[guide.chat] August Recipes

  • From: "Kevin Burgin" <kevin.burgin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:37:11 +0100

Hi Food Lovers

I have just bought Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson as a daisy book and I like 
it a lot.  So much I've gone over the top with it.  There are a lot of recipes 
from it this month in the attached recipes.

Find attached this months recipes.

Enjoy

Kevin
Blackberry Crisp

From Nigella Express a talking book title

Serves 4 to 6

125 G butter
60 G jumbo porridge oats
40 G flaked almonds
30 G sunflower seeds
70 G flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
75 G soft light brown sugar
500 G blackberries
2 teaspoons corn flour
50 G vanilla sugar or castor sugar

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius or gas mark 6.  Melt the butter in 
a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave and then put to one side for a 
moment.

2.  Combine the porridge oats, flaked almonds, sunflower seeds, flour, ground 
cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl.

3.  Tip the blackberries into a wide shallow baking dish, I use one with a 750 
ml capacity.  Sprinkle the corn flour and sugar over the berries and tumble 
them about to mix.

4.  Stir the melted butter into the oat mix and spoon on top of the 
blackberries to partially but not completely cover them.  

5.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and serve with ice cream or thick cream.
Brandied Bacony Chicken

From Nigella Express a talking book title

Serves 4

Alongside, I serve the Potato and Mushroom Gratin and a lemony Green Salad.

Ingredients:

2 rashers streaky bacon
1 chicken approximately 1.25 kg in weight
60 ml brandy

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 220 degrees/gas mark 7.

2.  In a small frying pan, cook the bacon over a medium heat until it is crisp 
and the pan is full of bacony fat which is about 4 minutes.

3.  Take the pan off the heat, then remove the bacon and put it straight into 
the cavity of the chicken sitting the chicken breast side up in a roasting tin 
as you do so.

4.  Pour the brandy into the still hot frying pan and let it bubble for a 
minute with the bacon fat.  

5.  Pour the brandy mixture over the chicken, place in the hot oven and roast 
for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear between the leg and body.  Let it 
rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Cheddar Cheese Risotto

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
  a talking book title

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter.

Ingredients:

15 G butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 baby leeks or fat spring onions, finely sliced
300 G risotto rice
125 ml white wine
half teaspoon mustard
1 litre hot vegetable stock
125 G Cheddar cheese, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method:

1.  Melt the butter and oil in a medium sized pan and cook the sliced leeks 
until they have softened.

2.  Add the risotto rice and keep stirring for a minute or so then turn up the 
heat and ad the wine and mustard stirring until the wine is absorbed.  

3.  Start ladling the hot stock letting each ladleful become absorbed as you 
stir before adding the next one.

4.  Stir and ladle until the rice is soft about 18 minutes then add the cheese 
stirring it into the rice until it melts.

5.  Take the pan straight off the heat still stirring as you do so and spoon 
the risotto into warmed dishes sprinkling with some of the chopped chives.  
Cherry Cheesecake

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson a   talking book title

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

125 G digestive biscuits
75 G softened butter
300 G of cream cheese
60 G icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
the juice of 1 lemon
250 ml double cream
280 G black cherry jam

Method:

1.  Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until it is beginning to turn to 
crumbs then add the softened butter and whizz again to make the mixture clump.  

2.  Press this mixture down into the base of a 20 cm spring form tin, press a 
little up the sides to form a slight ridge.

3.  Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon 
juice in a bowl until smooth.

4.  Lightly whip the double cream and then fold it into the cream cheese 
mixture.

5.  Spoon the cheese cake filling on to the biscuit base and smooth with a 
spatula.  Put it into the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.

6.  When you are ready to serve the cheesecake unmould it and spread the black 
cherry jam over the top of the cheesecake.  
Chicken, Mushroom And Bacon Pie

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
  a talking book title

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 rashers streaky bacon, cut or scissored into   2.5 cm strips
1 teaspoon garlic oil
125 G chestnut mushrooms, sliced into 2.5 mm   pieces
250 G chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2.5 cm   pieces 
25 G flour
half a teaspoon of dried thyme
15 G butter
300 ml hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon masala
1 375 G sheet of all butter ready rolled puff   pastry

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade or gas mark 7.  In a heavy based 
frying pan, fry the bacon strips in the oil until beginning to crisp, then add 
the sliced mushrooms and soften them in the pan with the bacon.

2.  Put the flour and thyme in a bowl and then turn the chicken thighs in the 
flour and thyme until it is well coated or you could use a freezer bag to toss 
the chicken in the flour and thyme instead and then melt the butter in the pan 
with the bacon and mushrooms before adding the floury chicken and all the flour 
left in the bag, stir well until the chicken begins to colour.

3.  Pour in the hot stock and masala, stirring to form a sauce and let this 
bubble away for about 5 minutes.

4.  Take 2 individual 300 ml pie dishes - if yours are deeper don't worry - 
they will simply be more space between contents and puff pastry top and make a 
pastry rim for each one.  By this, I mean an approximate 1 cm strip curled 
around the top of each plate, dampen the edges with a little water to make the 
pastry stick.

5.  Cut a circle bigger than the top of each pie dish for the lid and then 
divide the chicken filling between the 2 dishes.

6.  Dampen the rim of pastry again and then put on the lid of each pie sealing 
the edges with your fingers.  

7.  Cook the pies for about 20 minutes turning them around half way through 
cooking.  Once cooked they should have puffed up magnificently.  
Flourless Chocolate Brownies

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
a talking book title

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients:

225 G dark chocolate
225 G butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200 G castor sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150 G ground almonds
100 G chopped walnuts

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade or gas mark 3.  Melt the 
chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan.

2.  Take the pan off the heat mix in the vanilla and sugar and let it cool a 
little.

3.  Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped 
walnuts.  Spoon into a 24 cm square baking tin.

4.  Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes by which time the top should have set 
but the mixture will still be gooey.  Once cooler, cut carefully 4 down 4 
across into 16 squidgy bellied squares.  

Serve with ice cream and hot chocolate sauce.


Hot Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

75 G dark chocolate
125 ml double cream
2 tablespoons camp coffee or 2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder 
dissolved into 2   tablespoons water
1 tablespoon golden syrup

Method:

1.  Break up the chocolate and put into a heavy based saucepan.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients then place the pan over a gentle heat and let 
everything melt together.

3.  Once everything has melted stir well take off the heat and pour into a jug 
to serve.
Microwavable Oriental Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

400 G skinless chicken breast fillets
2.5 CM piece of fresh root ginger
1 garlic clove
75 ML dark soy sauce
45 Ml dry sherry
5 Ml ground cumin
5 Ml ground coriander
15 Ml vegetable oil

For The Chilli Dipping Sauce:
75 G crunchy peanut butter
100 Ml coconut milk
5 G chilli powder
30 Ml dark soy sauce

To Garnish:
coriander sprigs
lime halves

Method:

1.  Slice the chicken into thick, finger length strips, peel and grate the 
ginger.  Peel and crush the garlic.

2.  Combine the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sherry, cumin, coriander and 
vegetable oil together.

3.  Add the chicken and stir well to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 
minutes.  If time allows leave for 3 to 4 hours or even overnight.

4.  Thread the chicken onto eighteen 12-15 CM wooden skewers.  Arrange on a 
large microwave proof plate.  Cook on high for 3 to 3 and a half minutes, 
re-arranging after 2 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, mix the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.  
Remove the skewers from the microwave and leave to stand.  Cook the sauce on 
high for 1 minute.  Stir to combine.

6.  Serve skewers garnished with coriander and lime.  Serve with the warm 
peanut sauce.
No Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
  a talking book title

Serves 8

This is a delicate pink ice cream

Ingredients:

2 pomegranates plus seeds from a third for   decoration (optional)
1 lime
175 G icing sugar
500 ml double cream

Method:

1.  Juice the pomegranates and the lime and strain the juices in to a bowl.

2.  Add the icing sugar to the bowl and whisk to dissolve.

3.  Whisk in the double cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form in the 
pale pink cream.

4.  Spoon and smooth the ice cream into an air tight container and freeze for 
at least 4 hours or overnight.

5.  Scatter with some pomegranate seeds before serving.
Potato And Mushroom Gratin

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 average size baking potatoes approximately   750 G in total weight, thinly 
sliced
350 ml full fat milk
3 tablespoons white wine 
30 G butter
2 teaspoons garlic oil
250 G chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 220 degrees centigrade or gas mark 7 and butter a 
shallow baking dish or gratin dish.  

2.  Bring the sliced potatoes, white wine and milk to the boil in a saucepan 
seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and stirring occasionally.  Then leave 
at a simmer as you get on with the mushrooms.

3.  Warm the butter and oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat, add the 
mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally until softened.  which should be about 
3 minutes.

4.  Pour the mushrooms and there garlicky buttery juices into the pan of 
potatoes, stir to mix and pour straight into the buttered gratin dish.  Bake in 
the oven alongside the chicken for 45 minutes or until piping hot and crisp on 
top.  
Prune And Honey Cake

Ingredients:

3 eggs (size 3)
200 G soft brown sugar
200 ml sunflower oil
150 ml milk
275 G white flour, sifted
half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
half a teaspoon of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
half a teaspoon of mixed ground cloves,   (optional)
half teaspoon of mixed spice
250 G prunes, soaked, stoned and chopped
2 tablespoons armagnac

For The Glaze:
3 tablespoons clear honey, lightly warmed

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius/375 degrees Fahrenheit/gas mark 5.  
Butter and flour a 20 cm cake tin.

2.  Place the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy.  
Add the oil and milk and continue to whisk until amalgamated.

3.  Now add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and the spices and fold in gently.  
Lastly, fold in the prunes and armagnac.

4.  Transfer to the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 
minutes or until a thin skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out 
clean.

5.  Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out 
onto a plate.

6.  Make holes over the top of the cake with a fork.  Pour the warmed, runny 
honey all over the cake and serve warm with whipped cream.
Simple Cheese And Onion Pie

Ingredients:
200 G onions, cut into small chunks
250 G potatoes, cut into small chunks
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
250 G short crust pastry
150 G grated cheese
salt and pepper
50 G butter

Method:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over the heat.  Add the onions and potatoes and 
cook until soft.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Take off the heat and 
stir in the cheese, set aside to cool completely.

Divide the pastry out into 2 pieces,one larger than the other about 2 thirds of 
the pastry.  Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to 
line a pie dish.  Lift the edges of the pastry so that the pastry goes down 
into all the corners of the pie dish and that there are no air pockets beneath 
the pastry.  Trim the edges of the pastry if necessary.  Spoon the potato mix 
into the pastry case.  Roll out the other piece of pastry and place it on top 
of the pie and egg wash it and cut two slits on the top to release air during 
cooking.

Cook on gas mark 6 for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden.


Variation:

Cheese And onion Pasties

Makes about 6

Replace the short crust pastry with a packet of puff pastry.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface.  Using a bowl as a 
template, place the bowl on the pastry and cut round it with a sharp knife to 
make a circle of pastry and set it aside.  Keep doing this until all the pastry 
is used up.

Place some of the onion and cheese mixture in the centre of each pastry circle 
and egg wash around the edges.  Bring both sides of the pastry together and 
press together to seal.  Place them one at a time on a baking sheet and egg 
wash.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes on gas mark 6 or until the pastry is golden and crisp.

This recipe can be frozen.
Tartar Sauce

From BBC Good Food Magazine

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoons of gherkins
1 teaspoon of kapers, rinsed and chopped

Method:

Mix all the ingredients with some seasoning and set aside.
Tie Prawn And Noodle Soup

from Gluten-Free Cooking a talking book title

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 bunch of spring onions
200 G or 7 oz Pac choi or green cabbage
1.2 litres or 2 pints rich chicken stock
1 tablespoon light musgavardo sugar
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
50 G or 2 oz dried stir fry rice noodles
50 G or 2 oz fresh root ginger, finely chopped
200 G or 7 oz peeled prawns

Method:

1.  Slice the spring onions diagonally and then shred the Pac choi or green 
cabbage.

2.  Put the stock, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in a large saucepan and bring 
to the boil.  

3.  Gently heat the oil in a frying pan, add the spring onions and greens and 
cook very gently for 3 minutes to soften.  

4.  Break the noodles into short lengths and add to the stock with the 
vegetables, ginger and prawns.  Heat through gently for 2 minutes and serve 
immediately.  
Totally Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
  a talking book title

Makes 12

Ingredients:

125 G dark chocolate
150 G flour
30 G cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
half a teaspoon of salt
125 G softened butter
75 G light brown sugar
50 G white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
350 G dark chocolate chips

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade or gas mark 3.  Melt the 125 G 
dark chocolate either in the microwave or in a heat proof dish or bowl over a 
pan of simmering water.

2.  Put the flour, cocoa,  bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.

3.  Cream the sugars and butter in another bowl.  Add the melted chocolate and 
mix together.

4.  Beat in the vanilla extract and cold egg and then mix in the dry 
ingredients.  Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

5.  Divide out into 12 equally sized mounds and place on a lined baking sheet 
about 6 cm apart, do not flatten them.

6.  Cook for 18 minutes testing with a cake tester or skewer and make sure it 
is clean.  This will mean that they are cooked.

7.  Leave to cool slightly on the baking sheet for 4 to 5 minutes then transfer 
them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

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