Spicy Halloumi with Tomato & Coriander Salad

This is a delicious quick and slightly different salad. Literally takes 15minutes to make...

Ingredients:

For the spicy halloumi: 

375g halloumi, cut into 4mm slices

2 Tblsp olive oil

2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp chilli powder

Squeeze of lemon juice

For the tomato and coriander salad:

350g cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped or sliced

2 Tblsp olive oil

1 Tblsp lemon juice

Handful coriander leaves, chopped

To serve (optional):

4 Tblsp natural yogurt or cucumber raita or tzaziki

Mini naan bread

Method:

1. Put the halloumi in a bowl. Mix together the olive oil, garam masala, chili powder and lemon juice. Pour the mix over the halloumi and turn the cheese so it is coated. If you have the time, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or longer.

2. Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes, onion, olive oil, lemon juice and coriander together and lightly season.

3. To cook the halloumi, heat a large frying pan or griddle over a medium-high heat. Add the halloumi and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until golden. This may have to be done in batches.

4. Put the halloumi on top of the salad and serve with yogurt/raita/tzaziki and naan bread, if you like.

Thai Pork and Peanut Curry

This a delicious, quick dinner from The Good Food magazine (my favourite).

Serves 4

(Prep time: 10min, cooking time: 30min)

Ingredients:

1 Tblsp vegetable/olive oil

A bunch of spring onions, sliced

Small bunch coriander, leaves and stalks separated

400g pork tenderloin, chopped into chunks

4 Tblsp Thai red curry paste

4 Tblsp peanut butter

1 Tblsp soft brown sugar

1 Tblsp soya sauce

400ml can coconut milk

175g pack baby corn

Juice of 1 lime

Jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the spring onion and cut the coriander stalks into the oil with scissors. Cook for 1 minute. Add the chunks of pork and cook for a further 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter. Then add the sugar, soya sauce and coconut milk as well as 1/2 can of water. Stir and leave to simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on, mix occasionally. Cook your rice at this time.

3. After 15 minutes, add baby corn and cook for a further 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning. (You can freeze it at this stage.) Serve with scattered coriander leaves and rice.

Raspberry and chocolate tart

This is absolutely delicious! The raspberry and chocolate combination is totally amazing... This is originally an Eric Lanard recipe.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

50g cocoa powder

50g icing sugar

225g unsalted butter

3 egg yolks

3 tsp vanilla essence

500g raspberries

200g chocolate

200ml single cream

Method:

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and icing sugar. Add 150g butter and rub in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and mix, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla essence and combine to form a smooth dough. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 190oC. Grease a tart tin. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and line the tin. Prick a few holes in the pastry, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and bean sand return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

3. For the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiled water. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a saucepan till hot but not boiling. When the chocolate is melted, pour in the cream and stir continuously. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence, then the butter and mix together.

4. To assemble the tart, pack the pastry case with the raspberries. Pour over the chocolate ganache to fill the pastry. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

The BEST EVA carrot cake

This cake is to die for!!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

350g light soft brown sugar

3 large eggs

350ml sunflower oil

350g plain flour

7.5ml/2tsp baking powder

5ml/1tsp bicarbonate of soda

10ml/2tsp ground cinnamon

5ml/1tsp ground ginger

350g carrots, grated

75g chopped walnuts

For the icing:

350g icing sugar

50g soft butter

5ml/1tsp vanilla essence

150g cold cream cheese

walnut halves and a little ground cinnamon to dust

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170oC. Grease 3 x 20cm/8inch sandwich tins.

2. Place the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl and beat together until the mixture is smooth and thickened.

3. Sift over the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger then fold in until well mixed.

4. Fold in the carrots and walnuts. Divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins. 

5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35minutes or until the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a large bowl, add the soft butter and vanilla essence. Use an electric beater on low, to beat this until it is well mixed. 7. Add the cream cheese and briefly beat together again until just combined. Don’t over beat or it will become runny.

8. Divide the icing between the three cakes, spreading it evenly over the top of each. Stack the cakes one on top of the other. Top with the walnut halves and cinnamon. Store in a cool place.

Nutella filo cigars with vanilla cream dip

These are great with coffee after a dinner party and sooooo easy!

Makes 12

Ingredients:

For the cigars:

1/2 pack of filo pastry

A jar of Nutella (you may not use the whole jar)

25g butter

For the vanilla cream dip:

100ml double cream

1 Tblsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Icing sugar, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 200oC. Line a baking tray with with baking paper.

2. Melt the butter. Take the filo pastry and cut it in half - into 2 rectangles about 16 x 19cm.

3. Take 1 rectangle and brush it lightly with melted butter. Spoon a tablespoon of Nutella along the short side of the pastry. Fold in the sides and roll up the pastry, to make a cigar and place on the lined baking tray. Continue to do this with as much of the pastry as cigars you want.

4. Brush the rolls with a little more butter and bake for 10minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour. Leave to cool. (These can be stored in an airtight container lined with kitchen roll for up to 2 days.)

5. To make the vanilla cream dip, whip the cream lightly with the sugar and vanilla. 

6. Arrange the cigars on a serving dish and sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve the vanilla cream dip in a side dish.

Pesto chicken stew with cheesy dumplings

I am not a great fan of pesto usually but this is divine! You can also make it without the dumplings if you are in a rush...

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 Tblsp olive oil

12 - 15 chicken thighs, skin removed and bone in

200g smoked bacon lardons or chopped bacon

1 large onion, chopped

4 celery sticks, chopped

3 leeks, chopped

4 Tblsp plain flour

200ml white wine

1 litre chicken stock

2 bay leaves

200g frozen peas

140g fresh pesto

Small bunch basil, chopped

For the dumplings:

140g butter

250g self-raising flour

100g Parmesan, grated

50g pine nuts

Method:

1.  Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the chicken until its golden all over. Do this in batches and set the chicken aside. (While you wait for it to brown, chop the onion, celery and leeks.)

2. Add the lardons to the pan and fry for a few minutes. Add the onion, celery and leeks and sauté over a medium heat for 8-10minutes until the vegetables have softened. Stir regularly. Stir in the flour, season and cook for a few couple of minutes.

3. Gradually stir in the wine and then the stock. Return the chicken to the pan with the bay leaves and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1.5hours or until the chicken is tender.

4. Heat the oven to 200oC. Add the peas, pesto and basil to the stew. 

5. To make the dumplings, rub the butter and flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the grated cheese and add 150ml water (slowly) and mix together to form a light and sticky dough. Break off into walnut-sized lumps and shape into small balls. Roll the tops of the dumplings in the pine nuts so a few stick to the outside, then place the dumplings on top of the stew and scatter the stew with the remaining pine nuts.

6. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 25minutes until the dumplings are golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with mashed potato and some other vegetables on the side.

Coffee and walnut cake

This is one of Nigella's recipes and is so delicious! The is a favourite amongst the guys...

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

50 g walnut pieces

225 g caster sugar

225 g soft butter (preferably unsalted)

200 g plain flour

4 tsp instant coffee granules (dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water)

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

4 large eggs

1 - 2 Tblsp milk

For the icing:

350 g icing sugar

175 g soft unsalted butter

2 ½ tsp instant coffee (dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water)

approx. 10 walnut halves (to decorate)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 20cm cake tins.

2. Put the walnut pieces and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder.

3. Add the butter, flour, coffee, baking powder, bicarb and eggs to the sugar mix and process to a smooth batter.

4. Add the milk and continue beating to loosen the cake mixture.

5. Divide the mixture between the 2 cake tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. To make the icing, mix the butter and icing sugar. Add the coffee and continue mixing until the icing is smooth.

7. Once the cake is cool, place 1 sponge layer on a serving plate and spread with half the icing. Place the second sponge on top and cover the top with the remaining icing. Gently press the walnut halves onto the top of the cake.