Crispy 5 Spice Chicken Skewers with Satay Sauce

These little bites of  lightly spiced crispy chicken are just fabulous for pre-dinner drinks and cocktail parties. A large chicken breast will make around 16  so a little really does go a long long way. I served mine with a dish of Satay sauce but they are equally delish with sweet chilli sauce.

Recipe for approximately 32 skewers

2 large skinned & filleted chicken breasts
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsps toasted sesame oil
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 heaped teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tsps 5 Spice Powder
around 4 tbsp cornflour for coating (you may need a little more)
cocktail sticks
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

for the Satay sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
sprinkle of garlic powder
sprinkle of chilli flakes
around ½ cup boiling water
Just place all the above in a saucepan, gently bring to the boil, simmer for a couple of minutes. If the sauce is really thick just add a little more hot water. Cool slightly and it's ready to go.

For the Skewers

Cut each breast lengthwise into around 16 thin slices
Thread each piece onto the cocktail sticks folding slightly as you go in a concertina effect
In a dish mix together the rest of the ingredients,( minus the frying oil and the cornflour) & marinade the skewers in this for around an hour
Pour around 1½ inches of oil in a frying pan begin to heat up to a medium heat you can test this temperature later. you don't want the oil too hot or the chicken will burn before the inside is cooked out.
Drain the marinade from the skewers
Place the cornflour on a plate or tray and completely coat each skewer with it shaking off any excess.
Test the oil is hot enough by placing just one skewer in the pan, it should immediately start to gently bubble around the edges.
Cook in batches, turning once and don't overload the pan, they should take no more than 4-5 minutes, when they will be crispy on the outside and thoroughly cooked through.
Place onto paper kitchen towel, keep warm until you've cooked them all and serve immediately with the satay sauce.

You can always freeze these after you've marinaded them so they're all ready for your party, all you'll then have to do is coat with cornflour and quickly fry them off after defrosting.

Tuna, leek & cottage cheese filo tart

 



I regularly have days when I can't get down to the supermarket. It's always a great excuse to see what I have lurking in the cupboard & fridge. It all started with half a packet of filo that I had in the fridge. Ok I'll make a tart base with that then. Now what else, a tub of cottage cheese, some eggs, a leek, half a red pepper, a corner of parmesan cheese and of course a large can of tuna from the cupboard. I'm sure you could vary this recipe to suit what you have in.

You'll need 9½" 24cm loose bottom tart/quiche tin brushed well with olive oil

4 sheets of filo pastry
a little olive oil for brushing
1 large leek dark & outer leaves removed then finely sliced
½ medium sized red pepper diced
1 stick of celery finely diced
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 heaped tbsp flour
half a pint of milk (you may not need all of this)
8oz can of tuna in oil (it's so much tastier than when in brine)  *reserve 1tbsp of the oil*
4oz tub of cottage cheese
2 eggs hard boiled and chopped
1 tsp capers chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
grating of nutmeg
a pinch of cayenne pepper
about 1tbsp chopped chives
around 1oz of parmesan cheese finely grated (this is to finish the dish)
Heat the oven to 200c /400f/ gas 6
Place an oven tray inside the oven to heat up. You'll be baking the tart on top on this


Line the  tart tin with the filo, brushing between each layer with a little olive oil, and folding in the overlap to form a 'crust' around the edge of the tin
Bake for around 10/15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and the base cooked through.

Meanwhile make the filling.

Sweat the leek, celery & red pepper in 1tbsp of the reserved oil from the can of tuna until soft
add the garlic and cook for another minute or two
Add the flour stir in well and let it cook for a minute
Gradually add enough milk to form a thick sauce ( you may not need to use all the milk)
Gently cook on for a few minutes so that the flour will be cooked out
Remove from the heat.
Stir in the flaked tuna, cottage cheese, capers, nutmeg, cayenne and gently stir in the hard-boiled eggs & half the chives
Check the seasoning
Fill the tart case sprinkle over the parmesan and bake in a reduced oven 160c/325f/gas 3 for around 20-25 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown and the filling firmish the the touch

Leave to cool before cutting. Sprinkle over the remaining chives.

This is best served at room temperature and it's great cold for a picnic or lunchbox. Serve it with a simple salad. Mine was just watercress & cherry tomato

 

Spinach & Parmesan Dumplings

This is such a simple and economical dish to make. You can serve it with your favourite tomato sauce or it's just delicious with sage butter.


You'll need

a large packet of fresh spinach around 1lb/ 500g in weight. Washed dried & stalks removed
4oz/ 100g butter
1 medium onion cut into very small dice
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
salt & pepper
8oz/225g cream cheese (I used Philly light)
2 large eggs beaten
7oz /200g  plain flour
4oz / 100g Parmesan cheese to finish the dish

Gently sweat the chopped onion in the butter until soft. Take off the heat. Place in a mixing bowl.
Cook the spinach quickly in a hot pan, drain thoroughly squeezing out absolutely every last drop of liquid. Add this to the onion in the mixing bowl
Add the cream cheese, the seasoning & nutmeg, the flour and the eggs.
Mix well together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until you are ready to cook them
Roll into 16 equally sized balls with floured hands.
Now place into a pan of simmering water and cook for around 12 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the grill to hot
Place the dumplings in a heatproof dish sprinkle well with the grated parmesan and grill until the cheese is golden brown
Serve immediately with our favourite tomato coulis/sauce recipe or sage butter. This is just made with a little chopped sage fried with a large knob of butter for just a minute.

Broccoli & Caramalised Red Onion Quiche

Broccoli & Caramelised Red Onion Quiche



'Real men don't eat quiche', whoever said that has never tried this one. Try serving it up with a green salad and a jacket potato it's a really filling yet oh so tasty recipe to satisfy all the men of the house.

 

This recipe will make a  9/10" Quiche and will serve around 6 -8 comfortably

You will need 1 batch of my shortcrust http://ladifferencecatering.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/shortcrust-pastry.html  or your own recipe if preferred

Heat the oven to 220c/425f/gas 7
Place an oven tray in it to heat up. You will bake your quiche on top of this.
Grease a loose bottom quiche tin or dish
Roll out the pastry and line the it then prick it over with a fork
Leave an overlap all around the tin, this can be trimmed off when the pastry is baked.
Line with a piece of parchment and cover with baking beans .
Place on the hot oven tray in the oven & bake for around 15 minutes.
Remove the paper & beans and pop back in the oven until the pastry is cooked through on the base. This should take another 10 minutes or so.

While the pastry is cooking you can make the filling.
For this you will need

6oz finely sliced red onions
1 oz butter
2 tsp brown sugar
2tsp balsamic vinegar
tsp of salt
6oz lightly steamed broccoli florets cut into bite size
around 12 cherry tomatoes for garnish
3 large eggs
6oz mature cheddar cheese grated
½pt double cream or 300g Greek Yoghurt  
1 level tsp dried oregano
large pinch of garlic granules or powder
a grating of nutmeg
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Slowly fry the red onions in the butter with the salt for around 10 minutes or until soft. Add the sugar & balsamic vinegar. Turn up the heat and fry for another few minutes until nicely caramelised.

In a jug beat the eggs with the cream/yogurt. Add the oregano, garlic, nutmeg and season.

Trim neatly around the pastry shell to remove any excess pastry

Turn the oven down to 180c/ 350f/ gas 4

Place the broccoli into the pastry shell, followed by the cheese, then the onions.

Take the tin to the oven and pour in the egg mixture to avoid spillage.

Bake for around 20 minutes the carefully remove from the oven

Place halved cherry tomatoes around to decorate and pop bake into the oven until firmly set which should take another 10 minutes.

Leave to cool until just warm or cold before serving.

This quiche freezes really well. I generally make two at a time, we eat one and have a second one waiting for when unexpected guests arrive.     

Shortcrust Pastry

Basic Shortcrust enough to line an 8/10" tart tin.  Double the recipe to make a pie.

8oz  plain flour sifted
tsp of salt
2oz cold unsalted butter or block margarine
2oz  cold Vegetable fat (Trex) or Lard
1 egg yolk
a little chilled water to bind.

In a large bowl rub the fats into the flour & salt until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
Make a well in the centre add pop the egg yolk into it.
Add about 2/3 tbsp of the chilled water and mix together gently .
You may need to add a little more water but just a drop at a time until the dough comes together,
Flatten the dough into a little square. wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to rest.
It is now ready to roll out and use.

I will add different pastry recipes to this blog as I go along.

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Pine Nuts & Sage Butter

I've been  holding a Meatless Monday Party over on my Facebook page for the last month. This is  my last post for a really successful month of wonderful vegetarian food shared by so many people.

For a deliciously wonderful and so simple meal I've included this delicious Gnocchi dish. You can make your own if you like but the gnocchi I used were from the 400g of pre-cooked supermarket variety making this one of the the simplest, quickest meals ever.

Here we go.  If you have sage in the garden then pick around 8 leaves and we're off.

Ingredients to serve 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course

12 oz diced butternut squash steamed until almost tender
2oz salted butter
8/10 fresh sage leaves, half finely sliced the remainder whole for decoration
salt & black pepper to taste.
a 400g packet of prepared gnocchi cooked as per instructions
a really good grating of fresh Parmesan
2/3 tbsp of toasted pine nuts to finish

Method

1. melt the butter in a frying pan, add the drained butternut squash and fry on until starting to brown
2. add the sliced sage and the recently cooked gnocchi and continue heating until piping hot.
3, add the grated Parmesan & pine nuts and serve immediately onto hot plates decorating with any spare sage leaves .

Now that was just so easy wasn't it ?

Spinach, Mushroom & Ricotta Lasagna

Lasagna must be one of the most comforting foods around. Filling, so tasty and yet with the right ingredients also a really good food to eat. I made this one with vegetables from my allotment. Tomatoes, spinach, onions and a few yellow courgettes are amongst those lovely layers. I'm going to post a basic recipe, one that is both easy and practicable for those of you in a hurry. I just love this and I've got to say that I ate the last piece cold the day after I baked it and it was still wonderful xxx

The Ingredients:-

5/6oz lasagna. I used the pre-cooked sheets
250g around ½lb mushrooms (any variety)  sliced
1 large onion very finely diced
plus 2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tbsp olive oil to fry them both in
A big packet of fresh spinach cooked, well drained & chopped ( use 1lb frozen spinach, defrosted & drained f you prefer, squeeze through a clean tea towel to remove all the moisture}
1 pint of white sauce of your own recipe plus
1 tsp Dijon mustard
8oz strong cheddar cheese
2oz grated Parmesan
half a pint of passata
around 1 tsp dried oregano
250g or thereabouts of Ricotta Cheese I used 1 medium sized tub
good grating of nutmeg
lots of black pepper & sea salt

Now I added a layer of yellow courgettes sliced thin and sauteed in a little olive oil but this is optional.


Okay you will need to oil your dish, mine was approx 6" x 10" but anything close will do.

1. Cook the onion, & garlic in a little oil until soft
2.  do the same with the mushrooms
3.Place the spinach, ricotta, seasoning, nutmeg, half the grated cheddar and Parmesan into a bowl and mix well. Add the mushrooms and stir in check the seasoning..
4. Place half the passata into the bottom of your dish with a sprinkling of dried oregano & season it well
5. Place a layer of lasagna sheets on top.
6. Layer a third of the spinach/mushroom mix and continue layering up to about 4 depths of lasagna adding the rest of the passata & a little oregano to the third layer.
7.Pour the white sauce over, sprinkle with the remaining  grated cheddar & Parmesan and bake at 190c/375f/gas 5 for around 35/40 minutes.

Serve with a tomato and green salad. We had a hunk of garlic bread with ours which was total perfection.




 

Wagon Wheel Pudding courtesy of Gary Rhodes

lovely afternoon tea treat

or dressed up as a dessert , serve with fresh raspberries  

GARY RHODES' WAGON WHEEL PUDDING
Although best known as the laddish TV chef, Gary Rhodes is an immensely influential and skilful cook (having won Michelin stars at two different establishments). This creation was inspired by memories of the school tuckshop.
Serves 6
raspberry or strawberry jam, for spreading
For the marshmallow:
225g/8oz icing sugar
85ml/3fl oz water
25g/1oz liquid glucose
6 leaves gelatine soaked in water or 1.5x11.7g sachets powdered gelatine, dissolved in 4 tablespoons of water and gently heated until clear
1 egg white
cornflour for dusting
For the biscuits (makes 12-15):
225g/8oz butter
75g/21/2oz caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon maple or golden syrup
250g/9oz plain flour
For the chocolate topping:
100g/4oz good-quality plain or milk chocolate
150ml/5fl oz double cream
50g/2oz butter
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
First make the marshmallow. Mix the icing sugar, water and glucose together and bring to the boil. Simmer for two to three minutes. Add gelatine and as soon as it has dissolved pour on to the egg white in a mixing bowl. Whisk immediately (preferably with an electric mixer) to a thick, creamy consistency.
Dust a large shallow baking tray or dish - it must be at least 1cm (1/2in) deep and big enough to allow you to cut six 8cm (31/2in) discs - with the cornflour. Pour in the marshmallow mix. Refrig-erate and leave to set for one to one and a half hours. Once set, cut out six 8cm (31/2in) discs with a plain biscuit cutter.
Next, make the biscuits. Cream together the butter and sugar and then add the egg yolk and syrup. Fold in the flour and mix to a smooth dough. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
Roll out to 2 to 3mm (1/8in) thick. Cut out 12 8cm (31/2in) discs, allowing two per portion, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.
To make the chocolate topping, melt chocolate with the cream in a bowl over simmering water. Once melted, add the butter and stir in. Remove from the heat to prevent the butter from becoming too liquid. The butter should have melted and emulsified into the chocolate mixture. If the mixture is a little too thin, leave to cool to thicken slightly.
Spread some of the jam fairly generously on to six biscuits. Sit a marshmallow disc on each and then spread some more jam on top. Finish with another biscuit on top to create a "sandwich".
For a perfect chocolate finish, spoon the chocolate mixture on in stages. First, sit the biscuits on a wire rack and set over a baking tray or plate and spoon some of the chocolate topping over to cover completely. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes until set. Remove and turn the biscuits upside-down on the rack. Spoon more of the chocolate over the biscuits to cover. Refrigerate until set. Remove and spoon over any remaining chocolate (you might need to reuse some of the topping from the tray) for a smoother, thicker finish. Refrigerate and leave to set. For an even more luscious ending, serve with a trickle of pouring cream.
Note: This pudding can be made fruity by placing fresh raspberries or strawberries on top of the marshmallow and finishing as above.

City Rhodes, 1 New Street Square, London EC4 (0171 583 131)

Banana, Coconut and Chocolate Tea Loaf

Banana, Coconut & Chocolate Tea loaf



Here's another great way to use up your over ripe bananas. Coconut, chocolate & bananas are such a great combination a bit like a really moist Bounty bar in cake form. You'll need to store this cake in the fridge as it's really moist. It also freezes very successfully. I tend to make two at a time placing one in the freezer for a later date.


You'll need to grease and line a 2lb loaf tin before you start and turn the oven on to 160c /325f/gas 3

If you prefer to measure rather than weigh your ingredients here's an Easy Conversion Chart

Ingredients,

7oz / 200g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
a little grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
5oz/150g soft margarine or soft butter
4 oz/100g caster sugar
2 over ripe bananas or approx 8oz/227g mashed
2 oz /50g dessicated coconut
6 oz/175 g milk chocolate bar, you could also use chocolate drops but I didn't have any in.
2 large eggs

Chop 4 oz/ 100g of the chocolate into chunks reserve the rest for melting to drizzle over the cake

Place the margarine/butter, sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and eggs into a mixing bowl and stir until all incorporated.

Stir in the coconut and the mashed bananas and chunks of chocolate. Do not overwork the batter.

Place into the prepared tin and bake for around 1hour 15 minutes but check after 1 hour of baking.
The cake should be coming away from the sides slightly, nicely browned and springy to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes then turn out and remove the lining when cold.

Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the top.

Don't worry if the chocolate in the cake sinks to the bottom, mine always does but it doesn't detract from the actual flavour .

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Apricot & Almond Marshmallows

Apricot and Almond Marshmallows

 

 

 

 

I quite often turn on the TV while I'm cooking in the kitchen. It's mainly just a background noise and usually tuned in to anything to do with cooking. Travels with Lynda Bellingham came on and I was intrigued by a woman who kept chickens and held clandestine dinner parties. She made some wonderful looking marshmallows with apricots & almonds. Of course I was only half watching thinking that I could look the recipe up on the Internet later. Of course I scoured everywhere looking for it and couldn't find it anywhere.

Not giving up I decided to use a basic Marshmallow recipe and do my own thing regarding the apricot & almonds. I had to wait overnight for them to set before I could turn them. Of course I was half expecting a complete disaster but no, they are just about the best marshmallows I've ever had. Unbelievably yummy and so grown up in flavour.

 

I've now got the marshmallow bug and I can't wait to try different flavours, vanilla & strawberry, pecan and maple syrup, rum & raisin, pistachio, rosewater the list could be endless.   

 

Here's how I made them, be prepared for quite a bit of washing up but it's so well worth the mess you're going to make.

 

Ingredients

 

16 Pre-soaked dried Apricots soaked in 3tbsps of Amaretto failing this orange juice will do

Blitz the apricots in a food processor and set aside

3oz  flaked almonds toasted

 

½ cup icing (confectioner's sugar)

½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)

sift these two items together into a bowl and set aside

 

butter a 13 x 9" oven tray really well

Sprinkle over a good coating of the icing sugar/cornflour mixture reserving the rest for later. 

 

2 separate ½cups of water

2 cups of granulated sugar

2 packets of gelatin (¼oz packets)

1 tsp almond extract

 

the whites of 3 large eggs

a pinch of salt

an eighth of a tsp of cream of tartar

 

Method

 

1. Place the first half cup of water into the bowl of your mixer and sprinkle over the gelatin. Leave to stand for a few minutes Once the gelatin has dissolved whisk until it becomes really thick and fluffy (around 8 to 10 minutes) Add the almond extract. 

 

2. Place the second half cup of water into a saucepan and add the granulated sugar, stir to dissolve and turn on the heat to a medium setting. Continue heating & check with a sugar thermometer until it reaches  175c /240f (soft ball stage) and remove from the heat.

 

3. With an electric hand mixer beat the egg whites until frothy, add the salt and cream of tartar and beat until stiff.

 

4. Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture while the mixer is beating on a medium/high speed until well mixed and thick. Fold in the apricot mixture and very gently fold in the beaten egg whites until it's all incorporated.

 

5 Pour into the prepared tin, sprinkle over the almonds and leave to set in a cool place (not the fridge). Once mine had set on top I lightly covered it with parchment paper so that the air could still get at it.

 

6. I made mine in the late afternoon and didn't turn it out until the next morning but it will need around 12 hours to ensure that it's thoroughly set.

 

7. Place a large sheet of parchment paper on your work surface and liberally cover it with your icing sugar/ cornflour mix. Gently ease around the edges of your tin with a pallet knife slightly lifting underneath as you do and then turn the tin over onto the parchment paper, hopefully it should all plop out. If not just try again but be gentle with it.

 

8. With a really sharp unstated knife cut into whatever size you like . Do not use a sawing motion as you'll get rough edges just press firmly down. You could also use cutters to make different shapes.

 

9.Toss all the pieces liberally with the icing and cornflour. Store in a parchment lined, airtight container.

 

 

I really hope you enjoy these, we never got around to storing ours, they were scoffed in minutes

 

                  

 

Spiced Lamb and Chickpea Casserole

This is a delightfully warming casserole, perfect for Autumn with the night's drawing in.
Chunks of tender lamb and gentle aromatic spices with onions, garlic, chickpeas and a few carrots  make this a memorable supper for any table. Let me talk you through the recipe.

To serve 4 large portions you will need

1½lbs of lean lamb cubed, I used leg steaks but shoulder will do nicely
2 onions finely diced
4 cloves of garlic crushed
3 or 4 medium carrots chopped
1 regular sized can of chickpeas or you could use butter beans
1 "              "       " chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
Lamb or chicken stock, I rinsed out the tomato tin with the stock and added this amount to the pot
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps ground coriander
1 heaped tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1½ tsp sea salt
few grinds of fresh black pepper
2 tbsp flour
olive oil for frying
a few chopped dried dates and apricots  I used them but this is optional

okey dokey

Place the spices, seasoning & flour in a bowl , mix together
Coat the diced meat with the seasoned flour
Heat a couple of tbsp olive oil in a frying pan until hot
Fry the meat in small batches browning on each side.
Place in a casserole dish (mine is cast iron but an earthenware one will do nicely)
When you've finished browning deglaze the pan with a little stock scraping up all the brown bits
Add to the casserole
Gently sautee the onions in a little more oil in the frying pan until beginning to soften, add the garlic and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Add to the casserole

Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, rest of the stock, the carrots and the dried fruit if using.
Bring to the boil then simmer gently for around an one & a half hours stirring occasionally unyil the meat is tender if not cook on until it is.
Alternatively cook in the oven on a moderate setting 175C for the same length of time
Add the chick peas & return to the heat until hot.
Check the seasoning.

I served this with lemon, minted cous cous but it is just wonderful with mashed potatoes and green beans