Melty cheese and chutney fondue pot

November 6, 2014February 9, 2016 Belinda

This is seriously divine as a starter served with crusty bread for dunking. I happen to make a really good chutney called “Rhubarb, ginger and kumquat” which is terrific as the base for this bake, but you can use your favorite dark chutney.

Serves 4 to 6

8 oz brie, rind removed and roughly chopped
4 oz cream cheese (don’t use a light version)
4 oz Gruyere, rind removed and grated
3 tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp cornflour
a few fresh thyme sprigs, picked and roughly chopped
4 oz a good dark chutney
crusty bread for serving

Put the Brie, cream cheese, Gruyere, half the parmesan cheese, the milk and cornflour into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Stir through the thyme and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the chutney into an ovenproof baking dish about 8 to 9″ round and spread it over the base.
Top with the cheese mixture, spread to cover the chutney, then scatter over the remaining parmesan cheese.
** This can now be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 3 days if you want to make it ahead.
Heat the oven to 350 F and cook for around 30 mins until bubbling.
Turn the broiler onto a medium-high setting and broil for 2 to 3 minutes so the top gets browned. Leave to cool for about 5 mins then serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast bread pudding

November 6, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

I am a bread pudding nut, and on these festive holidays, there is nothing nicer than to sit in the kitchen in the morning with the fire on, drinking champagne and smelling the aroma of something cooking slowly in the oven. The beauty of this dish is that it can be prepared up until cooking, the night before and refrigerated until needed.

Serves 4

1 lb good quality pork sausage-meat
6 cups cut or torn up up French bread, about 1/2″ thick
3 cups whole milk
8 large eggs, organic preferably
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 sage leaves
5 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp maple sugar
butter for the pan

The night before- cook the pork sausage-meat until it is nicely browned. If the sausage is in links, then remove the casings and crumble the sausage.
Mince the sage and toss it with your torn/cut bread in a large bowl
Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper then pour it over the bread. Stir it around several times, let it sit, then stir again.
Butter a 9″ by 9″ baking dish.
Stir the bread again. Most of the liquid should be absorbed.
Spread half of the bread mixture in the bottom of the greased baking dish.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage-meat from the pan and spread it over the bread.
Now dot the cream cheese in with the sausage. Top with the remaining bread and pour any unabsorbed custard over the top.
Cover and stick in the fridge overnight. Go to bed.
The next morning…. Preheat the oven to 350 F
Pull the pudding from the fridge and drizzle the maple syrup over it, then sprinkle with the maple sugar.
Put it in the oven. Now it’s going to take a while as it’s dense, so go and enjoy yourself with your family while the aroma slowly seeps around the house.
It will turn a dark golden brown, be crunchy on top and puff up a bit. It might take up to 1 hour 30 mins, but check after 1 hour.
When you think it’s done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for a little bit. This goes really well with mimosas!

Dessert · Gluten Free

Easy caramelized, coconut bananas

November 5, 2014February 8, 2016 Belinda

Anything to do with coconut, I adore and this is such a simple, exotic dessert to throw together.

Serves 2

2 tbsp palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
2 bananas, peeled and halved lengthways, then each chunk halved again
5 fl oz coconut milk
coconut ice cream
toasted, shredded coconut, for garnish

Heat the sugar in a small frying pan. When melted, add the bananas and caramelize on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Lift them out and set aside.
Tip the coconut milk into the pan with a pinch of salt, stir into the sugar and bubble until syrupy.
Divide between two bowls, top with the caramelized bananas, then add a scoop of coconut ice cream and scatter with the toasted coconut

Do-ahead · Egg based · Grains · Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Butternut squash, apple, spinach and cheese bread pudding

November 3, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda

It’s that time of year when all the winter squash comes out and this is one terrific recipe.

Serves 8

1 good sized butternut squash (about 2lbs) halved lengthways, seeded and peeled
2 apples, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 leek stem, diced
1 cup shallots, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 oz fresh baby spinach
Salt
A good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
A good pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 cups half and half
7 large eggs, beaten
1 cup (at least) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 baguettes, crusts trimmed and bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 7 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Put the leeks, butternut squash, apples and shallots into a large bowl. Pour in the melted butter, olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, maple syrup, salt and pepper and toss until coated really well.
Tip out onto a baking sheet and roast for about 25 to 30 mins until they are slightly caramelized and softened.

In another bowl whisk the half and half with the eggs, 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan, 1/2 cup of grated cheddar and some salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes and toss gently until well coated.

Spoon half of the mixture into a well buttered baking dish, next layer it with half the roasted vegetables and half the fresh spinach sprinkled over. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and repeat the layers, pressing down as you do it, so it fill the baking dish.
Cover the top with the more grated parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese and any extra egg mixture if you have any.
Bake for about 1 hour until the top has golden spots and the center is firm.
Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving

This pudding can be refrigerated overnight, then rewarmed at 350 F.

Asian flavors · Poultry

Soy braised chicken thighs with star anise and orange peel

November 2, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

I love braising, especially now the colder weather is here.
I also love this time of year when we start putting the fire on in the kitchen and making lots of comforting, rich braises and soups. This combination is divine with the pungent Asian flavors. All you need is plain boiled rice.

Serves 4

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, plus more if needed
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp chicken stock
8 bone-in chicken thighs
3 tbsp peanut oil, divided use
3 scallions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 dried small red chile
3 short strips orange zest removed with a vegetable peeler
1 whole star anise
2 tsp cornstarch

Heat the oven to 325 F
In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar and 1/4 cup stock or water. Stir to mix and set aside.
Season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large ovenproof skillet or other heavy-lidded braising pot over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add half of the chicken pieces, skin side down, and sear without disturbing, until the skin is crisp and bronzed, about 7 minutes. Turn the pieces carefully to avoid tearing the skin and brown the other side, about 7 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate to catch the juices. Cook the remaining chicken the same way.

While the chicken is browning, coarsely chop the scallions separating the white and green parts. Set them aside.
Discard all the fat from the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the remaining tbsp of oil, then add the white part of the scallions, garlic, ginger and chile. Stir and cook just until you can smell the garlic and ginger, about 30 seconds. Pour in the reserved soy mixture and stir to combine. Add the orange zest and star anise.

Set the chicken thighs in the pan and add any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Cover the pan with parchment paper, pressing down so the paper nearly touches the chicken and the edges extend about an inch over the sides of the pan. Cover with a secure lid and place the pan in the lower part of the oven.
After 15 minutes, turn the chicken pieces with tongs and check to be sure there’s at least 1/4 inch of liquid in the pan. If not, add a few tablespoons of stock. Replace the parchment and lid and return the pan to the oven until the chicken is fork tender and pulling away from the bone, about 20 more minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a serving platter without crowding the pieces and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Remove the star anise and orange peel from the pan. Set the pan over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Skin off any surface fat.Add the scallion greens.

Put the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the remaining tbsp of stock and whisk briefly to combine and smooth out any lumps. Pour the mixture into the simmering liquid, stirring to incorporate it evenly.
The liquid will immediately thicken to a glossy sauce the consistency of maple syrup. Pour any juices the chicken has released into the sauce and simmer for another minute.
taste for soy sauce and vinegar. The sauce should be salty,but not too much. If it’s too salty another splash of vinegar will balance this out
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and stir

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Meat · Nuts · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Baked butternut squash, cheese and bacon polenta cake

November 2, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda

Oh my gosh, this combination is pretty heady. If you want to keep it vegetarian, leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth, but I like to incorporate the meaty components.

Serves 8 to 10

One 2lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and sliced 1 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the pan
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 tsp dried sage, crumbled or 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or half and half with 3 cups of water and 3 cups of stock)
2 cups coarse polenta
unsalted butter
5 oz smoked Gouda cheese, shredded or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 375F
Arrange the squash on a large oiled baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until tender. Transfer the squash to a bowl and mash coarsely. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups)
While the squash is roasting, spread the pine nuts on a pie plate and toast in the oven for 4 minutes, until golden. Coarsely chop the nuts.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion and sage and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 25 minutes.Add a few tbsp of water if the onions start getting dry.

In a saucepan bring the 6 cups stock/water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and 1 tsp salt. Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 35 minutes.The polenta will get very thick and that is fine. Stir in 1 tbsp butter along with the mashed squash, pine nuts, bacon, onion, Gouda or cheddar cheese and half the Parmesan cheese.Pour the hot polenta into a large springform pan or a 2 quart braising dish sprayed with non stick spray.
Flatten the top of the polenta slightly without spreading it to the edges; refrigerate until firm for up to an hour.

Cut 1 tbsp of the remaining butter over the polenta and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp parmesan cheese.
Bake in a 375F oven for 1 hour, until the top and sides are lightly browned and crisp.
Let stand for 20 minutes before cutting it into wedges
Serve with sauteed mushrooms, braised greens or tomato sauce.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains

Coconut – carrot rice pudding

November 2, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda

Now we’ve put the clocks back and the weather has a freshness to it, I start to think about my favorite way of cooking. Comfort food, whether its braises. slow cooking, soups or warming desserts like this one.

Serves 4 to 6

2 1/2 – 3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 3/4 cups (1 x 13.5 oz can) coconut milk
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, like jasmine
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup peeled, finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup raisins

In a 4 quart heavy-bottomed pot set over high heat, bring 2 1/2 cups milk, coconut milk, rice and salt to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low, add the grated carrot and simmer, stirring often and slowly adding up to 1 cup of the remaining milk, until the rice is tender, 20 – 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamon and ginger in a small bowl.
Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar mixture and raisins.
Transfer the pudding to a serving bowl and allow to cool slightly.
The pudding will continue to thicken as it comes to room temperature, topped with additional cinnamon to taste.

Gluten Free · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Moroccan-style chicken braise

October 27, 2014January 5, 2017 Belinda

I adore anything with lemons and olives, and this recipe is simple as it uses fresh lemons rather than the preserved lemons. It is wonderful to freeze and easy to double. Make sure you start this recipe the night before as it needs to marinade and allow the flavors to “hang out”.

Serves 2 to 3

For the spice paste
3 large, juicy garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
A pinch of sea salt
3 good pinches smoked paprika
3 good pinches ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds (I use roasted seeds)
a good glug of olive oil

For the braise
6 large chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
a good glug of fruity olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
Chicken broth or water (about 32 fl oz)
1 lemon, cut in half, thinly sliced
A pinch saffron threads
A good handful green olives, pits removed
A small handful fresh cilantro (coriander), roughly chopped

For the spice paste, crush the garlic cloves and sea salt with a pestle in a mortar. Add the smoked paprika, turmeric and cumin seeds and grind to a paste. Add just enough olive oil to make the paste runny enough to pour, but thick enough to coat the chicken.

For the braise, place the chicken thighs into a bowl, pour the spice paste over them and toss well to coat all of the meat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinade in the fridge overnight preferably or as long as time allows. It will only improve in flavor the longer you allow it to marinade.

Heat the olive oil in a large shallow pan, then cook the onions until softened. Add the chicken thighs and cook until colored lightly on both sides. Add the lemon slices and olives and pour in enough water or chicken broth (or a combination) to come halfway up the chicken pieces. Stir in the saffron, then season well, cover with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Add the fresh cilantro and serve with rice or couscous.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable sides

Tomato and pomegranate salad

October 23, 2014 Belinda

My friend Rose put a huge bag of pomegranates on my car seat the other day when we were recording a score at Warner Brothers. She grows a lot of fruit and vegetables and we often chat about recipes and what’s in season. I give her our Seville oranges when they’re in season as she too loves to make marmalade. It’s fun to have musician friends who grow and cook their own food as we can exchange recipes and jars of homemade goodies on the sessions! Since receiving this lovely gift of pomegranates, I have been researching recipes that include them. This one is a jewel in every sense of the word. To look at and to eat. Highly healthy, tasty and beautiful.

1 1/3 cups red cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4 ” dice
1 1/3 cups yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 1/3 cups plum or tiger tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ dice
1lb medium vine tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
1 large pomegranate, seeds removed (about 1 cup seeds)
1 tbsp small oregano leaves
salt

Mix together all the tomatoes, the red pepper and the onion in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, allspice, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and a scant 1/2 tsp salt until well combined. Pour this over the tomato mixture and gently mix.

Arrange the tomato mixture and it’s juices on a large, flat platter. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and oregano over the top.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.