 large smoked haddock (or other smoked, white fish)
3 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
1 1/2 pints milk
2 cups cooked, mashed potato
seasoning
chives
2 pints mussels (optional)

Place fish, skin side down, in a shallow pan. Cover with cold water and some of the milk. Add a knob of butter and season with black pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn fish over, remove skin, add sliced onion, cover and simmer a further 5 minutes.

Remove fish from the pan and fillet it. Return the bones to the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain off the liquid stock, add remainder of milk, the cooked, flaked fish and most of the mashed potato.

Bring to the boil and add more potato until the soup has the desired consistency. It should be fairly thick. Add a knob of butter. Season with more black pepper and salt (taking care with salt as the smoked fish may be salty).

To serve, sprinkle chopped chives onto each bowlful. Add a few mussels to each, if you are using them.

Oeufs farcis - that's stuffed eggs to you!

For the launch of our local French conversation evenings, it seemed appropriate to prepare some French dishes for everyone. I found a simple but delicious recipe for stuffed eggs in a cookery book from Provence, France...in French. Here's my translation for you.

Ingredients

Eggs
Salted anchovy fillets (1 per egg)
Capers (3 per egg)
Parsley, chopped (1/4 tsp per egg)
Bechamel sauce (see below)

Have as many eggs as you wish to prepare at room temperature. Hard boil them. When cool, peel them and slice in two lengthwise.

Carefully scoop yolks out of eggs. Remove excess salt and bone from anchovies. Mash them with the yolks and capers. Add parsley, and a generous tablespoon or two of bechamel sauce per egg. Mix well.

Spread remaining sauce over an ovenproof platter and arrange the egg white 'shells' on top. Fill each with a spoonful of the stuffing. Heat through in a preheated oven (375 F) for 10 minutes.


Bechamel sauce: the amount will depend on the number of eggs, but the basic recipe involves 1/2 pint heated milk, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 2 level tbsp all-purpose flour. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan and add flour. Cook, stirring, to obtain a smooth paste, then add the hot milk and continue stirring until you have a thick, lump-free sauce. Be sure to cook for 10 minutes so the flour is fully cooked and the flavor developed. Season with a little nutmeg and white pepper. Do not add salt because the anchovies and capers will give plenty to the dish.


JGH notes: I don't like tell the French how to cook, but a little finely chopped smoked salmon is a nice addition, and I like to add 1/2 a cup of dry white wine to the bechamel in place of that amount of milk. A little chili pepper sprinkled on top as the eggs come out of the oven adds zing and color too.

Bon appétit!

Pumpkin Pie...from scratch

Last year at Thanksgiving I urged you all to consider fresh pumpkin, not canned, but I did not give you my recipe. This year I'm making amends...

Ingredients

1 cooking pumpkin
an unbaked pie crust for a 10" pie dish (I use the magical Silver Palate no-roll crust)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each ground ginger and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º F. Take a big knife and split the pumpkin in two. Scoop out seeds and set aside. Also remove any remaining fiber. Place the pumpkin, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pumpkin flesh and mash until very smooth. Measure out 2 cups of the puree. Add the sugar, milk, cream, butter and seasoning; mix together thoroughly. Beat eggs lightly in a separate bowl, then incorporate into the pumpkin mixture.

Butter pie dish. Line with crust, or tip the no-roll crust in and pat down. Place on a baking sheet. Pour filling over. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350º F and bake a further 30 minutes or until the filling is set.

Now, remember I said to set the seeds aside? Here's why: rinse them to remove the pumpkin fiber and allow to dry. Use your hands to toss seeds in a little olive oil, then use your oily hands to grease a baking sheet. Spread out the seeds on it in a single layer. Bake at the top of the oven (at 400º F) until the seeds start to color (5-10 minutes, but keep checking). Toss in sea salt while still warm. Perfect to serve with cocktails.

Soybeans with Garlic and Chili

My dear friend Stephanie was not just fortunate enough to spend her birthday in Hawaii recently, but she also got to celebrate in style at Alan Wong's restaurant in Honolulu. Wong's recipes hardly fall into the 'non taxing' bracket', but this delicious, speedy pupu is the exception.

1 lb cooked soy beans with the shell on (cooked from frozen)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 small chili pepper, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
½ tsp sesame oil

In a very hot skillet (a wok is ideal) fry garlic, ginger and chili with salad oil until golden brown. Add soybeans and continue to cook until heated through. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir fry for an additional minute; season with salt to taste (optional) and serve immediately.

Custard without the Stress

I know I am guilty of bias when it comes to my Vitamix, but truthfully this recipe revolutionizes custard making (which means it's also the perfect technique for any egg custard-based dessert, such as my home-made ice cream).

Ingredients to serve 6

6 free-range egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy or whipping cream

3/4 cup milk

½ cup refined sugar

1 1/2 tsps vanilla essence

Place all the ingredients into the Vitamix and whizz on full power for 5 to 7 minutes until steaming and thick. (Yes, that's all there is to it!)

Pumpkin Curry

If, like me, you have a pumpkin mountain left over from Hallowe'en, and you've already made pie and soup and pancakes, you may like to try spicing things up a little with this recipe kindly provided by the kitchen supply company, Steamer Trading (with a few JGH tweaks).

Ingredients
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2 sweet onions, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp dried chili flakes
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp roasted, ground cumin
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint unsweetened coconut milk
Salt
Bunch fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the onion, with the chili, until transparent. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir fry for another three minutes. Add the pumpkin and spices, cook a further few minutes. Add salt and coconut milk, mixing gently but thoroughly. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Garnish with the fresh herbs. Serve with plain rice and naan bread to mop up the juices.

Party Catering

I was recently asked to make potato salad and coleslaw for a party of 40. So as not to end up with the same old stuff I searched around for inspiration, and found it in herbs and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The following recipes are scaled down to serve 10-12 people.

Potato Salad

Adding dill to potato salad lifts it out of the ordinary, and be sure to use red-skinned potatoes.

5 lb red-skinned potatoes
1 red onion
handful of fresh dill sprigs, chopped
handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 tbsp Hellman's (for nothing less will do) mayonnaise
4 tbsp soured cream
4 tbsp 
1 tsp grated horseradish (or horseradish sauce)
salt & pepper
lemon juice

Wash the potatoes. Add them to boiling, salted water and cook for around 12 minutes or until they don't resist the knife when pierced. Meanwhile slice the onion and make up the dressing by mixing the Hellmann's, soured cream and seasonings (keeping aside a handful of dill and parsley to garnish the dish). Drain the potatoes, and immediately they are cool enough to handle remove the skins, cut into bite-sized slices and fold into the dressing with the onion. (While still warm the potatoes will absorb the flavor better.) Adjust seasoning, adding a few squeezes of lemon juice, and garnish with the remaining handful of herbs.

Asian-Inspired Coleslaw

1 medium white cabbage
4 large carrots
1 sweet onion
handful of fresh chives or spring onion
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup lightly salted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp groundnut oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
juice of 2 limes
black pepper
chili flakes

Put the sliced onion into a large bowl. Grate the carrot coarsely and add to the bowl. Grate the ginger finely and add. Remove any blemished or dry outer leaves from the cabbage, then quarter it, cut away the core and shred the leaves as finely as possible. Combine with the onion and carrot.

For the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together, making sure the honey is dissolved. Add chili according to taste. Add cilantro, leaving a handful aside for garnish.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Leave for at least 30 minutes to soften and absorb flavors.

Grind peanuts coarsely - a pestle and mortar are the best tools for this job - and fold into the salad. Garnish with remaining coriander (try including the green part of the spring onion or the chives too) and serve.

Hallowe'en Frighteners

Take a look at my special events recipes site for some Hallowe'en ideas, if you dare...

Jesse Grant Hester's Special Events Site

Watermelon Salad

Watermelon is in good shape and plentiful in early summer so with your melon baller in hand try making this wonderfully refreshing salad. Serve it chilled as an appetizer.

Ingredients for 4 people

Half a medium water melon (to yield 3-4 cups of melon balls)

A handful each of freshly picked and chopped mint and parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of half a lime and half a lemon

1/4 tsp cumin seed, freshly ground

Salt, pepper, chili flakes, sugar to taste

Scoop the flesh of the watermelon into balls with a melon baller. (It is worthwhile doing this - rather than simply chopping - for the texture and sensation in the mouth.)

Make up a dressing with the oil, citrus juice, cumin and seasoning. Be cautious with the sugar - a pinch may be enough, depending on how sweet and ripe your watermelon is.Toss the watermelon balls and the fresh herbs in the dressing, then chill for at least an hour.

The addition of crumbled feta will make this a more substantial salad.

Grilled Vegetables

This is the time of year for grilling and for getting fit. Invest in a vegetable basket, such as the Weber Style, and do both at the same time with vegetables on the grill. Here are some suggestions for a meal for four people, or a side for several more. Feel free to vary and invent!

The mixture pictured includes baby tomatoes,
asparagus and zucchini in bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 small red onion
1 small head broccoli
1 cup small brown mushrooms

Marinade

3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
chili flakes, salt & pepper to taste

Slice the onion. Slice the eggplant thinly (this is important for absorbing the marinade and because it takes longer to cook) and cut into small wedges. Cut the peppers and broccoli into bite-sized chunks. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and halve them.

Press the garlic clove and mix it in with the vinegar, oil, herbs and seasoning. Add the vegetables and marinate them for a couple of hours.

Heat the grill to 500 degrees. Place the vegetables in the basket on the grill. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure they are not burning, but do just begin to caramelize.

Red Onion Marmalade

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 large red onions, finely sliced
1 tsp dill seed
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet. Add the onion and dill seed, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the brown sugar, chili sauce and  a couple of tbsp cold water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then add 125ml red wine and 75ml balsamic vinegar.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until syrupy. Serve with Glamorgan Sausages.

Glamorgan Sausages

Here's another recipe handed down from my Welsh ancestors. In the Welsh language these are: Selsig Morgannwg. These simple sausages don't sound like much but they taste surprisingly good, and they will delight your vegetarian guests.

Ingredients - Serves 4 (12 sausages)

6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
4oz cheese (Caerphilly is authentic, but a mixture of Cheddar and goat’s cheese, such as feta, works well)
1 small onion or white part of one leek
handful of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, finely chopped
2 eggs
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp mustard
salt and black pepper
groundnut oil for frying

Grate the cheese. Chop the onion or leek very finely. Mix with the herbs, fresh breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Beat together 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, add mustard and use enough of this to bind the mixture. Divide into 12 and roll into sausage shapes.

Dip each sausage into egg white plus any remaining beaten egg mixture, then into well-seasoned flour. Chill for at least 20 minutes, then dip into egg again and coat with dried breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with Red Onion Marmalade.

Tapenade

This is a killer dip or spread, bringing the flavor and sophistication of the Mediterranean to your table. Use the serving suggestions from my Three Dips post. It also has a wonderful affinity for eggs: mash up with boiled egg for a sandwich filling, or spread on toast then top with fried or scrambled eggs.

Note that it is very rich, and quite salty, so do not be tempted to add more!

Ingredients for one bowl

8 oz Kalamata olives, stones removed
2 anchovies (rinse to remove excess salt rinsed off)
1/2 cup capers, drained
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled
pulp/juice of half a lemon
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
a small handful of fresh herbs - a mixture of parsley, basil and oregano works well

Place all the ingredients in a food processor such as the Vegemix, and blend until well mixed but still with little chunks for texture. Adjust seasoning with black pepper, chili pepper and/or lemon juice as needed. This keeps well for a week in a covered jar.

Chard Parcels

Chard is not difficult to grow. The difficulty comes in deciding what to do with the copious amounts of chard you have grown, after the first few days of steaming, stir frying and dressing in salads. Here's a nice, easy recipe for packages that make great appetizers or a side for an Asian main dish, but that are also portable enough for a summer picnic. Serve them warm or cold.

2 lbs (around 30 leaves) of Swiss chard
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fine Japanese soy sauce
2 tbsp peanut oil
few drops toasted sesame oil
handful toasted sesame seeds

Bring 6 pints water to the boil in a large pan. Meanwhile, trim all but 3" of stem off each chard leaf. Blanch whole leaves in water for 3 minutes, in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the capacity of your pan. Try to place in pan with stems in water and leaves exposed, as the stems take longer, and the leaves will cook in the steam if your pan has a lid.

Remove chard, drain and place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to absorb residual moisture and to cool. When the chard is all cooked and cooling, press the garlic cloves into a bowl. Add the oils and allow to infuse.

To make the chard parcels: take a leaf, fold the stem in half and wind the leafy green around it fairly tightly so it holds its shape. When you have made all the packages up, heat the garlic-oil mixture gently in a 10" skillet. Carefully add the parcels to the skillet. Drizzle soy sauce evenly over them and cover the pan. Fry on low for 2 minutes then turn off heat.

Transfer packages to serving dish and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Three Dips

You don't have to be on a Greek island to enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean. These dips, accompanied by pitta bread or vegetable sticks, make great appetizers that will go very well with a cocktail. They are also good with my falafel.

Fava Bean Dip

2 cups dried fava beans (Bob's Red Mill brand, for example), soaked overnight in plenty of water
4 cloves garlic
2 scallions
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/4-1/2 cup lemon juice
salt & black pepper

Drain the soaked beans. Put them in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, with the pan partially covered, for about 1 1/2 hours until the beans are tender. Top up the water during cooking time if necessary so the beans remain covered. Tip all ingredients into food processor and process until smooth. (Keep aside some herbs and a little olive oil to decorate your final dish.)

Taramosalata

4 slices of bread, crusts removed

6 ounces tarama (smoked fish roe)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

3/4 cup light-flavored olive oil

juice of 2 lemons

fresh parsley or cilantro

Soak the bread in water for 5 minutes the squeeze dry. Place in food processor with tarama, onion and garlic. With processor running, gradually add olive oil, thinning with lemon juice, as if making mayonnaise. Stop when you have a well-mixed emulsion. Stir in a little black pepper and some finely chopped parsley or cilantro. 

Hummus Bi Tahini

2 x 15 oz cans garbanzo beans 

1/2 cup tahini

6 tbsp lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp ground cumin

salt & black pepper

Drain beans, reserving the liquid. Blend beans, along with the other ingredients and 1/4 cup of the liquid. Process until the mixture is smooth, adding more of the reserved liquid until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper, adding more cumin and/or lemon juice to taste.

Toad in the Hole

Serves 4-6

First catch and kill a substantial-sized toad or two small ones*. Generously oil a shallow metal pan. Add the toad and a little chopped onion; sprinkle with herbs. Make a pancake batter by sifting 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Beat 1 large egg with 1 cup milk and incorporate into flour mixture.

Place pan in very hot oven (425 F) for 5 minutes until the oil sizzles then remove and pour batter over. Return to oven for 20-25 mins until the batter is brown, crusty and risen, with bits of toad peeking through. Serve piping hot with freshly steamed kale or other greens.

*When toad is not in season, substitute six large, high quality pork sausages, from which you have removed the casings - carefully, so as to retain the shape.

Blackened Shad

If you live on the East Coast, near a river, look out for the American shad in Spring, when it leaves the waters of the North Atlantic and makes its way up river to spawn.

If you are lucky enough to get hold of the roe, fill a smoke box with pre-soaked applewood chips and put it on the Weber. Smoke the roe on a very low grill for 25 minutes. A whole shad is delicious smoked this way too – again, the grill must be set to very low, and allow a couple of hours, refilling the smoke box several times during the process.

Serves 24

Juice of 3 lemons
6 lb American shad, gutted, spine and major bones removed
3 red onions, thinly sliced
1 1b mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1½ tsp salt
Black pepper
2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Make a marinade for the shad from the oil, vinegar, lemon and seasoning, in an ovenproof dish. Dip the fish in, skin side down, then turn. Sprinkle mushroom and onion on top, and make sure they’re covered with the marinade too. Allow to stand for a couple of hours. With the broiler as hot as you can get it, place shad skin side up under grill for up to 10 minutes until the skin begins to blacken and the fish is just cooked and moist. (If you are using an outdoor grill, again with it as hot as possible, place the fish skin side down on an oiled griddle and watch carefully as it cooks.) 

While the fish is cooking pour marinade into a wide-based pan or wok, and stir fryl over a high heat until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduce by half; season to taste and spoon over shad.

Served with boiled baby Yukon Gold potatoes and steamed asparagus.

Note: try to obtain the largest American shad you can, as deboning smaller fish is very hard work.

Oxtail Stew

What can be more delicious than the smell of oxtail slowly stewing in its own juices? Here's a recipe for this underrated classic, taken not from Mrs Beeton but from a worthy successor, Leiths, the London cookery school established in the 70s by the very talented South African, Prue Leith who, incidentally, calls herself a fraud - a 'good' but not a 'great' cook. So there is hope for us all!

Ingredients for 6

4 pounds oxtail
all purpose flour
3 tbsp sunflower oil
12 oz carrots
12 oz onion
few sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves
1/2 bottle dry red wine, such as Merlot or Pinot Noir
1 pint good meat stock
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
1 tin chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper

Method

Heat oven to 300 F. Wash and dry oxtail, trim off excess fat, cut into 1 1/2" lengths. Season flour with salt and pepper, and toss the oxtail pieces in this mixture. A bag is useful for this process.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and brown the oxtail, a few pieces at a time, evenly on all sides. Remove each batch to a plates when ready. Deglaze pan in between batches by pouring off excess oil, adding a little water to the pan and scraping up the sediment. This can be returned to the mix later as long as not burned.

Peel carrots and cut into thick slices. Halve and peel the onions, then cut into wedges through the root. Heat a little more oil in the pan and brown the vegetables evenly. Chop thyme leaves, peel and crush garlic.

Pour wine and stock over browned vegetables. Add herbs, garlic, sugar, seasoning. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Reap turn oxtail to pan. Cover and cook in oven 3-4 hours until very tender and coming away from bone. Reduce oven temperature if necessary during cooking time to maintain no more than a very gentle simmer.

Remove oxtail and vegetables. Allow cooking liquid to sit for 30-40 minutes so fat rises to the surface. Skim off fat. Taste sauce, heating again to reduce volume if a more intense flavor is required.

Remove and discard carrots, onion and bay leaf. Return oxtail to pan and reheat gently to serve.

This is delicious with creamy mashed potato and some freshly steamed root vegetables.

Blueberry-Lemon Sheet Cake

Ingredients

1 stick + 1 tbsp butter at room temp

8 oz white sugar 

2 large eggs

9 oz sour cream

2 cups all purpose flour sifted with 3 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt

juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

6 oz blueberries

For the cream cheese topping

2 oz butter, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, sieved, plus extra for dusting

7 oz cream cheese

2 oz blueberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and line a baking tin (10½in x 8in).

Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice and zest, flour, baking powder and salt, then carefully fold in the blueberries.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and set aside until completely cool. Cut into 12 slices.

Meanwhile make the topping. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese and lemon juice, then spread over the top of the cake. Sprinkle over the blueberries and dust with extra powdered sugar.

Salmon Parcels with Watercress Sauce

Ingredients for 8 people

2 x 16 oz sheets all-butter puff pastry
2 1/2 pound salmon fillet (2 smaller pieces will also work)

Mushroom filling:
8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp sour cream
1 egg, beaten

Sauce:
2 tbsp sweet onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
6 oz frozen peas
6 oz watercress, chopped
6 tbsp sour cream

To make mushroom filling, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan. Add onion and fry, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 3-4 mins to soften. Increase heat and add mushrooms. Fry until the liquid has evaporated, adding the garlic towards the end with a garlic press. Season lightly. Add lemon juice then parsley. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Place one sheet of pastry on baking paper on a baking sheet. Lay one salmon fillet on top and trim pastry to fit, allowing 1/2 inch of pastry all round. Spread the mushroom filling over the salmon, then place the second fillet on top like a sandwich. Season lightly again. Cover with second pastry sheet, trimming as before - it will take more pastry for the 'lid' because the fish-mushroom filling is thick. Dampen edges of base sheet and press top sheet on firmly to prevent leaks. Crimp edges of parcel. Now take the discarded pastry strips and use them to make a crisis-cross design over the top. Brush the parcel with the beaten egg. Place in pre heated oven (425 F) and bake for 30 mins, covering with foil if pastry starts to brown. When the pie is done allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

While the pie is cooking make the sauce - melt the butter in a pan, stir in the onion and and fry for a few minutes until soft but not colored. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, then off the heat slowly add the stock. Return to heat and cook, stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the peas. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in watercress. Purée the mixture in a food processor. Return to pan, stir in sour cream and mint, check seasoning and reheat gently just prior to serving.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

This is great to serve with coffee after a meal. Makes 10 large, very rich slices.

Ingredients

4 1/2 oz unsalted butter

3oz golden syrup
7oz dark chocolate - minimum 60% cocoa solids, broken into pieces
1 egg
2oz graham crackers
2oz whole walnuts
2oz sultanas
2oz glace cherries, reserving a few for decoration

Method

Line the loaf tin with baking parchment and set aside.

Melt the butter and syrup together in a small saucepan over a gentle heat until they begin to boil. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water, then mix thoroughly with the butter and golden syrup. Beat the egg slowly and continuously into the hot chocolate mixture.

Break up the biscuits slightly. Add the walnuts, sultanas and most of the cherries.Pour the chocolate mixture on to the dry ingredients and mix together with a spatula or wooden spoon. Press the mixture into the tin and decorate with reserved cherries. Leave to set in fridge for about four hours.

Remove from the fridge, peel off the paper and cut into slices or cubes.  Serve chilled.

Spicy Lamb Kebabs with Yogurt and Cucumber

Ingredients for 4 people

1 lb lean minced lamb

1 egg

1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs

1/4 cup minced green onion

1/2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander seed and cardamom

couple of pinches of chili powder

juice and grated rind of one lime

salt and pepper

handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

8 long wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 mins

For the sauce:

1/2 an English cucumber, partially peeled and cut into small cubes
couple of sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped
small pot of Greek-style yogurt
salt

Method

In a large bowl mix all the kebab ingredients. Tip: dampen your hands and use them rather than a utensil, to ensure that everything is well mixed together. Divide the mixture into eight and, again with dampened hands, shape each piece into a sausage. Push a drained skewer through the sausage, then squeeze and reshape it so that it is well formed and stuck to the stick. Repeat for the remaining kebabs. Sprinkle with a little olive oil.

Place in a preheated oven at 450 F, or under a hot grill. These are also great on the Weber or a charcoal grill. After 5-10 minutes depending on the cooking method it should be seared on the outside, but not overcooked inside.

Combine the yogurt ingredients and serve alongside. A dish of chili sauce is another good accompaniment for those who like it hot.

Cheese Flan

When it comes to cheese, the Swiss can teach us a thing or two. Same goes for cheese flan. This is a simple and irresistible tart from the Swiss Cheese Union in Berne, Switzerland.

Ingredients

9 oz shortcrust pastry
butter to grease flan tin
Filling:
7 oz Emmental, grated
7 oz Gruyere, grated
2 eggs
1 level tbsp all purpose flour
9 fl oz cream (1 cup + 1 tbsp)
salt, pepper, nutmeg

Method

Roll out the dough and use to line a 10" greased flan tin, pricking the base and the sides with a fork.

Combine all the ingredients for the cheese mixture. Pour this into the flan case.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 425 F for 25-35 minutes. Serve hot, accompanied by a salad.

Fried Green Tomatoes

This side dish is on the menu in one of my favorite East Coast spots - Lambertville, NJ. Jim Hamilton's great restaurant, Hamilton's Grill Room is in a picturesque canal-side courtyard, and you can have a cocktail at the neighboring Boat House before dinner.

Here's my version of the classic Southern dish.

Ingredients

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 firm, large green tomatoes, cut into slices 1/3 inch thick
vegetable oil
salt

Method 

Beat egg gently with buttermilk. Mix half the flour with the cornmeal, a scant teaspoon of salt and the pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the tomato slices in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Dip them into the egg mixture, then the cornmeal mixture.

Heat oil (or oil mixed with rendered bacon fat) to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet. Test the temperature with a teaspoon of cornmeal-egg mixture. It should sizzle but not turn brown too quickly. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into the hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt immediately.

Latin-inspired Cocktails and Virgin Alternatives

I'm hosting a Latin-themed party in a few days' time: an authentic Spanish paella cooked outdoors on the Weber grill, with some tapas appetizers and a flan and to finish. I want to serve pitchers of drinks in the same vein, but one of my guests has recently stopped drinking alcohol, so I shall be offering virgin alternatives too.

Sangria

Half fill a pitcher with ice. Pour in one bottle of Spanish red wine, a glass of brandy and a glass of club soda. Add slices of orange, apple, lime and lemon. To serve, pour into wine glasses, adding a helping of ice and sliced fruit.

Virgin Sangria

Half fill a large glass jug with ice. Add slices of orange, apple, lime and lemon. Top up the jug with fresh cranberry juice and the juice of an orange, a lemon and a lime, and serve as above. Adding a little club soda to each glass gives a longer, less sweet drink, which I find more refreshing.

Mojito

Half fill a tall glass with ice. Add a measure (2 1/2 fl oz) of white rum, half a lime cut into wedges and 2 tsps sugar. Add a large sprig of mint and the lime wedges, and muddle the glass to release mint and lime oils and juice. Top up with a splash of club soda and decorate with another wedge of lime.

Cuba Alcohol-Libre

Half fill a tall glass with ice. Add a splash of tonic water and the juice of half a lemon and half a lime. Top up with Coca Cola. Decorate with a slice of lime.

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons fast-acting yeast
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, softened
4 oz sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins and peel
short crust pastry trimmings (or a thick paste of flour + water)
2 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsps water for glaze

Method

Mix salt with flour. Rub in butter. Add yeast, sugar, spice. Combine eggs with warmed milk. Pour into flour mixture and mix. Add fruit. Knead well to form a springy dough. Leave to rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in size.

Knock back the dough and divide into 18 pieces. Shape into balls with hands and place close to each other but not touching on a baking tray. Allow to prove in a warm place, covered, until doubled in size.

Cut pastry into 3/8" strips or make up a thick flour and water paste and put in piping bag. When the buns have doubled in size brush a little water in a cross over each bun and place two strips of pastry over the top; or if using flour paste pipe a cross on each bun.

Bake in a preheated (425 F) oven for 8-10 minutes. While the buns are baking heat sugar gently with water until you have a pale golden syrup. Brush this over the buns immediately you take them from the oven, then cool on a rack.

Gazpacho

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh tomatoes
3 green onions (more if small)
1 English cucumber
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
2-3 cloves garlic
1 1/2 pints chicken or vegetable stock or water
few teaspoons sun-dried tomato puree
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt & black pepper
2-3 tbsps red wine vinegar
4 tbsps good olive oil
1 tsp white sugar
1 small glass vodka*
1 thick slice white bread soaked briefly in a little water*

*optional but well worth considering

Method

Chop ingredients roughly (and mix with soaked bread if using). Add oil and blend briefly to give a coarse, lumpy puree. Stir in the stock, vinegar, sugar and seasoning. Chill for several hours. Stir in parsley and optional vodka just before serving.

It is traditional to hand around small dishes of chopped cucumber, red pepper, onion, hard boiled egg and croutons as accompaniments.

Salud!

Kulfi

My dear old friend Ken has an exciting new venture in the Philippines. He is opening an Indian restaurant on the idyllic Bohol Island, so if you are passing through be sure to visit the Bohol Curry House & Bar. To mark this auspicious event I thought I would post my version of the classic Indian ice cream.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 pints whole milk
1 tbsp rice flour
14 fl oz sweetened, condensed milk
4 oz sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 tbsp ground almonds
1 tbsp chopped pistachios

Method

Pour milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon and scraping milk solids that form on the sides back into the pan. When the volume has reduced by almost half add the rice flour and sugar, and cook, stirring, until incorporated and smooth..

Cool the mixture slightly, stirring to prevent a skin forming. Add the can of sweetened condensed milk and mix it in thoroughly, along with the ground and chopped nuts.

Allow the mixture to cool completely then churn it in an ice-cream maker. After 20 minutes but before the kulfi is quite solid, divide it among 6 small, freezer-proof moulds (in India conical metal molds are used), seal and place in freezer.

To serve, remove the molds from the freezer and tap them or warm them slightly with your hands. The kulfi should be eaten immediately as it melts more quickly than other types of ice cream.

Potato Gratin

There's a recipe for this French dish in every cookbook. So why am I bothering to reproduce it here? Well, partly because I'm nearing the end of my cabbage soup week and writing about potatoes and cream is as close as I can get to licking the fork, and partly because people just don't cook this delicious, inexpensive and non taxing recipe at home any more.

Here's my version, with a nod to the late, great Jane Grigson who recommends using the whites of three leeks in place of my Mayan sweets in her The Cooking of Normandy. The layering and baking is similar to the process in my September post, Amy's Sweet Potatoes.

Ingredients for 6

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 large Mayan sweet onion
2 ounces salted butter
1 cup home-made, concentrated chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 small garlic clove
fresh parsley and thyme
salt and black pepper

Peel potatoes and slice them on a mandolin into a bowl of iced water. Slice the onion as finely as you can. Half garlic and rub cut halves vigorously around a shallow, ovenproof dish then butter it generously with some of the butter. Drain and dry the potatoes, mix them with the onion and layer into the dish, seasoning with salt, pepper, parsley and thyme, and finishing with an attractive layer of overlapping potato.

Mix stock and cream and pour over the dish to come just up to the top layer. Melt remaining butter and pour over the top of the dish. Bake in a slow oven, (325 degrees) increasing the temperature towards the end of the hour or more of cooking time, in order to brown the top and dry off any excess moisture.

The Cabbage Soup Diet

Winter festivities are behind us, the vernal equinox looms. Time to shed those excess pounds? This is my favorite diet, because...you can eat as much as you want - as long as it's cabbage soup. When you'd rather not eat than have another bowl of the soup, you know you are winning. The soup recipe is at the bottom of this post, and I find that making a batch at the beginning of the week and another in the middle of the week will see me through.

The principle of the diet, as you may know, is a strict daily regime for 7 days (don't attempt to do it for longer). Each day you may eat unlimited amounts of the soup, and drink plenty of water, also hot water with a squeeze of lemon, unsweetened herb or black tea, plus the following:

Day 1 - fruit (except bananas)

make it easier on yourself - prepare a fruit salad the day before and include your favorite, exotic fruits

Day 2 - vegetables

leaves are excellent - spinach, chard, arugula, etc; avoid beans/peas/corn; a baked potato will help you feel full and cut the cravings

Day 3 - fruit and vegetables

the ingredients you've used over the last two days (but no potato) - try exciting fruit-vegetable salad combinations (dressed with lemon or vinegar and herbs)

Day 4 - bananas and 0% milk

up to 3 bananas and unlimited milk (yes, this is the tough day, but hang in there...)

Day 5 - beef and tomatoes

up to 20 ounces of beef and 6 tomatoes; increase your water consumption on this day

Day 6 - beef and vegetables

unlimited amounts of beef, focus on leaves rather than root vegetables, and again no potato

Day 7 - brown rice, fruit juice, vegetables

unlimited amounts, fruit juice must be unsweetened

Critics of the diet cite poor breakfast provision, but lightly cooked spinach makes an excellent breakfast (and just imagine how good it will taste with an egg on top the following week!) on the non-fruit days, leaving only Day 5 somewhat problematic - I have been known to cheat and put a splash of milk (0% of course) in my tea on that morning, but that's our secret, okay?

JGH's Cabbage Soup Recipe

6 Mayan sweet onions

1/2 head of Savoy or other green cabbage

1 bunch kale

2 green peppers

15 heirloom tomatoes

1 head of celery

4 cloves garlic

2 pints of chicken or turkey stock, preferably home-made, all fat removed

black pepper, salt, fresh herbs such as sage, parsley, thyme

Bring 2 pints of water to the boil in a large pan. Add tomatoes for a minute, take out with a slotted spoon and remove skins. Chop the tomato flesh. Slice onion, greens, peppers and celery finely. Place the prepared vegetables in the pan along with the stock. Crush the garlic cloves and add to the pan. Season with black pepper, a little salt and the herbs. Return pan to boil then turn down the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Adjust seasoning. Delicious!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Corned Beef and Cabbage, what else? Here's my take on this classic and satisfying dish. The recipe below serves 4-6. As a rule allow 1/2 to 3/4 pound of beef per person (trust me, it will shrink by half), and cook for one hour per pound. And which cut? Flat cut is less fatty than point cut, but the fat adds flavor; bottom round is another good option.

Ingredients

3-4 pound piece corned beef
1 medium head green cabbage
2 sweet onions
2 carrots
1 stick celery
4-6 potatoes
a bottle of beer (Irish*, of course)
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
black pepper
1 cup water

Method

Rinse corned beef under cold water to reduce saltiness. Place it in a large pan, fat side up. Peel onions and stud with 3 cloves each. Add these to pan along with prepared, whole  carrots and celery stick. Remove outer layers of cabbage, cut into big chunks and add to the pan. Add your choice of beer and sufficient water to cover the beef.

Simmer the beef or bake it at 350 F, reducing the heat to 325 after the first couple of hours. Check the liquid level hasn't gone down by much - add a cup of water as needed. When the meat is just tender add the potatoes to the pan, peeled and cut into rough chunks. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are done.

Remove the beef from pan and place a weighted object on it. Arrange vegetables on a platter and keep hot. Strain liquid and boil to reduce a little, then check seasoning. Now slice the beef across the grain and add slices to the platter. Pour some stock over the platter, and serve the rest separately. Some soda bread would be a nice touch to soak up the delicious juices. Mustard is another traditional accompaniment.

*Murphy's, O'Hara's and of course Guinness should give you plenty of flavor choice. I have had great results with Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale.

Vichyssoise

That's what the French call this delicious soup. It's just leek and potato soup served well chilled. So if Spring is slow coming in your part of the world you may want to serve it piping hot instead.

Ingredients

1/2 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 pound peeled, chopped potato
1 pound sliced leek, washed well (discard the tougher dark green parts)
3 pints chicken stock
1/4 pint cream or half and half
Salt, pepper
2 tablespoons snipped chives

Sweat onion in butter for 5 minutes until soft; do not allow to brown. Stir in leek and potato. Add stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potato is soft.

Process in Vitamix or other blender. (For a finer, more delicate soup, now pass through a fine sieve.)

Add half of the cream or half and half. Taste and adjust seasoning*. If you are serving the soup cold, chill well, along with your soup bowls. Otherwise heat gently until just below boiling point.

Serve in individual bowls, swirling in remaining cream or half and half, and a sprinkling of chives.

Serves 8 as an entree.


*Salt has a weaker effect in a cold dish, so if you are serving this soup cold, be sure to add a little extra.

Cheesy Buttermilk Biscuits

The New York Times and David Page and Barbara Shinn's wonderful Recipes from Home have solid versions of the classic buttermilk biscuit. Here's my version, using aged Gouda which gives a fantastic earthy flavor and flecks of orange through the biscuit.

Ingredients for 12 biscuits

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 sticks butter
1/4 stick vegetable shortening
1 heaped tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup aged Gouda, grated

Method

Sift flour with baking powder, soda and salt. Stir in sugar. Cut in cheese and fat. Stir in buttermilk gently and quickly until the mixture just holds. Chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out 1/2" thick and cut with a pastry cutter, or shape into 6 squares and cut each in half to form triangles. Place on a greased baking tray a little apart from each other to allow for rising. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 20-25 minutes, Cool a little on a wire rack - but these are best eaten warm.

Variation

Reduce cheese to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon and a little torn, fresh sage with the buttermilk. (It's advisable to reduce the shortening, sugar and salt content a little, depending on the fattiness, sweetness and saltiness of your bacon.)

Posole with Hot Sauce

Here's a classic New Mexico dish for a feast. It's only taxing in that the preparation should be done in advance. But if you start it the day before you'll free up time to spend with your guests, and there's the added bonus that the flavors will develop and improve overnight.

Ingredients

1 pound posole (hominy), rinsed
2 pounds pork shoulder
1 onion cut in half, each half studded with 3 cloves
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery
5 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano or marjoram
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander

Method

Place posole and 10 cups water in a large stewing pot. Bring to the boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 to 5 hours, stirring every half hour, until the posole pops open. Add more water if needed.

In a large stockpot, combine pork, 8 cups water, the studded onion halves, celery stalks, cloves of garlic, herbs, spices and canola oil. Cook on medium heat for 3 hours, covered, with lid ajar. Add more water as needed to keep meat immersed; you're also creating the soup's base. The meat is ready when it flakes apart easily.

Remove pork from stockpot to a large bowl. Strain pork broth into the posole stewing pot, combining the two. Set to low simmer. When cool enough to handle, flake the meat in large chunks and add to the stew pot.

Pour the hot sauce (recipe below) into the stew pot. Combine all the ingredients and let simmer 2 hours. Adjust salt to taste.

Serve posole with tortillas or cornbread, allowing guests to top their own bowl with grated cheese, fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado, or lime wedges.

Hot Sauce

10 to 15 dried red chile pods (stems and seeds removed)
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Reserved water from the chile soaking pot

In a pot, cover chiles with water and bring almost to a boil. Turn off heat, stir and steep 10 minutes.

In a blender, combine chile pods, spices and chile water, filling blender to the halfway mark with liquid. Blend on medium-high for 5 minutes. 

Bara Brith

My great grandmother was from a Welsh coal-mining family. They moved to Jim Thorpe, PA in search of a better life, and her descendants migrated west until they reached California. My mother had the recipe for this tea bread on a scrap of paper in her grandmother's handwriting, and she would often bake it for us kids.

Ingredients

1 pound dried fruit

1 pint cold, strong black tea

12 ounces brown sugar

4 cups unbleached flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon each allspice, cinnamon and ground cloves

1 extra large egg

Method

Soak the fruit in the tea overnight in a large bowl. Next day mix the sugar and spices into it. Add the egg and mix well. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and incorporate gently with a wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into a large, well greased bread or cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 1 1/2 hours. Turn out and allow to cool. 

Serve spread thickly with salted butter or slices of cheese. It is traditional to serve Bara Brith with Caerphilly cheese, a saltier, crumblier version of Cheddar, which you can sometimes pick up at stores such as Dean & Deluca and Whole Foods.

101 Ways with Stale Bread

In France they call it ‘pain perdu’. In Russia they ferment it to produce alcohol. In America we throw it away. Here are a few ideas for making delicious use of that stale (but not moldy!) loaf.

Croutons

Great for adding texture to salads and creamed soups.

Slice bread into 1/2" thick slices then cube. Spread out on a roasting tray. Melt a knob of butter, and mix with a similar amount of olive oil and a little salt. Sprinkle this mixture over the bread cubes, tossing to coat evenly. Bake at 325 F for 20 minutes or so. The amount of oil, butter and seasoning will of course depend on how much bread you have; the cubes should be coated but not dripping. Baking time will also vary according to the type and dryness of the bread. Check the oven regularly to ensure the bread is crisping up and turning golden, but no darker.

The croutons can be stored in a tin for a couple of weeks, or frozen then revived for a few minutes in a hot oven.

Bruschetta

(pronounced 'brusketta', not 'brushetta'!)

This works will with any kind of French stick, but is particularly good with a stale sourdough baguette. Slice the bread into 1/4" rounds. Place in a single layer on one or two roasting trays. Season with oil, salt, dried herbs and hot red pepper flakes according to taste (for example if you plan to pile cream cheese onto your bruschetta, a hint of chili would be a good contrast, but if your topping is to have a lot of herbs or hot spice keep the oil mix mild).

Bake as for croutons, checking the oven regularly. The bruschetta will also keep for a couple of weeks in a tin.

Serving suggestions:

• with a guacamole dip
• piled with salmon mousse and a thin slice of cucumber
• spread with pesto*
• mince some black olives and mix with sun-dried tomato paste*
• mashed blue cheese with crumbled walnuts

*The Saclà product range is perfect for the job.

So go on, dip into the bread bin and get creative!

Cheese Fondue from Switzerland

Here's a lovely recipe if the weather is cold in your part of the world, regardless of whether you've been on the piste.

Serves 4

1 garlic clove, halved
1 lb Gruyère
½ lb Emmental
4 oz Appenzeller
4 level tsp cornflour
12 fl oz dry white wine
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 glass kirsch
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
Crusty bread cut into 1” cubes (allow ½ lb per person)

Rub inside of fondue pot with garlic halves. Add the cheese and the cornflour and mix well. Add the lemon juice to the white wine and pour over the cheese. Stirring constantly, heat through until the cheese has melted and is bubbling gently. Blend in the kirsch and season to taste. Place on adjustable burner and serve immediately.

Dip chunks of bread into the fondue, stirring in a figure-of-eight movement to avoid the bottom burning. Anyone who drops a chunk of bread in the mix must pay a forfeit – by drinking a glass of Kirsch.

Apart from the Kirsch forfeit the Swiss are very strict about what you drink with your fondue. A dry white wine is acceptable, and so is tea.

ApfelStrudel for My Lieblings

My German friend, Ulrike, gave me this recipe 20 years ago. Go on, serve it to your Valentine this weekend.

Ingredients 

For the dough:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
about 125 ml water (lukewarm)
pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter

For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds apples
1 cup golden raisins
2/3 cup chopped almonds

Plus:
butter for the tray
some extra flour to work the dough

And for the topping:
melted butter
sour cream
fine, fresh breadcrumbs
sugar and cinnamon

powdered sugar

Method

Sieve the flour onto a pastry board. Make a hollow in the middle and put the water and salt into it. Mix (use the warmth of your hands as everything should be at room temperature), then add the melted butter and knead into a dough. Beat the dough until it is smooth and can be 'pulled'. Shape it into a ball and put in a bowl, covered, in a warm place for about an hour.

In the meantime, peel and core the apples, and cut them into into thin slices. Grease the baking tray.

Take the prepared dough and place it on the pastry board, sprinkling a little flour over it. Roll it out as flat and thin as you can. Place the dough on a large, clean tea towel, also sprinkled with flour, and pull it to extend it further. This takes a bit of practice as the dough tears quite easily. In any case it needs to be very, very thin and even, so do take care that there is no extra thickness at the edges.

Now, with the dough still on the tea towel brush it with melted butter to cover, then spread some sour cream onto the dough, and sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top. Cover with the apple, golden raisins and almonds.Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mix on top.

Pick up one end of the covered dough (with the aid of the tea towel) and roll it up, tucking the sides of the dough towards the middle. Carefully place the strudel on the baking tray with the edge of your roll facing downwards. Brush melted butter on top and place in the middle of the preheated oven (400 F). Bake for 45 mins.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar once the strudel has cooled a little.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake is my guilty pleasure. I'm still searching for that perfect recipe. Here's a nice, easy, non-taxing one I developed with a friend in DC some years back. But you may also like to try this one by the goddess of cheesecake makers, Ina Garten.

Base

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 stick melted butter

Mix ingredients together well and press onto bottom of an 8-inch pan with removable base. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Filling

2 x 8 oz packs of cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs plus one egg yolk

3/4 tsp vanilla essence

Beat all ingredients until smooth. Pour onto slightly cooled shell. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.

Topping

1 pint soured cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Mix well and pour over cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes at 375 F.

Chocolate Brownies

As American as apple pie, but ironically when making brownies from scratch it's the British chef, Nigel Slater, whom I turn to for inspiration. The recipe below is adapted from the one in his excellent book, Real Food.

Ingredients

8 oz dark muscovado sugar
6 oz unsalted butter, preferably European or Plugrá
350 g 70% best quality dark chocolate, chopped into pieces
3 medium eggs
2 oz all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

Method

Preheat oven to gas 5. Line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. My Williams-Sonoma square cake pan is perfect for the job.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the eggs until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and whisk until thick. Gently fold in the chocolate. Sift in the flour and fold in until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a paper-like crust forms on top. There should still be some movement in the center of the tin. Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cut into squares.

Falafel

Bob's Red Mill products are wholesome and reliable, perfect for my new health regime. I urge you to track these grains down or order them online. I use Bob's Red Mill garbanzo flour in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup hot water
3 tbsp olive oil

Method

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda. Roast cumin and coriander seeds lightly, then pound in a mortar and pestle and add to dry mixture. Stir in parsley, garlic and onion. Add lemon juice and hot water and mix well. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.

In a frying pan heat the oil on medium high heat until hot. Add the falafel batter by the tablespoon and flatten slightly. Shallow fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. The mixture will make 12 falafel.

Serve in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, tahini sauce and tzatzkiki*.


*Make your own tzatziki by combining 1 cup of FAGE Total Greek yogurt with 1 small cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped. Add a little onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Easy and delicious!

Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Sauce

Here's a great sharing platter courtesy of the Food Network. It went down very well at my open house Super Bowl party on Sunday, even if there were tears by the end of the evening. Come on Seahawks!

Ingredients

Cheese Sauce:
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon skim milk
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Buffalo Cauliflower:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
8 cups cauliflower florets (from about 1 medium head)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

For the cheese sauce:
Whisk together the sour cream, blue cheese, milk, mayonnaise, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

For the Buffalo cauliflower:
Microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on high until melted. Whisk in the hot sauce and lemon juice and set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup water, the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and toss until well coated. Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until beginning to brown and just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Whisk the hot sauce mixture again, drizzle over the cauliflower and toss with tongs to coat. Roast the cauliflower until the sauce is bubbling and browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve hot with the cheese sauce.

Shrimp Fusion Pasta

Here's a recipe that takes just minutes to make. I always have a big bag of raw shrimp in the freezer to give my cat a treat. (Don't tell her I've been stealing them, will you.)

Ingredients

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 leek, white part, finely sliced
A knob of fresh ginger, grated*
Half a lemon, squeezed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp raw sugar
Small bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Chilij pepper, salt and black pepper to taste

Method

In a wok or large sauté pan heat the oil to very hot and quickly stir fry the vegetables and ginger. Push them to the side then add the shrimp and cook for one minute on each side. Add lemon juice, garlic, sugar, cilantro and seasoning. Cook a further 30 seconds.

Toss with freshly cooked egg noodles or egg fried rice and serve immediately.

Serves 2-3 people

*If you've been preserving your ginger as I recommended in the footnote to my Wild Arctic Char recipe then this is the perfect opportunity to use it, plus some of the acidic preserving liquor, though reduce the amount of lemon juice and check the seasoning carefully in that case.

Florence's Heavy Fruit Cake

I didn't know Florence myself, but from the taste of this fruit cake she must have been quite a gal.

This is the ultimate, non-taxing recipe, and as good and moist a cake as you will ever taste.

Ingredients

3/4 pound dried, mixed fruit
6 oz light brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
4 oz glace cherries, chopped
4 oz butter
1 x 8 oz can of pineapple, strained and chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 oz all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder

Method

Put butter, sugar, and all the fruit into a pan over a gentle heat. Stir until the butter has melted and everything is well mixed. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually stir in the beaten egg. Carefully fold in the flour sieved with the baking powder and spice.

Put the mixture into a prepared 8" cake tin and cook in a moderate oven (300 F) for 1 1/4 hours. Allow to firm up for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Healthy Start: Granola

I must confess that I am guilty of criminal over-indulgence during the holiday period. My new year's resolution was to lose that extra weight and get in shape. Granted I'm a little late getting going, but I am now managing a 'healthy start' breakfast every day of fresh fruit and 2% fat Greek yogurt over my home-made granola*. Give it a try!

Ingredients

- for about 2 pounds of granola

5 cups rolled oats

3 cups almonds, coarsely chopped

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup unsweetened fruit puree (apple or peach are good)

1/3 cup golden syrup or agave nectar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

To add after baking: dried fruit (raisins, etc or dry your own grapes, apple pieces or whatever you have a glut of).

Method

Preheat the oven to 300F. In a very large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a small pan, warm the fruit puree with the syrup, honey, and oil, then mix this very thoroughly into the dry ingredients.

Divide the mixture in half and spread evenly on two jelly-roll pans or baking sheets. Bake the granola for about 45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until it is deep golden brown. Don’t be tempted to keep baking until it gets crispy as it will crisp up on cooling, and is less tasty – and less nutritious – if overcooked.

Remove from oven, stir in your choice of dried fruit, then allow to cool completely. Store the granola in a roomy airtight container. It will keep for up to a month. 

*the recipe is adapted from one published in Feast, by the heavenly Nigella Lawson