Aloo Gobi. A warming dish perfect for a cold winters night. Ingredients (Serves 4) Method

Aloo Gobi One of our most versatile vegetables, it shouldn’t be difficult to find ways to get through your potato stock. from topping cottage pies, d...
Author: Erick Neal
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Aloo Gobi One of our most versatile vegetables, it shouldn’t be difficult to find ways to get through your potato stock. from topping cottage pies,

dauphinoise, hearty mash and the good old roastie, we love our tasty tatties! why not try making a delicious aloo gobi, a delicious potato-based

curry, especially if you also have any onions,

fect ish per d g n i m A war ight nters n i w d l o for a c

cauliflower and tomatoes that need using. this

warming dish is a real treat to look forward to enjoying on a cold winters night.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Method

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add the onions and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. 2. Add the ginger, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ground turmeric, ground fenugreek, whole green chillies, chilli powder and salt. (Caution: when heated, the mustard seeds will start to pop.) Stir the mixture well and cook for two minutes, or until the seeds start to pop and the spices smell fragrant. 3. Add the potatoes and stir well, then add the tomatoes, cauliflower, lemon juice, sugar and water and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes have cooked through and the mixture has thickened. 4. To serve, spoon onto four serving plates and serve one naan bread alongside each.

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 4cm/1½in piece fresh ginger, grated 1 tsp mustard seeds 5 curry leaves ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground fenugreek 2 green chillies, left whole ½ tsp chilli powder ½ tsp salt 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 250g/9oz tomatoes, chopped ½ small cauliflower 1 tsp lemon juice ½ tsp sugar 2 tbsp water 4 naan breads, to serve

French Onion Soup

Onions are used in many of our dishes, however

we think it’s about time we really celebrate the onion by allowing it to become the star of the

show- in a vat of scrumptious french onion soup. yes, it might be a little decadent, but thought

of a steaming bowl of this brothy delight, with a crunchy crouton topped with melting cheese

nestled in the middle, proved too much to resist

t

ec c, perf i s a l c dent A deca ng! ertaini t n e r o f Ingredients (Serves 8) • 1½ lb (700 g) onions, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 oz (50 g) butter • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • ½ level teaspoon granulated sugar • 2 pints (1.2 litres) good beef stock • 10 fl oz (275 ml) dry white wine • 2 tablespoons Cognac • salt and freshly milled black pepper • French bread or baguettine, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) diagonal slices • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

To serve: • 6 large or 12 small croutons (see above) • 8 oz (225 g) Gruyère, grated

and we just had to include this classic recipe!

Method 1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C). 2. First make the croutons – drizzle the olive oil on to a large, solid bakingsheet, add the crushed garlic and then, using your hands, spread the oil and garlic all over the baking sheet. Now place the bread slices on top of the oil, then turn over each one so that both sides have been lightly coated with the oil. 3. Bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes till crispy. Next place the saucepan or casserole on a high heat and melt the oil and butter together. When this is very hot, add the onions, garlic and sugar, and keep turning them from time to time until the edges of the onions have turned dark – this will take about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and leave the onions to carry on cooking very slowly for about 30 minutes, by which time the base of the pan will be covered with a rich, nut brown, caramelised film. After that, pour in the stock and white wine, season, then stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the base of the pan well. 4. As soon as it all comes up to simmering point, turn down the heat to its lowest setting, then go away and leave it to cook very gently, without a lid, for about 1 hour. All this can be done in advance but, when you’re ready to serve the soup, bring it back up to simmering point, taste to check for seasoning – if it’s extra-cold outside, add a couple of tablespoons of Cognac! Warm the tureen or soup bowls in a low oven and pre-heat the grill to its highest setting. Then ladle in the hot soup and top with the croutons, allowing them to float on the top of the soup. Now sprinkle the grated Gruyère thickly over the croutons and place the whole lot under the grill until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately – and don’t forget to warn your guests that everything is very hot!

Garlic - Ayam Goreng this amazing bulb not only helps to flavour

hundreds of delicious dishes, it’s also said to have many health-giving properties, ranging from helping to fend off the common cold,

to preventing heart disease. try making this

garlicky indonesian fried chicken (ayam goreng) for a dinner party dish with a difference.

ty dish er par n n i d A ence differ a h t i w

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Method

• 1 whole chicken (1.4-1.6kg) cut into 10 pieces or 1.4kg chicken wings, thighs and/or drumsticks

1. Rinse the chicken under cold water, drain well and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar and salt. Add the chicken and combine well. Cover in clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours, stirring once or twice to ensure the marinade coats every piece. 3. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and pat them thoroughly dry with a paper towel, gently squeezing each piece to remove excess liquid. Set aside. 4. Add oil to a depth of 2½cm in a 30cm frying pan and place over a mediumhigh heat until hot but not smoking. Gently slide as many of the chicken pieces into the oil as will fit without touching (you’ll probably need to fry the chicken in two batches). After about 10 minutes, when the chicken has turned deep golden brown and crispy, turn it over and continue to fry – it should take 20-25 minutes in total. Test by poking a fork into the thickest portion and pressing down on it – the juices should run clear, not pink. 5. Remove the chicken pieces and let them drain on a wire rack or paper towels for a few minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Serve immediately. 6. until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately – and don’t forget to warn your guests that everything is very hot!

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed • 250ml palm cider or rice vinegar • 1½ tsp sea salt • Peanut oil, for frying

Beetroot Brownies we can often be inundated this time of year with hearty beetroots, which are excellent growers around this time of year and over the winter.

of course they are brilliant roasted, and make

super soups, however if you fancy getting really creative in the kitchen why not try making

these beetroot brownies, they are delicious, we

Sneak your

into veggie

a an extr iet! kid’s d

promise (and also a great way to sneak an extra veggie into your kid’s diet while providing a tasty treat)!

Ingredients

Method

• • • • • • • •

1. Wear a pair of rubber gloves to stop your hands from staining,

500g whole raw beetroot (3-4 medium beets) 100g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin 200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa) 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g golden caster sugar 3 eggs 100g plain flour 25g cocoa powder

then top, tail and peel the beetroot – you’ll need about 400g flesh. Roughly chop and put into a large bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 12 mins or until tender. 2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. While the beetroot cooks, butter then line a 20 x 30cm traybake or small roasting tin. Roughly chop the chocolate and cut the butter into cubes. Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve, drain off any excess liquid, then put into a food processor or blender with the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whizz until the mix is as smooth as you can get it. The chocolate and butter will melt as you do this. 3. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy, about 2 mins. Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl (it won’t look too pretty at this stage, but bear with me), then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Try to conserve as much air in the mixture as you can. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter. 4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until risen all over, with just the merest quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.

Savoury Apple Pie

we all know that an apple a day helps to keep

the doctor away, however if you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree it can often be a challenge

wondering what to do with them all! a great way

of using up your apple crop is to make a big batch of apple sauce to accompany your winter roasts.

another idea is to try this savoury apple pie, which might seem a little strange at first, but when

ide, oury s v a s a t as sages Perfec or sau k r o p oast with r

you consider what a delicious accompaniment

to a ploughman’s a few slices of apple is, this unusual dish starts to make sense.

Ingredients

Method

For the filling

1. Turn your oven on to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 2. Start by peeling, coring and chopping your apples into rough chunks. Then, with a generous amount of butter, stew them in your casserole for 10 minutes with the lid on. After five minutes, pour in the Madeira. 3. For this unusual savoury crumble topping, rub together the flour and butter in a large bowl, as you would any crumble, to form little beads. Now to make it savoury, mix in 80g/3oz of grated parmesan and the breadcrumbs along with the thyme. 4. By now the apples should be nice and soft, so simply scatter the crumble mix over the apples, grate over that the remaining parmesan for good measure and put in the oven for 25 minutes. When the top is golden brown and the apples are bubbling serve as a savoury side, with roast pork, or even sausages!

• 6 assorted apples, use any of your favourites • 50g/2oz butter • 4 tbsp Madeira

For the crumble topping • 250g/6oz butter • 250g/6oz plain flour • 100g/4oz parmesan, grated • 100g/4oz breadcrumbs • 4 sprigs lemon thyme, picked

Spiced Pear & Ginger Jellies Often overlooked these days, as our supermarkets

are bursting with more exciting and unusual fruits (often imported and past their best), this recipe

for spiced pear and ginger jellies shows that the

humble pear can be as exotic and spectacular as the best of them, and straight out of your back garden!

to pear in e l b m e hu ar turn th ctacul e p s & tic ing exo someth

Ingredients For the filling

• 200ml Sauternes or other medium-sweet white wine • 200g caster sugar • Thinly pared zest and juice of 1 orange • juice of 2 lemons • 11/2 cinnamon sticks, broken into short lengths • 6 cloves • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds • 6 ripe pears, preferably Williams or Packham • 9 dried apricots, quartered • 1 piece stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped • 4 sheets leaf gelatine • Shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped, to decorate

For the vanilla cream • 200ml double cream • 2 tbsp icing sugar • Seeds of 1 vanilla pod

Method

1. Put the white wine, caster sugar, orange zest and juice, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds and 350ml water into a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes or until the liquid is slightly syrupy. 2. Meanwhile, peel and core the pears using an apple corer. Add to the syrup. If they are not completely covered, add a little more water. Cut a large circle of baking paper and place it over the pears, then sit a saucepan lid (smaller than the pan) on top - this helps the pears stay submerged. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the pears are tender. Remove from the heat and leave in the syrup until cold. 3. Remove the fruit from the syrup and cut into quarters or eighths. Divide the pears, apricots and chopped stem ginger between 6 x 200-225ml serving glasses or wine glasses. 4. Strain the poaching liquid into a measuring jug. (You need 600ml, so if you have too much, return to the saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer until reduced to 600ml. Add a little more wine if you don’t have enough, and bring back to a simmer again.) 5. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, until soft. Lift out of the water, add to the hot syrup and stir until dissolved. Carefully pour the syrup mixture over the fruit in the glasses. Leave until cold, then transfer to the fridge to set. You’ll need to chill them for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. 6. Just before serving, make the vanilla cream. Put the double cream into a mixing bowl, then add the icing sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk until thickened and just holding its shape. Put a couple of spoonfuls of vanilla cream on top of each jelly and decorate with toasted chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.

Blackberry Jam

it might be tempting to enjoy these tasty treats as

nature intended, straight off the bush, however if

you can resist, it’s really worthwhile making your

own jam. it’s not as difficult as you might think and is incomparable to the supermarket versions, so often full of weird chemicals and flavourings.

nt panime m o c c a t as an me Perfec and ga s t a e ed m to cook

Ingredients (80 servings!)

Method

• 1.75kg blackberries

1. Place the blackberries into a large, heavy saucepan and crush them with a potato masher. 2. Add the sugar and pectin and heat very slowly, stirring all the time until every grain of sugar has dissolved. Add the butter, increase the heat, bring to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool for 1 minute, then place in jam jars and cover immediately.

• 2kg caster sugar • 6 teaspoons powdered pectin • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Quince Paste

this unusual fruit is too hard and sour to eat raw, but is perfect for puddings and preserves.

the very strong perfume means they can be added

in small quantities to apple pies and jam to enhance the flavour. adding a diced quince to apple sauce

will enhance the taste of the apple sauce with the chunks of relatively firm, tart quince. the term “marmalade”, originally meaning a quince jam,

ent mpanim o c c a t A grea oard! heese b c y n a to

derives from “marmelo,” the portuguese word for this fruit.

this quince paste is traditionally served with the spanish cheese, manchego, however we think it

makes a great accompaniment to many cheeses available on any good cheeseboard!

Ingredients (80 servings!)

Method

• 1.8kg/4lbs quinces, washed, peeled, cored, chopped

1. Place the quince pieces into a large pan and add enough water to cover. Add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Place a lid on the pan and boil for 30-40 minutes, or until quinces are very soft. 2. Drain the liquid from the quinces and transfer the quinces to a scale to weigh. Note the weight of the quinces - this is the weight of caster sugar you will require. 3. Place the fruit into a food processor and blend until very smooth. 4. Return to the original pan and add an equal weight of sugar. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. 5. Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1½ hours, or until the quince paste has thickened and has a deep orange colour. 6. Preheat the oven to 50C/120F. 7. Pour the cooked paste out onto a greased and lined 20cm/8in x 20cm/8in baking tray and smooth the paste out evenly. 8. Place into the oven for one hour to speed up the setting process. 9. Remove from the oven and slice into manageable portions.

• Vanilla pod, split • Caster sugar, amount determined during cooking