Chilli Con Carne

Serves - 2

Prep Time - 50 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

Half tbsp Oil

100g Lean Beef Mince

1 Onion (finely chopped)

1 Garlic Clove (finely chopped)

400g can of Chopped Tomatoes

1 tbsp Tomato Puree

1/2 tsp Chilli Powder

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Coriander

1/2 Red Pepper (chopped)

100g Mushrooms (sliced)

1 small can of Kidney Beans

Black Pepper (grounded)

150g Basmati Rice (raw)

 

Method

 

Brown the mince over a gentle heat, stirring to stop it from sticking

Add the Onion and Garlic to the mince and cook for 2 to 3 minutes

Add the chopped Tomatoes, Tomato Puree and Spices. Bring the sauce to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the rice according to the packet instructions

Add the chopped Pepper and sliced Mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes

Add the drained Kidney Beans and simmer for another 5 minutes

Add the Pepper to taste and serve with the boiled rice

Baileys Banana Trifles

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Serves - 6

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

300g Extra Thick Double Cream

7 tbsp Baileys

6 Chocolate Brownies (Broken up)

3 Bananas (Sliced)

500g pot Vanilla Custard

6 tbsp Toffee Sauce

25g Chocolate (Grated)

 

Method

 

Mix the cream with 1 tbsp of Baileys, and set aside.

Divide the brownie pieces between 6 glasses, then drizzle each with 1 tbsp Baileys.

Top with the sliced bananas, custard and baileys cream.

Dividing equally.

Then drizzle with the toffee sauce and finish with grated chocolate.

Baked Raspberry & Lemon Cheesecake

Prep Time - 20 minutes

Cooking Time - 1 Hour 45 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

200g Digestive Biscuits

75g Butter (Melted)

600g Full Fat Soft Cheese

250g Golden Caster Sugar

150g Tub Natural Yoghurt

3 Medium Eggs

2 Lemons (finely grated zest, and juice)

50g Plain Flour

200g Raspberries

Icing Sugar (to decorate)

 

Method

 

Heat the oven to 120C and line the base of a 20cm round spring form tin with greaseproof paper. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or in a food bag using a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl with the melted butter and mix well. Push the biscuits into an even layer into the base of the cake tin and chill until needed.

 

In a separate bowl use an electric whisk to beat the soft cheese with the sugar. Next beat in the yoghurt then the eggs one at a time. Finally beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Fold through two thirds of the raspberries crushing them very slightly so they start to bleed into the mix then tip the mix on top of the biscuit base and smooth over the top.

 

Bake for 45 minutes then turn off the oven, leaving the cake inside for another hour then cool at room temperature. Chill overnight. To serve, remove from tin, scatter with the remaining raspberries and dust heavily with icing sugar.

Peppermint Creams

 

 

Makes 24

Prep Time - 20 minutes

Chill Time - 10 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

400g Icing Sugar

1 tbsp Condensed Milk

1-2 tsp Peppermint Flavouring

100g Dark Chocolate

 

Method

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the icing sugar, condensed milk, peppermint flavouring and 2 tbsp water to form a stiff paste. If the mixture feels too dry, add a splash more water, likewise, add more icing sugar if it feels too runny.

 

Dust a work surface and rolling pin with icing sugar and roll the paste out to about half a centimetre (0.5cm). Dip a 4cm diameter cutter in icing sugar and stamp out 24 rounds. Allow the rounds to dry out a little before decorating.

 

Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of just simmering water. Allow to cool slightly, then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small, plain nozzle. Pipe the chocolate in a zig-zag pattern. Chill for 10 minutes or until set

Vegetable Fritters

Prep Time - 15 minutes

Cooking Time - 30 minutes

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 Courgettes (Finely Diced)

1 Red Pepper (Finely Diced)

1 Red Onion (Finely Diced)

3 ripe Tomatoes (Finely Diced)

2 - 3 Spring Onions (Finely Chopped)

2 Red Chillies (Finely Chopped)

1 handful of canned Sweetcorn

2 Medium Potatoes (Grated)

1 handful Frozen Peas (Thawed)

1 large Garlic Clove (Crushed)

10 Mint Leaves (finely shredded)

Salt and Pepper

4 medium Eggs

200g Plain Flour

2 tablespoons Flora Cuisine

 

Method

 

In a large bowl, combine the diced courgette, green pepper, red onion, tomatoes, spring onion, chillies, sweetcorn, grated potatoes, peas, garlic and mint and mix together thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Break in the eggs, add in the flour and mix.

 

Heat the Flora Cuisine in a heavy based frying pan. Add in 3 to 4 large seprate spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan, forming 3 to 4  fritters. Fry over medium heat for around 2 minutes until set and golden-brown, then turn and fry for 2 minutes to brown the other side. Reduce the heat and fry for 3 - 5 minutes more to make sure the centres are cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

 

Repeat the process, frying the remaining fritters in batches as above, until all the fritter mixture has been used.

 

 

 

Orange & Pomegranate Cheesecake

Prep Time - 20 minutes

 

 

Ingredients

 

250g Digestive Biscuits

100g Butter (Melted)

600g Full-fat Cream Cheese

Zest of 3 Oranges and segments for decoration

3 tbsp Milk

100g Icing Sugar

150ml Double Cream

110g tub Pomegranate Seeds

 

Method

 

Crush the biscuits roughly - either put them in a plastic food bag and crush with a rolling pin, or whizz them in a food processor to chunky crumbs. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the melted butter and tip into a 23cm springform tin. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the biscuit mixture evenly to form the base. Chill until set (for about 30 minutes)

 

Put the soft cheese, zest, milk and icing sugar into a bowl and blend using an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until the mixture is the consistency of thick custard. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and spread evenly. Return to the fridge and chill until set, at least 4 hours or over night.

 

To serve, top with the orange segments and scatter over the pomegranate seeds

 

Pumpkin, chickpea and spinach soup

Serves - 4

Prep Time -  40 minutes

 

 

Ingredients

 

15g Butter

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion (Finely Chopped)

1 Garlic Clove (Finely Chopped)

225g Pumpkin (Peeled and cut into small pieces)

410g can Chickpeas (Drained)

750ml Vegetable Stock

1 Bay Leaf

125g Baby Spinach

Salt

Pepper

Chunky Bread to serve

 

Method

 

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and, in this soften the onion and garlic over a low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes, then add the chickpeas, stock and bay leaf. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

 

Remove the bay leaf and roughly mash up the pumpkin and chickpeas using a potato masher to get a textured soup, or whizz it in a blender if you want it smooth, then return to the pan. Add the spinach, give it a stir and cook for 5 minutes.

 

Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if required.

 

Serve it up with a chuck of good bread

Peach Melba Cheesecake

Prep Time - 30 minutes (Plus Overnight chilling)

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

100g Butter (Melted, plus a little extra for the tin)

200g Crunchy Biscuits

600g Soft Cheese

100g Icing Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

300ml Pot Double Cream

450g Raspberries

3 Really ripe Peaches (Sliced in to chucks)

 

Method

 

Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment - use smudges of butter to help the paper stay in place around the sides. Put the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin, then mix thoroughly with the melted butter. Tip into the prepared tin and press down firmly to create an even base. Chill while you prepare the filling.

 

Put the soft cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Tip in the cream and continue beating until mixture is combined. Scatter over 100g of the raspberries and half of the peach chunks. Using a spatula, fold in with just a few folds - as you assemble the cheesecake they'll ripple through more.

 

Spoon the cream mixture onto the biscuit base, working from the edges inwards, smotth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessert spoon or spatula. Leave to set overnight in the fridge.

 

In a food processor, blitz 250g of the remaining raspberries, sieve, stir back in 1 tsp of the seeds, if you like, and sweeten to taste with icing sugar. Add enough water to make it saucy and chill until serving.

 

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving. If using a loose-bottomed tin, unmould by placing on top of a can then gradually pull down the sides of the tin. Slip the cheesecake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base. Scatter the remaining raspberries and peach chunks over the cheesecake, dribble over some of the sauce and serve the rest alongside

Thai Red Duck with Sticky Pineapple Rice

Prep Time - 20 minutes

Cooking Time - 15 minutes

 

Serves 2

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 Duck Breasts - Skin removed and discarded

1 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste

Zest and Juice 1 Lime (plus extra wedges to serve)

140g Jasmine Rice

125ml Light Coconut Milk

140g Frozen Peas

50g Beansprouts

1/2 Red Onion (Diced)

100g Fresh Pineapple

1 Red Chilli (Deseeded and finely chopped)

1/4 small pack Coriander (Stalks finely chopped)

 

Method

 

Sit a duck breast between 2 sheets of cling film on a chopping board. Use a rolling pin to bash the duck until it is 0.5cm thick. Repeat with the other breast, then put them both in a dish. Mix the curry paste with the lime zest and juice, and rub all over the duck. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, tip the rice into a small saucepan with some salt. Pour over the coconut milk with 150ml water. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan, turn the heat down low and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the peas, then cover, turn the heat off and leave for another 10 minutes. Check the rice - all the liquid should be absorbed and the rice cooked through. Boil the kettlem put the beansprouts and red onion in a colander and pour over a kettleful of boiling water. Stir the beansprouts and onion into the rice with the pineapple, chilli and coriander stalks, and some more salt if it needs it, and put the lid back on to kept warm.

 

Heat a griddle pan and cook the duck for 1-2 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Slice the duck, stir most of the coriander leaves through the rice with a fork to fluff up, and serve alongside the duck, scattered with the remaining coriander.

Tarte Tatin

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 - 2 Hours

 

 

Ingredients

 

2kg Dessert Apples (About 12, Peeled)

3 tbsp Water

100g Caster Sugar

60g Unsalted Butter (Chopped)

30g Unsalted Butter (melted)

300g Puff Pastry (rolled to a thickness of 3mm cut very slightly large than the diameter of the tarte tin, pricked with a fork and frozen)

 

Method

 

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F or Gas Mark 4.

Cut the apples in half horizontally, remove the cores and slice off the rounded tops and bottoms of the apples so they sit flat in the tin.

Put the water in the bottom of the tin and sprinkle over the sugar.

Let it sit for 2 minutes to allow the water to absorb the sugar.

On a medium heat, cook the syrup until it turns to a pale blonde caramel, then stir in the diced butter this will stop the caramel cooking and give extra richness to the dish.

Arrange the apples, middles uppermost, around the edge of the tin and then fill in the centre with the edge of the tin and then fill in the centre with the remaining apples.

It is important to pack them as tightly as possibly - press them down with your hands as you go.

Brush the apples with the melted butter and place the tin on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place the disk of frozen pastry on the top. Tuck the edges of the pastry in to the dish and prick a few holes with a sharp knife to let the steam out as the dish cooks.

Return to the oven for a further 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.

Allow to cool at room temperature for one hour before turning out of the tin and serve warm.