Blackberry and coconut tray bake

November 9, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Tray bakes are very “Commonwealth.” I was brought up with them in New Zealand and they are also very popular in Great Britain. They are usually very easy to make and so delicious. My son, Oliver made this to take to work, it was spectacular and everyone wanted more.

8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz oats
5 oz soft brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
7 oz cold butter, cut into pieces
4 oz sweetened shredded coconut
2 large eggs
14 oz fresh blackberries

Heat the oven to 350 F

Tip the flour, oats, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until only pea sized pieces remain.

Stir through the coconut, then fill a tea cup with the mixture and set this aside.

Stir the eggs into the bowl of mixture, then spread over the bottom of a lined baking tin, (like a 9” by 13” shallow Swiss roll tin or a square tin)
Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, then scatter over the blackberries so they cover the mixture.

Scatter over the reserved teacup mixture and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 20 minutes until golden and cooked through (if you poke a skewer in, it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet mixture).

Leave to cook, then remove from the tin and cut into squares.
Serve with some extra berries, if you like.

Uncomplicated golden overnight chicken/turkey stock in your slow cooker

November 9, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I want to shout this recipe out loud because it makes the world’s best stock while you’re sleeping, it’s SO effortless and with only 4 few ingredients. I can hear you say, “What about the carrots, celery, thyme….?” You really don’t need them! Try this recipe as is first, is all I am saying and you will realize it’s all you need.

In preparation for Thanksgiving or Christmas (and any other times you want the very best quality chicken or turkey stock), we woke up this morning to the beautifully pervading smell of turkey broth cooking in the slow cooker.
I’m getting ahead of the game by making the turkey stock for the gravy, and having made this recipe once, I swear there is no other stock recipe you will need.
It is so easy and with so few ingredients. Go to your local supermarket (I went to Wholefoods) and ask for 3lbs of their wings, that is all.
It’s a rich, golden, strongly flavored stock and usable in so many ways.
It would be the most divine broth just to have neat, especially if you’re under the weather and it will make the most wonderful gravy.
If you don’t have a slow cooker, go out and buy yourself one, (preferably 5 quart size or more) even if it’s just for this recipe. They are very inexpensive and well worth it.

Makes 3 quarts

4 lbs uncooked chicken or turkey wings
3 quarts water
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp salt, or more to taste

Place all the ingredients in your slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours (I did mine overnight) or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Strain out the chicken/turkey parts, onion and garlic.
I put a large colander lined with kitchen towel over a large bowl and emptied everything into that and waited for 20 minutes until every drop had been strained through the towel, then threw all solids away.
The stock is now ready for use, or you might like to refrigerate it overnight and skim off the small amount of fat the next morning, freezing it for when you roast those potatoes!
Once defatted, you can use or freeze the broth for later use.
It’s as simple as that!

Nuts · Poultry

Roasted chicken pieces with saffron, hazelnuts and honey

November 7, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

This is easy to make, and is loosely based on the flavors of Marrakech. It looks stunning on a platter served at the table and has a very delicate and exotic flavor.
Serve with plain rice or couscous.

Serves 4

4lbs chicken legs or chicken pieces
2 large onions, roughly chopped
5 tbsp olive oil
1 good tsp ground ginger
1 good tsp ground cinnamon
a generous pinch of saffron threads
Juice of 1 large lemon
4 -5 tbsp cold chicken broth
2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 ounces unskinned hazelnuts
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp rosewater
3 scallions, roughly chopped

In a large bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the onions, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, saffron, lemon juice, chicken broth, salt and pepper.
Leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge, preferably.

Preheat the oven to 375F
Spread the hazelnuts out on an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Chop roughly and set aside.

Transfer the chicken and marinade to a roasting tray large enough to accommodate everything comfortably. Arrange the chicken pieces skin side up and put the tray in the oven for about 35 minutes.

While the chicken is roasting, mix the honey, rosewater and nuts together to make a rough paste.
Remove the chicken from the oven, spoon a generous amount of nut paste on to each piece and spread it to cover.
Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the nuts are golden brown.

Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the chopped scallions.

Appetizers · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad

Puy lentils with dried sour cherries, bacon and Gorgonzola

November 7, 2013 Belinda

Sweet, sour and musky-salty. Such a harmonious mixture in a really heady starter

Serves 2 – 4 as a starter salad

1/2 cup Puy lentils (You can use the vacuum packed precooked ones, but miss out the first stage and just reheat in microwave. Also,use about 3/4 to 1 cup lentils as they are already cooked.)
2 bay leaves
2 – 3 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
1 tsp caster sugar (superfine)
2 oz dried sour cherries (You can use dried cranberries, but the slight sourness of these dried cherries works better against the other flavors)
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
8 rashers of bacon (streaky, preferably)
3 oz baby spinach
4 oz creamy Gorgonzola cheese
salt and black pepper

1/ Wash the lentils under cold running water and then drain. Transfer to a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 3 times their height. Add the bay leaves, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are al dente.

2/ Meanwhile make the sauce. Place the shallots in a pan with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and saute over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until golden.
Add the water, sugar, cherries and vinegar and continue simmering over a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until you get a thick sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

3/ Drain the lentils (if you have cooked them yourself) and immediately add them to the sauce so they can soak up all the flavors. Stir together, taste and adjust the salt again.
It will need quite a lot, but remember you are adding bacon and Gorgonzola later, which are salty. Set aside to cool down.

4/ Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon in it for 3 minutes on each side, until it turns quite crisp.
Transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Tear the bacon into large pieces and add to the lentils, then add the spinach and stir well.
Taste and see if the salad needs any more oil, salt or pepper.

5/ Transfer to serving plates and dot with broken chinks of Gorgonzola

Do-ahead · Fish

Easy roasted tomatoes and shrimp with feta, oregano and fennel

November 5, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This makes about 4 servings depending on what you’re serving it with.

Lovely, easy and light.

5 – 6 medium sized fresh red tomatoes, cut into pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 heaped tbsp fried oregano (preferably dried Greek oregano)
1 tsp ground fennel seed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. (31 to 40 count)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup crumbed Greek feta cheese (or more)
2 – 3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge, if frozen.
Preheat the oven to 350 F

Dice the tomatoes into pieces about an inch square and put them in the bottom of a heavy baking dish, large enough to fit the tomatoes in one layer.
Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with the minced garlic, dried oregano, ground fennel seeds and freshly ground black pepper.
Put the tomatoes into the oven on the top rack to roast for 30 minutes.

While the tomatoes are cooking, crumble the feta cheese, squeeze the lemon juice, and clean the shrimp as needed. Take the tails off.
Chop the parsley if you’re using it.

When the tomatoes have cooked 30 minutes, arrange the shrimp over the tomatoes, sprinkle over the lemon juice and feta cheese and put the dish back into the oven on the top rack to cook the shrimp for 8 to 10 minutes
Watch them carefully so the shrimp don’t overcook. They’re done as soon as the shrimp turn pink and are barely firm.

Sprinkle the dish with the chopped parsley if using.

This is lovely served over rice or angel hair pasta or even just with some good quality focaccia or ciabatta bread to mop up all the gorgeous juices

Do-ahead · Pasta

Rather “glam” Mac and Cheese

November 5, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is for those “glam” guests.
A gorgeous side with the creamy Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte cheese and the pancetta and scallions.

Serves 4

3 cups or 12 oz macaroni
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup or 3 oz pancetta, diced
1 small handful of fresh thyme leaves
5 scallions trimmed and finely sliced
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 handful chopped fresh parsley

Cheese sauce
3 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
A good pinch grated nutmeg (Grate it fresh)
1 tsp Colmans or another strong mustard powder
A generous 3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 oz Gorgonzola or Dolcelatte cheese
5 oz parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling salted water, but don’t completely cook it or it will be a mush after it comes out of the oven. Undercook it so it is slightly chewy and still has a bite to it. Drain, then return the macaroni to the pan and set aside.

Fry the pancetta in a medium skillet over a gently heat until it just starts to brown and crisp up, then add the thyme leaves and scallions and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add it’s contents to the pasta.

For the sauce;
Put the butter, nutmeg, flour and mustard powder in a small pan over a medium heat and cook until the butter has melted.
Mix the milk and cream in a pitcher, then add a little at a time to the flour and butter in the pan, stirring well.

Keep adding the milk mixture, bit by bit, stirring well each time. This will prevent the sauce from getting lumpy. DON’T put all the milk/cream in at once or it will get clumpy.
As you’re stirring make sure you get the spoon or whisk right into all the corners as stray moulds of flour often lurk there.
Once the sauce has fully come together, turn up the heat and boil for a minute or two.
The sauce should thicken considerably, then remove the pan from the heat.

Add 2/3 of both the cheeses to the sauce , stirring, while it is hot and combine well.
It may be a bit lumpy, but that is fine.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to the pasta mix.
Stir everything well and spoon into a shallow casserole dish.
Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheese and the breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble and the top goes crumbly and brown.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve while hot.

Uncategorized

Baked camembert with roasted garlic

November 3, 2013 Belinda

Stuck for a quick appetizer? This is positively sexy!!!

Serves 2

2 bulbs of garlic, unpeeled with the tops sliced off
3 tbsp butter
Scant 1/3 cup (or 3 fl oz) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 squidge of honey
2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
3 bay leaves
7oz to 9oz Camembert, plastic wrapping, label on cheese and lid removed but still in it’s wooden box, at room temperature
1 French baguette, ripped into 4 inch pieces and sliced horizontally

Preheat the oven to 400 F

In a roasting dish add the butter, oil, a pinch of salt, a couple of twists of black pepper, the honey, the rosemary and bay leaves. Mix it all together then add the garlic bulbs, cut side down on top of all that great stuff and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
After 30 to 35 minutes, cut a large cross in the top of the Camembert and add it to the oven.
Make sure the plastic covering and lid is removed and anything else other than the cheese and the bottom box that it came in. Add the French baguette to warm up too

Serve by slathering some warm gooey Camembert on a slice of baguette then squeezing out a couple of the caramelized cloves of garlic on top!

Meat · Pasta

Orecchiette carbonara with charred Brussel sprouts

November 3, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Lovely and soothing with the nutty flavor of the charred Brussel sprouts.

1/2 lb Brussel sprouts, trimmed, leaves separated
12 oz fresh or dried orecchiette, or other fresh or dried small pasta
Kosher salt
2 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup grated pecorino plus more
2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add the brussel sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until charred in spots and crisp tender, about 5 minutes or so ; transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
* You can also toss the Brussel sprouts in a little olive oil, season and roast them on a shallow baking tray at 400 F for 15 minutes or so until they are tender and charred.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente (about 5 mins for fresh pasta). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Immediately add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid to keep the pepper from burning; reduce the heat to low and gradually add the butter, swirling the skillet and adding more pasta liquid as needed, until a thick glossy sauce forms.
(Taste as you go and switch to hot water once the sauce is adequately seasoned)

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat.
Add the pecorino, toss to combine.
Remove from the heat, mix in the egg yolks. Add the reserved Brussel sprouts leaves, toss, adding pasta cooking liquid or hot water as needed to thin the sauce.

Serve the pasta topped with more Pecorino

Grains · Salad · Vegan

Couscous with dried apricots and roasted butternut squash

November 3, 2013February 8, 2016 Belinda

Another Ottolenghi gem. I love this combinations of Fall flavors.

1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
Scant 1/2 cup dried apricots
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch dice
1 1/2 cups uncooked couscous
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
pinch of saffron threads
3 tbsp fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp fresh mint, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Place the onion in a large frying pan with 2 tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt.
Saute over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pour enough hot water from the tap over the apricots just enough to cover them. Soak them for about 5 minutes, then drain and cut into 1/4 inch dice.

Mix the diced squash with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking sheet, place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly colored and quite soft.

While waiting for the butternut squash, cook the couscous. Bring the stock to a boil with the saffron threads. Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and pour the boiling stock over it, plus the remaining 3 tbsp of olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for about 10 minutes; all the liquid should be absorbed.

Use a fork or a whisk to fluff up the couscous, then add the onion, butternut squash, apricots, herbs, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix well with your hands, trying not to mash the butternut squash.
taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve warmish or cold