I double this recipe and use a bigger tin!
125g good cooking chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp brandy
1 tbs black coffee
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
3 eggs, separated
icing sugar to dust
Preheat the oven to 160 C. Butter and line an 18cm baking tin - springform is best.
Combine the chocolate, brandy and coffee in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir when melted and add the butter and sugar. Mix very well. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Lightly beat the egg yolks, take the bowl off the heat, and mix in. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff. Fold one tablespoon of the whites into the chocolate mix to loosen it up. Then gently fold in the remaining whites. Goop into the tin and bake for 40 minutes or so. It will be crusty on the top, but fudgy in the middle. Cool completely and serve dusted with icing sugar.
December 21, 2008
Famous Light as a Feather Gnocchi
6 large pontiac potatoes (or desiree) peeled and quartered
2 large free range eggs, beaten
250g plain flour
salt and pepper
Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until they are tender. Drain well and mash throughly - or pass through a ricer or food mill for extra lump-free ness! Allow to cool. Add the beaten eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix lightly with your hands - but not too much - we need the gnocchi to be feathery light, remember?!
Put on a big pot of fresh salted water to boil.
On a floured surface, roll handfuls of the mixture into long sausage shapes. Cut into two cm pieces and toss in flour to prevent the gnocchi sticking to one another. Once you've made about ten - drop them into the boiling water. When they float, they are cooked! Keep warm (with a drizzle of olive oil) in a big bowl covered with foil until you've cooked them all. Drizzle some more oil on them to stop them sticking to each other - or drop them straight into a bubbling pot of your chosen sauce!
2 large free range eggs, beaten
250g plain flour
salt and pepper
Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until they are tender. Drain well and mash throughly - or pass through a ricer or food mill for extra lump-free ness! Allow to cool. Add the beaten eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix lightly with your hands - but not too much - we need the gnocchi to be feathery light, remember?!
Put on a big pot of fresh salted water to boil.
On a floured surface, roll handfuls of the mixture into long sausage shapes. Cut into two cm pieces and toss in flour to prevent the gnocchi sticking to one another. Once you've made about ten - drop them into the boiling water. When they float, they are cooked! Keep warm (with a drizzle of olive oil) in a big bowl covered with foil until you've cooked them all. Drizzle some more oil on them to stop them sticking to each other - or drop them straight into a bubbling pot of your chosen sauce!
Zen's Mum's Braised Pork Belly
1kg Pork Belly
200ml Plum Sauce
100ml Oyster Sauce
50g Crushed Garlic
500ml Chicken Stock
500ml Orange Juice
5 pieces Star Anise
3 Dried Chillis
Mix all ingredients except Pork Belly in a deep saucepan.
Place the Pork in this mixture.
Bring to the boil and simmer for two to three hours
When tender, take out and set aside.
Strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan and reduce by half.
Serve with steamed rice and chinese broccoli!
200ml Plum Sauce
100ml Oyster Sauce
50g Crushed Garlic
500ml Chicken Stock
500ml Orange Juice
5 pieces Star Anise
3 Dried Chillis
Mix all ingredients except Pork Belly in a deep saucepan.
Place the Pork in this mixture.
Bring to the boil and simmer for two to three hours
When tender, take out and set aside.
Strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan and reduce by half.
Serve with steamed rice and chinese broccoli!
December 15, 2008
Herbs and Spices... What Goes With What?!
Beans (dried) — cumin, cayenne, chili, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme
Beef — basil, bay, chili, cilantro, curry, cumin, garlic, marjoram, mustard, oregano, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme
Breads — anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme
Cheese — basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chili, chives, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme
Chicken — allspice, basil, bay, cinnamon, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, mustard, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme,
Corn — chili, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme
Eggs — basil, chervil, chili, chives, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme
Fish — anise, basil, bay, cayenne, celery seed, chives, curry, dill fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon peel, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, marjoram
Fruits — allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint
Lamb — basil, bay, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme
Potatoes — basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
Salad Dressings — basil, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, thyme
Salads — basil, caraway, chives, dill, garlic, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
Soups — basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme
Sweets — allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary
Tomatoes — basil, bay, celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme
Complimentary Herbs
Bouquet Garnis — basil, bay, oregano, parsley
Herbal — basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme
Hot — chili peppers, cilantro, cumin, garlic
Pungent — celery, chili peppers, cumin, curry, ginger, black pepper
Spicy — cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, star anise
Sweet — allspice, anise, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg
November 30, 2008
Pop Them In Plum Cake
I really DO love a cake with fresh stone fruit dotted about it! You can make this with plums - or other things too. Apricots, nectarines, apple segments.... yum.
125g butter
125g caster sugar
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
zest of one lemon
700g plums, halved and pitted
4 eggs
cinnamon
1/3 cup of milk
extra tablespoon of sugar
icing sugar
Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Butter and line a 22cm springform tin.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fluffy and light and creamy and nice. Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder. Next mix in the milk, gently. Pour into the prepared tin. Pop in the plums and regular intervals. Sprinkle with cinnamon and extra sugar. Bake for 45 minutes. Dust with icing sugar when cooked and serve with icecream or thick cream thank you very much.
125g butter
125g caster sugar
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
zest of one lemon
700g plums, halved and pitted
4 eggs
cinnamon
1/3 cup of milk
extra tablespoon of sugar
icing sugar
Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Butter and line a 22cm springform tin.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fluffy and light and creamy and nice. Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder. Next mix in the milk, gently. Pour into the prepared tin. Pop in the plums and regular intervals. Sprinkle with cinnamon and extra sugar. Bake for 45 minutes. Dust with icing sugar when cooked and serve with icecream or thick cream thank you very much.
Deliciously Decadent Super BLT
These are a great supper dish - but you could also assemble lots of them and and take them on a picnic. I would add some chilli to mine.
4 slices of grainy bread
4 slices of bacon - cooked until crispy
4 iceberg lettuce leaves
4 slices of nice tomatoes
1 avocado mashed with the juice of a lemon and some coriander
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
some basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
Toast bread.
And then assemble two sandwiches with equal parts of the above ingredients.
Eat with a HUGE glass of red wine to cut the richness a wee bit.
4 slices of grainy bread
4 slices of bacon - cooked until crispy
4 iceberg lettuce leaves
4 slices of nice tomatoes
1 avocado mashed with the juice of a lemon and some coriander
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
some basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
Toast bread.
And then assemble two sandwiches with equal parts of the above ingredients.
Eat with a HUGE glass of red wine to cut the richness a wee bit.
My Favourite Mayonnaise
3 egg yolks
600ml of good quality (but not too strongly flavoured) oil
1 tbsp of dijon mustard
1 tsp of seeded mustard
1 tbsp of Lee and Perrins worcestershire sauce
1 slosh of tabasco sauce
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
In a food processor, beat egg yolks with mustards until well combined and a bit airy. Slowly, oh so very slowly add the oil, trickle by trickle. The mayonnaise will slowly thicken and combine. When you've carefully added all the oil, add the worcestershire sauce, the lemon juice, the tabasco and the salt and pepper. Then add half a tablespoon of boiling water to lighten the whole mix up. Store in the fridge.
600ml of good quality (but not too strongly flavoured) oil
1 tbsp of dijon mustard
1 tsp of seeded mustard
1 tbsp of Lee and Perrins worcestershire sauce
1 slosh of tabasco sauce
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
In a food processor, beat egg yolks with mustards until well combined and a bit airy. Slowly, oh so very slowly add the oil, trickle by trickle. The mayonnaise will slowly thicken and combine. When you've carefully added all the oil, add the worcestershire sauce, the lemon juice, the tabasco and the salt and pepper. Then add half a tablespoon of boiling water to lighten the whole mix up. Store in the fridge.
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