Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (Paté Sucree)

This is the recipe I love to use when making sweet tarts.. here I've flavoured it with a little lemon zest you could substitute this for a tsp of vanilla extract if you prefer.


If you prefer to measure your ingredients here's a handy conversion chart  Conversion Chart

SWEET PASTRY CASE (paté sucree)  for a   9"/23cm flan tin

1 heaped tsp finely grated lemon zest
7oz/225gms plain (all purpose) flour
5oz/150gms butter at room temperature
2½oz/75gms caster (superfine) sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

Method:-

to make the pastry case

Sift the flour into a large bowl
Rub in the butter until the fine 'breadcrumbs' stage
mix in the sugar and lemon zest ...make a well in the centre of the bowl
beat the whole egg and the yolk together
Add this to the centre of the bowl
Lightly mix into the other ingredients to form a ball.
Flatten out slightly and cover with cling film
refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

when chilled roll out as thinly as you can on a floured surface to fit the size of the flan tin with a little overlap.
be careful not too break the pastry or the custard filling could seep out

refrigerate again for around 15 mins and turn on the oven to 180c/350f gas 4

line the pastry case with a piece of crumpled baking parchment and fill with baking beans


place in the centre of the oven and bake for around 10-15mins 
remove the paper & beans
check to make sure that no cracks or holes have appeared.  If they have carefully patch up with any left over pastry trimmings 
Neatly trim the overhang of the pastry case and pop back in the oven for just a few minutes until the base is cooked through.
Leave in the flan/quiche tin
It's now ready to be filled.

Baked Spicy Butternut Squash Balls with Avocado, Pineapple, Cucumber & Chilli Salsa

I really thought that clean-eating would be too much faff for me. But, it's a complete doddle..just a case of the right choice of ingredients and basically cutting out all the dross we consume each day mainly with the inclusion processed foods.  

I'm majorly guilty of loving the wrong things... I don't have a particularly sweet tooth but I always crave something savoury to nibble at... crisps are a fatal attraction so I've been trying to devise some good nibbles to scoff when I'm entertaining or even TV watching ... raw carrot sticks, celery and cucumber don't hack it but something like these Butternut Squash Balls make snacking a complete delight. These would also make a delicious light starter or light lunch dish.

I've used coconut flour in them as it keeps the dish  gluten-free & Paleo friendly..you could always substitute this for bog standard plain flour though if you like the look of them but are not bothered with any health issues.

OK here we go, 

you will need a vegetable steamer and an oven tray oiled & lined with baking parchment and a small non-stick frying pan
The oven needs to be set high 220c/425F/gas 7

Ingredients:- 

for the Butternut Squash Balls

1 medium sized Butternut Squash seeded & peeled and cut into 1½" dice
1 medium onion chopped finely
2 large cloves of garlic squeezed through a press 
1 dsp either olive & rapeseed oil to saute the onions & garlic
3 tbsp Coconut Flour...can be substituted with rice flour, gram flour or even plain all purpose flour
1 large egg beaten
1 tsp  ground coriander
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp turmeric
1tsp sea salt
a few good grinds of the black pepper mill

For the Salsa.

A ripe Avocado 
The freshly squeezed juice of 1 large lime
Pineapple around a quarter of a small one
Cucumber  "                   "              "       "
1 red chilli seeds removes and sliced
a few chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves (optional) you could sub with parsley
Spring onions (scallions)...one or two chopped
Optional ...2 tsps fish sauce (substitute for soy sauce if not available or leave out altogether)
2 tsps runny honey
1 tsp sesame oil


Method

Steam the Butternut squash over boiling water for around 10 minutes or until soft.  Please don't be tempted to boil the squash in water as it won't work ...it'll be far too wet.

Saute the onion in the oil until starting to soften, add the garlic and saute on until all is cooked  and softened ... cool slightly

Mash the squash until there's no lumps at all

Add the coconut flour, spices, seasoning, onion & garlic and the egg

Mix well together until everything is combined.

The mixture should be soft & pliable ... add a little more flour if too wet or a drop of milk if too dry.

at this stage I like to test the seasoning by frying a tiny piece in a little oil and then tasting it...adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Roll into golf ball sized bites and place them on the parchment lined oven tray.

Bake in the hot oven for around 15 minutes until they are cooked through and slightly browned.

While these are baking make the salsa

Halve the avocado and remove the stone, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and dice into small pieces
immediately spritz with a little lime juice to stop it from discolouring.
Chop the pineapple into small dice too
the same with the cucumber
in a bowl mix all the above with the spring onions, coriander leaves, chilli, fish sauce (if using)
honey, the rest of the lime juice and the sesame oil... adjust to seasoning to taste.

Arrange the balls on a plate while still warm and place the Salsa in a dish to accompany them ... (best served warm rather than hot)

These can be made in advance and reheated in a hot oven for a few minutes or place in the microwave on full heat for no more than 1 minute.


DELICIOUS !

Summery Chicken Pot Roast

Don't you just love a dish that you can prepare well in advance and just leave to tick over for a few hours knowing you'll have something splendid to serve when you're ready. Well here's just the thing. Pot roast Chicken. Get all your veg ready, place in the bottom of the pot, place the chicken on top and slowly roast until you're ready.... Here's what I used but you can use whatever vegetables you have t hand that would go well with chicken.

Ingredients to serve 6

a 3 to 4lb prepared chicken

2 celery hearts cut into quarters lengthwise

2 large onions sliced thinly &

sauteed until tender but not brown.

6 medium carrots cut across into large chunks

1 whole garlic bulb....top cut across but kept in one piece

24 or so small new potatoes

18 or so small tomatoes added towards the end of cooking 

1 pt of well seasoned chicken stock  preferably homemade

4oz pancetta or chopped smoked bacon.....optional

Parsley stems chopped...4 or 5

Lots of fresh Thyme ....stems removed

2/3 Bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper & sea salt to taste.  

Parsley & fresh Thyme to decorate

Method.

Add a little olive oil to a pan and brown the chicken, turning a bit at a time.

Meanwhile, gather together all the veg & herbs and place at the base of a large ovenproof dish or cast iron dish as I did  

Mix around and pour over the stock

Place the chicken on top.

Cover and cook at 200c for around 30 mins........turn down to 150c

Sprinkle the pancetta on top, add the tomatoes, replace the lid and continue cooking for at least an hour and a half .  Just turn it down lower if you're not ready to serve but baste well in between

Remove the chicken.... cover with foil and let it rest before carving for 10 mins or so

Squeeze out the flesh from the garlic into the remaining juices

Make sure the veg is tender.....if necessary thicken the sauce with a little slaked cornflour

Carve the chicken....place the veg onto the warmed plates and spoon over the sauce