Osso Bucco - Masterchef Australia Recipe

Veal Osso Bucco with Cannellini Beans

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1.5kg bobby veal shin, cut 2.5cm thick (about 12 pieces)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 100ml olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• ¼ bunch parsley stalks, leaves picked and roughly chopped, stalks reserved
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 250ml white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1bay leaf
• 6 sprigs thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 400g tin crushed tomato
• 2 cups veal stock
• 100g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (You can use canned beans and add towards the end when you have 45mins left.

To finish

• Freshly cracked white pepper and sea salt
• ½ bunch parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 loaf crusty bread, thickly sliced

You can also serve osso bucco with soft polenta or creamy mashed potatoes.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C / 160oC Fan.


2. Season meat with salt and white pepper and toss in flout to coat, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a frying pan, add meat and panfry until caramelized. Add celery, onion, carrot, reserved parsley stalks, garlic and cook10 minutes.

3. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and deglaze with wine.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 ½-2 hours.

5. Remove lid, cook for 45 minutes until sauce has thickened.

6. Remove from oven, sprinkle with cracked pepper, sea salt, chopped parsley and lemon zest.

7. Serve with crusty bread or other.

Pear, Almond & Amaretto Tart

I was watching Lorraine Pascale on her new tv series for her new book, Fast, Fresh and Easy Food. I had all the ingredients in my store cupboard, so I just had to try it.

Here is her fabulous recipe: (serves 6-8)

• 500g pack of shortcrust pastry (or homemade sweet shortcrust)
• 100g butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp amaretto liqueur (Disaronno or other)
• 410g tinned pears or 4 ripe soft pears
• 250g mascarpone
• 1 stem ginger ball in syrup (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50g icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180C (fan 160C)
2. Roll out pastry into a rectangle so it fits a 10 x 34cm fluted loose-bottomed flan tin
3. Use a wooden spoon handle to get pastry into the fluted edges of the tine
4. Remove excess pastry and place in fridge to harden
5. To make the almond filling mix together butter, sugar, almonds and plain flour
6. Beat in egg and amaretto liquer until it is well combined
7. Remove pastry from fridge and spoon in almond filling spreading it out smoothly
8. Make sure your pears are well drained before placing them on the almond filling
9. Lorraine suggests that you lay the pears in an alternating pattern so that they fit perfectly
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is puffed up and golden

For the stem ginger mascarpone…

1. Mix together mascarpone, ginger, vanilla and icing sugar until well blended
2. Once the tart is cooked remove from the oven and leave in tin to cool
3. Remove from the tin and serve warm with cream and dust with icing sugar

Lorraine also says that this is “really good served cold!”

Best Marinated Lamb Kebabs

Lamb kebabs

Makes 6–8 kebabs

• 500g/1lb 2oz lamb, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes
• 6–8 skewers or sticks of fresh rosemary, lower leaves removed, tips kept on
• 2 red onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into 2.5cm/1 inch pieces

for the marinade
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 cloves
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil

First bash up all the spices in a pestle and mortar until fine, then mix with the oil to make a thick marinade paste. Put the lamb pieces into a bowl and cover with the marinade. Let them sit there for half an hour to an hour. Then, using the rosemary sticks or skewers, spike each piece of meat alternately with red onion and peppers. Grill for around 5 minutes, turning regularly, to give you nicely charred meat on the outside with juicy pink on the inside. Allow to rest for a few minutes – that is, if you can stop yourself eating them straight away!

Sauteed Kale - Iron Chef Style

I usually go into the Organic Farm Shop in Wicklow, this visit I got some lovely Fennel, some Italian Garlic and some lovely Kale. I would normally blitz the kale in a food processor, sir fry then add to some creamy mashed potato with some spring onions as an accompanyment. So I wanted something different.

I found this recipe online by Chef Bobby Flay. The recipe is cooked in 15 minutes, it fresh, crunchy and full of flavour. Will be cooking Kale this way from now on.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds or 680g young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water ( I used Knorr gel pots - veg stock)
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium to high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not coloured. raise heat to high, add the stock to kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Roast Butternut Squash with Red Onion, Orange and Rosemary

I always roast butternut squash with garlic so decided to try something different. I had seen  lovely recipe for Roast Pumkin with Shallots and Orange and decided to adapt that according to what I had in my pantry.

Serves 6

1 Butternut squash, peeled and cut into semi circles.
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
1 orange halved
4 tbslp extra virgin olive oil
2 large sprigs of Rosemary
salt & freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves whole (if like me you love garlic you can add more)

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC
2. Put the squash and onions in a roasting dish. Squeeze orange juice over and put orange halves into the roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil and put rosemary sprigs ontop. Add salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and add the garlic. Shake the pan to prevent the vegetables from stiking. Return to the oven or 15 mintues until the vegetables are tendr and slightly caramelised.

Garlic & Sage Roast Potatoes

This is a great accompanyment toany meal. The potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the crispy roast sage and garlic add a lovely flavour to the potatoes. Will definately be making these again. I got this recipe from Catherine Fulvio's - Catherines Italian Kitchen. As they say in Italy Bon Appetito...

Serves 4

Chefs note: Can use sweet potatoes, which is lovely and cooks even faster.

6 -8 large floury potatoes, peeled and cut in half
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
5 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
12 sage leaves
7 - 8 garlic cloves

1. Preheat the oven to 220oC.
2. Parbol the potatoes for 12 minutes, then drain and sprinkle with salt.
3. Heat olive oil in a roasting tin. Toss the potatoes, sage leaves, garlic and pepper into the pan and roast for 30 - 35 moinutes., Turn the potates after 15 minutes to ensure they are crispy all over.

*Try rosemary instead of the sage and try this dish with goosefat instead of olive oil.

New Recipes coming soon

I am planning on trying out a few new recipes

Rum & Raisin Cake
Vegimite & Chocolate Cheesecake
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Squares

If you fancy any other recipes just let me know...

Thai Red Curry with an Irish twist

This is the recipe that first got me started on my Thai cooking journey. After finding the Avoca green curry recipe I decided to attempt to maximise the flavour of this Red Curry. The recipe is fab, so I added

Sunflower oil
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Celery Stalk chopped and
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 talespoon on minced ginger

Sautee the onion in the sunflower oil till soft approx 6 - 8 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and ginger and cook until the garlic is cooked but not brown. Then follow the recipe below adding the curry paste.

RECIPE: Thai Red Curry
(from Catherine Fulvio's Book -‘Catherine’s Family Kitchen')

Chef's Note: Here’s a very non-Thai idea – a guest at our cookery school told me that a good splash of sherry in a curry just before serving gives a wonderful rounded taste. And you know what?
It works!


Serves 4

• Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 275ml coconut milk
• 100ml chicken stock
• 200g butternut squash peeled and cubed, (about 1⁄2 medium squash)
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 3 chicken breasts cubed, ( I used chickcen thigh fillets and I browned them before adding them to the curry)
• 75g green beans quartered
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 6 mushrooms halved
• Thai fish sauce (nam pla), to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
• Jasmine rice, to serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the curry paste for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock and stir well. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash and potato, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the chicken with a little extra stock, if needed, and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, until they are cooked through. Season with fish sauce to taste.
4. Sprinkle the coriander over and serve with steamed jasmine rice

Beef Stroganoff

I normally make a Pork Stroganoff and was looking through my cook books and decided to try a new recipe. Most of the recipes I have made would require you to stir fry beef, onions and garlic with paprika and then add cream. This I have to say is the BEST Beef Stroganoff recipe I have tried so far.. It takes a little longer than my usual recipes picks so would say this is weekend recipe or you could get this done and in the oven mid week.. you decide.

It is also from A Year at Avoca - Cook Book 3

Ingredients
Serves 6 - 8

1.5kg good quality striploin beef, cut into thin strips (I picked up Sirloin in the supermarket by mistake and it worked out extremely well)
2 tblsp seasoned flour (salt and pepper added to the flour)
2 tlsp olive oil
1 large onion thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves crushed
1 dessert spoon sweet paprika powder
couple sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tblsp cognac (Hennesey)
200 - 300ml Beef stock
1 dessert spoon dijon mustard
good splash worchestershire sauce
300g mixed button and chestnut mushrooms
400g sour cream or creme fraiche
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

To Make

Lightly toss the meat in the seasoned flour, then brown meat in small batches on a medium heat in a frying pan. Set aside on a plate until you have browned all the meat. In a casserole, cook the onion in a little oil until softened, 6 - 8 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, herbs and the browned meat and juices and cook, stirring gently, 2 - 3 minutes. Next, add the cognac and carefully light it using a match, you want it to flame for 20 - 30 seconds, to cook off the brandy, giving a subtle flavour. Now, Add just enough beef stock to cover everything by 2 cm, add a splash or worchestershire sauce and the mustard and stir well. Bring the casserole to a simmer on the heat and then cover with a tight-fitiing lid and transfer to oven to cook for 30 mins. Remove from the oven, add the mushrooms and creme fraiche and return to the oven for a further 30 mins by which stage the meat should  be very tender and mushrooms are cooked through.

To Serve

Serve this with creamy champ and a lightly salad of organic baby leaves.

My daughter does not like spring onions so I served this with creamy mash potato.

Green Chicken Curry (Low Fat)

I first started using Thai Curry Paste, after attending a Thai Cookery Course at Ballyknocken Cookery School in Wicklow. At this particular class we used Red Curry Paste. After this class I purchased several different brands of curry paste and my favorite curry paste is the Mae Ploy Brand.

This is a lovely recipe which I got from A year at Avoca cook book. I've tried it several times and it definately quick, easy, tasty. You can either use a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or Chicken Thighs like I used. I find that meat cooked on the bone has much more flavor.

Ingredients
Serve 4

1 large chicken / chicken pieces
1 tblsp sunflower oil
1 large onion sliced
5cm fresh root ginger peeled and grated (You can use ginger paste, it will still taste good, but fresh will give a fresher taste)
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 green chilli de seeded and chopped.
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp green curry paste
350ml chicken stock
200g fine French Beans, cut into 2cm lengths
30g coriander chopped
100ml low fat greek yoghurt or creme fraiche (optional)

Method

Score each piece of chicken with a sharp knife, cutting through the skin - this helps the flavours to penetrate and reduces the cooking time.

Heat the sunflower oil in a large saute pan, approx 10cm deep. Add the chiccken pieces and cook for 2 - 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a warm plate.

Add the sliced onion to the pan, lower the heat and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to soften. Then add the ginger, garlic, chilli, lime leaves and curry paste and cook for a minute or two until the aromas from the spices are released.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan, cover with the stock and simmer gently, covered with a tight fitting lid, for 25 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for a further 5 minutes uncovered until the beans are tender. Finally, remove from the heat stir in the yoghurt and fresh corriander.

To Serve

Serve with steamed Thai Jasmine rice (remember to rinse thoroughly before steaming as it is super-starchy) and some Asian greens that have been stir-fried in a couple of drops of toasted sesame oil and a dessertspoon of oyster sauce. Add chutney and good naan bread.

Bon Appetite x x x

Best Ever Apple Pie

I had a load of Bramley or cooking apples and was looking in all my recipe books to find a new recipe to try. I usually make a Dutch Apple and Cinnamon Cake which is a lovely light sponge with apple ontop, really yummy. I havent make an Apple Pie or Tart in ages so decided to try this recipe.

Pre heat oven to 170oC / gas mark 5

Ingredients

8 - 10 Bramley Apples
300g Blackberries (I used blueberries)
150 - 200g Caster Sugar

For the pastry

400g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
660g Plain Flour
2 Medium Eggs

For the coeliac pastry

600g rice flour
300g butter
75g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
2 - 3 tblsp chilled water

METHOD

To make the filling
Lightly grease a pie plate or loose bottomed tart tin, 24 - 26 x 3cm deep. Start by peeling and thickly slicing the apples then place in a heavy saucepan with a couple of tablespoons on cold water and the sugar and cook gently on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes or until the apple is just starting to soften. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly while you make the pastry.

To make the pastry
Beat the butter and sugar together until very soft and pale in colour, this will take about 8 - 10 minutes depending on electric beater used. Once the mixture is softened, tip in all the flour and very carefully mix until the butter and sugar have absorbed the flour. This is quite a sticky mix, so place a little extra flour on the work surface, remove the pastry from the mixer and gently roll it in the flour to make two balls one bigger than the other, that will be your base. Cover with cling film and refridgerate for up to 1 hour, no longer or it will become difficult to roll.

To assemble
Remove the dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry into 2 discs, line the tin with the larger one pressing it down firmly in to the edges, leaving some pastry overhanging (you can trim later). Then fill with the fruit mixture adding the berries and extra sugar if needed.

Next, brush the edges of the pastry discs on top of the fruit and gently press the two pastry discs together. Trim the overhang, reserving the pastry trimmings. Crimp the edges with a fork or with your fingers. Brush the tart with some egg wash (beaten egg, some people add water to this, some just use the egg yolk for a richer colour) and sprinkle an extra table spoon on caster sugar ontop. You can decorate with some simple leaves made with the left over pastry scraps.

Bake the tart in the pre-heated oven for 45 - 55 minutes or until the pastry is golden and filling is bubbling and molten. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

To Serve

Deliscious with lightly whipped cream, vanilla ice-cream or home made custard.


*****Ideas for left over pastry***

Roll out, cut into rings and put jam/ lemon curd / passionfruit curd in the centre bake till golden brown, about 10 minutes (depends on thickness of pastry rolled.

Turkey Kofta with Korma Sauce

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. Turkey is so lean and healthy and can often be dry and tastless if not cooked properly. This recipe was so easy, it requires a little more effort but it is well worth it. The koftas are so tasty and moist. The sauce so easy to make, bursting full of flavor, kicks it up another notch. The recipe is from Catherine's Family Kitchen.

Serves 4

For the koftas
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cm fresh ginger grated
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp fresh corriander roughly chopped
600g ground (minced) turkey breast
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Korma sauce
sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/2 tsp groud cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch of garam masala
300ml chicken stock
2 tsp tomato puree
100 ml coconut milk
3 tbsp ground almonds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Skewers (soaked in water) if you are going to cook on the barbecue
*Chefs note, make 3 times the sauce and freeze can use it in the following weeks to make fish or chicken korma.. GREAT IDEA!!!

To make prepare the koftas, heat a frying pan over high heat. Add sunflower oil and the onion for 7 - 8 minutes, until softened, taking care not to let it brown. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala and tumeric and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add the chopped coriander and cook for 1 minute more. Remove rom the heat and allow to cool.

Place the minced turkey and onion mixture in a bowl with a little salt and pepper and combine. Dampen your hands slightly and shape 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a cylinder. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Heat oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and brown the koftas in batches.

To make the sauce, heat a saucepan over a high heat. Add some oil and the onion, reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, tumeric, garam masala, stock and tomato puree and simmer for 4 - 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, stir in the ground almonds and simmer for a further 6 - 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.

If you prepare all the ingredients in advance you may put the sauce and the mix for the koftas on at the same time and have them ready together.

Cola Chilli Chicken

So this is the first recipe I am trying from Billy Laws cookbook "Have You Eaten".

A quick easy tasty recipe.

500g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
5cm (2 inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into 1mm (1/16 inch) strips
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
355ml (12 fl oz) can cola drink ( I used Coke a Cola)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 spring onion (scallion) cut into 5cm (2 inch) lengths
Handful of unsalted cashew nuts, toasted

1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. Add the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce and mix well. Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok over medium - high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned all over, then add the chilli, ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Pour cola into frying pan, adding just enough to cover the chicken, the cola will fizz up. Add the dark soy sauce and the remaining light soy sauce and let it simmer for about 15 mins or so until the sauce has reduced to a syrup consistency. It should be thick an sticky.

4. Turn the heat off, add the spring onion and toasted cashews and give it a quick stir before serving. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. ( I used brown rice)

I didn't use cashews as my nephew is highly allergic to nuts and we had this for lunch at my mums.

Gratin Potato & Mushroom

This is a great recipe for using up old potatoes.

Serves 3 (Recipe Doubles well)

350g old potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
115g mushrooms sliced
150ml single cream
1 1/2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 180oC

Blanch and refresh potatoes (Pour over hot water then place potatoes in cold water).
Grease shallow dish with butter and scatter garlic on bottom on dish.
Later Potatoes, (salt pepper), Mushrooms then potatoes.(salt & pepper)
Bring cream to boil and pour over and scatter parmesan.
Bake for approx 45 mins till potatoes are cooked and top is crisp and golden brown with cream bubbling around the edges.

Yummy....

Recipe from Darina Allen's, Ballymaloe Cookery Course

Red Cabbage with Apples

450g Red Cabbage Heart removed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon wine vinegar (I used Red)
125ml (4fl oz) water
1 leverl teaspoon salt
2 heaped tablespoons sugar
450g cooking / bramley apples peeled and cut into quarters (Approx 3 depends on size)

Put wine vinegar, salt, sugar and water into cast iron pot / stainless steel saucepan. Add cabbage and bring to boil.Add apples ontop cover and reduce heat to simmer for approx 30 - 50 mins till cooked.

Serve in warm dish.

N.B Dont overcook as colour and flavor will be ruined.

Recipe from

Roast Haunch Venison

This dish needs marinating, so you may do it the morning you want to cook it or the previous night. Great for a Sunday meal or midweek treat or even a dinner party...

This meal inc gratin and red cabbage will take about 1 hour to 1 hour and half to cook. If you organised you could have the meat in the oven, all the prep done and then put the cabbage on and then the potatoes and have everything ready at the same time.

Accompanyments - Potato, Garlic and Mushroom Gratin & Red Cabbage

BON APPETITE

1 haunch venison Approx - 2.6kg
225g / 8oz Back Fat / Streaky Pork, cut into 5mm wide strips

Marinade
1 dessertspoon mixed fresh herbs (thyme, marjoram, sage)
4 tablespoons olive oil
125ml (4fl oz) dry white wine.

Gravy
1.2 Litres homemade beef / venison stock
dry white wine to taste
roux / cornflour mixed with water to form a paste

Preheat oven to 180oC/350oF/gas 4

Lard /Bard the Venison. Put into a stainless steel or cast iron dish. Sprinkle with herbs and pour olive oil and wine over the meat. Cover the dish and marinate for about 4 hours at room temperature or in a refridgerator overnight, turning the meat if you can. The marinade will be used to baste the dish as its cooking.

To cook: weigh the venison and calculate 10 mins per 450g/1lb. During the cooking time, baste often with wine marinade and turn joint over half way through. When cooked, remove to a warmed serving dish while you make the gravy.

Degrease the pan, add the stock and cornflour and a splash of wine and bring to the boil, scraping and dissolving all the crusty bits from the pan. Serve with Mushroom & Potato Gratin.

Recipe from

Easy Moist Eggless Chocolate Cake

I got this recipe from a blog online. I have tried other eggless recipes for chocolate cake using condence milk / soy milk and they have been so dry. Was pleasantly surprised  by how nice this cake was, if I hadnt said it, no one would have guessed that it is an eggless cake.
Prep time: 15 Mins

Cook time: 25 Mins

Yields: 12 Servings

Cake Ingredients:

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Cup Hot Coffee (I Mixed 1.25 Teaspoons Of Instant Coffee Powder With 1 Cup Of Hot Water)
• 1 Cup Milk (I Used Full Fat)
• 1/2 Cup Silken Tofu Pureed (I Used Clearspring Organic Brand Firm & Silken Tofu, you can get this in the health shop)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 Packet Dr Oetker’s Organic Chocolate Icing Mix
• 1/4 Cup Hot Milk/Hot Water (Heat It In The Microwave Oven For 15 Seconds)
• 1/3 Cup Butter At Room Temperature (Which Is 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• A Pinch Baking Soda

Cheat - Buy Betty Crocker Ready Made Icing

Cake Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) for 15 minutes.
2. Grease and flour (I used cocoa powder to flour the base of the pan because it’s a chocolate cake) two 9-inch cake pans.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
4. Make a well. Add the vegetable oil. Then the hot coffee.
5. Add milk.
6. Add the pureed tofu. (Remove the silken tofu from the packet using a spoon add it to the blender and puree it to a creamy mixture)
7. And a couple of drops of vanilla essence.
8. With an electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
9. Pour the batter evenly into both 9-inch cake pans. (or fill the 6 muffin cups halfway with batter and divide the remaining batter between both 8-inch pans).
10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (Check the cupcakes after 15 minutes).
11. Let the cakes cool completely before removing them from the pans.
12. The cake should cool completely on the wire rack before frosting.

Frosting Procedure:

1. Sift the mix.
2. Add the butter, hot milk, vanilla and baking soda. (I read in the same book that adding a pinch of baking soda to icings prevents hardening and cracking so icing stays moist)
3. Beat the mix using a hand mixer at medium-high speed. Add few drops of water/milk if required.

Frosting the cake:

1. First I placed the bottom layer upside down, so the rounded side (top of the cake will be on the serving plate). If you have dome top on the cake, even it out by slicing it with a serrated knife and then place it upside-down.
2. Spread about 1/2 of frosting on top of the bottom layer. Don’t use hard strokes, but spread it gently using an offset metal spatula or plastic spatula.
3. Now place the second layer on the first, cut or domed side up.
4. Frost the sides of the cake first with another 1/2 cup of frosting.
5. Finally frost the top of the second layer.

Was surprised at how moist this cake was considering there were no eggs in it. The coffee really enhanced the chocolate flavor.

Have You Eaten

I have just received a cookbook from Billy Law - Have You Eaten. I loved watching Billy on Masterchef Australia 2011. I was fortunate enough to be picked as a recipe tester for his new cook book. I thoroughly enjoyed testing his innovative recipes.

I was delighted to receive the book this morning and cant wait to try out all the exciting and delicious recipes..

Thank you Billy and Congratulations on your fabulous book x x x

What a lovely touch, signing the book and acknowledging everyone who tested the recipes...

Garlic Potatoes

Tasty accompanyment to any meal...

Serves 4 - 6 people

3 1/2 to 4 pounds baking potatoes (500 - 800g) peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for the casserole dish
3 - 5 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy/double cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish (top) optional


Preheat oven to 190oC / 170oC Fan / 375oF/ Gas Mark 5.

Please the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to cover. Leave for at least 30 minutes. Remove from cloudy water and dry with a clean tea towel. If you dont have time just rinse the potatoes in cold water and dry.

Butter the bottom and sides of the casserole dish. Sprinkle half the garlic along the sides of the buttered dish. Make a layer of potatoes, dot with butter pieces, spinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with a few spoons of cream, scatter garlic and then repeat again, potatoes, butter, salt and pepper and cream.

Bake for an hour or until the potatoes are tender and have absorbed all the cream, the top of the potatoes should be golden brown and darker brown splotches here and there. Sprinkle with chopped herbs (parsley./chives) and serve.

There are many variations that can be made with this recipe you can add cheese / soft sauteed (Slow cooked) onions and anchovies...

Bon Appetite x x x

Tiramisu (Pick me up)

I had a few friends over the weekend and wa strying to figure out what to make for dessert. I had a tub of marscapone in the fridge and was making pizza for lunch Tiramisu seemed to be the perfect dessert to make.

Serves 8

250ml (9fl oz) strong espresso coffee
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons Jamaica rum
75g (3oz) good quality dark chocolate
3 free range eggs, seperated
250g marscapone cheese
4 tablespoons caster sugar
38 - 40 Saviordi biscuits / lady fingers
cocoa powder to dredge
20 x 10cm / (8in x 4 in) tin / serving dish

Mix the coffee with the brandy and rum. Roughly grate the chocolate / process in food processor by pulsing. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar till light and fluffy (ribbon stage), then fold the marscapone in a tablespoon at a time.

Whisk the egg whites stiffly and fold into the cheese mixture. Assemble the tiramisu by dipping each biscuit, one at a time into the coffee mixture and arrange them side by side at the bottom of your tin or glass dish. Spread half the marscapone mixture ontop of the biscuits then srpinkle half the grated chocolate over the top. Then repeat dipped biscuits and marscapone. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge.

Before serving scatter rest of the grated chocolate and some cocoa.

Enjoy

Recipe from