Dense Chocolate Loaf

This recipe is truly a revelation, this is one of the densest, fudgiest chocolate cakes I have ever tasted let alone made, think of it as a combination of a dense, moist brownie and an ordinary chocolate cake.

This cake is great with coffee and will also make a perfectly luxurious desert, perhaps topped with ice cream or whipped cream. Start melting your chocolate in a double boiler. Meanwhile cream together the butter and the sugar with a mixer until it resembles damp sand. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined and smooth.

Add the melted chocolate to the mixture and fold it in with a metal spoon until combined and the colour is even, Fold in the flour, baking powder and boiling water a tablespoon at a time until combined and pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin, don't worry if the mixture looks fairly liquid, this is intentional. Bake for about 40 minutes at 190C until the cake has risen slightly and is firm on top. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin and eating.

ingredients

225g soft butter
375g brown sugar
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
100g dark chocolate
200g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
250ml boiling water

Walnut Cappuccino Birthday Cake

I first made this cake for my friend Alice's birthday earlier this month, she is something of a coffee fiend, and thus I created this concoction for her, a lusciously moist coffee-flavoured sponge with a coffee whipped cream frosting. The frosting will be more or less set depending on how much coffee you add, I choose to sacrifice firmness for a caffeinated hit but you may prefer a firmer icing.

Start by making your sponges, this recipe makes quite a lot of cake, enough for ten people to each have a hefty slice, if you are making this for a significantly more intimate crowd then you can halve the recipe. I make and cook each sponge mixture separately as my kitchen isn't large enough to make both at the same time, but this isn't obligatory.

Start by making a small cafetiere of very very strong coffee, leave it aside to cool. Cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer until smooth, whisk the eggs and add them gradually to the mixer with a little flour at a time. Fold in the rest of the flour and the baking powder to the mixture and add half of the coffee. Divide into two sandwich tins and bake until browned and cooked through. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting whip the cream until stiff and thick, I often use a food processor for this, mostly because I'm lazy but a hand mixer will also do the trick. Add the rest of the coffee and process until the cream has turned a smooth taupe. To this add the icing sugar and mix until smooth.

When the cakes have cooled place the first on a plate and cover the top with frosting, carefully place the other cake on top and cover the whole thing with icing using the back of a spoon. Roughly chop the walnuts and sprinkle them over the top and the sides of the cake, refrigerate until ready to serve.

ingredients

for the cake
300g granulated sugar
300g vegetable shortening
6 eggs
300g plain flour
2tbsp baking powder
4 tablespoons ground guatemalan coffee
250ml hot water

for the icing
100ml whipping cream
400g icing sugar
100g walnut pieces

Salted Caramel Pancakes

Apologies for my absence from the airwaves recently, being a finalist is more difficult and time-consuming than I had imagined, thankfully I made it out without killing myself or anyone else, and retaining my sanity.

This is a fantastic dish, and though it tastes luxuriously decadent it is woefully simple. I'm absurdly proud of having made this without burning myself which is a tragically common occurrence when making caramel. You can adjust the quantities of salt if you wish for it to be more or less salty, I use french fleur-de-sel for this dish, which is traditional in France. Fleur-de-sel is harvested in Guérande, in Brittany, and it is formed when moving water evaporates leaving salt crystals with a characteristic floral shape. If you can't find these then sea salt flakes can be used.

Start by whisking all your pancake ingredients together in a large glass bowl, cover it with a tea towel and leave it to rest while you make your caramel sauce.

For the sauce, place the soft brown sugar in a saucepan and heat over a high heat stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar has melted to a pale brown amber, continue to heat, stirring until you have reached your desired darkness, the darker the caramel the more bitter it will be, take care that the sugar doesn't burn. Add the cubed butter and stir it into the sugar until it melts.

The sugar and the butter will start to separate, use a whisk to combine them until smooth and bubbling, remove from the heat and add the heavy cream, it will bubble ferociously, return the pan to the heat and whisk it until smooth. Some of the sugar may resolidify, heat it for a few minutes on high until it has all melted and is smooth. Leave it to cool then add the salt and mix. When it has cooled further pour it into a sauce boat.

Cook your pancakes, heat a little vegetable oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and add a ladleful of the pancake batter, cook it for a few minutes on each side, flipping it with a spatula.

Serve the pancakes folded and topped with lashings of the salted caramel sauce.

ingredients:

for the pancakes
100g plain flour
1 large egg
300ml milk
sunflower oil for frying

for the sauce
100g soft muscovado sugar
45g cubed unsalted butter
100ml single cream
1/2 tbsp fleur de sel de Guérande

Fig Roll Danish

This is part five of our Great British Bake Off Bakealong, and I must say that these bakes are getting more and more difficult. This weeks challenge was danish pastries, and whilst I adore a flaky danish, they aren't easy to make. These danish pastries are based on the flavours of a fig roll, and they are really rather good, and more than a little moreish.

Start by making your dough, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the water, mixing with a fork to a smooth dough. Knead thoroughly and leave to rise until doubled in size.

When the dough has risen knock it back and roll it out to a 20cmX60cm rectangle. Roll out your butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper, place the butter in the centre of the dough and fold each side of the dough over the butter. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out again to a 20X60 rectangle, fold the edges into the middle again and return to the fridge, repeat this step three timed resting in the fridge between steps and finally leave to rest and rise in the fridge for 8 hours.

To make your filling process 8 soft and squidgy figs in a food processor with a splash of water and a teaspoon of soft brown sugar. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and process again until smooth.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out to a 5mm thickness, cut it into rectangles, cut each edge of the rectangle into strips as in the picture below.

Spoon a little of the fig mixture into the middle of the pastry and cross the strips over the top, alternating until all of the mixture is covered. Repeat until all the pastry is used up. Brush liberally with beaten egg and bake in a medium hot oven for around 20 minutes until golden and flaky.

ingredients
for the dough
500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 
10g salt, plus a pinch for the egg wash 80g caster sugar 10g instant yeast 300ml cool water 300g chilled unsalted butter1 medium egg to glaze

for the filling
8 dried figs
1tbsp brown muscovado sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
water

Zucchini Tomato Risotto

I have published risotto recipes on this site before but never one quite like this, my mother first introduced to me this concept and I rather like it, this dish uses slow roasted tomatoes and tomato passata, added to the rice just before it has finished cooking to add sweetness, and it's truly a revelation, my only stipulation with this recipe is that you must make it in summer, tomatoes grown in a greenhouse in December simply won't provide enough delicate sweetness.

Around an hour or so before you wish to eat drizzle some olive oil into the bottom of a glass ovenproof dish and add the cherry tomatoes, add another drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes to the tomatoes and place them in a medium oven for an hour or until they have shriveled.

Dice a white onion and heat some vegetable oil with a knob of butter in a large heavy-based frying pan. Fry the onion until translucent and soft and add a teaspoon of ground coriander. Make up your stock in a jug. Add the arborio rice and turn in the oil until it is shiny and coated. Brown lightly and add a splash of vermouth. Cook off the alcohol until the pan is relatively dry and no longer smells alcoholic. Add the stock a splash at a time until it has all been absorbed and the rice is still firm, but tender.

Meanwhile, dice the courgette and fry it lightly in butter until it has browned. When the rice is cooked add the passata and stir, allow to reduce slightly then add the grated parmesan and stir until it has melted. Add the courgette and the roasted tomatoes and combine. Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

ingredients

1 medium white onion

300g arborio rice

vegetable oil

small knob unsalted butter

small splash vermouth

500ml vegetable stock

50g grated parmesan

150ml tomato passata

100g cherry tomatoes

2 courgettes

small pinch sea salt flakes

Marmite Cheese on Toast

Yes. Yes, I am giving a recipe for cheese on toast, though cheese on toast might seem like a pretty self-explanatory dish, I feel incredibly passionate about this variation, though this might just be the easiest recipe I have ever shared.

I have written here before about my passion for marmite, I adore salty foods much to the chagrin of my father, and I even own a book of recipes, all of which use marmite, I have also previously shared a recipe for marmite macaroni which I urge you to try if you are as passionate for this viscous salty elixir.

The inspiration for this recipe is twofold, firstly it's a variation on a favorite snack of my friend Morgans, and secondly it takes me back to my childhood when my favorite dinner was a baked potato split in half and spread thickly with a coronary-inducing amount of marmite wth a melting slice of red Leicester on top.

Start by toasting your bread, then spread it with butter and then marmite, cover with melted cheese and place under a hot grill for five minutes, until the cheese has melted and started to brown, remove from the grill and devour.

ingredients

bread
butter
marmite
grated cheddar

Mojito Drizzle Cake

This is part of a new series I've started here on Philips Journal. Based on the greatest show on television, The Great British Bake Off which just returned to our screens after a too long break. This week the bakers made drizzle cake, and seeing as baking isn't my greatest passion, I decided to challenge myself every week to make my own version of the signature bakes. This week was drizzle cakes, so here is my version.

This is based on the flavours of a mojito, I've added peppermint extract and lime zest to the sponge, and used lime juice for the drizzle.

Start by making your sponge, cream the softened butter and caster sugar together until smooth, add the eggs one at a time and stir gently. Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract and the zest of a lime and mix. Sift in the flour a little at a time and fold until smooth, spoon into a greased loaf tin and bake at 220C for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking squeeze the juice of 2 limes into a saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of sugar and swirl the pan to make a syrup, a few minutes before the cake is ready heat gently until the mixture is hot, but not boiling. Remove the cake from the oven and prick all over with a skewer. Drizzle over all the syrup and leave in the tin to cool.

ingredients

225g unsalted butter
225g self raising flour
300g caster sugar
4 eggs
2 limes
1 tsp peppermint extract

Peanut Butter Tollhouse Cookies

I have a sick obsession with peanut butter which I almost certainly inherited from my mother. My mother was known for eating it from a teaspoon when pottering around the kitchen, and when asked what she was eating she would promptly try to swallow the entire spoonful whole, and end up looking like the snake from The Jungle Book in the process.

These manage to quench my desire for peanut butter quite nicely, though I suspect that my father would abhor them, he has a loathing of peanuts, perhaps understandable given how many different varieties of urine bar nuts allegedly contain.

These cookies are flourless, and thus this recipe has the bonus of being gluten free. Start by measuring your smooth peanut butter into a large bowl, add the sugar, salt, and baking powder and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Add an egg and a teaspoon of vanilla extract and gently stir them into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the paper spread well apart. Bake at 180C for 12 minutes until they have spread and crisped slightly. Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes until they have cooled and then gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool fully.

ingredients:

225g smooth peanut butter

100g molasses sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch sea salt flakes

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

75g chocolate chips

Corn Chowder

I have a complicated relationship with soup, I adore it, but whenever I make it I always end up making enough for the entire street and eating it for a week afterwards. The quantities shown here are enough for one large bowl, feel free do multiply the quantities if you wish to make more.

Start by putting your sweetcorn, defrosted under boiling water and drained in a food processor. Add a bruised clove of garlic and a chopped spring onion and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with 500ml of hot vegetable stock. Mix with a wooden spoon and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup is simmering scatter a small handful of tortilla chips on a baking tray and cover with liberal amounts of grated cheese, place in a hot oven for four or five minutes until the cheese has melted and the tortilla chips have started to brown. Ladle the soup into bowls and cover with the tortilla chips, and devour.

Ingredients

250g frozen sweetcorn
1 clove garlic
1 spring onion
500ml vegetable stock
small handful tortilla chips
40g grated cheese

Beef Stroganoff

This dish was first cooked in 19th-century Russia by Count Pavel Stroganoff, a dignitary of Alexander III. It was subsequently popularised in America in the 1950's where it was often served with pasta, this version is served with a mound of buttery rice.

This is a beef stroganoff, however, you can make a vegetarian version if you so wish, simply by omitting the beef strips and using more mushrooms. For the meat, I use ready diced beef which tends to be a bit cheaper than buying a steak and then slicing it, you can. of course, use any cut of beef you like, if you wish to be a little more extravagant.

Start by chopping a medium sized white onion finely, add a large knob of butter to a frying pan with a little vegetable oil and melt on a medium heat, add the onion and fry until it is translucent and slightly browned, add some finely sliced mushrooms and cook for five minutes. Transfer from the pan to a bowl and slice your beef into thin strips if you haven't gone down the lazy prepared route as I have. Cook your beef for a few minutes until cooked through but still tender.

Return the onions and the mushrooms to the pan and add the creme fraiche and the mustard, stir until combined, add a pinch of paprika and nutmeg and serve, on a bed of rice.

ingredients

250g beef (see above)
50g button mushrooms
4 tbsp creme fraiche
1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard
pinch paprika
pinch nutmeg
large knob butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
salt & pepper

Prawn Curry Soup

I recently experienced somewhat of a craving for curry, and I'm not referring to the fluorescent orange tandoori found in most middle England towns, but to something rather softer, and less harsh, more fragrant and aromatic than fiery and spicy.

Whilst curry is wonderful it can often get boring, so I created this dish to use similar flavours as a curry, but without needing rice as an accompaniment, here I serve it instead with a toasted pitta, which is clearly not traditional, given the vast distance between the middle east and south-east Asia, it has a texture almost reminiscent of a chapati, but is much easier to procure.

Start by chopping a head of broccoli into fine florets, discard the tough stalk and stir-fry them in a little vegetable oil until tender, add the cooked prawns and toss in the hot oil. Add the korma paste and stir until the prawns and the broccoli are coated. Add the double cream and stir until it is a uniform ochre tone. Add 250ml of water from a recently boiled kettle and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring sporadically until the soup has thickened, and serve, with a freshly toasted wholewheat pitta.

ingredients

150g cooked king prawns
1 head broccoli
3 tablespoons korma paste
50ml double cream
salt & pepper

Potato Korma

Part of what I love so intensely about indian cuisine, is their lack of fear at serving carbs with carbs with carbs. I adore carbs, as was illustrated recently when I ordered a jacket potato with a side of chips. My adoration of starch aside though a potato curry served with rice might sound a rather bizarre prospect, in all honestly it is wonderfully comforting.

I've added carrots to this recipe in addition to the traditional potatoes, and I've used a korma curry paste, making this more of a spiced dish than a spicy dish. This dish is also vegan, entirely accidentally, as I used coconut cream instead of dairy cream to make a lighter, less rich curry.

Start by prepping your veg, chop the potatoes and carrots into large chunks and place in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Salt and cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for 15 minutes until tender and drain. Put the saucepan back on the heat and add the korma paste. Stir with a wooden spoon to coat the vegetables in the paste, and add the coconut cream. Stir until the cream has combined with the paste and add a large dash of sea salt flakes and some crushed black pepper.

Turn down the heat and simmer the curry until it has reached your desired level of wetness. I enjoy my curries relatively dry. Serve on a bed of cooked brown rice.

Ingredients

250g small potatoes
2 large carrots
250ml coconut cream
2 tablespoons korma paste
salt & pepper

Conchiglie alla Vodka

There are many theories about the origin of this dish. Some claim that the dish was created by a graduate of Columbia University, James Doty in the USA, others claim that it was first served at a restaurant in Bologna. It has also been claimed to be a roman concept, first created and served during the 1980's.

This may sound bizarre, but to be entirely honest, it doesn't exactly taste of vodka, but the alcohol brings out the flavour of the tomato, leading to a sauce that is rich, thick and smooth. Some recipes add the vodka straight to the sauce, I elect instead inspired by Nigella Lawson to toss the pasta in the vodka before adding the sauce.

Finely chop half an onion, and fry it in garlic oil sprinkled with salt until it has softened and is translucent. Add the can of chopped tomatoes to the frying pan, turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until thick, add the double cream and stir until smooth. Meanwhile cook your pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Toss the drained, cooked pasta with the vodka and the butter, and add the sauce. Stir to combine and serve, with a little grated parmesan.

ingredients

1/2 onion
garlic infused olive oil
salt
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons double cream
300g conchiglie pasta
50ml vodka
2 tablespoons butter
parmesan cheese, to serve

Naan Pizza

When the craving for soft or crispy dough topped by tangy tomato and gloriously stringy cheese hits I find that it is often at an inconvenient hour. And given that I sadly don’t live in an urban area where pizza-by-the-slice is readily available even at the witching hour, I need to resort to other measures.

Making pizza at home is often fraught with problems, thick premade pizza bases are often doughy with an unpleasant chemical aftertaste, and fail entirely to replicate the italian heaven I so often crave. Ready rolled dough is also available, and though it is ultimately inoffensive in itself, conventional household ovens rarely get hot enough for the dough to crispen and brown, leaving an unfortunate soggy bottom. If your passion for pizza is so great that you have installed a wood fired pizza oven in your garden, and are willing to light it whenever the craving hits, then by all means use ready-rolled pizza dough.

For those of us without such dedication, Naan bread makes a fantastic substitute for pizza dough, it is already cooked, so these flatbread pizzas will cook in no time. I try to always have naan breads and a tin of tomatoes in my pantry, so as to be prepared whenever the craving hits. As for the rest of the ingredients, I have given an example here, but you can of course use whatever you have leftover in your fridge, this recipe is but a guide and an idea.

Start by spreading the naan bread with the tomato puree, drain the chopped tomatoes and top the naan with two tablespoons of the tomato. Roughly dice the courgette and fry it lightly in olive oil, and add this to the pizza.

Finally add the cheese, peel the mozzarella ball into thin leaves and strew them atop the naan, and finally top with grated cheese. Place in a hot oven straight onto the oven rack for about 3 minutes, or until the naan has crisped and the cheese has melted, and serve

Ingredients

1 Naan bread
2 tbsps tomato puree

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 courgette

1 mozzarella ball

50g grated cheese

Chicken Masala

I have named this dish Chicken Masala, as it doesn't follow any traditional curry recipe, nonetheless it is delicious and painfully simple to make, containing only six ingredients, one of which is pepper.

Instead of searing the chicken in a frying pan, I prefer to roast it in the oven first, which allows the chicken to be cooked from frozen, finally I have made this as a fairly dry curry, if you prefer a wet curry, then you can add more cream and simmer the sauce for less time.

Start by cooking the frozen chicken breasts, preheat the oven to 200C and brush the chicken with a little vegetable oil, bake for around 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile process half a peeled onion in a food processor until fine, and cook with a little oil in a deep saucepan until translucent and soft. Dice the chicken roughly and add to the saucepan, stirring until the chicken has browned slightly.

Add two and a half tablespoons of masala paste to the pan and combine so that the chicken is now coated in the curry paste. Cook for a few minutes and add the cream, stirring so that it has an even colour. Turn down the heat and allow the sauce to simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, add freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of rice with a naan bread or poppadom.

ingredients

2 chicken breasts, frozen
vegetable oil
1/2 white onion, peeled
2 1/2 tablespoons masala curry paste
4 tablespoons cream
black pepper, to taste

Sweetcorn Fritters

A tried and tested dish it's true, but these are slightly dissimilar to what you would expect, the ingredient list is almost embarrassingly short, comprising just 5 ingredients and they take almost no time to prepare.

When I made these for the first time, it was also the first time I had ever separated an egg, I've always had a firm conviction that any dish that involves the separation of six eggs, in which you only use the yolks, was a waste of time, I can justify posting this recipe because firstly, it only involves the separation of two eggs, and secondly because you use both the whites and the yolk.

Start by separating the eggs placing the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Whisk the whites until they are frothy and slightly stiff, and then beat the egg yolks with the flour, and fold them into the whites. Drain the can of corn and mix into the batter with a large dash of salt. Finally add a teaspoon of turmeric and half a teaspoon of paprika to the batter and mix. You may need to add more flour to the batter if it is too slack, it should be able to hang off a spoon without running straight off.

Heat a little oil in a griddle or heavy based frying pan and add the batter to the pan in large dollops, flattening the batter with a tablespoon. Cook on each side for a couple of minutes until they have lightly browned on each side. Serve stacked whilst still warm, with a little relish, or tomato ketchup on the side.

ingredients2 eggs3 tbsp plain flour250g sweet corn, drained1/2 tsp paprika1 tsp turmericoil, for frying

Rosemary Slab Cake

Now this might sound bizarre but bear with me, whilst I appreciate that the idea of using rosemary in baking might sound bizarre, in this instance it really works, and though the cake doesn’t exactly taste of rosemary, the herb adds a peppery piquancy that is entirely welcome.

Pay attention to the quantity of rosemary used here, I find that when used over zealously and when chopped too finely or even, heaven forbid, when ground finely can taste soapy. So although the quantity of rosemary used may seem scant, it is just enough to add a herbal zing without a carbolic tang.

Though the inspiration for this dish came in the form of a loaf cake, I prefer to make this as a slab cake, for a few reasons, firstly it is easier to cook through, and you’ll have no issues of doughy, raw centres, especially useful when your oven is being temperamental, as mine often is. Secondly it keeps better, and you can even freeze it, as this cake defrosts well. My mother recently introduced me to the slab cake, and I have become rather taken by the concept, so expect to see more on here in the future.

Preheat the oven to 170C and line a square slab tin. Cream the butter and the sugar, and then beat in the eggs each with a spoonful of flour. After this has combined add the rest of the flour and fold it in, adding the chopped rosemary. Scrape into the lined slab tin, sprinkle over the sugar and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool before removing from the tin.

ingredients

250g butter

200g brown sugar

3 eggs

210g self-raising flour

90g plain flour

2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves

4 tbsps milk approx

extra caster sugar

Mediterranean Quesadilla

This recipe was created, in part, to satisfy a need to marry the ease and simple nature of a quesadilla, with the rich yet simple flavours of the mediterranean. Late at night I often yearn for something like this, something hot and filling yet still light. Filled with soft chargrilled peppers and sharp cheddar cheese make one of the perfect midnight snacks, and pottering round the kitchen in a silk kimono in the middle of the night is enough to make anyone feel like a domestic goddess.

Start by making the pesto, though if you are truly pressed for time bought pesto will suffice. Start by tearing up the basil leaves and putting them in a blender along with a clove of garlic peeled and crushed slightly, add a large pinch of sea salt flakes and a small glug of olive oil and blitz to a smooth viridescent paste, transfer the sauce to a bowl.

Add the can of tomatoes to the blender along with a large pinch of sea salt flakes, a peeled and crushed clove of garlic and some tomato concentrate, process and set aside.

Deseed the peppers and slice them into thin strips, place a griddle pan on a high heat with no fat, and add the strips of pepper along with some sea salt, cook for a few minutes turning them until they are slightly blackened and have softened. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the peppers to a bowl.

Now, start to warm your griddle, while it is heating up, construct your quesadillas, take a soft corn tortilla and fold it gently in half, spread one half with the red tomato sauce and the other half with the green pesto. Cover the tomato sauce with the chargrilled peppers, and cover the pesto with grated cheddar cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and place gently on the griddle. After a few minutes, flip the quesadilla with a fish slice. Give the other side a few minutes and remove it from the pan onto a chopping board and cut the quesadilla in half. Serve on a warmed plate.

ingredients

2 soft wheat tortillas
2 peppers
60g grated cheddar
sea salt flakes

for the pesto
90g basil leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
sea salt flakes

for the tomato sauce
150g peeled plum tomatoes
1 clove garlic
tomato concentrate
sea salt flakes

Rice n' Cheese

I'm rather proud of this dish, and it's even gotten housemate approval. I'm not the biggest fan of mac and cheese, the cheese sauce tends to be very heavy and claggy and if you don't use the right cheddar then it tends to also be flavourless. This recipe is based upon my desire to create a dish with all the creamy deliciousness of mac and cheese, but without the toil and stress of making a decent cheese sauce, something I don't find especially easy. I do specify an extra mature cheddar below, and this is very important, milder less piquant varieties won't provide the same depth of flavour or sharpness which is welcome in a smooth dish like this.

Instead of using pasta, I have used rice, or to be more specific, risotto. I included a recipe for cheddar cheese risotto on this blog a while back, and this is somewhat a variation on that. You will notice that the ingredients are significantly more scant than I normally supply, and this is very intentional, given that this dish is so rich, you will only be able to eat a relatively small portion, though you can double it up as you wish.

Start by peeling and finely chopping a quarter of a large red onion, and fry it gently in oil with a pinch of sea salt flakes until translucent but not browned. Add the rice and turn in the oil for a few minutes with a wooden spoon. Make up the vegetable stock, and add it a little at a time, stirring until the liquid has absorbed, and repeat, until all the stock has been soaked up and the rice is tender. Stir in some freshly ground black pepper and a little salt and remove from the heat.

Chop the cheddar into small chunks and add them to the risotto, stir until all the cheese has melted and combined with the rice, and transfer it all to a small ovenproof dish.

In a small bowl make the topping by mixing breadcrumbs with freshly grated parmesan and some ground black pepper, spoon over the top and bake in a medium hot oven for 15 minutes, or until the top has browned and is bubbling.

ingredients

200g arborio rice
600ml vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 red onion, diced
vegetable oil
50g extra mature cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs or matzo meal
2 tablespoons finely ground parmesan
salt & pepper

Spring Carbonara

Carbonara is a classic, and understandably so, the combination of salty pancetta and smooth, thick egg is wonderful, and this variation makes for a fantastic late night supper.

I came up with this dish in much the same way that I come up with many recipes, standing in the supermarket, waiting for inspiration. Thankfully my muse found me and by combining factory veg with some old eggs almost past their sell-by-date, this dish was born.

Start by prepping the veg, wipe and roughly dice the mushrooms and the bell pepper, top and tail the green beans and cut them into rough pieces.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, and start to cook the veg.

Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms, stirring them with a wooden spoon until they brown, and add the pepper, put the green beans in a small saucepan and cover them with boiling water, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, drain and add to the frying pan, stirring to combine all the veg until it browns.

Crack two eggs into a small bowl and add two tablespoons of creme fraiche and a little salt and pepper and whisk, until combined.

Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with the vegetables, tossing to combine, put the pan on a low heat and pour over the egg mixture, leave the pan on the heat until the egg has thickened, cover with the finely grated parmesan and toss, until it is all combined, and serve.

ingredients

80g dried pasta

6 button mushrooms

50g fine green beans

1 red pepper

2 large eggs

2 tbsps creme fraiche

olive oil

salt & pepper