Thursday 25 October 2007

FRUITS OF THE FOREST TART

Ingredients
100g pkt hazelnut kernels, toasted
300g (10oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
75g (3oz) icing sugar
1 large egg yolk
120ml (4fl oz) Filippo Berio Olive Oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

500g frozen Black Forest fruits
4 tbsp berry fruit cordial e.g. raspberry, fruits of the forest
2 tbsp cornflour
Icing sugar for dusting

Method
Put the frozen fruits into a large bowl, pour the cordial over then leave to thaw and marinate overnight.

Place the nuts in a food processor with half of the flour and chop finely. Add the remaining flour, cinnamon, baking powder and lemon zest and pulse to mix. Finally, add the egg yolk, olive oil, lemon juice and 5 tbsp warm water and pulse until the mixture comes together. Lightly knead the dough then divide into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other. Knead the large portion into a smooth round then roll out and line a 23cm (9 in) metal flan tin, trim the excess from the edge then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Gather up the trimmings and add to the other portion of dough and knead together, wrap and chill.

Meanwhile, strain the fruit juices into a pan, blend the cornflour with 2 tbsp water, then add to the juices. Bring to simmer and stir until completely thickened. Pour over the fruit and fold together, allow to cool.

Heat oven to 190°C, 375°F or Gas Mark 5.Spoon fruit filling into the pie crust. Roll out the remaining dough quite thickly and, using a sharp knife or fluted edge pastry wheel, cut 10 strips about 1.25cm (1/2in) wide. Carefully lift five strips, and place evenly spaced across the fruit, give the tin a turn and lay the other five across the first five to make a lattice pattern. Trim the edges and press the pastry onto the base.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Cool before removing from the tin, dust with icing sugar before serving.

Serves 8 -10
Preparation: 45 minutes, plus marinating and chilling
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

Thursday 18 October 2007

ROAST PEACHES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Ingredients
For the peaches:
4-6 ripe peaches
40g unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons caster sugar

For the Sauce:
1x 100g bar Divine White Chocolate
175ml milk
1 Vanilla Pod
3 Large Free Range Egg Yolks
20g caster sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6 and grease an ovenproof dish.

With a small sharp knife make a small nick in the skin of each peach right at the top. Put the peaches in a large heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover, leave for 10 seconds. Remove the peaches one at the time and peel off the skins. Roll the peaches one at a time in the melted butter and then in the sugar and stand them upright in the oven dish. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until golden and soft but not falling apart. Remove and leave to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: break up the chocolate and melt gently. Remove from the heat and leave to cool until needed. Put the milk into a pan, split the vanilla pod and add to milk then heat the milk until it steams then remove from heat.

Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof bowl and beat well with a wooden spoon until very pale. Pour on the hot milk stirring constantly. Remove the vanilla pod and scrape some of the seeds onto the egg mixture. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently over a low heat until it thickens slightly. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in melted chocolate.

Serve the peaches slightly warm with the warm sauce poured over.

Thursday 11 October 2007

In the Goddess Spotlight

Market Kitchen 8.00pm on UKTV Food
“Sponsored by Waitrose, Market Kitchen is a daily food magazine series on UKTV Food, presenting viewers with expert and entertaining new takes on how and where to find, enjoy and cook the very best fresh, seasonal food. ”

SPANISH ROAST LAMB

Ingredients
1.5 kg (3 ½ lb) leg of lamb
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic finely sliced
1 wineglass of dry white wine
300 ml (½ pint) of water
2 tablespoons of wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon

Potatoes (the quantity just depends on how much you want to cook with the lamb)
1 or 2 large onions
4 or 5 whole garlic cloves (or add less if you don't want such a strong garlic flavour)

Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C, 450°F, Gas Mark 8.

Rub the lamb with half of the olive oil, season it with salt and pepper and rub the thyme over the surface of the lamb. Let the lamb sit for an hour to absorb the flavours.

Peel and cut the potatoes into slices about 1cm thick and place on the bottom of a roasting tin. Slice the onions and mix them with the potatoes and peel the garlic but leave the cloves whole and add to the potatoes and onions.

Put the white wine, water, vinegar and lemon juice into a pan and bring to the boil.

Next make some slits in the leg of lamb and put some slices of garlic into them and then rub the lamb with the rest of the olive oil. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes, onions and garlic and pour about half of the liquid over the meat.

Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 190ºC, 375ºF, Gas mark 5 and continue to roast it. Baste with the remaining liquid from time to time. If the potatoes soak up too much of the liquid you can make more.

For cooking time allow 15 minutes per 450g (1lb) if you like your lamb pink and 25 minutes per 450g if you like it well done in the manner that the Spanish like it!

Traditionally in Spain this would be served along with the potato that is cooked with it but you might choose to serve it with some roast potatoes and vegetables of your choice.

Serves 4-6