Everyday Simple Cooking: 05/01/2009 - 06/01/2009

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Italian Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients
600ml Double Cream
1 Vanilla Pod
1 Lemon (zested)
4 Eggs (beaten)
2 Egg Yolks
175g Caster Sugar

Equipment
1 Large Pan
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Airtight Container
1 Sieve
1 Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Lemon Zester

The Good Bit

Put the cream, eggs and yolks (beaten), lemon zest and vanilla pod in your pan and over a low heat bring almost to boiling point, stirring continuously.
Reduce the heat and continue stirring until the mixture thickens, now stir in the sugar and allow to cool.
Once cool strain into your airtight container, pick out the vanilla pod and split (run your knife from top to bottom cutting through the pod) scrape out the seeds and add to your ice cream mixture and stir in well. Freeze and enjoy.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Tba

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tba

Serves 4

Tba

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Tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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Tba

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Tba

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tba

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Tba

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tba

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tba

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tba

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Tba

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Tba

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tba

Serves 4

Zabaglione

Ingredients

5 Egg Yolks

100g Caster Sugar

150ml Sweet Sherry (or liqueur of your choice)

Amaretti Biscuits and Fruit to Serve

Equipment

1 Mixing Bowl

1 Pan (with gently simmering water in)

1 Metal Spoon

1 Balloon Whisk

The Good Bit

place the yolks in your bowl and whisk in the sugar (this mixture needs to double in volume)
Now place your bowl over the water and whisk in the liqueur until the mixture becomes warm (this can take upto 10 minutes)
Pour your mixture in wine glasses and serve with wedges of fruit and amaretti biscuits

Serves 4

Friday, May 29, 2009

Sweet Mascarpone Mousse

Ingredients
450g Mascarpone Cheese
100g Caster Sugar
4 egg Yolks
400g Frozen Summer Fruits
Red Currants to Garnish
Amaretti Biscuits to Serve

Equipment
4 Cocktail glasses
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

Beat the mascarpone until it is smooth then stir in the egg and sugar, leave for an hour in the fridge.
Layer the mascarpone and fruit in your glasses finishing with a layer of mascarpone, top with a few red currants and serve.

Serves 4

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Peaches in White Wine

Ingredients

4 Peaches (stoned and cut into small wedges)

2 Tablespoons Icing Sugar (sifted)

1 Orange (cut the rind off leaving behind as much of the pith as you can, then juice)

200ml Sweet/Medium White Wine

Equipment

1 SHARP Knife

1 ChoppingBoard

1 Juicer

1 Small Bowl

1 Serving Bowl

1 Sieve

Kitchen Paper/Towel

The Good Bit

Place the peaches in your serving bowl and sprinkle over the icing sugar, then cut your peelings of orange skin into matchstick size pieces, place in your small bowl and cover with water.
Now pour the orange juice and wine over your peaches and chill in your fridge for one hour.
In the meantime, dry your orange match sticks on the kitchen paper, sprinkle over the peaches just before serving and enjoy. (Double cream goes very well this, and maybe a sprinkling of grated chocolate)

Serves 4

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Cheats Tiramisu

Ingredients
200g Dark Chocolate
260g Mascarpone
100ml Double Cream (whipped till it holds it's shape)
260ml Black Coffee (with 17g caster sugar stirred in then cooled)
4 Tablespoons Rum/Brandy
24 Sponge Fingers
Cocoa Powder (for sprinkling)

Equipment
3 Mixing Bowls
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Pan (with simmering water in)
4 Serving Plates

The Good Bit

Melt the chocolate in one of your mixing bowls over the pan with the simmering water in it then allow it to cool a little before stirring in the mascarpone and whipped cream
In the meantime, make your coffee, with the correct amount of sugar and rum or brandy, then you need to dip the sponge fingers in, one at a time, do it quickly so you don't make the fingers all soggy.
As you dip, lay out the sponge fingers on each of your 4 plates, 3 fingers next to each other pointing away from you, then spoon on some of the chocolate cream mixture, next add another layer of 3 fingers at 90 degrees to the first lot on top of the cream, now add another layer of chocolate cream and finally top with 3 more fingers pointing in the same direction as your first layer.
Chill for at least an hour the just before serving, sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Serves 4

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Mushroom Salad

Ingredients
150g White Button Mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
4 Tablespoons Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
5 Anchovy Fillets (drained and chopped)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Marjoram (chopped)
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

Mix the oil and lemon juice in your bowl. Drop in the sliced mushrooms and mix well until the mushrooms are coated (they'll go brown if not coated well enough and that looks ugly)
Stir in the anchovies then season with pepper only and then add the marjoram, stir and leave for 5 minutes.
Season with salt and serve (if you season with salt to early it extracts the water from the mushrooms and turns them brown, which again is a look you don't really want)

Serves 4

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Walnut, Celery, Chicory and Apple Salad (a new take on the classic waldorf salad)

Ingredients
2 Heads of Chicory (cut off the bases)
4 Celery Stalks
2 Apples (cored and sliced)
1 Lemon (juiced)
Handful of Toasted Walnut Halves (chopped, you may have to toast these yourself, to do that just fry them in a pan without oil for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until they start to colour)
3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Natural Yogurt
1/2 Teaspoon Celery Salt
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
2 Mixing Bowls (medium size will do or 1 large and 1 small)
1 Wooden Spoon

The Good Bit

Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, salt and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in your smaller bowl and season with salt and pepper and set aside, now scatter the chicory leaves over your 4 serving plates.
Chop the celery up along with its leaves and place in the larger bowl, throw in the apple slices, the remaining lemon juice and half of the chopped nuts, mix very well (you need to coat the apple in the lemon juice to stop it from turning brown)
Divide this mixture out on top of your leaves and sprinkle over the remaining nuts, serve the sauce at the side in a separate dipping bowl or drizzle over the top.

Serves 4

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Cheats Chicken Tikka Kebabs

Ingredients
500g Chicken Diced
150g Natural Yogurt
1 Red and 1 Green Pepper (de seeded and diced)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Tikka Spice Mix
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Mint
1 Tablespoon Sunflower Oil
Naan Bread, Mango Chutney and Natural Yogurt to Serve

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Griddle Pan
Bamboo Skewers (soaked in water for at least 20 minutes before hand)

The Good Bit

Mix the yogurt with the tikka, mint, lemon juice and the oil now add the chicken, stir well, cover and leave for at least an hour in the fridge.
Thread the chicken chunks onto the skewers alternating with pepper, griddle for approximately 15 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides.
Serve with naan bread, mango chutney and extra yogurt.

Serves 4

Thai Steak Salad

Ingredients
400g Rump Steak
1 Lime (juiced)
5 Tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce
1/2 Stalk Fresh Lemon Grass (finely chopped)
1/2 Iceberg Lettuce (shredded)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
150g Red Grapes (halved)
25g Roasted Peanuts (chopped/roughly crushed)
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Pastry Brush
1 Griddle Pan
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Small Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

Brush your steak with oil then griddle on each side for 3 minutes until it is cooked until medium rare (or longer if you want it well done)
In the meantime, mix the lime juice, chilli sauce and lemon grass in your small bowl, tip half into a larger bowl, then toss in the lettuce, carrot and grapes into the larger bowl and mix well.
Serve your salad onto four plates, slice the steak and serve on top, sprinkle over the nuts and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top.

Serves 4

Monday, May 11, 2009

Lemon Pepper Tuna with Courgette Ribbons

Ingredients
4 Courgettes (thinly sliced length ways)
1 Lemon (zested)
1 Red Chilli (de seeded and sliced)
1 Teaspoon Black peppercorns (crushed)
2x100g Tuna Steaks
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Griddle Pan
1 lemon Zester
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

Toss the courgette in a little oil, season with salt and pepper and griddle for a couple of minutes. Mix the lemon zest with the chilli and pepper, brush the tuna with oil and press in the pepper mix, season with salt and salt and griddle for 2 minutes each side.
Finally cut the lemon into wedges and griddle along side your tuna. Serve the tuna on your bed of courgette ribbons with the lemon wedges on the side or on the top.

Serves 4

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Cajun Pork with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients
1x227g Can Pineapple Slices (drained)
1 Lime (juiced)
4x200g Pork Loin Steaks
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix
1/2 Red pepper (de seeded and diced)
2 Spring Onions (chopped)
1 Green Chilli (de seeded and sliced)
Sunflower Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Griddle Pan
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

Dry the pineapple on kitchen towel and brush with sunflower oil, griddle for 2 minutes on each side and set aside.
Drizzle half the lime juice onto the pork and rub in the cajun spice mix, griddle on both sides for 7 minutes.
Chop the pineapple and place in a mixing bowl along with the pepper, onion, chilli and the rest of the lime juice. Serve the pork with a dollop of the salsa on top and with rice.

Serves 4

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Tips

1:- A Sharp knife is a must, when your knife is blunt you risk hacking and sawing at what you are cutting, you are not in control then and risk cutting yourself, a sharp knife will glide through anything giving you the control you want to cut things as fine as possible leaving your fingers intact.

2:- A lot of these recipes have room for a little garlic, if you come across a recipe that uses garlic you can always not use it, as i rarely do. However it does bring out flavour in food so don't be afraid to try it, i add 1-2 cloves (finely chopped) when I'm frying off my onion, which is one of the first things i do in most recipes

3:-To cut an onion finely, firstly chop off the stalk end and peel all the skin off, then with this flat section on your chopping board, cut in half from the root end down, place the half flat on your chopping board with the root end away from you, cut from right to left leaving 1/2cm from the end of the onion on each cut, turn the onion round with the root end pointing left and slice the onion as fine as you want from right to left again but cutting all the way through this time, repeat for the other half. If i can figure out how to do a video of this i'll whack it on the site.

4:-Don't be afraid to experiment, here in France they are not big on having all the vegetables available to buy all year round like they are in England, some of you may have noticed that in some of my pictures it's clear I've not used the ingredients I've given you, they are for guidelines only, if you don't like something take it out and substitute with something else.

5:-To make perfect rice every time just follow this simple guide, Firstly in a handy kitchen implement (glass,mug or something similar) weigh 125g of rice, then whenever you do rice use this same implement to measure your rice (62.g is 1 portion) now in a medium sized sauce pan (6in-10in) 2/3rds fill with water and add a sprinkle of salt for each portion of rice. Boil the water, then as it is boiling stir it until you have a whirlpool, tip in your rice steadily (the whirlpool will stop the water boiling over) keep the heat fairly high to maintain a good boil, the movement in the pan should stop the rice from sticking, you may just have to watch the first minute or so whilst the water gets back to boiling but then you can leave it whilst you do the rest of the cooking, cook to packet instructions (10-15 for white rice, brown can be a little longer) Test it by eating a little from a teaspoon, if it's still a little hard boil for longer. Pour the rice into a colander then wash with a kettle full of boiling water, hey presto perfect rice

6:-When making meringue, use a glass bowl as plastic bowls can harbor oil residue which will stop your egg whites from getting stiff, also a balloon whisk is a very good tool for whisking, I find i can whisk an egg white to stiff peaks in less than 30 seconds like this.

7:-If you are making Ice Cream or any Frozen Dessert, I can highly recommend an ice cream maker, you get smoother ice cream without the ice crystals you get if you try to freeze and keep whisking your mixture every hour or so, I've been told my vanilla ice cream is the best people have tasted!!!

Weight Loss Tips

1:- Eat what you want, but eat it in the right proportions and at the right times of day!! (bet you didn't expect to hear that)
2:- Ok, you are going to have to cut in half the sugar in your hot drinks, same as the level of milk you have (use half fat not full)
3:-Have a filling breakfast (my favourite is poridge, i add fruit and nuts to it on different days of the week for variety, just not banana) 1 cup of coffee/tea with half your sugar and half fat milk
4:-Have a fruit snack in the morning, (apples, pears, tangerines, currants, apricots) just a hand sized portion to keep you going (leave that chocolate bar or packet of crisps alone) 1 glass of water
5:-Have Lunch, I love chunky soups with 2 slices of bread, you can have a sandwich, mainly salad if you can, although meat/fish is fine, try to avoid butter and mayonnaise, use an olive oil spread instead, and also try not to have to much bread, if you can use a wholegrain loaf. Another Glass of water
6:-Get that afternoon snack in, fruit again is good, or if you want, try some hazel nuts or pine nuts, if you must have a brew to get you through the afternoon at work, now's the time, if you can do with water, thats better.
7:-Eveneing meal, there are lots of recipes on this site that are healthy, and you can convert those that aren't without to much trouble. The main thing to rememeber, use (virgin/extra virgin) olive oil, 1/2 your plate should be vegetables, 1/4 (or the size of your palm) should be your meat/poultry/fish and the last 1/4 should be your Carbs in the form of either rice/pasta/boiled potatoes. You can have a glass of wine, or water.
8:-If you stick to the above you will loose weight, women need 2000-2500 calories a day, men need another 1000, so now it's upto you, have a look at the calories you are consuming by sticking to the above routine, you may find room for a naughty snack now and then!! (i do on a regular basis, because i watch what i eat all day)
9:-Excercise, you cant avoid it, while you will get some results with the above, doing a little excercise will help no end (if you eat under the required calories everyday, then when you do some form of excercise your body will have to burn fat to give you the energy)
10:-Please be carefull when starting any kind of diet, the above is just a guide line, i follow it and have twice lost weight when i wanted to (i put on weight when i stopped and started going to the chippy everyday and doing no excercise, i'm now back at my desired weight and in the shape of my life)