Lamb Tagine

Adapted from: Here

25g Waitrose Sun Dried Turkish Whole Apricots, diced
3tbsp olive oil
500g diced lamb

1 large onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
1tsp ground cinnamon
400g can Chopped Tomatoes
300ml Chicken Stock (oxo)
Pinch saffron threads
Salt to taste
3tbsp Waitrose Ground Almonds
1 butternut squash, weighing approximately 500g, peeled and diced
2tsp Bart Spices Harissa

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Heat 2tbsp of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the lamb in batches then set aside. Add the remaining oil and the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and spices and cook for a further 2 minutes then return the lamb to the casserole.
2. Add the apricots and their soaking liquid, the canned tomatoes and stock. Stir in the saffron, salt and ground almonds. Heat to simmering point, cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
3. Add the squash and harissa with a little extra water if necessary and cook in the oven for a further 45 minutes.
4. Season to taste adding extra harissa if desired and serve with couscous.

Simple Couscous:

Make up couscous according to pack instructions using chicken stock + 1-2tsp harissa paste, lemon juice. Leave covered for 5 mins. Stir in flaked almonds, ground almonds and olive oil to taste.

Comment: Very tender and rich! Very good as leftovers!

Chocolate Cloud Cake

From Nigella.com

Ingredients

• 250g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 6 eggs: 2 whole, 4 separated
• 175g caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau (optional)
• Grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
• 23cm springform cake tin

FOR THE CREAM TOPPING:

• 500ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Cointreau (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling

METHOD

Serves: 8-12.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. Line the bottom of the cake tin with baking parchment.
3. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.
4. Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75g of the caster sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the Cointreau and orange zest.
5. In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape but not too stiff.
6. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.
7. When you are ready to eat, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges: it's the crater look we're going for here. Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and Cointreau and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff.
8. Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.

Comment: I don't put the cream on top unless I know it's all going to be eaten on the day it's served as otherwise it won't keep. I recently met a friend of a friend who had been at a dinner party where I cooked this... she couldn't remember my name, but she could remember the name of the cake.... As with all the richest recipes - Gluten Free.

Proper Chocolate Mousse

From this article testing various recipes

Makes 2

2 medium eggs
60g chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)
2 tsp sugar (or to taste)

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and put in a bowl over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water. When the chocolate begins to melt, turn the heat off. Separate the eggs.

2. Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks, add the sugar, and whisk briefly.

3. Mix the egg yolks quickly into the melted chocolate and then whisk in a third of the egg white. Fold the rest very gently into the mixture until just combined (be careful not to overmix), and then put into bowls and refrigerate for at least four hours until set.

Comment:

Good, just actually do what it says.

Buttermilk Scones

From Delia.com

Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing
8 oz (225 g) self-raising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
pinch of salt
3 oz (75 g) butter, at room temperature
1½ oz (40 g) golden caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten

Method

Rub together the butter and flour and salt until the mix resembles breadcrumbs - be careful not to overwork the dough.

In a jug, beat the egg and 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk together and start to add this to the rest, mixing the dough with a palette knife. When it begins to come together, finish off with your hands – it should be soft but not sticky (if the dough seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk, a teaspoon at a time).

When you have formed the dough into a ball, tip it on to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick – be very careful not to roll it any thinner; the secret of well-risen scones is to start off with a thickness of no less than an inch.

Cut out the scones by placing the cutter on the dough and giving it a sharp tap – don't twist it, just lift it up and push the dough out. Carry on until you are left with the trimmings, then bring these back together to roll out again until you can cut out the last scone. Place the scones on the baking tray, brush them lightly with the buttermilk and dust with a little flour.

Now bake on the top shelf of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they are well risen and golden brown, then remove them to a wire rack to cool. Serve the scones thickly spread with raspberry jam and lots of clottedcream.

Commet:

This recipe makes very very very light scones! Add in some cheese and leave out the sugar for light cheese scones.

If you don't have buttermilk you can sour milk with lemon juice - which works just as well, don't worry if it looks a little curdled. Add about 1tbsp lemon juice per 250ml milk.

Goats' Cheese, Onion and Potato Bread with Thyme

From Delia.com

Ingredients
1 x 4 oz (110 g) round firm goats' cheese
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 medium red potato weighing approximately 6 oz (175 g)
1 rounded teaspoon chopped thyme leaves, plus a few small sprigs
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour, plus a little extra for the top of the loaf
1 level teaspoon salt
½ level teaspoon or generous pinch of cayenne pepper
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 heaped teaspoon grain mustard

Method

Preheat oven to 190ºC. Start off by taking your sharpest knife, then pare the rind from the cheese and cut it into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes. Then sift the flour, salt and cayenne pepper into a big, roomy mixing bowl, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing. Then thinly pare off the potato skin using a potato peeler and grate the potato straight into the flour, using the coarse side of the grater. Then add the spring onions, chopped thyme and two-thirds of the cheese. Now take a palette knife and blend everything together thoroughly.

After that, beat the egg gently with the milk and mustard, then pour the mixture into the bowl, just bringing it all together to a loose, rough dough, still using the palette knife. Next transfer it on to the baking sheet and pat it gently into a 6 inch (15 cm) rough round. Now lightly press the rest of the cheese over the surface, dust with a little flour and scatter the small sprigs of thyme over.

Bake the bread on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Then remove it to a cooling rack and serve it still slightly warm if possible (but I have to say it's still divine a day later, warmed through in the oven).

Comment:

Very easy and fab with plain soups like leek and potato.

Home-made lamb and cumin burger with red onion marmalade

From waitrose.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g essential Waitrose lamb lean mince (typically 10% fat)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 essential Waitrose White Floured Baps
• Wild rocket, to serve

Method

1. Mix the lamb with the cumin, shallots, garlic and season. Shape into 4 patties and chill until ready to cook.
2. For the marmalade, heat a tablespoon of the oil in a small frying pan, add the onion and cook gently for 15 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir in the sugar and vinegar and continue to cook gently for 5 minutes until golden.
3. Preheat the grill. Brush the burgers with the remaining oil then grill for 5–6 minutes each side until the burgers are cooked through. Toast the rolls and arrange a handful of rocket on top then sit a burger on the rocket with a spoonful of the onion marmalade.

Comments:

Very tasty! Fantastic served with feta and hummous!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Muscovado Sugar and Lemon Syrup

From waitrose.com

Ingredients

• ½ x fresh Fairtrade pineapple
• 225g light brown muscovado sugar
• 3 natural colour glacé cherries, halved
• 150g lightly salted butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, plus 3 tbsp juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease the base of a 23cm round, solid-based cake tin and line with baking parchment. Cut away the skin from the pineapple and slice the flesh into thin rings. Remove the cores, using a sharp knife.
2. In a large, heavy-based frying pan, heat 75g of the sugar with 4 tablespoons of cold water until the sugar dissolves. Add the pineapple and cook gently for 5-6 minutes, turning once, until it has softened slightly. Remove, using a slotted spoon, and reserve the syrup. Arrange the pineapple in a single layer in the tin, cutting sections from the remaining rings to fill any gaps. Place a cherry half, cut-side down, in each ring. Chop any remaining pineapple into small pieces.
3. Using an electric hand whisk, beat together the butter, remaining sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and lemon zest for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chopped pineapple. Turn into the tin and level the surface.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the surface is just firm to the touch. Loosen the edges and turn out onto a plate, removing the baking parchment. Stir the lemon juice into the reserved syrup in the pan and spoon a little over the cake. Place the remaining syrup in a jug and serve with slices of the cake.

Comments:

A bit pretentious but very tasty!