Lara's Sweet Sixteen

A very Special treat for a very Special Daughter!  You don't need fancy cake utensils but some ideas and a mind full of beautiful colours!  Happy Birthday Lara!!

Dark Chocolate Cake

250g unsalted butter

6 eggs

2 2/3 cup castor sugar

3 1/2 cups self raising flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup espresso coffee

4 tbsp Tia Maria

White Chocolate Cake 

125g Unsalted Butter

1 cup white chocolate melts

3 eggs

1 cup castor sugar

1 1/2 cup self Raising Flour

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1/3 cup cornflour

3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp brandy

250g Nutella

600g Marzipan

600g White Sugar Pastry

Pink food colouring

100g Chocolate Paste

1 egg white

2 cups icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Make the Dark Chocolate cake by cut the butter in small cubes,and combine with sifted flour cocoa and bicarbonate and the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 1 min or until mixture is well mixed. Turn speed to maximum and mix for 3 minutes. 

Make the White Chocolate cake by melting white chocolate over baine Marie, add milk and stir till all combined.  In a food mixer cut the butter in small cubes cream with sugar, add the remaining ingredients and white chocolate mix and mix for 2 minutes.

Grease two cake tins of 30cm diameter and two cake tins of 20cm diameter.  Pour dark cake mix dividing mixture so that each cake tin has the same height of mixture.  Pour over scattered tablespoosn of white cake mixture and make some swirls using a metal skewer.  Bake in a pre  heated oven 170c for 1/2 an hour or until skewer comes clean when tested.  Turn to wire rack and cool.

Prepare the royal icing by beating lightly the egg white, add lemon juice and slowly add sifted icing sugar beating vigorously to achieve the required texture. Spoon to piping bag with small star nozzle fitting. 

Sandwich the two large cakes and the two small cakes separately with nutella filling. Brush with apricot Glaze, cover with marzipan.  Take 400g of white sugar pastry and tint with pink colour. Take approx 100g of pink pastry and divide into four rol1 approx 20cm long . Make 6 matching rolls of white pastry. Place alternate colour rolls next to each other. Flatten with rolling pin and roll to form a striped pastry. Cover the small cake.

Roll out the remaining pink sugar pastry and cover the large cake.  Place large cake on cake board, and place the small cake on top.

Make fans of chocolate paste and stick to cake with some royal icing.  Pipe the birthday words with royal icing and decorate with coloured roses. Cover cake seams by piping royal icing.

Miriam's 50th Birthday Cake

I did this cake for my sister Miriam, she loves chocolate and I used the Fresh Coconut Cake for a perfect match! 

Fresh Coconut Cake http://marthesefood.blogspot.com/2012/01/fresh-coconut-cake-with-lime-and.html

Chocolate Paste

200g Red Sugar Paste

50g Green Sugar Paste

50g White Sugar Paste

500g Marzipan Pastry

3 tablespoons Apricot Jam

2 tablespoons brandy

Prepare the cake and pour over lime and cranberry syrup as in recipe. Heat apricot jam and brandy until syrupy.  When cake is completely cold brush with hot apricot glase.  Roll Marzipan to 4mm thickness and cover cake. Roll Chocolate paste http://marthesefood.blogspot.com/2011/10/jeromes-birthday-cake.html between  sheets of baking paper and arrange on top with folds to resemble blanket. Make or buy ready made roses and arrange on one side and arrange the 50 on the other.

Fresh Coconut Cake with Lime and Cranberry Syrup

This is an ideal cake to use for Birthdays as it keeps well for more than 5 days.  I added alcohol in cake mixture to extend shelf life. This recipe makes 30cmx40cm Rectangular cake or 35cm diameter round.

250g butter
8 eggs
400g Caster Sugar
400g freshly grated Coconut(approx 2 med size coconuts)
400g Self Raising Flour
50g Rice flour
4 tablespoons Malibu
250ml Fresh Cream
75ml inside juice from Fresh Coconut
Grated rind of 1 Lime
1 tsp bicarbonate of Soda

Cranberry Lime Syrup
4 Tablespoons Rum
1 Tablespoon Cranberry Jam
Jucie of 1 Lime
1/2 cup caster Sugar
1/4 cup water

Using a food mixer, cream butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time beating on low speed. Sift flours. Lift fitting from mixture, add sifted flours, coconut  Cream, rind, Malibu and bicarbonate of soda.  Lower down beater again and beat for 2 minutes on low speed to reach a  nice cake mixture.  Butter cake pan and pour mixture.  Arrange top evenly with a spatula.  Bake in a 170c oven for 3/4 hours till cake is completely cooked when tested with skewer.  Remove from oven, prick with skewer all over, and pour syrup on top.
To Make Syrup
Put all ingredients in a small pan and bring to boil stirring until sugar has completely dissolved.

Stilton and Broccoli Sedani with Cheesy Nutty Crusts

Give height to your plates by making these simple parmesan crusts.  I added chopped walnuts for extra crunch!

500g Sedani or other hollow short Pasta
1 medium Broccoli
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
1 tbsp flour
75g stilton cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
grated nutmeg

Cheese Nutty Crusts
1 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
few chopped walnuts

Prepare Walnut Parmesan crusts by putting 1 heaped teaspoon parmesan  cheese on a baking tray next to eachother make sure to leave enough room to spread.  Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top and bake in 180c oven for 15minutes until golden. Remove from oven, leave to cool in tray.

Bring a large pan of salted water to boil, add pasta and cook al dente.  Meanwhile heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan, add finely chopped onions and crushed garlic and fry gently till onions are translucent.  Add 1 tablespoon flour and stir for 1 minute to cook flour. Add chicken stock and stir to create a thick paste.  Add milk to loosen up. Cut broccoli into little florets add to sauce, add crumbled stilton on top and grated nutmeg. Cover with lid and simmer gently for 5 minutes till broccoli is cooked to a bite. 

Drain Pasta and transfer to Broccoli Sauce, stir well and serve with cheese crusts on top.

Fish Cakes with Honey Tomato and Caper Salsa

Fish Cakes
500g white fish fillets
5 crab sticks
1 potato
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp rice flour
1tsp chicken powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil for shallow frying

Honey & Caper Tomato Salsa
400g tomato pulp
1 tbsp honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons capers in vinegar
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Prepare the fish cakes by, peeling potato  and cut into quarters and boil in salted water for 20 minutes until just tender. Poach fish fillets in water till just tender.  Peel onions and garlic and chop coarsely.  Transfer to a food processor and pulse to fine chop. Add fish, potatoes, crab sticks, rice flour, chicken powder, olive oil , herbs eggs and salt & pepper and pulse to reach  a  coarse mixture.  Take a spoonful of mixture and form small patties, gently fry in olive oil till golden brown. Serve with Honey and Caper tomato Salsa. Garnish with Lime wedges and fresh parsely.

Honey and Caper Tomato Salsa

Heat olive oil in a small pan, add garlic and fry till golden.  Add tomatoes and honey and simmer gently for 15 minutes to obtain a slight reduction.  Season to taste, add herbs and capers. Turn off heat immediately.

Kannoli

When I was little, every other Saturday, I used to wake up with the noise of a fairly young man and his horse shouting  'Rikotta Helwa' which means 'Sweet Ricotta'. In our village, it was very popular to see sellers with their horse, or even donkey pulling wooden carts selling home made produce, like pickles, flowers, and in this case naturally sweet ricotta.  Later on in life, I saw Tevye selling milk in Fiddler on the Roof and each time I watch him singing and pouring milk, cannot help but return to my sweet childhood memories of this 'man' selling his deliscious ricotta. The following recipe is a tribute to my Aunt Karm, who eagerly bought this creamy delicacy and made Kannoli taste so special.

For the Pastry
300g plain flour
Juice of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt

For the Filling
500g Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons candied peel
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons Anisette Ouzo or Sambuca
100g chopped chocolate
2 tablespoons chopped glaced cherries
2 tablespoons crushed roasted hazelnuts

Extra
75g plain chocolate
Icing sugar for Dusting
Oil for deep frying

Make the pastry by putting flour, juice of an orange, eggs sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse till a ball of dough forms. Remove and wrap in cling film and let the dough chill for 15 minutes. Lightly oil 12 cannoli tubes. Using enough flour pass dough through pasta machine till very thin, approx 2.5 setting. Cut into long strips the width of your cannoli tubes. Cut into squares and ensure to overlap by 5mm when wrapped around the cannoli tubes. Place seam side down on a flour dusted baking tray. Deep fry in olive oil, remove cannoli tubes from pastry when completely cold. Cannoli shapes keep well for up to a week in an air tight container.
Make the ricotta filling by putting ricotta in a bowl and mash till smooth. Add sugar and stir well. Add candied peel, anisette, chopped chocolate, and chopped glaced cherries and mix well. Transfer mixture to a piping bag with 1 cm round plain nozzle.
Melt chocolate over baine marie, brush chocolate on the inside of each cannolo, this will help to keep the crisp for longer. Pipe ricotta mixture into each cannolo, press sides into crushed roasted hazelnuts. Arrange on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.

Tip
Extra pastry can be cut into small rectangles and shaped into bows, or long strips and pinch sides every inch and roll into rosette as in the image. Deep fry in olive oil and drench with honey. Dust with cinnamon powder and crushed nuts and serve with coffee.

Fine Sliced Octopus with Lime Honey Dressing

1 Kg Octopus
2 bay leaves
1 Head Garlic
few pepper corns
Bunch fresh mint
Bunch fresh Marjoram
1/2 lemon

For the Dressing
Juice of 1 Lime
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mustard
salt & pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs(chives, mint, parseley)

Wash octopus thoroughly, add to a large pan with bay leaves, head garlic sliced in two, (do not peel) , pepper corns, herbs and half a lemon, fill with water just covering and bring to boil. Cook octopus on low heat for 35-45 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and cool in liquid. Lift octopus and put in a plastic bag. Roll bag to a sausage shape and chill overnight.
Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in  a small bowl. Remove octopus from plastic bag, and it should hold its shape. Thinly cut into slices, arrange on a serving plate and drizzle the dressing on top.  Serve with crusty bread.

Warm Octopus Salad

1 kg Octopus
1 celery Stick
1 cinnamon stick
few pepper corns
5 cardamom pods
1 star anise
1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
small bunch fresh marjoram
1 onion
2 Tomatoes
1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped olives
2 tbsp capers in vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs(parsely,mint)
few sliced lemons for garnish

Wash and clean octopus under cold running water. Put in a large pan and cover with water.  Add celery stick, cinnamon, pepper corns, cardamom pods, anise rosemary bayleaf and marjoram. Bring to boil and cook for 30minutes until octopus is just tender. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and transfer to a large mixing bowl, add finely chopped tomatoes, paprika, herbs, lemon juice, capers olives and olive oil and mix well. Drain Octopus and cut into bite size pieces and add to marinade. Mix well and garnish with lemon slices.  Serve with hot crusty bread.

Smoked Salmon and Prawn Ravioli

1 Quantity of Ravioli dough (see recipe for tortellini)
Filling
400g Shelled and Deveined Prawns (tiger Prawns are best)
150g smoked Salmon
2 egg whites
1 tsp cornflour
2 sundried tomatoes.

Warm Tomato & Onion Salsa
4 Tomatoes Peeled and Chopped
1 small Onion finely diced
Tbsp fresh Herbs
salt & pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter

4-6 rashers Panchetta 1 for each portion.

Prepare ravioli filling by simply putting everything in a food processor and pulse till all combined. Mixture should not be smooth.
Pass dough through pasta machine till silky smooth. Open to rectangular strips on setting number 3. Fill with 1 tsp filling leaving 1 inch space from one raviola to another. Brush some water around filling and place another strip of pastry over. Using cupped hands press gently around filling ensure that no air is trapped inside and that pastry is tightly sealed. Cut around filling so that each raviola is roughly 2inch by 2inch square. Place on a floured surface.

Prepare Salsa by gently frying the onions, in oil and butter until soft. Turn off heat, add tomatoes herbs and seasonings. Stir and cover until serving time.

Place panchetta rashers on a baking tray and bake for 15minutes in 220c oven until crispy.

Bring a large pan of boiling water, and boil ravioli for 5 minutes until cooked.  Drain and serve with warm tomato and onion Salsa, and garnish with panchetta crisps. 

Yorkshire Pudding

This is a convenient recipe I find useful when I run out of bread. I prepare batter the first thing, I leave it to rest and just ten minutes before serving I pour it in the already hot muffin tray. It only takes 10 minutes to have beautifully risen individual puddings and they accompany well with all kind of roasts.

1 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

Sun flower oil.

2 eggs

Put all ingredients except oil in a jug and using hand blender whizz to a smooth batter. Cover with cling film and leave to rest for about 20 minutes. Heat oven to 210c pour 1/2 tsp oil in each muffin hole of a 12 deep muffin tray. Put the oiled muffin tray in oven and heat for 5 minutes. 10 minutes before serving pour the batter evenly in the muffin tray to reach 2/3 of each hole. Bake for 10 minutes or till puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Duck Breast with onion cranberry marmalade and Carrot and Sprout Salsa

This is a gourmet mid week family meal. I used Brussels sprouts and carrots as an accompanying vegetables as they are the only survivors left in my garden following a very harsh winter weather. I also added some Yorkshire pudding which I baked for 10 minutes with the duck. Recipe is for four persons.

2 duck breasts

2 onions finely sliced

1/4 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp cranberry jam or conserve

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup port

1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp chicken powder

Salt & Pepper

4 medium carrots peeled and thickly sliced

300g Brussels sprouts

3 tomatoes peeled and seeded

100g cubed panchetta

1/4 cup water

Salt & pepper

Make the onion and cranberry marmalade by gently fry the onions in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft, add mixed spice, cranberry jam, water port and chicken powder and simmer gently covered for 15 minutes. When all liquids have nearly evaporated add mustard season with salt and pepper and turn off heat.
Heat a large frying pan, score the skin of duck breast with a sharp knife season with salt and pepper and dry fry skin side down. Cover so that grease will not splatter all over! After 5 minutes drain fat, turn breast and cook for just 1 minute. Transfer breasts to baking tray always skin side down and bake in a hot 210c oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to rest for 5 mins covered with a piece of foil.

In the same pan which you fried the breast, gently fry the panchetta, add carrots, sprouts and water and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cover and cook for further 5 minutes.

Slice duck breast diagonally, serve half duck breast per portion with carrot and sprout salsa, and onion and cranberry marmalade with Yorkshire puddingshttp://marthesefood.blogspot.com/2012/01/yorkshire-pudding.html. Yum Yum!

Kibbeh

Base of this recipe is chickpeas. As nuts I used pistachios.  Serve with yoghurt dip.

300g cooked chickpeas
1 tablespoon Indian gram flour or chickpea flour
1 large egg
200 g ground pistachios
salt & pepper
tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp oil

Blend all ingredients in a food processor forming a coarse paste.  Heat oil for deep fry and using two tablespoons form quenelles from the mixture and fry till golden.  Serve with Yoghurt mixed with lemon salt and touch of sugar.

Cherry Gelato,

800ml Milk
500ml Fresh Cream
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp amaretto liquor
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp gelatin powder
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup pitted cocktail cherries, stalks removed. 

Put Milk, cream and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, scoop seeds from Vanilla pod and put both seeds and pod in Milk and heat until it nearly boils.  Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy, add cornflour and mix well.  Dissolve gelatin in two tablespoons hot water and put in yolk mixture, Strain milk  through fine sieve into yolk mixture stirring continuously.  Transfer custard back to pan and stir on low heat until it thickens to cover the back of wooden spoon.  Turn of heat and let the mixture cool.  Add liquor, stir well.  When completely cold transfer mixture in two batche to ice cream machine and churn to a smooth ice cream consistency.  Pack ice cream in freezing plastic containers layering with cocktail cherries. Bring out from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

Pita Bread

I have been blessed with an outdoor cooking device, wood oven, and food comes out with an indescribable flavor. Breads, cakes, roasts and stews are good candidates for wood oven and slow cooking helps food develop an earthy flavor. Pizza and pita cooks in seconds, so keep a watchful eye all the time.

1 kilo plain flour
170g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
1 cup warm milk
14g dried yeast
1 cup warm water
1 large egg

Put all ingredients in a mixer and using a hook, knead for 8 minutes till smooth. Turn off machine and cover with tea towel. Leave to prove for 1 hour until double in bulk. Lower hook again and knead for further 5 minutes. Divide dough into 30 equal portions. Knead into balls and set on floured surface. Using a rolling pin roll each ball into thin oval pita shapes and bake in a hot oven 220c or wood oven.

Doughnuts

Once in a while you should allow yourself to extreme indulgence. This is one of the quickest recipe I ever tried.  Cooked doughnuts can be frozen.

600g plain flour
4 eggs
440ml milk
18g dried yeast
80g butter
75g sugar
1 tsp salt

Heat milk till Luke-warm,turn off heat and add chopped butter. In a food mixer with k beater attached sift in the flour. Add yeast, salt, sugar, eggs and milk and butter mixture. Beat for 5 minutes on low speed. Turn off machine and cover mixture to proove till double in bulk for approx 1 hour. Heat oil in a large wok using two tablespoons to shape small balls of dough, deep fry until golden. Dust with caster sugar. Serve with jam and cream or drizzle with runny honey!

Maltese Sausage with Tomato Caper Sauce and Saffron Quinoa

Quinoa is a very healthy gluten free grain that you can use instead of potatoes or rice.  It is very easy to cook and can be dressed with butter or olive oil.

1 Kilo low salt Maltese Sausage or Cumbrian Sausage
2 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 large can chopped tomatoes (polpa)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
1/2 cup kalamatta olives
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
salt & pepper

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water
pinch Saffron
1/4 tsp salt

Prepare Quinoa by rinsing under cold water, drain and put in a pan with 2 cups water and saffron. Bring to boil and boil for 10minutes.Turn off Heat.  Open lid sprinkle salt and cover with kitchen cloth and seal with lid tightly so that it keeps on cooking with the steam.

Cut sausages with a diagonal shape, place on a baking tray and bake in hot oven 220c for 10minutes or until slightly browned.

Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, marjoram, honey and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and Pepper and simmer gently for 15 minutes.  Add olives and arrange sausages.  Cook without lid for further 5 minutes. Sprinkle capers and turn off heat.  Serve with quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil.

Orange Souffle with Grand Marnier Chocolate Sauce

This recipe makes 6 normal size ramekins souffle

1 Quantity Creme Patissiere

(http://marthesefood.blogspot.com/2012/01/creme-patissiere.html)
5 egg whites
1 orange
1 tablespoon sugar

Chocolate Sauce
100g plain chocolate
100ml milk
Juice of 1/2 orange
1 tablespoon grand Marnier

Preheat oven 200c. Butter 6 ramekin dishes and coat with sugar. Dust off any extra. Beat egg whites until stiff. Grate orange in Creme Patissiere mixture take 1 tablespoon from beaten egg whites and fold. Fold in remaining egg whites gently taking care not to loose air bubbles. Fill ramekins to the brim and place on baking tray. Cook for 1/2 an hour until well risen and tops are golden. Never be tempted to open oven door!
Meanwhile prepare chocolate sauce by heating cream nearly to boil. Turn off heat and stir in the chocolate until it melts. Squeeze 1/2 an orange in chocolate sauce, add grand Marnier and stir until smooth and shiny. Serve souffle piping hot.

Low Salt Onion and Herb Maltese Sausage.

This type of sausage is best used for BBQ's and stews as it is not very salty, however after 1 day in refrigeration you must freeze or consume.  Will keep in Freezer for 1 year.

4.5K Pork Mince
2 medium Onions finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh parseley
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
10g coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
90g Salt

Mix everything together well. Pipe into sausage casing and prick with toothpick approx 10 times each sausage. Stand over rack in refrigerator for 1 day.  Use or freeze immediately.

Rough puff Pastry

I had this idea that using a pasta machine I could shorten the time for making puff pastry. The result I got is not even layers of thin pastry sheets so I call it rough puff however I am pleased with the lightness of this pastry. Use this pastry for vanilla cream slice. Freeze raw pastry between sheets of baking paper.

500g plain flour
225g butter
250ml cold water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
30g butter extra
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

Put in a food processor flour cream of tartar, lemon juice, salt and 30g butter and pulse for a few seconds. Slowly add cold water and keep on pulsing until mixture forms a ball. Transfer dough to a cling film and chill for 30minutes.
Set pasta machine to thickest level. Roll the pastry through your machine several times until you have the width of your machine and two times as much in length. Cut the butter in slices and arrange evenly in the middle. Fold the pastry over butter overlapping slightly so that butter is securely enclosed. Seal all edges by pressing hard with your fingers. Use a rolling pin roll lengthways so that you get approx the thickness of your machine. Using floured surface and dust pastry all the time, roll through machine. Reduce thickness and roll again. Fold pastry in three, first third in then the other third over. Give pastry a quarter turn. Set machine again to max thickness and pass through again. Repeat process two more times and chill for 1/2 hour before use.

Creme Patissiere

This is one of the most important creams that you should master as it is the base of delicious creams and soufflé

2 cups Milk
1/2 cup plain flour
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 vanilla pod
75g sugar

Take 1 and1/3 cup milk an bring to boil with the split vanilla pod. In a separate bowl add flour and sugar and beat in the eggs and egg yolk. Add the received milk little at a time beating continuously until mixture is pale and creamy. Stir in boiled strained milk and keep on stirring. Transfer mixture back to pan and cook on low heat until cream is thick. Continue to stir for further 1 minute to cook off the flour. Pour cream into a bowl and cover with cling film. Will keep refrigerated for up to one week. Use in suggested recipes.

Sirloin steaks with Marinated Mushrooms and Mascarpone Mash

I classify this as a mid week 1 hour recipe, packed with nutrients and good flavour. Recipe is for 4 persons

700g sirloin steaks cut into wide strips
1 teaspoon pink pepper corns
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cornflour
1 tablespoon olive oil

For Marinated Mushroom filledTomatoes

4 large round tomatoes
1 kilo mushrooms
1 litre Water
250ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 lemon                                                                                                Mascarpone Mash
1 bay leaf                                                                                             1 Kilo Potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil                                                                          100g Mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon english mustard                                                                   Salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds                                                                     3 tablespoon Milk
salt & pepper                                                                                       (boil Potatoes until soft, mash and
1 tablespoon vinegar extra                                                                     add Mascarpone and Milk. Season
1 teaspoon honey                                                                                  with salt to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsely

Crush pepper corns with garlic and salt, add to a bowl. Add cornflour mix well add beef and drizzle with olive oil. Using your hands mix thoroughly, leave to marinade for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms by bringing to boil in a medium pan Water, Vinegar, Juice of half a lemon, salt sugar and bay leaf.  Slice mushrooms and blanch in boiling vinegar water for 2 minutes. Lift with slotted spoon and transfer to plastic colander and leave to drain. With the heat still on, put tomatoes in the same liquid for 30seconds. Lift tomatoes and turn off heat.  Peel tomatoes cut in two and scoop out the seeds.  Make the mushroom dressing by mixing the remaining half lemon juice, mustard, mustard seeds, salt & peppe,r honey, extra vinegar to olive oil. Mix with a small whisk until well combined ( it should emulsify). Transfer mushrooms to clean glass bowl add the marinade and chopped parsely and mix well. 

Right before serving, heat a large non stick pan and dry fry the sirloin strips.  Season well tomato with salt and pepper, arrange on a plate and fill with Marinated mushrooms.  Arrange beef and mash. Drizzle with some of the mushroom marinade on top.

Tea Party

Sunday afternoon is an ideal day for a lovely tea party. All can be prepared days ahead except sandwiches so not much stress is involved. Prepare freshly brewed English Breakfast and relax with your guests.

For this tea assembly I did Crab& Feta Sandwiches, Zucchini and Feta cheese Muffins, White Chocolate and Peanut Tarts, Traditional Jam Tarts and Vanilla Slice with Fresh fruit Topping.

Crab and Feta Cheese Sandwiches
100g Feta  Cheese
200g Good Quality Crab Sticks
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp English Mustard
1 tbsp Ketchup
4 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tsp sugar
Process everything in a food processor leaving mixture even but rough not smooth paste.  Take two white slices and 1 brown. Cut sides to remove outer crust.  Spread a generous mixture between the three layers of sandwich leaving the brown bread slice in the middle. Cut into 4 equal squares.

Zucchini and Feta Cheese Mini Muffins 
350g Self Raising Flour
100g Feta Cheese
90g butter cut into cubes
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated Zucchini (large fitting)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh cream
Poppy seed

Sift flour in a large bowl and rub in the butter so that mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Add Zucchini, milk cream lightly beaten egg, salt sugar and crumbled feta cheese.  Using a metal spoon mix the mixture lightly.  Do not over mix, mixture should look a bit lumpy.  Spoon in small muffin trays till the brim sprinkle poppy seeds on top and bake in moderately hot oven 210c for approx 25 minutes or until golden.  You can freeze after completely cold.  Thaw and re heat in a 180c oven to crisp up.

White Chocolate and Peanut Tarts
1/2 quantity sweet short pastry
100g white chocolate melts
1 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 cup cream
1 egg yolk
100g white chocolate melts extra

Prepare filling by putting 100g chocolate, peanut butter and cream in a bowl over bane Marie until all melts to a smooth paste. Remove from heat add yolk and stir till all combined. On a floured surface gently open pastry until approx 2 mm thickness. Have a non stick muffin case ready and an adequate round cutter so that each round fits in the muffin hole and sides rise to approx 1cm. Cut rounds and fit in Muffin tray, fill with peanut mixture leaving 2mm clearance from sides.  Bake in a 195c oven for 1/2 an hour.  Remove from tray and cool on wire rack.  Melt the extra chocolate and coat the tops.

Classic Jam Tarts
Use the remaining half of sweet short pastry and line muffin trays same as for peanut white chocolate tarts.  Fill in with good quality or home made jam, cut thin strips and cross shape over jam filling.  Bake in 180c oven for 1/2 hour till golden.


Vanilla Cream Slice with Fresh Strawberries
1 roll ready Made Puff Pastry sheet
1/2 quantity Creme Patissiere
100g mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons caster sugar
little milk to brush
Fresh Strawberries and Icing Sugar for decoration

Open Puff Pastry sheet and cut evenly into 2inchx1.25inch rectangles 8cmx4cm). Put on baking tray and prick with fork.  Brush with milk and sprinkle caster sugar.  Bake in 200c oven till golden brown.  Make the cream by whisking mascarpone cheese until soft and combine to creme patissiere.  Spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with star nozzle. Arrange two equal rectangles and layer cream in the middle. pipe some cream on top and decorate with sliced strawberries. Dust with icing Sugar.

Prawn Bisque

This is the best ever gourmet prawn soup I ever made. It is so easy yet I can guarantee you will impress your guests. This recipe is enough for 6 generous starters.

1 kilo fresh medium prawns(you can mix tiger and Mediterranean)
6 langoustine
2 bay leaves
Sprig of thyme
Small bunch of marjoram
1 sprig rosemary
Celery stick
3 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1 onion
Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
2 liters water
1 potato
100ml fresh cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chopped parsley

Peel prawns and devein. Make a bouquet garni by tying together with a piece of string, bay leaves, marjoram,thyme and rosemary. In a large heavy based pan put prawn peelings bouquet garni, chopped onion, garlic(do not chop or peel) chopped celery, chopped tomato, black pepper, salt, wine and water. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour. Immerse a hand blender and blend everything. Pass through a sieve in batches, pressing down hard to extract as much liquid as possible. Pass the liquid again through fine sieve into a pan. Return to heat, add chopped potatoes and boil for 10minutes until potatoes are just tender. Using a sharp knife cut langustine tails in half by placing langustine flat on board and insert knife just behind the head and push steadily lengthways. Add langoustine and shelled prawns to bisque cover and boil for further three minutes. Add cream and turn off heat. Stir and season if necessary. Arrange one langoustine per portion in a deep plate and ladle soup on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and drizzle olive oil. Serve with buttered wholemeal rolls.

Sweet short pastry

This is an easy pastry and so versatile. It is the base of large number of sweets like, jam tarts, cassata, meringue pies and biscuits which you can all include in a tea party.

400g plain flour
150g butter
1 tsp lemon juice
3 small eggs
75g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Cut butter into small pieces and put in a food processor with flour and sugar. Pulse a few times until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add lemon juice, cream of tartar and eggs and pulse again a few times till all combined. Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball. Cover in cling film and chill for half an hour before use. Alternatively you can put in a plastic bag and freeze.

Prawn & Broccoli Stir Fry

This is a very quick mid week meal.  In half an hour flat you will have a deliscious and healthy plate of food.

500g shelled prawns(tiger prawns are best for this recipe)
1 medium onion thickly sliced
2 carrots, peeled cut lengthways and sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
1 broccoli cut into small florets
1 broccoli stem, peeled and sliced
1 tomato peeled and thickly chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 inch ginger finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon cornflour diluted in little water.
Freshly cracked black pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok,  add onions, celery, garlic, broccoli stem, and ginger and stir fry. Add broccoli and stock, and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add prawns and stir. Thicken liquid with diluted corn flour, add soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir. Finally add tomatoes and freshly ground black pepper stir and serve with fluffy white rice or noodles (see recipe http://marthesefood.blogspot.com/2011/12/veal-rolls-with-fluffy-fragrant-rice.html)

Figs In Syrup

1 kg small figs
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
1 litre Water

Wash figs and dry on kitchen cloth.  Arrange loosely in sterilised jars.  Prepare a pan with 1 litre water add sugar, split vanilla pod in two, scoop out seeds and add to water. Bring to boil and reduce by 1/3.  Cool slightl. , then remove the vanilla pod and divide between the jars already filled with figs. Top up with syrup until all figs are compeletely covered. Seal with lids. Have a large pan of boiling water ready, arrange jars next to each other and make sure that water tops over by one inch. Boil filled and sealed jars for 30minutes. Turn off heat and remove carefully. Leave to cool and ensure that the lid pops inwards when cold.(like so you will be assured that ther is complete vacum under lid) Store in a dark cool cupboard.  Syrup will develop a pinkish colour over some time. Will keep for over a year!

Wholemeal Dinner Rolls

500g Plain Flour
250g Wholemeal Flour
60g melted butter
1/2cup warm milk
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
20g dried yeast

Put everything in Mixing Bowl and using the hook attachment mix for 10 minutes to form a dough.  Remove dough from mixing bowl and transfer to large plastic lunch bag.  Close the top leaving enough space to prove. ( I use large zip an seal bag).  Leave in a bowl in a warm place. After 3/4 hour the dough will be double in bulk.  Remove from bag and put back in the mixing bowl.  Knead again for 2 minutes.  Divide the dough in two.  Roll into long oblongs and cut each roll into 15 equal shapes.  Roll each dough into 3inch rolls, flatten slightly and put on lightly oiled baking pan.  Leave in warm place covered with clean cloth to prove.  After 1 hour, bake in a hot oven(220c) for 25 minutes until golden.  Enjoy warm with plenty butter! Rolls can be frozen after cooked and cooled completely.  Thaw and reheat in 180c oven when needed.

Home made Tortellini

I literally hate the chewy horrible filling of packed tortellini that sometimes taste like smoked plastic! Do yourself a favour and make your own! Have some free time and free your mind from the old troubles as the process is so therapeutic... Prepare as much as you can as they freeze very well. Consume within three months, if they last that long!!

For the pastry

500g flour
5 eggs
Pinch Salt

Artichoke filling
 250g Artichokes (either canned or freshly cooked hearts)
100g pine nuts
1 egg
100g cubed Pancetta, or smoked Bacon
2tbsp Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
freshly ground black Pepper.

White Sauce,
60g butter,
2tbsp, Plain Flour
600ml Milk
250ml fresh cream
1/4tsp salt
3 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Kafeloutieri cheese
Grated Nutmeg
1 teaspoon English Mustard

Make the Pastry but putting everything in a food Processor and pulse till all combined.  Gather everything and knead to a ball. Cover in cling film and chill for 1/2 an hour.  Meanwhile make the filling by once again put everything in the processor and process to form a textured paste.(not necessarily smooth). Transfer mixture to a disposable piping bag.  

You must invest in a pasta machine as you need to have the dough opened evenly. So, using a pasta machine, cut 1/5th from the dough and pass it through the machine on setting 10, flouring properly from time to time. Then reduce the setting to 8, and pass the dough again, then 6 then 4 until you have a smooth long strip of pasta approx 2.5mm thickness.  Pipe small amount of filling the size of a hazelnut, leaving 1inch gap from one to another. Lightly brush with some cold water around filling,  fold the dough over press sides and front ensuring that no air bubbles are trapped .  Press gently then lift the whole thing from the bench so that it does not stick, cut into half rounds like ravioli. Remove excess dough, then pick each raviolo and fix the two pointed ends together to form a tortellina! 

Make the white sauce by heating butter, add flour and cook till it forms small dough balls, then add milk and whisk to a smooth creamy texture.  Add fresh cream, cheese and mustard, and whisk again till all combined.  Grate some nutmeg and check for seasoning, add salt if necessary.

Bring a large pan of salted water to boil, add tortellini and boil for 10minutes. Drain and plate, add white sauce.  Garnish with parmesan shavings and drizzle with olive oil.