For xmas eve that is. I was going to do salmon, but there seems to have been a world shortage of salmon round here. Either that or it's all got stuck in the snow. Plus I've re-discovered my inner veggie again and the thought of handling, smelling, cooking, eating fish is leaving me cold. So we're having souffles instead. Yummy, oozingly melting cheese souffles served with new potatoes, tomato salad and salad leaves with a walnut dressing. And before you all gasp in shock and amazement that I am planning to serve souffle to my in-laws it's not that hard. Honest. But it tastes divine :) The recipe is a Rose Elliot one.
To serve 4 people as a light main or 2 hungry people as a substantial main you need:
50g butter
50g plain flour
225ml milk
150g cheese, preferably gruyere
4 eggs, seperated
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp english mustard powder
1/2 tsp french mustard
Pre-heat the oven to 190c and grease a 1 pint souffle dish.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a roux. Cook gently for a few mins to cook out the raw taste from the flour. Then add the milk a drop at a time and beat till smooth. Leave to one side to cool a little.
Whisk the egg whites till stiff. Mix the cheese and egg yolks and seasoning into the roux. Slacken off the mix with a spoonful of the whites and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared dish and then place in a bain marie in the oven. Cook for 20-40 mins. If you like it runny in the middle then err on the shorter side of cooking time. Serve with a tomato and onion salad, new potatoes and salad leaves with a walnut and sherry vinegar dressing.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Mince Pies
OK OK so you don't really need a recipe for these given that it's mincemeat in pastry but OMG I didn't think I liked mince pies really. I used to force them down out of a sense of misplaced xmas duty, but having finally made my own mincemeat for the first time I am a convert. These truly are delicious.
You need
1 quantity of homemade mincemeat
1 quantity of home made pastry
Roll out the pastry and then line cupcake tins with it. Fill the pastry cases with a scant amount of mincemeat and top with a decorative top (I like my snowflake, xmas tree and star cutters for this!).
Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle on some sugar. Bake in a hot oven for 10-20 mins till done and then leave to cool. Scoff.
The pastry recipe is very easy but is one of those I only know in imperial. You need half the amount of flour in fat and then mix together with cold water. To make 24 mini cocktail mince pies, and about 18 bigger ones along with 8 jam tarts I used 10oz plain flour and 5oz butter.
You need
1 quantity of homemade mincemeat
1 quantity of home made pastry
Roll out the pastry and then line cupcake tins with it. Fill the pastry cases with a scant amount of mincemeat and top with a decorative top (I like my snowflake, xmas tree and star cutters for this!).
Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle on some sugar. Bake in a hot oven for 10-20 mins till done and then leave to cool. Scoff.
The pastry recipe is very easy but is one of those I only know in imperial. You need half the amount of flour in fat and then mix together with cold water. To make 24 mini cocktail mince pies, and about 18 bigger ones along with 8 jam tarts I used 10oz plain flour and 5oz butter.
Mousse au Chocolat
My mum's friend gave her this recipe yonks ago and I still make it often. It's an authentic French mousse au chocolate - rich with chocolate, light with airy bubbles and delectably decadent. Just ignore the calories ;-)
You need:
6 eggs, separated
300g chocolate. I use a mix of plain and milk if making it for all of us. If it's just adults then I only use plain
3 tbsp sugar
a good slug of alcohol - usually grand marnier or cointreau
Begin by melting the chocolate slowly over a saucepan of simmering water. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites till floppily stiff. Don't over beat or it's hard to mix them into the chocolate mix. Mix the yolks with the sugar and booze. Once the chocolate has melted let it cool for a few mins then combine with the yolk mixture. Slacken it off with a spoonful of the whites and then carefully fold in the remainder of the whites. Pour into serving glasses and leave to chill for a couple of hours.
You need:
6 eggs, separated
300g chocolate. I use a mix of plain and milk if making it for all of us. If it's just adults then I only use plain
3 tbsp sugar
a good slug of alcohol - usually grand marnier or cointreau
Begin by melting the chocolate slowly over a saucepan of simmering water. Meanwhile whisk the egg whites till floppily stiff. Don't over beat or it's hard to mix them into the chocolate mix. Mix the yolks with the sugar and booze. Once the chocolate has melted let it cool for a few mins then combine with the yolk mixture. Slacken it off with a spoonful of the whites and then carefully fold in the remainder of the whites. Pour into serving glasses and leave to chill for a couple of hours.
Nut Koftas
Another miracle meal tonight - something we all ate and enjoyed! I am so relieved that Lex's fussier days are behind him and we can all sit down to one meal! These nut koftas are a piece of cake to make and good for you too. Plus they're very very speedy :)
You need:
1 onion, diced
4 coves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tin cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
125g ground almonds
75g salted peanuts
1 egg
Fry off the onion in some oil for a few mins till soft then add the garlic, curry powder and chilli. Fry for a few mins longer. Then lob everything into a food processor and blitz till smooth. Form into sausages wrapped round a skewer and then grill for a few mins on each side till golden brown.
Serve with cous cous, flat breads, olives and a yogurt dressing made from a couple of tbsps greek yogurt, seasoning, 1 tbsp mint sauce, some chopped cucumber and chopped corriander. Scrummy.
You need:
1 onion, diced
4 coves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tin cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
125g ground almonds
75g salted peanuts
1 egg
Fry off the onion in some oil for a few mins till soft then add the garlic, curry powder and chilli. Fry for a few mins longer. Then lob everything into a food processor and blitz till smooth. Form into sausages wrapped round a skewer and then grill for a few mins on each side till golden brown.
Serve with cous cous, flat breads, olives and a yogurt dressing made from a couple of tbsps greek yogurt, seasoning, 1 tbsp mint sauce, some chopped cucumber and chopped corriander. Scrummy.
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