Posts by Jess

Rum Roasted Pineapple, Coconut Ice Cream, Mint Sugar

May 3, 2016 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

‘m not a dessert person or a sweet tooth, unless it comes to ice cream. And this so happens to be my favourite ice cream recipe! Don’t get me wrong I love making desserts. Planning them, creating them and being able to execute a beautiful creation but I usually never eat them. So with guests for supper this weekend, a fuss free dessert was required. With a fatty hearty main on the cards, a fresh and citrus cleansing after was the perfect match. You can take more time over this as I mention below (see notes) by adding some grated coconut to the ice cream, grilling the pineapple towards the end, caramelising with a blow torch or wonderfully charring on the barbeque but fuss free was the aim here.

I made the ice cream in 5 minutes at breakfast and it was ready and set by dinner time and is just as impressive as a classic recipe. The pineapple is sweet and deliciously roasted and with a depth of flavour from the rum that makes this more than a fruit salad finish to a meal. Sometimes the simple ones are the best and this is no doubt a powerful but humble choice.

Serves 6

Pineapple

1 large pineapple
1 vanilla pod
2 tbsp dark rum
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
6 tsp butter

Coconut Ice Cream

400ml full fat coconut milk
1 can condensed milk
Zest 1 lime
1 fresh coconut, grated/ 150g toasted desiccated coconut (optional)

Mint sugar

Bunch mint leaves picked
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Start on the ice cream. If you’re after a super fast recipe, simply combine the condensed milk, coconut milk and lime zest, whisk to combine then place in a tupperware in the freezer (untouched) for at least 8 hours. For added flavour though you can add in the grated flesh of one fresh coconut or the desiccated coconut but if you’ve ever tried to grate a fresh coconut you’ll know it takes some commitment…
Preheat the oven to 190°C.. Warm the rum gently in a pan and then add the sugar and the seeds of the vanilla pod. Stir to combine.
Top and tail the pineapple and remove the rind. Cut in half lengthways and then cut each half into thirds. Remove the hard centre segment and then place the slices in a large bowl.
Spoon over the rum mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Line a baking tray and spoon the marinading pineapple onto the tray evenly with any of the leftover rum marinade. Place a tsp of butter on top of each and roast for about 30 minutes until tender. You can stick them under the grill for the final few minutes to char them slightly if you like but again, the aim here is fuss free!
Once ready remove from the oven and set aside. Bash the sugar and mint in a pestle and mortar until crushed and vibrant green
Top each slice of pineapple with a little mint sugar and serve warm alongside a creamy scoop of your coconut ice cream

NOTE: There are certainly ways to ‘glam’ this up. Grill the pineapple once cooked for a caramelised effect, scorch with a blowtorch for the same effect or beautifully grilled on the barbecue. Add the fresh coconut to the ice cream as mentioned or make a lovely heard of sesame praline (melt caster sugar until golden, add sesame seeds and turn out onto an oiled sheet of parchment). Shortbread would also never go unwanted here.

Dahl, Roasted Curried Cauliflower, Shredded Duck in Lime

May 1, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

ou won’t be surprised to hear it was another week of stressful and busy work so the long weekend glowed like a beacon on Friday evening with promises of yoga, long runs in the sun and some experimental time in the kitchen to blog and relax the mind. I woke to a beautiful sunny day and after a long run to clear the working cobwebs I was already on my way to some downtime. All that was required was some time in the kitchen.

With a stressful period at work keeping 90% of my mind on the task it was time to start planning my second supper club to focus and begin that excitement again! With the date confirmed and inked in the diary I was more than eager to start developing the menu! With just over 2 month before the (second) big day it might seem premature but to get the invites and advert out as soon as possible and the ticket confirmations rolling in the menu was vital. Starter done. Dessert done and obviously featuring ice cream the main needed some attention. With the somewhat limited kitchen facilities and equipment of my cosy, niche and atmospheric chosen venue the dish needed some attention. Ambition needs to be carefully managed and focussed int he right direction.

While flavour is key here using wholesome ingredients cooked from scratch I wanted a menu that would make my potential guests salivate on reading and be booking tickets on autopilot before they could say ‘Deliveroo’! Flavour vital but practicality is also a contender here when cooking solo for 30 paying guests. And in addition economics, aesthetics and style are also important. Factoring all these competing aspects and a love of all things spice this punchy dish was created. I won’t give anything away but the next supper club main with feature something along these lines…

Serves 4

4 duck legs
1 x speedy dahl recipe (see here) with juice of 1/2 lime added at the end.
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds and cumin seeds
3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
Handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
Handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 large lime

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Season the duck legs and roast for about 40 minutes in the oven.
Scatter the cauliflower florets in a large baking tray and drizzle with a good glut of olive oil.
Toss in the curry powder, turmeric cumin and mustard seeds and stir to coat. Add some seasoning.
After the duck has had 20 minutes of roasting add the cauliflower to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dahl and set aside to keep warm.
Once the duck and cauliflower are ready remove from the oven. leave the duck to rest for a few minutes before shredding the meat into a warm bowl with two forks and quickly squeezing over the juice of the fresh lime.
Toss the warm cauliflower in the spring onions and herbs.
To plate up, ensure you have warm shallow serving bowls or plates and spoon a generous spoonful of dahl onto the bottom and let it ooz out onto the plate. Top with a handful of the cauliflower before finally topping with a quarter of the shredded duck
Serve immediately while still warm and devour! Serve with warm homemade flatbreads or roti if needed.

WINE: This would be great with an aromatic white such as a Riesling or a Gervertz to balance the spice.

Bream, Fennel, Prawn Bisque

April 24, 2016 Comments Off read Seafood

struggle with choosing my ‘last meal’ when asked on occasion but a bouillabaisse, bisque or seafood dish comes high up there with my true foodie loves hence my adoration of this simple bisque sauce. I have previously blogged this but due to its rich and deep flavour it only requires a simple and fuss free accompaniment so served here with roasted fennel and bream its devine. I am always staggered and amazed at the amount of flavour that the otherwise wasted shells and heads of the prawns make to a sauce! Such a depth of traditional flavours. Topped with fennel, simply fried fish and the meaty rewards of the prawns its a simple weekend feast that takes relatively no time, just some organisation, prep and speed and focus on delivery! Voila…

Note the lack of carb here purely due to the richness of the rest of the ingredients. But this would be lovely served with some buttery chive mash as seen here or with a thickly sliced and toasted sour dough crouton and punchy rouille seen here.

Serves 4

1 x Prawn bisque recipe (see here) using about 12 large, shelled king prawns (see note for shelling and deveining prawns)
4 sea bream fillets
2 bulbs fennel, halves vertically
Small glass white wine
Handful parsley and chives, chopped finely
1 large bag spinach
1 knob butter
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with foil. Add the halved fennel bulbs and season well. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and then pour over the white wine. Roast for about 40 minutes until tender and beginning to char.
Make the sauce as per the instructions and keep warm while you cook the seafood.
When the sauce is done and warming and the fennel is cooked the next few steps need to be done quickly so ensure that everything else is ready to go and at hand. I advise that you pop your serving dish (shallow bowls recommended) in the oven at this point so that they are warm on serving.
Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Cut each bream fillet in half and then score the skin to prevent it curling up on the hot pan. Season. When the oil is hot, add the fish skin side down and then throw in your cleaned shelled prawns.
Cook skin side down for about 2-3 minutes until he flesh on top is only pink in the centre and the flesh is starting to cook through. Add the knob of butter to the pan and flip the prawns and the fish and finish the cook for a final minute coating in the butter. Add the lemon before removing the prawns and fish from the pan and setting aside for 1 minute to rest while you cook the spinach.
Add the spinach to remaining pan oil and butter and wilt as you like.
To serve, place a handful of the spinach in the base of your serving bowl and top with a wedge of the fennel.
Top each with two halves of the bream.
Roll the prawns briefly in the chopped herbs and arrange around the outside.
Finally, spoon over around 4 tbsp of the sauce around the dish and scatter with any leftover herbs.

NOTE: To shell and devein a prawn. Take your raw prawn and crudely snap off the head and set aside. Now take the legs and peel outwards away from the body. The prawn has a thin and plastic like shell which peels away easily. You should be able to take this off in one piece, legs and tail too but its usually required broken into pieces. Set these aside too and then rinse the prawn in cold water.

Deveining is important. It removes the outer backbone intestinal vein which is unpleasant and unprofessional to leave in and eat. With a sharp knife carefully slice down the back of the peeled prawn vertically only cutting about 2mm into the flesh. You should see a black vein. Very carefully as it will break easily, get your knife tip underneath and prize out the vein and discard. The prawns will now also have a fanned outer edge giving the look they have when fried.

Turkish Spiced Meatballs

April 18, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

hilst the weather today has been glorious and sunny its still felt a little chilly around the ankles and certainly not the April weather I was hoping for! But as long as it isn’t April showers and May holds more promise then I can cope with that. So a Sunday evening after a long and satisfying gym session, run and ahem…jacuzzi session….a home comfort was required to replenish the nutrients and fuel me for another challenging week at work. But nothing on ‘forage in the pantry’ can be complete without the odd scattering of spice, dusting of chopped herbs or middle Eastern influence. So with Istanbul on the mind as the new top draw on my prized ‘must visit’ list, Turkish meatballs sprang to hungry mind and it wasn’t long before I was enjoying a satisfied hunger.

Serves 2

Meatballs

450g minced lamb
2 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
Pinch smoked paprika
Pinch ground cumin
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seed, crushed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
50g pearl barley/100g giant cous cous
Large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Start by combining the meatball ingredients in a large bowl with some seasoning. Shape into 8 large golf ball sized meatballs and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Simmer the pearl barley/giant cous cous in boiling water until cooked according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Preheat the over to 170°C and remove the meatballs from the fridge. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
Fry the meatballs to seal and brown for 2-3 minutes. Once well browned on the outside, wrap in some foil and place in the low oven to bake slowly while you prepare the sauce.
Fry the chopped onion in the leftover lamb juices in the same frying pan adding a little more oil if needed. Soften for 5 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the ground spices and mix to coat the onion.
Add the chopped tomatoes and a little hot water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency and add some salt and pepper.
Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the vinegar, the drained barely and all but a handful of the parsley. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add a little more water if needed.
Remove the meatballs from the over and add, with any juices from the foil, to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
Serve in deep warmed bowls topped with a scattering of the remaining parsley.

My first Supper Club…

April 11, 2016 Comments Off read Uncategorized

or anyone who knows me they’d have been aware of my longstanding but parked dream of launching my first supper club on behalf of ‘forage in the pantry’. A live blog if you will. During university I very nearly undertook the challenge but the devils of revision, a busy lab schedule and an unhealthy bank account were not the ideal ingredients for a successful supper club. So only around 4 years later I have finally accomplished one of my many foodie ambitions that has stood tall and proud on my new year resolution list for some time now.

When the venue essentially found me it was Stefan at ‘Porter at Embassy Gardens’ who’s niche, original and cosy cafe-come-restaurant charmed me on arrival within moments of stepping over the threshold. The chequered floor, the cured hanging meats, the piano or simply the smell of freshly ground coffee it wasn’t a case of shall I do my supper club here, it was when!

With Moroccan and middle Eastern cuisine having a heavy place in my culinary heart my menu was created. Tickets sold out in two exciting days so it wasn’t long before the night arrived and 30 hungry guests graced Battersea for an evening of spice, flavour and charm. And what a night it was…..

A quick moment before the first of my guests arrived to capture the dream team girls who helped make the night what it was and for who I cannot thank enough!

ictures say a thousand words. But nothing can quite capture how truly special this night was for me personally but for the amazing atmosphere that my fantastic foodie guests created. Excitement, hunger, intrigue and pride. The drinks were flowing, the smells of Morocco filled the room and the gentle candles silently calmed our moods and transported us far from the busy lives of London.

This evening was truly one of those moments in my life I will remember forever. I can certainly recall a handful of memories that are embedded on my metal pin bin as being so significantly memorable. Degree results, graduation, holidays and job offers. The moments that you can draw on at any low point to bring a smile to your face. And this is now one of them.

Moroccan spiced lamb leg with Ras el Hanout and chilli, butterflied and roasted, carved and served….

…a top a creamy lime and cardamon yoghurt and green herb bulghar wheat salad, studded with toasted almonds, juicy raisins and pomegranate seed gems…

Followed by my favourite blackcurrant and almond tart with homemade coffee and cinnamon ice cream, and a girly scattering of rose petals.

And if I hadn’t been smiling enough, it was the charming and simply magical tones of my dear friend singer songwriter Doll Duncan who performed what can only be described as my favourite cover of my favourite song of all time that topped off this event. What a special evening and heres to the next! There will be another, so watch this space for your tickets as you won’t want to miss it trust me!

All photography and video courtesy of my good friend Keith Hammond at http://www.gigshooters.com

Harissa Chicken With Orange Herb Barley Salad

April 6, 2016 Comments Off read Poultry, Vegetables and Salads

ts safe to say I’m a fan of Greece. The food, the weather, the glassy wakeboard inviting waters and the calming pace of life. I’ve even been partial to the odd Greek wine! I visit every year for my dose of Vitamin D and halloumi and to brush up on my water sports. But I’ll focus on the food for the time being. After experimenting with a unassuming pack of Odysea’s deliciously authentic Saganaki cheese last year it was time to venture into their range a bit more with my appreciation of Greece and the Med. Being the good natured Greek loving company that they are I arrived home one Friday evening after work to a box of delightful goodies to sample and experiment with!

And sample I did.

This recipe is adapted from a Bill Granger combination I once saw and with all the right flavours from Odysea (with the odd ‘forage in the pantry’ twist) it was the perfect foundation for my med inspired dish to help prolong the recent spring sun. The roasted oranges add a really unusual touch here along with the gentle spicing which are a perfect match with Odysea’s punchy, creamy and crumbly feta cheese. Heaps of mint, dill and lemon juice bring it all to life and sooth the post harissa spice! One to give a go on a sunny but still brisk Spring evening.

Serves 4

2 small oranges
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp ‘Odysea Wild Thyme & Fragrant Honey’
2 tbsp olive oil
200g pearl barely or spelt
Juice 1 lemon
1 carrot grated
200g ‘Odysea Greek Feta‘, crumbled in large chunks
Large handful mint leaves
Small handful dill, finely chopped
2 small poussin (or 4 joints of chicken e.g. chicken legs, thighs etc)
4-6 tbsp of ‘Odysea Harissa spread‘ or 2 tbsp harissa paste
2 large garlic cloves
Salad to serve – I used a crisp mix of chicory, little gems and watercress dressed in some lemon and extra virgin olive oil (Odysea of course)

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Marinade the poussin in the harissa, seasoning well and then add 1 pealed, gently crushed garlic clove to each cavity and set aside.
Slice the oranges thinly and place on a lined baking tray evenly spread. Grind the fennel, cumin and chilli flakes in a pestle and mortar and then add the honey and olive oil and mix well. Coat the oranges slices in the mixture.
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, keeping an eye on them until they begin to caramelise and char. This time with vary depending on how juicy the oranges are. Leave to cool slightly.
Cook the barely or spelt according to the packet instructions until tender then drain well and leave to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 190°C and place the poussin on a lined baking tray. Bake for around 40 minutes until tender and the juices run clear. Set aside to rest while you finish the salad.
Add the warm oranges slices to the drained grains.
Stir in the juice of the lemon, plenty of salt and pepper and the chopped dill.
Scatter in the crumbled feta, the grated carrot and stir to combine.
Finally, roughly chop the mint at the last minute and add to the grains and stir.
Loosen with a little more lemon or a splash of extra virgin olive oil if needed
Carve your rested poussin in half and serve half each alongside the grain and green salad, scattered with extra mint if you like

NOTES: This would also be lovely with a side of warm pillowy flatbreads, dipped into a cleansing and fresh lime and coriander yoghurt or tzatziki.

For a wine match I would suggest a fresh Chenin Blanc or the slightly aromatic taste of Viognier.

Chilled Iranian Pistachio and Cucumber Soup

March 29, 2016 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

ne of my favourite restaurants in London is Dock Kitchen by Stevie Parle. The style, flavours and creations resonate with my own using the best ingredients and sticking a finger up to the gadgets and modern methods that have infiltrated our restaurants recently. With no particular genre as such Stevie’s style seems to be a collaboration of inspiration from various adventures and culinary travels but with a lean towards middle Eastern in places. With a rather eclectic style myself I was delighted to know that it was the venue for our office Summer party last year. With a tempting menu of absolutely mouth watering courses that would sit wholeheartedly at my dinner table on cloud nine I was excited initially to try the much talked about ‘Lamb biryani with black cumin, coriander and almonds which was baked with love and warmth in an earthy clay pot and sealed protectively with a dough lid. With what could have been a miniature chisel, it gets delivered with elegance and flecked with gold leaf to the hungry guests and forcefully cracked open revealing succulent chunks of tender lab, rice and aromats. Shamefully amongst the starters of fattoush, labneh and chicken livers, this dreamy main and the simple sweets I didn’t even give this pistachio dish a second glance.

t was delivered to the now raucous and wine lubricated guesses as a humble ‘palate’ cleanser pre-main event. I’ll admit, it didn’t ever really stand a chance grabbing our attention as the scent of lamb trickled under our hungry noses but its vibrant colour oozing freshness, greenery and curiosity caught my attention on first sight and even more so on taste.

I’m not your biggest gazpacho eater or one for cucumber in anything but salads and Pimms but after just a vary mouthful of this chilled, textured and complex soup I was dying to know how it was made. It instantly placed itself royally on my to cook list and after searching for a mimic recipe I was delighted to find one and be enlightened into the ingredients. Again, shamefully over half a year later I finally gathered the short list of simple ingredients and concocteed this treat for lunch on a Spring sunny lunch.

Complex, intriguing and all so moreish it is one to try for a taste of Stevie’s culinary brain from your own home. I’m certainly due another visit not only for their chicken livers in seven spice and pomegranate molasses that is still on my ‘To cook’ list slightly below this Iranian soup but for their dynamically changing menu. It is an ideal location on a summers day when you can enjoy their gorgeous roof terrace with a glass of something chilled and ideally effervescent in your favourite sunglasses that have been in hibernation for far too long.

Serves 4

75g fresh green pistachios
75g blanched almonds
1 garlic clove
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
100g red grapes
Bunch mint, leaves picked
Sprig dill
1 tsp rosewater
Juice 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
Rose petals to serve

Place the nuts and garlic in a food processor and blend until a fine powder.
Add a splash of water and blend again
Next, add most of the grapes, saving some for garnish, the cucumber, the mint and the dill
Blend well.
Next add a drop of the rose water (its powerful for add a little to begin, taste and add more if needed. It should be a subtle flavour, not there to make this soup taste like soap)
Add the lemon juice and season to taste and blend again.
Now add enough water to dilute the consistency to that of a thick soup.
Serve with sliced grapes and rose petals and any chopped pistachios if you wish.

Marmite Bread

March 24, 2016 Comments Off read Breakfast, Extras

ove it or hate it bread perhaps would be a more fitting name? Now if like my family you’re partial to the odd toasted crumpet with marmite then you’ll understand the inspiration behind this bread. A rival to match an English muffin with soft poached egg is an airy warm and marmite covered crumpet with its pillowy wholes allowing the unctuous yolk to ooz through the gaps. So why not make use it in bread?

And trust me, if you’re a ‘love it’ personality then simply the act of toasting a cheeky slice of this hearty bread invites an aroma throughout the house that will have your most mature cheddar running from the fridge, willing at mercy to be sliced and lathered onto this tempting creation…..don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Makes 1 loaf

480g brown wholemeal strong bread flour
40g molasses
7g dried yeast
Large pinch salt
2 tbsp marmite

Start by combining the flour, a large pinch of salt and the molasses in the bowl of a food processor and blend until combined.
Measure out 100ml of warm water and mix in the yeast, whisking until combined and fully dissolved.
Add this to the mixer with another 200ml of water or so and mix until just combined.
Add the marmite and pulse until incorporated
Tip the mixture out onto a floured surface and knead for a good 10-15 minutes until the dough is springy, elastic and soft.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and place in a warm place until double in size (around 2 hours). I like to turn the oven on low before beginning the recipe then switch it off when its warm and this way it creates an ideal environment for the first prove.
Once doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and knock out the air. Knead again for about 5 minutes before shaping into an oblong and placing in a greased loaf tin. Prove again until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 180°C when ready to bake and bake the loaf for about 35-40 minutes until cooked and hollow sounding when tapped on the base. Leave to cool before slicing.

You can certainly be creative on the options for serving this bread! Toasted topped with smashed avocado and a soft poached egg as done here, or for a more decadent choice butter the outside of two slices and fill with grated mature cheddar and griddle in a pan or on a panini maker until toasted and melted.

Leek and Parmesan Arancini, Smokey Bacon Mayonnaise

March 13, 2016 Comments Off read Extras, Vegetables and Salads

hen I first say James Martin make this mayonnaise my mind immediately jumped to all the decedent foods it could accompany. Surprisingly it only briefly lingered on the monstrously unhealthily nature of mayonnaise and bacon!? But once in a while, a Saturday evening needs a decadent dish lovingly and patiently made – think of it as a culinary pat on the back for a hard working week. James Martin is one of those humble chefs that I trust when it comes to recipes (not to mention our matching appreciation for the use of butter) so all that was needed here was something to accompany it. One of my favourite staple flavour combinations being leek and bacon and a need for something fried and crispy for this gourmet mayo, arancini sprang to mind. In preparation for my up and coming supper club where arancini feature as my starter I thought a little more practice couldn’t go amiss. So out came the rice, butter and wooden spoon, the Italian red was decanted and dinner was set…

Serve with a lovely lemony rocket salad to cut through the oil.

Makes 15 large arancini (2-3/person)

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
70g butter
200g Alborio rice
1 large glass dry white wine
1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
5 leeks
50g grated parmesan cheese
1 lemon
200g breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten well
100g plain flour
Sunflower/Vegetable oil for deep frying (About 1 litre)

Arancini

Begin by making the risotto either in the morning before eating these or a day ahead of when you want to serve them.
Melt 20g of the butter in a large saucepan or high sided frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil.
When hot, sweat the onion and garlic, lid on, for about 5-10 minutes until softened and translucent. You shouldn’t allow it to colour.
Turn up the heat and add the rice. Fry for a few minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent. While the pan is still hot, add the wine and allow to bubble vigorously and absorb into the rice. Immediately turn the heat down to a medium low.
Now add the hot stock ladle by ladle once each liquid addition has been absorbed. Between each spoonful allow to bubble at a very gentle simmer. Cook the rice in the stock in this way for about 20 minutes testing the rice after about 18 minutes by which time it should be soft with a slight bite but not mushy.
Meanwhile while the rice is cooking fry the leeks. Melt 20g of the butter in a frying pan with a teaspoon of olive oil. Top and tail the leeks then slice in half and chop on the diagonal into thin slices. Fry on a medium heat with plenty of salt and pepper for about 10 minutes until soft and just starting to caramelise and colour. Set aside once done.
Once the rice is cooked and most of the stock is absorbed you should still be aiming for a loose consistency. Remove from the heat and add plenty of seasoning to taste and then then tip in the leeks. Add the grated zest of the lemon and the juice of half.
Add the parmesan and the rest of the butter and place a lid onto the pot and set aside for 2-3 minutes. After this time remove the lid and stir in the melted cheese to combine.
Tip the risotto onto a shallow dish/baking tray levelling it out thinly to allow it to cool quickly and place in the fridge to chill.
Once chilled, take just bigger than golf ball sized spoonfuls (or smaller depending on how you want to serve them. I suggest one large one each as a starter or 2-3 for a main) and roll into rounds. Arrange your flour, egg and breadcurmbs into 3 bowls in front of you. Dip the risotto balls first into the flour then the beaten egg and finally coat in breadcurmbs and place each on a plate. Continue until you have used up all the rice. This should make about 15 balls.
Place in the fridge until ready to fry.
When ready, heat a saucepan full of the vegetable oil (deep enough to immerse the arancini by at least half) or turn on your deep fat fryer. You will know when it is hot enough as a cube of bread added to the oil will sizzle and turn golden in a matter of minutes.
When the oil is hot enough, fry the aracini, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp all over. Once golden, remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. Keep warm while you fry the rest.

Smokey Bacon Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks, room temperature (this is important to prevent it splitting)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 rashers streaky smoked bacon, chopped into pieces
1/2 lemon
350 ml rapeseed or olive oil

Begin by frying the bacon in a hot pan ahead of time until really crisp. Set aside in a bowl with the fat juices and cool in the fridge completely.
Next, place the eggs yolks, mustard, juice of 1/2 the lemon and the white wine vinegar in the bowl of a food processor and set the motor running.
In a very steady stream add the oil. The more slowly you add it the less chance it will split. The mixture will begin to thicken the more oil you add. Continue until you have combined all the oil and the consistency is thick and smooth.
Next add some freshly cracked pepper and tip in the bacon pieces. Pulse until mixture to combine the bacon.
Spoon into a small serving bowl and cover at room temperature until ready to use.

WINE: By no means do you need to fork out on an extravagant Italian bottle such as the below ‘Gaja Conteisa’ that I devoured these with. But there is something quite ironic about a greasy and mayonnaise laden ball of buttery risotto with a Super Tuscan that I won’t lie….went down like a house on fire. Italy, you made my weekend.

Coffee Drizzle Cake with Hazelnut Mascarpone

March 6, 2016 Comments Off read Sweet Treats

f you are, like me, an appreciator of all things coffee in flavour then this cake is certainly one to test out on a cold Sunday afternoon for a crowd that need pleasing. And more specifically a mother! (Happy Mother’s Day!) I’ll admit I’m no coffee nerd but even those that can pour a perfect patterned topped latte will love you for this moist sponge cake. I think many people these days are intimidated by baking with a preconcieved idea that it is difficult due to the eleborate disguise of the 21st century decoration, intricate piping and macaroon topped bakes. However like most cakes, the baking bit is extremely easy! Mix and combine. How you choose to refine your decoration is up to you. I don’t seem to have a natural knack for it sadly and my piping skills are far from successful on most attempts so this weekend I abandoned the fancy piping bag in place of the palate knife and went for a more welcomed rustic and homemade visual. It won’t win any show stopper rounds thats for sure but its all about the taste and texture…

This cake is based on a Delia classic. The sponge and syrup recipe have been taken from her ‘How to Cook – Book One’ with just a few adaptations in the ‘forage in the pantry’ style.

Sponge and Icing

1 1/2 tbsp coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water
75g walnuts
175g self raising flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
175g softened butter
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs
250g mascarpone
8 tbsp sieved icing sugar
Handful of chopped toasted hazelnuts
Optional – 1 tbsp Frangelico/Amaretto
1 tsp cocoa powder

Syrup

1 tbsp instant coffee granules
50g demerara sugar
55ml boiling water

Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line two cake tins (18cm/20cm wide. No bigger than 20cm)
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan or hot oven for a few minutes until fragrant then set aside. Once cool, chop roughly.
Sieve the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor.
Add the butter, sugar and eggs and mix until smooth and shiny. Add the coffee and combine well.
Finally fold in the chopped walnuts then divide the mixture into the two tins, spreadably evenly and flattening out the tops.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Meanwhile make the syrup. Combine the sugar and coffee in a jug before adding the boiling water. Stir continuously and thoroughly until he sugar has dissolved fully. Set aside until needed.
Next make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl before beating in the mascarpone cheese. Add the liquor of choice if using and beat until smooth. Stir in the chopped hazelnuts, leaving some for scattering over the top. Taste and add more icing sugar if you like it a little sweeter.
Once the cakes are cooked remove from the oven and prick all over with a cocktail stick or similar.
Pour the syrup over both cakes until evenly absorbed. I find this is best done a spoonful at a time to avoid overflow.
Leave to cool completely.
When cool, remove from the tins and turn out onto a wire rack. For the base you’ll need the most even and flat looking cake. You may need to slice off the rounded top in order to get this but this little syrupy slice is an ideal tester!
Place this onto a plate or cake stand and spoon over half the mascarpone smoothing out with a palate knife.
Top with the second cake and the rest of the mascarpone.
Scatter with any remaining nuts and a sprinkling of cocoa powder