The Secret Behind a Great Bolognese. It’s All About the Soffritto.

Posted on October 24, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Pasta with Bolognese. Possibly the most popular home cooked meal in Australia. For such a simple dish it comes in many guises from the good to the bad and the downright ugly. I’m no expert on Bolognese sauce but I know a good one when I taste it. It must be rich, meaty and delicious and coat the pasta beautifully.

Last night for dinner we had casarecce  pasta with a classic Bolognese. I served it with little side dishes of pesto and fresh ricotta. Southern Italian style.

Before arriving in Australia in the early 1950s, my mother lived in Pescara in the Abruzzi region of Italy. She was and still is a wonderful cook. I grew up eating authentic Italian food long before it was fashionable. I learnt to cook almost by osmosis, helping out in the kitchen as the evening meal was prepared each day.

What’s the secret behind a great Bolognese? Besides using the absolute freshest ingredients you can find and an obligatory long, slow simmer of the sauce, it’s all about the careful preparation of the soffritto.

For those of you who are scratching your heads, soffritto is the flavour base of every good Bolognese sauce. It’s simply the mixture of finely diced onion, celery, carrot, garlic and herbs that is the starting point of the sauce. Sautéed in olive oil until soft with just a hint of caramelisation, a good soffritto imparts incredible flavour to the minced meat, tomato and stock once they are added to the pot. Take care of the soffritto and you will be rewarded with a delicious sauce.

I like to cook a large batch of sauce in a heavy Le Creuset cast iron pot which can easily be transferred to the oven after the sautéing of  the soffritto and the browning of the meat.  Don’t be put off by the two hours of slow cooking required by this recipe. Once it’s in the oven the dish looks after itself, and to be honest there’s only about half an hour of actual preparation time. The quantities provided in the recipe make enough sauce for up to ten serves. Freeze any leftovers for another wonderful meal.

Bolognese Sauce

Makes 8 – 10 servings

For the Soffritto

2 tablespoons​ extra virgin olive oil
1 ​​onion, finely diced
3 ​​sticks of celery, finely diced
2 ​​large carrots, finely diced
2​​ whole cloves of garlic
2 long red chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
4​​ fresh bay leaves
Sea salt

For the Sauce

500 g veal mince
500 g pork mince
2 x 400g​cans of crushed tomatoes
140 g tomato paste concentrate
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 cups stock or water
2 teaspoons ​salt
Freshly ground ​​black pepper to taste

To Prepare the Soffritto

HEAT olive oil in a large pot and add finely diced onions, celery and carrots with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté on medium heat until vegetables become transparent, about 15 minutes.
ADD chopped parsley, mint and chilli,  fresh bay leaves and whole cloves of garlic. Sauté for a further 5 minutes.

To make the Sauce

ADD the minced meat to the soffritto. Increase heat to high and stir with a wooden spoon to break the meat into smaller chunks.  Continue to stir for a further 15 minutes or so until meat is well browned.
ADD the tomato paste and sugar. Cook, over low heat for about 3 minutes stirring often.
ADD  crushed tomatoes,  water or stock, salt and ground pepper. Bring to the boil.
COVER and cook over very low heat for 2 hours.  I like to do this in a slow
160 C oven. The sauce will  thicken and reduce. Add a little hot water if it seems the sauce is drying out.
ONCE the sauce is cooked the garlic cloves will be very soft. Mash them with a fork against the side of the pot  and stir into the sauce. Remove bay leaves just before serving.
SERVE with your favourite pasta.

Posted in Beef, Pasta, Pork, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Chocolate Caramel Slice. My Way.

Posted on October 23, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

I make this all the time. Its rich, sinful and delicious and everyone’s favourite.  Every Monday morning my son takes something home-baked with him to the dorms at school. More often than not the request is for caramel slice. This weekend, I was so pushed for time my lovely daughter, who has taken to describing herself as the Paddington Foodie’s Apprentice, took on the challenge to bake for the boys. In fact she made two!  You can see from the photos that she did a wonderful job. She has taught me a lesson or two about the importance of faithfully following a recipe.

I bake my caramel slice in a deep dish and use two cans of condensed milk to provide a very generous layer of caramel. To add a greater depth of flavour to the caramel I also like to add a very generous pinch (or two) of flaky sea salt to the caramel just before the tray is returned to the oven for its final baking. The addition of salt is entirely optional. The slice is equally delicious salted or not.

Chocolate Caramel Slice with Salt

For the Base

1/2 cup (75 g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (75 g) plain flour
1 cup (80 g) coconut, shredded
1 cup (220 g) brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
100 g butter, melted

PREHEAT oven to 180C.
GREASE and line a 25cm square baking dish with deep sides. Ensure that baking paper extends over the sides of the dish for easy removal of the slice.
COMBINE sifted flours, coconut, sugar, mixed spice and melted butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
PRESS the mixture evenly over the base of the dish.
BAKE for 15 minutes in 180C oven, centre rack position until base is slightly risen and a pale golden brown colour.
COOL for at least 10 minutes until adding the caramel layer.

For the Caramel

1/3 cup golden syrup
125 g butter, melted
2 x 395 g cans of sweetened condensed milk
1 -2 teaspoons of flaky sea salt

PLACE the golden syrup, butter and condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat.
STIR for 7 minutes or until the caramel has thickened slightly.
POUR  evenly over the cooled biscuit base and sprinkle with flaky salt, if using.
BAKE for 12-15 minutes in a 180C oven, centre rack position until caramel is golden.
COOL to room temperature before adding the chocolate topping.

For the Chocolate Topping

180 g dark chocolate
3 teaspoons olive oil

PLACE chocolate and oil in a heatproof microwave jug. Microwave on low for 2 minutes and chocolate is melted. Stir well.
POUR evenly over caramel layer.
REFRIGERATE until chocolate is set. Cut into 24 squares.
STORE in an air tight container for up to a week.

Posted in Baked, Chocolate, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Bring a Plate. Lemon and Garlic Hummus with Homemade Pita Crisps

Posted on October 22, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Presentation night at our swim club. Casual get together. Bring a plate. It’s late Sunday afternoon and after a jam-packed weekend I want something that is easily transportable and easy to throw together. Hummus and pita crisps. A marriage made in heaven!

I like my hummus with just a hint of garlic, zinging with the tang of lemon. My pita crisps have to be thin and  light; crunchy like autumn leaves, seasoned with garlic, sea salt and pepper. If I have it on hand I like to use za’atar, a wonderful Middle Eastern spice mix  of wild thyme, sumac and sesame seed. Sadly I’d run out and had no time to duck out to the shops. Za’atar is quite easy to blend in a mortar and pestle but why bother when Herbies Spices have an exceptional version which is readily available at any good providore.

I know tubs of hummus and bags of pita crisps are available in almost every suburban supermarket and deli, but once you realise how delicious the home-made version is and how very easy it is to put together, you won’t want to go back. All it takes is half an hour in the kitchen, one can of chickpeas, one bag of lebanese bread, some tahini,  olive oil, garlic, lemon and seasoning.

Hummus with Lemon and Garlic
Makes 1 cup

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, bruised
1 tablespoon tahini
pinch mild paprika
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced

PLACE the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, paprika, 2 tablespoons of the oil, lemon zest and juice into a blender or bowl of a small food processor.
BLEND until pureed, gradually adding the remaining oil. If the hummus is too thick, add water to thin it out to desired consistency. Season to taste. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika and a drizzle of olive oil to serve.

Homemade Pita Crisps with Garlic, Sea Salt and Pepper

1 packet of Lebanese bread (6 rounds)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic
Sea salt flakes and black pepper, freshly ground

GRATE garlic into a small bowl of olive oil.
SPLIT each round of Lebanese bread into two, thin layers.

For each of the 12 rounds, split side up:

BRUSH lightly with the olive oil and garlic mixture. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper.
PLACE bread on baking sheet and bake in a moderate 180° C oven for 5 – 10 minutes,  until crisp and lightly toasted. (The thinner the bread, the quicker it toasts).
BREAK toasted bread into shards when cool.

Posted in To Serve with Drinks, Vegetarian, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Afternoon Tea Time Treat. Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Apples and Raspberries

Posted on October 20, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

When my daughter was about eight or nine years old her Christmas gift to me was a notebook with Mum’s Recipes copied in her best handwriting in red ink (to match the red scooter on the cover) and a pen. For years she has been diligently scribing all her favourite recipes into the notebook for me. These days you can only just make out the faded Mum’s Recipes on the cover, and leafing through I notice that it is only until very recently that anything other than sweet treats have been included.

The recipe for this well-loved cake has been included in that very special notebook. I can’t remember its provenance as the original copy of the recipe is missing in action. I have a kitchen drawer full of recipes that I have torn out of magazines and newspapers or begged from family and friends that I need to sort through. If it’s in that drawer, I haven’t been able to locate it…yet.

It’s the buttermilk that makes this cake so light and  moist. You can substitute almost any berries for the raspberries.  In the winter months I use very lightly stewed or baked  rhubarb with roasted hazelnut crumbs. I like the tartness of green granny smith apples, but you could substitute any variety of your favourite apple or even pear. It’s a great cake for morning or afternoon tea, and perfect for school lunch boxes.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Apples and Raspberries

Makes 12 pieces

150 g unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (320 g) caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (250 g) self-raising flour, sifted
2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
200 g raspberries, fresh or frozen
icing sugar, to dust

PREHEAT oven to 180C, non fan-forced
GREASE and line a 25cm square baking tin.
BEAT butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
STIR in the flour and buttermilk and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and stir through until just combined.
SPREAD a third of the batter in an even layer over the base of the prepared tin.
ARRANGE apple slices evenly over the layer of the mixture.
SPOON remaining mixture over the apple and smooth the surface.
SCATTER with raspberries, lightly pressing them into the batter.
BAKE for 40 minutes, middle rack position, until cooked and golden.
COOL in tin for 30 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack.
DUST with icing sugar when cold, and cut into squares.

Posted in Baked, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Glorious Cheat. Caminiti Butchery’s Whole Chicken with a Porcini Risotto Stuffing

Posted on October 19, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

I was out and about yesterday, crisscrossing Sydney attending to jobs on my burgeoning  to-do list. It was a productive and satisfying  but exhausting day. In my travels I passed by Great North Road in Five Dock, a little slice of  Italian heaven nestled in the suburbs. I have always adored Five Dock, it’s  home to three of my favourite haunts:

  1. Pasticceria Tamborrino  at number 75  for its ricotta and custard  filled cannoli and bigne
  2. Ranieri’s Continental Delicatessen at number 97 for its great wall of pasta, rustic wood-fired oven baked breads and awesome array of small goods and cheeses; and
  3. Caminiti Butchery a few blocks further up the street at number 185 for its involtini, polpette, bistecca fiorentina, and whole porcini risotto stuffed chickens.

When my children were younger and my days more leisurely we would often take a trip to Five Dock so I could satisfy my cravings for all those delicacies on offer in Great North Road. What can I say, the lure of a custard filled cannoli  is an excellent bribe. Today I was in a hurry and on a mission. One stop to pick up something for dinner at Caminiti and it had to be the porcini risotto stuffed chicken.

What is so amazing about this not so humble chook is that it is boned, stuffed and then put together to resemble a whole, unadulterated chicken; legs, breasts, thighs and wings. The first time I purchased one of these, many years ago, I hadn’t look closely enough and was oblivious to the fact that the chicken was boned until I roasted it, set it on a platter and started to carve. My dinner guests were so impressed!

I continue to be  impressed by this great find.  It has wow factor every single time I serve it.  I love its  simplicity; a one step, pop in the oven, set and forget meal.  My kind of cooking on a busy day.  All I have to do is take it home, turn on the oven, pour half a cup of chicken stock and half a glass of wine into the baking  pan with the chicken, and roast for one and a half hours at 180C. I like to serve it with nothing more than drizzled pan juices and a tossed green salad.

Here’s the transformation. Out of the vacuum sealed packet and ready for the oven.

Roasted. Golden and delicious. Moist and Succulent. Remember to save the pan juices.

For those of you lucky enough to live in close proximity to Five Dock, I highly recommend a visit to Great North Road. Stop in at Tamborrino for a coffee and cannoli, and perhaps pick up a take home box of assorted bigne. Wander up to Ranieri’s, admire the great wall of pasta and join in the banter at the deli counter.  Be warned,  you won’t need lunch after all the proffered tastings of cheese and small goods. That’s good, old-fashioned Italian hospitality for you. But no worries, you can work it off as you walk the two blocks or so to Caminiti Butcher to pick up the most glorious cheat – whole chicken with a porcini risotto stuffing. As I said to the butcher, so much better than a takeaway!

Posted in Poultry, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Glorious Cheat. Caminiti Butchery’s Whole Chicken with a Porcini Risotto Stuffing

Crab, Chilli, Garlic and Tomato Tagliatelle with Rocket and Lemon

Posted on October 18, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

I stopped by the fishmonger this morning intending to buy some fresh flathead fillets for dinner and froze dead in my tracks. Flathead fillets were $52.99 a kilo! I was stunned. In my mind flathead, delicious as it is, certainly isn’t a delicacy and shouldn’t be commanding those sorts of prices.

Growing up in a Catholic household rain, hail or shine we always had fish on Friday. My primary school principal, Sister Teresita,  even had me convinced at one stage that if I let meat pass my lips on a Friday I would burn in the eternal fires of hell.  It was a mortal sin, no less.  So, more often than not it was tuna fish sandwiches for lunch and flathead for dinner.  I take it that my mother took advantage of this situation to up the ante on our fish intake.  Even in later years when the Church relaxed the no meat on Friday rule, it was fish as usual at our house.

In those days flathead was cheap and plentiful.  My mother would strip the sweet fillets in half, dust them in flour and shallow fry platefuls of fish which we would devour like hungry seagulls. At $52.99 a kilo there was no way I was going to replicate that memory, so I cast my eye over the alternatives. And then it dawned on me, it was cheaper to eat freshly picked crab than almost any other fish.  You name it flathead, snapper, tuna, blue eye cod and even salmon were  all considerably more expensive than crab. Go figure. Crazy but true!  The only decision left to make was how was to prepare it.

We have a fabulous new local trattoria Popolo, down the road in McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay.  I’ve been there twice in a month now and love it so much that I have  convinced my book group its the go to venue for our annual Christmas get together.  Popolo does fresh, delicious Southern Italian food and has a mean cocktail bar.  Both visits I have been been blown away by their Home-Made Tagliatelle with Crab and Tomato. This was going to be my inspiration for dinner tonight.

Unfortunately, with no recipe to work with, and an unreliable memory (Popolo makes an awesome limoncello, gin and basil  cocktail) I was flying by the seat of my pants.  I had just bought the tagliatelle pasta and the crab, but was going  to have to improvise with the contents of my  fridge for the rest – long red chillies  fresh young garlic, lemons and rocket.  My version is not a patch on Popolo’s but its delicious and surprisingly quick to prepare.

 Crab, Chilli, Garlic and Tomato Tagliatelle with Rocket and Lemon

Serves 4

400g tagliatelle
1/2 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
1 spanish onion, finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with salt
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
1/2 cup white wine
4 roma tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and diced
250g fresh, picked crab
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
3 large handfuls of wild rocket (arugula) chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

BRING a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook it for about 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and return to pan.

While the pasta is cooking:

POUR 1/2 cup of the oil into a heavy based saucepan. Add onions and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and chilli and continue to cook on low heat for a further 2 minutes.
DE-GLAZE the pan with the wine, then add the prepared tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes on a medium heat
REDUCE heat to low. Add the crab meat and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Cook, stirring gently, until just warmed through. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
ADD the sauce to the tagliatelle with the lemon juice and rocket. Stir off the heat for 1-2 minutes.
SERVE immediately with a sprinkling of lemon zest.

Posted in Pasta, Seafood, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Crab, Chilli, Garlic and Tomato Tagliatelle with Rocket and Lemon

Midweek Roast. Chicken and Potatoes with Chilli, Garlic and Lemon.

Posted on October 17, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

There are some days where any one would be excused for thinking that I moonlight as a professional chauffeur. I spend hours from late afternoon to early evening ferrying girls from one after school activity to another. I am just grateful that my son boards at school during the week and I don’t have to accommodate his extra curricular activities into an already hectic schedule.

It’s a mindless activity, this incessant picking up and dropping off, but incredibly stressful when you are up against the clock and have to navigate the mean streets of inner city Sydney during peak hour. I entertain my passengers with a running commentary on other driver’s faux pas, never my own. I like to think of this as an exercise in educating the girls on the merits of safe driving. After all it won’t be too long before they themselves will want to get behind the wheel. Truth be told I’m dreading the day I have to get into a car with a learner driver.

The last thing I want to do when I finally get home is get in the kitchen and start cooking. I have a whole repertoire of dishes that either just need heating up when I walk in through the door, or better still slow cooking in the oven while I’m out and about. There’s nothing nicer than arriving home, opening the front door and being greeted by a waft of deliciousness. Honey I’m home. Sometimes I think I need a wife.

Here’s a recipe that helps fulfil that fantasy. It takes maybe 15 minutes to prepare, and best of all takes care of itself roasting in a slow oven. The chicken is juicy and succulent with a crispy skin. The potatoes golden and delicious, crunchy on the outside but soft when you bite into them.  Don’t be put off by the quantities of garlic,  chilli and oil – 10 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of chilli and a cup of oil sounds like a lot but somehow the slow roasting mellows and ameliorates the flavours. If you really have to, use less garlic and chilli. My husband is very vocal about his aversion to garlic but seems to have no problem enjoying this. Maybe he hasn’t noticed.

This is my strategy for getting dinner on the table fast. Prepare the chicken and potatoes, sometimes I do this hours in advance, and  keep the oven ready baking dish in the refrigerator, covered with cling film to keep those garlic odours at bay. Then all I have to do is place the baking dish in the oven as I leave home.

The chicken and potatoes roast away and after about an hour and fifteen minutes, I walk in the door and am greeted by dinner. Ready to be taken out of the oven, plated and served with a green salad. How easy is that?

Oven Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Chilli, Garlic and Lemon.

Easily serves 6

2 small chickens, each weighing about 1.2 kg
2 lemons, juiced and zest finely grated
10 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons dried chilli flakes
1 cup olive oil
8 medium Sebago or Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
Sea salt and pepper
Fresh chilli and parsley to garnish

PREHEAT oven to 170 C

BUTTERFLY the chickens. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut down either side of the backbone. Remove the backbone. Open the chicken outwards and using a sharp knife, remove the rib bones. You can ask a butcher to do this for you.

PLACE garlic, lemon zest and juice, chilli and oil into the bowl of a small food processor. Pulse to mince garlic and emulsify ingredients.

SEASON  butterflied chickens with salt and pepper, then massage flesh with about 1/3 of the garlic, lemon, chilli oil emulsion.  Place flat, breast side up in the centre of a large baking tray.

PLACE potatoes into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining emulsion over the potatoes. Ensure potatoes are well coated and tip contents of the bowl onto the baking tray. Arrange in an even layer around chicken

BAKE for 1 hour and 15 minutes in 170C oven, centre rack position, until chicken and potatoes are golden and crispy. If potatoes need a little more colour, remove chicken from tray, and place on a foil covered tray to rest. Turn up oven to 200C and roast potatoes for a further 10 minutes.

SERVE on a platter with a little of the pan juices poured over the chicken. Garnish with fresh chilli and parsley.

Posted in Poultry, Vegetables, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Luscious and Light. Strawberry Cloud Cake with Raspberries

Posted on October 16, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

This dreamy cake comes to me from across the ditch; that’s New Zealand for any non Australian readers, via my  Auntie Alex in Melbourne. She has been making Strawberry Cloud Cake for years. It’s an Annabel Langbein recipe from her cookbook, The Free Range Cook, and one of  my Auntie’s favourite desserts. Deservedly so.

Thanks for sharing Alex! I made it for the very first time yesterday and was astounded. It worked! The very first time. The hallmark of a great recipe. You warned me that the recipe was a bit different and to just bear with it and keep beating the filling until it eventually comes together.  I took your word for it and that is exactly what I did. Although I must admit my first reaction was “Who tips egg whites  hulled strawberries and sugar into a bowl together and just beats?”

The result? A fluffy, airy cloud bursting with fruit. Looks like a cheesecake but there is no dairy.  Freezes like an ice cream, but it has a soft mousse like texture. It’s a wonderful dessert that is deceptively simple to make, fifteen minutes preparation time in three simple steps:

  1. Prepare the base.  A crumb base of crushed biscuits ( I used Scotch Finger), a bit of coconut, cinnamon and butter.
  2. Prepare the filling.  After about eight minutes the filling truly does come together!
  3. Assemble and freeze for a minimum of four hours (overnight is best). Add raspberries just before serving. This photo is looking a bit melty but only because I misplaced my camera. And there was no way my children were going to wait for me to put it back in the freezer to firm up. This cake looked way too inviting.

The cake will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. With strawberries in season I think I might make a few batches of this cake and keep them in the freezer for a quick mid week dessert fix.

Strawberry Cloud Cake with Raspberries
Prep time: 15 mins
Freezer time: 4 hours
Serves: 10-12

Crumb Base
150g plain sweet biscuits
½ cup desiccated coconut
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
100g butter, melted

Filling
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
250g (1 punnet) ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

To Garnish
1 punnet raspberries

To Make the Crumb Base

LINE the base of a 26-28 cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper. This makes it easy to lift the cake out later.
PUT biscuits in a brown paper bag and crush them into crumbs by beating carefully with a rolling-pin.
POUR the crumbs into a medium bowl and add the coconut, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir well to combine.
PRESS firmly into the base of the prepared tin. It doesn’t need to be a thick layer – just enough to cover the bottom of the tin.
REFRIGERATE the base while you prepare the filling.

To Make the Filling

PLACE egg whites, sugar, sliced strawberries, lemon juice and vanilla in the clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer.
BEAT on high for about 6-8 minutes until the mixture is very thick and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved. To test whether it is ready, rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers. You should not feel any gritty sugar. If you do, beat a little longer.
SPOON the filling over the chilled base, smooth the top, cover with a sheet of baking paper and freeze for at least 4 hours.

To Serve

REMOVE cake from tin.
GARNISH  with fresh raspberries on top.
CUT cake into wedges using a knife that has been warmed in hot water.

Posted in Frozen, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fast and Delicious: Pea and Rocket Soup

Posted on October 15, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

This is my go to dish when I am tired, stressed or have simply over-indulged, as was the case this weekend. Its fast and easy to whip up, and so delicious. Who would have thought that a humble bag of peas can be transformed into a satisfying soup in under 30 minutes. To be honest it’s taken longer for me to type up and proof read this post.

I like to use homemade stock but have been known to use Campbell Real Stock tetra packs on occasion.  If using packaged stock  just freshen it up with a stalk of celery, some parsley and perhaps some spring onion as you  heat it up in readiness to add to the soup. It’s a neat trick that really lifts the flavour of the soup.

Serve with a good ciabatta or sourdough bread, and there’s dinner.

Pea and Rocket Soup

Serves 4

700 g frozen peas
100 g rocket leaves
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups (1 litre) hot vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade
shaved parmesan, to garnish
rocket leaves, to garnish
sea salt and pepper

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
ADD onion and cook until transparent and soft, about 5 minutes.
ADD peas and rocket, cook until rocket has wilted.
ADD the stock, bring to the boil.
REDUCE heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
COOL slightly, then puree until smooth using a stick blender or food processor.
SEASON with sea salt and pepper.
REHEAT and serve garnished with parmesan and rocket leaves

Posted in Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Nigella’s Sweet and Salty Crunch Nut Bars with Homemade Honeycomb.

Posted on October 15, 2012 by thepaddingtonfoodie

My girlfriend Amanda introduced me to this concoction earlier this year. Its rich and sinful and requires no effort at all. Melt, mix and pour into a pan to set. Pure Nigella Lawson. The original recipe calls for Crunchie bars, but with a rather large stash of homemade honeycomb on hand, I could think of no better substitute. And the result? Sweet, salty and sublime!

Nigella’s Sweet and Salty Crunch Nut Bars with Homemade Honeycomb

Serves: 20 squares

200g milk chocolate; broken into pieces
100g dark chocolate; broken into pieces
125g unsalted butter
3 x 15ml tbsp golden syrup
250g (2 cups) salted peanuts
2 cups homemade honeycomb, crumbled or 2 x 80g Crunchie bars

GREASE and line a 25cm square pan with foil.
PLACE butter, golden syrup and chocolate  in a heatproof bowl that fits snuggly on top of a saucepan (this stops water spraying into the chocolate).
HALF-FILL saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place bowl on top, making sure it doesn’t touch water (or it will overheat).
MELT gently over low heat.
CRUMBLE honeycomb shards into a bowl. I like to keep some of the honeycomb shards in largish chunks to add texture to the slice. Add peanuts and stir gently to combine.
TAKE the melted chocolate mixture off the heat and stir in the peanuts and crumbled honeycomb.
TIP mixture straight into prepared pan.  Smooth the top of the mixture and put it in the fridge for about four hours to set.
CUT into slices or squares, and store in an airtight container.

Posted in Chocolate, Confectionery, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment