Month: February 2014

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat

Thai-style lamb shanks

Belinda

 

These succulent shanks of lamb are subtly flavored with coconut milk and Thai spices and baked until meltingly tender.

Serves 4
4 lamb shanks
1 x 14 oz can coconut milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
18 fl oz vegetable, lamb or chicken stock
2 large onions, finfely chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh lemon grass
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

To garnish
fresh cilantro leaves or finely sliced chili
finely sliced scallions  or wedges of lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Place the lamb shanks in a roasting tin and roast for 40 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking.
Lift out the lamb shanks, drain off all the fat, then transfer to a casserole dish or Dutch oven in which they fit snugly.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 F.
Heat the oil in another pan, add the onions and saute until light golden.
Add the curry paste, lemon grass, cumin and coriander and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk, stock and chopped fresh cilantro.
Pour this mixture over the lamb shanks, cover and cook in the oven for 2.5 hours until the meat is very tender.
Check the seasoning of the sauce.

To serve, place each lamb shank in a warmed shallow serving bowl.
Spoon over some of the sauce and scatter with fresh cilantro leaves and any other garnish you fancy.
Serve with Thai jasmine rice and a steamed green vegetable such as bok choi.

 

Asian flavors · Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Sesame-Ginger and Cucumber Soba Noodles

Belinda
 

Gorgeous!! Soba noodles tossed with scallions, cucumber and a light yet creamy sesame -ginger tahini sauce.

8 oz soba noodles (about 2 bundles)
1 large or 2 small English cucumbers
1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped (about 3/4 cup, chopped)
1/3 cup tahini<
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp white miso
2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
A handful fresh cilantro, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sesame seeds, (preferably black)
sea salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the soba noodles until al dente, according to the package directions. (Do not over cook them) Drain and rinse under cold water.
Using a chef’s knife or better yet, a julienne peeler, slice the cucumber into long skinny strips. Toss out the super-seedy inside strips. Then you can slice the remainder into 3 inch long strips or leave them long.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, ginger, miso, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro and red pepper flakes. Once blended, whisk in water until you reach your desired consistency.
Toss the soba noodles in the sesame-ginger sauce. Toss in the cucumber strips, scallions, sesame seeds and extra cilantro if desired.
Season to taste with salt or more soy sauce.
This dish is best served promptly, as the salt will draw out the water from the cucumbers and dilute the flavors.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead

Simply, Chocolate Marquise

Belinda

 

This is a rich, indulgent, make-ahead dessert with a kick of mint in it for a special dinner party.

Serves 8 to 10
12 oz 70% Valrhona or Green and Blacks chocolate
6 oz unsalted butter, softened
6 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar)
6 tbsp cocoa powder
6 large eggs
16 fl oz heavy cream
300 gram box of After Eights (available on Amazon or at Cost Plus World Market)

Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
Pour a little water in to a sauce pan and place the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. (Or use a double boiler)
Set the pan over gentle heat and warm the water until the chocolate is melted.
Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.

Meanwhile, place the butter and half the sugar into another large bowl. Using a mixer or electric hand whisk, beat until the mixture is really light and creamy, then beat in the cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a third bowl.
Tip in the remaining sugar, then beat together until pale and creamy.
(To check if it’s ready, make a figure-of-eight in the mixture with the beater, it should hold it’s shape for a moment)
In a fourth bowl, whip the cream until thickened with soft peaks.
Pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture and carefully stir through until it is well combined.
Gently fold in the egg mixture.
When this is amalgamated, stir in the whipped cream.

Now line a 2.5″ by 8.5″ tin with 3 layers of cling film, leaving a 4″ overhang. You can use a regular loaf tin, but as it’s wider, only make three layers of After Eights.

Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large nozzle.
Pipe a layer over the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a layer of After Eights (cut some in half to ensure they fit)
Pipe over another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a layer of After Eights.
Continue until you have 4 layers of chocolate mints and the tin is full, finishing with a chocolate cream layer.
Fold over the cling film , then chill overnight or up to 2 days.
Just before serving, place the marquise in the freezer for 10 minutes to make it easier to slice.
Place the tin, bottom-side up, on a serving plate, slide off the tin, then peel away the cling film.
Dip a palette knife in some boiling water and smooth the surface of the marquise.
Use a serrated knife dipped in boiling water to cut the marquise into slices.

Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Simple roast chicken with rosemary, garlic and lemon

Belinda
 

A great weekday meal, full of flavor and all you need is a simple salad and some good bread to mop up those juices.
A good tip- Never buy a chicken over 3.5 lbs in weight , as you will lose the flavor and texture in the bigger ones. If necessary, buy 2 chickens if you are feeding a crowd.

Serves 4
1 (3.5 lb) chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, peel removed, pith and pulp chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the chicken pieces with oil, rosemary, lemon juice, garlic, lemon and salt and pepper in bowl.
Marinate for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 475 F.
Arrange the chicken in a 9″ by 13″ baking dish; add remaining marinade.
Roast, flipping once, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Do-ahead

Carrot puree with ginger and orange

Belinda

 

This is the most delicious side dish with the freshness of orange juice, lemon juice and grated orange peel and the exotic, refreshing flavor of fresh ginger. A must to try!

8 servings
3 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
4 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook the carrots and 3 tbsp sugar in a large pot of boiling and salted water until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.
Drain well, return the carrots to the same pan, stir over medium heat until any excess moisture evaporates.
Meanwhile, bring the orange juice to a simmer in a heavy, small pan over medium heat.
Add the butter, ginger and orange peel; whisk until the butter melts.
Whisk in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tbsp sugar.
Puree half the carrots and half of the juice in a food processor until smooth.
Repeat with the remaining half and season to taste with salt and pepper.
You may need to reheat it before serving, otherwise, transfer it to a large serving dish

Baking · Do-ahead · Grains

Chewy, healthy flapjack bars

Belinda

 

Instead of buying cereal bars, these are so much more tasty and nutritious.
They keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days, but you won’t have any left after 1 day.

Makes 12 bars
10 oz jar apple sauce
4 oz (1/2 cup) ready to eat dried apricots, chopped
4oz (3/4 cup) raisins
2oz (1/4 cup) raw sugar
2oz (1/3 cup) sunflower seeds
1oz (2 tbsp) sesame seeds
1oz (1/4 cup) pumpkin seeds
3oz (scant 1 cup) rolled oats
3oz (2/3 cup) self raising wholewheat flour
2oz (2/3 cup) desiccated (dry unsweetened) coconut
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Grease an 8 inch square shallow baking pan and line with baking parchment.
Put the apple sauce in a large bowl with the apricots, raisins, sugar and the sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds and stir together with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.
Add the oats, flour, coconut and eggs to the fruit mixture and gently stir together until evenly combined.
Turn the mixture into the greased tin and spread to the edges in an even layer.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and just firm to the touch.
Leave to cool in the tin, then lift onto a board and cut into bars.

** Allow the baking parchment to hang over the edges of the pan, this makes it easier to remove the bars from the pan.

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Pine-nut cookies

Belinda

 

The perfect thing with a glass of wine. The ground fennel seed is divine in these cookies.

Makes about 24 to 36 cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsps ground fennel seed
1 tsp good vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup pine nuts

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, fennel seed and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg.
Add the flour and mix just until blended
Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a 8 inch long log. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Line a heavy, large baking tray with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart.
Press the pine nuts decoratively atop the cookies.
Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.

 

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead

One-bowl tangy lemon cake

Belinda

Don’t you just love those cakes that require everything to be thrown into one bowl, mixed together, then put into the oven? No creaming the butter and sugar!
This is so easy and has a real tang to it as you spoon the lemon syrup over the hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

6 oz butter
6 oz superfine sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
2 lemons, juiced and the finely grated rind
6 oz self raising flour

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat well until well mixed together.
Add the finely grated rind of 2 lemons.
Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined round cake tin and bake for about 55 minutes until just firm.
Squeeze the juice from the 2 lemons and mix with 1 oz of suerfine sugar.
Spoon this syrup over the top of the cake while still warm for a lovely tang.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead

White chocolate and custard powder cookies

Belinda

One of the simplest, flakiest and tastiest cookie recipes to make.
The only “special” ingredient you need (because it’s a British recipe) is custard powder, which seems to be more readily available in the USA these days. The brand pictured here called “Birds” is the one you can find in many supermarkets and certainly online and is the best one to use.

Makes about 25 cookies.
5 oz butter, softened
6 oz superfine sugar (caster sugar)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp good vanilla extract
8 oz self-raising flour
4 oz Birds custard powder
4 oz white chocolate , chopped into small chunks

Heat the oven to 350 F
Line 2 to 3 baking sheets with baking parchment.
Put the butter and sugar in a food mixer and whizz until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well.
Sift together the flour and custard powder, then tip into the bowl and pulse to mix into a dough.
Scrape out the food mixer and work the chocolate in by hand.
Roll the dough into balls a little smaller than a walnut, then place on the baking sheets, a little apart to allow for spreading.
Press each cookie down lightly with your fingers.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Rosemary and white bean spread

Belinda

I really adore this spread. It’s so easy to make and goes down very well with everyone.

This recipe is better if it sits overnight as the rosemary flavor strengthens quite a lot.
Serve this with pitta wedges, cucumber slices or toasted baguette slices.

2 x 19 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

In a food processor, combine the beans, oil, vinegar, rosemary, salt and pepper and process until smooth.
At this point, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days to let the flavors develop. Bring to room temperature before serving.
When you are ready to serve, stir the dip, taste and season if necessary, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley.

Tip.  What is also great is roasting whole garlic heads with the top 1/3 sliced off, olive oil poured over the garlic, fresh thyme, salt and pepper, then wrapped individually in foil then roasted at 300 F for at least 1 1/2 hours.
Squeeze some of this garlic into the food processor with the bean spread and puree.
It adds another dimension to the spread.